Twisted Hearts

Intertwining Fates - (Heimdall/Brynhild)

Brynhild and I walked side by side towards the training grounds. I had dropped off her new finery and she had promised to wear it to the evening's event as long as I showed her the training grounds. She seemed so excited, it was hard not to help a smile.

Budli was not present at the exchange and no one was thinking about his presence in his entire household. This must mean he was out often or made his exit barely noticeable. Usually worry brings someone's location to top of mind and similarly, if someone is at a pre-scheduled event then they think of the missing person inside of that space, real or imagined. This still did not clear him of suspicion. He could be unexpectedly meeting with Tyr.

Tyr had had his loyalties confused for a long time. All since his spiritual awakening or whenever he had called for peace all the time, generally in favor of Asgard's enemies, and refused to fight unless he deemed it completely necessary. He needed to go and Budli may just be the key to crack open Tyr's traitorous ways. To get to Budli, I was becoming more convinced that the way to him was through his daughter.

If everything ended up falling through and Budli was clear of treason, I suppose it would not be the worst thing. I could explore my relationship with Brynhild with less issues, certainly. But then a new strategy would have to be adopted, just like Tyr was.

Tyr was one of a handful of adopted Odinsons. I was a bastard, born of nine primordial mothers, and favored above all the other sons. Thor was, so far, the only legitimate Odinson. Father tended to adopt anyone who he thought could be of great use over a long period of time. The Odinsons were great tools in his ever-reaching plans. It was an honor to serve him and the goal of our lives was to please the All-Father. Those who did not feel the same were not to be trusted and should be expelled.

"Is that a Valkyrie!?" Brynhild exclaimed.

I jolted from my thoughts. We had reached the training grounds.

"Yes, it is. And they don't tend to like being gawked at so you should lower your finger and control your gaze." Brynhild was clearly excited.

One of the Valkyries was training the Einhejar from Valhalla. Poor bastards. Ripped from paradise to get yelled at by a giant feathered woman.

"Come along Brynhild. If you want to see more Valkyries really train, their training grounds are further on." I grabbed her by the arm and gently moved her towards what she wanted to see.

I could already see Brynhild scrambling into the Valkyrie ring to try and spar with them. That would not end well. Would she really be so impulsive?

"On second thought, let's visit the Einhejar training grounds instead. You can get some reps in."

"Or I could just get my reps in with the Valkyries!" She grinned.

I looked her in the eyes, "the Valkyries are an elite group of warriors, the very best of Asgard. Even if they let you into their ranks to train, they would turn you into soup by the end of the afternoon. Even my idiot brother Thor would think twice about standing toe to toe with one of them." The disappointment was clearly evident in her face. I began to understand why as her thoughts poured into my head.

"Your mother was a Valkyrie?" I said a little softer.

"Yes. When my father and the clan split from Asgard she has just found out she was pregnant with me and wanted to be with my father to raise me. This meant she could no longer serve Odin and he cursed her back to her mortal state and removed her wings." She paused. "All I can remember of her is sadness."

I thought about my own mothers and the start of my life in Himinbjörg. I was a gift made for the All-Father. My mothers inhabited and were the Asgardian sea, the sand, the wind, the clouds, the rainbow in the sky, the bifrost linking us to Midgard and more. They were gorgeous and I loved them as I loved the realm. I was birthed in Odin's image, to show their gratitude for his leadership and care of Asgard. I could feel no love from my mothers and no sadness. Those concepts were foreign to them. I had a purpose to fulfill as soon as I could talk and hold a sword. But with Brynhild, the emotions were different. She had been loved and she had been left. I could not decide if I should envy or pity her.