No More Tears

Running Scared

"Put me DOWN" she screeched at the 'thing' carrying her down the hallway. "PUT ME DOWN" she kicked and fought as hard as she could but it made no difference. It looked down at her, red eyes glowing and a subtle but threatening growl emanating from behind the massive tusks that protruded from it's face.   Suddenly, she was carried into a swirling black vortex and instinctively closed her eyes.  There was silence for a second then she was unceremoniously dumped onto qa hard floor, where she opened her eyes, blinded by the relative  brightness for a second.

As her vision cleared, she scrambled to her feet and drew her dagger. 

"Oh stop it, please, you're embarrassing me and yourself" a woman's voice from behind made her spin round. Hela. She walked down a set of steps that Susie remembered from another lifetime.  She was in the throne room at Asgard.  The fact there was no Odin, no Asgardian guards just the skeleton army that had invaded Loki's flat, made her blood run cold.  This was bad.  This was very bad. Hela drew level with her and smiled, like a snake smiling at his next meal.  All eyes, teeth and bad intentions.

"Well, well, well. So YOURE the Valkyrie that's going to kill me eh?" she walked round here, eyeing her up and down. "You're smaller than I thought you would be" she remarked casually.

"And you're older" Susie spat back "Hard paper round?" 

"Touche, my dear.  Glad to see the intervening years haven't diminished your spirit - YET!" Hela signalled to a couple of Guards.  "It has, however, diminished your skills I see.  Should have taken the chance while you had it my dear" she whispered in her ear as they grabbed her and restrained her forcibly.  "Take her away, we'll let my executioner sharpen HIS skills on her shortly" she turned to walk back up the steps to her throne, her crown of daggers disappearing back into the long black hair that Susie remembered so well.

"Wait!" she shouted as she was dragged away "Wait, Hela. I have a proposition" she called out over her shoulder, in a last ditch attempt to salvage the situation.

Hela paused, she hadn't expected this.  She was intrigued.  What could a Valkyrie possibly offer that she would want? She turned as she reached the top and sat down, one hand on the throne, the other reached out to Fenrir, who now lay at her feet.  Seemingly he was willing to trade allegiance at the drop of a hat too.

"Well?"  

"I never intended to kill you." Susie stood defiantly at the foot of the steps. "I want to join you.  Help you.  That goody two shoes of a brother of yours would never rule Asgard as you would.  And Loki?  He would give it to the Jotuns given half a chance. Offer him a statue and a couple of maidens and he's anyone's for the taking."  the insults rolled off her tongue but they stuck in her throat.  She only hoped she lied as well as she thought she did.  

It seemed she did.

"Okaaayyy" Hela stood, the wolf looking up at her then resting it's head on it's massive paws, just watching. He growled as she walked down the steps and Hela turned "Shhh Fenrir my boy.  You will have your chance, just wait"

She walked down to Susie and stood behind her, wrapping a hand around her throat. "Go on, I'm listening." Susie swallowed with difficulty as Hela began to squeeze gently, then continued.

"I will bring you the pair of them, or one to begin with at least.  That way you can be sure to get the other. I will bring Loki to you in chains and he will stand at the foot of this throne and swear undying fidelity.  When he has done that, together we will search out and destroy Thor.  You can then take your place as the rightful, firstborn, ruler of Asgard.  Those who will not join, will die." she rasped out, the edges of her vision fading as Hela squeezed

Hela paused for a moment and stopped tightening her grip. It was tempting.  Subjugate one and kill the other?  Sounded good.  She released he grip and Susie coughed and spluttered as the air filled her lungs again. "I agree.  You will bring Loki to me.  Once he has sworn his fidelity, then you shall both hunt down and kill Thor.  But believe me, if you betray me, even slightly, you will regret it.  There is nowhere you can hide, there is no back corner of the universe where I won't find you.  You will beg me for death before I'm done with you. Do you understand?" she whispered into Susie's ear and Susie nodded.  This was going exactly to plan.  Then it suddenly wasn't.

"And you will take Skurge with you.  I don't want you being captured and compromised by those overgrown boy scouts.  You lure him out, he will grab him and you all return, no hesitation, no negotiation.  Do I make myself clear?" 

"B-but I could do it myself.  He'll never suspect, it will be easier and quicker if I trick him..." she tried to think of an excuse to get back to talk to them before they launched their own plan. 

"YOU? Trick the God of Mischief?  I'd pay money to see that.  Money I don't want to waste and time I can't afford.  NO.  You take Skurge, he does the grabbing and you do the luring.  DO I MAKE MYSELF CLEAR?" she yelled in Susie's face, almost spitting on her in her rage. 

Susie nodded and bowed her head. "Yes Hela"

"what? What did you call me?"

"Apologies, yes, your Majesty." 

"Good, now find Skurge and get out of my sight.  I have things to do and people to kill.  I need peace and quiet for both.  Take her to the Bifrost Chamber.  I think you'll find Skurge in there.  He's usually showing off his stuff to pretty girls this time of day..." she trailed off with a wave of her hand at Susie and the two soldiers, they were dismissed.

Trudging over the bridge to the chamber, it briefly crossed Susie's mind that they could cross the universe on the Bifrost, world to world, but they still had to walk the first mile to do it?  Couldn't they have made the chamber a teeny bit closer?" 

She sniggered and looked over her shoulder.  Asgard rose behind her, the palace in it's centre like a gold pipe organ.  She'd longed to see it again as a young girl in exile, but now?  Now she wished she would never see it again.  

She had a terrible feeling that, although the plan was almost back on track for now,  things were just about to get a whole lot worse.