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The great observatory of the Bifröst was quiet, save for the low, steady hum of its magic. Heimdall stood at his post, golden armor gleaming in the shifting light, his eyes cast far beyond the shimmering horizon of Asgard.
For countless centuries, he had watched over the Nine Realms without rest or falter. His gaze pierced storm and shadow, unblinking before the sight of horrors or wonders. But this morning, as he swept across the teeming world of Midgard, something… caught his attention.
It was no mortal, no alien. The presence shimmered like heat over stone — divine, yet unlike any god he knew. The figure moved with deliberate grace, her face shrouded in a light veil that seemed to bend the air around it.
Heimdall narrowed his focus, pushing past the strange magic cloaking her features. The cloth's enchantment resisted, whispering warnings, but he was Heimdall the All-Seeing — there was nothing he could not pierce.
For a heartbeat, the veil faltered.
And then he saw her.
The world around him slowed. Her face — luminous, flawless — was no mere beauty; it was a gravitational pull that reached into his soul. His breath caught. His chest grew warm, his pulse thundered.
Metal rang as his sword slipped from his grasp, striking the observatory floor.
Strange thoughts slid into his mind — of abandoning his post, descending to Midgard, kneeling before her. The very idea that he could want such a thing was so alien, so impossible, that it frightened him more than battle ever had.
Only when she turned her head and the veil drew across her face again did Heimdall's thoughts clear. He stepped back, chest heaving, shame and fear warring inside him.
Odin arrived minutes later. The All-Father studied his gatekeeper with one eye narrowed.
"What did you see?" Odin's voice was quiet, heavy.
"A god," Heimdall answered, still shaken. "But not one of ours. She walks Midgard veiled, yet… her face…" His voice trailed off. "It should not be possible for one such as me to falter."
Odin said nothing, but stepped forward, taking Heimdall's place.
The magic of the All-Father surged through the observatory as Odin fixed his gaze upon Midgard. He found her at once — motionless, the veil concealing her features. And then, as if she felt the weight of his gaze, her head lifted, offering him a clearer view.
The veil was no barrier to the gaze of Odin, son of Bor. He burned through its enchantment, and for the first time in an age, saw something that truly unsettled him.
Her eyes met his without hesitation, and it was like standing before the heart of a star — terrible, consuming, infinite. His grip on Gungnir loosened. For a fraction of a moment, his mind filled with visions of meeting her and giving her everything he had…
And then, as if bored, she turned away.
Only then did Odin come back to himself. He straightened, forcing the tension from his shoulders, though the pounding in his chest betrayed him.
"She is not of any pantheon we know," he murmured to Heimdall. "And yet… she feels familiar." His voice dropped lower. "Track her movements. Unless she causes trouble, report to no one but me."
Heimdall nodded, though his hands still trembled. He feared seeing her again, knowing he would be powerless before her — yet duty left him no choice.
Odin left the observatory with measured steps, yet the weight in his chest did not ease. By the time he reached his private chambers, the All-Father knew sleep would not come.
Seating himself upon the rune-carved dais, he closed his eyes and let the ancient chants within his mind. Tonight, he would meditate until the stars gave way to dawn, steadying his heart and tempering his thoughts — for tomorrow, the eyes of all Asgard would be upon him at the great ceremony. And still, behind the walls of his mind, the memory of her face waited like a shadow that would not fade.
Dawn came draped in banners and the sound of horns. The great hall of Asgard thrummed with celebration — warriors in their finest armor, nobles in jeweled robes, the air heavy with incense and expectation. At the far end of the hall, the throne of the All-Father waited beneath golden arches, and beside it, the seat prepared for the queen.
Odin stood at the dais, Gungnir in hand, his gaze sweeping over the assembly without truly seeing them. His mind wandered back to the veiled goddess.
"My lord," Frigga murmured, brushing his arm. "They are waiting."
He blinked, returning to the present, and stepped forward. The ritual words came to his lips by habit, his voice carrying across the hall as Thor strode toward him, resplendent in armor and cloak. The son bowed his head as Odin spoke of kingship, of duty, of the Nine Realms united under their banner.
Yet even as he raised Gungnir for the final proclamation, a faint tremor of magic stirred from deep within the palace.
The doors slammed open. Einherjar stormed in. "Your Majesty!" one cried. "The vault was breached! The intruders are dead, but the Casket was their target."
A hush fell.
Odin's grip tightened on Gungnir. "Show me," he ordered.
In the vault, shards of ice glittered on the floor. The Casket of Ancient Winters remained secure, but the bodies of Frost Giants lay still, their skin pale blue against Asgard's gold.
"They dare set foot in Asgard?" Thor's voice rang with fury. "This is an act of war! We should march into Jotunheim now and—"
"Enough," Odin said sharply, though his eye had already drifted elsewhere — seeing not frost, but a veil.
Frigga's glance caught him, worry flickering in her gaze. She knew his mind was far from the vault.
Thor pressed on. "They broke our laws! Will you let this insult stand?"
"They are dead," Odin replied evenly. "Justice has been served. War will not honor this day."
Even as he turned away, his thoughts were not on the Frost Giants, but on the woman on Midgard whose face could unmake a king.