Wee Little Stark

chapter 6

The two women were led to a stop outside the Queen's chambers, saying goodbye to the guard Birger, as he had eventually introduced himself. Darcy taught him how to fist-bump with moderate success.

The guards who were posted at the Queen's door nodded to Birger, then simultaneously pushed the large doors open to guide Darcy and Jane through.

Queen Frigga's chambers were a wide open space, two walls opening up into separate balconies that overlooked the palace grounds and the city in the distance. There were low chaise lounges scattered about, overflowing with large pillows and throw blankets that made Darcy want to wrap around herself like a snuggly burrito. Focus, Darcy, she chided herself, this is no time to get distracted.

"Asgardian dress suits you both well, ladies."

Queen Frigga came inside from where she must have been standing on one of her balconies. It's really unfair that the sunlight hits her so beautifully, Darcy thought, us peasants need some pretty, too.

"Thank you, your Highness," Darcy gave herself a mental high-five for not stuttering at the Queen of the friggin' nine realms.

Laughing, she replied. "You may call me Frigga, Lady Darcy. You are guests here, and I am not your queen. I would rather you think of me as Thor's mother before all else, but hopefully a friend as well."

Giddy because she was totally on a first name basis with the queen, Darcy beamed at the older woman. "Then you can just call me Darcy, that whole 'lady' business is unnecessary and misguiding."

Jane's snort of laughter was certainly evidence to that fact.

"Darcy, then. Jane had already given me permission to address her as such, but I did not want to presume. Come, let's sit and talk while Thor meets with Odin."

Darcy and Jane looked at each other mischievously, having planned a very important question to ask Frigga when they had a moment alone.

"So," Jane drawled, taking a seat to Frigga's right, "we were hoping you could tell us some stories about Thor when he was younger."

Darcy cut in, deciding that tact was for wimps. "And by stories she means really embarrassing ones that would be hilarious to know, especially when us mere mortals need some reminding that my lightening bro isn't perfect."

Thor found the three women about an hour later, Darcy lying on the floor in stitches, tears catching in the corner of her eyes. Jane and Frigga had their heads close to one another whispering to one another.

At the sound of his footsteps, the women looked up and burst into laughter once more.

"This may have been a grave mistake."

Jane was still trying to control her laughter as she stood to make her way over to Thor.

"No, I think this may have been the best decision you've ever made!"

Thor's face was filled with fond amusement as he rolled his eyes at her and leaned down to press a gentle kiss on her lips. Jane blushed furiously at the chaste gesture because she was hyperaware of Frigga at her back.

"Lightening bro, you were the cutest little kid! And your mom is the greatest person ever and she's my new BFF."

Jane cackled as Thor's face paled at Darcy's words, his usual princely demeanor replaced by terror.

Before anyone could say anything else, alarms began ringing out and echoing within the room and across the palace grounds. Thor's grip on her waist tightened for the briefest moment before it gentled once more.

"What's going on?" Jane asked, seeing Darcy stand at the ready next to Frigga, red mask replacing her glasses.

"The prison cells, something is wrong." Thor looked to his mother in a silent request for help.