No More Tears

Whatever it Takes

Loki crept back to the hallway outside the audience chamber.  He had the feeling that Hela was trying to play him even more than he was trying to play her.  There was a faint sound of a fight coming from the dungeon area and it told him he was right.  He only hoped that between them, Skurge and Susie would make sure she got back to him.

He waited and waited, growing more impatient by the minute.  Something must have gone wrong.  She must have been captured.  Knowing Hela, she would want to rub his nose in it.  There was a chance he could still bargain for her life. For only the second time in his own life, Loki felt the pain of losing someone he loved.  First his mother and now, potentially, Susie.  If only he had made it clearer to her.  Less angsty looks and more forthright declarations.  Dammit.  Too late as always.  

He took a breath and looking both ways, stepped into the hallway.  Instantly the two guards at the door, each looking as skeletal and terrifying as the other, barred his way.

"Out of my way!" he ordered deliberately loudly so that anyone inside could hear.  They looked at each other and then him, unmoving.

"Let him in!" Hela's voice rang out.

They stepped to the side and opened the vast doors.  This time, he walked in as no-one's prisoner.  This time he strutted in as Loki, Prince of Asgard;  Rightful King of Jotunheim; Odin's Son. Resplendent in full battle armour with his golden helmet gleaming in the torchlight, he was bowing to no-one. 

"Brother." she stood, her face reflecting the true nature of this meeting.  No smiles, no pretending, this was a fight.  To the death.

"Sister" he stopped at the foot of the throne. "You're in my seat." he smirked and shrugged. 

Hela glared at him and then smiled, examining her nails in an open show of arrogant dismissal. Then looking back at him, said "Do you REALLY think I'm just going to give it back to you?" She didn't even bother to hide the irritation in her voice. She could keep her temper under control, no matter how much he irked her. She wasn't going to kill him there and then, oh no, that was too simple.  Would he just get on with it so she could humiliate him and make him watch as she killed his little Pet, slowly and painfully in front of him?

"Hardly" he agreed "I thought we could come to an arrangement.  One that suited us both this time." he looked at her intently.  Hopefully her natural arrogance and curiosity would get the better of her.  It did.

"Go on.  I'm listening." she walked down to him, standing just above him, unwilling to take the final step and be physically and metaphorically at a disadvantage.

"Well," he turned and walked away, deliberately putting his back to her.  A show of trust?  Arrogance?  Stupidity?  Who could tell.  Hela took a step down, unconsciously following him.  He smiled and turned, this was going well. "You have what we BOTH want.  The throne.  I have what YOU want and that is the Valkyrie.  Am I correct?" 

"Granted" she nodded "I want her dead." 

"Agreed." it stabbed him to the heart to hear the truth but he carried on. "How about this?  I make sure she cannot harm you ever again and you share the throne with me.  I take Midgard, and Midgard alone, and you can be assured that you are safe.  I will defend you to the death. My Queen," he turned and bowed low.  As he did so, a dagger conjured at his wrist, hidden from sight, ready.  Where in Odin's name was Susie?  He couldn't hold out much longer.

"And how EXACTLY will you do that?  You've singularly failed to keep her away so far.  In fact, you brought her here with the sole intention of killing me did you not?  I'm not stupid Loki.  We may not be blood, but we are kindred souls. Each lied to, each denied what was rightfully ours by that, that self aggrandising, arrogant, overbearing, hypocritical, monster Odin." she took a breath, calming down.  

Smoothing her hair down, she recovered her composure. "Sorry, Dad get's right up my nose some times you know?" she laughed and Loki nodded.  

"Yep".

"Anyway" she reset her features into the hard faced Goddess of Death once more., "I have no need of you, I could just kill you both where you stand." she walked over and it took all his nerve not to just stab her there and then.  It would have done no good.  It wouldn't have saved Susie.

"No, don't." he looked at her and sagged. "Please Hela, don't kill her.  Let me banish her instead." now he tried another tack, playing for time. "I will do whatever you say, give you whatever you want.  Just, let her go. I can banish her so she can never hurt you.  I can cast a spell so she can never pick up another weapon. I'm - I'm begging you.  Don't kill her." he paused, now for the ultimate. He took a breath, this was his trump card.  "I love her Hela, I couldn't live knowing she's dead."

For a moment there was silence, then Hela started to laugh.  At first just a snigger, then louder until she was doubled over in hysterics. "You?  Love?  You don't know the meaning of the word Loki. Not unless you mean that unhealthy kind that comes when you look in the mirror too much." she continued to laugh as she watched him walk towards her.  As he got nearer and saw the look in his eyes, her laughter died.  "You DO love her.  Good Gods in Valhalla. Loki is in love with the Valkyrie half-breed. What WOULD Odin say to that eh?" she sneered. "So you would do anything for her eh?  Couldn't live without her eh?" she drew closer and Loki steeled himself.  This was it.

"No, I couldn't." 

"Good, because you wont have to Little Brother." she smiled and hugged him tightly.  As she did so, Loki stiffened and went rigid in her arms.  His face clouded with confusion and he looked down to see a long black dagger sticking into his ribs, Hela's hand clasping it tightly and twisting as she looked into his face.

"What- what have you DONE?" he said, falling to his knees. "What about Sus..." he toppled over, eyes wide with shock, blood trickling from his mouth.  Hela knelt next to him as he gurgled his last.

"Oh don't you worry Brother dearest, I'll take good care of her.  And when I'm done, I'll take good care of Thor too.  I was NEVER going to spare any of you.  I just wanted to see how far you'd go.  See you in Hel, Brother." she cackled and walked back up the steps, wiping his blood off her hands.

As she did so, the door to the audience chamber creaked open and a shadowy figure secreted itself behind a pillar.  She knew who it was, this was going to be good.  As she looked down at the foot of the steps, Loki's blood seeped across the floor and he gave one last exhale as he succumbed to his wounds.  Shame.  He might have been a good Chief Executioner.  Where was Skurge anyway?