HALF THE WORLD AWAY
i. THE FATE OF THE PRINCESS
❝ASGARD WILL BE YOUR NEW HOME.❞

EVER SINCE SHE WAS A LITTLE GIRL, Princess Katrina knew that she was destined to die at Ragnarok. No one knew what Ragnarok was or when it was to come - many priests, soothsayers, and Gods had tried to predict it, but all failed. Perhaps, not knowing when death will come was a part of her curse as well. Despite knowing the Princess' fate, her parents worked endlessly to prevent it from happening. Her mother, Queen Hira, had never paid much attention to the curse since she hadn't been cursed with it. According to her, the curse only affected every other generation in their family. When Katrina was born, Hira tried to hide the fact that her baby was cursed, but it didn't take long for the whole kingdom to find out. Many sought after the young Princess, but the King and Queen did everything to keep their daughter protected from harm.

Due to the dangers presented by the kingdom, the people of Meridian hardly ever saw their Princess. She was kept away from the public's eye and was raised under the trusted care of the palace's staff. Since her parents had a kingdom to rule, Katrina barely ever saw her parents since they were constantly in war meetings or dealing with other politics. Despite the bloodshed, Meridian was a beautiful place with a diverse culture and Katrina wished that she could experience it all, but she had to be protected at all costs.

Until recently, the news of Katrina's curse was kept hidden from other realms, but the information had quickly found its way to Odin, the Allfather and King of Asgard. For almost a thousand years, the realms of Asgard and Meridian had been engaged in a bloody and deadly war. It cost both sides almost everything, but recently, Asgard had been gaining advantage over Meridian. However, it all changed when Odin sent a proposition to King Arman and Queen Hira. Asgard would offer Katrina and her family protection from the Goddess of Death, but she would have to marry his arrogant son, Thor, in exchange. It almost seemed like a perfect offer. Both Princess Katrina and Prince Thor were heirs to their respective thrones and the marriage would unite their realms and people.

However, the offer wasn't perfect to Katrina. Her future husband was an arrogant warrior who only desired to please himself and be showered with respect and love from his subjects. He found happiness in the glory that came from his many victories and Katrina could not see how he could find joy in slaughtering everything in his sight. Katrina had heard many stories of Prince Thor from the handmaidens that roamed the palace. They all loved to talk about the dangerous and daring adventures that Thor often went on with other warriors that he called friends. While Katrina did consider herself a strong-willed woman, she doubt that she would ever fit in with Thor and his friends. She had never left the safety of her castle - an adventure slaying beasts was out of the question. Katrina had never experienced the world and now, her parents were marrying her to someone that she had never met and were shipping her off to a realm that hated her kind. Katrina wouldn't last a single day - that was one thing that she knew for sure.

"Katrina, may I speak to you?" the voice of King Arman cut through the silence as he entered his daughter's bedroom. It was dark - except for a single candle that shined brightly on Katrina's vanity - but he easily spotted his daughter by the barred window, staring out at the sea. It was the only thing that Katrina loved about the castle - its closeness to the sea. A sea that Katrina had always gazed upon, but never touched. She would crave the touch of water and sand against her feet, but those cravings were for another lifetime. "I know that you are unhappy with our decison, my love, but your marriage will greatly benefit you and Meridian."

"I wish to be alone, Father," Katrina whispered softly as she glanced back at him, but his solemn expression made her feel guilty. Her parents had her best intentions in mind and she needed to trust their judgment. After all, Asgard and Meridian had been at war for centuries and now, it was up to Katrina to end it. She was going to be Queen one day and she had to think about Meridian before herself. If her marriage with Thor would bring peace, she would have no qualms.

"It hurts your mother and I to see you like this, Katrina," he whispered softly as his eyes did a quick sweep of the room. King Arman knew that his daughter loved the sea, so he made sure that her bedroom recreated the experience for her. Water was a huge part of Meridian's culture and it was the planet's main source of power. They relied on the water for everything.

"I will be fine," Katrina said - her voice barely above a whisper. She could not find the strength to fight against the will of her parents. The cold hard truth was that there was nowhere in the world - not even with Odin and his son - would be safe. Her destiny was set in stone and there was no changing that.

"Well, I've heard many good things about Prince Thor—mostly from the handmaidens," her father commented as he took a seat next to Katrina in the windowsill. "He is a remarkable warrior and I have no doubt that he'll be able to protect you. The Allfather, Odin, has promised to keep you safe in Asgard as well. He was able to banish Hela once, Katrina. He'll be able to do it again."

"I'll basically be locked up in a castle again while my husband goes on these phenomenal adventures," Katrina muttered as she rolled her eyes.

"Katrina, please, speak properly," her father reprimanded—even behind closed doors, she was required to be proper. Katrina never understood why since she was alone for the majority of her days.

"Father," Katrina started when she finally looked at him. His hair was a mixture of jet black and gray. Dark circles ringed his eyes and he seemed tired. King Arman had been king for the whole duration of the war and he was growing tired of the bloodshed. At that point, he was willing to do anything before Meridian was destroyed. "Is this the only way to gain peace? I do not want to be married off to someone that I do not know! I want so much more out of my life, but all I've known are the four walls of this bedroom! I desire nothing more than to be able to leave the castle and experience the world. I'm sick of being trapped and treated like a porcelain doll!"

His expression immediately hardened at Katrina's outburst. "Katrina, I do not think you understand the hardships that your mother and I have been through to protect you! How could you be so selfish? Have you forgotten everything that we've done for you?"

"You've dedicated your life to protect me," Katrina whispered softly as she averted her gaze from her father's angry one. She let out a soft sigh. "How could I forget?"

"It's your turn to protect Meridian, Katrina," King Arman said as he stood, towering over Katrina's smaller form. "We will not win this war unless we accept King Odin's proposition. You will marry Prince Thor and end this war. Do you understand?"

"Yes," Katrina muttered. She wanted to be left alone and was willing to say anything for her father to leave the room.

King Arman stared at her for a few moments - anger radiating off him. Her father had always been an angry person. Her mother used to talk about the days where he was kind and playful, but the war had stripped him of his innocence and replaced it with a cold heart. "The Asgardians will be here tomorrow and I expect you to be on your best behavior, Katrina."

After those last words, King Arman left the room. It was quiet again and Katrina listened to sound of the ocean crashing against the cliff side. She wondered if her life on Asgard would be any different or if Odin would just throw her into prison. It was likely to be the latter since Asgardians had a clear hatred for Meridians. Her thoughts wandered to Prince Thor next and she wondered what kind of husband he would be. Would he hold as much hatred towards her and Meridian as the rest of Asgard did?

She'll have to find out tomorrow. The royal family was visiting tomorrow and Katrina could not be more nervous. Her parents wanted her to be familiar with Thor and his family before the wedding which Katrina was grateful for - it would be less awkward on the wedding day if they somewhat knew each other. Katrina was also aware that the two Kings were going to be creating a peace treaty that would be signed on the day of the wedding. However, Katrina knew that Odin was not to be trusted.

Katrina jumped slightly when she heard a knock at her door. She glanced at the door and wondered if it was her father again, but then she heard the sweet voice of Alis Faulkner. "Katrina, it's me. Open the door, please."

Katrina rushed over and opened the door, revealing the smiling face of Alis. If Katrina had to pick a favorite person, she would most definitely pick Alis. Their friendship had started when they were much much younger. Alis' mother, Sofia, was one of Queen Hira's handmaidens and that meant Alis was around the palace often. It was Alis who taught Katrina everything that she knew about the outside world. Eventually, Alis started to go to school and began to train to be a warrior for the royal guard. It wasn't long until she had risen in the ranks and become Katrina's personal bodyguard. However, to keep appearances on the quiet side, Alis posed as a handmaiden. However, she was not to be underestimated.

"It's late, Alis," Katrina whispered softly—afraid that her father would somehow hear her—as she ushered Alis into the room. "May I ask why you are still here?"

"I heard about the deal between Asgard and Meridian," Alis replied as she kept her tone aligned with Katrina's. Alis shuffled awkwardly on the balls of her feet as she debated on what she should say next. "I'm truly sorry, Katrina, and I know how hard-"

Katrina waved her hand dismissively as she turned away from Alis' concerned expression. "I'm doing this for Meridian, Alis," her voice was still quiet as she stared at the lit candle on her gold vanity table. "If the lives of my people will finally be full of happiness and peace, then that is all that I desire."

Alis gave Katrina a hard look. After their many shared years together, Alis had learned to pick up on Katrina's behavior and habits. She could always tell when Katrina was lying and it was something Katrina hated, but Alis was grateful for. "It's clear to everyone that you are unhappy."

"I must admit that I am afraid," Katrina mumbled as she took a seat on her plush bed. Alis frowned slightly as she took a seat next to the Princess and waited for her to continue. "Asgard and Meridian have been at war for a thousand years, Alis. The two realms have much split blood and hatred towards one another—it still surprises me that Odin wants his son to marry a Meridian."

Alis hummed in response as she continued to listen to the words that escaped Katrina's rosy lips. If there was one thing that everyone knew about Alis Faulkner, it was that she was an excellent listener.

"What if Prince Thor hates me?" Katrina whispered softly as she kept her gaze directed at the marble floor. Her eyes darted to the bookshelves that lined the far left wall and immediately took notice of the plethora romance novels. Katrina let out a deep sigh. "I've always read about true love and a part of me craved the love—the connection—that people tended to feel when they met their soulmate. But, I'm afraid that Prince Thor will feel nothing but hatred towards me and Meridian."

"Love is overrated," Alis said as she rested her head against Katrina's left shoulder. "Every single lover I had screwed me over, if I'm being honest. Sometimes, I think love doesn't exist in our world, but I know that isn't true."

"How so?"

"Well, love can mean a lot of things, you know?" Alis started as she tried to figure out how to put her thoughts into words. Alis has never been much of a talker since she always preferred actions over words. "For example, I love you so much, Katrina. You're my best friend and I couldn't imagine life without you. Yes, all my romantic lovers turned out to be wretched snakes, but every other love - including you—has shown me that love does exist. So, perhaps Prince Thor will not hold love for you right away, but over time, he will definitely fall in love with you. And, if not, well, he'll have to be on his best guard because I'll be coming for him."

Katrina let out a laugh at Alis' words. "He's the God of Thunder, Alis!"

"I can still take him," Alis retorted as she shot Katrina a wink. Laughter filled the room at the thought of Alis fighting against an actual God. Alis was a formidable warrior, but so was Thor. Katrina felt her heart drop at the thought. She could only hope that Thor had a kind soul - there was no way that she could defend herself if he tried to kill her. "What's wrong, Katrina?"

"I don't know, Alis," Katrina whispered softly as she tried to get the bad thoughts out of her mind. She couldn't predetermine Thor's character without meeting him first. "I guess I'm just afraid. It's all happening so fast and in just a month, I'll be on Asgard."

"We can run away."

"What?"

"I know your parents are hellbent on getting you married to Prince Thor and I doubt they'll change their mind," Alis continued in a hushed voice to make sure that none of the guards stationed outside Katrina's door would be able to hear. "But, if Prince Thor turns out to be this monster, then we can leave. My brother has been trying to repair this spaceship he found a while back and he almost has it working-"

"Alis, we can't," Katrina whispered softly as she shook her head. "Asgard will destroy Meridian if Prince Thor and I don't get married. Odin wants peace and this is the only way he can achieve it while still having Meridian under its control. He may control Meridian, but our people would still be here and safe. Future generations will be able to grow and prosper under this treaty."

"But, you will be unhappy-"

"Meridian's wellbeing is more important than my happiness," Katrina curtly replied. "I'll be okay, Alis. Yes, it's scary, but I've handled much worse things than a marriage to a self-righteous Prince."

Alis cracked a smile as she nodded. Meridian was important to Alis as well, but she also cared for Katrina. It was her job to put Katrina first. "I guess tomorrow is the big day. Everyone is still downstairs - trying to get everything ready for our Asgardian guests."

Katrina stayed silent as she kept her gaze directed on the floor. It still wondered why Odin suddenly wanted to make peace with Meridian - especially since their war had been going on for centuries. Had he simply grown tired of it? Or was there something he wanted? She wondered if her parents were aware of any ulterior motives or did they simply not care? Millions of questions ran through Katrina's mind, fueling her anxiousness.

Alis' gaze wandered to the moonlight that was shining through the open window and she yawned slightly. "I should get going—make sure Alexios hasn't burned the house down." Alexios was Alis' younger brother - a couple centuries younger - and he always seemed to find himself in trouble. Ever since their mother died, Alis had become Alexios' sole caregiver. "Good night, Katrina."

"Good night."

Katrina offered her a smile as Alis left the bedroom—leaving it in silence once again. It would be wise for Katrina to sleep as well—her future husband and family was coming to meet her tomorrow after all. She laid down in her bed and stared up at the mural on the ceiling. It was a depiction of the afterlife and how peaceful it was supposed to be. On Meridian, people believed that we were reunited with our loved ones after death. It was a place where we would always be safe and happy—the light at the end of a long tunnel. Her parents thought if she constantly saw depictions of the afterlife, she wouldn't be afraid so of death. But, if Katrina was honest, it only made her more afraid. A sigh escaped her lips as she closed her eyes—tomorrow was a big day and she hoped that everything would work out.

♡

Originally, this chapter used to be 1800-something words, it's over 3000 now! I AM SHOOK. ANYWAYS, I hope you all enjoyed the first chapter of the revamped version of HALF THE WORLD AWAY! (It was a bit slow, I must admit, I accomplished what I wanted to do—introducing characters, basic plot, and setting!) I am so excited to rewrite the next chapter! We get to see Thor and his family + friends! Also, very excited to start writing the BROTP between Katrina and Loki again!

SOME INFO ON MERIDIAN - Meridian is a water-based planet (a lot like Planet Earth!). It's planet that isn't very far from Asgard! It would take like 2 weeks in a spaceship, but obviously most (after the marriage like in part two) will use the Bifrost which takes like 2 seconds. Meridian's technology is advanced, but still behind Asgard. Their weapons are much more advanced that Earth's, but everyone tends to use their powers (which are usually elemental like water) on Meridian. ALSO, the royal family rules over Meridian but it still 24 council members (two from each village and are elected by the people) that can influence decisions. The Royal family still tend to rule over with respect and care for the people. They were raised to never be cruel and always try to be fair! Also, it may seem like the King Arman and Queen Hira don't care about Katrina much, but they really do. (Hira cares a lot, but Arman - over the years - became distant and began to focus on the kingdom more). They're marrying Katrina off because they think it's best for their daughter and their kingdom. (Remember that Meridian is slowly dying and the people are starting to rebel! But, Katrina doesn't know much about that since she's been locked up.)

ALSO, like before, THORINA will be a fast burn! I think it fits for their characters because they're both looking for companionship and someone to love and care for. But, it will still take them some time to understand what they're feeling! Part 1 + 2 is dedicated (same as last time!) to them falling love! (My Lady Sif and Loki Laufeyson fics will be coming out soon to round everything out and to expand on the whole universe as a whole so things and timelines will make a lot more sense!)

With that being said, thank you all for the love and support that you've given this story. It really means the world to me and I can't thank you all enough. ❤️

— AMARA
(original) CHAPTER POSTED — 08.20.2017
(rewrite) CHAPTER POSTED — 03.24.2019