This is a SEQUEL to Sorrow's Pain! You don't necessarily have to read it to understand this story, but I recommend reading Sorrow's Pain because everyone loved it (with over 550+ reviews to prove it) Lol now I'm just bragging... Anyways, this is only the first chapter, and my readers all know how my first chapters compare to the rest of my stories, so don't judge too harshly. Comments appreciated. :)

Loki slid a dagger into the heart of his opponent, whipping around and doing the same to another. His entire body was covered in filth and sweat from the heat of battle. He was tired. His side was bleeding and he was pretty sure he would have to limp back to camp. Loki hated battles. He had been married to Sorrow for a year and he had been gone nine months of that time. He wanted to go home, but Thor needed him here. This made Loki angrier. He forced his dagger into another man. He illusioned ten copies of himself, and every time an enemy would try to stab the illusion, they would be taken aback for long enough to take them down.

The war wouldn't last too much longer. This was just a huge band of robbers that had threatened Asgard, but they were losing. Come nightfall, Loki limped back to camp with the rest of the soldiers. He had a horse, but it had been killed in the battle, so he had to walk. Thor rode up next to him on a white horse. "Brother, you do not look so well." The thunderer commented.

Loki scoffed, clutching the wound at his side. He had not the energy to heal himself now. "I am sick of battle. I never liked it as much as you."

Thor frowned slightly. "That was many years ago. I no longer find joy in killing others for the adventure."

When they finally got back to camp, Loki headed straight for his dark green tent, not bothering to get supper. He just wanted to sleep. Nine months of non-stop fighting. Nine months of eating cold soup and hard bread. And finally, nine months of not being with Sorrow. He laid down on the straw pad and started to drift off to sleep.

"Prince Loki!"

Loki hissed in agitation. "What?!"

The soldier came into his tent and bowed. He held out a letter. "It is a letter from the palace."

Loki slowly sat up. He glared at the soldier and snatched the letter out of his hand. His mother sent him too many letters, all rambling on about useless things that wasted his time. He ordered the soldier out and opened the letter. His tire eyes scanned over it. It was from his mother, so he didn't expect to find anything worth reading. But then his eyes caught something that made his heart jump.

"Sorrow has been extremely sick as of late, and I am worried for her. She was taken to the healing halls early this morning, and I'm not sure whether she'll make it or not. I hope they can save her life. They say she is dying. I am sorry to have to tell you this in the middle of war. I know how stressful it must be…"

Loki had stopped reading at that point. Sorrow was sick and the healers feared for her life. Loki cursed himself. He was stuck here while his Queen was dying. He bolted out of his tent and ran into Thor's tent without waiting to be let in. Thor was stripped to the waste, cleaning his wounds. He was surprised by Loki's entrance and it took a few seconds to realize it was Loki. A sword was in his hand and pointed at Loki's throat, but the dark prince ignored him, pushing the blade away. "I must go back to the palace, Thor."

Thor looked over his brother's pale form. "We need you here, Loki. You are one of the most powerful sorcerers in the nine realms."

"That is why I need to go back. Sorrow is sick, the healers fear for her life. Mother says she is dying. Please. I need to see her. Maybe I can heal her."

Thor considered this. "I will need you back in less than three days. Travel with speed, brother."

Loki took no time in getting a horse. He couldn't teleport too much because his energy was drained, so he would have to ride the whole way. It was one day's trip to the palace. He hoped to get there in time.

A day later, he charged up the steps of the palace, pushing past guards and servants. He used as much energy as he could muster and teleported nearer the healing halls. He burst into the room, asking a healer to show him where Sorrow was. The healer nodded quietly and walked slowly towards a door. Loki pushed past her and opened the door.

There Sorrow was. Pale with purple rings under her eyes. She looked exhausted. Loki suddenly thought about how unwise it was to be so filthy around someone so sick. He sighed and used his magic to burn the outside of his armor, all the dirt and blood burning away with it, but leaving his armor unharmed. He did the same thing to his skin and face. Soon, he only smelled of burnt dirt, but was clean.

He cautiously approached the bed. His fingers wrapped around her warm hand. That was a good sign, wasn't it? She wasn't cold. Her blue eyes immediately opened. She blinked a couple times, as if trying to see if he was real. She reached up and touched his face. She smiled. "Hello, Loki."

"Are you alright? Mother told me you were… dying."

Sorrow laughed quietly. "I was. But I'm okay now…." She looked into his icy blue eyes. "I haven't seen you in so long." She said in nearly a whisper.

Loki touched her soft cheek. His hands were rough from fighting, scratchy almost. "I have missed you. It has been too long. I do not understand these pointless wars."

And that's when Loki heard the cried of an infant. A healer picked up a baby out of a crib by the bed. He had failed to notice the crib in his haste to get to Sorrow. The healer brought the child over to Sorrow and Sorrow took it in her pale arms. She smiled down on the bundle, but Loki couldn't see the baby's face. "Sorrow…?" Loki asked slowly, his heart pounding.

Sorrow smiled slyly. "If you had actually read your mother's letters, perhaps you would not be so shocked right now… Loki, this is Hela. Our daughter."

Loki gently took the bundle from her arms. Blue eyes stared up at him. Sorrow's blue eyes. A mop of black hair adorned her small head. She was in a small white dress. She was beautiful. "Hela?" She seemed to like his voice and started to quiet down and stop fussing. She stared into his eyes, and Loki smiled. She started crying again. "Shall I tell you a story, dear princess?" Loki sat on the edge of Sorrow's bed.

Hela yawned. She wrapped her small fingers around his pointer finger. "Once upon a time, there was a lost prince. He was a monstrosity in his own home, and could find no peace in any realm. Then, he found someone very special…"

For that moment, in that small healer's room, in the grand city of Asgard, once a place the younger prince despised, all was peaceful. All was serene. And Loki was truly happy.

Loki had missed the first seven years of her life. The crucial years in which a parent and child start bonding and trusting. Of course he would come back to visit as many times as he could, but Hela had only seen him as a stranger. Loki was already failing as a father.

He knocked gently on Hela's door and the sniffling he had heard subsided. The door opened just a little and two blue eyes peered through. Hela saw Loki and hesitantly opened the door a bit more. She had long black hair that went down to her mid-back, and a little round face. Her eyes were red from crying. "May I come in, princess?" He asked calmly.

Hela shyly opened the door so that he could come in. He walked into the room, decorated in dark blue. She had already picked a color, just as Loki had picked green and Thor had picked red. This blue was a rich, deep blue the same as her eyes. Hela was unusually smart for being ten years of age. This made him forget sometimes that she was only a small child, for she was holding witty conversations already. Loki sat on the edge of her bed and motioned her over. Hela pushed herself up next to him, but not too close. Loki tucked a piece of black hair behind her ear. She looked up at him, tears sliding down her face.

The corners of Loki's mouth tugged at a frown. "What is wrong, princess?"

Hela looked away from him at her toy sword. It was only then that Loki looked down at the little girl's hands, which were red and sore from handling the very realistic toy sword Sif had given her. "Have you been practicing?" Loki asked, his hand motioning towards the sword.

Hela finally spoke. "Why would you care?"

These words cut through Loki's heart. The same question he had asked himself whenever Odin had tried to talk with him when he was younger. "Because you are my daughter, and I love you."

"Then where were you?"

Loki sighed and put an arm around her. "It is a devastating thing called war. I had to fight to protect Asgard, which meant I could not see you or your mother very often."

Hela's features softened. She looked up at him with curiosity. "Was Sif in the battle?"

Loki chuckled, knowing how much Hela admired the warrior lady. "Yes. She and the Warriors Three. They fought bravely." Hela smiled. "Is that why you were practicing with the toy sword?"

Hela's frown returned and she looked away from her father. "Yes. I want to be like Sif."

"To be a lady warrior, you must be very talented and strong. Perhaps you would like lessons with her?"

Hela glared at him. "Why would you care?! You can't just pop into my life! It's my life!"

"I care more than you could imagine."

"I don't believe you." Hela started sniffling again.

Loki pulled the little girl into an embrace. She fought him on it for a little bit, but then calmed down and cried onto his shoulder. Loki had to let her know he cared. Odin hadn't even tried to show Loki the slightest bit of love, and Loki was determined to be different than he was raised. "I love you, Hela. I know I have been gone for a long time, but I promise I do care. And I do love you. Give me a chance."

Hela looked up into Loki's eyes. She was so smart, much like he had been. But Hela was very much her own person. She was stubborn, but intelligent. She loved sword fights and would sit in the training rings and watch Sif spar. But she also loved reading and magic. Loki had caught her trying to use an invisibility spell once. "How about we have magic lessons? Just you and I? And later, you can train with Sif. But first… tell me what is wrong."

More tears gathered in her eyes. "I was… I was outside… and I saw a squirrel. I don't know what happened! I… I wanted it to stop so that I could hold it, and it… dropped dead. It was like I killed it with my mind."

Loki and Sorrow hadn't told Hela that she was the Goddess of Death yet. But he wasn't going to hold the truth from her like Odin did to him. That was cruel. He didn't want her identity to be ripped from her, ground up, and shoved back in her face. But they couldn't tell a ten year old that was impressively smart for her age that she was a creature of death and darkness that was banished to Helheim millennia ago. "You are different from us, Hela. Just as I am not Asgardian, you are not. You know that I am not Aesir, right?"

"Yeah… mom said you were Jotun. She thinks you're attractive when you're a frost giant…"

Loki grinned. "She does? How would you know that?"

"I read it in her journal…"

Loki chuckled.

After a brief silence, Hela spoke again. "Am I a frost giant?"

"No." Loki couldn't tell whether the child looked relieved or disappointed at this news.

"Then what am I? Why did I kill the squirrel with my mind?" Hela started crying again. "It was innocent! It's my fault it's dead!"

Loki pulled her close. "You are too young to understand what you are now, but I promise you will know when you are older. You are not Aesir, or Jotun, or Elvin, or even a Dwarf. You are special. Always remember that your mother and I love you more than anything, and we will be there for you when you are old enough to understand who you are. I don't want you to go through your trial alone."

Hela smiled and wiped the tears from her eyes, but she still looked troubled. "Can I still learn how to fight with Sif?"

"Of course my warrior princess."

"What if I get hurt, though? Mom doesn't want me to get hurt."

"And that's why I shall teach you magic. Magic is more than just tricks. It is also defense, healing, and strategy. Knowing what spell to cast at what time…. Besides, your mother wouldn't have to know." Loki said with a grin.

"Mom knows everything." Hela replied as if it was the most common knowledge in the universe.

This made Loki chuckle. "I guess she does. She can teach you how to sew."

"Warriors don't sew!" Hela debated.

"Oh don't they? What happens when you get a rip in your armor's fabric? Are you going to wait until you can get a servant to sew it for you? Even the Lady Sif knows how to sew."

Hela pondered this. "I guess you're right. I'll learn how to sew. But only if Sif does it!"

After a few moments of silence, Loki could see her eyes were growing heavy. "It is way past your bedtime, princess."

"I'm not tired!"

"Even a warrior must sleep."

Hela glared at him. "That's not fair! You're using that as a reason for me to do everything! I'm not stupid!"

"I know you're not, princess. But it is true. A warrior must get sleep or they will be drowsy and unable to concentrate properly while fighting."

"Okay…"

Hela climbed under the covers and Loki tucked her in. He stood up and walked towards the door. "Father?"

Loki smiled. She had been calling him Loki ever since he got back. "Yes my warrior princess?"

"Can you… tell me a story?"

Loki sat on the edge of her bed once more. "What about?"

"An adventure with Uncle Thor!"

Loki grinned, the perfect one coming to mind. "A long time ago, when Thor and I were only a few years older than you, Thor had the most idiotic idea that if we traveled to the highest mountains of Niflheim and captured one of the giant rams, that we would be true warriors… I remember how we both got stuck on the back of one. It is worse than trying to ride a bilgesnipe…." As Loki told the story, Hela's eyes eventually closed and her breathing evened out. Loki brushed her hair out of her face and gave her a kiss on the temple. "I love you, princess." He whispered to her, casting a spell on her to give her good dreams. A small smile rose to her face. Though she was the Goddess of Death, she was his princess, and he would kill anyone who said otherwise.

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