WHAT IF... Hela Won The Fight

3.

The wooden figurine started cracking apart as Hela threw the twelfth blade to it's head.

Her movements were quick, precise and deadly, aimed at the figure's stomach, heart and head.

She was about to send her thirteenth dagger through the dummy's painted-on heart when a small blond boy appeared right in between her and the figurine.

"Thor!" she shouted. "Norns, I could've hit you!"

"No, you couldn't have. You have a better aim than any soldier that I have ever met." He giggled before hugging her. She shook her head and hesitantly patted his back.

"That doesn't matter. I could've made a mistake and you'd be dead. And we don't want that, do we?" She said, frowning.

"No. And that's why I came here!" He realised.

"Did you now?" She asked, smiling.

"Mhm!" He excitedly nodded his head.

"Thor... Why do I have a feeling that you should be at your lessons?" She asked.

"Well... I'm sure that's just a feeling." He said, obviously nervous. But he forced a smile to try to make the lie more believable but he was failing miserably.

The situation probably wasn't supposed to be very funny, but Hela chuckled nevertheless.

"And how come that sir Aenar hasn't yet noticed that you aren't listening to his lecture about etiquette?" She asked, amused. Of course, she wouldn't tell the queen, she used to skip classes as well. She was just curious.

"Umm... Loki cast an illusion on himself. He's there instead of me." Thor admitted. He realised that there was no point in lying, Hela saw through his lies. Loki, even though he was still young, was much better at that.

Hela couldn't decide whether she was surprised or not. Loki was good at what he was doing, after all, Frigga herself taught him.

"Well... I guess that you're of more use here than there. At least you'll learn something." Hela gave up. She knew that he slept through all of his lectures.

Thor cheered. He was relieved that his sister wouldn't snitch on him.

"Very well, then. Get your sword and attack me." She said, her hands free of any weapon.

"With my sword?" he asked. Hela nodded. "But I don't want to hurt you!" he worried.

Hela chuckled again. She realised that over the last years, ever since she returned from that war camp, she's been happier than ever. Especially when she was with her little brothers. Who would've expected that the goddess of death could be this happy about little children?

"Trust me. You won't." She said, her corners of the mouth twitching up.

After that, Thor ran for his sword. With it, he ran back at Hela, who just stepped aside.

"Thor, you ran with your eyes closed. That's dangerous, you could stumble and stab yourself. Not to mention the enemy, now that your back is facing me, I could finish you off easily," she said.

Thor turned around, the sword ready in his hands. Or at least so he thought. Not even a minute after that, he was laying on the ground, his sword in the other corner of the room.

That was when a servant came through the door. He made his presence known, and then he bowed.

"Yes? What is it?" Hela asked. Thor was just getting off the ground.

"The pirates have just broken the peace treaty that we've made with them and attacked another village on Vanaheim. The Queen demands your presence in the matter." He informed her.