A/N: Sorry that I haven't updated it a while! I hope you guys aren't too mad at me!
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3rd POV
Cass giggled furiously as she clung to the tree branch above her for dear life. She looked curiously like a sloth, hanging under the tree limb, her light brown hair dangling beneath her.
"What if we fall out?" She whispered to Loki, who was perched next to her.
"We can tell them we were examining the bird's nest." The prince said seriously.
The slave girl looked around her, craning her neck. "There's no bird's nests."
"Then we don't fall out." Loki stealthily parted the branches, peering out of the tree they were hiding in.
There, in the clearing, stood Thor, ringed by his friends, facing off with Fandral as the others cheered and booed with every swing of their wooden swords. Nearby stood a few pitchers of water and an assortment of snacks (no doubt a gift from the cooks in the kitchen for the firstborn prince of Asgard).
"Come on, let's get this done already." Cass complained. She shifted her position and made a face. "All the blood is rushing to my head."
Loki turned to raise his eyebrows at her. "Then why are you hanging like that?"
"It's more fun."
"It's fun when all the blood is rushing to your head?"
"Yes! I mean no! I mean... arg, must you always twist my words?"
"It's my job."
"Silvertongue." She tsked.
"Silvertongue?"
"That's my new nickname for you. It's already stuck with some of the other slaves, and even some of the kitchen aides. Get used to it."
"Gee, thanks." Loki rolled his green eyes. "We're here to play a trick, not argue about nicknames, remember?"
"Right. But you keep on stalling!"
"I'm not stalling!"
"Yes you are! Just do it already! I want to see their expressions!"
The prince looked up at the slave girl's face, flushed with excitement, eyes shining with anticipation. She did indeed look expectant.
"As you wish, princess." He said, only half-joking, and then waved his hand.
Almost instantly, the jugs of water picked themselves up, floating towards the group of children. Said children were too absorbed in the fight to notice.
At least, they were too absorbed in the fight to notice until the water was dumped on their heads.
They all yelled in surprise, spluttering, gasping for breath, all of them thoroughly soaked to the bone.
Loki and Cass spluttered too, but with laughter, trying to supress their giggles as Thor shook his head like a wet dog.
"C-classic..." There were tears in Cass's eyes. "Genius..." She was laughing so hard that she lost her grip on the branch.
Eyes widening as she realized her mistake, she grabbed desperately, but missed and fell through the tree limbs, landing with a cry on the floor in the clearing.
Her cry of pain brought the others, and of course they all started over, angry, looking like they wanted to beat the hell out of her.
And then the snacks decided that this was an oppurtune moment to throw themselves at the group of kids.
"Ah, hell, we're caught!" Loki jumped down from the tree, grabbed Cass's hand, and started to pull her away. "Retreat!"
And they laughed the entire way back.
Cass scrubbed arduously at the floor, grimacing every few seconds as her arms ached relentlessly. Her hands were wrinkled from the water.
I hate these hallways. She decided suddenly. I really hate these hallways.
This hall in particular was the one that the noble's son (Quinton) always came to play in, and left mud everywhere. And I mean, everywhere. How he even managed to get it splattered on the ceiling was beyond the slave girl.
"Prithee, look back, prithee, look back,
There's blood on the track,
The shoe is too small;
At home the true bride is waiting thy call."
She was so absorbed in her task that she didn't even notice that she was singing. The little half-hummed songs always came to her when she least expected it, all memorized from her favorite book- the last gift her mother had given her before she had died: Grimm's Fairy Tales.
"Prithee, look back, prithee, look back,
There's blood on the track,
The shoe is too small;
At home the true bride is waiting thy call."
The book was a small, scarlet volume that was falling apart at the spine, with the title stamped on the spine in spindly gold letters.
"Prithee, look back, prithee, look back,
No blood's on the track,
The shoe's not too small;
You carry the true bride home to your ha-"
"What is this?"
Cass nearly jumped five feet in the air at the sound of a deep masculine voice from behind her. She spun around.
It was Lenora's new lover- the one that had replaced the "total bore". They had been together for nearly a week now. But Cass knew that his heart was only going to be broken in a few days time when Lenora abandoned him for the Dark Prince of Asgard at the ball.
She's going to go to your Loki. The thought sent a pang through her heart, and she tried her best to ignore it.
The man in front of her was, of course, terribly handsome (Lenora's wouldn't have had him if he wasn't) with dark blonde curls and brown eyes and a tanned complexion. He was surveying her with an air of amusement.
She jumped to her feet, hurriedly bowing, dropping her rag next to her bucket. "I apologize, my lord, if my work is disturbing you."
"It is." He started slowly across the hall, his dirty riding boots leaving deliberate tracks across the newly scrubbed floor. Cass inwardly cringed as each step made a new footprint that she had to reclean. He smirked.
"Perhaps next time, you'll take care to be a little more quiet." And with this he sent an aimed kick at the bucket of filthy water, making it topple over and creating even more of a mess for her to tidy up. "And a little more efficient."
Lenora was even more self-conscious that evening than usual. But that was to be expected. She had been invited to the masquerade party as well.
"Brush my hair!" She would shriek. "Do my makeup! Iron my dress!"
It was just one menial task after the other. Polishing shoes, fetching her necklace, then going back and fetching another necklace because she didn't like the other one, stealing her mother's perfume, along with other things.
When she was finally- finally- ready, of course she looked gorgeous. Lenora was the girl that could look gorgeous in any outfit, really, but this especially thought-out one made her look almost like a goddess.
She turned around in front of the mirror, critically examining herself from every angle, and then finally nodded her satisfaction.
"He won't be able to take his eyes off me." She said, smiling.
"Just a little longer, Cassie." Morwena murmured. "Be patient."
Cass nodded obediently and tried to sit absolutely still, a skill she had been struggling with since she was a child. She momentarily smiled as she remembered how fidgety she was when she was younger.
"There." The cook finished with Cass's hair and sounded satisfied. She felt the gentle pressure of the mask being put onto her face, and then heard Morwena say, "You may open your eyes now."
Cass obeyed and gasped.
She looked completely unrecognizable, with her hair braided and then twisted into an elaborate bun in the back of her head, held up with gold pins. Her dress hid the scars on her shoulders and back (unfortunately not the particularly nasty one of her collarbone, but one showing was okay). Her mask hid her face.
"Remember, the whole point of the masquerade is to be completely unknown, so you won't be the only person there trying to hide their identity." Morwena reminded her. "So if someone asks you who you are, then just say it's a secret."
The slave girl nodded, still feeling unable to speak.
"You better get going if you want to make it there on time."
"I was actually going to arrive a little late." Cass said, finally recovering her speech. "So everyone is too focused on each other to notice the latecomer."
"That might be wise. Even so, better get going." Morwena smoothed the wrinkles in her dress and left.
Cass stood up, surveying the room around her. The slave's quarters were abandoned- the other slaves were eating in the mess hall.
As an afterthought, she reached underneath her mattress and pulled out the white queen chess piece wrapped in its handkerchief, slipping it into her pocket.
For good luck.
Loki was reading a book, peacefully disturbing no one, when his door opened with a crash. "Brother!"
He inwardly moaned. I can just feel a migraine coming on. "What is it, Thor?"
Thor surveyed him with distaste. "Have you not prepared yourself?"
The raven-haired prince stared blankly back. "For what?"
"The masquerade!"
Another moan. "That was today?"
"Yes! And you should get ready!"
"Do I have to go?" He tried not to sound like a petulant child.
"Yes! And both father and mother agree with me!"
Silence. Then,
"Gods help me. Alright, give me half an hour to get ready."
Oh gods. Panic rose in her throat as she surveyed the hall with dismay.
It was packed with people, all wearing elaborate dresses and tunics, many woven or sewn with gold and silver, wearing masks studded with jewels.
Even with their masks on, you could tell which ones were the gods. They were the most beautiful, the most graceful, the most radiant, and could've been spotted from a mile away. They were dressed in colors respective to the aspect of life they ruled over, so it was easy to pick them out.
And the decorations!
The hall was gleaming (Slave labor, She thought with distaste), so clean that you could see you could see yourself in the polished floor (Just in case the gods/goddesses want to check their stunning reflections.). There were tables pushed against the wall, draped with pure white tablecloths, laden with foods and delicacies of all kind. A group of black-clad musicians were standing on a raised platform near the front of the room, chatting idly with some of the guests, killing time before it was their turn to play.
I... think I'm going to die. I need some fresh air. Cass turned desperately towards the entrance, but it was blocked by arriving guests, and she decided that she would rather stay inside than risk being noticed.
I don't belong here. She reminded herself, swallowing. I'm a slave; these are nobles and princes and princesses and kings and queens and gods and goddesses! What am I doing here?
She was about to start panicking when she heard someone crying.
A child.
Instinctively, she turned towards the sound. It was a small boy with brown hair and bright green eyes that were currently red and puffy, and tears were streaming down his face. His mask- forgotten- was held up on a cord around his neck.
Cass hated it when people cried, especially children. She always remembered how many times she had wept in her youth, and how many times no one was there to comfort her.
There were too many times.
She moved forward, sitting on the floor next to the kid so that they were eye-to-eye. "Are you okay?" She asked in her most gentle voice. "Why are you crying?"
He looked up, and tried to cover his face. "I'm not crying." He said gruffly.
Cass allowed herself a brief smile behind her mask. "I'm not crying." Why is it that young boys always deny it?
"Yes you are." She felt like she was reliving the past when she brushed away the child's tears. "Why?"
He dropped his gaze. "I... don't want to talk abou it." He muttered.
"Well, if you don't, then why don't I tell you a story, to make you feel better?" Cass offered, placing her hands on the boy's shoulders.
He perked up immediately, looking up at her with big green eyes. "Oh, would you?" He asked, the ghost of a smile flittering around his mouth.
"Of course!" She took his hand and led him over to the side of the room, where they would be less conspicuous. She sat down, and placed the boy on her lap. "What kind of story would you like to hear, young sir?"
He smiled now, a full grin. "A story about a kingdom, far far away! And a brave soldier!"
Cass smiled back, although it was hidden by her mask. "I think I know the story you want." She cleared her throat. "There was once a brave soldier who had served his father well and faithfully for many years, but on account of his many wounds he could serve no longer. The King said, "You can go home now. I have no further need for you, and I can only pay those who serve me."
The soldier did not know what to do for a living..."
Loki surveyed the room, feeling undeniably bored.
Why did I let Thor talk me into coming? He wondered to himself, leaning against a pillar, arms crossed, scornful smile disguised behind his mask. This is so ridiculous it should be patented and sold.
Indeed, the evening was proving completely pointless in his eyes. It was just another excuse to dance and drink and make merry.
Thor had already gone off, surrounded by his friends and quite a few young women, all of them laughing at one of his war stories. He had already disregarded his mask, but it was unecessary; he would have been instantly recognized anyway.
"...and he went sadly away. He walked all day till he reached a wood, and there in the distance he saw a light."
Somehow, the voice cut cleanly through the buzz of quiet chatter in the room. And he recognized it.
He turned quickly towards where he had heard the voice, and saw a girl in a green dress. And despite the mask on her face, he could still identify the person.
He started to make his way across the room.
A/N: Kudos to anyone who can guess the story she's reading! You get a preview!
Hint: it's on page 208 of Grimm's Fairy Tales. The original version.
What did you think of this chapter? A lot happened, so please give me some feedback!
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