Loki's Daughter

We Meet Again

Hela woke up with a small smile on her face. She looked around and grinned. Sunlight washed through the balcony doors and bathed the entire room in golden light. She sat up and threw the blankets off her body before jumping from the bed and running to the balcony.

From where she was, she could see all of the gardens. There were flowers of every color down below her, and she could smell them from where she stood. Farther out, Hela could see the city of Asgard and the BiFrost. All of it was breathtaking.

Grinning, Hela turned and walked over to the closet. She found an emerald green dress and smiled.

Perfect.

She quickly changed and slipped on a pair of gold sandals before brushing her hair and running out of the room. Tomorrow she knew she'd have to leave, so of course, she'd have to as much exploring in today as she could. First though, she was going to steal a snack from the kitchens.

So, she made her way down the halls, humming quietly. Maybe later she'd go to the gardens, or she'd explore some of the rooms she knew she shouldn't be in. The possibilities were endless for her, but she knew she only had one day.

The kitchens were easier to find than she expected. There were people bustling inside, all working to make tonight's feast. Hela crouched down and slipped over to a plate of muffins she guessed was meant for tonight. Just as she grabbed one and started to sneak out, one of the cooks saw her.

"Hey!" Hela turned and ran just as a cook chased her out. Now she needed a place to hide.

Hela looked around wildly and her eyes caught what looked like an abandoned passage going down a flight of stairs. She ran down the stairs just as she heard the cook calling after her.

Down the stair case it was dark and the air was cold. Unlike upstairs, the place looked made of dark gray stone. Her shoes made a soft clicking sound every time she stepped. The cook's shouting had long faded, and now all was left was an eerie silence.

Hela felt someone near her. She looked down the long hall and saw there seemed to be a cell at the end. She couldn't see inside, but she knew someone was in there. She took a step closer.

Hela took a bite of the muffin as she walked. The hall was long, dark, and damp. She ran her hand along the stone wall, only to pull back at the cold dampness that clung to it.

By the time she'd almost gotten to the cell, she'd finished her breakfast and could hear the soft breathing of whoever was inside. It was quiet, as if the person was trying to make no noise, but it was still there. She inched closer.

"Hela?" She yelped and spun around as she saw Sif walking toward her in a hurry. Behind her, there was a rustling sound of someone moving. Then a pause. "What are you doing way down here, this is no place for young girls."

"I was exploring," she replied. As she spoke, she thought she heard a short intake of breath from behind. The person in the cell, maybe? "I didn't mean any harm."

She could barely see Sif, but she did see that she wasn't in her normal armor. She was wearing a gown of scarlet red and her hair was down. "Of course not," she murmured, "But still yet, best to get you out of here now. Follow me."

Sif quickly turned and started walking toward the staircase. Hela slowly followed, glancing once over her shoulder at the cell, which had gone completely silent. She frowned slightly but quickened her pace, trying to catch up with Sif.

The warrior was waiting for her when she got to the top of the stairs. There was a small smile on Sif's face as she looked down at her. "Would you like to take a walk in the gardens with me?" Hela smiled and nodded her head yes. Sif grinned. "Good, then come with me."