Helka Lokidottir

Simpler Times

Third POV

A young child raced down the halls of Asgard. Maids stepped out of her way as she ran. The tapping of her feet echoing on the floor with every step. Her raven black hair blowing behind her. She turned the corner when a pair of hands scooped her up. Her feet continued to run until his hands were holding her up to his level. She tried to kick herself free from his grasp but the hands were much stronger.

"Loki!" She giggled. She threw her arms around his neck and shouted, "Do it again! Do it again!"

Loki shook his head and began to set her down. He swung her gently, not letting her feet touch the floor. "Ready? One, two...three!" he brought her backwards just before sending her off down the other hallway.

She began running but stopped to look behind her. Loki's figure vanished which only made her laugh more. She ran farther down the hall, ducking behind a pillar. She could hear Loki calling for her, but she hid her giggles in her hands.

Loki heard the giggles and peaked around the pillar. She had vanished. He quickly scanned the area, looking around the columns that were nearby. It wasn't until he turned around that he saw her sitting behind him, playing with his cape.

"Did you figure out how to disappear, Hel?"

The little girl nodded and flicked her wrist up. Within her grasp, a small black serpent wriggled in her fingers. She opened her hands and it vanished. "Like you, Loki," she announced.

Loki shook his head and held her close. After the death of his wife, he couldn't bear to let his daughter know it had been from her mortal mother trying to deliver a god's offspring. He made the decision to raise her as a child of Odin but not a day went by that Loki didn't teach his daughter something about her true self. He carried her to her room next to his own.

Her large golden doors shimmered in the sunlight. Her room was too large for her now, but Loki knew she would grow into it. A large bed with golden sheets was at the center back wall. A wardrobe was directly across from it. The large windows were covered by black curtains. Loki had pulled them apart that morning. There were toy horses and wolves scattered around the room. Thor had even brought a few toys from Midgard, a rocking horse was tucked away in the corner.

"Ready to practice?" He asked, setting her down.

She nodded her head and sat down on his lap. He rolled his wrist and his dagger appeared. "Hold my hand now," he instructed.

She held his wrist, and he moved the dagger in a figure eight motion. She was only five years old, but he promised himself that he would teach his daughter how to defend herself if anything were to happen to him.

"I promise, I'll take care of her," He repeated the promise to his wife to himself.

"Can I try," she asked.

"Yes, but do it exactly as I did it," he explained. "Be very slow." He held her shoulder and moved his other hand alongside next to hers.

She held the dagger, her fingers just too short to wrap them all the way around the handle. Loki watched her lift the dagger and move it from side to side and across her body. "Like that, Loki?"

He nodded and smiled. "Yes, very good."

"Can we do magic now?"

The first time Loki had taught her magic, she made the drapes by the balcony fall to the ground. She had clapped her hands, only making the flames flicker in her room. Her first successful attempt, his eyes lit up when she was able to summon a loaf of bread. She had been practicing by herself in her room and when he went to get her the next morning, she was gnawing on a piece of bread content and quiet, the drapes had fallen once again during her attempt.

"Show me a couple more waves with the dagger first."

She nodded and did a few more motions. "Can I fight with you, Loki?"

Loki gave a small chuckle. "Not yet, little one. Soon, you can practice outside with me and Thor." He scooped her up again and walked her outside to the balcony. She could look down and see the courtyard. Warriors were lined up, drawing their swords and spears, striking at the opponent in front of them. Lady Sif was up against Hogan, holding her own with ease. Thor was off to the side, shining Mjonir, talking to one of the Asgardian maidens. "Watch this," Loki whispered. He cocked his hand off to the side, watching as Thor's rag turned into a snake. The girl squealed as Thor held the serpent up to admire it. Loki brushed his hand to the side and the serpent disappeared. "Give it a try," he told her.

The little girl looked around the balcony. She noticed a small leaf by the railing. She looked at it and cocked her hand as Loki had done. The leaf began to blow, not knowing which direction to take. Her eyes followed it, the higher it went, the farther back she lifted her head. Once she was satisfied with the height, she swiped her hand and the leaf trickled down past the balcony to the walk below.

"I did it!" Her eyes were beaming. "I did it, Loki!"

Loki clapped his hands and patted her back. "I'm very proud of you!"

"Showing her more magic, I see," Frigga said from the entry way.

"Mother! I made the leaf go high," the little girl exclaimed.

"I saw. Loki is doing well teaching you, isn't he?"

"Think Father will be happy?"

Loki's heart sank. He wondered how long she would last before asking questions. She had his emerald, green eyes and raven black hair just like him. His wife had passed down her small nose to the child. Her complexion was nothing darker than pale and her rounded cheeks became more defined everyday.

As an infant, he kept her sleeping in her crib but close to him in fear that he would wake up and she would be a frozen statue as his wife and son were. He hardly put her down, never letting the maids tend to her unless he was nearby. It wasn't until after she turned one that he allowed her to sleep in her own chambers. On the anniversary of his wife's death, he allowed Frigga to hold her while he sat along in the room where his wife had passed. He clinched his fist and sent the furniture flying. It wasn't until he saw his daughter smile at him at his return that he could find happiness in his Hel's birthday celebration. Before bed that night, he had taken his daughter to the balcony and lifted a shimmering orb into the sky. He watched her eyes follow it up, the light reflecting off her big eyes. She had tried to reach for it, but it was far out of her grasp. She had settled on grasping Loki's long thumb instead and drifted off to sleep. The maids had found them the next morning with the child on Loki's chest, both fast asleep.

He remembered one night a couple months ago, she snuck into his room crying from one of Thor's tantrums. She had climbed into his bed and under his arms before he even opened his eyes. He had looked down to see his daughter trembling at the crack of a thunderclap. It took a few minutes of stroking her hair and waiting for the storm to pass until she had fallen asleep again.  He ended up sleeping in a chair next to the bed as she slept soundly on his pillow.

"Surely she knows who her true father is," Loki thought to himself.

"I think he is happy," Frigga said, looking up at Loki.

The little girl walked over and reached her hands up, insisting Loki pick her up. He scooped her up and looked her in the eyes. "He's very happy."

Frigga left the two alone as Loki pointed out the Asgardian skyline. He told her about the Bifrost and how it could take her anywhere she wanted to go. "But I have a secret," he said. "I know of other ways out. Secret ones. If you promise not to tell anyone, someday, I'll take you through them and I'll show you the other realms."

Hel's eyes danced. "Where are the other ways?"

"Well, they're a secret. I can't show you if I tell you."

Loki watched as Hel rubbed her eyes and yawned. She had awoken him early, ready to run around the palace. She laid her head on Loki's shoulder and drifted off to sleep. Loki carried her to her bed and tucked her in.

"So long as I am here, nothing will harm you," he whispered.