The Goddess Of Death

Hela gently pulled on the reins and guided Dagny– a lovely and playful white foal her parents gifted her after she finally completed her horse-riding lessons – to a slow trot, taking her time to observe her surroundings and stroke her mount affectionately on her neck. This was the first time she rode somewhere that was not the riding grounds, and she was relieved that Dagny reigned in her own enthusiasm for being let out the palace for what she knew was the very first time.

Hela loved Dagny the moment she laid eyes on her, and was overjoyed when the horse easily returned her affections. Dagny was young and playful still, but Hela has no doubt that the foal will grow up to be a powerful warhorse, and a valuable ally in the coming battles.

Dagny nickered as Hela guided her to stop in front of the huge structure before them and dismounted. Hela stroked her one more time on the snout for the trip, before turning to enter the Observatory.

She immediately felt her mouth fall open in awe as she took in the sheer size of the structure and the beautiful rainbow bridge she just crossed. It was something she had only ever seen on screen and in her imagination. She never imagined that she would see the Bifrost itself with her own eyes. And words cannot describe how beautiful and ethereal it really looks.

She tried her best to take everything in, however, the overwhelming feeling of someone boring their gaze at the back of her head made her reluctantly tear her eyes away from the colorful bridge to instead land on the figure of a huge man standing in the middle of the chamber, his whole body encased in intimidating golden armor.

Heimdall, the all-seeing and all-hearing guardian of the Bifrost.

She grinned so wide it hurt. She had asked (begged) her mother earlier that day for permission to visit the Observatory and the Bifrost bridge. Meeting Heimdall in person was an opportunity she won't pass up and she could not wait any longer.

At first, Frigga wanted to accompany her, but Hela insisted that she was old enough and could already take care of herself; besides, the Observatory was only a short ride away on horseback from the palace, and Heimdall sees everything . Therefore, he'll definitely know ahead of time if she was in any danger so she's as safe as she could possibly be.

That argument swayed Frigga, and she smiled. "My clever girl." She had murmured before calling out. "Good Heimdall, I ask you to watch over my daughter as she journeys to you."

There wasn't any visible change, but Frigga nodded after a few moments of silence and proceeded to send her off.

And now here she was, standing awkwardly by the entrance in front of the stoic Gatekeeper who remained unmoving from his position in the dais. Behind her, the rainbow bridge hummed .

She resisted the urge to shift nervously as their gazes locked on each other, bright green meeting gold. Though the difference was that his eyes were unreadable while hers were almost bursting with curiosity. Still, she did not speak and could only stare at him in wonder.

Heimdall only stared back.

"Your Highness." He inclined his head after the silence became too awkward.

At his words, Hela quickly remembered her manners and curtsied. "Nice to finally meet you, Lord Heimdall."

"You are my princess, and I am just a guardian; there is no need for formalities." He informed her, though his golden gaze was now kind and almost amused.

"Heimdall." Hela acquiesced. She still couldn't help but stare at him though. Here in front of her was one of the most recognizable figures in the MCU. Heimdall, The One Who Sees All. And Hela found herself fangirl-ing quite a bit. "I've heard so much about you. Is it true you could see everything ?" She blurted out excitedly.

He nodded. Even now, he looks like a statue, standing unwaveringly with his large golden sword held in front of him. He was a large man, and indeed had dark skin like in the movies. However, there was still one thing the movies cannot possibly replicate no matter how hard they try.

His golden eyes.

Even from afar, the color was unmistakable. Hela's own eyes widened as their gazes locked and she found herself drawn into the bright golden orbs and into after-images of the Nine Realms of Yggdrasil itself. It was only then that she realized she was staring into the only pair of eyes that can see entire worlds, nebulae, and the beings that lived in them in its entirety. Words cannot capture how mesmerizing and beautiful his eyes truly were, and Hela found it quite hard to stop herself from blatantly staring even though it's rude.

As beautiful as his eyes were, Hela felt a spark of nervousness. She knew he could not possibly see or know her thoughts, but she still felt worried that he might find out her true identity just by looking into her eyes and seeing a completely different person behind them.

Still, her curiosity knew no bounds. Hela placed a hand behind her back and held up two fingers. "How many fingers am I holding up?"

Heimdall raised an eyebrow and answered dutifully. "Two, Your Highness."

Hela covered the hand behind her back with her other. She then held up a finger. "How many now?"

Heimdall's beautiful eyes now glinted in amus.e.m.e.nt, but he still humored her. "One."

She stared at him in awe, and proceeded to say in the most genuine tone possible, "You are amazing , Heimdall."

The Gatekeeper looked completely stunned for a moment, his already rigid stance tensing even more. After a while, he relaxed, and his voice now held a touch of warmth. "I thank you, my princess."

"Hela," She grinned up at him, "Call me Hela."

They both knew he can't do that, difference in ranks and all that, but she likes to think he appreciated the thought.

"So," she continued, her eyes almost glittering with excitement. "How exactly does the Bifrost work? And do you not get tired of standing all day?"

…

Heimdall watched silently as Asgard's princess insisted on walking instead of riding her horse back across the bridge. She claimed she wanted to observe how the bridge works and see over the edge properly, both of which she cannot do on horseback. Before she left though, she gave him one last bright smile, one he was hard-pressed not to return.

She might be young still, but he could already tell that her genuine curiosity, intelligence, and kindness will shine as brilliantly as the brightest star he has ever seen among the branches of Yggdrasil.

It also does not hurt to admit that her honest praise immediately endeared him to her. Heimdall then decided that he would watch her closely from now on. Her kindness might just be what Asgard needs during these troubling times.

…

She practically skipped back after a riveting and highly informative discussion with Heimdall, noting that the gatekeeper looked almost relieved to see her off after her endless stream of questions. She knew she could be quite a handful when curious, but Vor had said often enough that holding back questions leads to ignorance, which will eventually lead to her death if she's not careful (Vor can be pretty cynical at times), and frequently encourages her to ask if she wanted to know something. And she definitely wanted to know how the Bifrost bridge works.

She never thought about it back then, but the Bifrost can transport a person to other realms several light years away from Asgard in just over a minute or two. If anyone on Earth even had a device capable of trying that, she knows that person will be ripped apart or basically fade into nothingness. It was just not possible , but then again, this was magic. Defying the laws of physics was definitely in the job description.

An interesting tidbit she also found out was that Heimdall doesn't actually need sleep. He didn't elaborate on it, and Hela instantly knew that this was somewhat of a trade secret and couldn't blame him for keeping silent. After all, who would want a child knowing all your secrets and other invaluable information?

He doesn't need sleep, but he has break times , which made sense. After all, one cannot be expected to stand around all day and night watching the realms in the entire World Tree without feeling the least bit tired or hungry. However, those times were confidential, since it will be a serious security breach in Asgard's defenses if someone found out when Heimdall leaves his post, and so Hela refrained from asking anything more about the subject.

She doesn't know why she felt so surprised that Heimdall has break times, since he never seemed to leave the Observatory, but she supposed it made sense. If the great and all-powerful Odin could feel tired, then Heimdall could damn well feel it too.

Hela hummed and tugged on Dagny's reins, slowly guiding her across the Bifrost as she strolled around. Seeing the rainbow bridge up close instead of the view on horseback was quite a sight. She watched intently as the colors of the rainbow bridge pulsed around her feet with every step she took. The bridge looked and felt like colored glass, but she figured it was more like a material similar to crystal but stronger. It had to be if it could withstand the mighty blows of Mjolnir.

One might expect that the bridge was slippery or smooth because it looked like a crystal; however, it was actually quite rough. This made walking on it not too much trouble, but there were no handrails so there was still every chance that she might fall off. Heimdall's always watching, though, so she knows she's safe.

Hela curiously peered over the edge, and her eyes bulged at the sight of the sheer drop below. She was normally not afraid of heights, but that sight almost did her in. Underneath the Bifrost bridge was just ocean , with the water flowing off the edge of Asgard itself. She knew this world was flat, not a round and sphere-like planet like Earth, so how does gravity work when there's no core or magnetic fields to keep her feet on the ground? And where does the ocean even fall to, space ?

So many questions, and she absolutely delighted in trying to answer them all.

Later though, Herryk is waiting.

…

"You are late."

Hela bowed her head in acknowledgement. The other trainees paused in their katas and stances and watched warily as the princess faced off against the instructor, the latter looking absolutely pissed.

Commander Herryk became her fighting instructor when Hela had finally expressed interest in learning how to fight and becoming a warrior. Her parents opposed it at first, saying that she was still too young to worry about those things (her mother), and asking her if she was sure she wanted to do that instead of befriending girls her age and completing her studies with Vor first? ( Still her mother.)

Frigga had obviously looked concerned with Hela's request to learn how to fight because of how young she was. Hela too would hesitate in allowing her 'daughter' to go off fighting when she could be learning how to dance or something. Odin, however, looked pleased .

"My daughter," Hela turned to her father, who looked like he already knew her answer, but still added his piece for the worried Frigga's benefit. "Self-defense is certainly an essential skill the royal family must acquire. Nevertheless, what you are proposing is to train not just to defend yourself, but to become a full-fledged warrior . You are still quite young; I assure you that they will not go easy on you." Odin raised an eyebrow, "Moreover, do you not wish for a chance to lead an untroubled life first before already trying to bear the full responsibilities of someone in your position? You have been diving head-first into your lessons like a starving man would to a feast."

Hela almost raised an eyebrow at him; if she wasn't already an a.d.u.l.t, half of those words wouldn't even make sense to a child. Perhaps it was a test to see how far she'd come in her studies. Nevertheless, Hela didn't waver in her decision and only grinned confidently at them both. "Yes Father, I am sure. I enjoy all my lessons, adding one more will not be a problem."

Odin nodded in approval. Frigga still looked uncertain, "Hela, are you certain you would rather be doing this instead of playing with the other children? I am sure you will find many friends once you finally decided to talk to them." She said this in a resigned tone that already knows Hela wouldn't do it. Her mother had already tried setting her up with play dates, but Hela had found that interacting with children who does nothing but suck up to her because of her status doesn't end well. 

It took a few more moments of persuading, but at last, Hela finally got her mother's consent, with the promise that she'll try to socialize more with other children her age. They had debated on sending her off to train with the Valkyries (her heart jumped at her throat at the name), but Odin eventually decided that swearing the Valkyries' oath of eternal service would completely impede with her role as the heir to the throne and dropped the idea. Instead, she would train with the other boys under one of the soldiers.

And with that, she was finally assigned to Commander Herryk who, unlike Vor, is completely insufferable, irritating, and quite blatant with his bigotry towards women. It turned out that misogyny existed even in the Valkyries' time. Herryk had clearly expressed that women warriors like the Valkyries were not as superior in battle as Asgard's army.

With such obvious prejudice, it didn't exactly help that she was the only girl amongst the new recruits.

Another thing was that Herryk does not like seidmadr. He considers them as tricksters, cowards, or even cheaters for using illusions and spells instead of fighting the enemy head-on. It had caused several arguments to erupt between them numerous times, especially since Herryk found out about her interest in studying the art and proceeded to ban any use of seidr in their training. Since that day, Hela resolved to be the best warrior and sorceress in the entire Nine. Middle fingers up your obvious discrimination, Herryk.

She had been surprised at first when she heard that it would be a commander who would personally train them. She had expected a sergeant or captain, not a high-ranking person like a commander, and yet here they were. Hela had heard rumors that Commander Herryk wasn't originally going to be their instructor, but with Hela's induction to training, Odin himself had commanded Herryk to personally oversee training for this batch.

So technically, it was her fault Herryk had been degraded from a commander to an instructor. She was sorry at first, she wasn't now.

At present, she finally arrived after her trip to Heimdall's Observatory, and Herryk looked pissed. Actually, Herryk always looks pissed, though the reason was probably because he's forced to train – babysit, according to him – children instead of going out to fight. Sometimes, she couldn't help but notice that Asgardians take their titles as a warrior race very seriously. It always seemed like that's all they ever want to do.

She would've asked that her parents replace him with another instructor who was actually decent, but pride prevented her from asking. She just knew Odin would take it as a sign of weakness, and probably stop her training completely. He probably chose Herryk because of his attitude to test her determination to see this through.

Well, she'll prove him wrong.

"I was just in the Observatory visiting Heimdall with the Queen's permission." She told him impassively, taking care not to let any negative feelings show. It wouldn't do to antagonize him this early. "You can confirm it with them."

"I don't care where you've been, I only care about the fact that you're late." Herryk's eyes narrowed. "I am sure you know how to tell time, yes? You could have visited Heimdall early morning or late afternoon, when it would not interfere with our lessons. My life does not revolve around you, princess, so stop wasting my time." He then whirled around to confront the watching trainees who visibly jumped in surprise. " And who said you could stop? Fifty l.a.p.s around the arena now !"

The other recruits startled and basically began running for their lives, the sound of frantic footsteps slowly fading the farther they ran.

Hela resisted the urge to glare at him and just stayed silent. He was right after all, "I apologize Sir, it won't happen again."

However, it seems something showed on her tone, because Herryk suddenly scowled, "You will treat me with respect."

"I do respect you." Hela immediately said, visibly frowning now.

"Then why do you insist on staying defiant and unruly like a spoiled brat?" He shot back.

Hela stared at him in disbelief before shifting her gaze away guiltily, "I just think our opinions on some things contradict each other. Especially about that ridiculous ban on seidr use."

Herryk glowered, his eyelid twitching at the mere mention of the word 'seidr'. "Absolutely not! I will not allow such tricks and cowardly behavior to be present in my training grounds."

"It is not cowardly! Both the King and Queen uses seidr, do you call them cowards too?" She accused.

"Odin at least recognizes that such an act is unfit for a King and chooses to be a warrior first, and as for the Queen, she is a woman. Her use is not ideal, but acceptable. You, on the other hand," He looked down on her, his eyes narrowed to slits. "You might be a girl, but you are also training to become a warrior, and a warrior has no time for such tricks. I have already been lenient with you. If it were my way, I would have forbidden you from learning seidr completely, but the Queen insisted.

"If you cannot accept my rules, you are free to leave the training grounds. I care not."

Hela stared blankly at him, abruptly realizing that maybe she'd gone too far. He doesn't usually rant like this, so either he might be in a very bad mood, or she was in fact, wrong .

No, of course not. Seidr was an important part of combat too, she doesn't want to become like one of those warriors who could only rely on their physical strength. There will always come a time when other unconventional methods are required to win a fight. Besides, the use of seidr in combat was something she'd always wanted to do. It's a very invaluable skill, but it's obviously not something she could learn here. Her own teacher practically snarls at the mere mention of the word 'seidr', for god's sake.

But maybe, if Herryk couldn't teach her, then she could teach herself. Provided she learn combat training under Herryk first. The fact that he's the best option because he's an actual army commander was an opportunity she can't pass up, not even when he's acting like a prejudiced jerk.

"I apologize for my behavior, Commander." She bowed her head in submission. "I will do better in the future."

Herryk only looked at her sincere expression, docile stance, and huffed. "See that you do."

"Now," He tossed her a wooden sword that had been lying beside him in the weapon's rack. "Since you are late, then you must already know a great deal about our lessons. Show me what you have learned."

Hela ignored the jibe in order to catch the weapon. She swung it experimentally, judging its weight and the feel of it in her hands, before taking a stance. Herryk crossed his arms and settled in to watch as Hela began moving through a series of forms and katas, each move timing with her breaths.

She had already learnt the basic forms of hand-to-hand combat and the sword, but there was still so much more to learn, especially since she wanted to master other weapons as well.

She spun and swung the wooden sword in a wide arc, feet spreading apart and body bending down to an almost crouch. At that moment, the running trainees passed a few ways ahead of her, and she absently noticed two boys lagging behind the group, their gaits weak and tired. Now, she normally wouldn't mind it, but just for a moment, one of the boys' weary eyes met her confused ones with open curiosity and admiration.

She stared at his back as he passed. What was that about…?

"Still not done? I have seen bilgesnipes move faster and with far more precision than you."

She snapped back to reality and refrained from retorting back. Antagonizing Herryk will greatly hinder her progress, so perhaps it's time to accept that he won't change his mind about seidr anytime soon.

…

Hela almost collapsed on her bed in exhaustion, her c.h.e.s.t still heaving and her whole body drenched in sweat. Herryk was absolutely brutal today. The guards she passed outside could only stare at her in sympathy, all of them knowing just how merciless the Commander could be in training.

If only she could have been assigned to General Tyr, who she had heard was extremely fair as well as being the greatest warrior and tactician of the Realm Eternal after the Allfather. But he was always busy, so instead, she's stuck with Herryk.

She began removing all the layers of sweaty clothes before she even reached the bedroom, tossing the dirty laundry in the basket in the corner. She didn't bother resting her aching body for a moment and promptly sank into the prepared bath, sighing in relief as the warm water with lovely scented oils soothed her sore muscles. She definitely missed using shampoo, soap, and conditioner, but the oils can also do a good job in making her smell clean even after long periods of time.

Closing her eyes, she drifted off.

…

"Hela."

Hela, wet hair still clinging onto her neck and her body feeling much better, looked up from her book and saw Queen Frigga standing silently in the doorway, eyes warm and kind. "May I come in?"

"Of course, Mother."

She watched as her mother made her way to the other chair across from her own, before turning her attention back to her books when it was clear her mother was content to just sit there.

Meanwhile, Frigga silently observed her daughter's scrunched up face, her eyes locked on her book in deep concentration. The sight was adorable, but she's here for a more serious reason.

Hela was now past the equivalent of a twelve-year-old child in Midgardian terms – and since early childhood had already been subjected to various lessons about language, seidr, hand-to-hand combat, weapons training, law, politics, history, literature, and culture of the Nine Realms, horse-back riding, dancing, instrument playing, swimming, weaving, and more. Everything her instructors offered her, she soaked up like an eager sponge. While other children would request for a break and play, Hela would stay cooped up in her rooms and did her best to excel in everything she does.

It made the entire court wonder just why does the princess seem like she's preparing for the worst by drowning herself into her books and training. Odin was unconcerned, but Frigga was worried. She had looked at the tomes her daughter had been reading and found that most are about battle tactics, aggressive seidr techniques, and war. A normal child should not be worrying about those things, yet here they were.

Of course, she was proud that her instructors consider her daughter a prodigy. At four and she was already spouting topics and debates difficult and m.a.t.u.r.e enough that her listeners could only look at her in shock and bewilderment. At seven, and horseback riding was not a problem for her anymore. At nine and she had already mastered the first few forms of combat. They found that she preferred the sword as a weapon of choice, and already arranged with master swordsmen such as Commander Herryk to start tutoring her.

Also at nine, she already began learning everything Frigga can teach her about the art of seidr. The process was slow going, however, if the powerful bursts of seidr she can already produce suggested anything, it's that Hela would undoubtedly master it as well.

Court life, social life, talks, politics, and proper royal etiquette might be the only thing Hela had difficulty in, though she would never admit that. 'It simply eludes me,' she had said upon being questioned. 'Royal etiquette is awfully restrictive.' Frigga had assured her she'll eventually master it, but her daughter just shot her a look that practically screams 'I know something you don't.'

Hela might be a prodigy that attends several lessons a day when most children her age could only ever think about play, but that does not mean she must continue acting like an a.d.u.l.t. She was young still and must not trouble herself with the Realm Eternal's problems.

What puzzled Frigga was that she had tried to get Hela to play and socialize with other children her age, but no one seemed to hold her interest. It also does not help that the parents obviously instructed all of those children to sweet-talk and praise the young princess in everything she does in order to get in her good graces. (A fact Frigga knows that Hela realizes all too well.)

Still, Hela needed to talk to people her age. Her social life only really consisted of the servants, guards, her instructors, the occasional ministers she manages to corner to talk about politics, and perhaps Heimdall now. She had not even showed any interest in boys, something Frigga found curious. Was this not the right age for children to develop interest in the opposite s.e.x? (Or even the same s.e.x. Anything her daughter wants, Frigga will not refuse her if it would bring her happiness.)

"Still having difficulties?" Frigga nodded her head to the book on court manners her daughter's currently reading.

Hela only sighed, "Court life continues to elude me." No matter how much she studied and practiced it, even now it seems that she still cannot grasp how to talk like a politician. She knows that if she ever opened her mouth during a conflict, it will probably only result against Asgard's favor. She will leave negotiations to her future younger brother, thank you very much. She made a show of dropping her book with a thump ! "It's just a competition between the Lords on who can best lie and flatter the King in the realm."

Wait a minute, perhaps she could use this conversation to her advantage.

"Not," Hela continued in a slightly sarcastic tone, desperately hoping this would work, "that I meant to indicate that Father can be lied and fooled. Of course not. Not at all."

"And that is why you should learn how to properly talk in court. Such words can be considered treason if heard by the wrong people." Frigga admonished sternly, and Hela stared at her stubbornly. "I do not know where this dislike with your Father came from, but he is simply too busy with his duties and cannot spend as much time with you as I could."

And this was true. Odin had been working nonstop in order to preserve peace in the Nine. However, there were still rumors of revolts in Jotunheim, skirmishes in Vanaheim, and there was also the case of the rising hostility between Alfheim's Light Elves and the Dwarves in Nidavellir. On top of that, Odin was also ambitious enough to plan on starting a war that aims to conquer all beings and kingdoms of the Nine to swear fealty to Asgard and its ruler. An ambitious dream, one of which she cannot stop her husband from accomplishing no matter how much she reasoned with him.

With everything that had been happening, it's no wonder Odin cannot spare even a minute of his time to his only daughter. Though that's still not an excuse. While Odin had been enjoying his little campaigns of war, Hela was slowly resenting her father for his inattention, and Frigga fully plans on letting him know about that fact.

Hela suddenly scoffed at her words, and Frigga then realized that perhaps this was something deeper than simple resentment. "Forgive me, but we both know that isn't true. His duties mostly consist of hearing the Lords and Ministers drone on and on about senseless things. I think he can very much afford to spend some time with his family but just chooses not to." Hela glared at the wall behind her, and Frigga's eyes widened in surprise at the words she's saying. "He has five thousand years to rule, he can certainly afford to spend an hour with me."

" Hela !"

Her daughter turned to her with bitter eyes that slowly softened in regret, "I apologize, Mother." She grudgingly said, but made no attempt to negate her words.

Frigga's eyebrows furrowed and she leaned in, brushing a few dark strands from Hela's face. "Why do you think this, my daughter? Your Father loves you very much. He tries to make time for you, but war is almost upon us, and he has been busy trying to help all the Nine with their problems, to fortify Asgard's defenses, and make life better for the kingdom."

To her surprise, Hela only laughed bitterly, "Now I understand." She muttered so lowly Frigga almost didn't hear her. "Is that so, Mother?" She said aloud, "I, for one, would have already listed all my opinions on the matter if it weren't for the Good Heimdall listening in."

'Oh Mother…' Hela smiled bitterly. 'I do not know if you know this or if you think the topic is not for the ears of a child, but the only reason war is upon us, is because Odin craves war. The only realm he is respected in is Asgard, and he plans to become a conqueror and subjugate the rest of the Nine Realms so he can finally establish an empire and get the respect he 'deserves', possibly with me by his side. It is the beginning of a tragedy. One that would come true if not for…' Hela clenched her fists , 'recent circ.u.mstances.'

"We both know that the Good Heimdall is completely wrapped around your little finger." Oblivious to her depressing thoughts, Frigga smiled slightly at the memory she had watched from her scrying bowl of a bewildered but fond Heimdall answering the curious little princess's nonstop questions, before frowning again, "Though I agree your ' opinions' should not be spoken out loud. Do not tempt the Fates, my daughter. Instead, learn to spin your words until no one can discern what you truly wanted to say. It may just save your life one day."

In other words, lie.

Hela almost smiled, ' No wonder Loki is such a brilliant Liesmith. He probably learned it from his Mother. Another thing the stories do not tell us.'

"I thank you for the advice, Mother." Hela dipped her head, smile slightly rueful. "And thank you for ignoring this, Heimdall."

Silence greeted her words, but she knew the Gatekeeper heard. Frigga only hid a smile before quickly sobering up. "You never answered my question."

Hela sighed, before turning her head away to look at the window.

Let the acting begin.  "I just… I miss Father."

Even though he was not nor will ever be her real father, Hela still felt the sting of abandonment. How much worse was it with Loki, who only ever believed that Odin was his real father? With her making Frigga and Odin aware of his negligence to his daughter, Hela could only hope that it will be enough to change his attitude towards his children in the future.

Odin will never be a good father, but the least he could do was try.

Frigga's eyes softened. "I will speak with him," She promised, "He should not neglect his daughter, no matter what the problem with the realms are, family is most important."

Hela watched blankly as her mother gave her a comforting hug, one she reluctantly returned.

She could only hope her actions will be significant enough when it is Loki's turn to be neglected . Even her thoughts were bitter.

"Now, knowing your true feelings about your father is good, since this means we can find a way to do something about it, but that is not exactly my purpose of being here."

Hela leaned back from her embrace, feeling a little uneasy from his change of topic. "Oh?"

Frigga smiled sadly at her, "Now, I understand you like to study. Have been since you were practically an infant, but that also means you are neglecting your own social life."

Hela now felt the beginnings of dread, "I am perfectly content with my current activities, Mother. You do not need to worry yourself."

Frigga shook her head, "You may say that now, but that is because you do not know any better. You are still young, and already, it is as if you already carry a huge weight on your shoulders. You have not yet truly experienced having people around your age to bond with, and you never tried to play with others or even to earn anyone's favor; and as such, you are missing out, my daughter." 

"But Mother, I truly am fine the way I am. I understand what you are saying, I really do.  I promise I will do my best to make connections with the children of the lords soon, but not now. Besides," Hela gazed at her earnestly, "I value my studies and training too much to neglect them now."

"Oh Hela," Frigga sighed, "Do not be mistaken. I am very proud of all of your accomplishments, but I also noticed that after finishing your lessons, you are frequently seen alone. You have no one to talk to or play with, and as such, you are not experiencing the childhood you deserve. There are plenty of chances to be an a.d.u.l.t, especially since we live for over five thousand years, but there is not much time to be a child."

Hela looked at her in surprise, prompting Frigga to place a gentle hand on her cheek, "I am not saying you should give up your lessons; only that you try to find the time to socialize. And not just for political reasons. You are intelligent, my daughter. I know you understand this, and I am only hoping that you would at the very least give it a try."

Hela stared at her blankly, her mouth opening to protest but the words died in her throat at Frigga's imploring look.

At her silence, Frigga then stood, her bright smile making it obvious that she won. "Now, talk to the lords' children and your fellow trainees, I am sure you can find someone to befriend soon."

And with that, Frigga turned and left the room. Hela only watched her go, before slumping.

In truth, she does not want to spend her days trying to mingle with children when she could do something more important. She was already a grown woman; she had no interest in playing. Besides, there's nothing she could do that will interest kids, and vice versa. However, Frigga insisted.

Besides, isn't this the perfect opportunity to learn how to get along with kids? Thor and Loki may not be easy to handle, so she definitely needs the practice.

Mind made up, Hela resolved to find someone to talk to in the morning.

...