Asgard was beautiful beyond imagination, and the magnificent landscape was surrounded by the gleaming capital city. The palace rose several floors high, gleaming with an other-worldly majesty and towered above the realm.
"Once... mankind accepted a simple truth, that they were not alone in this universe," Odin said, "Some worlds, man believed to be home to their gods. Others, they knew to fear. From a Realm of cold and darkness, came the Frost Giants. Threatening to plunge the mortal world, into a new ice age. But humanity, would not face this threat alone. Our armies drove the Frost Giants, back into the heart of their own world. The cost was great. In the end, their king fell. And the source of their power was taken from them. With the last great war ended, we withdrew from the other worlds, and returned home, to the realm eternal... Asgard. And here, we remain as the beacon of hope. Shining out across the stars. And though we have fallen into man's myths and legends, it was Asgard, and its warriors, that brought peace... to the universe."
The children caught up with their father when they were led inside the weapons vault. They moved slowly through the heavily secured chamber. As intrigued as they were to be there, Odin hoped they would take the matter seriously. The boys had walked side-by-side, both dressed in trousers and shirts. The first boy had bright blue eyes and light blonde hair. The second one was slender with black hair and dark green eyes, so full of intelligence and thought. The girl, however, had soft brown eyes and brown hair that rested past her shoulders. She wore a floor-length dress with matching teal shoes.
…"But the day will come when one of you will have to defend that peace."
Someone gasped through the air. Celaena was so excited she almost touched the casket, but then stopped, and joined her brothers, standing beside the younger of the two.
"Do the Frost Giants still live?" Loki asked.
Celaena couldn't help but smile. "Possibly."
"When I'm king." Thor made fighting motions and triumphantly added, "I'll hunt the monsters down and slay them all! Just as you did, Father."
"A wise king never seeks out war," Odin explained, "But he must be ready for it."
"And what of a queen?" Celaena said, "She must also be prepared."
That caused a moment of silence, but she didn't seem to care.
"A good queen obeys her king."
"But what if she rules without a husband, Father? If a king rules without a queen, should a queen not rule without a king?"
Thor stifled his giggles.
"You know that's not how the laws of succession go."
"Then perhaps they should change."
Celaena cast a glance over at Loki who rewarded her with a look of brotherly pride.
"Never mind, Laena." He grinned.
Playfully, she swatted his arm.
"It's Celaena."
The three of them realised their father was turning to leave. They faced each other, smiling. She reached up to brush strands of brown hair from her face.
Thor and Loki ran straight to Odin, squeezing his hands with sheer determination.
"I'm ready, Father," Thor said.
"So am I," Loki declared.
Odin considered that for a moment. They were ready, of course. He had prepared them and he knew that was enough. Now that he had thought about it, his own pride grew.
"Only one of you can ascend to the throne. But both of you were born to be kings." To Celaena, he added, "As you were born to be a queen."
They looked at him as he left.
One afternoon, Celaena approached Loki. She faced him with a trusting expression and he waited for her to speak.
"I think you'd be a great king."
"Really?"
"Really."
Loki exhaled a long breath, feeling like someone had already written his fate.