Loki's Daughter, Mortem and Mischief

Chapter Twenty Five

My coronation was steadily approaching and it seemed as though my doom was coming just as fast. I hadn't made a decision yet and the anxiety of choosing was increasing with every passing moment.

Yet, despite it all, I was preened and prepped like a show pony. My hair was plastered to perfection, my corset tied as tight as it could possibly be, and my armor was polished to the extremes. It felt wrong to look so beautiful on the outside when I felt so awful on the inside.

"Your highness," one of the remaining nursemaids beckoned, curtsying before me, "Your father demands your presence. Shall I let him in?"

Of all people, my father was truly the last one I wanted to see at that moment. Afterall, I was majorly debating whether or not I would kill him.
Taking a deep breath, I nodded and waved for them to let him in. The nursemaid pulled open the door and my father waltzed in. Immediately, I could tell something was...off.

He had an air of false confidence, as though his chin was being held just a little too high to be believable. His hands were balled into tight fists but I could tell that they were shaking fiercely. My Father was nervous, and I hadn't a clue why.

"Bunny," he sighed, smiling as best he could, "Might we have a moment alone?"

"Yes, of course," I said with a nod before every nurse maid shuffled out of the room.

"How are you he asked? Everything alright?" he stammered, his voice uneasy, "You look darling by the way."

"Thank you, and um yes, I'm fine. It's just been a...stressful morning," I replied, watching as he sat down. He seemed out of breath and altogether, scared. This seemed far from the same man who had threatened me just days before.

"Oh yes," he said, nodding, "It's been stressful for me as well. It's been a stressful few days in fact."

"Definitely," I agreed, "Have you...talked to mother at all?"

"Mother?" he echoed, immediately looking more alive. It's as if mentioning her pulled him out of this slump.

"Yes, mother," I said slowly, turning towards him, "You know, about...what I had talked to you about?"

"Darling, you must provide me more context than just that," he replied with a nervous chuckle, "I'm a very busy man here in...Asgard. Thank goodness we aren't on Midgard, am I right?"

"Thank goodness..." I agreed cautiously. He was speaking erratically and was acting weirder than usual. I felt like he was just dying for me to say something specifically but I hadn't a clue what.

"You know, um, I like it here," he said leaning back in his chair, "I couldn't imagine a New Asgard, as far as I'm concerned this is the only one. Would you agree?"

My ears pricked as he said New Asgard. There was no way that my father in this timeline would know to mention such a thing, and if he did, I was in trouble of being found out. I had to act as though nothing was wrong. I had to attempt to lie  to the version of my father who could see right through me.

"I have no clue what you're talking about," I replied as I watched him through the mirror of my vanity, "New Asgard?"

I watched his shoulder fall is dismay, he looked as though I had just told him his puppy died. This was most certainly not the reaction I was expecting, especially since I was lying.

"Yeah, of course," he laughed, waving me off, "It's nothing actually."

I nodded, pausing for a moment to look at my father. He seemed so...odd, so different, yet altogether so familiar. He was softer, his eyes were more tired, and he looked so so worried. The father I had grown to know in this timeline was rigid, scarily energetic, and confident beyond belief.

"Are you worried for today?" he asked.

"Very," I admitted with a sigh, "I just feel like there's a lot of pressure on me today. I have to make the right choices, make sure I'm not being too hasty, or...too selfish."

He nodded, "I understand, bunny. But if I may, can I extend you some advice?"

"Yes, honestly, I need it," I said, turning to face him.

"Well," he began, taking a deep breath, "I have made plenty of selfish and hasty decisions in my life. I've hurt and betrayed more people than I can count. But, hardly any of it has ever been worth it. I used to think I needed the world, needed power. But I don't. All I needed was you and your mother, have you two safe and sound. None of the people I killed, hurt, or made fear me were worth the effort. If I had just made the noble decisions from the beginning, I certainly wouldn't be in this mess, I mean half the messes that I've un, gone through."

"This mess?" I asked, furrowing my brows, "What are you talking about?"

"Nevermind that," he said quickly, "Just a slip of the tongue. What I mean to say, I just want you to make the best decisions for the greater good. No matter how hard it is. Just know I'll always be behind you, supporting you until the very end."

"Since when did you care about the greater good?" I asked slowly, looking at him in confusion, "Just yesterday you were cheating on mother and gloating on how you pawned me off to Thanos."

"I was? I did?" he said, his eyes wide, "Oh yes, yes, well. Just because I do it, um, doesn't mean you should."

"Right...." I said, cautiously walking towards him, "Are you feeling alright?"

"Perfectly fine," he replied with a smile, stumbling backwards as if he were trying to get away from me.

"Ya know," he said as he backed himself up into a wall, "It'd be a real shame if um, any sort of authority were to show up today at your coronation."

I stopped. He couldn't be implying what I thought he was...was he? My father in this timeline certainly had no clue what the TVA was, much less what it stood for. The only version of my father that would know was gone along with Hela, absorbed into this new timeline. At least, that's what I had thought.

"Yes, that'd be quite interesting," I replied as I side eyed him, "Such as..a time variance..organization, right?"

"Exactly the sort," he replied, narrowing his eyes as he looked at me.

We stared at eachother for a moment, simply eyeing eachother.

"This isn't your timeline...is it?" I asked cautiously, slowly drawing a knife just in case I didn't get the answer I needed. The course of the entire day, even the entire timeline, was all weighted on how the man before me would answer. If it was a yes, I was afraid I'd have to go through with Sylvie's plan lest my cover be completely. But if it was a no...

My father gulped and shook his head.

"I'm afraid not," he replied, quickly grabbing my wrist, "But truly, I would prefer if you didn't kill me for it."