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ALL THE STARS: PART I

01. a coronation and a war plan

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Whenever Freya was working on her gowns, the entire world seemed to fade away. It was a pastime she picked up to distract herself from whenever her visions threatened to overwhelm her. The movements of a needle, or drawing a pattern on the fabric required all her focus and made sure nothing else was on her mind. She often wondered if life would have been kinder had she chosen to become a seamstress instead of the royal astronomer. But her visions had never answered that question.

'Please hurry, needlewoman, or we will be late!'

With a sign Freya looked up from the blue dress she'd been sewing. Brida was standing in the doorway, her eyebrows raised as she awaited an answer. Somehow her sister always managed to look both exhausted and ready to kick your ass at the same time. It was that exact look that made her such a feared mentor to the warriors she trained.

'I'm coming,' she mumbled as she finally put down the fabric.

She'd been trying to avoid thinking about this moment ever since the coronation was announced. But no matter how hard she'd tried, there was nothing that could be done to stop it. Well, nothing except whatever Loki had promised her...

Her legs felt as though they were made of lead as she walked towards the door. Brida hooked her arm through hers and together they left their little house. The streets were crowded with Asgardians as everyone hurried towards the palace to get the best seats. Freya wouldn't have to worry about getting a good view. Her job as royal astronomer and part of Odin's advisors required her to stand at the front with the other warriors.

'Alright, out with it,' Brida said as they made their way through the crowd. 'Why are you so nervous about today? You are aware it is not your coronation, right?'

Freya shrugged. 'I am just worried for him.'

Brida raised a brow. 'You think he's not ready?'

Her silence said more than enough.

'Or is it simply because you've been worrying about Thor Odinson since you were little kids chasing each other in the garden?'

'Oh shut it,' Freya mumbled.

Brida grinned proudly, as if her feelings for Thor were completely new information. 'Come on, sister, if the Allfather believes he is ready, who are you to doubt him?'

I'm the one who has seen his future as king of Asgard...but she would never say those words out loud.

After entering the gates, she said goodbye to Brida and made her way through the hall towards the front. The golden throne of the Allfather was placed there, on top of golden stairs covered with a red carpet. Her dress danced around her in a cloud of white as she made her way through the hallways of the palace. The soft white satin covered everything but her arms. She had always loved this dress but today she felt almost guilty of wearing it. She shouldn't be celebrating this occasion but she didn't have much of a choice...

Freya took her place next to Sif, who was watching her with a smile.

'You're late,' the warrior said.

'I know,' Freya mumbled as the crowd slowly became silent.

'Don't let Thor find out you were late for his big day,' Sif added with a whisper.

But Freya wasn't listening anymore. Her eyes searched for Loki, who stood on the other side of the stairs. As soon as he caught her looking at him, he gave an almost invisible nod before quickly looking away again. A trembling breath left her lips. There was no going back now...

It had been many years since Freya had seen Ragnarok for the first time and yet it was the only thing on her mind upon watching Thor Odinson make his way through a cheering crowd towards his father's throne. It was hard to maintain a smile on her face but she forced herself to do so anyway.

When Odin announced Thor's coronation, she felt absolutely terrified. She knew that if he would be king, Asgard would be doomed to a terrible fate. She had spoken with Odin many times, carefully trying to persuade him to choose his other son, Loki, but she had failed in changing his mind. With her knowledge she had tried to help Loki, though she had never told him about Ragnarok. He knew how much she cared for Thor but she had convinced him that no matter what her heart said, she would always listen to her mind first.

That was no lie, because her heart would never even be able to think of betraying Thor. Her mind, however, knew that if she did not, her home would fall.

'Oh please,' Sif mumbled while rolling her eyes.

Thor made his way to the throne quite the show and as always, whenever she saw him smiling, something within her stomach fluttered. They'd been playing together since they were kids and as they grew up, Freya knew she would never get rid of those feelings. Though she'd never been brave enough to say any of it out loud. Even if, by some miracle, he felt the same way, Odin would never allow him to settle with a girl so far beneath his title. It wasn't worth the heartache and so she desperately waited for her feelings to fade.

Finally he reached the stairs and got down on one knee, removed his helmet from his head and placed his hammer on the ground. His bright blue eyes found her as she watched him and he winked. This time, Freya didn't have to force her smile.

However, when Odin stood up from his throne, all smiles faded into serious expressions as the Asgardians held their breath, awaiting his words. 'Thor Odinson,' he spoke, his voice soft and yet it echoed through the entire hall. 'My heir, my firstborn. So long entrusted with the mighty hammer Mjolnir, forged in the heart of a dying star, its power has no equal, as a weapon to destroy or as a tool to build. 'Tis a fit companion for a king.'

Freya took a small breath, wishing with all her heart that she could have been happy on this day but every word of the Allfather felt like a stab in her heart.

'I have defended Asgard and the lives of the innocent across the Nine Realms from the time of the great beginning. Though the day has come that I will no longer bear this burden, but pass it on to you.'

She could not help but let her eyes wander towards him, Thor, sitting there on his knees at the edge of the stairs. To think that she could stand here and wish he would not be crowned king felt as though betraying everything she had ever fought for in her life, everything she ever had been. She was not just betraying him but herself too. But as she looked away from him, her eyes looking over the crowd that surrounded the throne, she knew that it would be worth it, someday.

'Do you swear to guard the Nine Realms?' Odin spoke.

'I swear,' his son replied.

'And do you swear to preserve the peace?'

'I swear.'

'Do you swear to cast aside all selfish ambition and to pledge yourself only to the good of the Realms?'

Thor reached for his hammer, lifting it into the air as he proclaimed: 'I swear!'

'Then, on this day, I, Odin Allfather, proclaim you...' He fell silent.

With a heavy heart she looked at the Allfather and noticed the suddenly disturbed look in his eyes. She clenched her trembling hands in the skirt of her dress.

'Frost Giants,' Odin whispered.

The crowd gasped and shouted as everyone reached for their weapons. Her eyes found her sister, who was already staring at her with a worried look on her face. It took her all of her willpower not to look at Loki, fearing whatever it would be that she might see on his face.

Odin raised his spear, Gungnir, and slammed it against the ground. The sound echoed through the hall and made the air itself tremble.

Freya inhaled sharply. She knew his spear called upon the Destroyer that guarded the vault. The Frost Giants would be dead within seconds but it did not matter. Their plan had already been set in motion and she knew nothing would be able to stop it now.

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Freya forced herself to take measured breaths to appear as calm as she possibly could. She would have preferred to sprint through the hallways but that would only draw attention. Thor, Odin and Loki had been the first to leave the hall and go to the vault. Whatever would happen next, Thor would surely want to talk with his warriors and advisors about it. And so she'd left the chaos of the coronation hall behind and made her way to their meeting room.

But there was someone else she had to talk to first and he was waiting for her just outside the doorway. She had often thought Loki could have been made out of marble. He was perfectly capable of standing still and disappearing into the decor of the room, like a statue.

'Do you think this will work?' she asked softly as soon as she'd reached him. She could not stop herself from questioning their every movement, afraid that even the smallest misstep could cost them everything.

'It will, if you stop doubting,' Loki told her, his green eyes piercing hers. 'You do your part and I do mine. Together we will see this through.'

Freya nodded. 'You're right.' She couldn't afford to start doubting now.

He nodded and then walked into the meeting room.

Freya threw a look inside and saw Thor had just thrown aside the table, sending all the food flying across the room. This was what their plan depended on, his rage.

Odin would refuse to go to Jotunheim to punish the Frost Giants for crossing their borders. Loki would take advantage of that anger and encourage Thor to take his rightful place as king and punish them himself. That part of the plan had been her idea...

She knew Thor well enough to know he would want to pursue the intruders of their home. Loki would have no trouble planting that seed of their plan in his head. He would do exactly what they needed him to. All because she'd taken advantage of their friendship.

To save Asgard, she repeated it to herself like a prayer. It was all to save Asgard.

'Freya,' Volstaggs' booming voice called out from behind her.

She turned around and watched as the Warriors Three and Lady Sif came walking down the hallway.

'There you are,' she said with a sigh.

'Let me guess, he's not happy?' Volstagg asked with a raised brow.

'Good guess,' she muttered as they made their way inside.

Their expressions barely changed upon seeing the food scattered around the room. This was hardly the first time Thor exploded in a fit of rage. But when it came to food...

'What's this?' Volstagg shouted. Of course he would be offended upon seeing his precious dinner spilled all over the ground.

She paid the food no attention, her eyes searching for Thor and Loki instead. The two brothers were seated on the stairs that lead to the balcony and once again it struck her that they were complete opposites of each other. Thor was broad shouldered, Loki was slender. Thor's hair was golden like the sun, Loki's hair was black as the night. Thor loved to be among his friends, Loki preferred to be alone with his books. Thor was their father, Loki was their mother.

Her eyes lingered on Loki as he talked to his brother with hushed whispers. But since everything else was quiet, she could hear every word. 'If it's any consolation, I think you're right. About the Frost Giants, about Laufey, about everything.' As always, Loki was saying exactly the right thing. 'If they found a way to penetrate Asgard's defenses once, who's to say they won't try again? Next time with an army.'

'Exactly!' Thor bellowed.

'But there's nothing you can do without defying father,' Loki added but his eyes widened upon seeing Thor's expression change. She had to admit that Loki knew how to play the part. Nothing about him suggested that this wasn't exactly what he wanted to happen.

'No, no, no,' Loki said quickly, watching as his brother stood up. 'I know that look.'

'That's the only way to ensure the safety of our borders,' Thor replied.

'Thor, it's madness,' Loki begged softly.

'Madness?' Volstagg asked, looking up from the food he had gathered from the ground. 'What sort of madness?'

'We're going to Jotunheim,' Thor announced as he walked up towards them.

'What?' Volstagg chuckled, and he was right to do so. The idea of charging into enemy territory without the Allfather's consent was indeed laughable.

'This isn't like a journey to earth where you summon a little lightning and thunder and the mortals worship you as a god,' Fandral joined in, a concerned frown on his face. 'This is Jotunheim!'

'My father,' Thor continued as if he hadn't heard them, 'forced his way into Jotunheim, defeated their armies and took their Casket. We would just be looking for answers.'

'It is forbidden,' Sif spoke sharply.

Suddenly, Thor smiled. 'My friends, have you forgotten all that we have done together?' He patted the two warriors on the back. 'Fandral, Hogun. Who led you into the most glorious of battles?'

'You did,' Hogun admitted with a small smile on his lips.

'And Volstagg, to delicacies so succulent you thought you'd died and gone to Valhalla?' Thor asked, putting his arm around his shoulders.

'You did,' Volstagg said with a smile.

He turned to look at Freya and her heart felt heavy beneath his gaze. She couldn't deny him anything, even if she tried. 'And who believed in your visions and trusted your advice without fail?'

Her stomach ached because she knew there would be no going back after this. 'You did,' she admitted, making him chuckle and put his hand on her shoulder, squeezing it before letting go and turning to Sif.

'And who proved wrong all who scoffed at the idea that a young maiden could be one of the fiercest warriors this realm has ever known?'

'I did,' Sif replied, a teasing smile on her features.

'True,' Thor admitted, 'but I supported you, Sif.' He turned to look at them, a gleam in his eye that she knew no one could contain. 'My friends, we're going to Jotunheim.'

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Hey guys!

The first chapter is here! I decided I wanted to add more depth to Freya's character. There used to be barely anything about her personal life in the story. I focused mainly on her plan to stop Ragnarok from happening. Her sister Brida, who used to be called Alena, only appeared in a few scenes. And I wanted to give her more of an arc and place in Freya's life as well.

I've always imagined Freya as someone who loved clothes and pretty dresses. Perhaps you even noticed this in the old version because I very often describe what she's wearing. So I decided to lean even more into that aspect of her character and make sewing her hobby!

Hopefully you guys like the things I added. As always, please leave a comment or a vote. I'd love to hear your thoughts and opinions! Thanks for reading!

xx nelly