Chapter 534

Jeanne POV

There was an open part in this….building? Could this be called a building? But there was an open part that let me see out and I saw so many stars.

I was pretty sure we weren’t on Earth anymore, but it was very beautiful.

“Mr. Heimdall, how far away is Earth?” I turned to look at him.

His eyes opened and he glanced at me. “Using the measurements of Midgardians, your home world would be approximately –” He raised a hand pointing towards the stars in a certain direction. “2.6 Million Lightyears away.”

“Oh.” Thanks to the Grail’s knowledge, I sort of understood.

It was a really long way away.

“Can you see…everything?” I was also knowledgeable about the myths surrounding the god, but it seemed a bit different here.

He smiled warmly, patiently answering my question. “The universe is open to me. However, I do not perceive every detail without effort. You look at a tree, but to see each leaf, you must focus.”

I understood, still it was really impressive!

“You have really good eyesight then.” I complimented him.

He chuckled. “One does not see the entirety of the universe with merely eyes. Though I admit, it’s a little bit of boasting for me. There are some things even I cannot see when I try my hardest.”

“Do you stand here all day?” I asked him, as he hadn’t moved at all since I arrived.

“It is my duty. I am the Watcher, the Guardian of Asgard. For as long as Asgard stands and I draw breath, my duty is to watch for threats to the realm eternal.” He spoke with pride in his voice.

“....how do you eat and sleep?” I asked.

He chuckled again. “I am a god that requires neither of those. However, I am lucky to be catered to on occasion and I do have meals brought to me during important events and ceremonies. And I do receive the occasional….how do the Midgardians say it? Oh yes, I do receive the occasional Day Off every few centuries.”

“Do you enjoy it?” I don’t know if I could do it for days on end…for centuries. To do nothing but stand and watch outwards.

His smile didn’t falter and he held out his hand. “Come, I will show you what I am watching.”

I hesitantly stepped towards him and placed my hand on his and immediately, my vision changed and I saw something I couldn’t explain.

“The death of a star is a rare sight even to my eyes. But it is always a beautiful one.” His voice reached me despite not being able to see him anymore. “This star has burned bright for an uncountable number of eons. The races it bore had long passed and the planets that orbit it but barren wastes. It’s finally time for it to rest.”

The star exploded and despite not actually feeling it, I almost felt like I experienced it as if I were right now. He was right, it was beautiful, an array of colors burst out filling the emptiness of space with one last spark before disappearing.

I had to cover my eyes and it snapped me back into place, Heimdall standing next to me again.

“Thank you, that was a wonderful thing to see.” I said politely.

He smiled and nodded, his eyes peering into the distance, never once having his gaze waver despite my distraction.

“My Queen.” Heimdall spoke up, making me confused for a moment before I realized someone else joined us.

A woman was standing at the entrance to the….building. She wore a beautiful dress and had a certain regal air about her. It reminded me of the times I met royalty in my life.

“Heimdall.” She greeted back, looking around, and her eyes landed on me. “And this must be the….mortal?” Her brow furrowed as she said that last part.

Well….as a goddess she should be able to see that I’m a spirit…..

She shook her head for a moment. “Heimdall, what’s my son up to down on Midgard?” She turned back to him.

“He is…..” Heimdall paused.

The Queen let out a sigh. “Just say it, I won’t be offended.”

“He is currently demanding that a group of mortals remove his trousers so that he can prove his…..spear size.” Heimdall said a bit awkwardly.

“......Thor” She sighed again, rubbing her nose. “Maybe the All-Father was right, maybe he does need to spend some time away from Asgard.” She said with pursed lips, clearly unamused. She then turned back to me, straightening her dress and clearly her expression. “I apologize, I have not introduced myself. I am Frigga, Queen of Asgard. May I have the name of the one who was found worthy of my Son’s Hammer?”

“My name is Jeanne D’Arc, it’s an honor to meet you, your majesty.” I quickly recalled the lessons I was taught in how to greet royalty.

“I should be the one to say that, Lady Arc.” Frigga returned the polite words. “Asgard welcomes you.”

I smiled and looked down at the Hammer. “I didn’t mean to take it, should I be returning it to you or someone else?”

The Queen’s expression was hard to read and she held her hand out, and the Hammer trembled before shooting up off the ground and into her hand.

“Oh, you can pick it up too!” I nodded in understanding.

She smiled, chuckling slightly. “I have some allowances as a mother, but the Hammer has not accepted me. If I tried to wield it, it would surely reject me. Not like it has you.”

I tilted my head in confusion as she handed it back to me and I awkwardly held onto it along with my cactus. “Who should I give it back to?”

The Queen pursed her lips again and gave Heimdall one last look. “That is a difficult question to answer, and this is not a proper place to host a guest. Why don’t you follow me to the castle and we can discuss things properly?”

“I would be delighted.” The big castle looked beautiful and I would love to see it up close!

@***@

She led me through the streets, and no one even looked her away. I could tell she was using some magic to hide us, but it was still interesting to see.

There were no humans here, despite what they looked like. Yet, they looked like they lived simple lives. Strangely, amidst what looked like a market I would see in my time, there were some odd bits of technology that looked very advanced.

But I wasn’t really knowledgeable those sorts of things, so I couldn’t really comment.

But it was peaceful, I don’t think I saw any bad parts that you would normally see in a regular society. There didn’t seem to be any sort of homelessness or poverty. 

She continued to lead me towards the castle, and it looked even more impressive in person. 

I could feel the magic around us disappear as we got close to the large gates. Two guards in golden armor bowed towards the Queen and quickly pulled the massive doors open as we approached.

The inside was just as splendorous as the outside, the walls and floors looked like they were made completely of gold. It opened right up to a throne room, but it was empty.

“My son, Loki, is currently handling some emissaries from another realm as Reagent.. Come, let us go to the gardens, there is a lovely spot there that we can speak.” She gestured for me to follow.

As she said, the gardens she led me to were lovely. Lots of plants I didn’t recognize though…..I still liked my cactus the most.

We found a small little table in a more open area around the center. It was both rather open and yet secluded all the same.

I like it very much here. I wonder if I could take Wilhelm to visit here some day?

“Now, we can have a nice talk.” She smiled politely.

“About what?” I was still confused at what I was here for. I didn’t mind returning the Hammer, I didn’t mean to take it…

The Queen let out a breath as if to be delicate with her words. “There are certain aspects of our people that you probably are unfamiliar with. To be completely blunt, the Hammer now belongs to you.”

I had just set the Hammer on the table next to my Cactus and I looked at it. “But…it doesn’t belong to me?”

“Weapons that choose their wielders are not strange to us. Perhaps it’s not a concept familiar to Midgardians – “

“Oh, I know about that.” I smiled.

She also smiled lightly. “Perhaps, I did not wish to assume. You are certainly….unique, that I didn’t know what were true or not. I know that there are many Sorcerers and the like still on Midgard. And many eons ago, we even established treaties with the native Sorcerers that protected Midgard.”

“Are you talking about the Ancient One? Though she said her title was ‘Sorcerer Supreme’.” I asked.

The Queen seemed to recognize the title. “Quite the grandiose title, and yes, I do seem to recall that was what their leader called themselves? Though, that was several thousand years ago. Perhaps we should reestablish communications since one of our own has stepped on Midgard for the first time in a very long time.”

‘’She was nice, I’m sure she would be happy to talk with you.” The Ancient One was nothing but nice to me the moment I arrived!

“If you speak well of her, then I could only assume that she be quite the leader.” The Queen smiled warmly. “However, we have veered off topic, I’m afraid. The Hammer, by Asgardian customs most ancient, it belongs to you now. Even if my Son were to stand here at this moment, he would have no claim to demand the Hammer back.”

“But, all I did was pick it up? I really don’t mind giving it back.”

Her lips twitched in seeming amusement. “Be that as it may, there is a secondary dilemma associated with it. You see, my husband – the All Father – used a substantial amount of strength to carve a new Enchantment on the Hammer before banishing our son to Midgard. It stripped Thor of all his power –” She paused. “Ah, I don’t believe I’ve spoken of my son yet. I’m so used ot everyone knowing him that I seemed to have forgotten my manners.”

“Oh, I know who Thor is.” I reassured her. “The stories are pretty popular even today.”

“Is that so?” Her eyes twinkled with another bit of amusement, I think she found it funny. “I’m sure the stories must be rather comical. It also saves me quite a bit of trouble in explaining things.”

“If you don’t mind me asking, why was he….kicked out?” I didn’t want to phrase it rudely.

The Queen let out another long sigh. “I would say that it’s like a house. A great many bricks have been wrong accrued and my husband felt that we needed to knock down the foundation to make it more sturdy. Perhaps it’s my own fault for indulging him for so long. A great heart he has, but he lacks a tempered mind to go with it.” She shook her head. “On the eve of his coronation, Asgard was infiltrated by a renegade group of Frost Giants, they snuck into the vaults, intended to steal back one of their relics of great power that is whispered with horror among the stars. The coronation was of course interrupted, and the invaders dealt with. Thor took this personally and snuck off to demand an explanation from the King of Jotunheim.”

“But why would he do that?” I asked in confusion. “Wouldn’t it have been more productive to establish a proper delegation to seek answers through official means? If he rashly marched into another King’s territory and made demands, the foreign King would have to protect their own reputation and authority, regardless of right or wrong.”

The Queen looked at me strangely. 

“D-did I say something wrong?” I was only using knowledge I gained from my own life experiences.

“....there is certainly more to you than meets the eye, isn’t there?” She blinked in surprise. “I had thought the Hammer chose you because you seemed to radiate a warmness and pureness, but that’s not entirely the case, is it? No, it makes sense that my husband wouldn’t simply let any kind soul lift the hammer. Kindness, humility, patience and forethought need to be tempered with will and strength.”

She continued ot stare at me and I still wondered if I said something wrong. I was never good at dealing with royalty…..

I was just a farm girl!

The Queen dropped her eyes and sighed again. “Unfortunately, my son was brash and reckless. He started a fight that forced my husband to rally the armies of Asgard to bring him back, causing an incident that very well may lead to war. However, my husband, while strict and demanding, is not without a heart. He banished Thor to Midgard, as you know by now, to learn more of the traits of mortals and humble himself. To learn to live without his power or status.”

“It’s not a bad idea.” I spoke up after it seemed like she was done explaining. “I’ve heard that some human royalty sometimes send their children to live a few years of a modest life among farmers or something similar.”

The Queen smiled lightly. “That would have been a good idea a few centuries earlier perhaps. But it doesn’t matter now, Thor must manage through his own quest and hardships and grow into a proper king.”

“How long do you think that will take?”

“.....I would rather not think about it.” She admitted. “But let us return to the earlier subject. As I said, my husband used considerable strength to strip Thor of his power – his godhood at its core. And now, it’s attached to his hammer, that belongs to you.”

“....oh.” I looked down at the Hammer again.

“Just as the Hammer belongs to you now as per Asgardian traditions, you’re rightfully the God of Thunder.”

“B-but isn’t Thor the God of Thunder?”

“Thor is the Prince of Asgard, my – our child, that is not something you can claim. However, his status as the God of Thunder is not the same. Rightfully, the mantle now belongs to you.” She said. “If you will it, you can claim his power by wielding the hammer proper. You will transform into a godly state, wielding his full power to do with what you want.”

“No thank you.”

She paused abruptly and looked at me strange again. “Did you not understand? Perhaps you don’t quite know. You would for all intents and purposes, become a god. You would wield power beyond your imagination. You would be welcome in Asgard, the Realm Eternal. A spot would be open to you in Valhalla. You would be the envy and worship of an uncountable number of souls across the cosmos.”

“It’s alright, you can give it back to Thor.” I smiled.

“You….truly would give up godhood without any detriments simply because it doesn’t belong to you?”

“Well….I don’t know if I would accept it anyways.” I said quietly. “I don’t believe that I need to be anything other than human. But rightfully, it doesn’t belong to me, I always just wanted to give it back. Being able to see Asgard was enough for me, I’ll cherish the memories of this place for my entire life.” I said honestly.

She opened her mouth and closed it again, looking like she was having trouble speaking. “Have you no greed in your heart?”

“I’m happy with what I have, I don’t need anything else.” I responded.

@***@

Frigga, Queen of Asgard, POV

I studied the strange girl for any seed of deceit. Yet, I could not find a single note of falsehood in her words. Through her expression and her tone, and with all the experience I’ve gathered in my life, I could tell without a doubt in my heart that she was speaking truthfully.

Was there really such a pure hearted mortal in this universe? 

I wanted to test her further. Perhaps….perhaps even I am unable to perceive her lies as unlikely as that is.

“Why not keep it in case you need it in the future?” I tried to coax her into accepting it. Maybe if she thought I was supportive, she would quickly change her tune? “Are you not able to find any use for such?”

“Well…” The girl looked at the hammer and I narrowed my eyes. “It is a very nice hammer, but I don’t know what I would need a hammer for in the future. My dad told me when I was younger that a person’s home should be built with their own hands, but that’s too far away to think about….”

…..I believe she doesn’t even realize what I was insinuating.

She truly believes it nothing more than the worth of any regular hammer. 

“It would look lovely as a wall decoration!” She perked up, smiling towards me as if trying to reassure me of its worth.

I felt my lips twitch. “I agree, it would look quite lovely as a wall decoration.”

She truly is that sincere and kind hearted. In fact, from just the look in her eyes, she valued that potted plant infront of her far more than the Hammer that contained godhood within.

I’m sure Odin would like to meet her just as well. He just may, because there’s one easy way to settle the issue of her currently having ownership fo the Hammer.

However, that thought was pushed aside because I noticed several people approaching, their boisterousness was enough for me to recognize them easily.

“Hogun, Volstagg, Fandral and Sif.” I spoke up, letting my words carry. “Since when are you allowed into my gardens without my permission?”

The young lady also turned to see the four of them awkwardly shuffle out from behind quite a few of my larger plants.

“We apologize for any insults, my queen.” Fandral immediately spoke up, taking on that ‘charming’ smile of his. I nearly rolled my eyes, did he think I was one of those tavern wenches that would be swooned as he relayed his inflated tales of valor? “We were simply overcome with worry for our good friend, and Prince – “

“Fandral, do you think I don’t know why you’re here?’ I looked at him flatly.

“....apologies, your Majesty. If you must punish us, I will  – “

“If I didn’t punish you for wetting yourself while I was holding you it’s unlikely I’ll do so now.” 

The arrogant boy nearly tripped over himself. “Must you always bring that up, your Majesty?” He said with a clear hint of embarrassment. “And I was a child.”

“You were seven.” I once more said flatly. I was annoyed, but I also was pleased that Thor’s friends were so protective of him. “Now, speak. Why have you ambushed me here?”

“We heard tales –” Fandral was about to speak, but Sif pushed him to the side.

“We heard that someone entered the castle with you carrying Thor’s hammer.” Sif said pointedly.

I did always appreciate her bluntness. And I shouldn’t be surprised, gossip travels faster than even the gods.

I didn’t speak, but gestured to the young lady sitting across from me.

Their eyes fell on her and she smiled warmly and waved to them. “Hello.”

“Well, hello to you too, my lady.” Fandral started again. “I don’t believe I’ve had the honor of your acquaintance before. I’m Fandral, warrior extraordinaire. Slayer of Jotun and Monsters alike. If you’re interested, I would be happy to tell you about some of my many adventures.”

“...oh, uh….okay.” She said a little awkwardly.

Sif pushed him away again. “Stop messing around.” She sized up the Midgardian girl. “Your Majesty, please tell us the truth. Is Thor lost to us for good? Has even his Hammer abandoned him?”

I considered whether to answer. “It’s complicated, and no he isn’t. But it’s a matter for him to decide on. It’s not a matter for you all to meddle with.”

“But Loki – “

“Is rightfully sitting upon the throne while the All-Father is in his Odin Sleep.” I cut her off, giving her a stern look. “You would do well to remember that.”

I already could guess what she was going to say. No doubt they went to Loki and wanted him to order Heimdall to open the Bifront and go ‘rescue’ Thor. No doubt he rejected them because Loki does understand certain proprieties of his ‘Ruling’, even if it is temporary for now.

Tis unwise to make your first action to be to undo the last action of the one who sat on the throne before you. It would not only bring question upon his own ability, but the solidarity of the house under Odin in full. 

I considered Sif my daughter even if she has yet to marry Thor like I had foreseen many years ago. But her hatred of Loki – which admittedly is rightfully earned – does blind her to many things about my other son.

“Then why does this….mortal sit here with Thor’s Hammer?” Sif glared at Jeanne.

I found myself frowning at her treatment of the young girl. “If you wish to place blame, then I will bring you before the All-Father when he awake.” That made her eyes widened and she realized her mistake rather quickly. While she wasn’t as bad as Thor, her rashness and recklessness comes out when Thor is in danger. “Lady Jeanne, if you would be so kind as to lift the Hammer up for them?”

“Uh….okay?” She said hesitantly, picking up the Hammer and holding it up for them to see. “Like this?”

They all stared at her. 

“As you can see, the matter isn’t simple.” I believe I got my point across. “ Lady Jeanne here – “ I emphasized a polite calling of her name to denote her status. “-- has been acknowledged.”

“Well, I’ll be. I never thought I’d see a mortal lifting Thor’s Hammer like that.” Volstagg let out a boisterous laugh, slapping the shoulder of Hogun, who despite looking just as surprised, kept his silent demeanor.

Sif however only had a scowl pull across her face. “But she is a mortal!” Sif stated, pointing at her. “We cannot allow her to have –”

“You can have it.” Jeanne interjected. 

Sif quickly silenced at the declaration. “.....what?”

“She has offered to return the Hammer almost immediately.” I responded quite pointedly. “I was in the midst of explaining to her our traditions and customs and what significance her having earned the Hammer having entailed.”

“....oh.” Sif seemed to realize the situation now as the others did too.

“Quite.” I said with no hidden amount of dissatisfaction at how they approached. “We were going to discuss how to resolve this dilemma properly.”

“....a contest.” Sif suddenly blurted out. “A proper contest! No one can call me honorless if I earn Thor’s hammer back in a contest!”

“Um…I don’t mind giving it back, I don’t like fighting…” Jeanne said quietly.

Sif looked at her. “You are a mortal, a fight would be dishonorable when it’s so obvious who would win. And I will wager my own sword, forged of precious Asgardian steel and Vanir magics to make it fair.”

“Well….I don’t mind either, I can surrender, right? Then you can take the Hammer back without any problems?”

Sif seemed to ignore her and looked around. She was much too prideful to allow such an ‘easy’ victory.  “Volstagg, your Axe. Let it be a contest of strength.”

“Haha, are you sure? My axe is heavy.” He took it off his back and let it hit the ground, even shaking the table we were sitting at. “It’s no Mjölnir, but it even has a small bit of uru in it.”

“That’s right, even I have to put effort in wielding it.” Sif acknowledged, and she looked at me, noticing I wasn’t going to stop her, she continued as she paced. “It’s not like Mjölnir where the weight lessens for those it acknowledges. If you can lift this axe then – “ Sif turned around and stopped.

She stopped because Jeanne had already gotten up and was holding Voldstagg’s axe with one hand over her shoulder.

“This is heavy!” She exclaimed. “What do I do now?”

“.......”

I was going to interject about a much simpler way to handle things, but this was much too entertaining to watch.

Though, perhaps I should hold off on making a rash decision.

I will speak with her more and know the girl who has such a pure heart.

It will be such a simple matter if I adopt her, would it not?

But for now, Thor isn’t the only one who deserves a humbling. Sif should not look down so thoroughly on mortals.

@***@

A/N

Jeanne is having fun in Asgard as Shenanigans begin. But I’m sure everything will be fine :V.