"Hey, Hela," Dahlia said as she walked into the royal tent and saw her sister leaning over some papers, clearly documents regarding Niflheim, and Dahlia felt guilty for a moment for interrupting, as she knew how easy it was for her sister to fall behind and could mean the difference from somebody being released now from Mareritt or being an acquaintance of the torturers for longer.

Thankfully, Hela closed the file she was working on and it seemed to be on the last page and put her quill down. She smiled and said, "hi, how was class?"

"Boring," Dahlia answered simply which made Hela laugh, "he even gave us homework. I thought learning about the realms would be fun, but it isn't".

"What was today's lesson?" Hela asked as she stood from her desk and walked towards her sister.

"Agriculture on Vanaheim and animals and stuff like that. It's boring".

Hela hummed as she now stood in front of Dahlia and reached for her fingertips to hold as she said, "I know. You're forgetting, I learned all of this and more while trying to be a Queen. After I expressed my vision of Niflheim to Alec, he wanted me to learn how the other realms worked successfully, especially since I was looking for a way to bring life to Niflheim. Remember, papa and I are not expecting you three to learn everything immediately, it will take time. Besides, Professor Almar told me he's teaching you the boring lessons first, so think of all the fun there is to come".

Dahlia rolled her eyes and groaned, "can't we skip the boring lessons though?" Hela shook her head. "Fine, but it better be fun. I'm not sure how much more Fen can take without falling asleep. I think he's purely waiting for all the battle stories and stuff like that. At least Jora seems to be enjoying himself".

"Sounds like our brothers," Hela said fondly then let go of one of her sister's hands and held the other with both of hers. "Now about today's magic lessons, you could say they're cancelled".

"What? Why?" Dahlia asked as she frowned and immediately thought the worst, "where's dad? Is he okay?"

"Papa's fine, honestly," Hela said quickly and reassuringly, knowing where her sister's mind would be wondering to. Hela then added, "he's actually with Fen and Jora. Papa wanted to see them in training, he's been questioning Akio for the past hour on all of your training routines and how fast he's planning on pushing you. I think seeing three of his children on the floor with swords at their necks more than once brought something out".

Dahlia gasped sarcastically, "you don't mean the overprotective, never wants to see his children hurt, side of him?"

Hela laughed and nodded, "yep that sounds like it. Anyway, he's watching them, and I have a surprise for you".

Hela then began to pull Dahlia out of the tent and was walking so quickly that both Queen and Princess had to pick the front of their dresses up so that they wouldn't fall over. Dahlia asked several times where they were going as they were making their way towards the entrance of the camp, but she never got an answer, just a harder pull to hurry along every time she asked. Leaving the camp, she saw a group of soldiers not too far away with their father and brothers. Jörmungandr was with an unknown soldier to Dahlia and was throwing knives at a target, not quite getting the centre every time but was close. Fenrir was sword fighting a soldier while it seemed Akio was instructing him. Dahlia expected to be pulled over there but instead, she was pulled to the left and towards where the Thestrals were gathered.

Since leaving the royal tent, Hela finally calmed down and wasn't pulling her little sister to the point Dahlia thought her arm would pop out of its socket. Dahlia looked to the Thestrals and wasn't too surprised to see Carr with them, but she was surprised that Eclipse and Zelda were front and centre and what surprised her more was how healthy Eclipse's wing looked. Carr smiled at them as they approached and bowed, "your highness, Princess".

Hela gave a single nod with a smile as she asked, "is everything ready?"

"Is what ready?" Dahlia asked as she walked towards Eclipse and began to stroke the Thestral who enjoyed her young rider's attention as she strongly disliked her rider hurt or under the influence of a dark being.

Hela answered, "it's taken a few days but Carr is happy enough for Eclipse to be ridden".

Carr nodded and added, "it will take time for her wing to return to the strength it was and there will always be slight scarring, but I cannot get a full analysis of it until she is in the sky and to see how she is in air. Especially since it was Asguardian weaponry that caused the injury".

"Unfortunately, Eclipse won't let Carr ride her to see how injured she is," Hela said, and Eclipse huffed and looked at Carr as if she was glaring at him. "She's still upset over Carr trying to heal her and stop her from flying when you were kidnapped".

"She is still a child," Carr said, "she hasn't yet learnt her manners like Zelda". He gestured to the Queen's Thestral who walked to Hela with her head held like a royal, high, and stood strong by her own rider's side.

"You should behave," Dahlia said to Eclipse who stopped glaring at Carr and looked back to her rider as Dahlia stoked her neck, "he's trying to look after you". Eclipse grunted and began to hit her hoof on the ground and gesture her head towards Carr. Dahlia immediately understood and stopped stroking her and crossed her arms over her chest and responded, "I don't care if he tried to stop you. You want to keep me safe, how would you do that if you damaged your wing beyond repair? Yes, you got to me in time this time, but what about the next?"

Eclipse was ashamed and stopped stamping her hoof and put her head down for a moment before nudging Dahlia's arms free. Dahlia tried to be strict but couldn't help but smile so she uncrossed them and began to stroke the Thestral once again. "Remember this next time you put yourself in unknown danger. Like I said," Hela said, stroking Zelda, "I thought she was perfect for you when I brought her to you, that's why she accepted you as her rider. Same personalities. Would you stop if injured?"

Dahlia didn't answer, she didn't have to because her sister knew her too well. If someone she cared for was hurt, it would take her dying to stop her from helping them. Many would call it a weakness, but her family and friends were her strength. She had been weak and vulnerable, at the mercy of those who wished her harm and those who were supposed to protect her, and she swore she would never be weak again. Even if it meant dying for those she loved.

"Exactly," Hela said as she could see her sister's mind working and knew the conclusion it would always come to when it involved family. Zelda then bowed, and Eclipse followed and both royals mounted their Thestrals.

"Perhaps not too many tricks, Princess," Carr said, "and if her wing begins to shake or seem like she hasn't got the strength to last much longer, it would be best if you just land and ride on foot the rest of the way".

Dahlia barely managed to nod before Eclipse took off running and jumped into the sky, as if she wanted to escape the annoying man who prevented her from doing what she wanted. All Dahlia heard was her sister's laughter then she glanced behind her as she was in the air to see Zelda taking off. Dahlia then looked to her Thestral's wing and saw that for a moment it shook as if the fast air pained her but when Dahlia questioned, "Eclipse, are you okay?" The stubborn Thestral just stretched her wing out straight for a moment and it seemed to stop the shaking. Eclipse looked quickly back at Dahlia for a moment, as if she was being smug that she managed to stop the shaking and that her rider shouldn't listen to the silly man on the ground. Dahlia just rolled her eyes, knowing it was useless to argue.

"Feels good being back in the sky?" she heard her sister in her mind ask.

Dahlia looked to her right where her sister was flying as Zelda had caught up and smiled as she replied, "I didn't know how much I missed it".

Dahlia then smirked as she looked down at her brothers training and it seemed Hela had the same idea. They pressed down slightly on their Thestrals' necks, knowing their desire to go down and both Thestrals shrieked, knowing just what they were doing. They flew down fast, bringing their wings in so they would be like a dart hitting the ground, however, the ground wasn't their target. They got so low that everyone, except Akio of course, ducked in fear that they would get hit but they pulled back in the last second and flew away. Hearing their father laughing while Jörmungandr shouted "WATCH WHERE YOU FLY!" and Fenrir shouting, "WE'RE TRAINING HERE!".

They then flew over the school, seeing the scurrying of students getting to lessons or just sitting around talking. They even caught a glimpse of some who came to the window to see them flying but of course, many of them hadn't seen someone die so they couldn't see the Thestral. Next, they flew across the lake and with Eclipse's hoof touching the water, Dahlia was reminded of the first time she flew on a magical creature, Buckbeak, and how magical it felt but it was nothing compared to this. Flying on her Thestral over the Great Lake, with the sun shining over the hills, the reflection making the water shimmer made it all the more beautiful in Dahlia's eyes.

They then flew over the Forbidden Forest and Dahlia saw the herd of Thestrals in a clearing, a herd of centaurs running through the forest, as if they were hunting something, a flash of a unicorn and she even saw some of Aragog's children. It made her think back to all of her years at Hogwarts and knew that each year brought torment, but they also brought adventure and friends. Friends she shared those adventures with and although she was leaving, she would never forget.

Flying around for a further half an hour, never quite going outside of the view of Hogwarts but far enough that people couldn't see them was liberating but they had to go back as Dahlia noticed Eclipse began to go slower thanks to her wing and could tell it caused her pain. As they made their way back, Dahlia saw that the Care of Magical Creatures class was finishing, and students began to make their way back inside. It was then that Dahlia noticed the bushy hair of her best friend and knew the boy walking next to her would be her godbrother and remembered the Care of Magical Creatures class was the fifth-year class. Eclipse then shot for the ground, Zelda following behind and for a moment, Hela was about to question what was going on when she saw the Gryffindors, specifically Hermione and Neville, and knew her little sister wanted to talk to her friends. Hitting the ground as smoothly as possible, they caught the attention of the class that was heading back inside and of course, their half-giant teacher.

"Want a ride?" Dahlia asked Hermione and Neville as Eclipse stood immediately to the side of her.

Everyone looked stunned as they could know see in detail the Queen of the dead, the goddess of death and goddess who would one day be their Queen if they wished to die of old age. Hermione and Neville, however, didn't look surprised to see the Queen of the dead's appearance, she was just surprised they were there.

"What are you doing here?" Hermione asked surprised.

Dahlia shrugged and answered, "Eclipse's wing is almost healed, it needs to be ridden to add strength to it and to see how injured it is".

Eclipse looked to the two young students her rider was talking to and could tell that while the bushy-haired girl couldn't see her, she could tell the young boy could as he was looking at her and when she caught his eye, he just stared. She pushed her head closer to him and Neville slowly raised his hand and began to pet her head which earned a smile from Dahlia.

"She likes you," Hela said as she rode closer and now sat beside her sister, "Thestrals have good instincts, she can probably smell the loyalty you have to Dahlia".

"Smell?" Hermione questioned.

"Eclipse is my Thestral," Dahlia answered, "given to me by my sister, but the Thestrals' loyalty is one without question. Hela," she said as she sent a quick smile to her sister, "has a good eye. Thestrals and their riders share a bond and the first time I rode her, she had to accept me or else it meant she wasn't meant for me. Thestrals and their riders have similar personalities".

Hela hummed, "its why this Thestral was foolish enough to jump into danger against Asgardians without thinking". Eclipse quickly turned her head to glare at the Queen, Neville's hand dropping in the process as Hela added, "she also has a bit of an attitude".

Dahlia laughed as Eclipse huffed and looked away and the Princess said, "the longer we're linked, the stronger the bond between us becomes, it was why she was able to find me when I was taken. Anyway, she has good instincts when it comes to people that want to harm me or people that are loyal".

"All biology," Hela added, "you can see it yourself. When someone is lying to you, they sometimes have a tell, fidgeting with their fingers, twirl of the hair, sweating. Thetsrals are just able to recognise their signs through smells, like many magical creatures can".

"So, do you want a ride to call, we're heading that way?" Dahlia asked.

"Is it safe?" Neville asked nervously as he saw that there were no reigns or anything to hang on to, you were putting your complete trust into an animal that could throw you off at any second.

"Completely," Hela reassured, "both Thestrals are loyal to us and wouldn't harm anyone without our say so. Besides, we're simply riding back on ground, we're not flying".

Hermione and Neville glanced to one another for a moment before Neville gave a slight nod, believing what was being said but Hermione looked nervous as she wasn't good with creatures like Dahlia was, especially ones with wings as it reminded her of Buckbeak and despite being a witch, Hermione hated flying even with a broom.

"Come on, 'Mione," Dahlia said, "I promise we won't fly, it'll be like riding a horse". Finally, Hermione gave a nod and Dahlia shrieked slightly in delight while Hela gave a small laugh at her little sister's reaction. Dahlia then said, "Neville, you're with me. 'Mione, you're with Hela".

Both Thestrals bowed low so that Hermione and Neville could climb on. Neville had the advantage of being able to see where he was placing himself whereas Hermione had to be guided by Hela. When Hermione mounted the Thestral, sat behind Hela, Zelda stood and Hermione immediately grabbed Hela's waist in fear. Hela let off a small laugh when Hermione pulled away and said, "sorry".

"It's fine," Hela replied, "you will have to hold onto my waist though. Thetsrals may be like horses, like my sister said, but they're fast so you must hold onto me. It's why my sister put you with me".

"We'll start off slow," Dahlia said as Neville held her waist lightly and both Thestrals set off, a weird experience for both students but more so for Hermione.

They were off to a good start, not going too slow, but not going too fast that they couldn't speak to each other. After a few moments, Hermione asked, "what did you mean 'that's why my sister put you with me'?"

Hela glanced back to Hermione and glanced quickly to her sister as she asked, "how much has my sister told you of our society?"

Hermione glanced at Dahlia who answered, "not much. Remember feudal society, 'Mione? Now think of how it was for women, ours is something like that".

Hermione gasped, "you mean you have no rights?"

Both girls laughed for a moment before Hela answered, "far from it actually. It used to be like that generations ago, but we have more rights than before. It also depends on the realm. Some realms have more rights for women, others have little. On Asgard, it was frowned upon for women to be warriors. Lady Sif," Hela said the name in disgust, "had to fight and prove herself to become a warrior. She is one of few who have ever made it on Asgard. On Niflheim, it was like the old times, women had nothing, there had never been a Queen before me and the past kings looked down upon my predecessor's decisions to make me the first. After that, I made it so that everyone was equal but of course, people come from many different walks of life, come from many different customs and you have to take that into consideration".

"So, what does that have to do with us?" Neville asked.

Dahlia answered, "although Hela and I have a lot of rights, there's one that's forbidden to us".

Both Gryffindors looked equally confused and intrigued until Hela said, "men...this is the only realm that it has become common to have relations with each other outside of marriage. It also depends on the family, specifically the father's decisions upon his daughters".

"You don't have arranged marriages, do you?" Hermione asked shocked, hoping she was wrong.

"No," Hela said with a slight shake of her head and a smile, "although, that does still happen among nobles, royal families and other people among the realms. Our father would never force us into a marriage, he always made it clear that he values our happiness more than anything".

Dahlia hummed and added, "dad would just prefer it if we knew nothing about men and stayed away from them. When I went to the yule ball with Fred, dad went on for weeks about how he disliked it but not as much as he would have done if he didn't know that Fred was like a brother to me".

"He is protective when it comes to men," Hela said, "and to him, it would be honourable if someone wished to court us would go to him and ask permission first. Marriage is the same. Many men would obey this wish and the courting would be monitored so that nothing happens".

"So, you remain pure," Hermione said casually but Hela blushed slightly, and Dahlia let off a slight laugh.

Dahlia looked back to Neville who also slightly blushed and she said to Hermione, "'Mione, stuff like that isn't said so casually, especially when males are around".

Hermione gave a short gasp and said, "sorry, I didn't know".

"It's okay," Hela reassured, "but you are right in your thinking".

"What this has to do with you two is," Dahlia began answering the original question, "Hela is a Queen, a goddess, and is now of age to marry and many men have shown their interest. Neville is my godbrother and everyone here knows that, so it wouldn't be an issue for me to be riding with him or to be even alone with him. Hela, on the other hand, can only be seen being in close proximity with males that are members of her family or else people may begin to assume that she is courting someone".

"But," Hermione began, "sorry for all the questions, but what if your father wasn't around to be asked about courting, what happens then?"