Chapter XI: Over His Head
A/N: RL hit in the form of my mom being sent to the hospital, which made life hectic to say the least. Thanks go out to theicemenace for her beta work. Hope you all like this! SSD
Somewhere on Vanaheim…
Going on a patrol in this part of the woods at this time of night was mind-numbing and usually was given to those that were new or had lost a bet. Or sometimes both if a young guard was being foolish enough.
If the young guard had not been complaining to himself, he might have noticed that there were beings creeping up behind him. The last thing he felt was sliver of a blade across his throat.
###
Hanna was completely focused on the duel she was in with the queen. Both had landed a fair amount of hits, Hanna having gotten better in the past several months of training.
She could not believe that she had been on Asgard for nearly a year. A year ago, her magic would not obey her commands most of the time. Also, a year ago, Hanna never thought that she would be learning how to use a sword. Yet here she was now, her magic obeying her commands (for the most part) and she was learning how to use a sword.
"You do realize that you are going to be tested in the short term future on how you're doing with magic, right Hanna?" Frigga asked.
That piece of news distracted Hanna enough to drop her guard, and ended with Frigga getting her on the wrist, causing her to drop the sword.
"Tested?" Hanna asked with wide eyes. It felt like she was tested every day when Loki put her through the paces.
"It is just to ascertain just how much you are learning. You have nothing to worry about. You're doing well."
Hanna remained stunned as she walked back to her rooms to get cleaned up. That was the last thing that she expected. She wondered when Loki would have mentioned that minor detail, or the more likely situation of him springing it on her at the very last minute, with little time for her to prepare for it.
###
"When were you going to mention that I was going to be tested or were you just going to spring it on me at the very last minute?" Hanna was more surprised than angry.
"Ah, so she found out about that." Loki thought to himself before saying, "I thought that you already knew about that."
"I knew that I would get tested at one point or another, but I did not think that it would be this soon!" Despite Hanna's best efforts, there was a fair dose of fear in her voice.
"You have been on Asgard, learning from me, for nearly a year. The test shouldn't be anything particularly dangerous." Loki had his back to her at the moment, so Hanna could not see his face. Even if she could see his face, being able to decipher his thoughts would be next to impossible.
Hanna had no time finish any more thoughts on the matter, as Loki immediately set her to work on that day's lesson.
###
As fate would have it turn out, some kind of air demons had invaded the southeastern part of Vanaheim. Rumors were flying around that they were Nabassu or death-stealers as they were more commonly known as.
They were vulnerable to very few things. And in her studies, Hanna knew that one of those few things was fire.
Would this wind up being her test?
Hanna thoroughly hoped not, for if half the things she had heard about death-stealers, she would need everything she had learned so far, along with a little bit of luck from the Norns if they were being kind, which they rarely were.
###
"No, no, absolutely not. She is not yet ready!" Loki hissed at his brother who was trying to get him to bring Hanna along with the forces to fight the Nabassu. Yes, it was getting time to test Hanna. Yes her abilities lent themselves to being useful in a combat situation, especially against foes such as the Nabassu.
He and Thor had been arguing about this on and off for several hours. Thor would not see the sense that Hanna was nowhere near being ready for taking part in such an expedition.
Loki did not look forward to any possible conversation with Hanna's father telling him that his cherished daughter was dead.
Interrupting his thoughts, Thor cut in with,
"Are you worried that she won't pass and reflect badly on you?"
###
Frigga was far from surprised that her sons were arguing about bringing Hanna along. Loki was walking a very thin line between being protective and/or possessive of his apprentice.
Because of Loki's unwillingness to share Hanna, there were a few rumors as to what the true nature of the relationship between the two, whether or not it was merely that of a teacher and his student.
Frigga knew that beyond Hanna's use of her wiles early on to get Loki to teach her properly, nothing of what the Court was speculating about had happened.
Before Loki could snarl anything back at Thor, Frigga cut in with,
"A king of Asgard would know how to hold his tongue instead of arguing. But why should I expect any less of my sons?"
Thor at least managed to look sheepish. Loki still looked mutinous.
Frigga turned to Loki saying, "You can position yourself where you can keep an eye on her," knowing that her younger son would likely do that anyway.
To Thor, "Perhaps putting her with the more experienced fighters would also be a good idea. She would be in less danger that way."
Both of her sons seemed to have calmed down. Loki however still looked furious.
Thor left, looking pleased with himself.
To keep her younger son from doing something he would later regret, Frigga soothed, "Loki, it is time. You have taught her well up to this point. There is no reason to believe that she will not pass. Have some faith in her. You have taught her well."
###
Hanna looked at the suit of armor that was now in her quarters, still in a state of shock. She was going on the expeditionary force to the southeastern part of Vanaheim to fight the Nabassu.
She had a feeling that Loki did not want her to come along, for whatever reasons he may have.
The way he acted around her was confusing.
Turning her thoughts away from Loki, Hanna refocused on her armor. Thinking back to the times she had seen her brother or cousins put it on, Hanna started with the chain mail shirt.
###
About half an hour later, Hanna was finished. After a few minutes of some trial and error (she should have put the bracers on after the black leather gloves that covered and started the protection of her arms).
Adjusting the metal plates on her shoulders so she could have full range of movements, Hanna finally took a look at herself in the mirror and was surprised at what she saw.
She actually looked like someone who could fight a Nabassu and live to fight another day.
A/N 2: I'm aware that in the D&D monster manual, Nabassu are not vulnerable to fire. But for the purposes of Skyfall, they will be.