"You're a god.", the man who seemed to listen to the name of Kratos said. "A son of Odin."

Letting out a deep breath, Heimdall smirked.

"And I can't be trusted.", he shrugged. "We all know how this will go. And we all will benefit from it."

"You're Heimdall.", Freya said as if that was an argument to be made.

"And you are a saint yourself? Not even the boy is without fail."

"But he has a motive.", Kratos said. "What is it that you gain by killing your father?"

His mouth was already open to give a snappy answer when Heimdall stopped himself and had to think.

There it was again, that doubt gnawing at him. It was not as if he did not wish to banish his father from his affairs.

But to kill him?

When a god died, it led to unpredictable disasters.

When Baldur died, Freya regained the will to be her own person. And now she stood before him, in flesh and blood, intent on bringing Asgard to the end of the world.

After Magni's and Modi's death, Thor had raged for ten nights and eleven days. The sky had spewed lightnings.

What would happen when the king of the gods was destroyed?

The thought sent a shiver of unease down Heimdall's spine.

And yet.

He desperately wanted to taste the life he had never touched through his loyalty to the Allfather.

He wanted to know what it was like to be normal. To love like humans did as if it was the only fulfilment in their short lives.

"My motive?", he asked, raising his eyes to look at Freya. "Does a god have to have a motive to do something? The All-Father has been doing what he wants for a long time without giving a single reason for it."

He laughed.

All at once he felt frustration climb up his throat. Then despair.

Just in that tiny moment, everything became so clear. As if the clouds were breaking and a blue sky was revealed.

Never before had Odin had to give an explanation or apologised for things that others obviously found fault with. He had always just done what came to his mind.

So why did Heimdall have to justify himself now?

"Odin is a spirit without insight.", Freya confirmed, less averse but not friendly. "We can all agree on that."

Heimdall swallowed hard.

"So why do I need a reason to turn against him now?", he asked, almost offended.

"Because you are his son.", Kratos replied in a voice that carried no emotion.

"So what?!", Heimdall clenched his hands into fists to contain the rage inside him. "All my life I have served him, not as his blood but as his property. His subject! Everything I gave for him. Never got anything in return. No reward, no recognition. Not even a good word!"

"What has changed?", Freya looked deep into his eyes. "You were blindly inferior to him all these years."

"Someone promised to respect me.", it slipped from his tongue.

Surprised silence spread.

Suspicious eyes looked at him.

There was so much they gave him.

Suspicion.

Confusion.

Disbelief.

Pity.

How he hated being looked at like that.

He didn't want their comforting looks.

He wanted to look someone in the eye without being reminded how little he had achieved despite all his efforts.

He wanted to be with you.

"The Allfather has someone you care about.", the boy suddenly said.

He was the only one who seemed to be truly neutral towards the god. Of course he did not trust him.

But he also knew that Heimdall could be a useful ally. So he didn't try to make the alliance harder than it already was.

With bitterness on his face, Heimdall looked at him.

"He stole something from me.", he growled, showing his two rows of golden teeth for the first time. "Something that belongs to me."

"Kratos.", the head Mimir still sounded suspicious. "A word, brother."

Kratos hummed in agreement and moved away.

Freya followed him like a lost puppy.

The sight made Heimdall chuckle bitterly.

When she had shared a bed with Odin, she had always refused to follow him. Even when he had had good intentions. And now she followed this stranger, a man from another world, like her leader.

And this despite the fact that she had always insisted on being led only by herself.

"He can't be trusted.", Mimir whispered so as not to attract attention.

It was amusing, they all knew they were in the presence of the god of foresight and yet they tried to keep their decision a secret.

But he knew how it would end.

"He is a son of Odin.", Kratos agreed.

"He could help us.", Freya argued.

Heimdall's eyebrows rose in surprise. He hadn't expected Freya herself to put in a good word for him.

"He could betray us.", Mimir gasped.

"Let me remind you that I never promised not to kill Kratos after all this. I could betray you too."

"Will you?", asked Kratos.

She hesitated.

But the answer was obvious to all. Of course she wouldn't. She had already forgiven him too much for that.

"Will you vouch for him, Freya?", asked Mimir with raised eyebrows.

She hesitated. Her gaze wandered over her shoulder to Heimdall.

Without a movement, his gaze softened and he lowered his head.

It was only a small gesture. But enough for Freya.

"I will.", she said.

"This is a big risk you're taking.", Kratos reminded her.

Sighing, she closed her eyes and shook her head.

"I know. We all know. But Atreus brought him here. Heimdall could have killed him on the way here but he didn't. He refused to fulfil the prophecy."

"Maybe the time hasn't come yet.", Mimir thought out loud. "He knows when things are meant to happen."

Annoyed, Heimdall crossed his arms in front of his chest and let out a low sound of displeasure.

"Nobody of you has to make friends with me.", he said. "But you all know Ragnarök only happens once I blow Gjallarhorn."

"Once someone blows it.", Kratos corrected.

The god huffed.

"What are you going to do? Kill me? Do it yourself? No. No, I don't think so. Just do one thing for me and I'll do a thing for you. No blood shedded.", he shrugged. "Well... none of ours."