Lady Freyja? The Allfather has orders for you at court," A guard said, standing at the doorway of the training room.

Freyja and Hel stopped mid-spar, Hel had now grown into what Midgardians would call, 'adolescence'.

"Of course, I shall come immediately," Freyja said, "Hel, you should go to your next lesson."

Hel nodded as she put back her spear, she ran to the bats to freshen herself up before going to her etiquette class with Queen Frigga.

"Father!" Hel yelled with a beaming smile on her face as she walked into the room. Loki sat in the spot Frigga would usually sit in, "I thought you would be needed in court with Grandfather," Hel added, sitting down in front of Loki.

"Ah there's no need of that, come sit beside me princess," Loki said, snapping a chair in existence beside him, "And the court did not need me, they were merely going over laws, nothing that had to do with me.

"Please do not let this be an illusion" Hel grumbled, cautiously sitting down, "And you know I am a duchess, not a princess."

Loki smiled, "Yes of course, but you will always be my princess Hel."

Hel smiled as she undid her braids, it was required for her to wear braids to her etiquette classes since it was expected for Asgardian royalty, but around her father, Hel didn't have to feel royal, "So what are the scrolls for father?" she asked, eyes skimming over the various papers on the table in front of her and Loki.

"Plans for your ceremonial and battle armour," Loki explained conjuring up a golden pencil.

"But I already own armour father," Hel said, accepting the pencil from Loki.

"Yes, but that is for commoners, a starter armour if you will, "Loki explained, "This way, you will have armour for court and war, plus it will protect your more." The only thing ever on Loki's mind was Hel and her wellbeing, or perhaps the goddess he was courting in secret and hoped to wed.

"Of course, that is sensible, where shall we start?" Hel asked, looking to find the proper scroll, "Oh and father? The woman you'd like to wed, Sigyn I believe her name is, isn't she too young? Odin would never allow it"

Loki knew Hel meant no harm to his relationship, only stating the facts, "Yes, but we can wait, as for Odin, we will come up with a plan for the marriage, it is in years time after all," Loki explained, taking a piece of paper and pushing away the rest, "This is your main armour, chest plates, shoulder plates, knee plates, chainmail, the simple lot."

"It's all green and old, correct father? Hel asked, looking at the armour.

"Of course, is there anything you'd like to add or remove?" Loki asked, tidying up the cluttered space around them with a few movements of his hand.

"Yes, if you don't mind, more leather and a helmet. Also perhaps a long staff with a blade of sorts at the end of it, please," Hel said, absentmindedly turning the gold pencil into different shapes with her magic.

"Those are wonderful ideas Hel," Loki said, praising the young goddess, Loki got out another scroll and handed it to Hel, "Now, change the pencil back and sketch what you would like."

"First I'd like the helmet material to be made of an extremely light material, I want it to feel as if I was not wearing it," Hel said, adding strokes of black onto the paper, "I want it to cover my head, but leave the back of my hair free, the front shall have horns like the Midargdian bull I read about so often," Hel said, adding the horns of a bull, but at the end curled outward a bit more, "it is a weapon but also armour."

"Excellent" Loki said once Hel finished, leaning over to see the sketch, "It looks remarkably like mine, I shall take it to be built," he said, the corners of his mouth tilting upwards.

Hel laughed, she had designed the helmet based off of her father's, so it would make sense that it would look similar.

"Now, for your weapon," Loki said, taking another scroll from the pile he had made earlier, "What you had described sounded like a Midgardian Scythe, a weapon of gardening and death. Like you described, it is a staff with a blade at the end."

Hel looked to the sketch that her father was making, he drew a long pole, with what seemed like a gem at the top, then he drew a small blade, and last Loki drew small waves, "If I'm guessing correctly, that would be made of darkened silver, and what gem is that at the top? Also, what are those waves for?"

"It seems someone has been doing their research," Loki said smirking as Hel's cheeks flushed with slight embarrassment, "Yes it is darkened silver, the gem is a rare Asgardian gem I can lend you, and the waves are your magic, darkened silver is a conductor of magic, so just as Thor calls upon lightning with Mjolnir, you can channel your magic through this."

"Of course, may I name it?" Hel asked, eyes glowing brightly.

"Certainly."

"Gildrdauði."

"Worthy death?" Loki asked, furrowing his eyebrows.

"Yes, because all those who die in battle by my Scythe will have died a worthy death in their minds," Hel explained.

"My prince, it is almost time for Hel's spell-casting lessons," A guard said, standing at the doorway.

"Yes, of course, you may go now," Loki said, dismissing the guard with a wave of his hand.

"Are we going to the gardens or the library today?" Hel asked, eyes shining bright and with excitement laced in her voice.

"You have mastered most magic, and are fairly decent at the rest, but I believe there is one you will be one of the best at," Loki said, titling one corner of his lip up slightly, "Come, let us go to the library."

Hel followed Loki out of the room and through the golden hallways of the palace. Hel had always admired the beauty of the palace, with its towering walls of gold, and the gorgeous designs etched onto the doors and columns, it was magnificent and Hel felt lucky and proud to live in such a place.

Loki stopped outside the doors of the library, "You know the rules of the library correct Hel?"

"Yes, certainly father," Hel said, rolling her pale-green-blue eyes, Loki had noticed that with every year she studied magic, they turned greener much like his, "Do not speak loudly, place the scrolls and books back on the shelves, do not destroy the books nor the library, and do not go into the forbidden section of the library," she said, listing off the major ones.

"Well then you're in for a pleasant surprise, we will be breaking that last rule, "Loki said, giving Hel a mischievous grin while a pale hand opened the doors of the Asgardian library.

"Father!" Hel hissed, eyes wide with confusion and fright, "It's forbidden! And surely with good reason! We do not even have the key!" But the second Hel said that she snapped her mouth shut because she knew her Father had a trick up his sleeve.

"Oh, this thing?" Loki asked, pulling a delicate gold key out from his breast pocket. After seeing Hel's worried glance he reassured her he did not steal the key but had gotten it with special permission, "Your grandmother gave it to me!" he said.

"Of course father," Hel replied, her feet taking her to the door that would lead her to the forbidden section, "Now tell me, whatever shall I be learning father?"

"Oh just a special something I know you will excel at, and don't lie to me, I know you love the thrill of being bad and breaking the rules, just like your father."

"All right then, as long as we aren't caught breaking Asgardian rules. We really do not be needing to be doing something wrong so close to Sigyn's marriage ceremony you know," Hel added as Loki slipped the key into the keyhole.

"Do not worry darling, we won't be doing anything illegal... yet," Loki said with his trademark smile as the doors opened.

Hel cautiously poked her head inside, nothing seemed extraordinary, everything was made of dark mahogany and she could feel the type of spells and the dark aura the room had.

"Different isn't it Hel? You feel a different aura here, this is true, correct?" Loki asked, a hand grazing the bookshelf lazily.

Hel looked around cautiously, something did not feel right about the aura this place had, yet it felt so right, with her head stooped low she said, "Uh, father? Why exactly is this area forbidden?"

"Why my dear Hel," Loki said, his smile blinding, "Your grandfather banned the art taught in these scrolls and books."

"And that art is?"

"Necromancy," Loki said, pulling out a small scroll, "The art of the dead."

Hel's eyes went wide, you should never learn the art of the deceased within Asgardian walls, everyone knew that. She hesitantly reached out for a dusty book, every time her hand would get closer her fingers would inch back, "Why are we here then?" Hel asked, sitting down in a chair with her book.

"Because, unfortunately, or fortunately, that is your opinion alone, you are destined to learn this art," Loki said looking at Hel while his wrist flicked open the scroll. In turn, the scroll let out a puff of dust.

"Why? I excel at warriors magic already, energy blasts, shapeshifting, metal bending, basic sorcery, summoning weapons, healing, illusions, everything!" Hel said, brushing the dust off of the large volume in her lap.

"Yes, but the Norns see a different path for you my daughter, one that you would not think of," Loki said, pale green eyes skimming over black ink.

"How are you sure of that?"

"Because they had visited me on the day of your birth," Loki's mind went back to the moment, just as he heard a sharp intake of breath.

It was the night of Hel's birth and Angrboda had just been sent back to Jotunheim. Hel had been transferred to a crib beside Loki's bed. Just as Loki was about to fall asleep, a strange mist started collecting in the middle of the room.

Loki instinctively took Hel out of her crib and held her close to his chest, protecting her at all costs. Loki watched as the mist revealed three hazy forms. Upon closer inspection, Loki realized the three hazy forms were three females, and he immediately knew who those females were.

"We are the Norns, and we bring news of your daughter's future," the one Loki suspected was Urd said.

"She must learn the art of the dead. She will try to avenge you, either by starting Ragnarok and destroying Asgard," the one Loki thought was Verdandi said.

"Or by finding a path of her own," Skuld, the only Norn that hadn't spoken, said.

Loki watched as the Norns disappeared in the same fashion as they had come; from the mist. Loki looked down at the small still sleeping form in his arms. With her quaint nose, full pink lips, dark fluttering lashes, and a full head of dark hair, Hel was bound to be a beautiful warrior when she grew older... or maybe something more than that.

"You will forever be my daughter. I shall love you even if you begin Ragnarok, I will give you all you deserve, and maybe even things you do not deserve. All I ask is for your love in return," Loki whispered, kissing Hel's small forehead and setting her back in her crib.

"Father? Father!" Hel said, snapping in Loki's face to get his attention.

"Oh! Yes, my dear?"

"Good, you've snapped out of your trance, but I have a question," Hel said, sitting in a chair across from Loki.

"Yes, and what is that Hel?" Loki asked, crossing his fingers together.

"Will I be learning just the theory, or be practising these spells?"

Loki's eyes brightened with mischief, he tossed Hel the key to this area, which she caught without breaking eye contact, "That's up to you darling, I know how comfortable you feel here."

That at least, was true, Hel felt rather comfortable here now that she'd settled down, the aura in the room matched her own, which she had never experienced before. As for practising that magic, she would decide later.

Loki smiled as he saw Hel's thinking face, you would truly have to know her to see it. To any other Hel's face was the exact same, no emotion, but her eyes were looking at you, but not at the same time, meaning she was thinking.

Loki stood up and kissed Hel's cheek before saying, "Now don't let me catch you here when you shouldn't be," and left.