HALF THE WORLD AWAY
v. MOTHER KNOWS BEST
❝I LOVE YOU, DO NOT FORGET THAT.❞

KATRINA WASN'T PARTICULARLY FOND OF OTHER PEOPLE TOUCHING HER HAIR, but here she was—sitting in front of her golden vanity table while her mother brushed her long brunette hair. Her eyes were focused on the sparkling sapphires that lined the mirror; there was no doubt in her mind that the mirror was worth more than their city, Nafarat. It had saddened Katrina to see her people live in poverty, but her marriage with Thor would allow Asgard to share some of its wealth. Meridian had to hold on for a little while longer. Katrina winced in pain when her mother ran the comb through a rough knot in her hair. "Forgive me, my flower," Queen Hira said softly as she continued to run the gold-plated comb through her hair. "You've been quiet since you've arrived home, Katrina. Is everything alright?"

"Mother," Katrina started off slowly, keeping her gaze trained on her hands as she counted all the tiny cuts that she had gotten when fighting off the bandits. Speaking about the bandits, Katrina was still dumbfounded on how she had been able to fight the way she did. Her eyes flickered up to meet her mother's warm ones. "I... uh..."

"What is it?" Queen Hira asked as she set the comb down on the table. She raised an eyebrow, wondering what was causing her child so much distress. She let out a heavy sigh, noticing Katrina's silence. Katrina had always been quiet—never one to complain or argue. So, Hira was used to prying to get information out her daughter. "My child, I can not help you if you don't speak up. Tell me, is it Thor? Has he done something?"

"No, he hasn't done anything wrong," Katrina said with a shake of her head. In actuality, Thor had been great. He was kind, brave, and entertaining which caused Katrina to enjoy her time with him. But, their outing had not ended well. She was close to the brink of tears now as she recalled the moment she had seen the Goddess of Death. She felt like a child—crying to her mother about her problems—but she didn't know who else to turn to.

"Why the tears, Katrina?" Queen Hira asked, reaching forward to wipe away the tears before they had the chance to shed. Her stern expression stayed on her daughter as she watched her carefully, waiting for a response. "I can't help you if you do not tell me what happened, my flower."

"I..." Katrina took in a deep, trying to find the nerve to say the words. She tried not to mention the Goddess' name, but it was impossible not to at that moment. "I saw her today, mother."

Queen Hira stared with a blank expression, not knowing what to say to her daughter. "Who are you talking about?"

Katrina sighed, "Hela."

Almost immediately, her face paled as she took a step backward, almost tripping over her own two feet. Hira's worst nightmare was about to become a reality—Ragnarok was nearing and her daughter would be the one to face Hela. She moved toward the door, closing it quickly and locking it so they wouldn't be bothered. "I want you to tell me exactly what happened."

"Thor and I were walking down the pier—the one with all the merchants—when we were attacked by a group of bandits," Katrina began to tell her mother about the events that happened prior. Originally, she had planned to keep everything quiet since she and Thor had decided it would be best if her parents didn't know about the attack. But, Katrina couldn't stay quiet about seeing Hela. She needed answers and her mother was the only one who could provide them. "I don't know how, but I was able to fight at Thor's side."

Queen Hira was quiet, clinging on to every word that escaped Katrina's lips. "Bandits..." was the first word that she said after a tense moment of silence. "I thought the guards had rid the streets of them."

"Apparently not," Katrina muttered, shaking her head. She wondered where the guards had disappeared off to when the bandits had arrived. Were they incapacitated by the bandits... or were they paid off? It was something that they would have to look into. Katrina sighed deeply, remembering the celebration that happened after the bandits had been defeated. She could still see Hela's haunting appearance whenever she closed her eyes. Death lingered close by and Katrina could feel its chilling grasp, causing her to shudder. "It happened after the battle..." Katrina began to speak again, playing with the bangles around her wrist to keep her mind occupied. "Thor was being celebrated by the people, so they were all distracted. But, I felt some kind of darkness and then, I saw her."

"And, you are sure that it was Hela?"

Katrina nodded, taking in a deep breath as she looked up at her mother's stunned expression. "I know why they call her Two-Faced Terror now. Half of her face was rotting away... the skin barely hanging onto the bone. It was as if she had one foot in the mortal world and one in Hel."

Queen Hira sucked in a deep breath as she ran a hand across her face, trying to keep a level head. Her daughter's days in the mortal realm were coming to an end and there was nothing Hira could do to save her. She could do nothing but watch her daughter get torn apart at Ragnarok.

"It isn't fair," Katrina whispered. She shook her head, trying to come up with any reason that would cause the Gods to be so angry at her bloodline. Her throat burned as she strangled a few sobs that tried to escape. "I haven't done anything wrong, Mother! So, why is this happening to me?"

Her mother didn't say a word as she took Katrina into her arms, holding her close. She placed a gentle kiss on Katrina's head as she tried to keep her emotions locked away. Katrina was distressed and Hira needed to be her solid ground, keeping it stable so her daughter could stand back up. "Katrina," her mother started in a soft voice, barely above a whisper. "I need to tell you something."

Katrina kept her arms wrapped tight around her mother's waist, sniffling softly as she soaked in the warmth that radiated from her. Usually, Katrina would never display such childish behavior since it always ended with her getting scolded, but her mother held her close this time. "What do you want to tell me?"

"I haven't been honest with you, my flower," Queen Hira stated, pulling away from Katrina. She took a seat in front of her daughter, taking a hold of her hand to give it a tight squeeze. "I've told you the story of your great-grandmother, Naina, before but I have left many details out."

Katrina frowned. "Like what?"

"Naina was born thousands of years ago—around the same time as the Goddess of Death," Queen Hira continued, keeping her eyes on their interlocked hands as if it provided her with solace. "Naina was a Valkyrie—"

"—what?" Katrina interrupted, staring at her mother with wide eyes. She had never heard this part of the story before. Yes, she knew that her great-grandmother was a warrior but she did not know she was part of the Valkyries. "Does that mean she was... Asgardian?"

"Yes, she was born to a wealthy Asgardian family and was close to the royal family. It is said that she trained with Hela as well," Queen Hira added, causing Katrina to grow even more confused than she was before. If her ancestor was friends with Hela, then why were they burdened with the curse now? "Naina fought as a Valkyrie for centuries and was considered one of Asgard's fiercest warriors. She was a hero to all Asgardians and a nightmare to the ones outside of their realm."

"I see..." Katrina mumbled, slowly piecing together the information. It seemed that everything she knew about her great-grandmother had been a lie and now, the truth was starting to become clearer. But, there was a piece of the puzzle missing. "However, I still don't see why our bloodline is cursed."

"Listen very carefully, my love," Queen Hira ordered, keeping her eyes trained on Katrina's curious expression. "Valkyries were forbidden to fall in love since it distracts them from their duties to protect the throne, but Naina fell hard for a farmer's son. It almost seemed as if Naina and Dillion fell in love at first sight. They quickly moved through the stages of their relationship and ended up marrying in secret, not caring about the many laws they were breaking. Years passed by, Asgard had changed drastically. Hela was a bloodthirsty tyrant and wanted to lay waste to all the realms, but Odin had banished her to Hel. She had tried to escape, but Odin sent the Valkyries. Naina knew that the Valkyries had no chance of surviving against the Goddess of Death, so she hid and allowed her sisters to die in combat."

"She abandoned them?" Katrina asked softly, keeping her head down as she thought about what her grand-mother had gone through. To a point, she understood why Naina had abandoned the Valkyries to ensure her own survival. But, being a Valkyrie meant that your loyalty to the throne. It was her duty to fight and die among her sisters, but that was a frightening fate. Katrina did not blame her for running—sometimes, people were selfish and that was okay. "Is that why she was cursed?"

"No," Queen Hira answered, shaking her head. It seemed as if there was more to the story. "Soon enough, the guards had found Naina and Dillion's paradise in the remote mountains of Asgard. To punish Naina for her betrayal, they took her husband and burned him alive as an offering to the Gods."

No, no, no. Katrina's mind was swarming with thoughts as she tried to keep the mental image away. She could not imagine the pain that man must have felt when he died such a brutal death.

"They allowed Naina to live, leaving her wailing at the tree where they had taken the love of her life away," Hira whispered, keeping a calm voice as she recalled the story. "However, Naina wouldn't rest and was determined to bring Dillion back from the dead. After countless experiments with dark magic, she was able to open a portal to Helheim. She fought through many trials valiantly, proving that she wouldn't give up without a fight. Hela noticed... so she offered Naina a deal. Hela would release Dillion's soul, but she had to provide her with someone with the same merit to fight alongside her at Ragnarok."

"Ragnarok..." Katrina repeated the dreadful word, feeling physical pain as it rolled off her tongue. She had heard the cursed word many times growing up from priests, soothsayers, fortune tellers, and any other person with precognition abilities. They all told her the same thing—Ragnarok would be her doom.

"It is unknown when Ragnarok will come, but it will come," Hira's tone was sharp, no longer the voice of her loving mother. No, it was the voice of a woman who had seen too many horrors in her lifetime. "Unfortunately, Naina agreed to Hela's terms. She saved her lover as she intended to, but wasn't able to save the child that was growing inside her. Naina didn't know she was pregnant, but Hela knew."

"Grandmother Rashi," Katrina said, remembering stories about her grandmother and her simple life on Meridian. She had been a school teacher where she had taught Meridian children how to control their water-based abilities. However, her grandmother had inherited the curse and had been plagued with nightmares of Hela. "She was cursed like me."

"Yes... and when she died..." her mother fell into silence as she stared at the marble floor. Katrina didn't say a word, patiently waiting for her mother to continue. After what seemed like centuries, Hira spoke again. "...the curse was passed to me."

"I... don't understand," Katrina whispered, pulling her hands away from their interlocked grasp. It seemed as if a veil had been lifted from Katrina's eyes, but the truth was too bitter to bear. "I thought the curse skipped generations?"

"No, it doesn't," Queen Hira said, taking in a deep breath. Her expression was one of guilt as her eyes remained downcast—afraid to make eye contact with Katrina. "When I was born, your grandmother passed the curse to me. Then, I... passed the curse to you."

"You're lying," Katrina cried, not knowing what else to say to her mother. She didn't want to consider the implications of what would have gone through her mother's head. "It's not true. It can't be."

"Katrina, please forgive me," Queen Hira started, reaching out for her daughter but Katrina recoiled away. Hurt flashed across Hira's face, but she tried to keep a brave face. "I am truly sorry that I have lied to you all these years, my flower. I was... afraid... that you wouldn't understand. And, I couldn't have you hate me. I was scared, Katrina. So, I lied."

"Mother, I—"

"—to be rid of the curse," Queen Hira interrupted, meeting Katrina's dark brown eyes, "you must bear a child of your own. It's the only way to be rid of the curse."

"Is that the only reason you had me?" Katrina asked, glaring up at her mother. She felt... overwhelmed. Anger was the emotion that first came to mind, but sadness lingered close behind. Her heart felt heavy as she tried to take in deep breaths to calm herself. "I see the truth now," Katrina mumbled, shaking her head. "You could no longer handle the curse, so you decided to have a child and be done with it."

"Of course not!" Queen Hira countered, standing up from her seat as she stared at her daughter. "I never intended to have children, but I found out that I was pregnant shortly after I married your father."

"Did he know?"

"No..." Hira whispered, feeling ashamed of her past actions. She should have known that they would come back to haunt her one day. "I told him a few days after your birth. He was furious that I would hide... something like that, but I truly believed you weren't cursed. You didn't have the mark. But, then... a few months had gone by and there it was. Hela's symbol was engraved into your skin while my mark... had disappeared."

"Gods," Katrina mumbled, running a hand through her long hair. She didn't care if the strands were becoming tangled again. Katrina had bigger problems to worry about. Truly, she didn't know what to say. It had come as a shock to her that her mother had been feeding her lies for years. She met her mother's stormy eyes, noticing the slight tremble of her hands. "What am I supposed to do, Mother? I'm destined to fight alongside Hela at a battle that doesn't even involve me."

"Do the same, Katrina," her mother's voice did not waver at the suggestion—though, it felt more like an order—as she watched Katrina with a stern expression. "Have a child with Prince Thor and pass on the curse. After all, he would be more than willing since they all believe that the curse skips generations. Please, Katrina, I do not wish to see you die at Ragnarok."

"How could you say such a thing?" Katrina asked dumbfounded as she shook her head, taking a few steps away from her mother. It was her own mother who had given her such a horrific suggestion and Katrina felt sick to her stomach. "What is wrong with you? Do you think I would be happy to see my own child slaughtered at Ragnarok?"

"Katrina—"

"No!" Katrina shouted, not wanting to listen to her mother's excuses. "I wouldn't wish this curse on my worst enemy. I would die a thousand times over before I ever force a child of mine to go through the same hell that I did."

"What will you do when Prince Thor wants an heir of his own?" Queen Hira asked. "All kings did a blood born child to continue their legacy. You are foolish to believe that Thor would be alright with your decision."

"Well, I won't hide the truth from my husband as you did," Katrina gritted out, feeling nothing but anger towards the woman that stood before her. "I doubt Thor would want to see his own child suffer. Who knows, he may have a child with another woman. After all, our marriage is just for the peace treaty—nothing more, right? And, I would rather die than allow any child of mine to fight at Ragnarok."

"Fine, I understand," Queen Hira said softly, not wanting to fight with her daughter. "You have always been my greatest joy, Katrina. You gave my life purpose and I love you so much, please don't forget that."

"Why even tell me?" Katrina asked, letting out an exasperated sigh. "You could have kept this to yourself and I would have never known! Why tell me now?"

"I couldn't live with myself if I kept the truth from you," Queen Hira whispered softly, shaking her head. "If I hadn't told you, then you would have continued to believe that the curse skips generation. You would have had children and... well, you already know what would have happened."

"I thought that's what you wanted," Katrina huffed, moving away from the vanity table and towards her large bed. She cleared her throat, looking back at her mother's solemn expression. "It's getting late. I would like some sleep."

Queen Hira didn't move, watching Katrina carely. Her eyes were glazed over as she tried to search for something to say—anything that would mend her relationship with her daughter. "Katrina, I don't know if anyone's told you, but Prince Thor and his brother, Loki, plan on coming back tomorrow. Queen Frigga had worked out an arrangement with your father and he's allowed you to travel to Asgard to familiarize yourself with the realm and its people."

"Yes, Alis had told me a few hours prior," Katrina muttered, moving forward to fluff her pillows. Though, they had already been done so by the handmaidens. In fact, her room was always spotless due to the quick work of the handmaidens. She stole a glance back at her mother. "I have a long day tomorrow... Please, I would like some sleep."

Queen Hira nodded, understanding Katrina's need to be alone. She moved toward the door, but not before she took in the details of the bedroom. Mementos from Katrina's childhood were spread throughout the massive room, causing Hira to smile softly at the memories. "Goodnight, my flower."

Katrina sighed, feeling a sense of peace when she was completely alone. Her heart pounded heavily in her chest as she moved toward the window to steal a peek at the raging storm outside—lightning flashed across the skies before the boom sounded, causing her to jump at the harsh sound. However, her view was obstructed by the thick bars that kept her locked inside. She sighed, leaning against the wall. "Everything will be alright, Katrina," she whispered to herself, hoping that the words of encouragement will give her some solace. "It's going to be okay."

♡

Okay, so I realized that this fic has a lot of selfish characters in it, but... I don't mind? I feel like Naina and Hira definitely made some selfish choices, but Rashi and Katrina aren't so bad. But, I can see differences in Katrina's character from the original version, so who knows where she'll end up! I know the endgame for her character, but the path that leads her there might be different this time around! I am really enjoying rewriting this story—though, it is taking me a very long time—and I just fall in love with these characters all over again!

I have been extremely inspired lately, so I am opening to crank out a lot of chapters before I officially start work again! I am a little worried that I will be too preoccupied and tired, but I will continue to make an effort! 2020 has been a slow start for my writing, but I will try my hardest!

I hope you guys enjoyed this chapter! I added a lot more information in it than last time! I made Hira reveal a lot more! Also, Naina's story is inspired by Hellblade: Senua's Sacrifice! It is still a pretty good game and I heard that a second part is coming out?? I am so excited, ah! Hopefully, it'll give me more ideas for this fic! But, we'll see! ❤️

━ AMARA
[original] PUBLISH DATE ━ 09.19.2017
[rewrite] PUBLISH DATE ━ 01.31.2020