Odin had received news that his closest friend and ally from Vanahiem was blessed with the birth of a baby girl. Children were born everyday, but Odin had heard that his daughter was showing her magical talents very early; a strong yet rare occurrence for Vanirs less than a year old. Egil had been a key warrior and diplomat in forming peace relations between the two races and he often fought alongside Odin in other key battles to maintain peace in The Nine Realms. After his services to Asgard and the other realms, Odin wanted Egil, his wife Tove, and their daughter to live among them in Asgard in order to bolster relations between Vanahiem and Asgard and to have close allies close by.

Odin rose up from his throne to greet the bronze-haired warrior and his elegant yet dainty blonde-haired wife who bore a young infant in her arms. He grinned as Egil bowed but he motioned him to rise up and chuckled warmly as he approached the couple.

"Egil, you made it. I hope the trip wasn't hard on you three." Odin smiled as he gave Egil a hug.

Egil bumped his fist on his chest proudly and shook his head as he looked softly at his wife and newborn.

"Tove placed a protection spell on our daughter so she wouldn't be stirred by our transport. You really didn't need to assist us in our passage to Asgard or to even have you secure a place for us." Egil expressed.

Odin shook his head as he looked to Tove. She smiled warily at him as she showed him a delicate baby girl with rose-like blonde hair and sparking amber eyes.

"What a beauty she is, Egil, you must be very proud."

"Pardon me but I did most of the work your majesty." Tove jested lightly.

The three of them chuckled as Odin's wife Frigga stepped out from the chambers behind the throne to greet Tove. Frigga looked at the young girl and was speechless.

"She's truly a beauty and I hope she grows to be a wonderful sorceress like you are Tove." Frigga warmly expressed.

"I think she's already trying to move stuff, the little darling is already active in her mind and power." Egil boasted proudly.

Odin looked to the little girl and asked,

"Does she have a name yet?"

Tove nodded as she heard her daughter starting to coo.

"Astrid; Astrid Egildotter."

"A wonderful and precious name for a darling daughter. Now I didn't just invite you here to merely catch up; but to discuss Asgard's future." Odin expressed as he led them all to his private chambers.

Tove and Egil sat at one end of the table while Odin and Frigga sat at the other.

"As you and everyone knows; Frigga and I have two possible heirs to the throne, Thor and Loki. It may be a strong possibility that when the time comes for one of them to ascend and they don't have someone by then...I would perhaps like your daughter to be betrothed to one of my sons." Odin spoke with conviction.

Tove seemed rather stunned as she rocked her baby while Egil laughed with pride.

"Of course you're thinking this. You're not even sure what kind of men your sons will become yet. They might be able to find wives without your involvement. Still, it would be a dream...my daughter being Queen as a sign of peace between Asgard and Vanahiem. I would be a proud Vanir to contribute my bloodline for yours Odin dear friend."

Tove was however a bit bothered by the proposal. Astrid shouldn't have her life chained to men but be her own person. She hoped there would be more to her daughter's life than just a wife to bear children, more so heirs.

"Bit early to be talking about this ain't it? Astrid isn't even old enough to speak for herself, let alone decide for herself if that would be what she wants." Tove stated.

Frigga saw Tove was a bit unsettled by the news.

"Like my husband has said, if our sons have no wife to be when they take over as king she will be a prime candidate. We're not even sure which son will rule or even your girl's personality.." Frigga stated.

Egil laughed heartily and shook his head.

"Firstborns have a stake to the crown; meaning it would be Thor that would be king won't it?" Egil asked.

Frigga sighed and expressed,

"It will depend on how their paths go. Loki can and still has a claim to the throne if Thor refuses or is unworthy of the throne. I don't like to assume anything."

"It kind of surprised me that you had another son so soon after Thor, and after Jotunhuem no less. Talk about your bloodline being so strong." Egil chuckled.

Odin's face was neutral and did not comment as he looked at Astrid.

"Will she be taking up magic?" Odin asked.

Tove nodded softly as she stroked Astrid's rosy cheek and shot a warning glare to Odin. King or not, it was an insult to her that she wouldn't teach her daughter the ways of magic. All Vanirs learned magic and her daughter would be no exception even if their home will no longer be Vanahiem.

"I would be an awful mother and sorceress if she did not learn my craft. Perhaps she can serve Asgard with her magic as well as merely a symbol and wife." Tove encouraged.

Frigga knew Tove was very strong willed and stubborn when it came to women's rights and their power.

"She could also learn from me as well Tove whether she becomes a daughter in law or just be a close family friend to my boys. It would be lovely for us to finally be close and for your daughter to grow up in Asgard."

Tove smiled lightly and nodded. Egil glanced at Odin and asked,

"You had such an extensive guard and warriors under your command Odin. You even have friends here in Asgard to ask, why ask us for this generous honor?"

Odin looked to the young infant and he could feel the warmth and life emanating from her. He took this as a sign that he was making the right call for his people and one or both of his sons.

"I've made my rounds to my guards, warriors, and friends and I didn't have this feeling in my gut. Looking at your daughter as she looks before me...I get a sense she is bound for greatness and change. That is something I want and need for my boys." Odin expressed.

Tove felt her magic and anger course in her. Her eyes shifted from her calm blue to a heated red.

"Again, we shouldn't be having this talk. Have our daughter be friends with your sons first. I don't want her life to be decided for her and especially when she's not even a full month old yet." Tove spoke in agitation.

Egil chuckled and calmed his wife down with a gentle rub to her back.

"Calm down Tove; Odin means well. See it as an honor that Odin sees something in our daughter. He could ask anyone and he's asking us. You should be thrilled that our daughter can have a chance to be Queen and be something to Asgard." Egil boasted.

Tove sighed as she rocked Astrid, humming ever so softly. She can be something without being married off.

Odin looked at the girl once more and he felt a different feeling from her; a dark and a cloudy chill. He wondered how she could be so promising yet concerning all at once. His initial gut told him she would be one of warmth and change and smiled proudly.

Frigga looked to Tove with a warm friendly expression and poured her some tea.

"No matter what your daughter's path will be, she will be a wonderful person and hopefully will get along with our boys as well as we all get along with one another." Frigga spoke softly.

A guard brought a carriage for Tove to put her daughter in. She kissed her cheek before putting Astrid in the carriage. She wondered if bringing Astrid to Asgard was a bad idea and only wanted the best life for her daughter. Egil got up to look at his daughter and asked,

"I've never been prouder to have a daughter at this very moment." Egil professed to Astrid.

Tove sighed and glanced at Frigga.

"Egil; like I mentioned. Plans can always change. No one knows what the future holds and how people can grow and change with time. Be proud that you have a child at all when others can't or don't value what they have. Know this, your daughter will be tied to our family no matter what happens down the line. In my heart of hearts; I hope young Astrid will serve Asgard well with her magic and be one of the finest minds and sorceresses we've yet to see. " Odin told him.

Egil frowned slightly but nodded.

"You're right. My buddy Arne and his wife are struggling for one. Astrid might not be the son I wanted; but she's still very much Tove's and my joy."

Odin that night went to check on his two sons before we went to sleep. There was Thor, his first born; a strong healthy boy with blonde curled locks and slept with a warm smile on his face. Odin smiled as he cradled Thor's head with one hand and had high hopes for him. Then he looked to his other son Loki, who even in sleep had a mischievous smile on face but still was a vast contrast to the crying baby in the frozen wasteland he found him in. He was growing stronger under his care and Odin hoped Loki would be a way for Jotunhuem and Asgard to someday make peace. Odin thought of Astrid and he secretly deep down wanted Astrid to someday pick and connect with Thor to carry on his line. He had nothing against Loki and wanted him to be happy, but Odin knew the truth about him. No matter what he would tell others and Loki himself; he would never be king and thus his offer to Egil would only be meaningful if Astrid and Thor married. Time will tell what path Astrid will walk down and Odin had hopes it would be the path of honor, goodness, and warmth he had in his gut.