Misfits

Taryn woke up the next morning and prepared a pot of coffee. She was pouring herself a mug when she realized she was really going to be leaving her home. Not just her home, her whole planet. The realization distracted her so badly that she had let half the coffee empty into her mug, and she found steaming liquid spreading over her counter and onto the floor. A flurry of obscenities escaped her lips as she scrambled to clean up the mess.
"I highly doubt the gods in Asgard are as stupid as I am," she chastised herself as she mopped up the spilled coffee. It felt strange to leave all of her possessions behind. Ahrima had told her not to pack anything, that everything she would need would be supplied to her in Asgard. The drive to her mothers house seemed to take an eternity. She was dreading every minute of her departure.
"I love you honey, you're going to be fine there, okay?" Daisy whimpered, hugging her daughter tightly.
"I love you too, Mom," Taryn said, swallowing down the urge to start blubbering. She hated showing vulnerability. She stood back and waited for Ahrima and her mother to say their own goodbyes. Her eyes widened as she watched Ahrima pull her mother toward him and place a loving kiss on the woman's lips. Taryn didn't know whether to be disgusted by or sympathetic for the two. Ahrima then left Daisy's side hesitantly and turned his attention on Taryn.
"Are you ready?" he asked.
"As ready as I can be," she nodded.
"Heimdall, open the Tesseract," Ahrima called out to the sky. Shortly after, a portal opened up in the sky, and Taryn gave her mother one last wave as Ahrima tucked her under his arm to keep her steady for the journey. The trip was quick and terribly nauseating for Taryn. Despite Ahrima's protective grip, when the pair hit solid ground again, Taryn managed to end up sprawled out on the ground, staring up at a ridiculously high and beautiful ceiling. Ahrima chuckled at the girls mishap and helped her to her feet. He then turned his attention to a large man standing before them and nodded in acknowledgement, earning one in return.
"Thank you, Heimdall. Are you all right, Taryn?" he asked, turning back to Taryn as he started walking.
"Ask me when I'm not about to spew stomach acid all over the floor," Taryn choked out, following him on shaky legs. Ahrima smiled at her response, and wrapped his arm around her waist in order to keep her steady.
"Odin wanted to meet you immediately. Do not worry about your mortal clothing, it will not offend him. After you are dismissed, you will be led to your chamber where you will have the afternoon to prepare for the evening festivities," Ahrima informed her as they moved down the halls.
"Festivities?" she questioned.
"A dinner party is being held for your arrival. It is an easy way to introduce you to the other Asgardians and for them to recognize you as well," he said. Taryn's eyes widened.
"I can't do that. I don't want attention. Especially not from a giant room full of gods," she squeaked.
"You will do just fine, Taryn. Now collect yourself, we are nearing the throne," Ahrima chuckled. The pair approached a throne in which an elderly man with an eye patch sat. He spoke as they approached.
"You must be Taryn, daughter of Ahrima," the man exclaimed. Taryn noticed her father kneeling beside her. She then realized she had no idea how to address a king. A million movies involving kings flashed through her mind and she had a small panic attack before it hit her.
"It's an honor to meet you," she said, ignoring the awkward feeling of the curtsy she gave.
"I hope I can expect to see you at the dinner party this evening," the man smiled.
"I couldn't miss my own party, sir," she said with a crooked grin. Odin's smile widened.
"I can see your charm in her already, Ahrima," he said.
"She is a strong willed girl, Allfather. She has a heart fit for Asgard," he said proudly. Once dismissed, Taryn was led to her chamber by Ahrima.
"I will take my leave, Taryn. The afternoon is yours," Ahrima said, standing before the large door.
"Until tonight, then," she said, smirking a bit. He smiled.
"Until tonight. I will be here to escort you," he said. He dipped his head in a small bow and departed. She pushed open the large door, and went inside the room. Her jaw dropped at the sight. The room was much bigger than her apartment, and the ceiling was as high as that of the halls. There were decorations everywhere, and a bed bigger than any Taryn had ever seen before. There was a canopy over the massive bed that looked to be made of some of the finest material money could buy. She eventually made her way to the connecting bathroom, where her loose jaw dropped further at the bath tub. It was big and golden just as most of the other things she had seen in Asgard so far, and there were all different kinds of soaps and oils and other bathing luxuries. She smirked. She knew exactly how she was going to spend the rest of her afternoon.
After a good five minutes of attempting to turn on the water, it finally started pouring out of the intricately designed faucet. Hoping she was right, Taryn poured a light purple liquid under the running water and smiled as thick white bubbles started forming, and a light lavender scent reached her nose. When the giant tub was full, she excitedly shed her clothes and stepped into the tub. Of course, she slipped and fell in with a splash, and water flowed over the side. Her head broke the surface of the lavender water and she took a moment to recover before finally relaxing.
The water was nearly up to her chin, and the bubbles went even higher. The size of the tub made her feel like a child again. The afternoon passed slowly, and Taryn sat in the tub humming to herself and investigating each and every soap and oil and other things she didn't recognize. Eventually, when her fingers and toes were ugly and wrinkled, and the bubbles had mostly dispersed, she decided to get out. She wrapped herself in a super soft, fluffy towel and decided to go to the closet to find something to wear for the evening. She wasn't surprised to see that the closet was massive, but the amount of clothing in it was astounding. She wasn't one for dresses, but that seemed to be her only option in Asgard. After picking through the many colorful dresses, she found a dark gray halter topped dress with a low dipping back that she thought was fitting for the occasion. It looked like it fit loosely and comfortably. Just as she laid the dress out on the bed, she heard knocking on the large bedroom door. She opened it a crack and poked her head out, not wanting to be seen in only a towel. Two women were standing outside.
"Hello, my lady. We are here to prepare you for the dinner party," one of them said.
"Oh? I didn't know I needed help," Taryn exclaimed in confusion, opening the door further to let them in.
"Your father requested it. Would this be the dress you are wearing?" the other said, holding up the dress on the bed. Taryn nodded. They led her back to the bathroom where they sat her down in a chair they pulled in. One started tampering with her hair while the other gathered the strange Asgardian makeups by the sink.
Throughout the process, Taryn couldn't think of anything other than how strange it was to have someone else tending to her. The maids left her to dress herself, and once she had the dress on, she looked at herself in a large mirror. She smiled. She hadn't felt so pretty in a long time. She made sure to thank the maids before leaving her room, where she found her father waiting patiently.
"You look beautiful," he said, holding out his arm for her. She smiled at him and placed her hand on his forearm.
"This isn't going to kill me, is it? Like, I won't die from social exposure or anything?" she asked nervously.
"You will do just fine, Taryn," Ahrima laughed. Walking down one of the halls, Taryn saw a blonde man walking out of a dark room hidden in a corner. She looked inside the room while the door was still open and caught a glimpse of a pale man with something metal over his mouth. His wrists seemed bound behind his back, and he stood behind a clear wall. He looked like he was imprisoned. Blue eyes met hers for an instant before the door closed with a dull, echoing thud. The blonde man looked unhappy as he walked away from the room.
"Who's in there?" she asked curiously.
"That would be Thor's brother, Loki. He has been in there for the last three years for the destruction he caused on Earth. Thor visits him every day, though Loki cannot speak," Ahrima explained solemnly. She looked back at the door before they rounded another corner. She was struck with immediate curiosity by Loki. Two great doors stood open at the end of the next hall, and many voices sounded, getting louder as they neared. Once the pair entered the great hall, every thought Taryn had was replaced by immediate fear. She wasn't ready for this.