Astrid didn't know why she decided to meet up with Sif since nothing good ever came out with them hanging out together. Thor must have told her about wanting to learn how to use a weapon since Sif had brought them to a secluded spot that had a bunch of weapons she must have brought from home in a wagon of sorts. They were still only children but Sif was taking her future of combat very seriously. Sure Astrid did the same for magic but she still made time for common girl activities like singing and helping her mother cook meals. Astrid looked at the weapons before her and sighed.

"I told Thor and Loki I would think about using a bow. What you brought here are anything but bows." Astrid complained.

Sif looked at Astrid with an amused face and chuckled.

"How are you ever going to protect Thor and Loki if you can't fight close combat? I'm not sitting around and letting the boys have all the fun." Sif spoke.

Astrid got a bit angry and she calmly told her,

"I have my magic, I will be fine with it alone. Now if you don't have a bow with a quiver of arrows; I really must go."

Sif laughed and added,

"Thor and Loki will be coming soon."

Astrid sighed since she cared more for them than Sif so she decided to wait. She decided to hang around and just look at the weapons. Again, nothing seemed to spark any interest in her and would rather have just remained at home with a good book. Sif looked at Astrid and was kind of bothered at her lack of interest in her weapons.

"You're really not from Asgard are you."

Astrid sighed deeply and shook her head. She couldn't blame Sif since she was so narrow-focused.

"I was born in Vanaheim, is it really that hard for you to remember?" Astrid remarked.

Sif thought for a moment and she apologized,

"Ah right makes sense. Strange, your father isn't like a Vanir and is more Asgardian.. Guess I won't have competition on being a female warrior."

Astrid raised an eyebrow and asked,

"Is this so you can be closer to Thor? I mean Thor and I are friends without me needing to be a warrior girl. Kind of cute of you Sif."

Sif shot a dirty glare at her

"Are you saying I'm only doing this for a boy to like me?" Sif questioned.

"Well you always play swords all the time with him. I mean why else be so focused on fighting?" Astrid expressed.

"Because Asgard was built on warriors and their strength. I mean Asgard won the war against your people so strength means everything, physical strength."

Her people meaning the Vanir. While they did fight, the bloodshed ended halfway through the war and her father reached out to Odin to work on a peace treaty along with the rulers of Vanahiem. Less lives were lost and peace not bloodshed led to the war to end.

"It was reached in the end by peace and diplomacy not with fighting!" Astrid interrupted.

"Only because Vanahiem's magic wasn't enough to stop the force that was Asgard. I know magic is important to you but when people are coming at you head on and you have no weapon to defend yourself, you're as good as dead to Thor."

Astrid summoned energy around her wrists and glared at Sif. She didn't like being underestimated and she could really put Sif in her place she wanted too. Astrid had it with Sif and wanted to at least get her to stop.

"Want to see if your might beats my magic? I doubt it." Astrid spoke coldly.

Sif got in a battle position with her sword and chuckled a bit.

"I'll give you five minutes before you're on the ground." Sif joked firmly.

Astrid watched and waited for Sif to charge before swiftly moving out of the way. She shot her orb at her sword and it disintegrated instantly. Sif looked at her empty hands and went to get another sword. Astrid's eyes widened a bit as Sif wasn't messing around.

"Come on and fight!" Sif yelled as she swung her sword. Astrid barely avoided most of the slashes and was able to lob energy orbs at her as well. The hits were strong but Sif pushed through to get close. Astrid wasn't so quick and winced when Sif hit her on the leg when she got close. She laid on the ground and clenched it, seeing a very reddish purple bruise forming.

"Ow! That hurt!" Astrid cried in pain.

Sif frowned a bit and approached Astrid, who was on the ground. Astrid focused on her bruise and managed to heal it before Sif went to check her leg. However, this looked to Sif as she barely touched her and really couldn't believe she was making a fuss over their play fight. She rolled her eyes since she didn't see what Thor saw in her.

"Wow you really are a weak one aren't you?" Sif asked.

Astrid felt herself getting warm and rose up to grab a wooden sword. She used her magic to transfigure the sword into a spear and imbued it with magic. Sif chuckled and smirked at Astrid.

"Good, let's go!" Sif yelled.

"Stay away from me!"

Astrid parried a lot of Sif's swings with her sword. She tried to recall what Thor or Loki did in their fights but nothing was coming to mind. Astrid could always throw a fireball at her but she didn't want to burn Sif, just make her stop. Sif noticed Astrid was being defensive and she exclaimed,

"Oh come on and hit me already!"

Astrid tossed the blunt wooden spear and it did hit Sif in the chest on accident. Sif chuckled but she was coming close to Astrid with her sword. Astrid channeled more violet energy around her wrists that looked very volatile and she was going to blast her when Thor and Loki finally showed up.

"Aw you started without us Sif!" Thor exclaimed as he went to Sif's side.

Astrid and Sif looked to them and Astrid retracted her magic, breathing a sigh of relief. Loki noticed Astrid was shaking a bit and shot a glare at Sif. He didn't know what was wrong with Sif.

"You really thought to spar with her so aggressively, she's not like you or Thor you know." Loki expressed.

"Well I wanted to see if Astrid would put up a good match...she was holding back." Sif expressed with a chuckle.

"That's because magic can be dangerous. I was worried my orbs or my enchanted spear really hurt you...did it hurt?" Astrid asked.

Sif scoffed.

"Kind of did... I would hate to experience what your full magic force is like."

Thor chuckled and he smiled at Astrid.

"I don't expect anything less from Vanir. Her magic can be tough like Sorceress Tove and really help us all."

"Yeah well she can't always rely on magic. She's going to need a weapon. Even Loki's not useless without magic." Sif argued.

"Hey, not nice!" Loki hissed.

"Well it's true, you use weapons and Astrid doesn't. She needs one." Sif argued.

Astrid looked to Loki and saw a quiver with arrows in his hands. Thor had a bow and that made Astrid smile a bit. Sif rolled her eyes at the bow but it was something even if it was a flimsy bow.

"You both did remember." she spoke cheerfully as she hugged the both of them.

"Of course. Plus if you think about it, you can always just stab bad guys with arrows." Thor grinned.

"Thor you shoot arrows not stab with them." Loki explained.

Sif chuckled since the bow didn't change much.

"Still needs a close range weapon..."

"I don't like getting close to hurt people. A bow will be enough for me. If being in Asgard means I have to fight somewhat then I will go my own way. I'm not like you Sif and I'm never going to be like you. You like close combat while I rather keep them at a range and use my magic." Astrid defended.

Sif looked to Thor and Loki and asked,

"Why do you hang out with her? She's just going to be another lady for the most part."

Astrid didn't see a problem with being a lady; at least she would be a lady of magic; potent and strong magic. Thor chuckled softly and put an arm around Astrid.

"Our mother wants us to be friends. She's very sweet, kind, and comes up with a lot of fun games. She reminds me of Loki with all the magic, spells, and books. She's special." Thor expressed with a warm smile to Astrid.

"Thanks Thor."

"No problems Astrid. Isn't that right Loki?"

Loki chuckled and nodded in agreement with his brother.

"She is good to be around...not because of her magic but because she's just considerate and kind. She treats Thor and I equally and never wants us to compete. I guess she brings a bit more joy these days."

Astrid smiled softly at Loki's words and Sif looked to her and then to Loki.

"Oh you go on about me wanting to be close to Thor but you like Loki! No wonder you study magic all the time!" Sif teased.

Astrid turned as pink as her head and said,

"Well I like both of them...they are my friends too Sif and I like playing with them."

Loki was able to suppress his blush a bit better and Thor just laughed a sweet yet boisterous laugh.

"And we love playing with you, Astrid, don't we Loki?"

"Yes we do Thor. We wouldn't want much to change about Astrid, otherwise she would just be someone else." Loki added.

Sif looked to Astrid and held her hand out. Astrid looked at it and Sif said,

"We're done...sorry for picking a fight with you."

Astrid just nodded and shook Sif's hands.

"If we're going to be friends with Thor and Loki, can we try being nicer?" Astrid asked.

Sif's smile grew soft and nodded.

"Yeah we can try that. Your magic is pretty handy."

"And I can see why Thor has bruises from playing with you."

"Hey, how do you know about that?" Thor questioned.

Astrid looked at Loki with a soft smile and nodded.

"Loki told me. That's why I learned a simple healing spell from my mother. If things are going to be rough, I want to heal."

Sif realized something and she asked,

"Wait so you healed your own bruises mid fight...wow that is useful."

Astrid managed to grin softly and expressed,

"You have might but my magic is versatile."

Sif, Thor, and Loki all helped Astrid learn how to use the bow. Each of them guided her through the motions and she was able to hit targets. Her hands were steady and her eyes were very keen when she shot the arrows. Astrid did find some enjoyment with a bow and perhaps it could be her weapon of choice if she couldn't rely on her magic. Sif and Thor decided to play a bit with toy swords while Astrid sat with Loki while he read a book until the sun was beginning to set.

"I wish we didn't have to go back, we're having too much fun!" Thor expressed loudly.

"Yeah I know the feeling. We can celebrate Astrid learning how to fight like an Asgardian." Sif spoke with a smile.

Astrid rolled her eyes playfully as she grabbed an arrow and moved it with her magic near Sif's feet, causing her to jump.

"Hey, that was a compliment Astrid!" Sif yelled.

"Oh sorry, guess I misheard you Siffles." Astrid chuckled.

Thor and Loki laughed at that and Sif retorted,

"Oh don't even go there Ass-trid!"

"How original of you, stressing the first part of my name as an insult. Least I was trying to be cute Sif." Astrid argued.

"Don't see you giving names to Thor and Loki like that. You meant Siffles as an insult."

"Wow you think of everything as a fight don't you." Astrid stated.

Thor and Loki looked to one another and then back at Astrid and Sif as they continued to exchange words.

"Kind of reminds me of us sometimes." Thor chuckled.

Loki grinned somewhat and chuckled at that statement.

"Yes, well let's just hope they can like sisters someday like we are good brothers to each other."

"Now remind me how you sneaking up on me and stabbing me with toy daggers is good Loki?" Thor asked.

"I never said we were good all the time brother." Loki chuckled.

"Yes, well hopefully you'll be at my side along with Sif and Astrid. I can't imagine being without all of you." Thor expressed, looking at Sif and Astrid softly.

Loki nodded and he lingered his eyes on Astrid.

"Yes brother...I agree all the same."

Astrid noticed them staring and chuckled a bit.

"Next time don't take long...I would have hated to hurt Sif if you didn't come in time."

Sif scoffed but recalled the energy and magic around Astrid's wrists. Thor and Loki nodded in agreement as the four of them returned to the palace for a meal before parting ways for the day. Powers and bonds were growing between Astrid and the two princes, and with the passage of time, they will grow even stronger.