cannon compliant with Thor 1, Cap 1, and Avengers, but then ignores everything after and takes the idea of Baldur from the mythology and comics. Just an idea that mugged me and wouldn't let me work on my other stories until I wrote this. There will be 1 more chapter, but I have no plans for a series of continueing adventures at this time, maybe in the future if there is interest and I get my other stories back on track.

The Lost Son of Asgard

The Discovery

Despite what most people thought, Heimdall's gaze was not all-seeing, he was not omniscient. He could view all of the other realms and if he focused on them he could find anything he was looking for in them; he could see trouble coming when it appeared far on the horizon and once he had chosen to watch out for someone or thing he could always find them or it again whenever he wanted to view them. Still, there were things that escaped his attention.

While magic often left a signature that was easy to follow, it could also be used to conceal items, people and even pathways between the realms. In addition, the everyday lives of every being in the realms were simply too numerous and often trivial to warrant his attention. This, he was now ashamed to admit, had been the reason that he had not closely watched Midgard since Odin's decree to leave the primitive peoples there to themselves centuries ago. He had glanced at them from time to time, saw that they were indeed developing, albeit rather slowly, but that they were still many generations away from being in any way involved with the greatness of the other realms. The last time Midgard had grabbed his attention had been when they had first sent humans into space. He had watched their efforts closely for a time, indeed he had been impressed with how quickly they seemed to be advancing in the last several generations, yet they still believed themselves alone in the cosmos and were in no way ready to begin relations with the vastly more experienced denizens of the other realms.

In truth, with all the other realms and peoples under his purview and his dedication to protecting the glory of Asgard, he had taken no note of Midgard until Odin Allfather had banished Prince Thor there to learn some much-needed humility. As he watched over Thor during his exile, he was chagrined to admit that he may have been remiss in his duty by not paying more attention to the quickly evolving human race. The humans (as they called themselves) had made immense strides in their sciences and societies and might soon even be ready to take their place alongside the older races.

Preoccupied with trying to track Loki's schemes, Heimdall could not devote the attention he wished to on the now interesting Midgardians but he vowed to rectify his earlier inattention once he was certain that Asgard was safe. Sadly, this safety did not come until after a distraught and deranged Loki let himself fall from the ragged edge of the shattered Bifrost into the eternal void. Despite Loki's treachery, Heimdall knew the royal family mourned his loss and their grief was even greater for the knowledge that this was the second son lost to them through the void of time and space.

Heimdall approached the golden palace of Asgard with no small amount of trepidation, the news he would present to the King and Queen was so startling that he was leaving his watch on the nearly completed Bifrost in order to deliver it in person and to hopefully be able to answer all inquiries put to him by the royal family. He was so intent on his destination and preoccupied by his discovery that he barely registered the sights of the dazzling city as he passed through it or the alert guards that quickly moved out of his way as he strode down the glittering halls of the palace. They knew that Heimdall rarely left his post and never without a dire reason, leaving his way clear seemed the best idea.

Heimdall entered the great hall and approached his King and Queen and Prince before bowing before them respectfully.

"Heimdall," Odin's voice boomed out. "We received your request for a private meeting, and I fear this means you have calamitous news for us. Is all well on the reconstruction of the Bifrost?"

"Yes, my King," Heimdall reassured Odin. "With the return of the Tesseract the rebuilding of the Bifrost moves apace and we will complete all repairs in short time."

"Excellent," Odin declared, but instead of allowing Heimdall to state his reason for the meeting, the impatient ruler continued questioning his sentry on the concerns he thought might bring the gatekeeper before them. "Have you seen enemies against Asgard?"

"No, all is calm in the realms for now. I have neither seen nor heard any signs of trouble."

Odin opened his mouth to ask his next question when he was quietly interrupted by Queen Frigga.

"My love," she smiled at Odin, "Perhaps we can discover Heimdall's reason for this conference if you would let him speak for himself."

Odin smiled at his queen and without apologizing for his interrogation he nodded to Heimdall to speak.

For a moment, Heimdall could only center himself with a subtle breath as he gazed at his rulers; his oft-inpatient yet wise king, his patient and compassionate queen, and his boisterous but recently maturing prince and know that he was about to change their lives.

"Since Prince Thor's time on Midgard and his befriending of the Midgardian defenders known as the Avengers I have been watching Midgard more closely than at any other time in their history and I have made a most surprising discovery." Another concealed breath and he was able to continue in his usual calm and steady voice. "I believe I have discovered a Midgardian who is of the line of Odin living on Earth."

Before him Odin's and Thor's brows drew together in an identical motion of confusion and disbelief. "A Midgardian of my line? On Earth?" Odin questioned. "Impossible, before Thor's first visit to the realm there had not been an Asgardian on Midgard for centuries and certainly not myself."

Heimdall quickly explained his statement more fully, "While the Midgardian I have seen appears to be of Odin's line, he is not a child of Odin. Indeed, I believe him to be your grandson my King… I believe he is a child of Baldur."

"Baldur…" Queen Frigga gasped, sorrow in her voice and eyes. "How could he be a child of Baldur? My precious Baldur who was lost to us so long ago? How would this be possible Heimdall?" Odin placed a comforting hand on his wife's arm even as his sharp eyes demanded the same answers of his most trusted guard. Thor crossed from his position beside his father to his mother's opposite side, allowing her to take his hand as they waited for Heimdall's explanation.

"I cannot be positive as to the how, my Queen," Heimdall solemnly answered "because I cannot see into the past, but I have had my suspicions about Baldur's supposed death ever since I could not find his shade in the underworld. Seeing the light of the Aesir in this Midgardian I now believe that the reason I could not see Baldur after his death in the fight against the giants was that his soul was stripped from his body with the use of dark magic. If such a powerful enchantment was used at the same time that the prince received a fatal-looking wound, it would appear to all that he had died before aid could reach him. A magic-user of incredible power could send a soul anywhere in the realms and may even be able to prevent that soul from remembering who they were or where they came from. I have been able to confirm that Amora the Enchantress has allied with the giants in the past in her efforts to harm the royal family and that she was there that day. She is a powerful enough magician that it is possible that she could cast such a spell."

"You believe that Baldur's soul was stripped from his body and sent to Midgard by Amora, leaving us to believe that he had died," Thor interrupted incredulously. "What proof do you have to support this wild theory and why have we not heard of this before?" he demanded as Queen Frigga leaned against her son for support.

"I have never spoken of this suspicion before precisely because I have never had any form of proof my Prince and I did not wish to give false hope or falsely accuse. But seeing this child of Midgard whose soul has the mark of the Aesir and specifically the light of Baldur upon it I believe I now have proof enough to say that Baldur did not die, but was left to live an unknowing life alone and lost on Midgard."

"Oh, my lost child" Queen Frigga gasped quietly, tears gathering in her eyes at the thought of her long-lost son. "He lived his life alone on Midgard and never remembered his home and family?" she softly questioned Heimdall.

"I cannot be certain my Queen. However, if he had called to me from Midgard I would certainly have heard him and found him there."

"Thus you assume he must not have remembered who he was because he did not call out to Asgard," Odin stated, and only those who knew him well could hear the desolation in his voice.

"Yes, my King. Prince Baldur would have known that he had but to utter my name to draw my attention to him wherever he might be in the realms. If his memories were taken from him by magic and never recovered then it would explain why he never contacted me to come back home. In addition, I have been watching this particular Midgardian closely for some weeks now since I had my first suspicion of his true parentage and there has been no indication that he knows or even suspects that he may be of a lineage other than human."

There was a long pause as the royal family absorbed the shocking news.

Finally, it was Queen Frigga who broke the quiet with another question. "Heimdall… if the child is on Midgard…," she hesitated to state her question and have her last hopes dashed, but a light squeeze to her hand from her son gave her the strength to continue. "If the child is on Midgard, what of his father? Is Baldur still on Midgard as well?"

Though he had managed to maintain his calm thus far, Heimdall could not stop his sorrow from being evident in both his face and voice as he answered the grieving mother. "No, my lady. From what I have been able to understand of the child's life, his father died many years ago. Indeed, basing my answer on the little information I have been able to gather in the last few weeks, I would surmise that his father may have even died before the child was born."

Queen Frigga wept openly at the news that her son was most likely truly dead and even Thor and Odin could not stop a few tears from filling their own eyes. Only the quiet grief of the queen could be heard for the next few moments.

"Indeed this is an upsetting tale, my friend," Odin began once his own grief was back under control. "It is not that I doubt your sight or perception, but as we cannot view the past to verify the fate of Baldur, is there any way we can know for certain that this Midgardian is truly of Asgard if even he does not know?"

"I believe there is, my King." Heimdall answered. "If the Midgardian is brought to Asgard, the light of the Aesir within him should be strong enough to identify his heritage and I believe both you and the queen would recognize the mark of Baldur upon him if you were to see him in person."

Odin considered this plan for a moment. "That may be true, but even we are not immune to the power of wishful thinking. It is quite possible that our desire to have some piece of our beloved son reunited with us would be enough to convince us that this Midgardian is Baldur's son even if it is not so."

Heimdall nodded his agreement even as he saw Frigga and Thor frown at this suggestion. "I have considered that possibility as well and I believe I may have a solution." His dark gaze turned to the queen. "My lady, I believe you still have the necklace that Baldur gave to you at his coming of age ceremony."

"Yes," Frigga gasped, her knowledge of magic leading her to understand Heimdall's plan immediately. "Yes, that would work. Each of my sons gave me a gift of jewelry at their ceremony," she smiled up at Thor, now the only son left at her side. "Since they each crafted the gift themselves it would naturally be imbued with their own magical essence. That magical touch is unique to them and their line, it cannot be fooled by emotions or wishful thinking. If this Midgardian is truly Baldur's son, the magic in the necklace will recognize him."

Odin gravely nodded his approval. "This Midgardian must be brought to Asgard and come before us, we must know definitively whether or not he is Baldur's son and thus of the royal family."

"It may not be that simple to have him brought here Father," Thor cautioned. "Most Midgardians are not aware of the existence of other realms, Asgard and her inhabitants have been relegated to lore and children's tales," he winced remembering the stories Jane had showed him that told rather unflattering tales of himself and Loki. They had been greatly exaggerated. "To suddenly show up and demand his appearance in Asgard would be greatly disturbing to most humans, and would likely not even be believed."

"I do not believe that that will be the problem with this particular human," came Heimdall's response to Thor's concerns. "Disbelief in his familial connection may occur, but not in Asgard itself, he is already aware of the existence of other realms and of Asgard in particular."

Thor stared at Heimdall in surprise. "Who is this human Heimdall? If he does not know the truth of his father, how is it that he aware of the existence of Asgard?"

"It is because he knows you, my Prince," was Heimdall's answer. As Thor continued to stare in confusion, Heimdall continued, "You have met this man and that is what drew my gaze upon him and so I was able to recognize the light within him."

"Who?" Thor demanded.

"On Midgard I believe he is known as Captain America." Heimdall's heavy gaze landed on each member of the royal family. "I believe the son of Baldur, the lost child of Asgard, to be Steve Rogers, your fellow Avenger and brother-in-arms."