Walking With Shadows [#Wattys2015] [Being Edited]

Sparring

*Author's Note* This is the last chapter that I had finished for this story before moving it to this website. I hope that you'll still stick with it, even though the span between chapters might be a little bit greater than I want. As I said at the beginning of the first chapter, I'm still working on this. I'm not abandoning it, because I have high hopes for this story. Thank you! Enjoy.

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Tassel rose with the sun the next morning feeling fully rested. She'd woken up with a smile plastered on her face, something that was much too rare for her. Instead of forcing it back down, she allowed it to stay as she hurried over to the curtains to let in the light. Creamy light poured into Tassel's bedroom. Even at such an early hour, the courtyard was alive with people. By the time Solia arrived, Tassel had already made the bed, washed her face, and had started brushing her hair out. Solia entered and immediately knitted her eyebrows together in bewilderment.

"Morning, Solia. Beautiful day, isn't it?" Tassel greeted her cheerily.

Solia looked at her as if she had just turned into a horse.

"Um, yes it is, miss. Are you feeling alright this morning?"

The servant girl scanned the room, as if searching for an explanation to Tassel's strange behavior.

"I've never been better, Solia." Tassel said, setting the brush down.

Her fingers began their rhythmic dance of twisting her hair into its two braids.

"The young prince stopped by last night, didn't he? That's why you're so happy."

Tassel stopped mid-braid and whirled around.

"I'm afraid I don't understand."

"Honestly, Miss Tassel, you don't have to lie. Anyone who works in this castle already knows. Trust me, the maids know everything about everyone, but I assure you that we aren't about to go and tell the All-Father on you. No, no, us servants like to watch people's stories play out. It's not often that someone stumbles into our home and falls in love with our youngest prince. Even rarer are the times when he returns the affections. The forbidden romances are always the best ones."

Solia closed her eyes and let out a contented sigh.

"You mustn't let your imagination get the better of you, Solia. Loki and I are in no way in love with one another, and there is certainly nothing romantic about our interactions, no matter how 'forbidden' they may be." Tassel protested.

"So, he's Loki now, is he?" Solia raised a knowing eyebrow, but she didn't press any further.

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Tassel stood in front of the mirror and straightened her tunic out. The deep forest green color was rich, and the hem settled at mid-thigh, where her black tights became visible. It went well with the golden armor that Solia had insisted upon her wearing.

"You are one of us, miss, so it just makes sense for you to dress like us." the little maid had said.

The armor was divided into three different pieces. It covered her neck and shoulders in a large but elegant gold plate. Like feathers, the design rested upon her collarbone and wrapped around her upper arms. A second piece covered her breasts and circled around her ribs in four different stripes, all connecting at the back. The third and final piece draped at her hips. It began at a single, triangular part that hung at the front of her tunic, and from there, it divided into six strip, three on each side and studded with small emeralds, until they joined together at another triangular piece at the back.