Fandom: Avengers

Character(s): Thor | Loki | Hela | Thanos

Pairing(s): mentions of past Thor/Jane

Warning(s): AU, references to Odin's A+ parenting, violence, spoilers through Avengers: Infinity War

The green and black magic of the portal hardly seemed real, slicing and warping its way through the pale sky of Norway - but the smell of layered enchantments (and something far sweeter and sicklier; death) was unmistakable and very, very real. Equally real was the tall, lithe figure making its way out through the tear in the sky. Closer and closer she came, stalking along not unlike a panther on the hunt, looking disheveled and rather worn, but with an unmistakable air of regality and danger.

Exchanging a look, Thor and Loki mutually agreed to table their argument until a more appropriate time and stepped forward to meet their long-lost sister.

Hela prowled forward, eyes darting back and forth between Thor, Loki, and the spot where Odin had disappeared.

"So he's gone." Her voice was flat, but something in her expression seemed almost mocking. "Oh, that's a shame. I'd have liked to see that."

"You must be Hela." Thor did his best to assume a non-threatening stance even as he made sure that Mjolnir was poised and ready for battle. "I'm Thor, son of Odin."

Hela smirked. "Really." She said, eyes flicking over Thor from head to toe. "You don't look like him."

Beside Thor, Loki shifted on the balls of his feet, poised and ready for fight...or flight. "Perhaps we can come to an arrangement." He said quietly.

Hela snorted. "You sound like him. Kneel."

"I beg your pardon?!" The disbelief in Loki's voice almost made Thor laugh at the irony of the situation - not a laugh of mirth, but one that bubbled up hysterically in his throat and threatened to knock him flat.

(He wondered if this was how Loki had felt upon discovering he was adopted.)

Hela didn't seem to share any of his amusement - or did she acknowledge Loki's incredulous manner. "Kneel." She repeated simply, as if it was the most obvious thing in the world. "Before your queen."

"Before who, now?" Thor readied his stance, preparing for a fight.

Hela's eyes flashed and, with a gesture, she conjured up a blade of sharp, glossy obsidian and balanced it skillfully in her hand, mirroring Thor's stance perfectly. "I am Odin's firstborn." She said, voice colder than the mountains of Jotunheim. "The throne of Asgard is mine by right of succession, the empire by right of conquest. You will bend your knees to me, brothers."

Thor tightened his grip around Mjolnir and smiled humorlessly. "And if we do not?" He heard Loki mutter "speak for yourself, brother", but ignored the Trickster carefully. Never take your eyes off your enemy - that was the first lesson Commander Tyr drilled into their heads as fledgling warriors. And Hela certainly wasn't behaving like a friend. "Will you kill us?"

The Goddess of Death smirked at Thor's query and fingered her blade meaningfully. "Darling." She said, almost jovially. "You have no idea."

"You're a monster." Loki spat, taking a step back as if preparing to run.

A chilling, terrible laugh (more of a scoff, really) burst from Hela's throat. "A monster?!" She repeated, baring her teeth. "I am but what our father made me. What did he expect, suckling his only daughter on the slaughter of nations and bathing her in their blood? Oh yes, dear brother - the stories speak truly in that regard. I did not earn my title with mere party tricks."

"Actually." Loki's glare intensified at Hela's scornful use of the word tricks. "The stories do not mention you at all." His upper lip curled, matching her snarl for snarl. "I am afraid that it is as if you never existed at all."

For a moment, Hela looked wrongfooted; hurt, even - though her eyes still smoldered. "You lie!" She hissed, taking a threatening step forward. "Where do you think all of that gold in the throne room came from?"

"Well, according to our esteemed father, it came from gifts the grateful realms gave Asgard in return for our protection." Loki tilted his head in a mocking expression of innocent inquiry. "Is that not the case?"

Hela cackled, and a dozen obsidian daggers flew past the brothers to embed themselves in the rock Odin had been sitting on. "Oh, ODIN!" She screamed, shaking her fist at the sky. "You hypocrite! Proud to have it. Ashamed of how you got it!"

Loki exchanged a look with Thor, and it comforted Thor slightly to see that even the titled God of Mischief was somewhat disturbed by their sister's insanity.

Hela sneered. "We were unstoppable. We rode across the cosmos together, I always by his side while my mother held the throne. Our enemies could not stand before us...the Nine Realms fell like corn at our feet, their riches free for the taking." She paused and looked at them, eyes suddenly very sharp as she took in their confused faces. "Norns, haven't you ever seen the roof in the throne room? It tells the whole, glorious history in full."

"What," Loki gave a sad, twisted smile. "The history of the treaty Odin signed with Laufey? Oh yes, thrilling stuff."

"Treaty!" Another cackle. "Oh, so that's what they're calling it these days. Well, well, well."

"Listen." Thor took a step forward, partially blocking Loki from Hela's view. "I don't know what kind of game you're trying to play, but there is no history of your 'glorious conquest' on the roof of the throne room. In fact, we didn't even know you existed until about ten minutes ago. Father always told me I was the firstborn, so, yes, blatant lie there, and Loki...Loki's grievances could stretch from here to Alfheim and back. But the point is, whatever you think you're going to claim because of something that happened then - nobody remembers it. Nobody remembers you. So there is nothing to claim, sister. Stand down."

For a moment, Hela looked furious. Then she grew suddenly quiet; contemplative; sad. "No one remembers me?"

"No."

A sneer. "It would seem that our father's solution to everything was to cover it up."

Loki snorted.

Thor shrugged grimly. "That or cast it out."

Unexpectedly, Hela's eyes softened. "Oh." She said faintly, staring at Thor and then Loki in turns. There was something almost gentle in her gaze; something at once broken and fierce and - above all else - knowing. She took a step towards Thor and half-raised a hand as if to touch his face. "Oh, darlings." She whispered. "You too?"

TBC...