My mother of this world sneered at me, while she knelt alongside the rest of our people.

However unlike them I didn't have the threat of the Asgardians soldiers to slay me where I knelt in their case, no, instead I had their King standing before me, a man that I knew ranked amongst the strongest of this accursed universe.

Even as he stared down at me with a passive look meeting my defiance, I had to swallow my fear, the fear the was pumping through my blood.

Fear is a reaction, courage is a decision. A man who wasn't even close to being alive will say.

"What is you name, boy?"

"Alcon, son of Thadus." I swallowed the lump in my throat, "King of Vanaheim." As of the last day since dear old father thought he the peace loving magic farmers of Vanaheim could stand against the battle-lustful Asgardians. Of course we had warriors, but compared to the might of Asgard we might as well be ambling children playing stick fighting.

"You called for this parley." He said with a bemused smile, as if he was talking to a child who was over his head, and he's not wrong on most accounts.

The body is that of a child, and I sure as hell am out of my depth, but my mind is twenty odd years, of a man from a universe that thought of this one as a work of fiction.

"Of yesterday, your predecessor was resolute Vanaheim would not fall till the last of your people's final breath."

"My father was a prideful man, but only a fool would sacrifice the lives of his people against a one sided battle."

"And what do you know of sacrifice, young Alcon?" He mused.

"I feel as if I will learn of it soon enough." Was my gibe of a reply.

Odin let out a puff of amusement, "Do you understand that this parley will cause you to lose you throne?" He advised oddly enough, most likely he simply wanted me to understand how hapless my situation, as if he wanted to twist the knife.

"I must reiterate, what good is a throne if my kingdom does not live?"

"A living kingdom?" He said with an eyebrow cocked.

"A kingdom is not a castle, or vast wealth, nor is it the lands I profit from, no, a kingdom is it people's, the people I am charged with serving."

Something in Odin's expression change but I couldn't pin point what, nor was I given time as he motioned for me to sit at the table laid out for him.

"The monarchy of Vanaheim will be dismantled." Odin drove straight into the talks, no pandering was something I respected of the man.

I nodded knowing it was coming, "I understand the need to do so, but what would that entail of Vanaheim's standing? Are we expected to serve Asgard as slaves?" The terms of this 'war' was never set, as my late father was all too 'trigger' happy to talk things out.

Odin looked as if he was pondering my words, I expected he wanted me to squirm but I held strong, after all that was the only thing I could really do now, "No. Vanaheim will have a standing amongst Asgard, you may integrate you nobility with ours," The within reason was unspoken, the lowest of Asgards greats, would stand over any of the blood of Vanaheim. "the royal family may continue to lead, however they may never be called royalty again."

Odin continued to make terms that were not wildly outrageous, if anything he was being perfectly amicable, farms supplying goods to Asgard, our talented potioneer's making batches per orders, and in return Asgard was bound to to protect and keep the peace in Vanaheim as we were part of their fledging empire, however he got to the crux of the issue I knew that was coming, "To reinforce these terms, and to have assurance that Vanaheim will abide to these terms, I will need a hostage."

Figures.

Odin needed the show of strength to remind my people that he came and with literally no time took us down, slew the king, and took me hostage. Not that it really mattered in the end, Vanaheim learnt the hard way that Asgard was not to be trifled with. In addition me being their hostage would not change anything, certainly not after today, to my people, they would not rally to my defence if the need arose, I would be labelled as the coward boy king, my harsh task-master of a mother would stew at her position being taken would poison my baby brother against me, but I hope she had enough sense to know she would damn our people if she tried anything.

All I could do was nod, "I will abdicate my newly minted position to my younger brother, and till he comes of age, my mother will rule in his stead."

Odin nodded in satisfaction, "For what little it is worth, Alcon, you were a wiser king than most. And you will be treated fairly in Asgard."

Out of the frying pan and into the fire.

Asgard was certainly glitzy, but the city wasn't quite accented with gold, instead it almost seemed new, as if someone was building upon the foundations of an ancient land while also simultaneously respecting what laid before.

Hell the only thing I could contextualise from what I saw in my past life was the Bifrost.

Odin was kind enough, to allow me to gather a few items, and say my goodbyes, not that I needed long for the latter, my mother regarded me coldly, and in less words claimed I was a traitor to our kind.

The journey through Asgard was slow and clamorous, as the people regard their king and his war band with great cheer. Odin played the kindly king as he waved and took on their praise with a genial smile, but I couldn't help but feel irritated that those folk were gladly cheering that Odin had essentially invaded and slaughter my people.

"History is written by the victor." I mumbled to myself like a fool, in earshot of Odin, his smile didn't leave his face but he did give me a slight incline of his head.

"Of course, and in Vanaheim they will vilify Asgard."

Not for long from what I've seen.

"Let's hope in the end all of this is forgotten. And real peace will come naturally."

Odin let out another amused sniff, "You are a peculiar child, Alcon."

Eh, I've been called worse.

The parade had eventually came to an end, most of the entourage veered off as Odin, a select few of his guards, and myself ended up at the entrance of the palace.

Many of the people that lingered in the courtyard were dressed in finery, a tad bit too ostentatious for my taste, but nobility being flashy was nothing new.

But I couldn't help but feel out of place, my darker toned skin and less than worn clothing must have stood out even if the king's shadow was my shield from their sights.

Odin dismounted Sleipnir, a mighty stallion, but if this is the timeline I believe it is, it begs to question how Odin has such a beast as his steed this 'early' so to speak.

I was brought out of my thoughts as Odin, embraced the definition beautiful, Frigga had an unearthly beauty to her, and while she was surrounded by a sea of flashy nobles, her relatively 'simple' outfit only enhanced her appearance, but what really made her stand out was the kindness she breathed out.

Something she could perhaps teach the girl that stood beside her.

"Oh, father. Did you bring me a pet?" The girl smirked as she watched me dismount the pony that was loaned to me.

"Hela." Frigga chided her daughter with a stern face, something the girl ignored as she watched me with a coy smile, an unsettling look on someone as young as her, seems like the blood-lust was nature which would only be magnified by nurture.

"Frigga, my beloved, Hela, my dear." Odin motioned for me to near which I did reluctantly, "This is Alcon, former King of Vanaheim and now my ward."

Frigga gave me a soft look before some steel entered her expression as she looked to her husband, all the while Hela kept her eyes on me.

"You ward, father. He'll be staying with us?"

"Yes Hela." Odin said warily.

The girl dressed in a black gown took a step and invaded my personal space, and her smirk suddenly took an undertone of innocence.

Okay so maybe she's a spoiled princess as opposed to the vicious woman I know she'll become.

She grabbed my wrist in her clamp like grip, "Come on Alcon. I'll show you what you truly need to know."

She started to drag me to the palace ignoring her parents, and I couldn't help lament that other than the eventual Asgard expanse and Hela becoming a would be tyrant, why do I get the feeling I would've been better off being born during Thor's childhood instead?

12 Years Later

I held short-blade in a reversed grip and raised my right hand up to guard my chin, I took a chance to wipe away the stream of blood seeping from my bottom lip.

"Do you know your problem, my dear?" Hela asked as she inspected her blackened-green coloured nails indifferently.

Hela was a talented being and beyond over powered for someone her age, however she was a cold demanding princess in every sense of the word. With a series of 'yes' boys and girls following her around, you'd think she would grow an inflated ego, and yeah she did, but she also had enough sense to know when people were brown nosing her to simply let her hear what she wants to hear, something she despised currently, oddly enough.

So when I refused to be cowed by her, simply because her father was the big chief, she ditched her loyalist and monopolised most of my time, thankfully I got some respite from her when I was studying in Frigga's library, books didn't have an appeal to the young girl.

Yet if I ever thought of heading to the training yard she would suddenly appear out of nowhere and dragged me to the yard and dominate me.

"I'm just too damn interesting." I shrugged my shoulders, "It's a curse really." I gave her a cocky grin causing her to give me a real laugh, something she hardly ever does anymore.

"No Alcon, you just never know when you've been beaten."

I think anyone with Vanir blood would disagree.

"Hela, you're a great combatants that even some of the more seasoned Valkyries walk away with nursing their wounds. And just like them, everytime I walk away from one these spars, I know I've surely improved, no matter how many times you force me to eat dirt."

"Better you lose in the yard. Than in a real battle." Angela, the chief of the Valkyrie's said as she brushed away her red blonde mixed hair, "Nonetheless Alcon, you are correct, you're improving vastly compared to most." The older woman placed a hand on my shoulder, easing me to relax out of my battle-stance.

"What does the majority matter when he cannot trounce the best?" Hela smirked as she kept her eyes on me, missing Angela's grimace.

"Princess Hela, you should not allow minor victories cloud you perception." Angela said with a commanding tone, which was promptly ignored.

"She's not wrong Hela. Even a god could be felled by a well placed knife."

Hela picked up a few habits from our weird friendship, but for as glad Frigga is that her unruly daughter found a real friend in me, I'm pretty sure she was less than pleased she picked up rolling her eyes.

"Where do you get these notions I'll never know Alcon."

"Princess Hela. Lady Angela. Alcon." Brunnhilde, Angela's protege came rushing over.

"Brunnhilde." Angela raised a hand up, and commanded her without words to take a deep breath, but she was promptly ignored once again, as the young girl looked exhausted and panicked.

"King Odin, has declared war against the Rock-Trolls."

"Shit."

Angela sent me a furious look at the slip of the tongue, but she chose not to comment, as I was focused on Hela's blood thirsty grin.

"He has also ordered that Princess Hela and Alcon be fitted and armed."

Hela's grin somehow gotten more sinister, "Finally."

A/N - 13/08/22

I only own my OC's.