Asgard

Jane was in absolute awe of her surroundings, there were so many colors and so many stars she had never seen. Darcy was wandering around just as dumbfounded as Frigga showed them around the palace. Jane stopped to look out over a beautiful garden that overlooked the vast ocean that laid out around the palace.

"This garden has been here longer than I have been" remarked Frigga standing next to Jane admiring the view.

"It's incredible, Asgard is even larger than I imagined" replied Jane as she scanned the horizon noting how the ocean seemed to lead directly into space.

"Yes, the palace and the lower city sit on the border of world and the rest of the universe, on the other side of the palace you can see forests and mountains that house all kinds of people and dangers much like Midgard" Frigga explained.

"Midgard?" questioned Darcy from seemingly nowhere.

Frigga smiled "Oh sorry, I forget that you don't call it that. Earth is Midgard to most in the Nine Realms although given recent events most are trying to say Earth more."

Jane watched Darcy head off as she and Frigga walked a good distance behind her, "So what do you think of Thor?" asked Frigga almost causing Jane to choke on air. Jane coughed as she attempted to gather her thoughts. "I know he can be quite charming but you do realize he has responsibilities that will ask much of whoever his queen is" she explained.

Jane thought carefully "I never had the best luck in the boyfriend department and well Thor literally fell out of the sky and into my lap. It's very strange. I care deeply about him, I probably love him but we haven't known each other nearly long enough to know that for sure" she said surprising even herself with her honesty.

Frigga chuckled "At least you're an honest woman, I can't tell you how many Asgardian women would tell me how deeply in love they are with Thor and how nothing else matters but him. I know my son Ms. Foster, he loves deeply but I just want you to understand what falling in love with him truly means."

Jane turned to listen to Frigga when the Warriors Three approached. "So, this is the mortal that has Thor so smitten" remarked Fandral kissing Jane on the hand while Volstagg and Hogun hit him the shoulder to back him off.

"Welcome to Asgard" said Hogun with a bow while Volstagg simply waved and kept chewing the meat he had in his mouth when the group made their way to the training grounds.

"Would you ladies like to join us at the training grounds? Fandral does love an audience" asked Volstagg with an honest smile.

Jane smiled back and looked at Frigga "It is on the way to your quarters" she said prompting a nod from Jane. Thor had told Jane countless stories about his adventures with the Warriors Three and Sif whom wasn't with them at that moment. The group made their short trip to the training ground while telling embarrassing stories about Thor and his misadventures including one about Loki turning Thor into a frog.

It was strange hearing the group talk and laugh about Loki, Jane had only known the psychopath that had tried to kill Thor and take over the world. She also noticed Frigga's mood slightly stiffen when Loki was mentioned, she had a good poker face but Jane could see how the conversation had taken her mind to a difficult place.

They arrived at the training ground and found Sif sparring with some members of the Asgardian army. Sif turned and spotted the group, her stomach turning at the sight of the two mortals standing with Frigga, one was clearly sightseeing but the other was the one that Thor had fallen for, the one that Thor had chosen over herself. Sif sheathed her sword and approached the group as the Warriors Three greeted her and started their own training.

Jane smiled warmly as Sif approached, noting how the warrior's expression never changed since they arrived, "My queen" Sif said bowing to Frigga while scanning Jane. Jane could feel the eyes marking every point on her like a predator scouting out its prey. "It's a pleasure Jane Foster" she said clear dismay and annoyance oozing from her voice as she turned back to the sparring completely ignoring Darcy as she had tried to introduce herself.

Frigga turned to Jane "You'll have to forgive Lady Sif, I'm afraid that she has long held feelings for Thor. Unfortunately for her, he does not feel the same about her. The two have fought so many times together that Thor only sees her as a trusted comrade and friend, do not expect a very warm reception from the Shield Maiden of Asgard."

Jane nodded noting how Sif seemed to be extra rough on the soldiers as they fought now that they were being watched. "She is something else out there" remarked Jane noting how easily Sif was besting the other warriors.

"Yes, Sif is one of our greatest warriors. I was very much like her in my younger days" she replied prompting a shocked look from Jane. "Oh yes, I was one of the best warriors in all of Asgard, I fought in many great battles and defeated my fair share of powerful enemies" she finished walking away from the training ground with Jane closely following her. "I was skilled with sword, shield, bow, and spear as well as a little bit of dabbling in the magic arts, I expect that is where Loki got his love and desire for the magical section of the library" she laughed with a hint of sorrow in her voice.

Jane did not wish to push the Loki issue instead choosing to focus on the warrior past of the Queen of Asgard "So what happened?"

Frigga sighed thinking back to her years of training and fighting for respect much like Sif had done over the course of her life. "I fought on the battlefields of the Nine Realms for a long time until I met a man and fell in love. He asked for my hand and I said yes" answered Frigga seeing the confusion on Jane's face.

"You had to stop fighting because of your husband?" she asked, "You said you were a master, you only do that because you have a passion and love to do it."

Frigga replied "I did love it, I loved every moment of it and no, Odin did not make me stop fighting nor did he ever ask me to. However, becoming the Queen of Asgard comes with responsibilities, responsibilities that require and deserve all of your attention. Abandoning these responsibilities for my own selfish reasons was not what the people of Asgard wanted or deserved. I became a part of what keeps them safe, what takes care of their problems and concerns. I lost much over the centuries but what I have accomplished for the people of Asgard and my children are what make me the most proud, no amount of glory on the battlefield is worth giving that up."

Jane thought carefully about what Frigga was telling her, becoming Queen changed Frigga's life forever, she had gained her public and motherly duties but also had given up what she had worked so hard for her entire life up to that point. All Jane could think about was the steep price Frigga paid for love.