At The Beginning

Disclaimer: I own nothing.

Warnings: None.

Chapter Playlist: 'Reminiscing with Grandma' from 'Anastasia' and 'The King and Queen' from 'The Three Musketeers'.


'We can be the kings and queens of anything if we 's written in the stars that shine above.

A world where you and I belong,

Where faith and love will keep us strong.

Exactly who we are is just enough.

Yes there's a place for us.'

- There's A Place For Us, Carrie Underwood


"Wow," was the first word that left Darcy's lips. It didn't quite do it, for Jane.

Asgard was everything she had imagined, and more. It rose up before her, as they stood within the archway of the reconstructed Observatory, gazing towards the shining city.

The gatekeeper, Heimdall, stood before them, tall and intimidating. Jane almost thought he was taller than Loki, which was a feat.

"My Prince," he bowed to Loki, "Lord Fandral, my Ladies. Welcome to Asgard. Your arrival has been impatiently awaited."

Jane almost thought he had an amused twinkle in those unnaturally golden eyes as they glanced towards Loki.

"The All-Father and the Queen await you in the palace."

"Thank you, Heimdall," Loki inclined his head, striding past the golden figure of the guardian with a curt smile. Darcy followed Fandral with wide eyes, darting everywhere, but Jane lingered.

"Thank you," she murmured, politely. Heimdall nodded once, and did she glimpse a slight smile?

She hurried past, out onto the Bridge, and almost jumped as the crystalline surface sang beneath her feet with every step. Loki laughed, and reached for her.

"You will grow used to it, my love," he told her, before glancing to the soldiers awaiting his command. "Form up and follow behind us, Captain."

"Yes, My Prince," the nearest golden armoured warrior replied with a bow of his head. Jane frowned slightly as she watched Loki so effortlessly command the warriors. She had seen his way with the men when they had fought the Enchantresses, but here, he truly seemed like a Prince.

No, not a Prince. A King.

Loki pulled her forward, and Jane was once again distracted by the incredible beauty of the Realm stretching out before her. This was to be her new home?

Loki's words had not done it justice, a feat in itself. As Jane cautiously peered over the edge of the Bridge, the ocean roared as it fell over a precipice and into the galaxies below. Above her, the sky was a jewelled tapestry of glistening diamonds, in shades of red, blue, white and gold.

Beyond the walls of Asgard City, she could see the mountains Loki once mentioned, snow-capped and draped in emerald pines.

Jane felt Loki's gaze on her face, and she turned to him, her eyes shining. "It's so beautiful," she breathed. Loki smiled, drawing her closer.

"Your kingdom, my love," he murmured in her ear, leading her away from the edge of the Bridge. "Now, come. It is far to walk, so we shall ride."

Then Jane noticed the horses. And stopped dead.

Loki looked back with a frown. "Jane?"

"I can't ride," she muttered, her eyes wide now with trepidation. "I really can't ride."

Before them were stood two magnificent stallions, one a burnished chestnut, the other a pearlescent grey. They stamped their hooves impatiently, and tossed their heads. To Jane, they looked wild.

"Do not fear," he told her soothingly. "Brego shall not harm you. You will ride before me, and I won't let you fall."

With a deep breath, glad she'd worn trousers not a dress, she let Loki lead her towards the grey, who quietened with a word from his rider, and even butted him on the head playfully.

"Brego is really a lazy old donkey in disguise," Loki told her jokingly. "His neigh is worse than his bite."

Jane turned to Darcy, wondering what she would make of this, but the brunette was in the process of gracefully mounting the chestnut with the ease of someone who had done it before.

"What?" she shrugged her shoulders at Jane's shocked glance. "I went riding in Texas once, on a school trip. It isn't that hard."

"Easy for you to say, show off," Jane muttered, as Fandral mounted behind Darcy. Loki took her hand, leading her towards the stirrup.

"Let me, Jane," he murmured, and before she could open her mouth, he had lifted her up and into the saddle effortlessly. She grabbed hold of Brego's mane, and the stallion stamped mulishly. Loki laughed. "Relax, love. Brego has always made it a point of honour that once a rider is on his back, they never fall off it. In any case, grabbing his mane thus will not endear you to him."

Jane eyed him narrowly, as his grin only magnified in mischief, as he mounted behind her. Suddenly, she was surrounded by harm, muscular male clad in leather, his thighs gripping her hips, one arm around her waist. His breath tickled her neck.

Well…maybe she could get used to this.

Loki smirked, as if guessing her thoughts, and pressed a kiss to her cheek. "Come along. The King and Queen await us!" he called, circling Brego and pushing him into gallop.

They rode through the City quickly, the only impression of it that Jane got was a flash of gold and curious faces as people rushed to see the return of the Prince. She did notice they all dressed in black.

"Still in mourning for my brother," Loki murmured in her ear. "It will end tomorrow."

Jane nodded, finding it not too difficult to sit to the rhythm of the horse as he made his way through the streets. The Palace loomed before them, separated from the City by a great Gate, gleaming like polished bronze and engraved with intricate designs. It opened before they reached it, and the procession swept inside, into a courtyard of white stone. Somewhere Jane could hear the tinkling music of a fountain. Flowers seemed to peek from every corner, draped over galleries and balconies, trailing up trellises on the walls. The very stone itself seemed to shine.

Loki urged Brego to a halt, before dismounting and turning to help Jane down. Unused to the strain, her legs collapsed, her thighs burning, but Loki caught her up again.

"You'll get used to it, love," he told her cockily. Jane glared and thumped him lightly on the shoulder, but it just made him chuckle. He turned to a young woman who descended the steps, clad in gold and white, her long hair draping her back in soft curls of honey gold. "Melia!" he called. "May I introduce the Lady Jane Foster, and the Lady Darcy Lewis?"

The woman curtseyed deeply, her eyes studying the two mortals intently. When Jane gave a tentative smile, she smiled in return.

"I am honoured. If you will follow me, the Queen bade me prepare rooms for you so you may refresh yourselves before your audience with her," she told them cordially. Darcy glanced to Fandral, who shooed her away. Loki let Jane go with a squeeze of her hand.

"I will see you both later," he told her. Jane smiled and nodded, inwardly nervous, but the light in Loki's eyes gave her strength, enough to straighten her spine and do her best to walk after Melia and Darcy with some attempt at grace.

As they walked through the Palace's seemingly endless corridors, Melia kept up a running commentary while Jane and Darcy stared.

"That is the entrance to the east wing, where guests of the King and Queen are housed. You are not to be housed there, you will be housed in the Royal Wing, Lady Jane….Those are the Royal Gardens, which also contains the Queen's private gardens, and the path out to the stables and the sparring fields….That is the feasting hall, and the chambers of State for official meetings between the Ambassadors of the Nine Realms and the King…. Those are the corridors which lead down to the throne room…the eastern tower houses the Warriors Three and the military barracks…the western tower looks out to the sea and to the stars, so it is used as an observatory…that corridor leads to the royal libraries…"

Jane was sure she'd never find her way around.

"Here is your room, Lady Darcy," Melia paused outside of a door carved with the likeness of a bird in flight. Darcy winked at Jane as she went inside.

"And yours is just down here, Lady Jane," she continued, leading Jane on until they paused outside another carved door like Darcy's, except this one was engraved with the image of a dragon. She stepped inside, and stopped dead, her jaw dropping.

It was palatial, to say the least. It opened up into a wide, square marble hall, in white and gold, from which led off two corridors.

"That is your bathing chamber," Melia explained, waving towards the left corridor. "And this is your bedchamber."

This room was smaller than the audience chamber, but cosier. A fire crackled in a marble grate carved to look like ivy draped its mantelpiece. A red rug was stretched out on the hearth in front of it, and two chairs, made of some polished dark wood, were placed before it, draped with silks and cushions. A small table stood between the chairs, on which waited a carafe and two crystal glasses, and a small vase holding flowers, of a kind Jane had never seen before, like lilies but in a deep violet.

The bed was a large four-poster, draped in white and red silks across its frame, the bedspread a rich cream damask, partially covered by a fur throw. A chest stood against its end, and two armoires waited against the opposite wall. Directly opposite the bed was a set of doors, open to reveal a small balcony.

"It's beautiful," Jane breathed in wonder. Melia smiled.

"Good. My Queen will be pleased to hear it," she murmured. Jane ventured out onto the balcony to find a stunning view out over the gardens, and to the forests and mountains beyond. She heard laughing below, and looked down to see three ladies walking with their attendants in the golden sunshine.

They were all radiantly beautiful, as Jane felt her heart sink. "Who are they?" she asked, making sure her voice remained light and unconcerned. Melia stepped close, frowning slightly, before her brow smoothed again.

"The Ladies Sigyn and Angrboda of Vanaheim, and Queen Karnilla of Nornheim," she explained. "The tall lady in the red and gold gown is Karnilla…"

The lady she pointed to was dressed in an exquisite gown of red and gold, the long draped sleeves exposing her slender, pale skin. Long curly brown hair tumbled loosely down her back, checked only by a golden band, encrusted with pearls. Jane could feel the power radiating off of her from her balcony.

"That is the Lady Sigyn," Melia pointed to the next lady, a tall, slender woman with glorious, wavy raven black hair, and olive skin. Her flawless figure was clothed in vibrant gold, dotted with seed pearls.

"And that is Angrboda," she finished. Angrboda was shorter than her two companions, and fuller in figure too. She was clothed in azure blue, her dark hair elaborately curled and coiled atop her head. "Lady Angrboda and Queen Karnilla are both sorcereresses. Sigyn is not."

"They're all beautiful," Jane sighed. Melia turned to her swiftly.

"Fear not, Lady Jane. The Prince made it clear who his choice was as soon as he returned to Asgard," she told her comfortingly. "Now your bath is waiting, and I will lay out fresh clothes for you. I shall return in one hour to lead you to the Queen's chambers."

Eased by Melia's no-nonsense attitude, Jane nodded and determinedly turned away from the sight of the three lovely women.


Jane tried not to fidget as she looked at herself in the long mirror that was hidden behind a screen in her bathing chamber. Melia had left out a long white shift, and a beautiful over-gown in dark wine red. It was finer than anything she had ever seen or worn before, and she felt self-conscious.

Unsure what to do with her hair, she coiled it at the nape of her neck, securing it with some pins she found in a small box on a side counter.

"My lady Jane?" a voice called, and she started slightly. Turning, with one last look in the mirror, she left the bathing chamber.

Melia awaited her in the audience chamber, and she smiled at the sight of her. "If I may say so, you look beautiful, Lady Jane," she murmured kindly. "I will arrange to have your other clothes cleaned and put away. Now come along, the Queen is waiting."

After they had collected Darcy, changed into a long, flowing dress in spring green, they walked quickly along the corridors, even further into the palace. Melia paused before two towering doors and bowed.

"I will leave you here. The Queen is inside," she inclined her head, before gracefully turning away. Darcy leant in to whisper conspiratorially in Jane's ear.

"Jeez, and I thought my mom was bossy!"

Stifling a giggle, Jane entered first.

The Queen's apartments were beautiful, grander than either Jane's or Darcy's, and cavernous. Lush silks and satins draped the walls and tables, intricate tapestries displaying scenes that Jane vaguely recalled from Norse legends. She supposed they were almost history here.

Frigg rose from a long, low-slung sofa before the fireplace, and she smiled warmly at the sight of the two mortals.

"Jane, Darcy. Welcome," she held out her hands. "No formalities here. Come, sit."

Jane and Darcy sat on the comfortable sofa gladly, while an attendant appeared to pour them wine and place a tray of bread and fruit on a side table.

They were soon peppered with a whole host of questions. Were their quarters to their liking? How was their journey? Did they have time to see much of the city? Did they need anything?

Jane felt exhausted just answering them all.

Frigg smiled, and she had a suspicion that the Queen knew. With a warm smile at Darcy, she gestured to the door as it was opened to reveal Fandral, dressed casually in a black tunic, breeches and boots.

"I believe your betrothed wishes you to meet his family, Lady Darcy," she explained, as the younger woman stood when Fandral took her hand. "Good luck," she whispered, mock-quietly. Fandral laughed and shook his head.

"Mother will be delighted to meet you," he assured Darcy quietly. "She's been on at me about settling down and producing grandchildren for over a century."

Darcy's answering smile was weak but sincere. "Well, ok then. Let's go meet the in-laws!" she muttered, shooting Jane a narrow glare when she tried not to laugh at the green shade of Darcy's skin.

When the pair had left, Frigg turned back to Jane with a knowing smile. "You are very quiet, Jane. Is Asgard not to your liking?" she asked. Jane's eyes widened.

"It's the most stunning place I have ever seen," she replied hurriedly. "I love it here."

"I am glad to hear it. You will soon be its Queen," Frigg told her wryly. "The official mourning period for Thor ends tomorrow. Tomorrow night, Odin will announce your marriage to Loki. Will three weeks be convenient time to prepare?"

"Yeah…I mean yes," Jane stuttered, suddenly thrown. "What about Darcy's wedding?"

"That is will be arranged very soon, if I know Fandral," Frigg chuckled with a twinkle in her eye. "Are you anxious about meeting the All-Father?"

"Anxious not to embarrass Loki more than anything," Jane admitted, thinking back to those three women she had seen from the balcony. "I know Loki has made his peace with you, but I don't know how civil I can be to a man who hurt him so much, even if it was good-intentioned."

The Queen nodded gravely. "Your honesty is refreshing, I will admit. I never wanted Loki to be kept ignorant to his true birth, but sometimes the will of a King outweighs the will of a mother."

"There is one thing I don't understand. Why did the All-Father, if he intended Loki to learn about his heritage and become King of Jotunheim, tell him the Frost Giants were monsters? Couldn't he see how much that would screw him up when he did find out?" Jane asked, her voice growing passionate. Abruptly, she caught herself, reminded of the fact that she was sitting with the Queen.

"Appearances, I am afraid," Frigg's smile turned sad, and she looked away. "When Odin brought Loki back to me, Asgard was still reeling from the war with Jotunheim. To vilify the Frost Giants was to unite Asgard under one cause, and once that was accomplished, it would have looked odd for Odin to suddenly cease denouncing them as monsters. As King, or even a Queen, one must always juggle what is right with what is needed. Asgard needed an enemy, and the Frost Giants, by their actions, provided one. It is a sad truth, but unfortunately that is the reality of life at court."

It was Jane's turn to look away now, as unease filled her again at Frigg's not so subtle hint at her impending change in status. The Aesir leaned forward, taking Jane's hand tightly.

"You fear becoming Queen, do you not?" she asked softly. Jane nodded.

"I saw some of the other…women who wanted Loki," she admitted. "All of them look like they would make a better Queen than I would."

"Has loving Loki not taught you that appearances are not everything?" Frigg replied gently. Jane looked to her, brow furrowed. "Lady Sigyn and Lady Angrboda may look queenly, but their hearts are cold, mercenary. They do not love my son, and look to Asgard merely as a stepping stone to power and wealth. They would not care for the people beneath them. Queen Karnilla, while born to rule, too would have been divided between her Realm and ours, and she too looked to Loki, not for love, but for power and alliance. Would you rather Loki had chosen one of them?"

"No, of course not," Jane replied heatedly. "But I'm not a Queen, Frigg! I'm just a little scientist from Earth. I don't know the first thing about ruling a Realm!"

"Neither did I," her future mother-in-law replied. "But you will learn, as I did. Do not doubt yourself, Jane. Loki has faith in you, as do I."

Jane looked up into Frigg's loving eyes, and tried to ignore her unease, as she smiled back weakly.

"I wish Loki would have as much faith in himself," Jane replied. "Do you find him ugly when he's in his Jotunn form?"

Frigg shook her head. "No. I cannot say I find Frost Giants comely to look upon, they are what they are, but in Loki…his features are beautiful, whatever their colour."

"I wish I could make him feel what I feel when he changes into that…" she trailed off, suddenly embarrassed as she revealed a little bit too much. Frigg was his mother after all.

The Queen's smile was knowing, and Jane blushed. "It is all right, Jane. I know you have been intimate with my son," she teased her, before her face grew solemn. "But, harking back to appearances once more, I must warn you to avoid giving in to temptation while you are still unmarried. I understand that on Earth it is not seen as wrong to lie with one you love outside of marriage, but on Asgard it is more taboo."

Jane nodded. She looked down, inwardly debating whether she should ask what was on her mind, but Frigg beat her to it.

"Ask, my dear. I want to help you as much as I can," she murmured.

"I was just wondering…if there's any way I could get checked out. For my fertility. I meant to get it done before we left Earth, but things have been so hectic-" Jane trailed off, before throwing cautious to the winds and continuing. "I should be pregnant by now, considering how long we were together before he came back to Asgard."

Frigg shook her head. "There is a simple explanation for that," she replied gently. "You have not quickened with child because you cannot, not yet. While I believe that there are some similarities between the Aesir, the Jotunns and humans, the differences are still too great for such a mingling to occur."

Jane looked down, inwardly rocked. She and Loki couldn't have children? Then she shouldn't marry him, he needed an heir, she shouldn't-

Jane forced herself to take a deep breath. "You said not yet. What do you mean?" she asked calmly. Frigg's smile widened.

"When you consume the Apple, you will no longer be human," she explained. "The change will not be…anything you can truly see or feel, as such. Nothing about your outward appearance will change, but inside of you, deep within your…DNA? Yes? Your DNA will be changed entirely. There have been Aesir/Jotunn children, although such subjects are taboo, and once you are Aesir, you will be able to conceive a child with Loki."

"One day," Jane breathed a sigh of relief. "Perhaps not quite yet."

"Have you told my son that?" Frigg teased her, and Jane laughed.

"He'll learn," she replied lightly, as Frigg laughed harder.

Gradually they calmed, and Frigg leaned forward with a wicked grin so like her son's, that Jane had to remind herself they weren't related by blood. "If you wish my son to see what you see when he assumes his natural form, then I have an idea, Jane," she murmured softly. "My power does not run to magic and spells, but there may be a way. Has Loki shown you how to disguise your appearance with magic yet?"

Jane frowned, shaking her head. Then the reality of what Frigg was insinuating hit her, and she blushed. "Oh!"

"Exactly, my dear," Frigg's smile deepened, and Jane decided she rather liked her future mother-in-law.


Jane left the Queen not long after that, wondering if she might try and find Loki, or one of the royal libraries, failing that. She had some research to do.

She was just rounding a corner, when she heard a tittering laugh behind her. Turning, she saw the three women she'd glimpsed from her balcony. The darker one, Sigyn, was the one giggling. The other two merely watched her coolly.

"So this is the little mortal the Prince brought home," she pronounced haughtily. "What in all the Nine Realms did he see in a little mousy thing like you?"

"Clearly he saw something," Jane replied coolly. Everything about her made her bristle, like the rich, snooty girls in high school who looked down on everyone who didn't have a sports car in their driveway. "Since he chose me and not you."

The brunette flushed, and Jane smiled grimly. One to me…

But then a sly smile came over Sigyn's flawless face, and she stepped forward coyly. "Of course, he must. He has quite the charm does he not? Aptly named," she paused for effect. "I myself have felt the full force of his Silvertongue…"

Jane smirked. Nice try…

"Yes it is quite nice, isn't it?" she replied calmly. "I plan to enjoy it for quite some time to come."

Sigyn flushed with anger, her words turned scathing. "I highly doubt that," she sniffed. "A common, lowly little thing like you? He must have been desperate…"

Jane snapped. Her magic rose up, fuelled by anger and indignation, as she raised her hand and Sigyn shot backwards, into a column and then was lifted high into the air by some invisible force.


From her position, Karnilla calmly watched as Jane held Sigyn prisoner. She restrained Angrboda with a warning glance.

She could feel the mortal's power. It was far greater than anything she had felt before, since the first time she met the Prince. She was not to be trifled with.

It seemed Loki had chosen well after all, and if the look on his face was anything to go by, from where she could see him concealed in the shadows, watching his betrothed exert her power, he was fully aware of that fact.

Karnilla was no fool, unlike Sigyn. If she could not be Loki's queen, then she would gladly make him and his bride an ally.


"You are a jealous, bitter hag," Jane told her captive through gritted teeth. "And you're really not worth my time."

And with that, she released Sigyn, who slid down the wall, coughing and spluttering.

"Indeed not," Loki breathed behind her, as she turned only to find him striding towards her, desire like fire in his eyes. "Truer words have never been spoken."

He pulled her to him, and made certain to kiss her enthusiastically, almost lifting her off of her feet. He had heard every poisonous word the vacuous Lady Sigyn had said to her, and was only proud that Jane had dealt with her so calmly. He could feel the stunned, disgusted looks from Angrboda and Sigyn as he pulled Jane closer as he devoured her mouth. Seeing her in all her glory, fighting for her man, putting Sigyn in her true place, feeling her magic rise so powerfully…she intoxicated him.

He forced himself to stop, panting lightly as he broke the kiss, just long enough to look down on Sigyn as she forced herself to her knees.

"Know this, my lady," he snarled. "I never would have chosen you when I have this exquisite creature in my arms. You are nothing."

Sigyn flushed with rage, her entire body trembling.

"Might I suggest that you and your ladies remove yourself from Asgard? You are not to return until my bride gives you leave, nor will you tell anyone of what occurred here, unless you would prefer I reveal your affair with Captain Theoric to your father? I am sure he would be most displeased to know his eldest daughter has so rashly thrown away her maidenhead…" Loki trailed off meaningfully. Sigyn paled, before she pulled herself up, with the last shreds of her dignity, and stalked away, Angrboda hurrying in her wake.

Karnilla stepped forward, a gracious smile on her lips. "My Prince," she bowed, before turning to Jane and bowing deeply. "My Lady. If ever you require my aid, or my knowledge, you need only ask."

And with that, she swept gracefully away, leaving a stunned Jane, and a honestly surprised Loki behind.