Armory
"Plant your feet more when you block!" Thor called to the two sparring nekos. "And put more force into pushing your enemy's blade away!"
"This would be easier if the blasted wind wasn't blowing our hair into our faces!" Noir complained.
"And it keeps blowing leaves and dust into my eyes," Marron added.
"All dangers of doing battle," Thor assured from the sidelines of the mock battle. "Learning to fight in unfavorable conditions is the key to a well-rounded warrior. Ignore your hair and ignore the leaves. You can work through them!"
Loki smirked in amusement at Thor's earnest enthusiasm. The crown prince had been taking this training far more seriously than the younger prince had. But then, Thor had always been the one more interested in training for battle than Loki had. Loki only took any interest in this because Noir and Marron's safety were at stake: the better they could fight, the better chance they had of making it through the standoff with the nekos in a few days. And he needed them to make it through it.
Noir and Marron's sword training had been going fairly well the last two days. Though neither of them had used swords before (knives and other small, concealed weapons were the weapons of choice for nekos), they had been picking it up fairly quickly. Between the two of them, they seemed equally matched, though neither of them had a chance of holding their own against either Loki or Thor. When yesterday the girls had demanded to be taught swordplay, Loki had said it was a pointless endeavor: they would not be able to learn it quickly enough to wield the swords well enough for use in battle. But Thor had made the point that none of the rebels were trained in swordplay, and since it was the rebels they would be going up against, even rudimentary skills in a weapon that the opposing force had no experience with was better than nothing. So, grudgingly, Loki had agreed, and so it had begun.
Undoubtedly, the girls were getting better, and both of the princes felt extraordinarily proud of their little nekos. Perhaps a little more training, and then it would all be well. The wind that had been blowing all day certainly was making conditions more difficult. It was midday now, but this wind was sure to be blowing a storm in by nightfall.
Marron managed to get past Noir's defenses and tapped her training sword lightly on Noir's ribs. "Win," she said proudly.
"Well done," Thor clapped. "Shall we take a break?"
The girls let their swords hang down by their sides, and threw a cursory look around the rest of the training field. Occasionally, other warriors had stopped to watch the nekos' practice, but now nobody seemed to be paying them any mind. Their corner of the field was empty, and everywhere else seemed to be in a bustle. A few people were running from group to group around the training field, speaking briefly, and following this the group would start briskly heading for the palace.
"What's going on?" Marron asked with a small frown as the four of them gathered together.
"We'll find out in a moment, I'm sure," Noir said over the wind, holding her hair back from her face and watching as someone ran across the field towards them.
"Prince Thor! Prince Loki! Ladies!" the man—now he was closer and they could see that he was a messenger—ran to a stop in front of them, and then bowed. The four of them at least had to admit that he did not seem out of breath after dashing all over the training grounds with the other messengers to spread whatever news.
"What is it?" Thor asked in what Marron had started calling his 'prince voice.'
"The Allfather has commanded that all should prepare for attack."
"Prepare for attack?" Loki repeated with a furrowed brow. "Is there an imminent attack?"
"The Allfather believes so. He has ordered that you, Prince Loki, and you, Prince Thor, and the two nekos report to the throne room for further instructions without delay."
The princes and the nekos exchanged bewildered and nervous expressions.
"Thank you, we shall," Thor dismissed, and the messenger ran off.
"An imminent attack?" Noir stared at her companions, frightened and mystified. "I thought we were to have another four days to prepare ourselves?"
Marron furrowed her brow, her chin trembling slightly. "I… I suppose we should…"
"Come," Thor rested a hand on Marron's shoulder, and he looked seriously at Noir and Loki. "We should go to Father and see what this is all about."
00000
Saklauss stared out the window of his upstairs chambers, fixated by the way that the streets were clearing of any and all of the normal Aesir that went about their everyday business, being replaced by warriors of the palace. Something was clearly happening. He wondered if it had something to do with the nekos—his mother had finally caught on that he had been calling them cat fighters after she had explained that there were a people that were wicked cat hybrids who were fighting against Asgard, and she had corrected him every time he reverted to calling them cat fighters. The commotion outside must have something to do with the nekos. He just knew it.
The boy straightened with excitement when he saw his father hurrying towards the home. He hadn't seen his father all day—this time his mother had managed to catch him before he snuck out of the house to follow his father around the city on his guard patrol duties. He so liked to go around and explore the city, find new things, and to witness the excitement of his father apprehending a thief or helping someone in need as a warrior. His father always got cross with him, though, when he caught him sneaking after him. His father insisted it was dangerous to be trying to follow him around when he could get into real danger. Saklauss was sure he could handle himself, though, and besides, it was always exciting and interesting. He hastened to meet his father downstairs and find out what was going on.
He only made it halfway down the stairs when he heard the door open and the footsteps of his father enter the house. He paused on the stairs, still out of sight of his parents by the door. His father's footsteps were very quick and purposeful, business-like.
"Thank the Norns," his mother greeted his father in relief. Her voice suddenly became stiff and scared as she exclaimed, "You're hurt, Halr! Where did the cut on your chin come from—you're still bleeding—"
Saklauss perked up. It sounded as if he'd missed out on a particularly exciting round of guard duties today.
"Shh, I'm alright, it's only a nick" Saklauss's father dismissed. "Something has happened, though. The neko rebels are about to make their attack—it'll be alright," he hushed his wife's gasp of horror, "And I need to be helping to protect the palace."
Saklauss's eyes widened. He'd known it had something to do with the nekos. His father was going to be in a real battle, protecting the palace!
"Will we be safe here?" Saklauss's mother asked. "Is there somewhere we should go?"
"Their attacks will be focused on the palace, but our plan is to drive them out and into the streets… barricade the doors and stay inside. Don't go out for any reason until it's over."
"Oh, promise you'll be careful. Where will you be stationed?"
"I'm assigned to the front gates of the palace, catching the rebels as they're driven out of the palace."
"You'll be careful, of course?"
"Of course."
"I'm frightened."
"Saklauss is here, right?" Saklauss's father suddenly asked.
"Yes, I caught him trying to sneak out to follow you this morning."
"Thank the Norns you caught him. I was nearly caught at the rebels' hideout. Please make sure he stays safe here."
"Always."
Saklauss was no longer listening. He had crept the rest of the way down the stairs and scampered to his secret escape route out of the house the moment he heard where his father would be stationed for the battle. He had every intention of getting to watch the action unfold.
00000
As Odin looked over his sons and the two nekos, he sighed softly. The slight movement in Odin's frame made Loki tense. There was something of unsettled anxiety in that sigh.
"Why is the palace preparing for attack?" Thor asked.
"Circumstances have changed, and events have brought this conflict to a head. We are expecting an invasion of the palace soon. There is no telling exactly how soon, but certainly today," Odin stated.
"What circumstances? What events?" Loki demanded. "We were to have four more days to prepare ourselves for this encounter."
Odin's eye flashed with warning at Loki's tone of indignation, and Noir looked at the younger prince with concern. "Two guards were able to find the location of the rebels' base, but they were spotted. With our stalemate at its end, the nekos are forced to make an advance on the palace earlier than they had planned, and we must be ready to defend and attack," the king told of the situation plainly.
Comprehension dawned on their faces, and Loki's aggressive stance slumped slightly. "Ah."
Odin's face softened into weary concern, and his gaze wandered over the four again. "Chatte Marron, Chatte Noir, both of you have sworn to fight for Asgard against the rebellion."
"We have," the girls murmured, and Marron discreetly slipped her hand into her best friend's. Noir gently squeezed the younger neko's fingers comfortingly.
"Yet still I understand if either of you are unprepared for this," Odin continued somberly. "If either of you two would like, I would release you from your obligation to take up arms, and send you to a safe room with other residents of the palace who shall not fight. Both of you have certainly done the duties you have provided well: Marron, in leading us to the rebels' first base, and Noir, in telling us of the passages within the palace that the nekos plan to use in their attack. You are not honor-bound to fight today after doing so much already. I do not wish to see either of you harmed in a battle you were forced into unready."
Thor frowned in slight confusion, and Loki looked stunned. Noir and Marron exchanged thoughtful looks.
"If you want…" Noir whispered.
"Do… you want…?" Marron whispered back hesitantly.
Noir knit her brow, lowering her gaze. "Loki? Thor?"
Loki gave her a look of grim humor. "Well, Noir, I know you wanted to fight."
"It is whatever you choose," Thor nodded.
Noir and Marron locked eyes. "Whatever we decide, I want us to do it together," Noir said solemnly, lacing her fingers with Marron.
"You want to fight," Marron concluded.
Noir tilted the corners of her lips up slightly in confirmation. Marron returned with a shy smile of her own. "Then together we'll fight."
Together, the four of them nodded in acceptance.
"We would like to hold up our agreement before, and fight for you, Allfather," Noir announced, raising her voice and addressing the king with strong determination.
"Are you certain you have recovered enough from your ordeal?" Odin probed, his eye flicking to Noir's side.
Noir's shoulders tensed slightly and she lowered her gaze to the ground momentarily. Almost all soreness was gone now, and she was sure her strength and stamina was regular enough now. "I'm certain," she nodded.
Odin dipped his head in acquiescence. "So it shall be then. Thor, Loki, your armor will be sent down to the armory for you. Take Chatte Noir and Chatte Marron there, and help them get outfitted for the attack."
00000
With a great clamor around them, Catalysseur and Soir spoke quietly in the corner of the room, pointing at different places on the map spread before them.
"They presumably do not know about the secret passages in the palace, even though they must be expecting an attack now from us. They can't know where it is coming from. The largest group will be going through the throne room here. The next biggest will be coming up through the garden. The smaller group will be at the kitchens. By now the streets will be cleared of civilians in preparation for the attack they must think is coming: from the palace gates. So about sixty will march to the front of the palace as we infiltrate the inside…"
Blanc could hardly hear their voices over the rest of the noise in the villa as he distributed supplies. So much for four more days to make a decision. Blanc was loaded up with extra daggers and gloves with scrap metal sewn onto them and leather jerkins and was handing them out to people who needed them. Already he had been pressed into putting on a thick jerkin under his tunic as armor and the makeshift gauntlets—the rebels didn't have the chain mail or plate armor that the Asgardians would have protecting them, but at least they had something.
"Lune! Over here!" someone called, and Blanc hurried over. Another two daggers were handed over, and then he was being called elsewhere.
It was all happening too fast for him. What had happened to the resolve to not fight? He wasn't even sure. Somewhere in his mind he was wondering idly why he was going through with this, helping the rebels. He had left for a reason, and now he was being sucked right back into it at the last moment, preparing for battle against the Asgardians.
He brightened at a thought. Battle against the Asgardian princes, too. Surely those two would join the battle, and Blanc might at least get a glimpse of Loki in the fight, maybe hurt him in some way or another. An image flashed through his head, of icy blue eyes wide in shock as bloody hands scrabbled at a knife hilt protruding from between two green-clad ribs. A grim smile lit Blanc's face. If he couldn't get out of fighting, then perhaps… at least make it worthwhile for himself… and perhaps avenge a lost future.
"Everyone, prepare to move out!" Catalysseur shouted from the top of the stairs so that everyone could hear him. Blanc hadn't even noticed him leave the corner where he had been speaking with Soir. "Odin will be sending troops here anytime now! We must go!"
Nekos began rushing past Blanc, some of them grabbing supplies from his arms as they went. Blanc glanced around for a moment to make sure nothing else was needed of him, and then he pulled up his hood, laid a hand on the hilt of one of the daggers at his belt, and followed the others into the windy darkening outdoors.
00000
Asgardian warriors picked through the armory for any supplies they needed, from metal coifs to greaves to axes to swords.
Near the back of the armory, the princes were already fully armored, and were watching as Noir and Marron tried with difficulty to find armor for themselves. Meanwhile they stood wearing only linen shirts and their own strong leather pants.
Finally, Noir turned away from the racks of too-large hauberks, fluttering her hands. "I quit. I think I shall simply go into battle wearing this." She gestured down at the clothes she wore.
Loki stepped forward with a roll of his eyes. "While I would admire your courage, I fear that your armor might not hold up against even the stab of a fork."
"Then I suppose it's a good thing the nekos won't be armed with forks," Noir sniffed imperiously.
"I don't think that shirt is dagger-proof, either," Loki observed, reaching forward and poking a fingertip into her stomach. She jumped slightly and drew back with a grin.
Their smiles quickly faded though, recalling what they were soon to be facing.
"What are we to wear?" Marron groaned. "Thor, give me your armor. I'm sure I can wear it as a chain mail dress."
"I don't have a chain mail dress, but might these work?" another voice interrupted, and the others turned.
Lady Sif stood stiffly a few feet away, a bundle in her arms and a mask of forced indifference over an expression of self-conscious apprehension.
"Sif!" Thor cried in surprise. He moved to stand before her and clapped her shoulder. "It is good to see you."
Sif shrugged uncomfortably, glancing towards Marron before meeting Thor's gaze. "I apologize for not seeing you the last week or so."
Thor's broad smile fell slightly, recalling the tense anger Sif had expressed the day she had found out about Thor's hidden closeness with Marron. "I apologize for… offending your trust," he replied carefully, unsure of exactly what it had been that had bothered Sif so much, anyway.
Again, Sif shrugged and looked down at the bundle in her arms. Marron shifted slightly, glancing between Thor and the lady warrior. Thor seemed unsure of what else to say.
Sif appeared to push some emotion aside, and she put on a polite smile, relaxing her shoulders. "All is forgiven. I understand why you said nothing, Thor. Keeping your friend safe is important to you, and you wished her not to be taken from you. I hold no ill will." Sif looked up and met Marron's eyes, and the dark-haired Asgardian dipped her head once in what seemed to be acknowledgment. Marron frowned in slight confusion, but Sif merely continued. "But let us not speak of that. We have more important matters to attend to." She began to unwrap the bundle, and the glint of metal chain was quickly revealed.
Noir and Marron's faces lit up slightly at the sight, and Thor and Loki's lit with surprise.
"Mail hauberks?" Thor asked hopefully.
Sif dropped the cloth to the floor and draped one chain mail shirt over her arm while she held up the second. It shone, well-oiled and polished, and was clearly made for a leaner, slimmer figure than the ones kept here at the armory.
"Aare these yours?" Marron asked in awe.
Sif nodded and handed the hauberk over to the brown neko, and the other to the black. "You two are a bit shorter and slimmer than I, so they may be a bit wide in the shoulders and a bit long, but I thought they would fit better than the ones they keep here for the men."
"Thank you, Sif," Loki and Thor said earnestly in unison.
"Yes, our thanks," Noir agreed emphatically.
Marron nodded shyly, looking down at the armor, murmuring, "We appreciate this more than you know."
Sif colored slightly and just jerked her chin. "I don't have any extra greaves or bracers, but I hope this will at least help. Do you know yet where you will be stationed?"
"The hall near the throne room," Thor said promptly. "Father thinks they're likely to focus their biggest forces on the secret entrance there."
"Blast. You're lucky. I'm getting sent to guard the entrance in the kitchens," Sif smiled wryly. "I had better go. Good luck," she met each of their gazes meaningfully. "I'll see you all later at the victory feast, as long as the rebels don't muck up the kitchens too much for the cooks to use."
Thor boomed a laugh and nodded in appreciation, and Sif went off. With that, he turned back to Marron and gave her a bright smile.
"I'm glad you two made up," Marron said quietly.
Thor grinned in nonchalant bewilderment. "I honestly still don't see why she was so upset. Volstagg and Fandral and Hogun were upset, but not nearly so much as Sif."
Marron sighed slightly in amusement and looked down again at the chain mail in her hands.
Loki had taken Noir's hauberk from her and was making a quick inspection of it.
"You know she wouldn't give us faulty armor," Noir gently scolded, trying to pull the armor away from him.
"I just don't want you getting hurt. One can never be too careful," Loki placated. "Arms up."
Noir lifted her arms over her head, and Loki kissed her forehead as he straightened the shirt, then stepped back to take a look at both girls.
"Well, Sif was right about them being just a little too wide and long," Thor commented.
"But it will do the job," Loki nodded. "I do wish we could have something else that would fit you—bracers, greaves, a helmet that would actually fit."
"It might only slow us down if we had more armor," Marron reasoned.
"Our style of fighting does require more flexibility and less weight than the usual Asgardian way," Noir pointed out.
Loki looked dubious, but Thor dipped his head. "At least it shall protect you from wounds on your upper body, for the most part," the older prince observed. "If you keep your sword belt around your waist over the hauberk, it will prevent the mail from being lifted to expose your stomach. Any other wounds, you shall simply have to defend against."
The girls nodded in eager understanding, quickly grabbing the leather belts they had been provided with, and each slid her sword and dagger into place as they donned the belts. Following this, the four of them stared around at each other briefly, as if the gravity of exactly what was about to happen had hit them once again.
"We… we will all be well, won't we?" Marron whispered.
Noir took one of Marron's hands. "Yes," she stated determinedly.
Thor took Marron's other hand, assuring, "We shall all make certain no harm comes to one another."
Noir held out her free hand to Loki, who took it without hesitation. "It's as Sif said. We'll celebrate together at the victory feast."
The brothers shared a glance, as if considering whether they should link hands and create an unbroken circle together, but as Loki eyed Thor's hand, he didn't reach out, and Thor did not, either. The two were linked by the two girls, anyway, the two people holding hands between the two brothers. So instead they merely held Noir's and Marron's hands.