The Unknown

Chapter 65: Pushing means Protection

Dahlia didn't know how long it had been since she had been at the grave, but the sky had darkened more and the stars were clearer than before. She felt a slight chill in the air and she was sure she would be cold if it wasn't for the thick princess dress she was wearing. She was enjoying the silence as it gave her time to think but she obviously wasn't allowed that pleasure for long. A twig snapped behind her and she heard the sounds of footsteps on the grass, so she shot up and her hand went to her waist where her dagger and wand were just in case.

"Is it my turn now?" Dahlia sighed as it was just her sister and moved her hand to the grass to lean on while she looked back to the headstone. She heard a hum as Hela got closer, "'the last enemy that shall be destroyed is death'. Lily would find that funny, probably joke with Falcon about it. Papa has gone back to Niflheim with yours and Lily's belongings, he's putting them somewhere safe until we get back then we can look through them all. I took the boys back to the camp. So, is it my turn?"

"Turn for what?"

"To be yelled at. Told I'm a monster, that I abandoned you, that I hate you for your existence. The boys explained what happened when they went after you. We thought we might give you time to calm down, being here clearly brings out your anger towards us. Trying to get the Knight Bus though, sister, you know that's unwise. Anyone could have seen you and taken you".

Dahlia shrugged, "it's my life".

"A life that you continually put in danger. What's this talk about you not taking the apple of Idunn?"

Dahlia shrugged again, "it's my life".

"STOP SYAING THAT!" Hela shouted and kneeled quickly to rip Dahlia's arm off the floor she was leaning on, so she was forced to look at her. Hela said, "this isn't about what outfit you're wearing for a ball, this is about your life, so look at me when I'm talking to you, this is important".

"Would you kill me?" Dahlia asked with no emotion as she looked into her sister's eyes.

"What?" Hela gasped.

Dahlia ripped her arm out of her sister's grip and stood facing her as she asked again, "would you kill me?"

"Never," Hela answered with a shake of her head.

"What if this war becomes a choice of Voldemort living if I don't die? What if we can't get rid of the Horcrux? What if he takes over and there's no way to get me back? What if the child of two worlds you claim to love goes mad with power?"

"You won't," Hela said as she reached to touch her sister's arm, "you have good in you, good that outweighs any bad inside. I would never let anyone harm you".

A moment of silence passed between the sisters before Dahlia asked, "and if I asked you to kill me, would you?"

Dahlia didn't expect Hela to pull her close, to cup her jaw with both hands but with some force as she sneered, "never ask me that, never ask anyone to kill you or else I will show you and them why I am feared across the universe. I will show you what it means to be the goddess of death, do you understand?"

Dahlia remembered seeing her sister torturing the Asgardian that snuck into Niflheim at her birthday ball, she remembered his screams, his skin turning pale and wrinkled. She remembered running back to her room, her sister following her and her holding her close on the bed, as if she feared her baby sister would leave her. Dahlia wasn't scared of her sister then, but now, Hela was staring at her as if she was a monster who had threatened the life of her precious sister, not said sister.

The half-Midgardian witch shrunk back slightly as her sister still had hold of her and Hela seemed to realise just how much she scared her and let go. She then said, "Dahlia, I'm sorry".