Walking With Shadows [#Wattys2015] [Being Edited]

Shattered

Tassel reached for the dagger with a shaky hand. Blood trailed down the blade and began to seep into the hilt. She fought the urge to cry out when a few drops landed on the hand holding the weapon. Her free hand covered her mouth to keep her from waking up others.

Sigurd stood silently from where he was sitting, sadness still evident in his eyes. As he headed for the door, Tassel shot her hand out to grab him by the arm.

"Sigurd, please. What did I do?" she whispered.

Sigurd turned his head to face her.

"You tell me." he said.

He pulled away from her and disappeared into the dark halls of Asgard. Tassel looked around her, and her eyebrows knitted together when she saw where she was. She wasn't under the sheets, nor was she tangled in them. She was on top of the bedding, as if she had just sat down. Her heart skipped ten beats when she realized what she'd done. Tassel hurriedly cleaned the dagger under the running water of the sink and then hid it back under her pillow, just in case anyone came looking for it. Then, she made a mad dash down the hall in the way Sigurd had gone.

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It didn't take long for Tassel to find an open door down the corridor. Moonlight spilled into the old storage room from a large window that nearly took up an entire wall. The door was barely cracked open, so Tassel reached forward and pushed it back. She choked down a cry of anguish when her eyes met the still form on the ground. Clothed in the many golden layers of the dress, the victim was unmistakable. Frigga, Queen of Asgard, was laying face down on the cold floor, still dressed in her evening gown.

Tassel shook her head as she moved in closer. The queen's head was turned to the side with her hair splayed out behind her. Her eyes stared unblinkingly ahead; her arms were outstretched, as if she had tried to pull herself forward.

Without a word, Tassel knelt down next to Frigga, her legs wobbling so badly she could barely keep her balance. She reached out a shaky hand and touched the older woman's cheek. It was ice cold. Tassel scanned the rest of her body, stopping when she found a stab wound on the upper, right side of the queen's abodmen.

"No.." Tassel said.

There was no way for Tassel to deny that the wound that had killed Frigga was the same as the other killings she had done for Kurse, her signature. Tassel's blood ran cold, and tears began to fill her eyes.

"Help!" she cried out.

The momentary shock that had silenced her was gone, replaced by unadulterated panic, and she screamed until her voice was hoarse. After a few minutes, a guard rushed in with his sword drawn, but he nearly dropped it at the sight of his fallen queen. He instructed Tassel to stay put, returning with the king and a few other guards. Loki followed soon after with his brother trailing closely behind.

Odin's good eye widened as he entered the room. He stopped in front of his wife, unable to keep his gaze off of her. Thor let out a roar of anger. Tassel turned around to see Mjolnir suddenly in his hand. Loki was behind his brother, watching from the shadows. He was silent, motionless, as if he were having trouble taking in the sight before him.

"Get her out of here." Odin ordered.

His voice, nothing more than a whisper, almost got lost in the room, but Tassel heard him. She turned her head back around to face him. Tears streaked her face. Her body shook with sobs, but she controlled it long enough to speak.

"What?" Tassel asked.

Her voice was choked up, the evidence of tears yet to be shed.

"Are you deaf?" Odin said, directing the question at the guards, "I said, get her out of here."