Asgard

Thor knocked on Jane's door and was greeted by Darcy who smiled brightly and moved so Thor could enter the room. He walked to the center of the room and found Jane standing on the balcony overlooking the sea. Darcy looked between the two of them "Well, I'm going to head next door to my room and get ready for dinner."

Thor turned and watched her head towards the door "My mother's friends will be stopping by to help you pick out some Asgardian clothing soon" informed Thor getting a very excited look from Darcy who skipped the rest of the way to her room. Thor chuckled and began heading towards Jane who was still looking out into the stars.

Jane turned when Thor got close to her and smiled as he pulled her into a hug. They separated and looked out "It's quite incredible" she said prompting a small giggle from Thor.

She looked over with a fake annoyed face as Thor raised his hands apologetically, "I'm sorry. I grew up here, looking out into the stars is nothing particularly special to me anymore I suppose."

Jane shook her head with a smile "It would never get old for me" she said as silence permeated between them.

Thor looked down "My father intends to send the two of you home tomorrow morning" he said with a dejected sound in his voice. Jane opened her mouth to protest but Thor stopped her "It is not up to me. If he orders you back to Earth then you and Darcy will return home."

Jane thought to herself "I can't go back yet…there is still so much to learn."

Thor smiled "My mother is talking with my father and hopefully she will be able to get you a few days here so that you can see what Asgard has to offer" he explained glad to see the hopeful look return to Jane's face.

"So, what was it like growing up in a place like this?" she asked as they moved from the balcony and into the room she had been given to use while she stayed.

Thor sighed and smiled "Adventure probably best sums up the experience. I would wait for my father to return from battle after battle and he would tell me the stories of the heroes of Asgard. Loki and I would always talk about how that was going to be us one day…be part of the great history of Asgard and its heroes."

Jane could see a sadness cross Thor's face as he spoke of Loki "You probably have a million stories" she said snapping Thor out of his trance.

Thor nodded slightly "I suppose you want to hear one" he said getting an enthusiastic nod from Jane. "Very well" Thor thought for a moment "Oh I know, I can tell you the story of the first time I met Sif and the Warriors Three. Now that is quite the tale."

A Long Time Ago

Thor looked outside his bedroom door, Loki was supposed to meet him here so they could sneak out tonight. Their father had told them to remain in the palace during the current Kronan raids but Thor's teenage need for battle would not be contained. He intended to at least see the Kronan's that everyone seemed to be so afraid of first hand and Loki demanded to be brought along. Thor had told him to meet him here at midnight but Loki still had not shown, "Forget him. If he is too scared to see the Kronan's then I'm going without him" he said turning and running directly into a royal guard.

"What are we up to this evening Odinson?" the guard asked with a smirk.

Thor thought for a good answer "I simply wish to have a late night walk through the gardens and take in the beautiful evening" he said hoping the guard would buy it.

The guard laughed "You really need to work on your excuses" the guard said just he shimmered and shrunk down to reveal Loki.

Thor scoffed before hitting Loki in the arm which was customary whenever Loki tricked him which was quite often. Loki rubbed the spot on his arm and motioned for Thor to follow him.

The duo quietly moved through the halls of the palace and made it to the garden where Loki had stashed a rope they could use to descend and get to the city below the palace. "Where did you get rope this long?" Thor asked as he prepared to descend.

"I got it from one from one of the Valkyries while they were sleeping. They won't notice one rope missing" he said as he pushed for Thor to get moving so they could get back before daylight. The descent was fast and uneventful as they were quickly in front of one of the barracks where Asgardian soldiers rested between battles which right now were all against Kronan invaders.

The plan was to get their hands on information here, namely a place where they could see some Kronan's in action and then to get home afterward before anyone knew they were gone. Loki told Thor to stay put while he changed his appearance and made his way inside. Thor hated waiting but if he went into the barracks Father would know within minutes what they were up to. He looked around and spotted a young lady about his age practicing with a sword. He approached and could hear her repeating techniques to herself as she practiced.

He watched for a few minutes and was shocked when she turned like lighting with the sword pointed directly at him. "What do you think you are looking at?" she asked quickly never taking her eyes off of Thor who raised his hands.

"Just a beautiful maiden" he said smoothly his long hair blowing in the wind slightly. "You seem to be quite a skilled warrior, I rarely find someone who could keep up with me but you just might be able to."

The lady laughed "Not many can keep up with me, I am Sif and I will be the Shield Maiden of Asgard one day."

Thor laughed "Well Lady Sif, I am Thor son of Odin" he said with a bow prompting a shocked look and what Thor could have sworn was a squeal at the reveal of his identity. Loki returned while the two of them were speaking.

"Well this has been minorly entertaining to watch but we really must be going" Loki said attempting to drag Thor away from Sif.

Thor stopped him "This is my brother Loki. Loki, this is the Lady Sif." Loki smiled and bowed quickly before once again turning to leave when Thor stopped him again "We are going on a bit of an adventure" he said as Sif looked the two of them over. "Want to come?"

Sif thought for a whole thirty seconds before she nodded and began to follow the brothers as they spoke. Loki had insisted that they not bring Sif since it would just be another person who could rat them out to the guards or their Father, but Thor was insistent that Sif join them on their "Journey into Mystery" as he called it.

The now trio approached a set of woods well beyond the city and Loki pointed towards them "These woods are reportedly where a Kronan escaped capture and is hiding out. No soldiers are coming out here until morning since the Kronan has such good camouflage" he explained.

"Then what is that?" asked Sif pointing back towards town as a torch seemed to be following them.

"Hide" ordered Thor as the three ducked behind a fallen tree as the torch approached. They could hear three voices and they seemed to be having argument about who was the greatest warrior out of the three of them.

Thor peeked over the tree and could see three distinct shapes and could tell they were not any older than him. Sif looked over as well and sighed with annoyance "Perfect their here" she said as she stood up and began walking towards the group.

Loki and Thor jumped up and soon followed as Sif called out "Well, look who's out late at night" she said as the three turned to look at Thor, Sif, and Loki. "Your Majesties, I present to you Fandral, Hogun, and Volstagg."

"Majesties?" questioned Hogun looking the two young men over.

"I am Thor Odinson and this is my brother Loki" replied Thor with a bright smile and a wave. The three new warriors looked at each other and laughed.

"Yeah, we are supposed to buy that" stated Fandral getting an annoyed look from Thor and a shake of the head from Loki.

"Great, snuck out at night, risking a tongue lashing from Father, all to get laughed at by three people we don't even know" sighed Loki wondering why he ever agreed to do this.

Volstagg stopped laughing "Okay, so let's say you two are the princes of Asgard as you claim…what are you doing out here?"

Thor smiled widely "We intend to see a Kronan with our own eyes" he said proudly as Loki stood next to him looking into the woods.

"Well then our goals are aligned Thor" said Fandral stepping forward and offering Thor a handshake "How about we see this Kronan together then? It would be safer to do this as a team then separately" he reasoned.

Thor thought for a moment, he took an instant liking to these three and Sif "I think that's a good idea, the more the merrier" he said as he shook Fandral's hand the group of six headed into the woods.

The woods were darker than they had anticipated and they wandered for hours with no luck in finding a Kronan. Loki shook his head and whispered to Thor 'It's almost dawn we have to get back soon."

Thor looked at his brother and nodded before he turned back to the group they had traveled into the woods with "We need to get back before our Father realizes we are gone but please come to the palace this afternoon and we can do some training together. I will tell the guards to expect you when we get back."

"Hanging out in the palace, now that sounds like my kind of day" stated Fandral with a smile.

Hogun bowed "It would be an honor" he said with the night together proving in his mind that Thor and Loki were indeed who they said they were.

Volstagg's eyes grew large "There will be food, right?" he asked prompting a laugh from everyone.

Thor approached Sif "It would be an honor if the future Shield Maiden of Asgard would join us in training this afternoon" he said with a smile that melted hearts.

Sif opened her mouth when a tree cracked and Loki dove and tackled Thor and Sif to the ground as the tree barely missed them. "Thanks" she said to Loki as she turned her attention to what had knocked the tree over.

The Kronan was tall, towering over all the Asgardians and was almost half as tall as the tree it had knocked over. Kronan's were a large race of people who were made completely out of rocks. "Okay we saw the Kronan…let's get out of here now" stated Loki as he stood up. The group of six stood their ground as the Kronan seemed to be sizing them up.

"We have no weapons, we are definitely at a disadvantage here" reasoned Hogun. He had openly questioned what they would do if they did indeed run into the Kronan considering none of them besides Sif had brought a weapon with them, they had brushed off his questions with typical teenage bravado.

Sif stepped forward with her sword drawn "All of you get out of here. I will distract the beast so you can escape" she stated.

"Oh, I don't think so" said Thor as he lunged for the Kronan with the intention of punching his way to victory. He hit the Kronan square on the chin and cried out as his hand shattered. Thor held his hand as the Kronan delivered a back hand sending Thor flying. Sif charged as Loki made his way to check on his brother.

Thor was laying on the ground with his eyes closed "You okay?" Loki asked as he turned to see Sif with her sword and the others with large branches attempting to fight the Kronan. Loki was about to join them when he felt the air electrify. He turned and looked at Thor in time to see his eyes fly open and blue light fill his eyes.

Loki took a few steps back as Thor stood and lightning struck all around him. The Kronan turned his attention to Thor who looked at the beast. Sif and the others backed away as Thor slowly stepped towards the Kronan.

The Kronan snorted and lifted the tree it had knocked down and raised it to strike Thor who lunged with lightning pouring out of him. Thor struck the Kronan in the chin like he had earlier only this time there was a large explosion of energy and the Kronan was nothing more than a pile of rocks.

Everyone had been flattened by the wave of power but Thor could be heard in the middle of the destruction laughing.

Present

Jane was floored by Thor's story and the sheer enormity of it dawned on her, this story was older than she could probably comprehend. Thor had lived several lifetimes already and by all accounts will live several more lifetimes, how could she ever be with a man who she could not grow old with? And how could Thor ever want to be with a woman that would grow old without him?

Thor finished his story to Jane explaining how after the battle with the Kronan, he was given Mjolnir and Sif and the Warriors Three were quickly made integral parts of defending Asgard. Jane seemed to be pondering something when there was a knock on the door and Frigga's servants had arrived with a selection of clothes for Jane. "Excellent" Thor said with a smile and hugged Jane. They will let me know when you are ready and I will come and escort you to dinner." The two kissed and Thor left the room to leave Jane to prepare for dinner with his family.