Story was taken down and reposted due to changes in the story. The major change was the final chapter in chapter 10, completely rewriting the story to a different direction. Sorry for any issues this may cause.
The woman, holding Issei, was walking along a path on top of a large branch that spiraled upwards. In the center of this spiral was a large tree, covered in gems of all different sizes, shapes and colors. The woman was holding Issei close to her bosom, a small smile on her face.
"This is Yggdrasil, the World Tree. Among this tree are the nine realms. The one that you lived in was Midgard, or Earth as you may call it. I am taking you home to my realm of Asgard, the land of the Æsir gods. You're going to love it Issei, for Asgard is a land more fertile than any other. It's more beautiful than any other."
Issei looked up from his slight nap, staring up at the woman with clueless eyes. She just smiled in return.
"I'm going to be your mother now Issei. You will grow up big and strong. I won't let anyone hurt you anymore. My name is Frigg." She said, as she approached a branch that veered to the right slightly, ending in a portal. She walked through the portal and arrived on a platform that was shamed like a dome. Coming out of the dome through the large open doorway, she started to pass by an older looking gentleman with golden armor and a large sword at the ready.
"Did you find what you were looking for at Midgard my queen?" The man asked.
"No… not what I was looking for… but I found something even better Heimdallr. A survivor." She said with a smile, turning to show the man the human child.
"A human? I see. It is not my place to question your choices my queen."
"Do you disapprove?"
"I… just have concerns about bringing a human into our city. You know what they are like."
"True, but this is still an infant… where we can keep their destructive behavior away."
"I suppose so my queen. Do keep him safe then." He said, once more returning to his stoic and lonesome watch. Frigg gave the man a nod and a smile, before walking down the long rainbow colored bridge that led to the main city.
"What we are walking on is the Bifrost… it is the bridge that connects Asgard to the gateway to Yggdrasil. It is our means of keeping our city safe. It is the main way for us to connect to the Yggdrasil, though there are those who have the ability to open up gateways out of nowhere… I am one of them." She told her new son.
As she entered the city, gasps, stares and gossip started to fill the city of the Queen of the Æsir holding an infant in her arms. Of course, Frigg paid no attention to the gossip, her attention on Issei as well as getting back to the palace. Sure, she could have taken a carriage but it wasn't often she felt the need to just walk around. She also thought that walking Issei around was doing him good.
Passing by a large building, she smiled down at Issei and stopped by one of the entrances. "This here, is Valhalla. This is where all our greatest warriors reside. Gathered by the Valkyries, fallen warriors join us here in Valhalla where they wait to be called into battle for Ragnarök. Of course, I do hope that it's never going to happen, but best to be prepared. I wonder if the Valkyries would be willing to train you..." She said, trailing off as she stared at the magnificent building.
As if by divine blessing, a single woman stepped out of the building. She spotted Frigg and gave her a warm loving smile. "Frigg, what brings you here?" She asked, unaware of the gossip that was spreading throughout Asgard.
"Ah, I'm merely walking my child around the city. It's his first day in Asgard after all." Frigg replied happily.
"I've not seen you so happy in a very long time." The woman replied. This woman was a little over six feet tall, with long shoulder-length dark hair with some of it beaded. She was wearing a very skimpy armor on her body. It was a black chest plate with golden trims, that ended a few inches below her generous bust, leaving her stomach open to the air. She was an armored belt around her waist, with two armored plates with one above each hip. These were also the same black and gold colored armor. She had a loin cloth made out of fur that wrapped around her like underwear. She then wore thigh high armored boots of the same black and gold. The knees had golden armor plates on top of the thigh boots. On the boots themselves, on the back were eight golden wings pointing behind her like spikes. "I hear you've been trying for a long time now for a child. Congratulations." She said with a genuine smile.
"No… this isn't a child born of my flesh." Frigg said, gently stroking the hair on top of Issei's head before turning to allow the woman to see him.
"A human?" The woman said with surprise, her eyes widened.
"Yes… one of Thor's… survivors." She said bitterly, hugging the child again.
"Oh… I see." She frowned. "A human I guess… what do you plan on doing with him?"
"Raise him as my own of course..."
"You understand that he's a human child and will have human requirements right?"
"Yes… and I understand what you are trying to get at… yes… this boy will be a Demigod. There's no other option."
"Well, I do hope that the grows big and strong then." She said with a smile, starting to leave.
"Wait!"
"Yes Frigg?"
"Would you be willing to take this boy on when he's older?"
"You mean train him? Why? You've never asked me to train any of your other children."
"They all had their own powers from birth… and were strong. They didn't need you… but I do not want Thor getting his hands on him during his young growing ages. Loki neither. I would ask Tyr, but you know how he can be. I was just going to ask any of the Valkyries if they would do it… but if you were to take him on… I have no doubt that he would grow big and strong."
"If he show's that he is worthy of it, then I will take him on… but he is human and no human has ever earned the right to be trained by the Valkyrie's." She said sternly.
"I… understand… Thank you Freya." Frigg said, stroking the child's mostly bald head. The woman walked off into the city, a sensual sway in her hips. Frigg shook her head with a smile, before lifting up Issei to look at the retreating woman. "That was Freya… the Queen of the Valkyries. The strongest Valkyrie to ever be… She's not a God, but a warrior of such ferocity she might as well be one." She told the infant, who didn't understand a word that Frigg was saying, yet listened all the same.
It took them a half hour, but they entered the palace at the center of Asgard. It was a shimmering golden castle that reached up to the skies. She was stared at by the guards of the palace, men and women dressed in golden armor to match the walls of the castle they served at, yet none of them spoke a word to her. She walked with grace and poise, holding the newborn to her chest as she entered a large hallway, that led up to a pair of golden thrones, in which one was occupied by a gentleman. This man looked to be an old man, with gray hair and a long gray beard. He had a spear resting at the side of his throne and a helmet sitting on top of the spikes of the throne.
"Ah, my dear Frigg, so it is true… you've adopted a human. I was merely passing the word as gossip."
"No, it is true. This is our new son, Issei." She said, standing before Odin while brandishing the infant. Odin stared at the child, then at his wife, then back at Issei then back at Frigg.
"I see… and where did you find this child?"
"In Midgard… Norway." She said and with that, Odin's expression saddened and darkened.
"I suppose I need not ask what happened." He said with a sigh. "My foolish son once again causes problems." Odin said, cursing Thor.
"He was the only survivor, and I knew that this was what I needed to do."
Odin stared at Issei for several minutes in silence, thoughts going through his head before his shoulders relaxed and he let out a sigh. "I have been wanting a son." He said, accepting Issei into his life. It was then Issei was handed over to him by Frigg, only for the boy to cry after leaving the warm arms of the Goddess. Odin's face soured and he handed the child back to his wife, only to chuckle. "I suppose nothing will change… you're always the favorite." He teased his wife, who merely giggled and popped her top down to start feeding the infant.
She held Issei's head to her bosom and looked over at her husband. "What should we do about Thor and this child?" She asked. The All-father rubbed his beard and sighed.
"They are going to both have to know the truth of the matter… but we must wait for the boy to be older and for calmer heads to prevail. I do not trust Thor with the knowledge of what has transpired." He replied, getting a nod from his wife. "Do you have any thoughts on this child?"
"I've spoken to Freya and she's agreed to take him on as an apprentice when he's older, should he be worthy."
"Did she now?" Odin asked in surprise, only to smile. "Perhaps this will be for the best. Óðr's passing has been hard on her for many centuries now."
"Dear husband, are you implying that Issei might be her husband?"
"No dear, I am merely saying that she might have somewhere to care for to fill the void in her heart." Odin said. "She's been needing something to pick her right back up. Of course, should things progress in such a direction~" He trailed off, only for his wife to glare at him.
"It's a little too early to play matchmaker dear." She chided her husband, only to smile. "But… I guess it wouldn't be too bad."
"Let's worry about that down the road… but for now, let's worry about our new son." He said, reaching over to gently pat the nursing infant on the head. As soon as Odin finished patting Issei's head, Issei finished nursing on Frigg and with a yawn, the child fell asleep in Frigg's arms, who got up from her throne. "I think it's time we put him down… we finally get to use that nursery we've set up now."
"Yes, yes we do." He said, getting to follow his wife deeper into the palace. It took them a couple minutes, but they entered a large room that had a double door off to their left. In the center of the room was a golden cradle, filled with the whitest sheets and the softest of beds that didn't seem possible. Frigg placed Issei gently down onto the mattress who merely snuggled deep into the white, as if it was a cloud. A small pillow was placed under his head and a sheet was draped over his shoulders. Frigg and Odin both stood over the cradle, bright smiles on their faces before Odin took his wife's hand and led her away towards their bedroom.
Unknown to the pair, but there was a fly on the wall. Literally. This fly flew down from the wall and in a bright shimmering light, appeared a man. Tall, skinny with shoulder length black hair. He wore a green leather armor and a golden helmet, wielding a long golden spear that had two golden prongs on the end. Between the two prongs was a golden gem just hovering. This man stared down at the child with a sneer.
"So you're the new favorite now… of course they forget all about me, little brother." He said with a sneer. "What to do, what to do." He said, pacing around the cradle, all while staring at the sleeping infant. After a few minutes, a sinister smile appeared on his face. "Oh, I know what to do… I can't just kill or maim you after all… that would get an investigation and I rather not be incarcerated… so how better to pay them back then… a small accident befalling their child…" He laughed, taking out a golden gem from his pocket. Placing the gem and the staff together, the golden gem glowed brighter and brighter, before changing color to an icy blue. An icy blue that sent shivers down his spine. He took the child by his sleeping head and slowly pushed the gem into Issei's right eye. His right eye shimmered the same color blue, then returned to its normal color. Issei never even woke up. "When you say the magic words, you will be pulled into a place where no human could survive… Mark my words Odin… and mother." He spat at the child as he disappeared once more into a fly. "You will regret everything." He cursed before flying off into Asgard.
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