Loki's Daughter, Mortem and Mischief

Chapter Twenty Three

"Are you mad?!"

"Listen, Hela, I need you to hear me out," Sylvie insisted, putting her hands up in defense.

"No!" I replied angrily as I stumbled away from her, "I'm not going to kill my father, I don't care what timeline it is!"

"Hela," Sylvie hissed, "You need to keep quiet. Causing a scene is the last thing we need right now."

"And killing my father isn't causing a scene?" I argued ferociously.

Sylvie groaned, balling her hands into tight fists in frustration.

"Hela, darling," she said calmly, her eyes squeezed shut, "I am trying to help you. Please, just listen to me for one second. I have a plan, and I know it will work."

I sighed as I sat down at my vanity. Looking at Sylvie through the mirror, I begrudgingly prompted her to explain her scheme.

"We need to get the TVA involved," she explained as she began to pace behind me, "If you kill your father-"

"I'm not killing my father," I interjected.

Sylvie ignored me completely and continued, "If you kill your father, I will be the only Loki essence here. I won't have his life force to mask my location and then, the TVA shall surely come running to find me. Then, I'll beat their asses, steal a TemPad, then everything shall be made right in the world. Brilliant, right?"

I stared at her through the mirror. When she smiled back at me, showing that she was entirely serious, I could do little more than groan. I rubbed my face, taking a deep breath as I thought of how to tell her that that was the stupidest idea I had ever heard.

"You mean to tell me, I am to kill my father, evade the time police, and fix this entire timeline, with only your help?" I repeated slowly.

"More or less, yes," she said brightly, putting her hands on her hips, "I suppose Grimnir could come along too, no promises he won't be pruned though."

"Pruned?" I echoed, turning around to face her, "I haven't a clue what that means, Sylvie. And I certainly don't know how you think that any of this is a good idea!"

"It is a good idea!" she insisted, throwing her hands up in the air dramatically.

"I thought you were supposed to be the smart Loki," I said in exasperation as I rubbed my temples. I could already feel a headache coming on. I was already stressed beyond belief as my mind reeling over this entire fiasco. Sylvie's insanity was only adding to my growing anxiety,

"Hela," Sylvie sighed, coming before me and putting her hands on my shoulders, "I know this can work. We can bandage up this timeline however you please. And at the very least, if everything fails, I know we can get you back into your proper timeline. Isn't that what you want?"

"I-I..." I stammered, looking up at Sylvie, "I don't know what I want."

She sighed, hanging her head in frustration.

"Right," she said, seemingly disappointed in me, "You're a teenager. How could I possibly expect you to know what you want? I truly thought you'd be more decisive than this."

Her voice rang through my head, pounding against my skull. I felt like my throat was closing up and my heart was jumping out of my chest. Sylvie was disappointed in me, the whole world felt disappointed in me. Hell, even I was disappointed in myself. I didn't know what I wanted or what I needed to do.

Ever since I had woken up in this new timeline, I felt as though I was lost in space. Everything that was going on around me felt strange and so beyond me. I had no influence on anything or anyone, even if I screamed and cried I thought it would all be brushed off. My father didn't care about a word I said, as long as he could manipulate me to his will-he was happy. Nothing I wanted could be carried out without his approval.

This timeline was like space in the way that nothing I did could change the vast void. Screaming or kicking couldn't change the stars that laid light years away. But at the same time, this terrifying timeline held beauty. Like the galaxy's gorgeous colors and planets, there were things I truly loved in this timeline. I had missed my mother so so much, down to her healing touch and warm smile. I needed her tea, her hugs, and assurance that everything would be alright. And then, there was Grimnir too. The first real friend, I had ever had. He was my age, he was kind, and he was sweet as can be. I couldn't leave him behind here.

As all of this race through my head again, I could hardly help the hot tears that began to stream fiercely down my cheeks. I felt truly awful and as mcuh as I hated to admit it, I didn't know what to do.

"Sylvie," I attempted through my tears, "I just, what if I lose what I have here? I mean my whole family, my title, a-and Grimnir? I can't lose any of that, and what if merging timelines, ya know? I didn't get any sleep last night, ya know? Thinking about all of this? A-and my father, he's just awful here. He's so cruel to m-me and my mother. I don't know what to do, or how to help! Sylvie, I don't even know who I am anymore. I'm just-"

"Shh, shh," Sylvie said, frantically as she pay my back, "Ya know, it's going to be okay, it's all going to be alright. Um, there there?"

I only cried harder, hiding my face in my hands. I just wanted to crawl into bed and die. I get that that is quite dramatic but it is exactly how I felt. As I cried, quietly choking on my tears, I could hardly hear my door being pushed open.

"Hey, Hela," Sylvie continued, unable to hear the sound of clicking heals over my cries, "I don't know how to-"

"Is everything alright?"

Looking up, I saw my mother standing at the doorway. Her brows were knit together in concern as she closed the door behind her. Sylvie  immediately jumped as she saw her, backing up worriedly. Sylvie had been doing her best to evade being seen. Afterall, Asgard was quite tight knit. An outsider like Sylvie would be easily targeted.

"Mother, um, this is-" I began, trying to think of some lie to tell to cover up Sylvie's identity.

"I know who that is," my mother replied as she came to wipe my tears.

"You do?" Sylvie asked in surprise, her eyes going wide.

"Oh yes," my mother said, pulling a hanky out from her dress. She began to dab at my cheek, being as tender as ever.

"Then who am I?" Sylvie questioned, crossing her arms and raising a brow.

"By the obnoxious perfume you're wearing, those dark hair roots, and the fact I can just feel the desire for a glorious purpose just oozing off of you, I can assume you're some...variant of my husband," my mother stated as if it was the most obvious thing in the world.

"How did you know?" Sylvie said, absolutely in shock.

My mother sighed and showed her left hand. Across its palm, a white scar showed.

"I have a soul bond with my Loki," my mother explained, "I suppose it extends to you as well. Now please, my daughter is crying, and as much as I love to give you Loki's attention, she comes first."

I couldn't help but smile through my tears. There was my mother. This made it all so apparent just how much I missed her. Not only was she the best mother I could have ever asked for, but she was so much more.

"Now please, dearest," she said, sitting besides me, "What's wrong?"