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Her next guest was Thor, to her handmaiden's great delight. Sigrid's face was bright and elated, and she babbled away as she led him into Aislinn's room. This time, Aislinn remained seated on the sofa. He sat down across from her and chatted jovially for a few minutes before telling Aislinn that training would be in the morning as predicted.
Aislinn said very little to him at first, watching him flirt shamelessly with both Sigrid and herself practically simultaneously. He was loud and boisterous, and undeniably handsome. His wide face was suited to a cheerful expression, inviting and pleasing. His eyes were likewise bright and full of laughter and boasting, although Aislinn fancied they hid something dangerous within. He was the perfect Asgardian from head to toe: bulging muscles, handsome features, rugged stubble and all. But unlike Loki's air of intelligence, Thor's attitude reeked of overconfidence and bravado in a manner that Aislinn found cloying.
After a few moments more of this, Thor actually arrived at his reason for visiting: "The feast will be tomorrow night, and there will be a ceremony for you. A warrior must accept his weapon from his… or her… King." He paused here to wink at Sigrid again, who was carried off in a fit of giggles. Thor continued again, "But Father and I do not know what weapons you would use. He wants us to meet him in the armory, so that you can choose."
Aislinn gestured to her gown and said, "I had better change into something else… this dress was probably not made for the testing of weapons."
Thor laughed and made a derisive sound, saying "I did not know there was a right or wrong outfit for choosing a dagger or an axe."
"I have no intention of choosing any weapon without testing its weight and balance. As I am sure you know, my prince, one must feel a weapon in ones hand to know how it will serve in battle." She replied archly.
Thor looked tremendously impressed, and told her he would wait. Aislinn retreated to her dressing room, although she noted the absence of one of her handmaidens as she did so.
Rifling rapidly through her many and various closets, she eventually came across one filled with clothes that looked as though they were designed for riding, including fine leather breaches and silken tunics. She shed her gown and threw it lightly over the back of a chair.
She grabbed a pair of breaches in an attractive pale red-brown and pulled them on. They fit her like a second skin, but were so skillfully made that they did nothing to restrict her movement. She grabbed a tunic at random and pulled it over her head, taking a brief moment to look at herself in the mirror as she tugged her hair roughly out of the collar and let it fall down her back. The shirt was robin's egg blue, her mother's favorite color. It had a tall collar that ended just before her jaw line, but had a deep folded neckline that exposed her collarbone and some of the milky skin of her chest. The tunic was embroidered around the neckline and collar with a pattern of vines and leaves in a pale green. Impulsively she touched the threads, her magic staining them darker and making them show up more vividly on the tunic. She chided herself for the silliness of it; but in that moment of impulse, she had wanted some small show of her preference in prince.
Leaving the mirror, Aislinn sought out some boots. She found a pair of them in a rack at the back of the wall. They were a lovely chocolate brown, and as soft and supple as butter. She pulled them on with much more genuine pleasure than she had felt about any of Tofa's bejeweled sandals. She wriggled her toes inside them contentedly, and then grabbed a ribbon to bind up her hair. She hastily tied her hair out of the way, and came back into the sitting room in a slight huff.
Thor rose as she approached and offered his arm to Aislinn. She took it, and they walked out into the hall. Thor did not seem in any particular hurry, although Aislinn was eager to go and choose her weapons. He seemed to always be trying to touch her: when she slipped her arm out of his to walk alone as she was accustomed, he threw his arm about her shoulder for a time, and then about her waist. She did her best to slide out of his grip as they walked, but if his hand were to fall, he would have it back on her again in a moment. It made her more and more uncomfortable until they finally arrived in the armory, and she was able to slip past Thor in order to greet her king.
The armory was as vast as she had imagined it: the arsenal of the protector of the nine realms was extreme. Within the cavernous room stood seemingly endless racks of weaponry, stretching on almost out of sight. Thor explained that these were the weapons of the army, and that there were more unique artifacts to choose from for royalty. Odin led the way into a smaller room, where rows of weapons were displayed on beautiful wooden shelves.
"These weapons are set aside for the great heroes of our age," explained the Allfather, "Many of them are enchanted, and all of them are without price."
"Look around," said Thor, "and see what calls to you."
The room was divided by large wooden displays that were about half the height of the tall walls and ran almost the length of the room. The great wooden structures created faux walls, where weapons were hung on carefully crafted hooks. Each row was adorned at its head by an example of a weapon one could find within that rack.
Aislinn first passed a halberd on display, and leaning around it to see the weapons on the wooden wall behind it, she saw a great many pole arms of different makes. She continued down the rows, bypassing hand and great axes, two handed swords and hammers without a blink. She paused for a moment at the row of bows, but continued on. Her face lit up a bit when she finally arrived at a sword, but she soon turned back from that display when she saw that they were all quite long.
The next row over had a pair of weapons: a short sword and a small dagger were shown, and in these Aislinn showed real interest. She walked down the row where many fine examples were displayed, often stopping to touch or lift a sword or a dagger and turn it over in her hand. None seemed to please her, particularly those that were heavily decorated, of which there were many.
She was displeased when the sword was too long or the dagger to short, and began to despair of finding any weapon to suit her. Then, as she walked along, a set caught her eye. Both weapons in this set were of a similar length to each other, the sword only inches longer than the knife. The grips were covered in fine but plain green leather, the pommel stones large sky blue gems. They lacked the garish carvings of the other swords, but made up for it in a delicate silver inlay of knotwork.
Aislinn, hand trembling slightly, took the weapons down to test their feel in her hands, first one and then the other. They felt perfectly weighted and balanced in her hand, like living extensions of her arms. She spun them about expertly, and dropped into a fighting pose. She lashed out at an invisible target, and marveled at the speed these perfect weapons seemed to lend her. She stopped with a satisfied smile, and turned to look at Odin and Thor.
Thor seemed amused at her choice, thinking as he did that her weapons seemed typical of a slight female warrior, mere toys. Odin, however, wore a look of pride. There was a sad cast to his eyes as well, and he walked forward to speak to Aislinn.
"These are Herja and Hlin," Odin explained, gesturing first to the sword and then to the dagger. "Destruction and protection; the two duties of blades. They are also among the most powerful and magical weapons of Asgard's ancestors."
"If they are so powerful, why do they remain unclaimed?" Ask Thor, his hand instinctively touching Mjolnir's shaft as it hung at his side.
"There is a legend about these blades. It is said that they are cursed do not suffer the touch of a man well, and will turn against him. But, once in a generation, they will serve a great female warrior so long as her cause is just and her heart is pure."
"If they are cursed, why did you let me touch them?" Exclaimed Aislinn, knowing that she should put them down but felt strangely loath to do so.
"Because they were your mother's, and your grandmother's and her mother's: They have been the weapons of the first born daughter of your house for time immemorial." Aislinn stared at them shocked. There were hundreds of weapons here, and she had chosen these blades out of them all.
"I do not understand. If they were my mothers, how did they come to be here?"
Odin sighed deeply, but answered. "On the night that she took you away, your mother left these blades behind, along with a letter. She wrote that she could not afford to explain her actions, but that she hoped to return to Asgard when you were grown. She said that she left the blades behind because she felt that they belonged to the people of Asgard, and she felt she was abandoning them for your sake."
Aislinn shifted uncomfortably and then changed the subject saying, "It seems disrespectful to practice with weapons of legend. I would not want them to come to harm."
Odin smiled sadly and replied, "They will not. They have survived a thousand battles and are tough enough to cut stone without losing their edge. They will make fine cohorts for you." Odin then excused himself to rest. Aislinn wondered about his age as she watched him leave, seeming feeble and tired.
…
Thor cajoled Aislinn in agreeing to go immediately out to the training grounds so that he could put her through her paces. He claimed to want to know how much he would have to teach her. Aislinn was surprised when Thor did not take her to train on a pell or a wooden effigy, but led her straight to a flat area of open ground.
He called Mjolnir to hand, and shouted for Aislinn to ready herself. She was still surprised, but had to admit to feeling a thrill up her spine as well. It had been too long since she had pushed herself in training, and the new sword belt strapped around her waist felt good. She drew out her new blades from their scabbards and balanced them in her hands, slipping down into a defensive posture.
Thor began to pace towards her like a predator circling prey, grinning and calling to her. She did not respond at first, and then gestured for him to come closer with one finger. That was all the encouragement he needed. Thor rushed at her, hammer raised. Aislinn tumbled out of the way in a forward roll, landing neatly on her feet behind the surprised prince. She dodged and weaved out of his way with surprisingly little effort, Mjolnir being a slow and heavy weapon.
She did not know it, but many floors above her, a pair of green eyes watched. He thought she looked like a skilled dancer, dexterous and tireless she leapt and rolled, dodged and ducked his brother's every attack. She would make a better sparring partner than trainee for Thor, he thought. She was a beautiful thing to behold, although jealous concern still writhed in his gut. No one ever chose him above Thor, not a friend, not a lover, not a father. He felt like every tick of the clock now carried Aislinn farther away from him.
Oblivious to his concern, Aislinn continued her deadly dance with Thor. They were both becoming more tired now, and while Thor could never catch Aislinn long enough to hit her, Aislinn could not manage slip past his defenses either. Eventually, Aislinn had enough and called for him to stop. She laughed delightedly at the good exercise, stretching up her arms up as far as they would go.
"You barely even tried to attack me that whole time," said Thor laughing also. "How will you win in combat if you never try to hurt your opponent?"
Aislinn laughed and replied, "I was just taking it easy on you!"
"You were supposed to show me everything you had!" said Thor. "What could you have done differently to fight me better?" He asked.
"I usually use magic and steel together." Aislinn replied, "But I did not think it would be fair in our first fight."
"Again!" Thor bellowed merrily, dropping into a combat stance. "I want to see what you think you can do to best me!"
"…Okay. Ready?" called Aislinn. He nodded with a great grin on his face as Aislinn rushed at him, blades aloft. She was leaving herself open, and Thor readied himself to tap her on the chest with his hammer and declare victory. He raise Mjolnir, and… She vanished! Aislinn simply disappeared as though she had fallen through into the ground. Thor dropped his stance and cast about looking for her, when he felt an abrupt weight on his back. Aislinn was perched, standing half way up his back, sword at his throat and dagger at his side, leaving him totally helpless and exposed.
"Do you concede?" Aislinn asked playfully.
"Never!" Shouted Thor, a little more annoyed than he wanted to seem. He reached around and tried to pull her off his back, but she only tightened her hold on his neck in response, the flat of the blade pressing in.
"Oh come on!" She cried. "I have you!" He would not give up, and instead of doing him an injury, she allowed herself to be grabbed off his back, flipping forward into the air and landing gracefully on her feet a yard or two in front of him.
Thor did not remain cross for long, and they laughed and joked together as they walked back inside, unaware of the pain and frustration every merry laugh caused in their observer.
