Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter or the Avengers.
Authors note: Amazing reviews from last chapter, even though I left you all in a state of unknowing. Thank you to those who reviewed and welcome to the new followers and favourites. Enjoy!
Chapter 28: trust part 2
She turned to leave but Thor said loudly, "Dahlia Potter, we wish to speak to you".
"About what?" She asked turning back to face them and tried to contact Hela, "sister, emergency. They've found out, Thor's got my box...Hela, can you hear me? Sister, I need you...Hela..." no response came.
Thor walked closer, the other Avengers were close by too but Clint and Bruce were whispering to the professors to get out of the hall and to take the students with them. Of course, they were just as confused and didn't move as instructed. For Professor Dumbledore, McGonagall, and Snape, seeing Thor before them wanting to question Dahlia made it all unreal. They knew who her parents were, there was no doubt.
"What is this?" Professor Umbridge almost shrieked, "you're interrupting Ministry business".
"Dahlia," Professor Dumbledore said as he stepped closer, "is there something you wish to tell us?"
Dahlia tried to act innocent as she said, "I don't know what you mean. Professor, what's going on?"
Thor held out the box and demanded, "take the box. I want you to place your hand on the top and open it".
Everyone was staring at her, she knew if she didn't take the box they would take that as confirmation, but if she touched the top of the box, they would be able to tell she has magic not belonging to Midgard. All she knew for sure was that she couldn't contact her sister and she wanted, no, needed, her box back.
She held out her hands as Thor handed the box over and Fudge asked, "what is going on here?"
"You'll be told in a moment," Clint said eyeing Dahlia's actions carefully. Fudge looked to Dumbledore but the headmaster seemed to be focusing on the situation at hand.
As Dahlia held the box in one hand, she raised her other hand to put it over the top, everyone was waiting for her to put it on when she stopped. She moved her hand to the side as she sighed and looked up to Thor and asked, "what gave me away?"
"And that's confirmation," Tony said, attempting to joke but his mood showed that he was anything but joking. Dahlia expected them to all hold up their weapons, to threaten her or to maybe even shoot her, not fatally, just so she was weakened. The only change between them all was that Tony used his watch to change it into a repulsor like he had on his suit but he kept his hand down, as if the repulsor was just for show and he wasn't actually going to use it.
Dahlia barely glanced at the other Avengers but kept her eyes trained on Thor, waiting for him to answer and he finally did, "you caused the glass to shatter in the classroom".
Dahlia shook her head as everyone in the hall began to whisper, "I didn't mean for that to happen. You were telling lies; my sister isn't like how you were describing her. She and my brothers were never a threat before the prophecy was told, it was only then that you began to fear them. Niflheim too, you haven't even been there since my sister became queen, even before that you were unwelcomed and you talk about it like you've been there. You have no right".
"I have every right," Thor shouted.
"No, you don't," she shouted back.
It was then that Professor Dumbledore decided to step forward and say, "we should take this to my office".
"No," Dahlia said immediately, "if Thor wants to kill me, he can kill me here. Show everyone here who he truly is: a man willing to kill a child".
"Nobody wants you dead, kid. We just want to talk," Clint said.
Dahlia scoffed and said, "really? Clearly, Thor hasn't told you everything then. I guess he wants to talk off Midgard, that's not going to happen". She glanced quickly to Hawkeye and said, "I know you are only cautious because of what my father did, but I am no threat to you. I promise. As a sign of faith, I'll talk to you considering you have reason to hate my father. But if I must be removed from school, I'll talk to you at SHIELD or at an Avengers compound, but with no Asgardians".
"No," Thor said when he saw his fellow teammates looking at one another, considering her offer.
"What is going on here?" Fudge demanded, "I demand answers now!".
Dahlia answered before anyone else could, not wanting the Avengers or Dumbledore to hide the truth. If it was out, it was out, and she would happily scream it from the rooftops. At least then if they did take her, whether that was to Asgard, SHIELD, or if Dumbledore managed to take her back to Grimmauld place, everyone would know the truth behind it. She said loudly, "the truth is, my father isn't James Potter, he is Loki, god of mischief and lies. The Avengers were never here to teach, only to find me".
"Impossible," Fudge mumbled while everyone else in the room didn't care about whispering anymore and openly talked. The students all knowing about the raging god, some from only their lessons while others saw it on their TVs at home before coming to Hogwarts that year. Many of the people Dahlia thought were her friends were now looking at her in fear, but she couldn't see with her back to them.
"Lies," Umbridge spat.
Dahlia wanted to glare at her, but she refused to take her eyes off the Asgardian and luckily, she didn't have to respond as the American Patriot did, "it's the truth. We saw Dahlia earlier today, on the seventh floor, talking about magic-"
"So that's how you found out," Dahlia said, "not the classroom but earlier today. The classroom was a couple of months ago, you would have acted already".
Thor took a step closer to her as he said, "you are weak, your magic has drained you, Lokidottir".
Dahlia wanted to take a few steps away from him, not liking that he was right, but she stood her ground, not wanting to show weakness and just how right he was. She tried to summon her Aesir magic but could only feel it tingling in her fingertips knowing that it wasn't enough to take on Thor and the other Avengers if they decided to fight back and try to hurt or restrain her, even with the help of her Midgardian magic. She tried to summon some of her Gryffindor courage from her mother and sarcasm from her father and held her head up high as she said, "my Aesir powers may be drained for now but you have no power over me. Now, I demand you tell me what you have done to my sister"
"I have done nothing," Thor answered but then gathered something out of his pocket, "I assumed you have contact with your sister, so I brought this from Asgard". He held up a poultice bag with a Norse symbol drawn on the front of it. Dahlia had read about such symbols, with the right herbs and ingredients it could block power emitted from magical items for a short amount of time; magical items such as her locket to communicate with her sister, all it needed was to be in the same room.
"That won't work long," she said.
"Long enough," Thor said cryptically, and Dahlia knew going to SHIELD or an Avengers compound wasn't an option.
"We should discuss this in private," Dumbledore said as he walked closer and luckily, he stood beside Thor so Dahlia could keep eyes on both of them, "Miss Pot-" Dumbledore began then stopped himself, "Dahlia has never shown any sign of being a danger. I believe we can discuss this and come up with a reasonable solution".
"Why?" Dahlia asked him and shook her head, "why did you let them come here?"
"I did not know," was his answer, "they believed you to be a child who would cause grave evil, I never anticipated you would be that child".
"Why? Because I'm supposed to be the saviour? Because of the damned prophecy…yeah, I know about it".
"Dahlia-"
"No," she snapped at Dumbledore, "I know everything. I know why Voldemort isn't dead, I know what he did. I know the truth about what happened that night in Godric's Hollow". Dumbledore visibly stiffened which drew many questionable looks from all professors and heroes, including such professors as McGonagall and Snape who stood behind Dumbledore. Dahlia took a moment of comfort knowing that Dumbledore's right-hand woman and the long-term spy who should have been godfather didn't know. Many around them couldn't believe how Dahlia was speaking to Dumbledore, always believing she was loyal to the headmaster.
"The greater good-" he began on one of his usual greater good speeches, but Dahlia wouldn't listen to his poison anymore, knowing his version of the greater good meant that she would have to die to save everyone else.
"Is nothing if you sink as low as he did," Dahlia said, "my sister is the Goddess of Death, yet she is looking for a way out and I bet you didn't even look…did you or did you not care about what it would take to destroy him?"
"Of course, I did," Dumbledore said honestly.
Dahlia just slowly shook her head with a small smile and said, "Why do I find that hard to believe?" She then looked to the group of five Avengers stood together and said, "you know what the worst thing in all of this is? I honestly believed you were here to help with Voldemort"
Many people in the room flinched and Fudge said, "he is not back".
She quickly turned to look at him and snapped, "now's the time for you to grow up. You're scared, I get it, but you've wasted almost a year already". She then looked at Umbridge and said, "and you, if I see or hear that you're using your quill on a child again, you'll be experiencing the full force of what Aesir magic can do, and that's so much more than seeing bats".
"You-" Umbridge shrieked furiously, now knowing that she wasn't crazy but Dahlia didn't give her the satisfaction of speaking.
"Shut up, nobody wants to hear your voice," she said to the shocked Umbridge and she heard some students behind her laughing as Dahlia looked back to the Avengers and said, "as I was saying, I honestly believed you were here to help, not following the orders of a Prince who's his father's little puppet".
"We can help," Steve said.
"How?" she questioned, "I'm destined to kill him, there's a prophecy, so how exactly are you going to help if I am being taken to Asgard?" a moment of silence passed as all the Avengers but Thor glanced at one another. "exactly…Lily Evans is my mother, I'm half Midgardian. Born here, raised here, doesn't that mean taking me is kidnapping?"
Thor then jumped in and said, "law states-"
"What law?" Dahlia questioned, amused, to Thor, "you mean the word of that pathetic Allfather of yours who calls himself the protector of the nine realms? If Ragnarok was to happen, I would bet that most of the realms would turn against Asgard in an instant. After all, your grandfather almost wiped out the dark elves and even now their numbers are low, they were lucky to survive. Then your father fought war after war when he became king and it wasn't in the name of peace, it was to make himself feel superior. Then, he decides to take the Casket of Ancient Winters from Jotunheim, destroying it".
"Loki-" Thor tried but Dahlia interrupted.
"Yes, my father tried to destroy Jotunheim at the grief and anger of losing his family and being told lies but at least his way was more humane. Destroying Jotunheim in an instant, like that," she clicked her fingers, "is more humane than what your father is doing. By taking the Casket, Jotunheim cannot access its inner core magic that helps the realm thrive, and with the casket gone, the frost giants struggle to make buildings, struggle to keep their landscapes from collapsing, struggle through their harvest because they cannot control the icy winds. Their realm is dying because of your father. I won't ask you if you knew it was more than a weapon, because I doubt you read any book that could possibly advance your intelligence". She looked back to the other Avengers and said, "unlike all other realms, this one does not have one ruler, which makes laws between realms non-existent for you. If my mother was a dark elf…well let's just say they wouldn't let me go without a fight".
"We don't want to hurt you," Bruce said sympathetically.
Dahlia could tell he meant it and said, "but some do. I may be a child of Loki but that does not define who I am". She looked at them one by one as she said, "just as the other guy does not define who you are, a doctor with seven PhD'S. A soldier with a passion for art who has lost everyone he has ever known. An engineer, who changed the error of his ways after seeing that the very weapons he made kill and now wants to save the world. An orphaned boy, turned circus boy, turned hired gun, who was given a second chance and uses it every day knowing what the alternative would have been…and you…" she focused on Natasha for a few moments which made the assassin uncomfortable but she didn't show it. She gestured to Thor and said, "other than the puppet, who enjoys the thrill of war not thinking of its victims, and who thinks it's okay to banish or chain up young children and hold a parent back when said parent is trying to protect his children, you are the one who changed the most. I thought you would understand and not judge somebody based on their parentage. A Red Room girl, trained to kill and not feel anything, killing other little girls and brainwashed to do anything she's told, even being chained to a bed from a young age".
Natasha stiffened as she only ever told Clint that and she said, "how do you know that?"
"That? The same way I know that you killed without emotion, even the hospital fire. Up until you killed Drakoff's daughter, you didn't feel anything. Four months undercover and you never expected to get close to the little girl…the only kill at which you hesitated but you did it because she saw you kill her father. I thought you would understand above everyone what it is like to be misjudged because of your parents. You were given a second chance, but you've still got red in your ledger, so what would happen if someone was to treat Hope with the same view as you treat my siblings and I?"
Natasha moved forward quickly at the mention of her daughter's name but Clint grabbed her waist, dropping his bow and arrows to stop her from doing anything and it angered Natasha that Dahlia didn't even flinch when an assassin was coming towards her. Clint said, "wrong move bringing our daughter into it".
Dahlia shook her head and said "I don't mean any harm. I know all of this because of my sister, she keeps tabs on all of you. Did you honestly think you could just come here and not be looked into? Your daughter is only alive because of my sister, might wanna think on that".
Natasha then stopped her struggling and Clint said, "what?"
Dahlia nodded, "Hope Katya Barton, nine years old. You know, Death is an actual person, he collects the souls and takes them to Niflheim but he has a list of people, in his mind. It tells him who's dead and who's dying. Hope appeared on that list," she shrugged, "born a little too early and was going to die. So, my sister had someone heal her, give her a little boost to survive and she did. She told Death to give Hope a chance".
"Why would she do that?" Natasha asked surprised.
"Because of you…249 girls have been killed in the Red Room, many of them before they even reached maturity. My sister hates children dying, especially little girls. Kind of reminds her how she was tossed away," she shot a glare at Thor. "you were the only girl to escape their control and actually make something of yourself, and yeah, you did help put my father away but you were protecting your realm…everyone looks at you and sees an assassin but really, you have so much more good to you. I guess my sister can relate in a way. She's a child of Loki but I wouldn't say she's evil".
Dahlia smiled slightly and was surprised when the corners of Natasha lips went up, only slightly, you wouldn't have noticed if you weren't looking. "SHIELD," Steve said and everyone looked to him, "we'll take you to SHIELD, just to talk. You gotta understand people want answers to how you're even here. Then we'll bring you back".
"Actually," Dahlia started then looked to Dumbledore, "this is my verbal removal from the school. I will not be returning".
"Dahlia-" Dumbledore started.
"Nope," she said popping the 'p', "I was leaving in June anyway, why continue? I'll be studying magic elsewhere, taught by the masters themselves in the World of the Dead".
An unfamiliar sound was then heard, a sound that Dahlia thought she would never hear as her sister described it to her. It did, however, sound familiar to the Avengers, especially Thor, that it made Dahlia mumble, "Odin". She turned to the Great Hall doors and suddenly remembered how many people were in the Great Hall but taking her eyes off Thor seemed to be unwise as he grabbed her arm tightly and began to pull her.
"Thor, what the hell man?" Clint said as Thor began to drag her down the hall.
She tried to fight against him but failed, "LET GO OF ME!" she screamed.
"You will go to Asgard," Thor commanded and even by his tone, the Avengers couldn't help but glance at one another, never seeing this side of Thor before. So, demanding of something to happen.
"Like hell," Dahlia said and then quickly turned her body and kicked him right in the balls, knowing it was one area where almost all males, no matter their species, were their weakest. Thankfully, he let go of her arm and he kneeled down so she grabbed her wand from her waist and said, "Flipendo," and he flew back.
She took her chance and ran but barely made it halfway across the room before she fell, the box flying out of her hands and sliding across the room. Looking down to her left leg, she saw that just below her kneecap there was now an arrow that had pierced all the way through her leg. She looked to the top of the hall and thought it was Clint as it was his choice of weapon, but it was Thor on the floor who had grabbed his bow and fired the shot.
"'Lia!" she heard Hermione shout and she looked over to see that Hermione began to rush towards her, as well as the Weasley twins. Dahlia quickly shook her head and they stopped, slowly moving back to the students where they knew Dahlia wanted them but they couldn't help but look at the arrow in her leg, the blood pooling on the floor.
She put her wand to her waist and began to pull the arrow, trying to snap it in the process when someone pulled her hand back. She looked up to see Bruce as he said, "you don't wanna do that".
"I'm mortal, I kind of need my leg".
Bruce gestured for her tie which she took off before he tied it around her leg, just above the arrow wound to stop blood flow. He said quietly, "you won't heal like Thor?" Knowing she was bleeding far too much for someone who was supposed to be Loki's daughter. She should have been healing quickly at the rate of anyone not from Midgard.
She glanced behind him to see the Avengers coming closer, "half Midgardian remember? I heal like my mother".
The doors to the Great Hall then opened and if the students weren't gathered in groups away from the centre of the room, they were now. Odin, King of Asgard, protector of the nine realms, father of the god of thunder, was now approaching. Wearing his armour and carrying his mighty staff. Behind him were the Warriors Three, Lady Sif and two other guards, all dressed in Asgardian warrior fashion.
Dahlia couldn't help but stiffen and even Bruce saw the look in her eyes, "you're scared".
Her head whipped back round to him as he said the words, she wanted to deny it but knew she couldn't. Her stiffened posture and her increased breathing had only shown that she was. "I'm sorry," she said and before he could question her, she reached for her back and brought out her dagger before standing quickly and putting it to Bruce's throat as he was still kneeling on the ground.
Most people in the room gasped as the Avengers and Asgardians took battle stance, even Tony held up his right arm, the palm-mounted Repulsor ready to fire, until Bruce held up a hand to stop them, "stop, stop, don't do it. She's just scared".
"Dahlia, put the knife down. That won't hurt him, it will only make him transform. We don't want anyone to get hurt," Steve said.
"Lokidottir, I presume," Odin said, walking away from the other Asgardians and beginning to walk in front of Dahlia, as if examining her in a way. The professors were moving amongst the students to see if they were okay but were all too afraid to move out of the Hall in the presence of gods and warriors from another world.
"Odin Allfather," Dahlia said right back.
A shriek was then heard and to everyone who could see, they saw the Thestral running into the Hall. It was Eclipse. The Thestral saw that her rider was bleeding and tried to get past the Asgardian warriors but they began to throw spears, arrows, and tried to stab her as she tried to get past. Very few in the hall could see her but many people knew about the noise a Thestral makes due to lessons and even if they didn't, they saw the blood coming from one of her wings when it was pierced with a spear.
"STOP IT," Dahlia shouted then looked to Odin, "Please". Odin held up his hand and the attack stopped but they were still on alert as Eclipse didn't care for her injuries. Dahlia looked to her and said, "Eclipse, leave".
Eclipse shrieked and shook her head in a manner that said she wouldn't. Of course, she was just as stubborn as Dahlia which is why they were a perfect match.
"Fararleyfi. Iak munu vita vel, þú'st meiða. Un Iak þǫrf yðr, Iak munu kveða," Dahlia said in a language that she knew Eclipse was more familiar with, so it would comfort the young Thestral. (Leave. I'll be fine, you're injured. If I need you, I'll call).
Eclipse still seemed resilient to leave.
"Iak gøra eigi vilja til bjóða yðr. líka líða," she said with more confidence like she was commanding. (I do not want to command you. Please go).
Although still rather resilient, Eclipse backed up but along the way snarled at the Asgardians and in particular, Odin. when she looked at him she actually scratched her hoof along the floor, warning them that she would be close in a way. She then left the room and the castle.
"I see your sister had not only acquired you with a beast but with a blade," Odin said as he saw the symbols on the blade as they shined in the candle light.
"A blade of Niflheim," Thor said, gripping Mjölnir tightly.
The other Avengers, only seeing a blade and knowing nothing special, Natasha asked, "someone wanna tell us what's so special about it?"
Thor said, "a blade forged on Niflheim has potential to cause great harm".
"What he means to say," Dahlia answered, never straying her eyes away from Odin for too long, "is that a blade forged there can hurt him. If I were to stab Thor with this, regenerative healing would be non-existent. He would heal or die like a mortal. This is also the only weapon that can destroy a soul".
They all knew what it meant, if she was to hurt Bruce he may turn into the Hulk but he would still die. His regenerative abilities wouldn't heal him.
"Hand over the blade," Odin said holding out his hand.
Dahlia shook her head then said, "so you can destroy my sister's army? Never... Why do you do it?"
"I do not wish for bloodshed-"
"No," Dahlia cut him off and tried to keep her voice steady, to not let her emotions rule her. "Why do you continue to hunt everything my father cares about?"
"Loki has destroyed many lives".
"No more than what you or your son have. You are the ones who drove my father to madness, lying about his heritage, taking his children from him, and you continue to do so by keeping him locked up," Dahlia said and without knowing it, she tightened her grip on Bruce with the dagger.
Steve took a few steps closer and said, "ease up there. Dahlia, you're a good kid, we all see that. How about you put the knife down and we can all talk about this? No one will take you anywhere until we talk about this".
"Haven't you realised yet that the guards have chains and shackles," Dahlia said and immediately, they looked to the Asgardian guards who did indeed have shackles. All of the Avengers hated Loki but it was clear that Dahlia was nothing like the master manipulator and yet, she was going to be treated like him by the Asgardians. She added, "they don't care about your opinion, you're nothing but the bounty hunters and you've found your bounty. SHIELD was never an option once they arrived. Thor definitely hasn't told you the full story or else you would know they're planning on taking me to Asgard. To sentence me for my birth, whether that be death, banishment to another realm, tortured, chained, or if they wish to drive my father into madness more, put me in the cell next to him so he can watch me age. What's it to be, Odin, Thor?"
Neither King nor Prince answered and the Avengers were truly seeing a different side to Thor. Clint couldn't help but mumble, "this is fucked up". He had reason to hate the god more than anyone but Dahlia wasn't guilty of his actions.
Natasha, who knew what it was like to be imprisoned, knew what it was like to be a child and have everything decided for you, tried to reason with Dahlia, "Dahlia, you grew up without your parents. Bruce has a wife and son, don't let his son grow up without his father. I know you don't want to hurt him because since being here, I've watched you. All you want to do is protect people, you don't want anyone to die. You've shown this to all of us".
Tony, Steve, and Clint all nodded to what Natasha said, Bruce would have but with the knife to his neck it was harder.
"How about we let everyone in the room go, all the kids?" Natasha tried to reason with her, "they're your friends, you don't wanna scare them more than they already are".
Dahlia took her eyes away from all the heroes and Asgardians and looked around the room, forgetting that everyone now knew who she was and she saw that they were scared. She too was scared to look at her friends and reluctantly, they were they last people she looked at. While the twins and Hermione were looking between Dahlia and the Asgardians, Ginny looked scared and Ron refused to look at her.
She couldn't help but sigh and look to the ground for a moment before looking back to Natasha and nodded. The professors then began to remove the students out of the room, but it seemed a few of them didn't want to leave. "We're not leaving her," Hermione said defensively to Professor McGonagall.
"Yeah" the twins agreed, "she's just said they're gonna hurt her".
"Miss Granger, Mr Weasleys, leave this hall," Professor McGonagall said sternly but they didn't seem to budge.
"It's okay, guys," Dahlia said so they could hear her and they immediately looked to her, "I was going to tell you, before all this".
"We know," Hermione said, already figuring she was going to tell them James Potter wasn't her father before Angelina interrupted.
"Go. It's for the best," they did as she said and as they began to walk towards the door, Hermione picked up Dahlia's wooden box and Dahlia nodded, knowing it would be in safe hands.
"Enough of this, seize her," Odin commanded and the Warriors Three, Lady Sif and the guards, stepped forward. It was clear that they didn't care if she killed Bruce, they only wanted her.
Acting upon instinct, she knew she couldn't take a father from his son, she knew she couldn't unleash a few minutes of the Hulk among the castle as there were still students and teachers leaving the Hall, so she took matters into her own hands. Pushing Bruce away, she plunged the dagger into her own abdomen.
"Dahlia!" and "'Lia!" were screamed across the hall, from Avengers, Asgardians, professors, and even her friends who still hadn't left the room. Even Madam Pomfrey who was escorting the students out, left them and began to walk swiftly over.
Dahlia began to stumble due to the arrow in her leg and the sudden loss of blood. She managed to stay stood as she said to Odin, "the thing you don't understand about magic is...is that even when drained...even when blocked, when gifted with a mortal blow, it screams for help from those it's connected to".
She finally fell, not being able to stand anymore, and Steve only just caught her and slowly lowered her to the ground while still holding her. Bruce crawled to her side and began to examine the injury, just as Madam Pomfrey appeared by his side to help. All of the students now pushed out of the Hall. It was a surprise to all when a portal opened up at the end of the Hall.
"Loki," Frigga said appearing in his cell once again as he was walking around, watching for more transfers of prisoners. He turned to find her with a look of worry and anxiousness but with tears in her eyes.
"What is it? What's wrong?" He couldn't help but ask concerned.
Frigga bit her lip, something she rarely ever did, which showed Loki the verity of the situation. "Your brother was absent on a mission, months ago. Your father did not tell me what this mission was about, only that it took place on Midgard. That was until he just left for Midgard with guards and the Warriors Three...my son, is your daughter alive?"
Loki instantly stiffened and sneered, "what did you tell them?"
"Nothing, you told me she was dead".
"Then why-" Loki suddenly stopped and kneeled over feeling a strong pain and he knew it wasn't his own. It was his magic, a connection, and he knew it only did this when it came to the mortal danger of a child. Frigga could tell what was happening but it only broke her heart when Loki looked up and sneered, "you did this. You told them. They've hurt her," he stood fully and began to throw things around the room, shouting, "I'LL KILL ALL OF YOU, I'LL DESTROY YOU AND THIS ENTIRE REALM!".
Frigga vanished and ran as fast as she could to the stables before riding to Heimdall and the Rainbow Bridge.
Hela was working at her desk when Falcon came in and she immediately smiled. She was doing some paperwork regarding the souls as always and they couldn't really spend time together after dinner. He walked up behind her and began to massage her shoulders until she relaxed back and he kissed her cheek. He whispered, "you're stressed, forget about work. It's getting late and you need time to relax".
"As if. I swear more souls are entering the gates, I know numbers-wise they aren't, but it sure feels like it. It seems like more people feel it is okay to commit crimes as well, whatever happened to the days of honour?"
"Like I said, you're stressed. You need time to think about yourself".
She hummed and looked up and said smiling, "I have you to do that for me".
He leaned down and placed a simple kiss to her lips and said, "I love you".
She giggled and said, "after years together I should hope so. I love you too".
She then felt a sudden pain in her abdomen, she recognised it instantly but that didn't stop Falcon from kneeling to her side and asking worriedly, "what's wrong?"
"Dahlia," she gasped as she stood. "Go get the healer, I'll leave the portal open here, go".
Falcon immediately stood and left but she heard him call the guards, specifically Akio outside the room, to go in. Once they did, Akio bowed and said, "my Queen".
"No time for that," she said waving her hand, a portal opening, "the Princess is injured". Akio and a dark elf by the name of Morek immediately had their hands on their swords and followed their Queen through the portal, without question of what danger or threat would be on the other side.
Authors note: Did you honestly think this chapter wouldn't have a cliffhanger also? Please review.