Death's Princess

Like Death

Sorry for the slight wait everyone. I'm officially caught up with myself on updates, so now things might take a little longer. This chapter is dedicated to ManWithinTheMonster, who created both the trailer for Loki's Daughter and for Death's Princess. You're wonderful, dear, thank you very much. I hope you all enjoy the chapter.

~Hela

"Vali, stop staring."

"Why is Lady Natasha dressed like that, though?"

"Vali!" Loki scolded quietly, making his son blush. Natasha only smiled at the boy and chuckled. "You know the women of Midgard dress more freely than those of Asgard. Honestly, you've seen your sister in trousers plenty of times."

"But Hela doesn't look like that," Vali muttered under his breath, his eyes dropping back to his food. Hela giggled, but Loki glared.

"Don't worry about it," Natasha chimed in. She looked at Vali, who gaped at her suddenness. "I wear these as "mission suits", you could say. I can move in them easily. They help to make my job less of a pain."

The twins studied her in awe, but Hela hardly regarded Natasha at all. She was used to the agent by now, though her brothers had been captivated as soon as they had seen her. Hela hadn't the faintest clue why, but settled to ignore the two and to eat the lunch placed in front of her.

The family was sitting at a table in the gardens now, in a close, intimate manner. To Hela, it was wonderful to feel so close to loved ones. The cold, sterile life at S.H.I.E.L.D. had become unbearably stiff and unfeeling.

"Nari, you've hardly touched your food," Frigga pointed out, snapping the boy out of his gawking at the Midgardian woman.

Nari looked up and flushed fiercely. "Sorry, Grandmother," he mumbled and quickly looked down to his food. Nari wasn't the type to leave food untouched. Natasha must really have made an impresion on the two.

It was quiet after that. Filled instead with the comforting sound of clinking silverware and goblets. Hela glanced around the gardens and smiled. She wanted to go for a walk later today. Making a note to do that, she looked at Vali. "Didn't Fandral say he was going to teach you two sword play?" she asked him.

Vali nodded, his mouth full. "He has been," he mumbled through a bite of food, "We're still learning basics right now but we're getting better. The other day, Nari cut through one of the practice dummies."

Hela laughed. "Nice, Nari!"

The twin grinned, now stuffing his face.

"Do you want to go to the river after this?" Nari asked. Hela nodded her head. "He misses you. He keeps asking us where you are."

Hela laughed a little. "Oh, really?" she mumbled, "When I go, he acts like he doesn't like me at all." She shook her head and sighed. "What's he say?"

"Oh, he doesn't really say he misses you," Nari replied, "But he hints at it. You know how he is."

"How who is?" Thor asked, looking over at the children.

"No one," they replied in unison. Thor raised an eyebrow and they smiled at him innocently. He shook his head slightly and continued his conversation with Natasha and his father. Hela gave the twins a quick smile and then bit into a grape.

The rest of lunch was relatively peaceful. Once they were finished, the children excused themselves and dashed out of the gardens and down the hall. They ran past the guards and out the back way of the castle, and then down the path to the city of Asgard. Citizens waved at the siblings as they ran by, calling out quick hellos to the royal children. Hela happily waved back to the people she knew.