Walking With Shadows [#Wattys2015] [Being Edited]

Breakfast Catastrophe

Tassel stormed her way through the halls until she found her room. The halls were empty except for a few select guards patrolling important areas of the castle. It wasn't as late as she had suspected. Dawn was only starting to creep over the horizon. Tassel guessed this was the reason for the many strange looks she got from passing the guards. When she reached her door, she pushed it open and cleaned herself up. Tassel got into the shower and made sure to hurry herself along this time.

After a thirty minute rinse, Tassel hopped out and dried herself off. Pulling on a yellow shirt and some black pants to match, Tassel hurried out and down to the Great Hall. There weren't many present, except a few servants who were busy placing the silverware next to gleaming golden platters. A few looked up from their work and cast strange looks at their new guest, whom they had obviously not been expecting for another hour.

"Please, continue." Tassel announced awkwardly.

She waved a hand dismissively, trying to appear as if she had a position of authority. It took a moment for them to be able to wipe the look of shock off their faces, but the servants eventually went about their chores, though somewhat disoriented.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The hour passed slowly, and it seemed that the whole time all the servants were trying to pluck up the courage to ask something. They would whisper in each others ears as they passed by each other, or they would form small groups and pretend to be working while they discussed among themselves.

After a great deal of whispering, the small servant girl Solia broke away from her group and navigated her way over. The whole group of workers watched her out of the corner of their eyes while trying to feign their work. Suspicion rose up in Tassel's chest.

"My lady, us, as in the servants, we would like to, if it's not too rash, we would like to inquire about your relationship with the prince." Solia requested in a small whisper.

It took Tassel a moment to separate all of the girl's jumbled up words so she could understand.

"The prince?" Tassel's brow furrowed.

"Prince Loki, my lady. We noticed that you and he were returning late last night. We were just requesting to know what you were up to, to keep you out so late." Solia added.

"Now that is much too bold. I can assure you that nothing happened. We went for a ride. That's all." Tassel scolded the little servant girl.

"Well, my apologies miss. I don't suspect it was our place. We were simply curious, considering your past communications and all." Solia remarked.

"Past communications? I'm afraid I don't follow, Solia." Tassel apologized.

"Well, surely you must know!" Solia began to speak before being interrupted.

"That'll be enough, Solia. Thank you."

Loki appeared by Tassel's side. Solia immediately humbled herself, bowing low.

"Of course, my prince. My humblest apologies miss, I was too bold. Please accept my apology."

The servant girl mumbled, curtsied, and scurried out while releasing a small giggle.

"What was that about?" Tassel inquired.

The question was more directed to herself, but Loki answered anyway.

"Who knows. The rumors that spread around here can sometimes be astronomical."

The dark prince shrugged it off before departing for his seat at the table.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Breakfast had a startling beginning as Anson tumbled in. The strange fact, however, was that he was not drunk. The look he gave everyone, though, showed that he was livid with anger.

"Where is it? What have you done with it?!" he roared.

Anson turned to Tassel who was trying her hardest not to tremble. Her gaze was locked with Loki's. She knew what was missing: Anson's drinks. And judging by the look Loki was giving her, it was he who had taken them.

"It was you, wasn't it? It was you! Where is it? Where did you hide them?" Anson bellowed, ripping Tassel from her chair.

She hurried to her feet and tried to dodge the oncoming attacks. Her heart pounded against her chest. The detrimental man smacked her across the face, leaving her face stinging. Everyone at the table stood immediately.

"Anson, enough!" Loki thundered.

"No, you stay out of this! Do not interfere! She is my property, and I shall chastise her how I wish!"

Anson's voice grew louder as he pointed his finger at Loki. Tassel glanced at Loki's hands. His fingers were curled around the edge of the table, his knuckles white.

"You don't own me." Tassel said, regaining her stance once more.

Anson lashed out at her again, this time causing her to fall. She turned into a crumpled ball on the floor as Anson started to whale on her.

"This has gone far enough." Odin decided.

Thor and Loki made a move towards Anson just as he delivered a swift kick to Tassel's temple. Despite her best efforts to keep quiet, a yelp escaped her throat. She found her world going fuzzy. Tassel made a furious attempt to push herself up, to keep from giving Anson the satisfaction of beating her, but to no avail. Black spots began to appear at the side of her vision as Thor pulled Anson away. Sif knelt beside the poor girl, shaking her head solemnly as Tassel blacked out.