11. INT. ASGARD HEALING HALL - DAY

WIDE SHOT in profile of Sif, asleep, leaning back in a chair facing a bright, sunny window. Her head is tilted as far back as it could possibly go; her right hand is at the hilt of a short sword in a scabbard hanging from her belt. From off-screen, a hand appears on Sif's right shoulder.

EIR
(V.O.)
Sif.

Sif snores - or snorts - but doesn't wake up. The shot pulls away to show the person standing behind Sif. It's EIR - Valhalla's chief healer - a tall, regal woman dressed in blue robes, with graying red hair looped in elaborate braids down her back.

Eir shakes Sif's shoulder more firmly.

EIR
Sif, you have to wake up.
(beat)
Sif!

Sif abruptly wakes up, and in a blur of red cloth and gold armor, she whirls around and draws her sword - back-handed. In an instant, Sif is awake and standing, the chair is beneath her feet, and her sword is at Eir's throat.

Eir, however, is not alarmed. She pushes the sword down and away with one finger.

EIR
All right, that's quite enough of that.

Sif "comes to" and realizes what she's done. Mortified, she sheathes her sword and rights the chair.

SIF
I am - so sorry, Eir. It will not happen again.

Eir smiles at Sif and gives her a reassuring pat on the arm.

EIR
(smiling)
Of course it will.

The healer looks over at the bed.

EIR
(continuing)
Look who's finally awake.

Sif also looks over to see - to her surprise - Hogun: fully healed, fully dressed, fully armored, and fully awake. He is sitting on the bed, cross-legged, his mace resting across one leg. There isn't a scratch on him.

For perhaps the only time in her millenia-long life, Sif looks a little teary.

But only a little.

SIF
(at length, smiling)
So he is.

HOGUN
She meant you. I have been awake for at least a day now.

EIR
And a productive day, too. Thank you for your help, Hogun.

Eir puts a hand on his shoulder briefly. She then nods curtly to Sif.

EIR
Stay out of trouble, you.

The healer leaves without saying anything more. As she leaves, the shot widens to show long rows of beds beyond - full of wounded Aesir. A first glimpse of the costs of Surtur's attack.

SIF
What was all that about?

Hogun uncrosses his legs and leans toward Sif at the edge of the bed. He holds his hands out, palms-up.

HOGUN
Well, my hot-blooded friend, it turns out that these hands are good for more than just sawing giant snakes in half.

SHOT IN PROFILE of Sif as she leans toward Hogun, closing the distance between them. On her face is the beginning of a sly grin.

SIF
Oh really? And just what else are those hands -

But before Sif can continue she is interrupted by a booming, familiar voice. CUT TO VOLSTAGG and FANDRAL - their fighting companions and the remaining two-thirds of the Warriors Three.

VOLSTAGG
Sif! Hogun!

BAM! Volstagg claps Sif on the back with one enormous hand, and then leans in to get a closer look at Hogun.

VOLSTAGG
(continuing, to Hogun)
It is a terrible tragedy: all that healing and they still could not fix your powerfully ugly face.

HOGUN
You're right. They ought to have made me look like you, so I could finally have my chance at marrying an elk. Or a tree. Or a particularly fetching boulder.

As the two of them bicker, Fandral leans in over Sif's shoulder.

FANDRAL
(ignoring them)
Hello again, Lady Sif. You look beautiful as always.

SIF
Nowhere near as beautiful as you.

FANDRAL
It is true. But match your passable looks with my exquisite face, and it could be the greatest love story ever told.

SIF
Love?
(laughs amiably)
You love every woman. You probably loved a nurse on the way in here.

FANDRAL
Ha! I am sure I would remember that.

SIF
I am sure you wouldn't.

FANDRAL
(to Volstagg) She puts on a brave face, but she's sick with love for me.

SIF
With your track record, I'm much more likely to get sick with love from you.

Fandral opens his mouth to reply, but Sif is already on her feet, addressing the group.

SIF
But listen, men: I did not call you here for idle talk.

The camera follows her as she addresses the Warriors Three.

SIF
(continuing)
There is something wrong with the All-Father. He is sick - or under some kind of spell.
(shaking her head)
I do not know which.

Her pacing continues.

SIF
(continuing)
It is as if he does not know me. His manners are strange. His words are...evil. And he seems not to care whether Asgard is destroyed by those - things - that we saw.

She stops pacing.

SIF
(continuing)
Something must be done. And to do it, I need your help - for a mission that will involve treachery, violence, and thievery of the highest order.

She lifts her chin a little and appraises the other three.

SIF
(continuing)
Are you with me?

FANDRAL
(earnestly)
Of course.

HOGUN
To the death.

VOLSTAGG
...But what's our target?

SIF
Nothing too daunting -

CLOSE ON Sif - devilish and determined.

SIF
(continuing)
- only the palace of Valhalla.