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{Chapter: 377 Deciding on the Past}
William smiled, eyes gleaming with mischief, and without giving her another moment to argue, scooped Sif into his arms like a bride and marched boldly into the sea.
"Let go of me!" Sif shouted, struggling hard in his grasp. "I'm perfectly fine sitting under the tree, thank you very much!"
He chuckled, amused by her resistance. "If I leave you alone, you'll end up sulking through the entire day. Better I drag you into a little mischief than have you glaring holes through everyone's backs."
"Who's sulking?!" she snapped. "I'm not some brooding shrew!"
"Could've fooled me," he teased. "Grumbling under the palm trees like someone owed you a kingdom."
"You're insufferable," she growled, twisting in his arms.
William smiled wide, ignoring the cold tone in her voice. "You say that, but I think deep down you're curious."
By now, the water had reached Sif's waist as he stepped further in, his arms never wavering. The sea shimmered under the sun, casting rippling reflections over her silver armor.
"You beast!" Sif hissed.
"That's the spirit," William said with a wink. "Come on, don't scream. You're already in the water—you might as well enjoy it."
White Queen popped up beside them like a mischievous dolphin, hair slicked back, grinning ear to ear. "Yeah, Sif. Don't be so uptight. Life is like being pulled into a weird dream—if you can't wake up, you might as well enjoy the ride. And according to this beast I quote 'life is like being r@p€d, if you can't resist, then enjoy it "
Sif gave her a look of utter disbelief. "You're insane."
White Queen grinned wider. "I used to be sweet. Then William ruined me."
William smirked. "Guilty as charged."
Not far behind, Ada and Alice swam gracefully toward them, followed by Pepper who kicked lazily through the water, a bright smile on her face. Jane floated nearby on a swimming ring, paddling slowly with her hands and watching the scene unfold.
William turned to the others. "Now then, how about we play a game? Operation: Free the Warrior Maiden."
"You what?!" Sif's voice pitched sharply. "Don't you dare—!"
But she was cut off as the girls ganged up, each of them laughing, teasing, gently tugging at her heavy armor plates.
"Relax!" Alice grinned, splashing water at Sif. "You'll sink like a rock in this thing."
"You've already joined us," White Queen added. "Time to stop pretending you're not one of the girls."
Ada gently unfastened the shoulder plate while Pepper caught the bracer. "Just let us help. This stuff is totally impractical for beachwear."
Despite her fierce resistance, Sif found herself unable to fight back effectively—especially not against five persistent women who were more playful than malicious. Eventually, only her inner garments and underlayer remained, and even the hood was tugged free.
"Give me that!" Sif reached for her breastplate, now in William's hand.
He looked at the shining piece of Asgardian armor, then turned to her, a gentle but firm expression crossing his face.
"These things don't belong here," he said. "They're from a past you keep clinging to. A past that's no longer who you are."
"Return it," she demanded, eyes blazing.
Instead, William casually turned and hurled the armor far into the open ocean. It arced through the sky, glinting once in the sunlight before splashing down more than 500 meters away.
Sif's mouth fell open in shock. "Are you insane?!"
William's tone softened as he stood in front of her, blocking her from swimming after it. "Let it go. That armor is a symbol of who you used to be—dutiful, proud, unbending."
She stared at him, silent but breathing heavily.
"But here," he continued, his voice low and warm, "you're with people who accept you, who want you not for your duty, but for yourself. Sif, you don't need a shield to belong."
Her eyes flickered with conflict. "You speak as if this is some kind of new life."
"It is," William replied. "You've stepped away from the halls of Asgard. You've seen how different this world is. Here, you can start again. With me. With all of us."
She looked down for a long moment. Then up at him again. Her voice was quieter. "Is that an order?"
He smiled, brushing a wet strand of hair from her cheek. "If you want to think of it that way, go ahead. But I'd rather you accept it from your own heart. If not… I'll just keep dragging you into the waves until you give in."
Sif blinked, caught somewhere between a scoff and a smile. "You're impossible."
"And yet," he said, leaning close, "you'll still be in my arms."
There was silence. The sun warmed the top of the waves, and the others—watching from a respectful distance—smiled at the sight.
Finally, Sif exhaled slowly, her posture easing ever so slightly. "I know," she whispered.
"Don't be so serious," Alice said, stepping closer to Sif with a kind smile. "You don't need to keep acting like you don't belong. Even if you still don't like William, that doesn't mean you have to push all of us away. We've been through the same things too… more than you might think."
Ada nodded gently in agreement. "You're not alone, Sif. None of us are judging you. And we're not going to force anything on you either. We're… friends. That's it."
Pepper stretched out her arms and added, "Yeah. Seriously, drop the whole 'someone-owes-me-three-million-gold-coins' act. It doesn't suit your face."
"That's right," Jane chimed in, sending Sif a warm look. "You're not as alone as you think."
White Queen, of course, couldn't resist. She floated in the water and raised a hand like a philosopher about to deliver divine truth. "Let me put it poetically: life is like a woman being ra—"
Before she could finish, William appeared behind her and clasped a large hand around her mouth. "Nope. Absolutely not. Don't even finish that sentence."
"Lem-muh-go, I was making a point!" she grunted, trying to pry his fingers apart with both hands.
"You're making trouble, as always," he muttered, half amused.
Sif looked at all of them with surprise, softening her sharp eyes. These women—so different from her in background, in culture—were treating her like one of their own.
"You…" she began, a little unsteady.
"Don't get emotional now," Alice teased, splashing a little water her way.
But Sif only smiled. A small, rare smile. "Thank you."
And with that, she scooped up a palmful of seawater and flung it right at White Queen's face. "You little imp. Always teasing me."
White Queen sputtered dramatically. "She started it! I've been assaulted!"
"She's not the only one who wants to," Pepper laughed and joined in, hurling a wave at her.
"Oh, you're all teaming up on me now? Traitors!" White Queen squealed, splashing back at everyone wildly.
The scene devolved into chaos as the women began splashing, chasing, and dunking one another. Laughter filled the beach, mixing with the gentle waves and the warm glow of late afternoon.
Up on shore, William sighed, vanished beneath the surface, and reappeared moments later reclining on a lounge chair in the shade. A cigarette rested between his lips as he flicked open a lighter and lit it with satisfaction. He exhaled slowly, eyes fixed on the joyful group. His voice was soft, almost thoughtful.
"This is the life…"
---
As the sun dipped low toward the horizon, the colors of the sky blazed in streaks of gold and rose. One by one, the women made their way ashore, dripping wet and full of energy.
"William!" Alice called, wringing water out of her hair. "We're starving!"
He cracked one eye open lazily and looked up. "Is it that late already? Time really flies when you're not being spanked."
"You've been asleep all afternoon," Ada added, crossing her arms.
William stretched, bones cracking with the motion. "Fine, fine. I'll go catch something. Jungle meat, coming up."
"Who's going with you?" he asked, glancing around.
The women exchanged glances until Sif suddenly stepped forward, her voice clear. "I'll go."
There was a beat of silence, followed by a collective "Ooh~" from the other women.
"It's not what you think!" Sif snapped, clearly flustered.
"Oh? And what do we think?" Pepper said slyly.
"Whatever you're thinking—it's not it!" Sif growled and turned to William. "Are you coming or not?"
William was already up. "Yes, yes, my hunt partner has spoken. Ladies, you're in charge of preparing the fire and fish." William threw five fishing rods in front of them
---
The jungle was warm and humid, birds chirping in the canopy. William and Sif walked side by side, occasionally brushing past branches and tangled roots. It was quiet at first—Sif seemed to be choosing her words with care.
Eventually, she spoke. "That night… when you got me drunk."
William glanced at her with a side-smile. "You say it like I tricked you."
Sif stopped and turned to face him, her eyes sharp but uncertain. "I want to know what I said."
"Are you sure?" he asked, cocking a brow.
"I wouldn't ask if I wasn't."
William's grin turned a shade more teasing. "Sometimes people say silly things when they're drunk. You might've declared war on me. Again."
Sif narrowed her eyes. "Just tell me."
He held her gaze a moment longer, then sighed and rubbed the back of his neck. "Alright. You said…" He stepped closer, letting the words hang in the air. "You told me all the deep complaints. You've laid out all the heavy stuff, Sif. But let's be real, you're a total cutie!"