Loki's Daughter, Mortem and Mischief

Chapter Eight

Thud.

Thud.

Thud.

Bored out of my mind, I bounced a ball against my wall. It ricocheted against my wall, returning back to me after a small thud. It was the only sound that filled my ears and was the only thing keeping my mind off the disaster that occurred that same morning.

I didn't want to think about any of it. Frankly, I wished all of it had never happened. As I sat in my bed, throwing the ball against the wall, I was reminded of the fact that ignorance was bliss.

Had I never sought to remedy my curiosity, none of this would have happened. If I had just been kept in the dark regarding my father's studies, everything would have been fine. My father and I would be fine, not an ounce of enmity between us. My father would have never had a reason to raise his voice, he would've been just as content with me as ever. Life would just continue with me as his perfect little girl, feeding chickens and catching fish just as I had been the last three years. Everything would have remained just as it was.

Sure, I was just as annoyed with life before this whole fiasco but, I wouldn't be grounded and I certainly wouldn't have my dad disappointed in me. If I could use that TemPad, I would travel just two days back to stop myself from starting that feud. But nope. No using the TemPad and no time travel for me. It was too dangerous for me and yet it was somehow completely safe for my father.

How selfish. My father was willing to risk his own life, willing to risk leaving me as an orphan, all at the expense of the possibility of bringing my mother back. He didn't pay a single thought to how my life would end up if he were to disappear in time. I would be completely alone and I would have truly lost everything.

I understood why, his reasoning made sense but the gravity of losing him was just too much. I missed my mother every single day since her passing, but I never once considered trying to bring her back. It's not what she would've wanted. In fact, she explicitly said not to. Yet, here my father was, ignoring her wishes for his own happiness.

I groaned, flopping back on my bed and squeezing my eyes shut. I didn't want to think, I just wanted to erase it all from my head. I was upset with myself, with my father, and quite frankly, I was upset with the world.

I threw my ball against the wall as hard as I could, expecting that thud once again. But to my surprise, as I lay in bed with my eyes shut, I never heard that thud. I instantly assumed it was my father who caught the ball, there to resolve our conflict and "talk it out".

"I really don't wanna talk, right now," I groaned, grabbing the nearest pillow and covering my face.

"Oh, but I do."

Instantly ears pricked. That voice was not my father's. Immediately I sat up, drawing a dagger from thin air to face whoever stood before me. Near the foot of my bed, a cloaked woman was leaning up against the wall. She felt so familiar....and yet I hadn't a clue who she was.

"A dagger?" she questioned, raising a brow, "You truly are your father's daughter."

"Who are you?" I questioned, slowly getting out of bed with my dagger at the ready.

"You know, your magic is a far better weapon," she continued, completely ignoring my question, "Especially your magic. Can't you just command people to drop dead?"

"How do you know that?" I asked as she took of her hood, revealing her face. She was blonde but at the crown of her head, dark black roots were showing through. Her face was thin and sharp, put into a permanent glare. A part of me felt like I knew her despite never seeing her before in my life.

"Dear," she cooed as she stepped towards me, "I know absolutely everything about you. Hela Lokisdottir. What an unfortunate name. I suppose it fits though being that you took up dear auntie's mantle as the Goddess of Death."

I immediately took a step back, putting distance between us once again. I didn't want to be any closer to her than I had to. She put her hands up in defense and pretended to pout.

"I'm really not trying to hurt you, bunny," she explained, "I only want to talk. So if you could put that dagger down, I'd love to get to some chit chat."

"I don't even know who you are," I said, keeping ever cautious as I aimed my dagger in her direction.

"It doesn't matter who I am," she said, "All that matters is what I can do for you."

I scoffed, "What could you possibly do for me? You're a home intruder and fake blonde, not really my type."

"I can give you Asgard," she mused, crossing her arm as a triumphant smile came upon her lips, "The real Asgard, complete with mommy and daddy dearest. That's what you want isn't it? Cause it's sure as hell what you deserve."

I slowly lowered my dagger, narrowing my eyes as I looked at her.

"What's in it for you?" I asked.

"Not much really," she sighed, "All I want is the TemPad once we're done using it."

"The TemPad?" I echoed, "How do you know-"

"Details, details," she interrupted, pretending to yawn, "The minutia of it is really quite boring, and I'd rather not waste time. So, if you could just get that little TemPad for me, dear, we can get on to granting your every wish."

"No," I said, immediately bringing my dagger back to her, "It's not happening, you're not getting that TemPad, it's too dangerous and I don't even know who you are."

"Dear," she sighed, "Did your daddy tell you it sss dangerous?"

"My Father told me-"

"Shush, shush, listen, I know he said it was dangerous," she said, dismissing me with a wave of her hand, "But I'm trying to tell you that it's not, it's just a tool, really."

"Then why do you even want it?" I questioned her, "If it's just a tool, what good can that do for you?"

"It's a long story really," she began just as my father called for me from the hall.

"Hela?" He questioned, knocking on my door, "Is everything alright in there?"

"I don't have much time," she whispered harshly, "Get me that TemPad and meet me at the garden gate tonight, I can give you everything you want and more."

"I-" I stammered, unable to even refuse before she swiftly disappeared into a cloud of smoke.

"Hela?" My father asked as he opened my door just after the woman left, "Who were you talking to and why do you have your dagger out?"

I paused, before I lied, "Just um, practicing technique. Sorry if I was too loud."

My father narrowed his eyes, obviously not believing me.

"Practicing technique?" he echoed.

"Mhmm," I replied with a smile, "I'll keep down though, I didn't mean to disturb you."

He nodded slowly, "Sure," he said as he slowly closed the door.

As the door shut, I took a long deep breath before sitting on my bed.

Once again, I found my head reeling.

Who was that woman? Why was she here? And most of all, could she actually help me?