Loki's Daughter

Frigga's Key

"How are you on finding that door?" Hela asked as she sat down. The stables were empty, save the other horses. Vali closed the door to his brother's stall and sat as well. Fenrir ran around Sleipnir's feet and nipped at his hooves.

"We haven't found it yet. We're not even sure what we're supposed to look for." Vali sounded frustrated as he spoke, a frown on his face. "Heimdall only told us it was in the dungeons. He didn't even tell us what it looks like." He sighed and ran a hand through white blonde hair.

Nari sat down and Fenrir ran into his arms. He smiled faintly at the bundle of squirming fur and ruffled his fur gently. Fenrir whined and nipped playfully at his fingers.

"I wonder if it looks anything like the keys," Hela mumbled. She could still feel the cold object against her chest. It was still hidden by her clothes.

Vali shrugged some. He still had no idea she had the first key. "Maybe, but we don't know that yet. How are you on finding that key?"

A grin covered Hela's face as she reached up and lifted the sparkling key from her fabric. She smiled as her brothers' eyes lit up at the sight of it. "The first key is here. I'll start working on the next one tomorrow. Apparently Grandmother has it."

She stared at the key in her hands for a moment. It twinkled in the dim light of the sun setting. She had never seen a key quite like this one before. It looked like it was made entirely of diamonds. She wondered if the other two looked like this one.

 "Well, do you have any idea on how you're going to get it from her?" Nari asked. He stared at the key in awe and tilted his head slightly. It winked and gleamed back at him, reflecting in his eyes.

"I think I have an idea, but it'll take all day tomorrow. For now, though, we all need some rest." Hela walked over and kissed Sleipnir's head. "Sleep well, big brother," she said and then picked Fenrir up. "Bye guys."

Fenrir curled up in Hela's arms as she walked back towards the palace. She hummed softly as she went, a soft tune that Loki had taught her. She closed her eyes as she remembered his voice singing in a low tune as she struggled through one of her many nightmares.

"D-Daddy," she whined and struggled in her bed. Hela kicked at the blankets and rolled back and forth. "Daddy! Daddy!" Her voice came out shrill and she sat straight up.

Soon she heard footsteps running to her and the door opened. "Hela, what's wrong?" Her father's voice came out in a tired murmur. He rubbed his face and walked forward, sitting on her bed. For a moment, he seemed annoyed. That might have been because she had ran around all day, never letting him rest. She also had been keeping him up at night.

"She was right there in front of me! I saw her! Daddy, I saw her! They killed her! Every time I sleep, I see it happen!" Tears filled Hela's eyes. She had been dreaming of her mother again. Loki's eyes softened as she spoke and he sighed.

Loki picked her up gently and brushed her hair away from her face. He hummed softly and put his  chin on the top of her head. He murmured words to a song that was vaguely familiar. "Just close your eyes, the sun is going down. You'll be all right, no one can you now. Come morning light, you and I'll be safe and sound."

Hela closed her eyes and laid her head on her father's shoulder. His voice began to lull her into a light, gentle sleep.

Hela walked into her room while still carrying her brother and set him on her bed. She ruffled the fur on his head before walking off to her wardrobe and picking out a white nightgown lined with golden lace. She skipped off to the bathroom and shut the door quietly.