She was a goddess with long golden hair, stunning eyes and rosy red cheeks. It was Sjofn's duty as the Goddess of Love to bring love to men and women or to glue back the bond of the married. She would brew magical drinks and serve them to her guests on Asgard. With a voice embedded with magical qualities she'd sing to them, causing them replace their anger, fear, and sorrow with the feeling of love and happiness. When she felt the need to she'd visit Earth, disguising herself as a mortal, and do what she did to the Asgardians. Ironically enough, she herself had never been in love. Sjofn had never known the gentle touch of a lover.
Until one night down on Earth, she met a handsome Midgardian with curly dark brown and brown eyes. She fell in love with him and knew he had to be hers so of course she just seduced him with one of her love potions she was on Earth for only one more night, but that's all she needed.
Upon returning home she discovered she was pregnant with a half mortal child. She did not wish for her child to grow up being rejected by the other kids for being different. The others would ask who the father was and find out he wasn't from Asgard immediately. Although it was not against their laws for women to have demigods, she had seen how the other children exiled them, including some of the gods and goddesses.
For 9 months she hid from the outside world until her painful, lonely childbirth. She then journeyed to the Bifrost so that she may leave her child in the hands of a worthy mortal. Sjofn begged Heimdall to keep the child a secret and let her pass, but he had an oath to Odin thus not permitting him to do it. Heimdall then told her she must speak with Odin himself like she had always done to visit Midgard.
"Please your majesty, I only wish to do this for my daughters good. Adira looks nothing like any of the other Asgardian infants, the others would soon find out she is different from us. I fear they would disdain her. She would live a more blissful life with the mortals." She pleaded. Odin looked down at her with pity, he knew how it felt. The reason he never told Loki he wasn't his real father was because he didn't want him to feel different. Loki's appearance was different from the rest but at least he has two parents so no one would question. Sjofn was by herself with no husband or lover.
"I grant you permission to take Adira to Midgard." He said finally.
"Many thanks my gracious king-"
"There is one thing you must do, Sjofn." Odin said, cutting her off.
"Anything." She said.
"You cannot return to Midgard." His words felt like a stone roof had just collapsed on her, tears filled her eyes.
"I- this is the last time I will lay eyes on my daughter?" She asked.
"Yes." He said. She looked down at her small child who laid comfortably in her mother's arms, sleeping. "I will not risk you having anymore children with another Midgardian to repeat this process. You are dismissed." She bowed to him before leaving. Tears soaked her red cheeks. Is it worth it? Not being able to talk to my child or hold her. But of course it is! She will be much happier on Midgard where they won't ridicule her. Everyone looks different there.
"I heard Odin's speech, I will give you a day on Earth. Then you will leave." Heimdall said as they walked into the dome. She nodded her head, thankful for his kindness.
They were beamed to America, mid morning. She spent her last moments with her child looking for someone she thought fit to take care of her. It was close to midnight, and Sjofn was now wandering the streets when a man in black clothing jumped in front and grabbed her firming holding a knife to her throat.
"I don't mean you any harm, please I have a child." She cried.
"If you don't give me all the money you have right now I will kill your baby!" He yelled at her with a harsh expression on his face.
"I don't have any Midgardian money!" She said frightened,
"Then I guess I'll have to-" His knife moved closer to Adira when a shot rang out and the criminal loosened his grip falling to the ground. She stared at the man frightened before turning around to face a tall black man with a patch over his eye.
"What are you doing out on the streets of New York so late at night?" The man asked.
"Thank you so much for saving me and my daughter." She said rushing over to him.
"Why are you out on the streets this late at night?" He asked again.
"I don't think you would believe me, but seeing I'm running out of options... I'll tell you." He looked a little confused then gestured her to continue. Taking a deep breath she started explaining. "I am from a realm called Asgard. I used to frequently come down here to help men and women fall in love. One night I had mated with one of your people and soon became pregnant... My child she does not look like the other infants and I fear she would not live a happy life on Asgard. So I was granted permission by my king to leave my child here with someone I thought worthy enough. Please, you must take my child. I am running out of time! I cannot leave her here by herself she'll die! And I cannot take her back to Asgard. You must help me."
"And how do I know you not just some crazy woman looking to get rid of her kid?" She stared into the man's eye.
"Here," She said holding out a black and white glowing orb necklace. "This is a Aletheia. My parents used it when I was a child. It's purpose is to tell if someone is lying or speaking the truth. It shines a bright white when a lie has been detected or it does nothing when truth is spoken. See if I say 'I am from this realm' it will glow." She explained. The necklace grew brighter. "As I have already told you I am from Asgard." They looked at each other in silence before she spoke again. "May I ask what your name is?" He stared at her unsure if she was being serious. Another world? Full of gods and goddess?
"Nick Fury." He said in his calm casual voice, and looked at the girl, Adira. "She won't accidentally destroy a house if she sneezes, right?" He said pointing to the baby curled up asleep in her mother's arm.
"The power she possess would not be for destruction." Sjofn answered.
"What are her... powers?" Fury asked.
"I know not. It is always unsure for the gods and goddess to know what their children will be." Adira began to wake, her mouth opened as she let out a small yawn. Her eyes placed on her teary eyed mother who smiled lovingly at her bundle of joy. "Please, Nick... I only wish happiness for my child."
"And what makes you believe I'm the person for that job?" He asked _.
"I can sense your good heart. You killed a man with a sinful purpose. If any man should be allowed to take care of her, it would be a nobleman like you." She said with her voice full of confidence. "Please." There was another moment of silence, he did not believe in fate but was it really meant to be, for him to take a child from another planet and raise it as his own? Power like that should not be placed in the wrong hands.
"I'll do it." He said finally. She smiled at him with joy, and with sadness, this is the last time she may ever hold or see Adira. She was about to place Adira in the arms of Nick when Sjofn asked for one more thing. "May I sing to her before I leave?" He nodded and watched as the Goddess held her infant close to her singing:
"The king may sing in his bitter flight,
The pine may croon to the vine to-night,
But the little snowflake at my breast
Liketh the song I sing the best, -
'Sleep, sleep, little one, sleep;
Weary thou art, a next my heart;
Sleep, little one, sleep'."
He stood in awe, her voice was soothing and gorgeous. His heart filled with joy, forgetting his problems. As she finished a single tear escaped her eye kissing Adira's forehead she handed the infant to Nick Fury. "I also request you take these." She said handing him her necklace from before and a sheet of paper. "Something for her to remember me by. Aletheia will protect her from the lies of this realm."
"What's on the paper?" He asked suspiciously.
"It's the first two parts of the lullaby. I am not expecting you to sing to her, my hope is that she may sing it and feel my presence in her heart." She said then looked down at Adira. "I love you, my darling child." Her smile was not for happiness, but of pain and regret. "Farewell my kind friend." She turned around and headed back to the pick up point of the Bifrost.
Year after year Sjofn would return to the Biforst to see Heimdall and ask of her growing child's condition. She knew she had picked the right man. Her daughter was safe and most importantly, she was happy.