Jane giggled to herself after seeing Thor ride off across the rainbow bridge. She saw his head turn back, a huge smile across his face. Slowly she began to walk back in the opposite direction.
She placed her hands on her stomach, wanting to feel a kick. She looked down at her tummy and smiled. She couldn't believe the luck she was in. To have a child and raise it in a safe and loving home was more than she dreamed of. She swayed as she walked, her heart pounding and her head held high. She turned back round, walking backwards to see her fiancé, but he wasn't in sight. She looked across the Bifrost and observed its beautiful colours. Turning back, her hair lifted up through the cool autumn breeze.
She stopped and stood still. Something inside felt unsettling. Jane put her hand over her forehead, feeling herself rise in temperature. Her legs suddenly gave way as disorientation took her.
A guard riding on horseback stopped beside her.
Jane reached out to him. She took a few deep breaths before trying to stand up.
The guard jumped off his horse and cautiously walked towards her.
She looked at him blankly. Her head ached, and she couldn't hold her feet under herself to lift up. Her head began to spin in circles, vision blurred and her balance became unpredictable. She looked up towards the guard. He knelt down and placed his arm around Jane, his mouth moving, but no words were coming out. She shook her head in confusion. The world was silenced. There was no sound to the breeze, the birdsong, or the words of the guard before her. Jane started to move backwards towards the edge of the bridge. Her foot was about to step into open space when the guard quickly grabbed her and pulled her away. She looked at him, her eyes blurred, then utter darkness.
Jane could see fragments of her old dream. She knew she was dreaming, but it felt real. She tried to force her eyes open to wake up, but she was too engulfed in her dream.
She felt a presence nearby, warm breath creeping along her neck. The uncomfortable feeling agitated her. She couldn't tell if it was coming from her dream or not.
Her body began to move around frantically. Instantly she leapt up from her sleep, panting and distressed. She looked to her left, seeing a young guard sitting on the side of the bed.
Apologetically, he looked down, avoiding eye contact.
Jane sat still, recovering from her deep sleep. She wiped her brow, then returned to look at the guard. He instantly stood up straight, looking ahead of him.
Jane sat on the side of her bed and looked up at his expressionless face. She smiled and shook her head. "Atease, soldier." She gazed up at him. He slightly frowned, noticing her mockery, then moved his legs apart. Jane raised an eyebrow up at him, and he stood normally. She laughed to herself then stood up.
He instantly grabbed onto her arm. "I am sorry, your majesty, but we have to leave!"
Confused, Jane was escorted out of her room and through a corridor.
Her legs dragged behind her, trying to keep up with the pace they were walking. The guard's grip tightened whenever someone walked past them. He would flinch and make Jane jump when a scream or a sudden blast nearby was heard.
They passed men collapsing by their feet, bleeding or dead.
The guard quickly wrapped his hand around Jane's mouth and dragged her to the side. She tried to struggle free until her eyes widened at the sight of a Frost Giant. She froze in shock. Her eyes watched as the huge, intimidating body snuck past them, unable to notice both herself and the guard who gripped Jane tighter.
Once safely out of sight, the guard immediately let go of her and drew his sword. Shouting came from behind, the guard quickly turned around and ran his sword through a Frost Giant charging towards them, splitting it in half. A second battle cry came from the opposite direction running towards Jane, its frozen arm spiked and ready.
She started walking backwards, her pace increasing. As it started to lunge forward, it cried in pain and fell to the floor. A knife was stabbed in the back of its head. Jane looked up and saw Frigga. She ran towards her and hugged Jane, holding her head.
Frigga wore her dark blue silken dress with golden arm and shoulder pads and half of a golden breastplate. She walked back to the Frost Giant and forcefully pulled out the knife, placing it in her ankle pocket. "You can go now!" Frigga nodded towards the guard, he ran off out of view, clutching his sword.
Jane turned to Frigga who looked down at the remains of the Frost Giant.
"Frost Giants have invaded Asgard. We are under attack!" Frigga reached her arm out. Jane took hold of her hand and together they ran through the palace. "When Thor left for Jotunheim, it triggered a transportation of some kind for the Frost Giants."
They still ran hand in hand until they encountered a huge pair of double doors. They both heaved it open, revealing an enormous hallway filled with glamorous chandeliers.
Jane wondered in, bewildered. As she walked in, her eyes examined every inch of the hall. It stretched across like a field. Its immense size made Jane feel small. As her eyes circled round the room, she saw Frigga smiling at her. "Frigga," Jane walked up to her, taking her hand. "I had the same dream again, only it wasn't Loki this time."
Frigga stared at her, her eyes wary. She quickly drew her into a hug. Jane shook with nerves as she wrapped her arms round her future mother-in-law.
Ahead they heard multiple footsteps. Jane and Frigga quickly let go. She saw Frigga grab her sword and stand ready. She eased once seeing Odin. She put her sword away and ran over to hug him, both of them smiling. A few paces behind Odin stood Loki, a huge beam of excitement on his face. Both he and Frigga hugged, then looked over to Jane.
Her heart pounded like a drum. She looked across from one to another in panic.
"It is alright, Jane. Loki is here to protect you." They all walked towards her in unison. Frigga edged closer and placed her hand on Jane's shoulder. "I promise you that he will keep you safe."
"Where are you going?" Jane cleared her throat after hearing a squeak come out.
"Odin and I are going to find reinforcements to draw the Frost Giants out." She smiled at her, kissed her on the forehead then ran off next to Odin, both of them closing and sealing the door behind them, leaving Jane and Loki alone.
