All the Colors of Earth (Natasha Romanoff)

5.1

Heimdall

Heimdall stands with his eyes closed, his hands gently clasped behind his back as he watches the various futures that could come to pass. With each breath he takes, a new future, a new possibility. But while each one is different, they all have one thing in common-

Natasha Romanoff.

In the futures where the universe burns, Natasha Romanoff is dead along with Marzda Cadanar. In the futures where the universe is safe, Natasha Romanoff is alive. And only in two futures, two possible outcomes to this war, was Marzda Cadanar alive.

And with the choices she's making now, those futures were getting further and further away.

Another breath, another future, another universe on fire.

And another.

And another.

But that should not be. The future is never set in stone but what he was seeing now, despite Natasha Romanoff being alive, was the universe burning.

The child. Where was the child?

Switching his gaze from the war to here on Asgard, he searches for the child. For the one who could destroy worlds if she so chose. Her parents room is empty, as is Fen's. The gardens perhaps, but they too are silent. And then he hears it, the sound of footsteps on the Bifrost, a child's scared whimper.

His eyes open and he sees the witch, Zara. The child is with her, tears staining her face and snot running from her nose.

"Open the Bifrost," Zara commands him.

"Why would I do that?" He asks calmly.

Zara grips the child's arm tightly, "I'm taking Tu'rok away from here."

His head cocks slightly, "the child is not yours to take."

"By Colorian law she is!" Zara hisses at him, impatience and anxiety rolling off of her.

Heimdall offers her a rare smile, "that child is not Colorian."

"Of course she is," Zara scoffs. She looks down at the child she is gripping and gasps, "what trickery is this? Where is the Destroyer?"

Fen wiggles in her grasp and Zara let's the child go, watching as Fen runs over to Heimdall and hides behind him. "The charge for kidnapping a member of the royal family is death."

"But I- you wouldn't dare!" Zara yells at him. "I'm the last remaining priest of the Colorian society."

Heimdall shakes his head once, "you are not. There is another, several in fact, many light years away from here."

"Impossible," Zara says softly.

"I have seen them. They are a faction of your society, banished long ago and lost to time," he tells her as his hands move to his sword. "They will not miss you."

Zara takes a step back as Heimdall pulls his blade free, "no! Please! It was a mistake!"

"For the crime of kidnapping Fenrin Lokichild, I, Heimdall, guardian of the Bifrost, sentence you to death. Effective immediately." In a split second he's in front of her and a moment later, her head separates from her body, both falling to the floor with a thud. With a wave of his hand, her body is covered in a white light and then she's gone. He turns back to Fen who is watching with wide eyes, "you did a good thing Fenrin. Your parents would be proud." Fen beams at him and Heimdall motions towards the entrance of the Bifrost, "you should be getting back to your friend. I'm sure she's worried about you."

Fen nods once and takes off, running past Heimdall and out the door, their little feet slapping the ground quickly.

Heimdall chuckles and takes his place once more.

A breath in, another future, but this one is new. This one shows the children, now grown up, on a strange planet with makeshift houses and strange creatures.

Another breath, another future, this one also of the children.

And another.

And another.

Heimdall smiles as he watches future after future play out, each one centered on Olympia Romanoff and Fenrin Lokichild.