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Chapter Nine: Duel

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It looked like half of Asgard had shown up to watch the two of us duel in the field that day. I kicked myself at my own stupidity. I was good, sure, but good enough to beat a god who'd been practicing for centuries? Probably not. And I was about to be humiliated in front of about a hundred people.

Bodil and Sigrid escorted me from my rooms after helping me get changed. I wore a skirt that opened down the centre to reveal a pair of pants. A leather corset top and white blouse covered my torso, and a pair of leather gloves over my hands.

Thor met us at the platform that overlooked the sparring grounds. A ring of white rocks was at its centre, and in it, stood Loki, wearing a black vest that revealed corded muscles around his arms. His hair was pulled back into a small ponytail at the nape of his neck. He grinned, and waved to the gathered crowd.

"How are this many people here?" I demanded, looking accusingly at Thor, "I thought this would be a small duel, over and done, with only a handful of people to watch me humiliate myself."

"Don't look at me," responded Thor, "My brother loves attention, and will draw it whenever he can."

"Of course," I roll my eyes, folding my arms, "Should've guessed."

"You'll do just fine."

"You're lying through your teeth."

Thor sighed. "Okay so you'll probably lose. Scratch that, you will lose. But you must apply what I've taught you to ensure that he doesn't completely humiliate you in front of this crowd."

"Loki wouldn't do that. I get it, he's a dick, but I'm gonna make an idiot out of myself on my own. He won't do anything to make that worse."

"I don't think you know my brother as well as you'd like to believe," Thor said, his mouth a thin line, "When I was a child, he grabbed me by the ponytail and held my hair to a pair of shears. He threatened to cut it off unless I kissed his boots."

"And did you?"

"That's not important," Thor said defensively, lifting a hand to his long blonde hair, "I'm only telling you that you must avoid falling on his mercy. He will humiliate you to make himself appear stronger in front of the crowd."

Like a predator, I thought to myself, as Thor gave my shoulder a bone-crushing but nonetheless comforting squeeze.

I pulled my hair into a knot at the top of my head as we strode toward the ring of stones, Thor stopped outside of it, but urged me ahead.

I stepped in, and Loki turned to face me, a smirk plastered across his face.

"Commendable effort, dear, but you won't distract your way to victory with exquisitely good looks," he winked, pointing his sword at me, "Not too late to walk away."

I looked back at Thor, raising a brow. Please, let me take the son of a bitch up on that offer, I tried to communicate to him with my eyes.

"Nope."

He offered an encouraging smile, pushing the hilt of a sword into my hand. I closed my fingers around it, lifting it just like Thor had shown me.

A man in servant's attire stepped into the centre of the circle as we turned to face each other.

"The match is finished when an opponent has stepped, or been forced, from the circle. Fighters ready? Good."

He lifted a hand, and dropped it down.

"Commence!"

Loki swung immediately. I just barely managed to duck out of the way without breaking the circle, dropping to my knees.