Goddess of Light

Chapter 69 ~ The Bitch is Back

It had been 3 days now since leaving the others and Hela had destroyed half the kingdom in attempts to get the people to fall in line. She had gained control of what seemed to be a zombie army and now had this massively scary, huge, black dog under her command.

She hadn't suspected me of any deception, and I think she must just be distracted by the fact I had actually 'joined' her side. I just followed her around or sat at her feet of the throne while she bragged about her battle conquests, and I tried to hide the pain I was feeling for my kingdom. 

She would spend hours droning on about how terrible our father was to her and what he was like before Thor and I were born. I didn't worry about the plausibility of what she told me because I knew it was most likely true, but Odin knew when to stop and Hela didn't. 

From what I could tell, the others were doing a rather good job at subtly sneaking the people into the mountains, but it had become a lot harder since the creepy skeleton warriors started guarding the town but I'm sure it wasn't a big problem for them. When following Hela around the kingdom and listening to her complain about the state of it, I noticed there was quite a large sum of people left in the centre, meaning I was probably going to have to continue this facade for a while so that the others can be successful. Hopefully Loki and Thor will turn up before that.

I was still waiting for the other shoe to drop and for Hela to realise that I am a hopeless liar and that she will stop toying with her food and just kill me.

"What is that noise?" She snapped at Skurge as a collection of people were charging at the doors in protest. I was sat on the steps just below the throne while Hela sat there, lavishly.

"The common folk aren't exactly falling in line. There's a resistance trying to knock down the front gates." Skurge answered her whilst glancing at me with a hint of suspicion.

I think he must have known that I wasn't really for Hela's plans. He had been around before and knew that I would much rather fight the villain but, like him, didn't really have a choice right now if I wanted to survive. 

Hela gestured to her army of creepy skeletons, and they growled while running towards the noise to 'deal with it' in a rather brutal fashion. I tried to hide my wincing at the obvious death and destruction a simple gesture would cause and straightened my back, swallowing the lump in my throat.

"So, what did our wonderful father do to you that made you resent him?" She asked me with a sneer at the mention of Odin as she settled into the throne.

"Well... um." I panicked as my mind went blank.

There had been many times I had complained about how my father had been unfair towards me but right now, I couldn't think of a single thing. Or at least a single thing that would satisfy as an answer. I was sure that literal balls of sweat were forming on my forehead as her gaze pierced into the back of my skull.

"He set her up for an arranged marriage a few years ago." Skurge answered while looking to the floor, missing my thankful glance. 

"Typical Odin. Bet it was for his own gain, too." She sneered whilst glaring up at the altered ceiling. 

"Thor, Loki and I had invaded Jotunheim against his orders causing the Nine Realms to question his strength. He banished Thor and tried to force me to marry this imbecile from Vanaheim. He expected me to marry him and still keep his affair with another girl." I explained feebly, hoping that my answer would satisfy her. Little did I know that it would instantly secure the fall of my own facade.

"Oh really?" She leaned forward slightly, her whole aura changing instantly. I turned around so that I could see her face which was now coloured in the same menacing glare she used the first time I saw her. "Did you know this girl?"