A/N: Yes, I have started a new story. This has been something that's been in my head for a very long time and I finally feel ready to publish it! Updates will be irregular for the next couple of months (horary for exams) but I am far too in love with Karina to stop writing her! At the moment she has no love interest - that may change later on though - and Karina is definitely Thor's younger sister. This story will follow the majority of the MCU movies and will include some other stories too. Karina is about 5''6 and looks like the cover image.
So, without further ado, here is the first chapter of Warrior!
I own nothing except Karina and any other OC's mentioned throughout this story. All rights go to Marvel.
She was born on a day filled with sunshine and warmth. Outside the palace, people were in the streets celebrating the first true day of spring. Tables were flooded with food and drinks and Asgardians hugged each other and danced around maypoles. It was a perfect spring day outside, but inside the palace, it was dark and cool. Healers and maids dashed about with towels and hot water and several guards stood on watch outside the Queen's private chambers.
Outside the bedroom door sat two princes on a marble bench. Neither said a word to the other but every time a scream filled with pain echoed from behind the door, both flinched. After what felt like days, but in fact had only been two hours, a tiny scream emerged from the room. Both boys sat up straighter as the door gently opened and their father appeared from behind the gilded door.
"Come meet your little sister," he whispered holding out a hand. His oldest son grasped it and followed his father inside, his younger brother clinging to his brother's hand. Sitting up on the bed, looking exhausted, sat their mother. She was holding a small bundle buried in a white cloth decorated with gold and looked up with a smile as her two sons approached.
Both boys gently clambered onto the bed and inched closer to the bundle in their mother's arms. As the boys leant forward a soft gurgling noise came from the bundle. A tiny, pink hand appeared, stretching into the air. Both boys smiled in excitement as their mother leant forward and showed them their baby sister.
"Meet your little sister, Karina," their mother whispered. Both boys stared down at the bundle in their mother's arms. The younger reached out his little finger and his sister grasped onto it tightly, refusing to let go.
And at that moment, both brothers made a vow to protect her with their lives.
18 years later
Karina slowly awoke to the smell of roses wafting in from her window. She shifted under her sheets, stretching her arms as she fumbled about for the bell to summon her maids. With a gentle ding, it fell off the cabinet next to her bed and rolled under the bed frame. Karina looked over the side of the bed and laid back with a sigh. She really did not want to get up. Savouring the last few moments of warmth and comfort she forced herself to tear the sheets off her body and sit up. She crouched down and retrieved the bell from under her bed and rang it gently.
She hadn't asked for the bell. She didn't actually want it. But being the only one in the family aside from Loki to wake up ridiculously early she needed it.
Her maids bustled in and pulled open the curtains allowing the early morning light to stream in. Karina sat on the side of her bed, one hand in her tangled blonde hair as her eyes adjusted to the bright light. Outside she could hear the cheering from the streets and wondered what on earth they were celebrating now. Her personal maid, Mariana, walked over to her and set a cup of tea down next to her.
"Mariana," Karina started as the maid began to turn away.
"Yes, Karina?" Mariana replied with a small smile. Karina had insisted that her personal maid called her by her name to make things seem less…weird. The other maids she could do nothing about as they changed every day so she had to make do with them all calling her 'Your Highness' and curtsying every time she walked past.
"Why are they making such a racket at this early hour?" She asked, tilting her head to the window.
Mariana chuckled quietly and smiled. "It's Thor's coronation day," Mariana reminded her. Karina was immediately awake. How could she have forgotten Thor's coronation day? Anxiously she looked up at Marianna who gave her a relaxing smile. "It isn't until noon, don't worry."
From then on, the morning was a blur. Karina barely remembered eating her minuscule breakfast – because otherwise, she wouldn't 'fit in her dress' according to Livia, the grumpy old maid who despised Karina but still served her – having a bath nor having her hair done. What felt like barely a minute after she'd awaken, but was, in fact, four hours later, she was dressed and ready for her brother's coronation.
There was a gentle knock at the door and Karina looked up, a smile on her face. Livia opened the door just a crack and Karina heard the calming voice of Loki waft through.
"I'm here for Karina," he said through the gap.
"On whose orders?" Livia asked and Karina rolled her eyes.
"Oh, for Odin's sake, Livia," she exclaimed, standing up from her vanity table. "Let him in." With a not-so-subtle glare sent in both Loki and Karina's way, Livia opened the door and allowed her brother into the room. Karina walked over to him, her silver heels clicking on the stone floor as she went.
"Hang on," Loki called causing her to stop.
"What?" Karina asked, looking down at herself.
"Nothing, I just wanted to savour the moment of you being dressed up," Loki replied and Karina glared at him.
"It's not that rarer a thing," she grumbled in reply, taking Loki's offered arm. Loki smiled down at his sister as the two made their way down the corridor and towards the throne room. Loki was wearing his usual green and gold armour with a gold-horned helmet on over his slick-backed black hair.
Karina was wearing a lilac coloured gown that was covered in white lace. It was long sleeved and had a see-through back with buttons along it. It trailed behind her and the back of the dress was pleated so that it folded over her bum. Her hair was curled and had been tied up into a half bun design with a few tendrils of hair hanging down across her face. Her eyes had been dusted with a gold eyeshadow and her eyelashes darkened. She wore silver chandelier earring and had a large bejewelled crown with gold flowers soldered to it balanced in her hair. Her ruby red lips curled up into a smile as Loki opened the door for her and she gently nudged him with her shoulder. Loki returned the smile as the two walked into the back room of the throne room.
It was lit up by two gold bowls glowing with fire on either side of the door. The reflections of the dancing fire could be seen in the golden walls either side and the shadows waltzed around the ceiling above their heads. The two siblings stood next to each other at the top of the steps waiting for their cue. They could hear the cheering coming from the throne room and Karina let out a long breath, wiping her sweaty hands on her dress. She shook her hands, causing her bracelets to jangle together, to release the tension that had built up in them. She also had a nervous habit of cracking her knuckles whenever stressed. As she went to crack her right hand, Loki grasped her wrist and turned her to face him, holding her hand in his.
"Stop panicking," he whispered quietly, rubbing a soothing circle on the back of her hand. Karina looked up at him and smiled.
"I'm trying," she replied looking into the bowl of fire. "I just…I don't want to mess this up for him."
"And you won't," Loki told her confidently. "Out of everyone in this family, you are the last person I'd expect to mess things up." Karina smiled and squeezed Loki's hand. From behind them, the door to the ante-chamber opened and a large figure stepped in, a bottle of Asgard's finest in his hand. He swallowed it down in one and threw it into the fire yelling "ANOTHER" as he went. The fire roared up as more fuel was added and Karina rolled her eyes at her brother's dramatic entry as Thor stepped down to join them.
"I like your helmet," Karina complemented as he came to a halt next to her. "It's very…bird-like."
"Well, your crown is very floral," Thor replied with a smile. Loki sighed as Karina's lips curled into a smirk.
"It's a tiara and this," she pointed to the tiara on her head, "is worth more than your piece of metal." Thor gasped in horror at that comment and Karina giggled. "Relax, I'm kidding." Thor sighed in relief and pressed a kiss to Karina's head as she chuckled.
"Are you two quite finished?" Loki asked as the door at the bottom of the stairs opened. Karina sobered up quickly as she realised it was almost time.
Loki noticed and rubbed her arm as he walked past her. "Keep smiling," he whispered as he walked down the stairs to the throne room. Karina took his advice and smiled, ignoring the cheers from the waiting crowd as Loki emerged. The doors shut again, plunging the chamber back into the gloomy light.
An awkward silence fell between the two remaining siblings. Karina and Thor had never been extremely close to one another; they simply didn't have interests in the same thing. Thor was about the ladies, war and fighting all the time. Karina was more interested in reading, peace and honing her gift for magic. She did know how to fight – Sif had trained her for several years and both were highly skilled in battle – but she simply didn't feel as if she needed it to survive like Thor did. For Thor, it was like a drug; he couldn't get enough of bloodshed and killing. But Karina liked it because she could release her anger and manipulate things with her magic.
The door to the throne room opened once again and Karina took a deep breath, standing straighter. Thor looked down at her and squeezed her hand as if to say 'good luck'. She looked up at him and smiled as she picked her dress up and walked down the small flight of stairs to the doorway.
The guard standing by the door nodded at her as she passed and a trumpet blew out a fanfare as she emerged into the room. "Introducing, Princess Karina Malia!" he announced.
The cheering was deafening.
Karina remembered Loki's wise words and kept smiling as she walked down the hall towards her father. With a small wave of her fingers, her dress began to glow and sparkle as she moved down the room, leaving behind a trail of glitter. Several small children in the audience looked on in awe as the princess walked past them and Karina gave them all a little wave as she passed. She stood proud and tall as she walked up the stairs to the throne, bending down into a low curtsey in front of Odin. She kept her head bowed down as he got up from his seat and walked over to her, taking her hand and helping her stand up from the curtsey.
Karina smiled at her father as he guided her over to where she was standing for the ceremony. He kissed her cheek gently before walking back over to his throne and sitting down.
"Nicely done," Sif whispered to her as she smoothed her dress out.
Karina smirked to herself. "They looked bored off their feet," she whispered back and Sif pressed her lips together to avoid laughing. Karina caught the glare from her mother and looked down with a smile as the doors opened yet again.
This time, Thor emerged with his hammer raised high into the air. He threw it up into the air and caught it to a loud cheer from the gathered people. Odin looked on, un-amused at his arrogant behaviour, and sighed in disapproval. Karina glanced over at her father and looked down at the ground as Thor begun showing off yet again.
"Show off," Sif muttered as Thor begun making his way up the stairs. Karina turned so that she was facing her brother as he placed Mjolnir on the floor in front of him and knelt down in front of Odin.
"Thor Odinson," Odin begun, sitting up on his throne. "my heir, my firstborn. So long entrusted with the mighty hammer, Mjolnir, forged in the heart of a dying star. Its power has no equal. It's a weapon to destroy or as a tool to build. It is a fit companion for a king." Odin looked up at those gathered in the room. "I have defended Asgard, and the lives of the innocent across my realms in the time of the great beginning." Karina bit her lip as the most important part of the ceremony begun. Her hands curled into fists as Odin begun speaking. "Do you swear to guard the nine realms?" Odin asked as Thor continued to look down at the ground.
"I swear," he replied in a voice that carried out across the room.
"And do you swear to preserve the peace?" Odin questioned and Karina's nails began to bite into her skin as she watched on anxiously.
"Do you swear to cast aside your selfish ambition and to pledge yourself only to the good of the realms?" Odin asked, his voice louder now.
"I swear!" Thor yelled.
Odin sat back on his throne with a small smile. "And on this day, I Odin, All-Father, will proclaim you - "Odin trailed off and looked off into the far distance. Karina could sense something was wrong; it niggled at the back of her mind. Suddenly her vision was obscured by a glimpse of the vault and the dead bodies of the guards sent to guard it. She gasped quietly and stumbled back a step into Loki who placed a hand on her back in both concern and support. "Frost Giants," Odin muttered quietly, confirming Karina's vision. He stamped his staff onto the floor and several sparks emerged. He stood up. "Come with me," he announced, waving a hand in the general direction of the siblings.
Karina glanced up at Loki who shrugged his shoulders in response to her silent question as he guided her down the stairs. Karina took a shaky breath in as she followed behind her father and Thor as they headed towards the vault.
Whatever had happened, wasn't good.
Karina followed behind Loki as they hurried down to the vault. What were Frost Giants doing in Asgard? She came to a sudden stop behind Loki as they all stared at the scene before them. Three dead Frost Giants laid inches away from one of the many artefacts in the vault. At the foot of the stairs laid the bodies of the two guards sent to protect the vault. Karina cautiously hovered at the top of the stairs as Thor and Odin made their way down to the dead Frost Giants.
What had happened? Her vision had only shown her part of the event – presumably the part where the Destroyer did its work – but it didn't answer her question: How had they gotten up here? Her visions were never clear. The event was always jumbled up in the wrong order and never happened just before the event was meant to happen. Either weeks or months before or one second before.
Thor's booming voice broke her out of her thoughts. "The Jotuns must pay for what they're done!" He exclaimed as Odin stared down at their bodies.
"They have paid," he replied as he turned around. "With their lives. They Destroyer did its work; the Casket is safe and all is well." Odin turned around and begun walking back up the stairs.
"All is well?" Thor growled. Karina sighed mentally as Odin slowed down. Why could Thor never just leave things be? "They broke into the weapons vault! If the Frost Giants have stolen even one of these relics – "
"They didn't!" Odin yelled back. Karina could feel the tension in the room rising and looked up at Loki who was standing next to her. She gently reached out for his hand, entwining her fingers with his. He looked down at her and squeezed her hand as Thor rounded on Odin.
"Well, I want to know why?" Thor demanded, gesturing to the dead bodies.
"I have a truce with Laufey, King of the Jotuns," Odin reminded him.
"He just broke your truce! They know you are vulnerable," Thor shouted. Karina closed her eyes in disbelief as the argument carried on.
"What action would you take?" Odin asked cooly. Karina looked at her father as if he was mad. Thor would choose war over peace any day!
"March into Jotunheim as you once did. Teach them a lesson; break their spirits so they'll never dare to cross our borders again!" Thor exclaimed. Karina sighed. Always war.
"You're thinking only as a warrior," Odin stated. Karina hummed quietly in agreement with his words. But his words seemed to anger Thor more than he already was.
"Well, this was an act of war!" He reminded him. Karina was really beginning to get fed up with Thor's useless attempt at trying to start a war. This was why they'd never gotten alone. All war and no peace.
"It was the act of but a few doomed to fail," Odin corrected.
"Look at how far they got!" Thor yelled.
"We will find the breach in our defences and it will be sealed," Odin said, calm against Thor's rage.
"As King of Asgard – "Thor begun
"But you're not King!" Odin yelled, finally losing his temper with his war-hungry son. "Not yet," he added in a calmer voice. Thor stared at his father for a while before growling and storming off out of the vault. He brushed shoulders with Karina, not even bothering to apologise, as he stomped up the stairs. Odin stood in the vault, strangely calm. Karina watched him for a moment before quietly following after Thor with Loki in tow.
They found him in the dining hall as he flipped over the table covered with food. Karina's stomach rumbled loudly as the smell of roast chicken wafted up towards her and she looked away quickly. Thor was sitting on the stairs of the dining hall, sulking. Karina quietly approached him from the front whilst Loki emerged behind him.
"It's unwise to be in my company now, brother," Thor stated quietly as he noticed Loki. "And you Karina," he added.
"This isn't my first time," she gently reminded him as she sat down next to him.
"This was to be my day of triumph," Thor grumbled. Karina smiled sadly at her brother. Thor had always wanted to be king, and to have it ripped away at the last moment…
"It'll come," Loki said. "In time." He paused for a moment. "If it's any consolation, I think you're right. About the Frost Giants, about Laufey, about everything." Thor grunted in agreement as Karina glared daggers at her brother. What, exactly, did he think he was doing?! "If they found a way to penetrate Asgard's defences once, who's to say they won't try again. Next time with an army."
"Exactly!" Thor exclaimed loudly, raising his hands in the air.
"But," Karina began quietly. "There's nothing you can do without defying father." She looked at Thor who gave her a look. Karina instantly hung her head in despair. She knew that look all too well.
"What happened in here?" Volstagg asked as he, Sif and the rest of the Warriors Three walked into the room. He began muttering under his breath about the loss of precious food and Karina rolled her eyes, turning back to Thor.
"Nothing can be done," Loki reminded Thor.
"Don't you dare," Karina warned as he gave Loki the same look he gave Karina.
"No!" Loki exclaimed. "No, no, no, no, no! I know that look!" He exclaimed as Thor got up. Karina sighed, standing up as Thor walked over to his friends.
"It's the only way to ensure the safety of our borders!" Thor said.
"Thor, it's madness," Loki told him.
"It's suicide," Karina added, standing next to Loki with her arms crossed and a glare on her face.
"Madness?" Volstagg asked as he finally managed to tear his attention away from the food. "What sort of madness?"
"We're going to Jotunheim," Thor announced excitedly. His announcement, however, was met with stunned silence.
"What?" Fandral gasped as Thor's words sunk in. "This isn't like a journey to earth, where you summon a little lightning and thunder and the mortals worship you as a god!" He exclaimed, stepping towards Thor. "This is Jotunheim."
"My father fought his way into Jotunheim. Defeated their armies and took their casket! We would just be looking for answers," Thor explained.
"It is forbidden!" Sif reminded him. Thor dismissed her with a wave of his hand and she sighed angrily.
"My friends, have you forgotten all that we have done together? Fandral, Hogun, who led you into the most glorious battles?" He asked and Karina groaned, knowing exactly what he was doing.
"You did," Hogun grunted. Thor smiled, knowing they were in.
"And Volstagg, to delicacies so succulent you thought you'd died and gone to Valhalla?" Thor questioned.
Volstagg hesitated, not wanting to answer the question. "You did," he answered begrudgingly.
"Yes! Thor exclaimed loudly as he turned to face Sif. "And who proved wrong all who scoffed at the idea that a young maiden could be one of the fiercest warriors this realm has ever known?"
"I did," Sif replied and Karina suppressed a laugh.
"True, but I supported you Sif," Thor said. "And of course, my siblings are coming too!"
Loki and Karina stared at him. "Yes…of course, we will," Loki replied slowly.
"Karina?" Thor asked hopefully. Everyone in the room turned to look at the woman still dressed in her coronation outfit.
"Nope," she replied.
"What? Why ever not?" Thor exclaimed in horror.
"Because it's suicide. Because it's reckless and stupid," she supplied, ticking them off on her fingers as she went. "I have an entire list in my head, need I go on?"
"But, sister. We've done so much together!" Thor reminded her.
"Yes, and I'm choosing to bow out now before I get executed for following my idiot brother into Jotunheim!" Karina yelled.
"Please," Thor said quietly.
"No, I have a fear of dying in cold places."
"Not even to try and stop me?"
Karina sighed, her shoulders sinking. "Fine!" She exclaimed turning to face him. "Fine! But only to stop you from murdering anyone within reach and so I can go 'I told you so' when it ultimately backfires in your face."
Thor looked around pure glee on his face.
"My friends, we're going to Jotunheim!" He exclaimed and Karina sighed, already beginning to regret this decision and they hadn't even left the planet yet!
