Chapter 10: Lady
Sif moved slightly, and tried to prevent herself grimacing. The wounds she had taken during her fight with Hela still stood there as reminders, making it harder to truly focus. Still, she was alive, and the palace of Asgard remained standing, even if Hela held the south, the west and the east. The King had summoned a meeting of the war council, a crown atop his head, he looked mightily handsome, though Sif hesitated to think that. He still cared for the human that much she could tell. Still she had seen something pass between herself and the King more than once.
She pushed that thought out of her head and spoke, breaking the silence. "Sire, Hela holds every possible exit out of Asgard bar one. You must decide whether you wish to move this way or that. Do you wish to continue fighting, or do you wish to retreat?"
Volstagg, missing an eye but still as stubborn as ever spoke then. "Retreat? Why should we retreat? Asgard is our home. We shall take it back, or we will die defending it."
"For once, I agree with the dwarf." Loki said, Thor's brother had appeared surprisingly devoted to the King, for a change. There had not been one change of heart from him.
"Brother?" The King asked.
"We can retreat, and we will be saved, but Hela will still be alive. She will still be here, and she will come after us no matter where we might be. Either we defeat her and kill her, or die trying." Loki replied.
Sif could see that the King seemed hesitant over this, therefore she decided to speak. "Sire, Hela has destroyed half of the population of Asgard, and those she hasn't destroyed are either here or with her. Her army grows stronger by the day, and I have heard rumours she intends to bring the world serpent to the fore."
The King sighed, whilst Loki gasped. Heimdell however, seemed indifferent, though of course he had likely seen this beforehand. "So, the world serpent emerges from its slumber. Our armies are depleted, and we are looking at a never-ending war." The King concluded. "Heimdell, you were alive when Hela was born, did the All Father state anything about her?"
Heimdell looked his age, the last few weeks had truly taken something out of him. There was grey in his black hair, and his skin was tarred with the darkness of war. Sif knew that he was haunted by the deaths of his sons and daughter. "Only that she would grow stronger the longer she was on Asgard, she is not at full strength now."
"And you did not think it prudent to perhaps mention this before?" Loki asked.
"I had thought that with Stormbreaker, the King would be able to destroy her. But as I am not able to see her, I could not see that she would prevent herself being directly engaged. Instead she engaged Ve into the battle." Heimdell replied.
"And of course Ve is dead." Sif said, she had killed the beast, and most of his army of misshaped beasts as well.
The King seemed quite saddened by this. "So, the only solution then is for Asgard to be destroyed. Destroy Asgard and Hela dies with it." The King looked at Stormbreaker, a strange expression crossing his face, he then looked at Loki and something passed between them; what it was, she did not know. However, it seemed Loki did for he spoke then.
"You knew it would come to this, as did Heimdell."
Heimdell spoke. "I knew something like this had to happen, Sire. I am only sorry that it has come to this."
The King said nothing for a moment, then he looked to her, then to Volstagg and said. "Speak with Freyr, tell him to prepare his ship. Heimdell, you will control the Bifrost. Get everyone out of here. Lead them to safety."
"Where do you wish them to go, my King?" Volstagg asked.
The King looked at his brother then. "Loki will guide you." The King's brother nodded. "I shall fight Hela myself and end this once and for all." There was a moment's silence, then the King said. "You are dismissed."
They all rose and departed, apart from her, she remained and waited. She saw the slump in the King's shoulders and felt her heart sting. "Sire, you do not have to shoulder this burden alone."
The King looked at her. "I can handle everyone else calling me Sire, but not you, Sif. You are my oldest friend. Please, use my name."
Sif felt something in her chest, but ignored it. "Thor, you don't have to face Hela alone, I am sure the warriors of Asgard would stand by you, you are their King."
"I do not want more people dying. Besides, I know what must be done." Thor said. He looked at Stormbreaker. "This has the power of Surtur in it. One hit of this and she will fall, and I can use it to summon the Bifrost."
Sif wanted to say more, but she knew from the look on the King's face that he would not be persuaded. Instead, she changed topic. "I…I know that perhaps this is not an appropriate thing for me to mention, Your Imperial Majesty, but I am sorry that Lady Jane and you are no longer coupled together." The moment she had said the words, she blushed and cursed herself.
The King laughed, and she blushed harder. "There's nothing to apologise for. We were too different. From two different worlds, she wanted one thing and I another. A human could never be Queen of Asgard."
Something about the way he said that made her blush deepen. "I bid you farewell then, Sire." She said turning to leave, before she did though the King called out.
"Lady Sif, when this is all over, I think perhaps you and I should talk." The King hesitated then continued. "If that would be pleasurable to you?"
Sif turned around, fighting against revealing how much she was blushing. "I would like that, Sire." She bowed then walked out.