Loki's Daughter, Mortem and Mischief

Chapter Fifty Two

I now knew what was between Hela and Grimnir. Try as I might, I couldn't outright destroy it as I knew I would have a particularly bratty daughter on my hands. Being that she had stabbed herself on the premise of Grimnir being taken from her, I could hardly imagine what measures she may go to if I blatantly forbade her from seeing him. But I could perhaps distract her. I could somehow shift her affection and attention elsewhere and as far away from Grimnir as possible.

"I think I'm going to send Hela across the nine realms with the army, survey our lands. Have her roughing it for a bit," I stated as I laid in bed with Sigyn. My wife immediately put her book down and rubbed her face. "Darling, dearest? I want you to think over that just one more time," she sighed.

"What? It's a good idea. She needs to get some fresh air, get some good toughening up. I think it will be more than beneficial to her," I replied. Sigyn just glanced at me wearily.

"Listen, she needs to be distanced from that  boy, if she continues here in the palace? Meeting him daily?" I shuddered at the thought of what two stupid teengers might do, it made me sick to the stomach. I took a deep breath before I continued, "Besides, it would be good experience for a young queen. She would love it! Hela would get to show off her powers, perhaps whip out that bow of hers against any foe she may meet along the way. Come on, it's a splendid idea."

"Alone?" Sigyn asked with a raised brow. "Naturally she would go with some of Asgard's finest warriors. I would act as consort whilst she's gone," I answered.

"You haven't thought this through, have you?" she said, turning on her side to fully face me. "No, not really," I admitted softly.

"Right. What would happen when she wakes from a nightmare? Hm? She nearly shatters windows with her screams here, I'm not sure our allies would be as understanding about it as we are," she said. I opened my mouth with a rebuttal but found myself swiftly cut off as Sigyn confined, "Or who will advise her across the nine realms? Because if it's Sif, we're bound for war. If it's anyone else, she'll ignore them."

"Furthermore, in what world do you think Hela would agree to this?" Sigyn asked finally, raising an accusatory brow. I pursed my lips and inhaled sharply through the nose. Regrettably, I knew the answers to all of her questions and I also knew they were not in my favor.

Sigyn sighed as a sympathetic look came upon her face. "I know you're just trying to protect her," she said quietly, her soft hand meeting my face. "We'll think of something, alright? We'll think of it together," she assured me.

"Perhaps you should...try and spend more time with her? Help her bridle her powers more? You know how much she adores magic, maybe you can lure her out of those dungeons with the promise of greater knowledge. Something, I mean anything really. As long as it inflated her ego in some way," Sigyn suggested.

I nodded. "Only issue is...if I train her anymore-especially now when she's so...sensitive- she'll become far more powerful than I am. As of now, I'm the only line of defense between her and anyone else. If something goes wrong..." I said. I absolutely hated that it had come to this. I wanted nothing more than to see my daughter thrive, to unlock her full potential. But, I couldn't risk that for her sake. No matter what Sigyn said, I needed to be able to stop her from making bad decisions. Or else I was quite terrified to see how such actions may haunt her later on.

"Fair point," Sigyn sighed, laying flat on her back as she stared up at the ceiling. I knew she was working on something-anything to get Hela away from Grimnir. Then, genius struck within me.

"I think I'm going to look into suitors for Hela," I said, trying to hold back the smile on my face. Sigyn's eyes went wide, I knew she was thinking something along the lines of are you crazy?

"Nothing serious, of course," I quickly assured her, sitting besides her. Sigyn glanced at me wearily, still far from convinced that this plan was good. "Grimnir and her...need to stop, right? If I find  suitors in Asgard-perhaps I'd even extend the search across the nine realms- then, Hela will be bound to leave Grimnir in the dust. She'll know what she's missing out on, and voila!"

Sigyn's scoffed. "I can't believe I'm hearing this. You're going to let Hela...date? Be courted for marriage? She's sixteen. You didn't get married till you were well over one thousand," she said.

"Oh god, no. No. I shall pick the most atrocious suitors. Ugly ones, vile ones, the worst of the worst. I bet that by the time she's gone on two dates with suitors of my choosing, Hela will swear off any chance at love for at least a century," I explained. Sigyn narrowed her eyes as she looked at me, I could nearly hear the gears turning within her mind.

"That might work...or it'll just prove to her that Grimnir isn't all that bad afterall," Sigyn argued. I shook my head. "No way. I will make sure of it. I'll disgust her in such a way, she won't be able to even consider romance," I countered.

"I'm not so sure," Sigyn said wearily. I took her hands in mine. "Please? Let me try? It's worth a shot," I begged, batting my eyes dramatically.

Sigyn laughed. "Go ahead. But good luck. At the very least, this will all be quite entertaining."

HELA'S POINT OF VIEW
"You want to what?" I asked in disbelief. My eyes were wide as I gawked at my father. I had nearly spit out my morning cup of juice when he delivered the news.

"I think it's time you begin considering marriage. With all the politics swirling around, it may be advantageous to secure an alliance with a wedding," my father said calmly as he continued to eat breakfast.

"No!" I replied, glancing to my mother for support. "Mother please, I can't get married!"
I attempted. She simply looked away, refusing to meet my eyes.

"It only makes sense. Besides, what's a Queen without her king, hm? I've already lined up a few suitors for you. In fact, the first one shall be here today around noon," my father said, completely ignoring my distress. I reached for his hand, holding it tightly within my own. "Please, papa, please. I don't want to wed," I begged but he merely shook his head.

"It's already been discussed and arranged," he said simply. I groaned, covering my face as I sunk in my chair. The last thing I wanted to do was be courted, flirted with, or whatever else suitors did. For lack of a better word, I was terrified.