You stared in shock for a moment at the queen of Helheim, the woman who proclaimed to be Odin's daughter. She looked like Lady Loki, not like Thor, which made you question for a second if Thor was the adopted one.
But that line of questioning wasn't helping at the moment.
You remembered your princess-y manners and finally snapped out of your shock at her words to focus on getting out of here. There had to be a way if you had an audience with the queen of Helheim herself.
You prayed for Loki's silvertongue in that moment and to any god who might be willing to help you. This was not going to be easy, you could tell that by looking up at the goddess of death.
Finally in the right frame of mind, you dipped into a proper curtsy. You'd been a princess long enough that the action was well practiced and you hardly had to think about it. "It is an honor to meet you, majesty," you replied politely. You were well used to dealing with foreign dignitaries.
This was no different.
You were a dirty rotten liar, especially to yourself.
This was so very different than just meeting a dignitary. Your life was in the balance. Your husband and children needed you. You couldn't fuck this up.
"Rise, Lady Sigyn," Hela said, amusement in her voice. You rose and looked up at her on her throne. You didn't know how to play this and waited for her to continue.
She didn't continue.
Fuck.
Why was she making this so hard?
You saw it in her eyes. It was because she could. She enjoyed having power. And having you in her power had Asgard in her power. You could see how much she reveled in that. You gave her another moment of reveling before you broke the silence. "My escort said you requested by presence," you prompted her for an answer, though as politely as you could given the circumstances.
Hela inclined her head. "I did. You're in a unique position, Lady Sigyn," she informed you, politely.
"What position is that?" You asked, tired of games already. You were so tired and just wanted to rest. You had a feeling that was the realm of the dead draining you. You needed this fixed quickly. You needed to go home.
"You died giving birth to your children on Asgard," Hela confirmed. You nodded. You knew that already, that's why you were in Helheim after all. "Since you are of Asgard and are to be the next queen, I am prepared to do you a favor," she said too magnanimously.
You were beyond suspicious at her tone. "What favor?" You asked, though you knew. She was going to offer you a way to go home.
"Your death in childbirth would allow you a place in the halls of Valhalla, where the brave will live forever. However, I have another option for you," she said enticingly.
"What offer is that?" You were really tired of games. It was a struggle to keep your voice polite. Hela was toying with you and it was annoying.
"Millenia ago, Odin forced my Valkyrie to fight against me." At your confused look, she continued to explain. "I am not only the goddess of death and queen of Helheim, but also the goddess over the Valkyrie. They are a link between life and death after all. They serve Asgard, but also they serve me. Odin forced them to fight against me when he banished me here and most of them were slaughtered in the process." You listened to her story, wondering what this had to do with you. What was she going to offer you? "Their ranks have grown again, but I do not wish to send them into undo danger. I will not see them harmed after what happened to them all those centuries ago. I was not able to protect my valkyrie then, but I will protect all of them now."
"Protect them how?" You asked, still wondering what that had to do with you.
"I will send them back to Asgard, allow them to properly resume their tasks, but I require insurance that Asgard will be ready to treat them with the respect and honor they deserve,"
Ah, now you were getting to the bargain here. Hela was willing to let you go home. For a prince. You just had to find out what that price was and pay it. You couldn't let Loki and your children be alone. "What insurance would that be?" You asked her with a hint of Loki's wariness in your voice.
Hela smirked. "You of course, queen-to-be. I know the valkyrie will be respected, if one of their own is on the throne of Asgard," she told you.
She was going to make you a valkyrie? That was her price for sending you home? You knew next to nothing about the valkyrie, just that they were warriors and guided souls to the afterlife.
"You wish for me to return as a valkyrie?" You asked her to clarify,
Hela inclined her head. "As the valkyrie are in my jurisdiction, I can turn you into one. I will allow you to return to my brother and your children to live out the life you should have had," so this wasn't the ending that you should have had. You'd had the feeling that was the case. "In exchange, you will make sure my valkyrie are again welcomed on Asgard,"
You tried taking that all in.
You could go home.
You could really go home.
You just had to change what you were in order to do that.
Was that a price you could pay? Losing yourself to regain your family?
"What do you say, Lady Sigyn?" Hela asked when she'd seen that you'd processed the offer.
