The Pickpocket

You woke with a start and had to take a moment to get your bearings in the semi-darkness. It seemed the afternoon had turned into evening while you slept.

Rubbing your eyes, you sat up, and let your tired gaze wander around the room. It was quite sparse. Here lay a few dusty books on a dresser (you doubted they had ever been opened), there stood a wardrobe with beautiful carvings... You stood up and strolled over to a shelf, where you found some jewelry - bracelets and a... belt? When you picked up one of the bracelets, it caught the light, and you took a minute to admire its bluish hue.

...Before your eyes drifted again to the dresser, or, more specifically, to the large sword stand right next to it. The sword on it was almost taller than yourself. It was polished and gleamed in the late evening sun, but you imagined you could still make out traces of the violence its owner had unleashed with it.

You swallowed.

Magni, son of Thor. And Sif.

The goddess had been rather taciturn when she led you to this room earlier. Her icy gaze alone... She certainly knew how to make someone feel her contempt without saying a single word. But that didn't come as a surprise to you, considering you belonged to the group of people responsible for the death of her son. And now you were sleeping in his bed...

So no, she didn't say a word about any of this, but there was no need, really. You quickly figured it out on your own. After all, Kratos and Atreus had told you plenty about the Aesir god, and, well; the broadsword was a dead giveaway, too. (No pun intended.)

You put the bracelet back and started fiddling with your new clothes instead. What little Sif had said was in regards to those: "There are clean clothes on the bed and fresh water in the basin so you can wash yourself."

And with that, she had left.

You were thrilled at the opportunity to wash up. The mud on your skin and clothes had dried into an annoying crust by then.

The new clothes, on the other hand... Those Odin could have kept. At first, you wondered if it was meant as a joke. You weren't a warrior like Atreus; however, your old clothes were at least practical in nature. But these?? They might have been practical if you were working in an Asgardian kitchen! A thin dress with some sort of leather apron on top, a simple belt holding it all together... You felt absolutely ridiculous and would have loved nothing more than to slip back into your own clothes, no matter how dirty they were. The only thing stopping you were the clean sheets. Lying in bed in dirty clothes was definitely out of the question.

So you had given in after all and had (reluctantly) slipped into the new clothes before finally stretching out on the big bed. It wasn't as comfortable as the one at the dwarf brothers' house, but all in all, you couldn't complain. Comfortable or not, you could have fallen asleep just about anywhere at that point.

Of course, that wasn't what you had originally planned, but at least you felt reasonably rested now.

Your gaze fell upon the door to your left. Had Atreus stopped by while you were sleeping...? Most likely. Judging by the position of the sun, at least two hours must have passed since you parted ways. Surely he had already returned from his little trip with Odin.

You bit your lower lip as your stomach suddenly started to growl. Great, just what you needed right now... You really didn't feel like wandering around outside alone. In fact, waiting here would probably be the smart thing to do. But who knew how long you would have to do that? Maybe Atreus thought you would sleep through the night and wouldn't come back to check on you... at least not today.

You paced the floor until your stomach growled a second time. Then you rolled your eyes toward the ceiling and gave up.

Slowly, you opened the door and peered out into the hallway. Not a soul in sight. You scurried over to Atreus' room, and knocked softly.

"Atreus, are you in there?"

You knocked again, harder this time, but still nothing. When you realized the door was unlocked, you poked your head inside.

The room was dark. And empty.

You frowned and looked down the hallway, unsure of what to do, until your eyes locked onto the large door at the other end. From what you remembered, it led to Odin's study. Maybe you would find Atreus in there...?

As you crossed the open space, you could hear the buzz of many voices in the distance. It was probably dinnertime in the dining hall. You ignored another rumbling of your stomach, cleared your throat, and finally knocked on the solid wood in front of you. There was a slight echo, making you wince... but otherwise, it was silent. Again. Of course.

You grimaced. Maybe they were all stuffing themselves with delicious food while you stood here like an idiot. A starving idiot.

Nevertheless, you pushed against the heavy door and, a moment later, blinked into the candlelit room. Maybe Atreus and Odin were crouching down somewhere, too engrossed in their studies to hear you...

"Hello...?"

You saw a few cluttered tables and dozens of shelves lining the walls, bending under the weight of their contents (mostly books). Also wood. Lots of wood.

Your shoulders slumped as you took a few uncertain steps into the room. Absentmindedly, your fingers reached for a small figurine on a sideboard - a miniature horse - and turned it this way and that until something else caught your attention: a door on the opposite side of the room.

You were just wondering if simply standing here wasn't already mistake enough, when you suddenly felt a slight tickle on your ear-

"Well, well. What do we have here, a little spy?"

You flinched violently and quickly backed away from the man who had suddenly materialized right behind you.

Heimdall looked at you with amusement as you rubbed your ear, still feeling the ghost of his breath.

"I-I'm not spying", you stammered, cursing yourself for how weak you sounded.

"Ha." The corners of his mouth twitched. "And I have heard better lies."

You could already feel your palms starting to sweat again. Why did it have to be Heimdall, of all people, who caught you here? Was this some kind of... divine joke??

What's more, you couldn't help but notice that he was once again blocking your only way out. You swallowed nervously as he started to slowly, predatorily, pace back and forth in front of you, never taking his eyes off you for even a second.

"Why else would you sneak into other people's rooms and go through their things? Or... are you just a petty little thief?"

You followed his gaze to your hand and quickly put the figurine back in its original place.

"The All-Father welcomed you into his home with open arms. And you steal from him on your very first day? Now, I must say..." He clutched his chest. "I knew you mortals were a little... backward in many ways. But to be so brazen...!"

"I just wanted to... take a closer look", you justified yourself, but cringed the moment the words left your mouth. Nice one.

"Ah, well", he commented dryly. "In that case."

Yeah... If you were in his shoes, you wouldn't have believed yourself either.

"And I'm only here because I wanted to check on Atreus", you quickly added.

Heimdall paused and curled his lips. "Sorry to disappoint, but Loki is still out traveling with the All-Father." He sighed deeply. "What he sees in that little half-breed is truly beyond me. Not to mention why he brought you two here in the first place."

In the meantime, you had backed away from him so far that you now bumped against the massive desk behind you. You gripped its edge while your eyes remained fixed on the Aesir god as he continued:

"I know that you will only bring disaster upon us. I can almost taste it in the air around you. The All-Father may look the other way, generous as he is, but I see through you."

With every word, he took a step closer until he was towering over you. You looked up at him in fear and didn't even dare to breathe. Your entire world was bathed in a brilliant shade of purple.

"O-Odin said you wouldn't hurt us", you squeaked pitifully.

Heimdall leaned forward until your faces were only inches apart. Then he smiled. "He's not here, now is he?"

"Ah, there you are!", a girl's voice suddenly called out.

The man in front of you held your gaze for a little while longer, then rolled his eyes and turned around.

"Thrúd", you heard him say. "Always such a pleasure to see you. Done with training already, or did mommy give you a hard time again?"

You looked past him at the girl in the doorway. She was wearing a lot of fur, had bright red hair that framed her face like a mane, and cool tattoos on her upper body. She looked absolutely fierce. Especially as she also had her muscular arms crossed and was fearlessly returning Heimdall's gaze.

You immediately liked her.

"You! Mortal!" She pointedly ignored the man standing in front of you. "All-Father wants to see you."

Your heart skipped a beat. What??

Apparently, your reaction wasn't quick enough for her liking, because the next moment she already rolled her eyes, came up to you, and pulled you out from behind Heimdall. You almost tripped over your own feet trying to keep up with her.

Just before the two of you reached the door, you heard Heimdall say loudly: "You can dress like us all you want, but you don't belong here. Neither the half-breed nor you, little thief. Don't forget that."

"Tell me something I don't already know", you muttered. Then "Thrúd" pulled you through the door and you could finally breathe again.

Until you remembered what the girl had just said.

"The... The All-Father wants to see me? Why? Is something wrong with Atreus?", you asked, before noticing the massive sword hanging from her back. That had to weigh more than you!

Thrúd shot you a sideways glance while maneuvering you up a flight of stairs. "No one wants to see you."

...What?

"Huh?"

When you reached the top, she stopped to face you, a mischievous twinkle in her bright eyes. "I only said that to get you out of there. You're welcome!"

You thought you had misheard her.

"Ah! Thrúd Thorsdottir, by the way." You took her outstretched hand, still baffled. "I already know your name. You and your Giant friend are the talk of the town, after all."

"We... are?"

Thrúd Thorsdottir... Of course! Thor's daughter! Upon realizing that, you immediately noticed some striking similarities between her and her father (and some striking differences between her and her mother). You wondered if it would be wise to revise your earlier favorable assessment of her. After all, none of Thor's children had been particularly nice so far...

But that thought quickly faded into the background when Thrúd suddenly burst into roaring laughter.

"Hey, relax! You look like you've seen a ghost. I mean - Heimdall can be pretty creepy. But believe it or not, he's actually okay, deep down."

"Really?", you asked skeptically.

"No. But hey! Now you've got me, and I'll make sure my dear uncle behaves himself." She grinned. "Just stick with me for now."

With pleasure, Thrúd Thorsdottir.

Only then did you fully process her words and shuddered a little at the thought of Heimdall as an uncle. To you, this guy didn't just radiate intense only-child energy, but intense only-anything energy...

She sniffed the air. "Ah, it's stew day! C'mon, you'll love it, I promise."

No sooner had she finished talking than she already pulled you along again, and you blinked quickly when the two of you entered the Great Hall moments later. You felt as if someone had hit you over the head. Just a few minutes ago, you had almost feared for your life, and now you were standing here, in the middle of what looked like a crazy party. Loud voices could be heard all around you; people were yelling, others laughing, and everyone was waving their mugs and cutlery about. It was overwhelming, to say the least.

Thrúd led you to an empty bench, and soon you were sitting in front of a steaming bowl of stew. You didn't have it in you to wonder where it came from, though. Instead, you dug right in.

The girl grinned. "And? Did I promise too much?"

You shook your head vigorously, but couldn't get a word out. Your mouth was otherwise occupied.

She laughed. "Told you! Jörgen is an amazing cook."

After you finished most of it, you took some bread and dipped it in the remaining stew. Gods... How was it still getting tastier?? Every now and then, you felt Thrúd's gaze on you again, but decided to wait until she spoke first.

You still weren't quite sure what to make of her. Sure, she seemed nice enough... but so did Odin - at first glance, at least. On the other hand, she had saved you from certain starvation, and, more importantly, from Heimdall. You gave her a lot of credit for that one. Speaking of, the purple-eyed menace had thankfully stayed away from dinner so far. Still, you couldn't help but let your eyes wander from time to time...

Thrúd remained silent, however, and soon you grew impatient and gave her a questioning look.

Immediately, she blurted out: "What's it like as a mortal? I mean, visiting the other realms and all that! Traveling everywhere, going on these big adventures... Meeting magical creatures and gods??"

You coughed. This was not at all what you had expected. "Uh, it's... okay?" She was obviously waiting for more, so you tried to be a little more detailed. "Pretty exhausting, and scary. Actually rather terrifying? Good for nightmares. I don't 'travel everywhere', though - I've only visited a couple realms. Most of the time, I stay at home and wait for the others to return from their big adventures."

She kept looking at you expectantly, and you had to rack your brain for something else to say. "Um... But the... the stories are fun...?"

Thrúd sat back slowly. "Oh, okay... So, just to clarify, you definitely weren't there when Loki and his father fought the Valkyries. Right?"

You shook your head and watched her slump a little. "No, sorry. Believe it or not, being a mortal can be... quite a hindrance in these big, deadly battles. I usually try to stay as far away from them as possible."

Again, there was silence between you, but then the girl just shrugged and said: "Oh well, never mind then. I'll just ask Loki tomorrow. Sooo. You play the role of the good housewife for him and his father, yes?"

That sounded wrong on so many levels...

"What?? No. No, no, that's more on the dwarves-" You quickly interrupted yourself with a cough; it was hard to gauge how much you could say without saying too much... "I, uh, help out where I can. I'm more of a... girl-of-all-trades, I guess. I do housework, yeah, but I've also learned how to hunt! Atreus is teaching me different languages, so I can help with translations, too. Sometimes. The easier stuff, at least. And then I'm also part of their training, usually. I mean, I might not be the best fighter, but even I can pick up arrows and stuff", you finished with a laugh.

Her eyes began to sparkle once more. "Training, you say... Interesting. Ever been to Valkyrie training?"

"...Was that a joke, or...?"

Now it was her turn to laugh. "No, silly. That, was an invitation."

You couldn't stop your mouth from dropping open as you put two and two together. "You're training to become a Valkyrie?"

"Sure am! Dad gave me this thing here just for that." The monstrous sword she had placed on the table next to you received a few gentle pats. "It's one of a kind, you know. Pretty cool, huh?"

You nodded appreciatively. And in that moment, you decided to trust her. Not completely, of course; she was still an Aesir. But you couldn't help but like her loud and unapologetically honest attitude. Sure, she was a bit gruff. But if there was one thing you lacked here in Asgard, it was allies. So why not befriend Thor's daughter? You couldn't ask for a better ally.

"Alright, I accept. Not like I have anything better to do anyway."

She grinned. "No, I don't think you do."

You waited another moment or two, but finally couldn't hold back any longer. "You've already met Atreus, then."

She blinked at you until it dawned on her. "Ah, sorry. Everyone else calls him Loki, so I was a little confused. Yes, I met him. Briefly this afternoon. Showed him around a bit before he went to see the All-Father. Why?"

"Oh, it's nothing. I was just wondering how he was doing, that's all."

Thrúd patted your arm, picking up on your dejected mood right away, despite your best efforts to hide it. "Don't worry, he looked pretty chipper. A little tired maybe and slow on the uptake... But otherwise as fresh as a daisy!"

You allowed yourself a sigh of relief.

Suddenly, she looked over your shoulder at something, and her mouth formed a thin line. You were just about to turn around when she said in a tense voice: "Ah, sorry. Again. There's... something I have to do, so I gotta run. Bye! Pick you up tomorrow!"

"Uh, sure! See you..." But by then she had already grabbed her sword and stormed off. "...tomorrow."

You turned your head, searching for a mop of fiery red hair, but the girl seemed to have already been swallowed up by the crowd. A very drunken crowd... As if on cue, you found yourself making eye contact with a tall, visibly drunk man the next moment, who then grinned suggestively. Shuddering, you immediately decided you had had enough for one day and fled the dining hall as well.

Only when you were halfway back to your room did you allow yourself to relax again. However, your thoughts were still racing, so you promptly bumped into someone.

But not just any someone.

It was Odin himself.

You felt your eyes widen and quickly put some distance between you, before bowing slightly. "I-I'm so sorry, I wasn't paying attention to where I was going, and-"

The All-Father chuckled softly. "Ah, but there's no need for that, now is there. Your first day in Asgard must have been terribly exhausting! If anything, I should apologize, for letting our studies drag for on so long. You know how it is..." He laughed. "Time flies when you love what you do. And especially when you're making progress. But I see you've managed quite well on your own...?"

"Uh, yeah. Something like that. Thrúd showed me around a bit."

"Ah, little Thrúdie, how lovely. More useful than most, even at her tender age. I suppose she invited you to dinner?"

You weren't quite sure how to respond to all that, so you just nodded politely.

"I seem to recall that... there was stew on today's menu, right?"

You nodded again. "It was delicious."

Odin smiled. "Isn't it? Jörgen's special recipe. He's a real asset to our house." He paused for a moment before turning his head and looking at the door to your room. "Everything else to your liking, as well?"

"Oh, yes", you said quickly. "Thank you for the clean clothes. I really appreciate it."

"No need to be so formal, my dear! I'm very glad to hear that. They really suit you, I must say."

Riiight... You decided to ignore the odd compliment and instead end this conversation before it could get even more awkward.

So you feigned a yawn and said: "I think I should get going. Like you said, busy day and all that..."

You forced a small laugh. Then you cast one last quick glance toward Atreus' room...

"Of course, of course. I won't keep you any longer. Oh, but just one small note: Loki has already retired for the night, so I'd advise you to postpone your visit until tomorrow."

Naturally, he had seen right through you. Perceptive geezer.

You felt the corners of your mouth twitch, but still managed to give him a somewhat grateful smile before walking stiffly toward your room. Odin was still standing in the exact same spot when you were about to close the door behind you, watching you and smiling as you made eye contact one last time.

"Hurry along now, children. We don't want to keep the All-Father waiting."

The two of you had to pick up the pace to keep up with him. You didn't even have time to look around before Heimdall was already leading you down a flight of stairs, at the bottom of which he spread his arms.

"Gulltoppr! Who loves me the most? Whooo loves me the most??"

While the Aesir gave his mount a few pats, you finally had a chance to look around - but the view from below was as sobering as the one from above. (You would be careful not to say that out loud, however.)

You exchanged a confused look with Atreus. Then you followed the god all the way down and saw that "Gulltoppr" was by no means Heimdall's oddly named lover, but rather an oversized Gradungr with pale fur and clad in golden armor. Funnily enough, it kind of looked like the Gradungr version of its master... You suppressed an amused snort at the thought.

Just as you were warily eyeing a creature on a rooftop that looked suspiciously like a dragon, Heimdall called you both over and ordered you to mount Gulltoppr. A moment later, he was already sitting on the animal's back himself. You glanced at Atreus and nervously signaled for him to help you out here. There was no way in Hel you would make it up there on your own. The young god gave a quick nod and then crouched down next to the Gradungr.

No sooner had you placed your foot on his folded hands than mocking laughter rang out from above. "I would have thought you had taught your pet a few tricks by now, Giant. How did she even survive this long?"

Atreus gave you a push, and soon - accompanied by a soft "Oof!" - you were dangling over the beast's back. You silently cheered. However, just as you were about to reposition yourself, Gulltoppr grew restless, and your eyes widened as you felt yourself slipping. You flailed your legs in the air and tried to cling to the armor plates, but your hands were too sweaty and couldn't get a grip. The only thing left for you to do was watch the ground come closer and closer and let out a panicked "Nonononooo...!" until-

Your face grew hot, but you were determined not to lose your cool. No matter how skilled you might have been, even if you had been a natural at Gradungr riding he probably would have found something to mock you for. That was just the kind of person he seemed to be.

The asshole kind.

You suddenly felt a grip around your arm before you were abruptly pulled up again. It happened so fast you were still half in shock moments later, when you found yourself pressed against Heimdall's back.

"Must I do everything around here", he sighed. "You're welcome, by the way."

You were so close to him that you could practically feel his voice... Nope! Definitely too close for comfort.

"Uh, th-thank you", you stammered against his shoulder before quickly moving to put a little more distance between you.

This proved to be a futile effort, however, as Atreus leaped up right behind you, successfully trapping you in place. Much to your horror. You could barely move! Why the Hel did Heimdall think this was a good idea?? It was hard to imagine that he was okay with a mortal pressing her nose against his shoulder. Or, maybe he was just such a little shit that he could ignore his own discomfort as long as the other person was having an even worse time…

Either way, you were now part of a god-sandwich and prayed to all the others that the ride wouldn't last too long.

Fortunately, the Gradungr started moving soon after (you could imagine it wasn't particularly thrilled about having to carry three passengers at once), and you watched as the city passed by. Atreus said something, but you didn't pay attention. Instead, you made every effort not to slide further into the Aesir each time Gulltoppr took a bigger step. But with no one to lean on but Heimdall himself your struggle was doomed from the start, so you gave up pretty quickly and just kept your head firmly turned to the side.

You passed place after place where people were fighting, and soon you started to wonder if Gladsheim was actually half training ground. Rather funny. No wonder Heimdall loved this place, what with him always being so on edge and ready for a fight.

"...Goodness", you heard him say in mock surprise, "you really don't know anything about our culture, do you?"

"I know your wall was built by a Giant", Atreus replied, a hint of triumph in his voice. Point for Team Good Guys! You couldn't help but grin.

Heimdall laughed incredulously, and you could feel it shaking your own body. So weird...

"A Giant. The wall was built by a Giant to keep out the Giants. Are you even listening to yourself?"

"Hrimthur, son of Thamur. I know the whole story."

"Really? Oh, I truly can not wait for you to tell me more of your little revisionist tales about my own culture. Believe me, I am dying to hear more."

You wondered how he would react if you elbowed him in the back right about now. Arrogant prick.

The next moment, Gulltoppr carried you past a group of Einherjar warriors, including a few dragon tamers. They were all armed to the teeth, and suddenly you were quite happy to be sitting up here, sandwiched between these two gods...

"Hey, is that Odin's palace?", Atreus asked.

"'Palace'? You think the All-Father needs to puff himself up like some mortal chieftain? Oh, no..."

Gulltoppr came to a stop, and you could breathe easier as Heimdall jumped to the ground. Your eyes briefly wandered to the large building in front of you, a kind of... oversized lodge. But soon they were searching for the Aesir again; you didn't trust him one bit.

"True power does not need to flaunt", he continued, looking up at you. "It emerges when the time is right, and not one. second. earlier."

His words hung in the air between you for a moment before he suddenly grabbed your leg and, with the other hand, gave Gulltoppr's back end a firm slap. Immediately, the animal reared up and charged forward, causing you to lose your balance and fall to the ground. The air was knocked out of your lungs, and you saw stars for a moment. From a distance, you heard Atreus yell, and looked up just in time to see him being violently tossed around by the Gradungr before he, too, was unceremoniously thrown off its back.

You had already opened your mouth to give the Aesir a piece of your mind when he shouted: "Hey! Helmet heads! I brought you a new training dummy!"

Horrified, you watched some of the warriors you had passed on the way here climb over the fence and head toward Atreus, who assumed a defensive stance. You were about to do the same, but Heimdall was faster. He grabbed your elbow and yanked you to your feet as if you weighed no more than a feather.

"What are you doing?! I thought you were taking us to Odin!", you heard Atreus shout before the fight began and he was busy keeping the Einherjar at bay.

"You see, the thing is - you obviously have treacherous intent. So I will not bring you anywhere near the All-Father", Heimdall replied, pulling you closer.

You tried to break free, struggling this way and that, even clawing at his hand, but he didn't budge. On the contrary, his grip only tightened. You cried out, and Atreus called your name, but he was too busy to come to your aid. So in the end, you did the only thing you could still think of:

You bit his hand.

Immediately, Heimdall loosened his grip on your arm and let out a pained cry. You didn't hesitate for a second and spun around, but before you could take another step toward Atreus, Gulltoppr blocked your path. Angrily, you changed directions yet again, ready to go to the extreme - however, it was as if the Aesir god suddenly didn't even notice you anymore. No, instead, he was just staring at his hand, as if he couldn't believe that a mortal had dared to hurt him.

And if the situation had been less stressful for you, you might have realized just how unbelievable that actually was...

As things stood, though, you could only wait with a pounding heart for his next move. And you didn't have to wait long before his head snapped back up, expression literally murderous, and your courage vanished in an instant. Your eyes darted around in panic as you desperately scanned your surroundings for a way out. But the longer you searched, the more you felt like a mouse trapped in an underground tunnel with a giant snake blocking the only exit. No chance.

It took the Watchman only three steps to reach you, and you braced yourself for the inevitable pain that was sure to follow... When, all of a sudden, there was a loud bang above your heads. It seemed to shake the whole world, and you quickly covered your ears and crouched down in fear.

You remained in this position for some time, listening only to your wildly beating heart and the blood rushing in your ears. Until Heimdall eventually pulled you to your feet once more and roughly dragged you into the makeshift arena. 

Straight toward the big man who had suddenly appeared right next to Atreus: Thor, the God of Thunder.

You had flashbacks of his surprise visit to your cabin a few weeks ago - the moment that set all of this in motion, really - and couldn't help but feel a little panicked at the sight. However, it seemed like your worry about Atreus was misplaced; Thor didn't pay him any attention. Instead, he just watched calmly as Heimdall rushed forward, you in tow. A few feet away, he finally let go of you, and you immediately rubbed your sore arm.

In the blink of an eye, Atreus appeared beside you. "Are you okay?"

You nodded, even though you were still feeling rather shaky. "You?"

He returned the gesture, smiling slightly, before you both turned your attention back to the spectacle unfolding before you.

Heimdall got all up in Thor's face and growled: "What are you doing here."

"They are guests of the All-Father, whether you like it or not. No playthings", the mountain of a man growled back, his voice so deep you could almost feel it in the air. "So knock it off."

You were spellbound. The two Aesir gods didn't seem to get along very well - to say the least. Which, you had to admit, was extremely delightful to watch.

Heimdall bared his golden teeth. "And what if I don't? Hm? What will you do to stop me? Drink yourself into another stupor?"

At that, Thor seemed to grow even larger, his eyes practically shooting thunderbolts at his counterpart. You instinctively swallowed at this display of power, and it wasn't even aimed at you! The God of Thunder was just that terrifying.

"Want to find out?"

The situation was so tense that you half-expected them to actually start fighting. But then there was a loud whooshing sound, and suddenly, the All-Father himself was standing right next to you. You nearly jumped out of your skin and quickly put some distance between you, while all heads immediately turned in his direction.

"Loki!", he exclaimed, shaking his hand enthusiastically. "You made it! I am truly honored."

He nodded at you, and you smiled back shyly.

"I see you had an… interesting reception." He eyed your dirty clothes, and out of the corner of your eye, you saw Heimdall stand a little straighter. "He's one of my best men, you know. Reads minds for me."

As if on cue, Heimdall approached Odin and said with a slight bow: "You have misjudged them, All-Father. They intend to deceive you."

Odin gave him a stern look. "Of course they do, Heimdall, don't be ridiculous. Why else would they be here, hm? Better explain to me why they're covered in mud!"

The younger Aesir repeatedly opened and closed his mouth, making him look like a fish out of water. You couldn't help but grin, but then his purple eyes met yours and you immediately straight-faced. "This isn't over", they seemed to say. You found yourself rubbing your arm again.

"There is something else, All-Father-"

Odin sighed. "What now? Heimdall, will you just relax? Were you intending on killing me first thing, Loki? Hm? No? Well then. They're here because they have questions, Heimdall, and I have plenty of answers to give. No need to be so tense."

The God of Foresight still didn't seem convinced, but now Odin had enough and sent him and Thor away. You let out a relieved sigh. Even if you never had to see Heimdall again, it would still be too soon. What a piece of work…

You caught Odin's eye, and he chuckled softly. "I know. He's something, isn't he? Very useful, but sometimes he just forgets… to think, you know. I'll make sure he doesn't bother you any more while you're here. ...Ah, but I believe it's time for a little change of scenery!"

In an instant, you were surrounded by countless wings, and this time, you couldn't help but hold on to Atreus. You felt like so much had happened in the last few hours that your brain could barely keep up. A few heartbeats later, you were already in another part of the city.

Odin approached you again. "I don't want to presume. I mean, ha! How could I possibly know what it's like for a mortal to stand here in Asgard? But I'd hazard a guess that it's a fair bit overwhelming, so if you could use a break, that would be perfectly understandable."

You quickly shook your head and let go of Atreus' arm. "Uh, no. No need, I'm fine."

He nodded and then took you on a little tour of this part of the city. You mostly just listened while he talked to Atreus, but that was okay and exactly what your head needed right now. A break would have been nice too, actually, but you didn't want to show any weakness in front of Odin. Also for Atreus' sake; he did emphasize that he wasn't mad at you for following him here, but still. You wanted to be as little of a burden as possible.

The three of you passed by a large training ground (because of course), and you immediately suspected that this was no coincidence. Odin wanted you to see this, the many skilled warriors of Asgard. The great army of Asgard. And you had to admit: If that was meant to impress, he had succeeded. At least as far as you were concerned.

What also greatly impressed you were the Einherjar themselves. Once ordinary people like you, they now stood here, having died and reached Valhalla, and were being trained for Odin's army. They scared you, but in a different way than, say, Heimdall did. Every time you looked at them, you couldn't help but search for a remnant of humanity in them… But all you found was emptiness and death.

You were glad when that part of the tour was over. But then you found yourself back in the raven vortex, and this time you felt a little nauseous even. Maybe it was just your mortal stomach acting up...

Luckily, no one seemed to pay you or your wobbly legs any attention after you arrived back at the big lodge. Instead, Odin instructed a servant, who had apparently been waiting for you, to hand Atreus a huge stack of books.

"Oof", he grunted.

"Just a few books from my personal collection. You like to read, no?"

You and Atreus exchanged a glance before hurrying after Odin.

"Uh, sure... I mean, yes, that's right. Thanks", the boy replied, a little taken aback. It was good to know that you weren't the only one having trouble processing what was happening.

You entered the big building, and wow, it really was big. Much bigger than it had looked from the outside. That seemed to be a common theme in Asgard: Nothing was as it appeared at first glance. And of course, Odin was no exception. You looked thoughtfully at his back as he led you through the lodge. Hearing from Freya how captivating and charismatic he could be was one thing. Experiencing it firsthand was quite another. You shot Atreus a quick look. Hopefully, he would remember her words as well...

You arrived at the final stop, Atreus' very own room. And yes, you heard that right, you seemed to have separate accommodations. That wasn't a problem per se; you didn't mind sleeping in different rooms, you had already done so back at Brok and Sindri's. Sure, it had been strange at first, because in Midgard, you, Kratos, and Atreus had shared a single room for many years. Out of necessity, of course. Still, having a little more privacy in the Realm Between Realms had come as a pleasant surprise.

But this was different. You had no idea how the next few days (weeks?) would unfold, but you seriously doubted that you would be able to spend much quality time with the younger god once he started his studies. Because never in a million years would Odin involve you, the silly little mortal guard dog, in his affairs. It was a miracle he had even let you set foot in Asgard! No, it would serve him quite well to keep the two of you apart.

And for that very reason, you had hoped for a shared room at least. And also, because you were still on enemy territory here, surrounded by people who could snap you in half without breaking a sweat. But, you know. No biggie.

Odin, however, wouldn't budge. "Loki, every young man needs his own space, unless he wants to start a family. And think about your studies! It will do you good to have as few distractions as possible, trust me."

You frowned. Odin almost made it sound like you would deliberately try and sabotage his studies. This whole thing made you even more uneasy now, but when Atreus gave you a sheepish look, you knew you had lost.

"All right, fine", you muttered.

Odin nodded, satisfied. "A wise decision. And look, your rooms are even right next to each other", he said, addressing you directly. "I'll ask someone to show you- Ah, speaking of! Sif! Good to see you. I'm just showing our dear guests to their rooms. Would you be so kind-"

"All-Father, forgive the interruption, but there is a matter that requires your attention."

Odin raised his eyebrows, motioned for you to wait, and took the Aesir goddess aside to hear what she had to say. Meanwhile, you admired Sif's elaborate hairstyle and the intricate tattoos on her arm. She was stunning. If someone had told you that she was actually the ruler of Asgard, you would have believed them in a heartbeat. You glanced at Atreus and chuckled to yourself; judging by his awestruck expression, he was having quite similar thoughts.

Odin's sigh caught your attention. "Oh, there's just no end to these problems, is there…" He turned to you with a pensive look. "Would you mind if we rearranged the evening program a bit? I'd like to take Loki on a little trip. In the meantime, feel free to move into your room. Make yourself comfortable!"

You felt the corners of your mouth twitch. Of course they were already trying to separate you right here and now. It was so predictable, so unabashedly-

"No problem. Sounds good."

You stared at Atreus. What? Hadn't you just talked about that, right before coming here, that you would immediately step in if they tried to drive you apart for no good reason? So what was that all about??

The boy felt your eyes on him, but just smiled reassuringly. "Don't worry, it's fine. It'll only be for a short while, you heard him. And, well... I also think a little rest might do you some good- Said with love, of course! I'm just worried."

You bit your lower lip. Well, it was sweet of him to worry about you, but by doing so, he was playing right into Odin's hands. He was right about one thing, though: The longer you stood here, the more tired you felt. Your legs were practically screaming for a break. This day had thoroughly exhausted you.

So in the end, you just nodded hesitantly, while crossing your fingers that he knew what he was doing. And that Odin wouldn't kill him as soon as they were alone...

"Excellent, excellent", Odin said, clapping his hands. "Then please, Loki, put your books down, and let's go visit our good friends, the dwarves! Oh, and Sif-" For the first time, he noticed her tense expression. "Is there something else…?"

"This is Loki?" Her voice sounded strained. "Here. In our home. How nice."

The old man chuckled. "Ah, always the diplomat. Yes, my dear, this is Loki. But don't you worry your pretty little head, I'll keep an eye on him. Now, would you do me a favor and show our other guest to her room? Just like I told you, that one right there. You know the one."

You gulped as you felt her icy gaze on you. "…Of course, All-Father." And with that, she walked away, clearly expecting you to follow right behind her.

You cast one last glance at Atreus, but he merely nodded in the direction Sif had gone and gave you another encouraging smile before joining Odin. Seconds later, the two of them were swallowed up by the raven vortex once more, leaving you all alone.

On enemy territory. Surrounded by powerful gods. A mortal in frickin' Asgard.

No sooner had you stumbled out of the raven vortex after Atreus than the rustling of countless wings was replaced by the howling of the icy wind that blew all around you up here.

You looked around, turning this way and that in an attempt to regain your bearings - only to quickly jump back when you realized how close you were to the edge of the giant wall. Wow... If you had left the vortex in the opposite direction, you would be nothing but mush now...

The next moment, you felt a light touch on your arm before looking into Atreus' concerned eyes.

"Everything okay?", he asked.

You nodded and gave him what you hoped was a reassuring smile. "Yes, I... I think so."

That wasn't a lie. Although you were still feeling a little dizzy, your head was already clearing. Nevertheless, you sat down on the nearest rock, just to be on the safe side in case your legs would give out after all. From there, you could finally take in the entire panorama of Asgard. And man, was it spectacular.

You had just finished admiring the vast green plains and were about to take a closer look at the legendary Bifröst Bridge, when you suddenly heard a slow clapping sound behind you. Immediately, you turned around and saw a man approaching.

The first thing you noticed about him were his eyes: bright purple and so piercing that they seemed to look right through you. You shuddered and quickly stood up. With your arms wrapped tightly around your body, you positioned yourself half behind Atreus, who must've felt quite similarly about the stranger, because he had automatically assumed a defensive stance.

Having to be protected by the younger god had always annoyed you, but in this situation you were happy to make an exception. After all, you weren't exactly dealt the best cards here, being a mortal in frickin' Asgard. For what felt like the hundredth time that day, you cursed yourself for just mindlessly following Atreus after he ran away.

"Not bad, not bad at all", the stranger began, lowering his hands. "Not many are able to surprise me. In fact, make that close to none. And yet, here you are... living proof to the contrary."

He stood in front of you, and you couldn't help but swallow when you felt the enormous power emanating from him. Atreus, too, shifted his weight uneasily. His fear made the hairs on the back of your neck stand on end. Who the Hel was this guy…?

Said guy looked at the two of you with a cold smile, before continuing: "Two little rats who somehow wormed their way into the All-Father's good graces. But only in part, it seems, considering where he dropped you off. How curious..."

His words hung in the air between you until Atreus finally found his voice again. "Um. Yeah, I... guess so. No idea why he didn't take us further in."

The man in front of you showed no reaction other than raising his eyebrows.

Atreus cleared his throat. "Uh, us- that is, I, am Atr- I mean Loki. Of the Jötnar. And this is-"

But before he could introduce you as well, he was swiftly interrupted. "Jötnar, you say. The Jötnar. Enemy of my people."

"Wha- No! No- I mean, well, that's half true, I guess... But I'm not your enemy! Really, I'm not, and neither is she. Why else would Odin have brought us here?"

You saw the stranger's eyes narrow. "Yes... That is the big question, now isn't it? Seems increasingly unlikely, actually, the longer I have the great pleasure of standing here with you guys. Are you sure you're not just some dirty little intruders who know a few magic tricks, hm?"

It was a rhetorical question, however, for Atreus didn't even get a chance to speak before the man grimaced and said: "...No. No, you are far too inept for that. And as much as I would love to have you dangling off the edge of the wall right about now - and believe me, I would truly love nothing more." He sighed. "Sadly, that will have to wait until the All-Father realizes his mistake and wants to get rid of you again. But as the saying goes, a pleasure deferred..."

He flashed you a rather evil-looking smirk, then motioned for you to follow him. At first, you and Atreus exchanged uncertain glances, but ultimately, it wasn't as if you had a choice. So in the end, the boy just shrugged and you hurried to catch up with the Aesir stranger.

You took the opportunity to wipe your sweaty palms on your pants. What a welcome... Under different circumstances, you would have been at least a little offended if someone had ignored you like that during a conversation. But in this case, you didn't mind at all. In fact, you were quite happy even not to have been involved. The whole thing was really a bit too big for you. And if there was a chance to get through this without having to feel those creepy, glowing eyes on you even once, you would grab her face and kiss her right on the mouth.

Speaking of creepy, glowing eyes...

"Sorry, but... is that Gjallarhorn on your belt? Are you Heimdall?"

Your charming welcoming committee didn't even turn around. "Obviously. Who else would I be, wise guy?"

At first, you thought you had misheard. Heimdall? The Heimdall?? Huh... You didn't know what to make of that. You had always imagined the "Watchman of the Aesir" to be more... imposing. Older. Sexier...? Similar to the pictures in Sindri's book, basically. But maybe its author just wanted to spare their readers the same disappointment. You definitely couldn't blame them.

"Huh...", you heard Atreus murmur under his breath and had to bite your lip to keep from giggling.

Which may have been one of the smartest decisions of your life, because suddenly Heimdall stopped dead in his tracks and turned to face you again. "What do you mean, 'Huh'?", he repeated, a dangerous glint in his eyes.

For a moment, you wondered how the Aesir could have heard that, then you slowly remembered what you had read about him: heightened senses, mind reading, "future vision"... No wonder he seemed so powerful, he was, even if his appearance suggested otherwise.

"Uh, nothing, sorry! I was just thinking out loud... that's all."

Like that made it any better.

You held your breath, but in the end Heimdall just rolled his eyes and continued walking. Phew... That was close. You sent Atreus a warning look before following the Aesir god. Who obviously left his sense of humor at the other end of the Bifröst Bridge; a detail that definitely deserved a literary mention as well, you thought.

"What he wants from you children is truly beyond me", you heard him say the next moment (further proving your point). "The greatest, the All-Father, King of the Aesir, must have a thousand better things to do than deal with the likes of you. But well... I suppose we will see soon enough."

However, you weren't even listening to him anymore at this point. For by now, you had crossed the entire width of the wall and could look down on the other side, where Gladsheim, Asgard's capital, revealed itself to you in all its glory. Or rather... part of it? Because, like Heimdall, you had definitely imagined this place to be much more impressive. In fact, the city bore a striking resemblance to the dwellings you had already spotted at the foot of the outer wall, as well as some settlements you knew from Midgard. Just another bunch of wooden huts...

Heimdall noticed that you and Atreus had stopped walking. "Ah, of course. Your eyes are accustomed to simpler things, I forgot. Please, go ahead. Feel free to drink in the splendor of Asgard!"

Everything he said sounded sarcastic. And on top of that, he seemed to be an extremely combative guy, which meant you had to be damn careful not to misinterpret him. Still, there was not a single doubt in your mind that he truly meant every word he just said, so you quickly made a mental note to "avoid badmouthing Asgard in presence of sarcastic asshorn - or dead".

You turned away from the supposed "splendor" below...

And promptly found yourself under Heimdall's piercing gaze.

Immediately, your heart dropped.

"Oh, done already? Cornerstone of civilization not really your cup of tea, hm? I see... But, that is fine, I understand. I'm sure the sight must be quite overwhelming for your... limited minds." He finished with a chuckle and turned his back on you again. 

Meanwhile, your eyes felt so hot that you wouldn't be surprised if they were shooting sparks. Just as you imagined burning a hole between Heimdall's shoulder blades, you caught Atreus giving you a look, to which you responded with a wry smile. He didn't need to worry, you would behave. After all, you weren't tired of life yet. Even if your recent actions suggested otherwise, but hey! You never claimed to be particularly smart.

You followed Heimdall onto a wooden elevator, which he immediately set in motion. Now that you were standing much closer together, you were able to get a better look at him. Stealthily, of course; you didn't want to ogle. In the end, though, it probably wouldn't have mattered anyway, because he was still strangely fixated on Atreus. The fact that you were a boring mortal probably meant that he didn't give a single damn about you, provided you weren't screaming for attention. So... blessing in disguise?

"Very well then. Ask your questions."

"What questions?"

Heimdall looked annoyed. "You know who I am, yes? So please, don't waste my time."

Atreus seemed unfazed. A quality you had always admired about him and could probably learn a lot from: Keep a cool head and don't let yourself get rattled so easily.

"Okay, um... I take it Odin didn't tell you we were coming...?"

For an alarmingly long moment, the Aesir stared at Atreus as if he wanted to go for his throat - literally. But then he just sighed deeply and rolled his eyes again. That seemed to be a hobby of his.

Maybe that's how he trains his Bifröst eyes, you thought, chuckling to yourself as you imagined him standing on a training ground, still as a tree, simply rolling his eyes over and over and over...

Your own wandered over his face as he continued talking to Atreus. You noticed that his teeth seemed to gleam at certain angles. Maybe it was just the light... Or maybe he really did have golden teeth...? It wasn't that far-fetched, considering some other details about his appearance, such as his many earrings, his neatly braided hair, and the golden ornaments on his clothes.

So not only a sarcastic asshole, but also a vain one. Great. The whole damn package then...

"...is my job."

"Which is?", you heard Atreus ask.

"Protecting Asgard, of course. From any and all danger."

The young god raised his eyebrows. "And you think we're a danger."

"Her?" Heimdall nodded in your direction, and you immediately felt your muscles tense up again. Gods... you really needed to relax. Clearly the guy had no intention of (physically) attacking you anytime soon, otherwise he would have done so already. "Not even worth mentioning."

"Hey!", you instinctively called out, but well... he wasn't wrong.

"You, on the other hand..."

"Me?", Atreus said, surprised. "But you don't even know me."

Heimdall bared his teeth. "Ah, believe me, Loki, I've heard more than enough about you already. I do not need to 'get to know' you, just as I do not need to look inside your head to know that it is full of chaos. It follows you everywhere, sticks to you like fresh ashes. I could smell it from a mile away."

This time, it was Atreus who was tensing up. "You're wrong. You don't know me at all, I help people."

"Ooh", the Aesir scoffed, "you help people! Of course, right. And that's why you came here, yes? Not to... help yourself?"

You had to hand it to the guy, he seemed to know exactly which buttons to push to make you angry as all Hel. Which wasn't surprising, really, considering that he could literally see into people's minds. Not the best conditions for a potential fight with the Aesir god...

"Here, let me help you out", he continued. "You are here because you want to achieve your goal. And to do that, you manipulate and lie wherever you go. You may be young, but my, what a twisted little soul you have! I watch your mouth move, and I see cities burning."

By this point, Atreus was so tense next to you that he was practically vibrating, his hands clenched into tight fists. So much for "keeping a cool head"... Without further ado, you decided to intervene before things got out of control. It was a risky move; you hadn't really thought it through, nor were you aware of the possible consequences. At least not until you had unceremoniously positioned yourself between the two gods and once again locked eyes with the Aesir.

"We may have our own goals, sure, but if working towards them also helps out Odin in some way, doesn't that make us... allies? At least for the moment?"

No sooner had you finished than you realized how naive that must have sounded. Oh joy... You could hardly wait for the sarcastic remark that was sure to follow...

Heimdall's first reaction to your words was a hearty laugh (which didn't particularly surprise you), followed by: "Well, well, well. Would you look at that. A mortal trying to dictate what a god-"

And then he just... stopped.

You frowned when he simply stared at you, mouth half open and head slightly tilted. The sight was so comical that you felt the urge to wave your hand in front of his face to see if he was still mentally present. But again; not suicidal. So you just tried to hold his intense gaze as best you could, getting more and more creeped out by the second...

In the end, it was Atreus who broke the spell. "Uuh, Heimdall...? Everything... okay?"

"...Interesting. Very interesting", the Aesir finally muttered, eyes still boring into yours. "I think I understand now why you are here..."

You had to swallow and suddenly realized that you couldn't turn away either. It was as if those shades of purple held you captive. As if you were in some kind of trance, unable to escape their pull...

Then, a grin stretched across Heimdall's face and he loudly clapped his hands. And you flinched so violently that you thought the elevator was wobbling just because of you. But no, it turned out that this only signaled the end of your journey. 

With a final rumble, you arrived at your destination, and Heimdall, still grinning, bowed slightly before saying: "Welcome to Asgard, esteemed guests."