AN: This is my second attempt at a Ranma/Hild match-up. No this is not a rewrite of Hell's One True Love, for I am continuing that fic, but it might use a few elements from that fic, but not many, for this is a much more serious attempt at a Ranma Hild match-up. Hell's one true love is just an overgrown nutso spam-fic that grew into a good, if utterly nuts, story.

Disclaimer: I do not own the intellectual property that is Ranma One Half or any of its associated characters, locations, items, ideas, or anything else that may be associated with it. Those belong to each of its respective copyright owners. I do not own the intellectual property that is Ah, My Goddess or any of its associated characters, locations, items, ideas, or anything else that may be associated with it. Those belong to each of its respective copyright owners. I do not own any of the intellectual properties that are other fictional persons, places or things. Those belong to each of their own copyright owners. I do not own any real person, place or thing. Those belong to either themselves, in the case of a person, or their real life current true owners in case of a place or object. What I do own is any and every original person, place or thing, used in here as well as the story its self. Those very few things are mine. And that's all that ever will be mine.

Summary: Even the blackest of hearts can still hold the capacity for love. Hild throw away her heart long ago, yet she now may just find it again. A Ranma/Hild match-up.

A BLACK HEART STILL BEATS

PROLOGUE

RECLAIMING ONE'S TRUE HEART

Niflheim: Hild's office

"Yes?" Was all Hild asked while looking up from her paperwork on her desk, as her secretary came into the room.

"Pandora just came in with a report. That Saotome boy is in trouble again." Her secretary, Axzyia told her.

Hild sighed and asked in a long suffering and resigned tone of voice "What's he gotten into now?"

Pandora then walked in and said in a nervous tone of voice "He just fought and killed Saffron."

"WHAT!?!" Hild yelled in anger and shock.

"Um, it seems Saffron lost his mind in his latest reincarnation attempt and kidnapped that Tendo girl that the Saotome boy is staying with, and he went to rescue her, and, well, um, they fought and he killed Saffron." Pandora told her mistress, very nervously.

"Oh by all that is un-holy! The fall-out from this is going to be…. Marller!" Hild muttered and then called out.

Marller then appeared before Hild and asked "Yes Hild-Sama?"

"Ranma just killed Saffron." Hild said bluntly. Marller's eyes widened in her shock at that statement "I want you to go set up a meeting with Kami-Sama for me. And then go see your Sister Urd and get a feel from her on how the Gods" Hild spat out that word "are taking this. And I keep telling you, call me Mom unless we're in non-polite company." She chastised Marller.

"Yes Mom." Marller sighed, and then she was gone.

"Pandora, I need you to stay here so I can get some info from you for my meeting with Kami-Sama. Axzyia, hold everything for me until I say otherwise, got it?"

"Yes Hild-Sama." They both cried out in unison.

Midgard: Antarctica

Marller was cursing out Kami-Sama for choosing this icy block of real-estate for a meeting ground while Hild was busy watching Ranma through her computer screen while waiting for her meeting with the said Kami-Sama.

It had been three months since Ranma had reverted Saffron back into an infant, and almost the same amount of time since Ranma failed to marry Akane. And Ranma was now just about at his breaking point. "When I get my hands on that girl…" Hild muttered, referring to the middle Tendo child.

Before Marller or any other member of Hild's entourage could dare ask just who she was referring to, Kami-Sama teleported in with his own impressive entourage, including his daughters.

Hild put her screen away, and cast a hidden, longing look at her firstborn daughter, Urd. Then gathering herself up for her meeting with her ex-husband, she asked/said "You know why I called on you."

Kami-Sama nodded and said "Yes. Might we walk over there," He said, gesturing to his right "And discuss the matter under the illusion of privacy?" he asked in a mirthful voice and with a twinkle in his one remaining eye.

Hild shrugged and said "Sure."

As they walked out onto the field of ice, Kami-Sama asked out of the blue "Just what is it about that Saotome boy that interests you?"

"You mean you don't know?" Hild asked with a raised eyebrow and a smirk on her lips.

"I could guess, but no, I truly don't know. He is yours by right, and I have enough to occupy my time with out looking after your property. He just recently came to my attention, so all I have on him are his records." Kami-Sama shook his head and said "It's an utter shame that his father sold him to you. He would have done well as an einherjar." Kami-Sama said wistfully.

"Yes, yes he would have. But he's mine." Hild said, sounding almost sad about that fact. Shaking herself from her memories of when she used to choose einherjar for Kami-Sama, oh so long ago, she said "Your guess about why I'm interested in him is probably right. I'm coming to you for two reasons. One, I want free rein to pursue him with out every Angel and Valkyrie in Asgard on my ass, and two, I want to know just what the upside fall out is on Ranma's cleaning Saffron's clock." She said stopping in front of Kami-Sama and staring him in his one good eye.

"As to number two, the fall-out, as you say, is negligible at best. He helped Saffron out in the long run by stopping him when he was out of his mind. As to your first request, let's talk about it." Kami-Sama said, pointing to a boulder of ice that could serve as a two person couch for them.

As they sat down, Kami-Sama asked "Do you remember how you got your current position?"

Hild nodded. Oh, yes, she remembered. She was one of the few who did. One who could remember when she was still Freya, Odin's wife, before Ragnorok came and the world ended. She and Odin and a few other Gods, or Aesir as they used to be called, beat back the Vanir, or as they now are called the Demons. She and Odin, now called Kami-Sama and a few other survivors had to make reality anew from the hectic mess that it had become after Ragnorok, and she had been chosen to lead the Demons as Hild in this new reality they had created, severing her ties with the Odin and the Gods. Urd could not remember that time, for she was far too young and her other sisters had been born after that time period.

"I think that you took to your new role in this new reality too well." Kami-Sama stated. And then he said "And I think that this Ranma person is starting to awaken the old you." Hild looked shocked at his statement. "And that can be a good thing and a bad thing at the same time Hild. So, are you willing to take a chance at reverting more towards your old personality, and possibly have a great headache to deal with in your realm because of that? Or do you not want to take that chance?" Kami-Sama asked concerned.

"Odin," Hild said, addressing him by his old name. "You got your chance to move on, and to adapt well to the new reality. I have not done the first at all or the second very well. If I get in trouble with my subjects over this, I'll deal with it as it comes. I need to move on." Hild said softly.

"Yes, yes you do. I'll see to it that, as long as you are not doing anything beyond pursue a relationship with this Ranma that has caught your eye, you'll not have trouble from my people." Kami-Sama told Hild.

"Thanks." Hild said. "And give Urd my love, if she'll take it." Hild told Kami-Sama, saying the last part quite bitterly.

"I will." Kami-Sama told her, understanding both Hild's bitterness and Urd's rejection.

And then they walked back to their respective parties, and disappeared back to their home planes.