The Brightest Star

Chapter 1 - An Unexpected Visit

(Kára's POV):
Hidden around the corner from the marketplace, I focused on the cart of apples, using my magic to transfer them into the basket slung over my arm. I did the same with other fruits, bits of meat, and whatever else I could spot from my concealed location. Once my basket was full, I turned around, crashing into the person standing behind me.

"Oh, I-I am terribly sorry," I muttered as I hastily started picking up the fallen food from my basket and fixing my hood so that my face would remain concealed.

The woman bent down next to me and helped me gather my things, "no, it was my fault, my dear. I was just watching you, you have great skill."

My eyes widened as I stumbled away from her, frantically stuttering, "I-I don't know wh-what you mean, I-I w-was just on my back w-way from the- er- the marketplace."

"My dear you have no need to lie to me," the woman smiled, her stormy blue eyes twinkling. "I was raised by witches, I know a sorceress when I see one. But don't worry, I won't tell anyone."

"Thank you?" I replied, glancing uncertainly at the stranger and hugging the basket to my body. As I passed my eyes over her body, I noticed how ornately her caramel hair was styled and the silk of the dress poking out from beneath her cloak. I needed to get out of here, I clearly had run into an aristocrat. However, as I tried to teleport away, I felt a strange tug on my body which kept me grounded.

"Wh-what is this?" I questioned, looking at the green magic flooding from the woman's hands.

"I made an educated guess that you would attempt to leave and I have yet to finish speaking with you. Based on your decision to steal your food as opposed to purchasing it, it would seem that you are in need of money, is that correct?"

I nodded, still trying to fight against the magical restraints holding me down. During all of my years I had yet to find another besides myself and my mother who wielded magic, never mind someone as capable as this woman clearly was. But that raised the question, why would someone so powerful want from me?

"Then you may want to come with me to hear a proposition I have for you."

A wave of adrenaline washed over me as I begin to fear this woman, who was clearly more skilled in the magical arts than I was. I knew that I needed to find a way to diminish her powers and free myself from her binds.

"If you have something to say to me, you can tell me right here. I am not going any further away from the marketplace for this conversation," I replied with an air of confidence, although my heart was racing out of control.

"As you wish," she nodded, releasing her hold on me and causing me to land back on the ground. "My name is Frigga, I am the wife of the All-Father, and I think that your talents will be of much use to us at the palace."

"I am afraid that I do not quite understand. What would the palace want with someone like me? I'm a just a nobody, a poor citizen that lives on the outskirts and possesses mild magical ability. Surely there are many others that are more qualified than I am."

"For someone who must resort to theft for basic necessities you do not seem desperate for a position that will pay you handsomely," she commented, raising her eyebrow slightly.

"What would the position entail?" I questioned, realizing that if I accepted her proposal than I could support my family without breaking the law.

"There is someone at the palace who I think will benefit greatly from having someone skilled in the magical arts tutor them. Of course, I shall need to test you on the full extent of your abilities but beyond that I think you will be perfect for this. You may have the night to consider and if you ultimately decide to accept this proposition then meet me here tomorrow and I shall bring you back to the palace to discuss the more in depth details."

Before I had a chance to respond, Frigga placed her hand on my shoulder and then turned the corner, disappearing into the crowd. For a while I just stared after her, trying to process what had just transpired. Was that truly the Queen of Asgard and did she just offer me a paid position at the palace?

Eventually my senses returned to me and I teleported back to my home, finding Saga, the middle sister, pinning up our laundry to dry. Noticing my return, she quickly threw the laundry back into the basket and ran up to meet me.

"Kára, you were gone a longer time than usual, we were getting worried that you may have been caught," she cried out as she took the basket from my arms.

I smiled at her, "you really think I would be so careless as to get caught? Saga, I thought you knew me by now. No, I was actually held up by the queen."

Saga's eyes widened as she dropped the basket, "what did you just say? The queen? Why did she hold you up? Did she speak to you?"

I laughed at her starstruck reaction, although I myself was still trying to process the situation, "yes, she saw me using magic and she offered me a position at the palace."

"You cannot possibly be serious, this is a miracle, we must go tell the others!" Saga exclaimed, running inside the collapsing hut. I smiled as I picked up the fallen basket and followed her, thankful that this opportunity meant my family could live another day.

"Kára is it true?" Aasveig, my sister who was the oldest after me, came running to meet me at the door.

"I still have to pass some sort of test to prove that I am worthy of the position, but yes it is true," I replied, slipping into the hut and placing the basket of food on the wooden dining table.

"So what is it exactly that you will be doing?" She continued interrogating me as my other siblings gathered around.

I shook me head, "honestly I have no idea. The queen told me that I would be some sort of tutor of magic at the palace for someone in particular and I know neither who they are or why she would pick me. However, I do know that I will be getting paid handsomely and a steady income will be a blessing since I cannot be a dressmaker like you."

"But will you be staying with us?" Tormod, the eldest son, asked me as he took a seat at the table. "Traveling to the palace everyday would get quite tiring, especially since we don't have a horse."

"You seem to be forgetting that I can teleport, Tormod. But even so I am hoping that I could live at the palace, although I suppose that would mean that I would not get to see any of you often. I do not know, I am supposed to meet with the queen tomorrow to demonstrate my abilities and, if all goes as planned, discuss the details of this arrangement."

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(A/N): Ok so this story has a very strange premise but we're gonna see where it takes me so I hope you enjoy this Loki fanfic!