Betrothed - Thor Odinson x Reader

Chapter 1

The journey from the Bifrost to the palace was taking longer than you expected. You did not know whether to be thankful or not. Your maid, Hilde, sensed your nervousness and quick placed her hand over yours, her thumb drawing soothing circles on your palm. You smiled at her, thankful. She had been at your service since you could remember, being both a friend and a motherly figure to you. Once your father informed you of your betrothal to the heir of Asgard's throne, you had insisted to have her by your side. You needed to not be completely alone at the court.

You barely knew anything about your soon to be husband. His name was Thor, thirty years of age and a fierce warrior. The tales about him and his younger brother were many, and most of them contradicted each other. You could not recall a day in your eighteen years of life in which his name wasn't mentioned in your father's throne room. Your army had fought many battles along theirs and each of your soldiers had returned home with stories about Thor's strength and Loki's cunning.

Nevertheless, you never would have imagined you would meet them, much less marry one of them. The day of your eighteenth birthday you were summoned by your father, the king of Vanaheim. As soon as the throne room's doors opened you felt a wave of tension crash against you, almost drowning you.

"Father." you curtsied, bowing your head and greeting him. Once you returned his gaze, he spoke: "Darling girl, I have an announcement. As you know, Svartalfheim has, once again, waged war against us. You are smart, my child, I taught you about our history and how we lead our army, which means you are aware that we are not prepared to defend ourselves against the Dark Elves when they will choose to attack us."

You, indeed, knew that your father had neither the men nor the means to fend for your people against those wicked creatures. Years of shadowing him and your older brother had given you the knowledge necessary to understand warfare and strategy, though you lacked the training to join them in battled. Instead, you had been educated thoroughly in literature, science and history, as well as art, etiquette, horse riding and the practice of seiðr.

"I understand, father. Do you wish for me to help you regain our resources?" you asked, already thinking of possible solutions. Then, for the first time in your life, you witness sorrow and defeat on your father's face. "No, my precious child, your role is much more complicated and demanding, but you must understand that I made my decision with our realm's well being in mind, as well as yours." he sighs. "I understand, father. You always do so."

"You are to marry Thor, Prince of Asgard, heir to the Allfather's throne. It will solidify our alliance and will allow you to influence the royal family in our favor." he paused, noting how you froze. "My dear, I assure you Prince Thor is a kind man. He will make a good husband and father. I would not have considered this union if I had not been certain of that. His brother does not appear to be as trustworthy as him, but I do believe you two to be quite similar, perhaps enough to form a friendship. It is a great sacrifice, I'm aware, to leave your home and marry a man you do not know, but I would only ever trust you to do so. Make me proud, my little crow."

As you finally willed yourself to look out the small window on the carriage door, you watched as the majestic castle grew closer. The outer walls seemed to be made out of pure gold, making the many towers glimmer under the sunlight, not enough for it to be blinding, but enough to attract the attention of everyone's eyes. As the journey continued, your eyes grazed upon the magnificent garden that surrounded it. Flowers and plants from many different realms decorated the many courtyards, looking minuscule compared to the tall walls and large statues, as if to remind people of the extent of their empire. As soon as you saw a tree growing ripe fruit native to your land, you feared you would take its role in court: a simple relic from one of their sister realms, always to be compared to the mighty man at your side.

Your thoughts were interrupted by the carriage stopping abruptly. You flinched at the sudden movement, while Hilde spoke softly beside you. "Your Highness, everything is fine. We simply have arrived." As soon as she felt your body stiffen, she whispered: "You are brave, my dear. I am proud of you. Your father is proud of you. Your people are proud of you."

She always knew what to say to keep you calm and remind you of your intents. You hugged her briefly and whispered a quick thank you before a royal guard opened one of the doors. You took a deep breath as you stepped out of the carriage. As soon as your heel touched Asgard's ground for the first time, you felt as if the blood that run through your every vein was made of pure, liquid courage.

Before you stood four people. You recognized Odin, the elder man whose only eye made you feel transparent. To his left was a woman, slightly younger than him. Her blonde hair was braided loosely, some of her curls falling on her temples, framing her kind eyes. The two young men on either side of the couple looked extremely different from one another. One was tall, pale and slender, his king raven hair pushed back, leaving his green eyes exposed, one eyebrow cocked as if he were curious. The other was even taller and definitely wider. His skin was tanned, and his facial traits looked softer than his brother's sharp ones. Some of his long, golden hair was braided, much like his mother's, and part of his beard was too. His blue eyes were unfocused, as if he were lost in his thoughts.

Odin's gaze examined you as you bowed.
"Child, we are grateful to be able to welcome you in our court. Should you need anything, my wife, Frigga, has offered to be your guide. These are my sons, Thor and Loki. Thor," he gestured towards the blonde man next to him, "meet your future wife."

Thor stepped closer to you, taking the hand you had offered and softly grazing his back with his lips. His eyes never left yours while his beard tickled your hand. "My lady, it is a pleasure to make your acquaintance." he offered a smile, though it didn't seem to be genuine. "The pleasure is mine, Your Highness." you responded, studying his features. He was truly handsome, but guarded.

He then retreated to his place beside his father, who immediately spoke: "You must be tired after your journey. The guards will escort you and your maid to your chambers and carry your belongings."

You were surprised to be so quickly dismissed, but the Allfather was right: you were exhausted. You followed his instructions, unsure of what to expect next.

Author's Notes
Hi! This is the first fanfiction I've written in a long while but my boy Thor needs more content on this app. Plus I'm a sucker for Asgard. English isn't my first language, so please let me know if there are any mistakes. I hope you've enjoyed this chapter and want to read more (I have so much planned for reader, Thor and Loki!). Love you all.