A Nascent Kaleidoscope.-Chapter 594:

Frigga, Queen of Asgard POV

This was far more entertaining than I thought it would be.

Sif's insistence on 'challenging' Jeanne here for nothing but to assuage her own pride. Yet, she has not once 'defeated' her.

And she refused to turn it physical because she already said it would be dishonorable.

"How about we flip a coin…?" Fandral said with a sigh; they seemingly ran out of 'contests, and they were wearing nothing but the most basic of leathers, his armor and weapons joined in a pile along with the others, sitting next to Jeanne.

"That isn't necessary—"

Updat𝒆d fr𝒐m freewebnσvel.cøm.

"I accept." Sif cut Jeanne off once more, determined to 'win.' "Let the Nirns decide the winner." She said proudly, despite her armor also being missing and having nothing of worth left but a single vambrace. For which, she pulled it off and set it on the table, implying that she's using it to 'wager.'

Fandral held up a coin. "All-Father on one side, Yggdrasil on the other." He showed Jeanne, who awkwardly nodded. At this point, I was starting to feel bad for her; she was quite clearly uncomfortable with what was happening. I would move to stop it in a moment.

"The All-Father will bless me." Sif decided her side. "Flip it."

Fandral tossed the coin up in the air, caught it, and slapped it on the table.

There was a moment of silence that passed as everyone looked at it.

".....Yggdrasil." He finally said as they all paled.

One more piece of armor was added to the pile by Jeanne's side.

It was starting to get a tad ridiculous at this point.

"How about—"

"I believe that's quite enough." I interrupted them and their childish games. "I have been more than accommodating to your playing around. Hogun, Fandral, Volstagg, take your stuff and leave."

"But – "

"Are you going to make me repeat myself?" I glared at them.

The three of them stiffened and awkwardly shuffled over to the pile of armor and weapons and grabbed their things before bowing politely and quickly disappearing.

"That's better." I clapped my hands, using a bit of magic to bring a tea set out from the kitchens and onto the table. "Sif, sit down."

"Do I – "

"Sit down." I said a bit more sternly.

She took the seat opposite us with a little frown.

"They mean well." I looked at the Midgardian girl. "Even if their methods are usually rather dull and aggressive."

"I-it's okay." They smiled good-naturedly.

Sif was still being stiff and unresponsive.

This girl, her attitude left much to be desired. If she wanted to be queen one day, she needed to make up for Thor's faults, not double down on them with her own.

It was plain to see she was being competitive with Jeanne just because the poor girl was proved 'worthy' of the Hammer, something Sif felt envy towards.

I'm sure in her mind, she felt it was necessary to go through all of this to 'win' over her. It was all because of her rather fragile pride.

Despite being a goddess and a great warrior, she had her own fair share of troubles to reach this point. It left her with a rather rigid mindset, one that required her to defend herself and her 'position' at any perceived slight.

If a warrior in the training yard claimed to be the best with a sword, her pride demanded that she defeat him; otherwise, her own perceived self-worth would take a large hit.

It didn't help that Thor constantly overlooked her due to his own chauvinistic nature that reared its ugly head every now and then. She was having trouble keeping up with him lately, and it made certain traits of hers become even more apparent.

"Now, why don't we properly do introductions?" I may as well get things started if I want everything to work out well. "This is Sif; she hails from the Vanir tribe just like me."

"It's nice to meet you, Miss Sif." Jeanne warmly spoke. "I'm Jeanne D'Arc."

"...well met." Sif offered in return, unable to keep her silence when proper introductions were expected.

"Sif, why don't you tell her a bit about yourself?" I asked.

I did hope that potentially two of my future daughters would get along. That and Sif doesn't have very many female friends. Perhaps her attitude will soften if she has more than Thor and that trio to call friends.

"I am Sif." She said rather bluntly.

I looked at her, and she frowned but kept going.

"I am one of the greatest warriors of Asgard." She spoke again, this time with a bit more emotion and a hint of her pride showing.

Unfortunately, I think that's about the most I'm going to get out of her.

"It seems you have quite a bit in common with Jeanne here then." I moved things along.

Sif scoffed lightly, crossing her arms. "This mortal looks as if she has never held a weapon in her life."

Oh, Sif.

For a proclaimed great warrior, you let your own emotions cloud your judgment. It would only take a few moments to recognize the mannerisms of someone who is accustomed to combat.

Her posture, her noticing of the exits, her confidence.

She knowingly sits before gods, yet she has not an iota of fear.

"Jeanne, why don't you tell us about yourself? What was Midgard like?" Well, my original intent was to learn more about the girl, not force Sif to respond with one- or two-word responses to questions I already know the answers to.

"W-well, it's not really exciting. I grew up in a small town in the countryside of a country called France. We had a small family farm next to our house. My mom was the town physician; she knew what plants would help with what ailments." She recited with a gentle smile.

"Midgard still has countries?" Sif's nose scrunched.

"Uh….yes?" Jeanne answered, seemingly confused by her words.

"Which is normal." I shot Sif a look. "Most mortal worlds go through similar stages. Some are slow, some are fast, but they eventually remove self-imposed borders as a people when they take to the stars."

Well, Midgard is still…primitive in some aspects. I haven't seen it in quite a long time, but Heimdal has said that they've come a long way since we were more active over there.

"And what do you do for a living, Jeanne? Did you take up your parents farm? Did you follow your mother's teachings and help the sick and ill?" I moved the conversation.

"I went to war when my country was under attack." She acted as if it were the most normal thing in the world.

Even Sif had to nearly do a double take on the Midgardian woman.

"You are a warrior…?" Sif asked in disbelief.

Jeanne smiled a little awkwardly. "I wouldn't call myself that. I just had a duty to fulfill and acted on it. The Lord commanded me, and I followed his will."

I did not miss her wording there. "The god you believe in commanded you to war?" I was unsure of what god had sway over her, only feeling that there was one. And it was quite potent at that. And strangely, it felt vaguely familiar, but also rather…foreign.

"Yes." She smiled warmly. "The Lord asked me to join, so I left home. I followed his will and rallied my fellow countrymen, and we fought across France for several years."

"You said you were a farm girl. And without a second thought, because the god you worshipped commanded you, you went off to fight in a war as but a girl even by Midgardian standards?" Sif reiterated.

"That is correct, yes." Jeanne nodded.

Sif became speechless.

I could understand her sentiment.

Sif was a goddess even if not a major one. Very few actually worshipped her, perhaps a few villages across the Nine Realms that did so out of gratefulness due to her own heroic adventures in the past.

However, even she can recognize and respect the dedication of such a faithful believer in another deity.

Perhaps I even feel a little bit of envy towards her god that they have such a devoted and genuine belief in their heart.

"Why?" Sif finally managed to force it out.

"Why what?" Jeanne tilted her head.

"You were just a child." Sif stated. "Surely there were men and women capable of fighting. Why did you feel that you must join them?"

"It was my home; I wanted to protect it." She answered without hesitation. "Through the Lord's blessings, I was able to lead my fellow countrymen to protect our lands and homes."

Once more, Sif was silent. She had quite a few expressions flashing across her face.

"And what did you do afterwards?" I asked.

"Uh…there wasn't really an afterwards…." She turned a little awkward, a stark contrast from the conviction she held a moment prior.

"Your war still rages?" Sif stood up. "Very well, I shall join you. If you fight for such a noble cause, then my sword will be at your side." She declared.

Well, that was certainly quick.

I had thought it would take longer for Sif to get over her own self-esteem issues.

"N-no, the war is over. It ended a very long time ago." She replied. "It's just that there wasn't an afterwards for me. I, um...died."

Ah.

That would explain her state as a strange and solid spirit.

If confused, look at her and then at me.

"She is a spirit in a manner I have never seen before. Nearly indistinguishable from a normal living person at first glance." I said briefly.

Sif still didn't seem to understand, but she also didn't hold any immediate aggressiveness towards her, which is good.

Bringing back the spirits of the dead is normally a vile and repulsive thing. However, Jeanne here was nothing of the sort; if anything, it was rather beautiful.

"Like an Einherjar?" Sif asked.

"Not too dissimilar." Though that wasn't quite accurate. I could write pages on the differences I noted at merely a glance.

But like our Einherjar raised to Asgard, her existence is not one of vile and dark magics.

"Then you must have had a great death to achieve such an honor. It has been long since an Einherjar has been raised from Midgard, but it was customary for a new Einherjar to speak of their glorious deaths." Sif's evaluation of Jeanne had completely turned around.

If anything, it appears that Sif held a newfound respect for her fellow woman.

"It…wasn't anything like that." Jeanne still smiled, but I could see the truth behind her eyes. "I was burned at the stake."

"Pardon?" I immediately asked, ignoring Sif's own gaping mouth.

"W-well, I was accused of being a witch. I was sentenced to burn at the stake." She said rather plainly, yet there wasn't a hint of anger or malice in her words.

"A…Witch." I repeated it as if the term was one I wasn't familiar with. I was raised by witches; I have known many witches. Why in the name of the Nirns would someone burn her to death for supposedly being a witch?

Sif's hand slammed the table in anger. "We will go get revenge. You point out the ones responsible, I will cut off their heads."

"I appreciate your consideration, but it's not necessary. It was hundreds of years ago; no one else remains from that time. Besides, I already forgave them, so it's okay." She spoke of such matters with a continued ease that left me in awe.

"You were burned to death, and you…you forgive the ones who did so?" Sif looked at her with such astonishment as well.

"Yes." Jeanne spoke without any hesitation. It wasn't coming from a place of pride nor some sense of self-righteousness.

The young woman simply responded how she felt. A genuine forgiveness that held not a single note of hesitation nor anguish.

A courageous young woman who ran off to war at a young age simply because of her devout belief and desire to protect her home. A woman who led her comrades to victory and was rewarded with the most gruesome and dishonorable of deaths. Yet after all was said and done, she did not blame the ones responsible and wholeheartedly forgave them.

Was there any wonder that Mjölnir allowed her to wield it?

Perhaps it would be correct to say that he was overqualified to wield it even with Odin's enchantment added on.

I wonder, if I searched a thousand mortal worlds, would I find anyone even close to her level of 'worthiness'?

"Well, I believe that this settles matters." I said rather abruptly.

"Mother Frigga?" Sif called to me, confused at my words.

"I said I had a method to solve Thor's hammer without it causing unsightly whispers. The answer is rather simple: I'll just adopt her as my daughter."

"Bwah!?" Jeanne let out a noise of confusion herself.

Sif's eyes widened, and then it seemed she had a realization. Comically, and in stark contrast to her earlier behavior, it looked like she fully supported the idea. "It would solve all problems."

"B-but, I...I already have a mom?" Jeanne stuttered out, looking unsure of what to do.

I felt my lips curl up at her reaction. She was truly a sweet girl, and seeing her flustered was rather fun to watch. "Worry not, child. What I speak of is different than what you assume. It's not uncommon in our culture to adopt other children even if their parents remain living and providing. It's… it's similar to how a child marries into another family." Hmm, perhaps it was a bit difficult to explain to someone who had no concept.

'My Queen.' A faint voice reached my ears alone.

'Heimdal?" I answered back.

'Tell her it is the same as what the Midgardians call a 'godparent' in modern day.'

'Thank you, Heimdal.'

He was ever so reliable.

"Heimdal says that the concept is rather similar to what the Midgardians of today call a 'Godparent'?" I offered to help her bridge the confusion.

"A godparent?" Jeanne seemed to come to a realization.

"Yes, a rather ironic name." I chuckled. "Though, I admit I'm not sure what it means to you."

"Oh, um. Back in my time, a godparent was someone who watched over a child's religious upbringing. But nowadays, it's more like an extra parent figure that helps and supports their 'godchild' rather than anything religious." She explained easily.

"A perfect semblance then." I nodded. At that point, the difference wasn't even worth noting.

"B-but, you don't need to do that. I don't mind just giving the hammer back, and no one will know I accidentally took it, right?"

Oh, how sweet; she's trying to argue with me.

That's something I'll need to correct.

"I reject your rejection." I smiled politely.

"Neh!?"

Ah, I'm going to enjoy having a new daughter.

"You may call me mother if you want, but I won't force you. Many call me Mother Frigga as the wife to the All-Father. You can also just call me by my name. Unfortunately, your claim to the throne is rather negligible, but I don't believe you care for such things. Otherwise, you are afforded many of the benefits of both my sons and as a princess."

"Eh!?"

"We will need to make an announcement." Sif added.

"That can wait for now. Thor's banishment just happened; it would be in poor taste to have a celebration so quickly." I shook my head. "And I believe Odin would like to meet his newest daughter before she's announced as a princess."

Poor thing, she looks completely overwhelmed.

Unfortunately for her, I have wanted a daughter for far too long, and Sif would sooner run around naked than in a dress.

"Mother?" Loki's voice resounded in the courtyard as he made his appearance around the corner of the bushes.

I saw Sif immediately scowl but ignored it.

"We're over here, dear." I called to him.

"Mother." He said again with a little smile of his. "I was looking for you, but it seems you're busy."

"And what would you need me for, your majesty?" I asked, seeing his eyes light up with pride as I called him that.

Despite being only a regent, he is afforded the proper respect as king.

"It was inconsequential." He waved it off. "Sif." He greeted her. "I see you're still around. I half expected you to sneak out after I expressively forbid it." He said with a slight narrowing of his eyes.

"Of course not, your majesty." Sif repeated the same words, but with a clear sarcastic undertone. "I would never disobey the king's words."

Of course, Loki noticed, but he seemed to find amusement in it.

His eyes turned to the last person in our little group.

"And who is this fetching young lady?" He put on a rather charming smile as he looked at Jeanne. "I was not aware we were bringing in Midgardians…or whatever she is, Mother?"

He was taught by me, so it wasn't surprising he could at least see that she was unique, even if he lacked the experience to truly view her existence.

It was then that Loki's eyes landed on the hammer sitting on the table. His gaze hardened, and even though he didn't say it, there was a clear annoyance within his forced smile.

"And…why is Thor's hammer here, mother? I was fairly sure that Father sent it to Midgard along with Thor." He questioned.

This is precisely what I wished to avoid.

Loki has different faults than Thor.

Rather predominantly, there is a sense of inferiority and an accompanying sense of paranoia.

"This is Jeanne D'arc." I introduced her to him. "She is your new sister."

"....pardon?" Loki blinked.

"I just adopted her."

Loki silently stared at me.

"You saw your father cast the enchantment on the hammer, Loki. You saw him toss it into the Bifrost as he banished your brother. You're a smart boy; do you need me to spell out why a Midgardian woman and the hammer are now here?" I looked at him.

"She…?" Loki looked at Jeanne. "But she's…a mortal."

"And now she possesses all the power of Thor if she desires." I nodded.

Greed, envy, and many emotions were clear on Loki's face for the briefest of moments until he hid them away like he had learned to do over the years.

Loki gave her an evaluating look, frowning as she smiled and gave him a little wave.

Wordlessly, he walked over and grabbed at the hammer, exerting himself, yet it wouldn't budge.

The silence was palpable.

"I see, I'm still not 'worthy,' is that right, mother? Is that why you've brought in someone to replace Thor as well? Someone who is "worthy?" He looked at me.

"Loki, you know it isn't like that." I said quickly, knowing his thoughts were probably all over the place.

I could imagine how it looks from his point of view.

He finally has the opportunity to step out of Thor's shadow, and here there's someone who is considered 'Worthy' by both the Hammer and Odin's own hand, and I just adopted her, technically allowing her to take the throne if needed.

For all intents and purposes, it looks like I was preparing a backup for Thor and completely ignoring him.

The look Loki gave me broke my heart, and he used his magic to make himself disappear from sight, but his words could still be heard. "As King, I forbid any travel to and from Midgard. Anyone who breaks this command will be labeled a traitor and be executed."

Loki….

Now both Sif and Jeanne were looking at me, and I could only let out a sigh. "Don't worry about him; give him a little bit of time to calm down, and I'll speak with him later. Come, I have long waited for someone I could put a dress on." I got up and gently but firmly pulled Jeanne towards my many saved wardrobes.

However, before we left, I realized I almost forgot something.

"You as well, Sif." I grabbed her before she could utter a rejection.

Today, both of my daughters are getting dressed up.

(Line Break)

Wilhelm POV

You know, I'm impressed.

Partly annoyed, but also impressed.

I've been here, what…like a day? And yet, someone from Wakanda found me.

I had quite a few questions, like how.

Actually, that was the only real question I had. However, giving it some thought, I could probably make a few guesses. The Ancient One did say they were the most advanced country on the planet. Combined with the fact that Agent Coulson said he ran my picture through all the major databases on the planet, I think we can do the math.

They probably already infiltrated every major organization through some advanced technological means, and I got pinged on their proverbial radar.

Thus, here we are.

One of their people was literally across the street and scouting me out and what I was doing.

Regardless, I was dealing with something else now.

The shouting in the room wasn't helping things.

"AAAAAAAAAAAAAAH." Darcy let out a really loud shout amidst the others arguing, causing all of them to stop and stare at her. "I was getting a headache."

"Well, this is awkward." I noted as they stared at me now.

Silence ensued.

Awkward silence.

"So, how much is my soul actually worth? Just out of curiosity." Darcy broke the silence.

"Darcy, don't try to sell your soul to the demon!" Jane chastised her. "Jesus, I can't believe I actually said that with full seriousness."

"Have you seen my student loans? I think I'd rather take my chances."

"Fear not, Lady Jane. While I am here, the demon shall not harm any of you." Thor said rather pridefully.

"Says the guy who pissed himself after getting tased." I responded.

"I did not; that is a lie." Thor defended himself.

"Hey, I tased him too." Darcy pulled out her own taser, letting it pop and crackle a couple of times by pressing the button.

"Right…maybe it's best that I head out now." I scratched my head, noting the really awkward atmosphere.

"Really, that's it? Aren't you going to do something to us?" Jane asked.

"...seriously?" I looked at her. "Are you asking that I do something?"

"No! I mean, I assumed you were here for a reason…."

"You realize that dumbass literally invited me over, right?" I jabbed my thumb at Thor. "I'm honestly just killing time right now."

Jane looked at Thor. "Wait, you brought him over here knowing he's a demon?"

"You know, I'm still stuck on the fact that he's actually a demon." Darcy said rather absentmindedly. "I think I'm going to need a few minutes here."

Erik was silent, but he looked like he was ready to tackle me if I made any sudden moves.

"Oh god, did I enter into some weird contract by accepting your help?" Jane began to freak out. "Oh my god, I'm going to hell, aren't I? Is it because I accidentally stole from that donation box when I was in high school and let someone else get blamed for it?"

"...that's kinda f'd up." Darcy commented.

Even Erik looked at her, blinking a few times. "Jane, did you steal from a charity?"

"There's a demon in the room; please stop focusing on that!!" She pointed at me.

"Kinda feels insulting when I'm referred to that way." I said.

"Is there a polite way to call you a hellspawn?" Darcy asked.

"You know, I actually don't think so." I pondered her question, realizing that she was actually on to something there. "I should also point out that I'm only half, and I'm not a demon; I'm a half-devil."

"...Like Satan?"

"No, it's a species. There are millions of them, jeez."

"Jesus, are you the antichrist?" Jane asked.

They looked at her, then at me.

"Nah, that's some other dumbass."

"Oh my god, the Antichrist is real." Jane's legs wobbled. "I shouldn't have stopped going to church. I'm sorry, Nanna, you were right; I'll go back to church, I promise." Thor quickly caught her.

"Alright, for real. My mom was human; I grew up a normal human; I went to school over in Japan and everything. Literally didn't know until I was already eighteen." I briefly explained.

Though I was met with silence again as they stared at me like I was some sideshow.

"You know, that's kind of lame." Darcy spoke up again.

"Thank you." I deadpanned.

"No problem." She smiled whimsically. "What's hell like?"

"Eh." I shrugged. "They have a good theme park."

"...really?" She perked up. "Are you fucking with me?"

"No, it's called Lucifer Land, and apparently lots of people from other places visit Hell just to go there." I said honestly.

She looked towards Thor. "Is he fucking with me?"

"I claim not to know of this 'Hell' he speaks of..." Thor admitted. "The only Hel known to me is Helheim."

"Different Hell."

"That's kind of confusing." She snorted. "Sorry for throwing holy water on you; I feel kind of bad about it now."

Wow, she really is just…a person.

I mean, it didn't actually harm me. It was as if I wasn't paying attention and put my hand on a hot stove. The surprise factor of it probably made it worse than anything.

"This was supposed to be a simple experiment to verify your data; why did it turn into this?" Erik bemoaned.

"Right." I clapped my hands. "Why don't I just leave?"

"Wait, you must stay so I can keep an eye on you. Once I have my hammer returned, I will decide how to deal with you. For now, you will stay here." Thor said adamantly as if his word were law.

…..

You know, that sounds even more insulting than him just throwing out 'Demon This, Demon That.'

"Hey, want to see a magic trick?" I looked at Darcy.

"Fuck yeah."

I held my hands out and called Sir Wiggles.

"What is that—" Thor's eyes widened; perhaps he could recognize something from Sir Wiggles.

Regardless, no one had the chance to utter another word as Sir Wiggles rocketed through the air and headbutted him in the groin.

The next sounds were Thor's whimpering as he fell to the ground, holding his hands between his legs.

"Alright, I'm going to head out." I said after waiting a few moments while Thor cried, rolling on the ground. Sir Wiggles returned to my shoulder happily, as if nothing happened.

"Later." Darcy waved, as she was the only one who had the presence of mind to speak at this point.

She's fun.

(Line Break)

I popped on over to Kamar-Taj after making sure no one was looking.

Just because they knew I was a 'Demon' at this point didn't mean I was suddenly going to reveal everything about myself.

"Back already?" The Ancient One greeted my return. "I had thought I wouldn't see you for several more days."

"Oh, well…things happened."

"How expected." She said dryly.

"Wait, were you not watching?" I would have guessed she was watching closely.

"Contrary to what you may think, my world does not revolve around you." She snorted. "And I do have other matters that require my attention more often than not."

"So you weren't watching?" I eyed her.

"....I intended to 'check up' on what you have been doing in a day or so." She admitted. "I had the distinct feeling that whatever I learned was going to give me the most irritating headache, so I was putting it off."

"Well, you were right. A clusterfuck and a half over there."

"Dare I ask what happened? I notice the distinct lack of your companion."

"Well, Jeanne and I went to check out the Hammer, you know, Mjölnir." I gave her a dry look of my own. "Which you could have just told me."

Her lips curled up. "Continue."

"Right, so we went to check it out, nice hammer and all that. And then Jeanne picks it up and gets whisked away to Asgard."

"....."

"And then I get arrested by some organization called 'Shield.' Stupid name, but cool acronym. Then Thor—as a mortal—comes barreling in and apparently turns over like two dozen of their agents before getting tased into needing a diaper."

"..."

"Then some guy shows up, and we're let go. I follow them back. I get splashed with holy water for some inane reasons. Oh, and apparently Wakanda has an agent over there too, so that's something."

"....."

"But…that's about it."

I looked at her, and she stared at me.

Wordlessly, she turned around and left.

Rude.

Well, I have nothing to do until Jeanne comes back. I'll go see Thor and them tomorrow after they have had the chance to calm down.

For now, why don't I go check on that other goddess I ran into before?

(Line Break)

A/N

Jeanne: Oh, I went off to war when I was like 15, then I won the war while being their leader. I then was burned at the stake. But it's alright; I forgave them.

Frigga: ….

Sif: ….

In which, Jeanne unintentionally traumatizes gods into caring for her.

If you want to read 10 chapters ahead or support me, visit my p.a.t.r.e.o.n.c.o.m / astoryforone

I also have a boosty if you can't use the above under the same name.

I also have a discord, I havn't mentioned it in a while. Feel free to come hang out, talk about the story or my other ones. I'm usually around to answer questions.

H t t p s : / / d i s c o r d . g g / QNM3yYg5HV