The world was quiet when he came into being.
The sea was calm that morning. No storm. No thunder. Just waves moving slowly under a pale sky. Nine women stood on the water. They were sisters daughters of the sea god Ægir and the sea goddess Rán. Then, from the deep, light began to rise. It started small, glowing faintly beneath the surface. The sisters watched as the light grew brighter and drifted upward. When it touched the air, it became a child a boy. He floated in the water like he belonged there. He breathed before he even opened his eyes.
The youngest sister stepped forward, lifting him into her arms.
"He's warm," she whispered.
Another sister brushed her fingers over his face. "He's beautiful."
The eldest stood close, Her gaze was fixed on him with so much love. She could feel it the sea had given them something rare. There were no arguments. For all their power, they were still women who had never held a child of their own.
They carried him back to their home beneath the waves a quiet place of coral halls and glowing shells. The ocean sang softly there, as though pleased with what it had made.
The boy did not cry. He simply watched the water move above him, eyes reflecting the color of sunlight through the sea.
"His name," the youngest said one night, "should be Heimdallr."
The others agreed.
Years would pass before anyone outside the sea knew his name.
The world above was at war gods and giants locked in endless battle. Giants believes that they should take revenge on the brothers that killed there fathers while the Æsir believed what they did was for the good of the world so the war waged on. But beneath the waves, the sisters raised him in peace. He grew strong and calm, he was their son.
And they would not let the world take him away.