HALF THE WORLD AWAY
iv. EVERLASTING PRESENCE OF DARKNESS
❝IN THE EYE OF A HURRICANE...❞

MERIDIAN WAS PRINCESS KATRINA'S HOME AND SHE CHERISHED IT DEEPLY, but she was not blind to the horrors that plagued the once idyllic paradise. Twelve major city states made up the planet—Nafarat, Mrtyu, Mahal, Bihar, Vishwass, Rajasthan, Kerala, Yoddha, Sundar, Ravini, Yaatra, and Kshama—and each was in turmoil due to the never ending war with Asgard. But, fortunately for the citizens, the Allfather, Odin, had decided that a marriage between the heirs of the two kingdoms was enough to end the Thousand Year War.

Nafarat—the palace city where Katrina resided—had a better reputation than the other city states. If any ​tourists decided to visit Meridian, they tended to remain in Nafarat and didn't stray far into the shadows of the city. It had been about half an hour since Princess Katrina and her future husband, Prince Thor, had left the safety of the palace. Thor was completely oblivious to any potential danger as he took in the sights that the city had to offer. He wasn't afraid of anything and wasn't one to back down from a fight if one was presented to him. Katrina, however, kept a vigilant eye on her surroundings and studied every person that passed by. They were being closely monitored by the dozens of guards that were on patrol and the citizens that were shocked to see the Princess out of the palace. It made Katrina feel uncomfortable to have so many eyes on her all at once. But, Thor seemed to love it.

"You're not very talkative, Princess Katrina," Thor commented, pulling Katrina out of her thoughts. His lips were turned upward as he stared down at the Princess that walked by his side. For the past ten minutes, Thor had been talking about his adventure to Vanaheim. He had gone there to seek someone that could show him his future, but each soothsayer refused to speak to him. The only wisdom that they would part with was that Thor Odinson would be touched by death, but their ominous words did not frighten him. No, he welcomed danger with open arms. Yes, it was true that Katrina had not spoken a word, but she had actively listened to Thor's tale. "Katrina?"

Katrina smiled sadly, pausing in her tracks as she looked up at Thor. "I do wish that I had extraordinary stories as you do, Thor, but I truly have nothing to say," She confessed, turning her back to the golden-haired boy. "For centuries, I have been locked inside that palace. Sometimes, I wasn't even allowed outside of room. However, I did have a library filled with thousands of books from authors all over the realms. I suppose I have spent my whole life reading about the glorious adventures of others, but I have never had the chance to go on one or my own."

Thor stepped forward, placing a gentle hand on Katrina's shoulder. His eyes were softer than they were before and held a genuine kindness that Katrina hadn't noticed before. "I promise you, Katrina, that I will do everything in my power to ensure that every waking moment of your life with me is filled with adventure. I am truly sorry that these past centuries have not been kind to you, but your future is bright. I promise."

Katrina moved forward, giving Thor a tight hug. She was aware that people were watching them, but she couldn't care less. He had immediately returned the hug, holding her close. Thor wasn't used to hugs in such an intimate manner, but he didn't mind. A select few Asgardians had filled his mind with thoughts that marriage would only lead to doom, but Thor was starting to doubt them. Yes, he was aware that some marriages didn't work out, but there are many who do find happiness after marriage. After all, his friend, Volstagg was married and had children as well. And, Volstagg was one of the happiest men that Thor knew. So, he couldn't help the smile that spread across his lips as he looked down at the woman he would spend the rest of his life with.

"My father would die of a heart attack if he saw us now," Katrina joked as she pulled away from Thor's warm embrace, failing to notice the look of disappointment on his face as she did.

"I think my father would as well," Thor added, taking Katrina's hand in his own as the two resumed their walk down the street. Katrina's feet ached, but she didn't care. It was a gift to be able to wander the streets of Nafarat and she didn't want to waste it. "I was a young boy when my father waged war against Meridian. It was such a long time ago that I don't even remember the reason that he did so. I just remember seeing how much hatred he held in his heart."

Katrina scoffed, shaking her head. "He believes that Meridian is a planet full of savages."

Before Thor could respond and defend his father, someone shoved two silver bowls into their hands. Katrina looked down at the bowls of desserts—gulab jamuns, something that the palace chefs made often—before looking back at the woman. Her wrinkled hands shook as she smiled brightly at them. "It's been a long time since we have been blessed with your presence, Princess," the woman spoke in their native tongue. "Please, I hope you enjoy."

Katrina smiled, giving the woman a bow in respect. She reached for the small pouch of gold coins that her mother had given her in case she needed it. Katrina wasn't sure how much was customary to give for street food, but she ended up handing the woman fifteen gold coins. And, she replied in the same language, "Thank you."

She glanced back at Thor to see that he had already finished his dessert, causing a small smile to appear on her lips. "Did you like it?"

Thor nodded, but couldn't get a word out as he rushed back to the woman's food stall and returned the silver bowl and spoon. On Asgard, royalty tended to discard their dirty dishes anywhere and allowed the servants to take care of it. But, Thor had gotten a lesson on manners from his mother before they had arrived on Meridian and he had no intention of disappointing his future bride. When Thor returned to Katrina's side, he smiled widely at her. "It was sweet and soft... a bit sticky, but I liked it."

Katrina smiled, using her spoon to scoop up the round gulab jamun. But, she never got the chance to eat it since it was ripped out of her hands. She gasped at the sudden harshness as she looked up to see a Meridian soldier. He stared at her with unwavering sternness as he tossed the bowl to the side. Katrina narrowed her eyes. "What is the meaning of this?"

"Forgive me, my Princess, but I am only following orders," the guard started, stealing a glance at the angry expression that had replaced Thor's smile. "Your father has stated that you are not allowed to consume any food that you may find outside the palace. He fears that there is a chance someone could try to poison you."

"You didn't stop Thor from eating the dessert?" Katrina muttered, folding her arms over her chest. She couldn't help the anger that surged through her as she stared at the discarded food that was being devoured by a few stray dogs.

"I feel fine," Thor added, staring down at the guard. He was easily a few inches taller than the guard and much stronger. "Now, if you would go back to following us from the shadows, it would be much appreciated."

The guard's gaze darkened, glaring at Thor through the silts in his helmet. Despite Thor's command, he did not move. "I only answer to the Princess."

"Is that so?" Thor asked, grinning wildly.

Katrina cleared her throat, getting in between the guard and Thor. They were supposed to be mending bonds and building bridges, not setting everything on fire. "Please, we'll be okay. I promise that I won't eat anything."

The guard bowed, showing his respect. "Of course, my Princess." With that, he backed off, joining the other guards that stood in the distance.

With a heavy heart, the two began their walk again, noticing the sun start to approach the horizon line. Katrina was overjoyed at the thought of seeing a sunset without bars obstructing her vision. But, it would still be a few minutes before that would be the case. So, she turned to Thor. "Tell me about Asgard."

His face was illuminated with the rays of the sun as his eyes flickered to her. Thor's eyes were a shade of blue that Katrina had never seen before—being used to only seeing brown eyes for the longest time—and they reminded her of the ocean. "It's a beautiful realm," Thor started, smiling softly to himself. "It's far more technologically advanced than any of the other realms and that allows us to have the best defense system in the world. Our soldiers are easily the strongest and are quick to defend us against any threat. Oh, and there's the Bifrost. It's this rainbow bridge between worlds and I think you would like it. It's just... beautiful. You will love it there, I have no doubt."

"I'm sure I will," Katrina whispered, not sure if she was telling the truth or a lie. She loved Meridian and would miss it dearly. She had never imagined that she would leave her planet, but after her marriage, Asgard would be her new home. "So, what about you, Thor? Tell me about you."

"About me?" Thor asked, smiling brightly. "Well, where should I begin? I am incredibly mighty and strong enough to slay a thousand men at once. And, I am easily the most handsome man that you have laid your eyes on."

"Oh, wow," Katrina laughed, shaking her head at Thor's words. It was obvious that he was joking around, but his words rang true. His arrogance was something that she had been warned about, but it seemed more like self-confidence at this point.

Suddenly, Thor stopped laughing as he stared at Katrina. "But, truly, I honor courage, strength, and loyalty. I will always offer that to Asgard and now, I extend the same courtesy to you, Katrina."

"I bet you say that to all the men and women that come flocking your way," Katrina said, smiling at the man in front of her. She had to admit that she did enjoy Thor's company, but the aged hatred between Asgardians and Meridians stayed on her mind.

"I will not lie," Thor stated, frowning slightly. "I have been with many before our betrothal and I hope that doesn't affect our relationship—whatever it may become in the future."

"It doesn't," Katrina answered, continuing to walk down the street as Thor followed closely. She wasn't surprised that Thor had lovers before it and frankly, it did not bother her. After all, she didn't know what would become of their relationship. Yes, they would be husband and wife, but that was just an agreement done to deliver peace to the two realms. Katrina hoped that the two would fall in love and have a happy life together, but that was something that only happened in fairytales. Her destiny was much grimmer and ended at the end of Hela's blade. "I understand that you've had relationships before me and that doesn't bother me, Thor."

"Katrina—"

Thor's words were cut short when someone bumped into them harshly, causing the two to stiffen in their place. However, Thor immediately relaxed as he stared at the gruff thin man that had purposely bumped into them. His reaction was the complete opposite of Katrina's as she stared at them with wide eyes. Bandits.

"Apologies, I didn't see you there," the man grinned, flashing his yellowed teeth. His eyes flickered to the sparkling tiara that sat on the top of her head before his eyes drifted down to the jewelry around her neck and the gold bangles around her arm. "Say, you're Princess Katrina, aren't you?"

Katrina's eyes glanced around, taking in all the citizens that were watching the interaction closely. She looked behind her, hoping to see the palace guards, but they were nowhere in sight either. She let out an awkward laugh, meeting the dark brown eyes of the bandit. "Yes, I am Princess Katrina..."

"It's been a while since you've shown your face to the public," he commented, chuckling lightly. "I think the last time that I saw you was about a decade ago."

"I don't get out much," Katrina said with a clear of her throat, feeling dread slowly creep in. Her eyes wandered to the group of bandits that began to surround them. Some of the merchants were quickly packing up, feeling trouble in the air. Thor stood close by, wrapping his arm around his bride-to-be. He still wore a smirk as he studied the group.

The bandit leader grinned as his hand slowly drifted to the sword that was by his side—the action had not gone unnoticed by Thor. His free hand hovered over his hammer, ready for a fight. In all honesty, Thor was hoping for a fight to break out. He wanted to prove to Katrina that he would be able to protect her no matter what, but there was a slight problem. She was too close to the battle if one happened. Thor didn't want her injured by any of the bandits. "Leave us be and I give you my word that I will not hurt you."

Laughter erupted from the bandits, causing Thor to roll his eyes. But, Katrina gripped Thor's hand, urging him to leave. But, Thor stood his ground. He would not allow himself or Katrina be bullied into submission by a couple of wannabe thugs. "The Prince of Asgard and the Princess of Meridian," a different bandit with a smooth voice and short blond hair spoke up as he circled around them. "I wonder how much someone will pay for the two of you. Markus, what do you think?"

The bandit leader—Markus—walked up to them, roughly two feet away. Markus was shorter than both Katrina and Thor. "I'm sure someone is willing to give us their weight in gold. Hell, we can put them up for ransom and sell them back to their parents." Markus had reached out to touch Katrina's cheek, but Thor had grabbed his hand before he could.

Thor squeezed hard, causing a crack to be heard. Markus gritted out, ripping his hand out of Thor's grasp. Thor grinned, finding amusement on the pained expression that had replaced Markus' previous smug expression. "Try to touch her again and I will tear you limb from limb."

Markus snarled, pulling out his sword—the other bandits followed suit. Katrina could feel panic rise within her as she looked back at the citizens who watched with bated breath.

But, Thor wasn't afraid. He clutched his hammer in his right hand and used his left arm to shield Katrina. In the back of his mind; Thor wondered where the guards were but he wasn't too concerned. "I'll give you one more chance to stand down," Thor stated, stealing a glance at Katrina's frightened expression. However, the bandits kept their weapons raised. "Well, then, I guess we will fight."

With a battle cry, the bandits charged forward and Thor pushed Katrina behind him. He swung his hammer, knocking some of the bandits out of the way. Katrina moved backward, trying not to trip over her dress. She glanced back at the crowd of citizens that watched in awe, cheering as Thor fought the bandits. However, some of the bandits had discarded Thor and begun to make their way toward Katrina.

"Stay back!" Katrina warned, holding out her hand to keep the bandits at a distant. However, they wore wicked grins as they continued to approach. Oh, Gods, she was about to die. But, suddenly, something hit her foot. She looked down to see a wooden walking cane that had bright blue crystals adorning it. Her eyes darted toward the elderly man that had tossed it to her.

He clapped his hands. "Use it, Princess Katrina!"

Katrina quickly reached down, grabbing the cane before using it hit the bandit that was closest to her. Her swing was sloppy, but it had knocked the bandit back. She smiled, still in shock. She could hear the citizens cheering and was able to clearly hear Thor's booming laughter in the background as he fought off the bandits.

Suddenly, Katrina felt a strange burning at the back of her neck where Hela's mark was supposed to be. She winced, reaching back to see if something had struck her there, but there was nothing. However, Katrina felt an unfamiliar surge of energy as she looked at the bandits that surrounded her. She lifted the cane, preparing for the battle. One by one, the bandits began to attack. Katrina's movements were skilled, moving faster than she had ever before. She was able to dodge each of the bandits' attacks and was able to hit them with a counterattack that knocked them out.

Eventually, Katrina had made it to Thor's side. He looked her way, chuckling at the sight. "Maybe there is a warrior in you after all." He was impressed that Katrina was able to take down five bandits on her own, but it came as a shock. Katrina had never trained a day in her life, but her actions made it seem like she was a seasoned warrior.

Katrina scoffed, whacking a bandit in the face before he had been able to hit them. "I doubt a warrior would use a walking cane as a weapon."

Thor laughed, swinging his hammer to hit another bandit. He was knocked out unconscious as he laid there in the middle of the street. "Oh, but a true warrior is able to use anything to their advantage," Thor reminded. "Let me show you something."

Thor stood a step forward, holding Mjölnir up to the skies. He closed his eyes, summoning dark clouds that were alive with... lightning. Thunder rumbled in the once peaceful skies, causing Katrina's eyes to widen. Thor let out a shout, hitting the ground with Mjölnir. In an instant, lightning came crashing down onto the bandits with skillful precision. Katrina could swear that she saw their bones flash before her eyes. The bandits that hadn't been immediately knocked out ran off, causing Thor to grin.

Thor pulled Katrina into a tight hug, giving her a quick spin. "We are victorious!" He chanted, smiling widely at her. They were surrounded by the citizens as they cheered for the both of them. But, Katrina's mood for celebration was short lived as she felt sick to her stomach. Thor had set her down, signing autographs for the people of Meridian and celebrating with them. However, he had noticed Katrina's change in attitude. "Katrina? Are you alright?"

However, Katrina didn't respond. Her brown eyes were glued to a person that watched from a distance—the Goddess of Death, herself. She was tall and thin with sickly pale skin. Her black hair held no life as it clung to her skin, not moving with the breeze. But, that wasn't the worst part. Her face was split in half—one portraying a human face while the other was bone with decaying skin that hung off in pieces. "Hela?"

Before Katrina could take a step toward the woman, Thor gripped her shoulder, causing her to look at him. "Perhaps, we should head back? The King and Queen must be worried about their daughter," Thor suggested, looking over the distraught expression on Katrina's face. "Is everything alright?"

"Yes, I am fine," Katrina lied, glancing back at where the woman had previously stood, but she was met with nothing but an empty street. "But, I have a feeling that we're standing in the eye of a hurricane."

♡

It's been two years and I still suck at writing action scenes? I swear, they are not my forte. But, I still hope that you guys enjoyed this chapter! I loved writing the bonding scenes between Thor and Katrina—these two still own my heart and I love them very much. My updates are still coming extremely slow, but I am trying my best! 2019 has been a roller coaster of a year and I am just grateful that 2020 is coming. I really want to try my hardest to complete this story within the year! I have been slacking for so long and it's finally time to just write!

Also, I used to add Hindi into my story when the characters spoke that language, but I decided not to do that anymore. Honestly, no one has the time to go into google translate to figure out what someone is saying. So, I decided to put the words in italics instead! Plus, I will indicate with dialogue tags if someone is speaking another language as well! ☺️ I also want to add that I will be developing Meridian a lot more this time around! I kind of skimmed over it last time I wrote this story, but I really want to go into depth now because we do spend a majority of the story on Meridian so it's best if we know about it.

Anyways, I hope you all enjoyed this chapter! Let me know what you think of it. ❤️

— AMARA
[original] PUBLISH DATE — 09.16.2017
[rewrite] PUBLISH DATE — 12.31.2019