Hi my followers! I'm so sorry about how long it's been since I updated! I lost the wifi at my house and had a seriously busy year last year! I'll do my best to catch up on as many of my stories as I can. But for now, I'm starting simple.

I do not own any of these characters except Adelaide. Hope you enjoy!

"What?!" Fandral said, alarmed.

"Thor, of all the laws on Asgard, this is one you must not break." Sif said firmly.

Loki watched intently, clearly intrigued.

"This isn't like a journey to Earth, where you summon some lightning and thunder and the mortals worship you as a god." Fandral said, his voice as firm as Sif's. "This is Jotunheim."

"And if the Frost Giants don't kill you, your Father will!" Volstagg added.

"My father fought his way into Jotunheim, defeated their armies, and took their Casket!" Thor countered toward his friends.

"We'd only be looking for answers." Adelaide pointed out simply.

Sif glared at her, sending the message clearly. Adelaide wasn't helping anything.

"It is forbidden!" Sif snapped at Thor, and her sister.

Thor looked across his friends, and his brother, smiling.

"My friends," Thor said, his voice filled with charisma and enthusiasm. "Have you forgotten all we have done together?" He turned toward Fandral. "Who brought you into the sweet embrace of the most exotic maidens in all of Yggdrasil?"

Fandral looked at Thor. "You did."

Thor turned to Hogun. "Who led you into the most glorious of battles..." He turned toward Volstagg. "And to delicacies so succulent, you'd thought you'd died and gone to Valhalla?"

"You did," Hogun said, followed by Volstagg's sheepish version of the same statement.

Thor turned toward Adelaide and her elder sister, Sif. "And who proved wrong all who scoffed at the idea that two young maidens could be two of the fiercest warriors this Realm has ever known?"

"We did," Adelaide said with a frown, crossing her arms.

Sif nodded in agreement with her sister.

Thor corrected himself quickly as Adelaide caught Loki's chuckle. "True, but I supported you two."

He turned to all of his friends at once. "My friends, trust me now. We must do this."

Sif and the Warriors Three exchanged wary looks, but Adelaide walked over and clapped a hand on Thor's arm. "I'm with you." She said with a firm nod. "It's time for me to prove myself. What better way to do it?"

Thor grinned at her, turning toward his other friends again. "Come on, you're not going to let my brother, Adelaide—who is the youngest of us—and me take all the glory, are you?"

Loki looked startled. "What?!"

"You're coming with us..." Thor stated.

"Yes, of course!" Loki replied. "I won't let my brother and my friend march into Jotunheim alone. I will be at their side." The lie bit and stung at his throat, a pain he rarely felt about a lie. It wasn't the statement, but the words in it. Calling Adelaide only a friend made his chest ache and throat burn.

"And I." Volstagg added with a smile.

"And I." Fandral then said.

"And I. The Warriors Three fight together." Hogun said, his quieted voice firm.

Sif sighed, glancing at her sister before speaking. "I fear we will live to regret this."

Volstagg grinned. "If we're lucky."

It was decided. Adelaide slipped off to meet them later, passing attendants who thought nothing of her separating as if she was going to tend to the All-Mother. She moved into her quarters and changed into her armor; a thick black leather breastplate that covered her chest, gauntlets of the same material that held the sheaths of two daggers, one on each forearm, and boots that hid a dagger in each, and black pants that allowed free movement. Beneath the breastplate was a black, thick, and snug long-sleeved shirt that would help her bear the winter's bite in Jotunheim. She strapped a quiver on her back, and pulled a bow over her body, the bowstring nestled comfortably across her chest.

Adelaide then left to meet the others, finding them within a few minutes of them all leaving for the Bifrost. She saw them just as Loki slipped off to speak to a guard, though Hogun was the only other that noticed.

"First we must find a way to get past Heimdall." Thor stated once Adelaide caught up, smiling at her. He quite liked the look of warrior on her, better than the look of handmaiden; she wasn't made for that. She was kind and gentle, but fierce, tough, and stubborn. She was the perfect warrior and caretaker. Perfect for a Queen.

"That will be no easy task," Volstagg said, removing Thor from his thoughts. "It's said that the Gatekeeper can see a single dew drop fall from a blade of grass a thousand worlds away."

"And he can hear a cricket passing gas in Niffelheim." Fandral joked with a grin.

"Jest not!" Volstagg snapped. "He heareth all!"

"Please," Fandral scoffed. "Getting past him should be simple enough now, since he seems to be letting Frost Giants sneak by under his nose."

Adelaide rolled her eyes at Fandral, he had always been arrogant, enough to rival even Thor.

Volstagg looked up at the sky, his expression terrified. "Forgive him!" He called up. "He meaneth no offense!"

Adelaide rolled her eyes again as Loki rejoined the group. He flashed Adelaide a smile, which she returned, pulling down her wild ringlets of hair and pulling them back, away from her eyes as they went on. Her curls were out of her face, but otherwise down and flowing beside her shoulder blades.

The gods arrived on horseback at the massive Gate, Asgard being framed by the setting suns in the background. The sky bounced with oranges, pinks and reds, framing Asgard with beautiful colors.

Adelaide looked back at palace, which was framed in the same colors. She then glanced down at the Rainbow Bridge that the group moved across. It was wide and flat, running straight from Odin's palace to the black void of space far beyond. Further down the bridge rested Heimdall's Observatory.

As the band neared closer to the Observatory, Adelaide caught a glimpse of Heimdall himself. Even for this Realm, he seemed other-worldly. He blocked their path, staring down the traveling band of Asgardians with eyes the shade of twenty-four karat gold. A massive sword rested in his grasp, the statue-like features of his face intimidating, though they were mostly concealed by his bulky armor. Something, his eyes possibly, gleamed like stars behind his visor.

"Keep your weapons sheathed and your mouths closed." Loki warned, dismounting his horse. "This is going to take subtlety and sincerity, not brute strength. Adelaide, come with me. The lady of truth might make this lie even more believable."

Adelaide rolled her eyes, but dismounted her speckled white horse, following Loki.

"Good Heimdall—" Loki started, but was cut off by Heimdall's baritone voice.

"You're not dressed warmly enough." His golden gaze rested on Loki. "She is, for a brief time," he nodded toward Adelaide, "but you're not."

Loki traded looks with Thor and the others. "I'm sorry?"

"The freezing cold of Jotunheim will kill you all in time, even Thor." Heimdall stated simply. He continued on. "You think you can deceive me? I, who watch all? I, who can sense the flapping of a butterfly's wings a thousand worlds away?" He then turned his gaze pointedly on Fandral. "Or can hear a cricket passing gas in Niffelheim?"

Fandral, for once, had no reply. He only gaped at Heimdall.

Adelaide had to fight herself so she didn't chuckle.

"That was just a bit of a jest, really..." Fandral started nervously.

Loki shifted into damage control. "You must be mistaken. We're not—"

"Enough," Thor said, cutting off his younger brother. He turned toward Heimdall. "Heimdall, may we pass?"

Heimdall stared at Thor. "For ages have I guarded Asgard and kept it safe from those who would do it harm. In all that time, never has an enemy slipped my watch—until this day. I wish to know how that happened."

"Then tell no one where we've gone until we've returned." Thor bartered, though his tone made it sound non-negotiable.

Thor walked past Heimdall, who let the group pass.

Volstagg grinned as he trotted past a frustrated Loki. "What happened?" He asked with an impish grin. "Silver tongue turned to lead?"

"Get me off this bridge before it cracks under your girth." Loki grumbled, moving quickly to catch up with Thor as Adelaide shared a laugh with Volstagg and Fandral.

The group entered the Observatory, standing on the platform. Heimdall stood in the center of the room nod readied the Observatory.

"Be warned," Heimdall announced. "I will honor my sworn oath to protect this Realm as its Gatekeeper. If your return threatens the safety of Asgard, the Bifrost will remain closed to you. You'll be left to die in the cold wastes of Jotunheim."

"Let's make sure we refrain from endangering Asgard, then," Adelaide muttered, crossing her arms. She adjusted the daggers on her forearms into a more subtle, comfortable position.

Thor laughed. "I have no plans to die today."

"None do." Heimdall replied, pressing his sword into the control panel apparatus, making the Observatory start up. The Bifrost energy quickened along the Rainbow Bridge.

Heimdall twisted his sword in the control panel, and the Observatory's massive turret swung around, aiming at a section of the space around. The Rainbow Light blasted out of the Bifrost in a flurry of beautiful colors. The Bifrost opened at the end when Heimdall shoved the blade further into the panel, and said, "All is ready. You may pass."

"Couldn't you just leave the bridge open for us?" Volstagg asked, making Adelaide shake her head, her silvery blonde curls swinging.

"To leave this bridge open would unleash the full power of the Bifrost and destroy Jotunheim with you upon it." Heimdall replied blandly.

"Ah." Volstagg said with a sheepish grin. "Never mind, then."

Adelaide snorted and rolled her eyes.

Thor grinned at his friends, mainly Adelaide and Sif it seemed, as he moved toward the Bifrost. "Come on," he said, his grin still present. "Don't be bashful."

Adelaide was the first to move, followed quickly by Loki and her elder sister, and then after Sif, the Warriors Three. Adelaide unintentionally locked her grip onto the hand of the person standing next to her as their bodies stretched and elongated, feeling like every atom was being ripped from her body.

A hole was torn in the sky, and the bright ray of the Bifrost fired out of it. When Adelaide and the other Asgardians touched the ground, snow flurrying off of the ground, now marked with runes from the Bifrost.

Adelaide realized her grip was still painfully tight on someone's hand, and when she looked she saw it was Loki's. "Oh!" She exclaimed quietly, releasing his hand and hoping the darkness of Jotunheim hid her blush. "I'm sorry, Loki."

"All is well, Adelaide." Loki assured her quickly, flexing his hand to stretch it out once again. "I promise."

Adelaide could've sworn she saw a glimmer of affection in his darkened emerald gaze, but she chided herself inwardly for such thoughts. She had deeply woven feelings for Loki, but she scarcely doubted he could feel the same.

Almost as if staged to ruin the moment of Adelaide and Loki's closeness, Volstagg slipped on ice and started to tumble backward.

Thor lashed out, his grip locking on their robust friend's belt.

Adelaide gasped and took a step forward to help, ice cracking under her weight before falling out from under her.

Adelaide screamed as she fell before Loki lunged and grabbed her, cutting the young Asgardian's scream short. Loki was almost surprised at her light weight after cracking and falling through ice, though he knew she couldn't have weighed much.

"Adelaide!" Sif called, looking over the edge worriedly as Loki pulled her younger sister up.

Adelaide was trembling when Loki got her back to her feet, and Loki pulled her toward him, rubbing her back tenderly to stop her trembling.

"You're alright, Adelaide." Loki whispered as she buried her face into his shoulder, still shaking.

"Thank you. You saved my sister." Sif breathed toward Loki, who nodded in reply before Sif turned back toward Thor and the Warriors Three, repeatedly glancing back at Adelaide to make sure she was alright.

With extreme effort, Thor tugged Volstagg back to his feet with the grunt of, "Come on, big fella. Up!"

"This belt!" Volstagg exclaimed, his voice breathless with relief. "This belt is now my lucky belt! I will never remove it! Even when bathing!"

Adelaide looked up at that and let out a quiet laugh only Loki could hear. She looked up at him, her silvery blue eyes darkened to a blue so dark they were nearly black in the faint light of Jotunheim. "Thank you, Loki." She breathed, kissing his cheek quickly before moving toward the Warriors Three as Fandral asked, "You bathe?"

Loki stood in shock for a moment, still as a statue, thinking he imagined what Adelaide had done. She kissed him. It was only on his cheek, but it was still a kiss from Adelaide. He had loved her since he was the Midgardian equivalent of eight, about 131 as an Asgardian.

"We shouldn't be here." Hogun stated quietly.

"Too late now." Thor replied, too simply for the situation.

"Actually it's not," Fandral corrected, turning to Thor. "We could turn right around, hop back to Asgard, share a mug by the fire. Could be nice."

Thor ignored the warrior, and headed off, toward the center of Jotunheim.

Loki glanced around anxiously. "Perhaps we should wait." The Mischief-Maker suggested.

Thor turned toward his younger brother, who Adelaide was once again standing beside. "For what?"

"To survey the enemy." Loki replied. "To gauge their strengths and weaknesses from a distance."

Adelaide started to take another step toward Loki, but froze when the ice cracked beneath her feet again.

Loki glanced at her, worry gleaming frantically in his darkened eyes.

"I'm liking that." Volstagg agreed with Loki. "Gauging, surveying. Particularly the distance part."

"We all know what we must." Thor stated, his voice becoming increasingly impatient. "It's time to act." He then walked on, leaving the others following him with slow reluctance.

Once again, Adelaide tried to follow, but thin ice popped and crackled beneath her feet. She stepped back onto thicker ice, her eyes wide with fright. Loki and Sif turned to look at her. They knew she was—literally—on thin ice once again. Adelaide took a few more steps back, taking a deep breath, which puffed and showed in the frozen wasteland.

"Be careful, Adelaide." Sif warned, her pale green eyes watching her sister closely, prepared for something to go wrong.

Adelaide dashed forward, leaping over the thin ice and landing gracefully beside Loki and her elder sister. "Alright," Adelaide breathed with a slight smile. "Let's go."

Sif looked in the direction of Thor and the Warriors Three and scoffed, "He's just got to swing his hammer."

"Indeed." Adelaide said, rolling her eyes before she, Loki and Sif went to catch up with the others.