She Walks In Beauty Part One

Queen Sif of Asgard sits on her throne beside her husband King Thor and for the first time in nearly sixty years of marriage feels confident and superior to the woman who is walking down the long corridor of the throne room towards them with the rest of the congregation from Earth.

She, who has never truly been concerned with her looks and was always more driven to prove herself as a warrior in a society where she never truly felt like she belonged anywhere except fighting beside the man who would eventually become her husband, is eternally young with her raven hair and bright eyes and the pale skin the colour of cream.

The woman before her has thinning hair the colour of snow, sagging and wrinkled skin, and while her eyes have lost none of their luster they are old. Though Sif will give credit where it is due; for a woman who is almost ninety years old Jane Foster does not look as bad as she could have. But where once was a woman who was the greatest threat Sif of the Warriors Three ever faced in the war for the affections for Thor Odinson now a feeble old woman who walks with the assistance of her son and friend, the ever young Steve Rogers who not aged a day since she saw him last a decade earlier.

Sif looks over to her husband and what she sees nearly sends her sprawling in pain, anger, embarrassment, and pain. The man whom she loves more than anything, whom she has born three sons and one daughter, is looking at the woman in front of hr with so much love in his blue eyes that Sif feels torn apart. And it is in that moment she knows that if Thor had his way all those years ago it would be a very different Queen ruling Asgard. And the knowledge that it must have been Jane to end things and to let go of the man who forsook a throne once to be with her breaks whatever strength Sif has left. It takes everything within her to not break down as they conduct the introductions of Owen Foster, her son who has walked in his mother's footsteps.

But when her husband leaves the throne and takes the hand of the old wman an kisses it with such tenderness and devotion Sif finally feels herself break. Tears run down her face and she must turn away. She feels her daughter Sol place a hand on her shoulder. But it is not enough. It will never be enugh. All she wants is the love of her husband and she knows she will never have it.

It will always be Jane Foster and Thor Odinson. Nothing will ever change that.