The next morning, Zima got up and readied herself for the day as usual, when she heard that Thor had brought Jane Foster from Earth. She didn't catch most of the details, but decided to see for herself as she rushed to find them. She had to ask around a few times, but eventually found them.

"Thor!" She called, running over, "I heard something had happened, I wanted to find you and see." She then looks at Jane, who watched the raven-haired woman with confusion. "And you must be Jane. I've heard good things about you."

"Jane, this is Zima. She is a good friend of mine." Thor says to her, properly introducing the girls.

"Nice to meet you." Jane says.

"You as well." Zima responds, "If I may ask, what brought you here?"

"I think she might have found the Aether." Thor tells her, "It's currently possessing her."

"That can't be possible. I thought the Aether was a myth. Or at the least it no longer existed." Zima says in surprise.

"Well, it seems the myth might be true." Thor says.

"If that's the case, you don't think that... that some of the Dark Elves might have survived? They'll be looking for her if that is also true." Zima asks. When no one responded, she decided to change the subject. "How long will she be staying?"

Jane shrugged "That part didn't really come up."

"Well, just in case, you can borrow some of my clothes while you're here. At the least, you won't stand out as much. They should fit you." Zima says.

"Oh, you don't have to-" Jane starts.

"It would be no issue. Besides, I think some of them will actually look better on you than me anyway." Zima interjects, "You can come with us, but you'll have to wait outside." She adds jokingly to Thor, who nods as the three walk to Zima's room. Inside, Jane looked around in awe as Zima went to pull some of her dresses out for Jane to try on. After a short time, she settled on a simple brown dress with a blue wrap before they exited and Zima started to walk off.

"Don't tell me you're going to be training again." Thor says jokingly.

"Going to try and see a certain someone." Zima responds, "And by the way, I like her." She adds, giving Thor a thumbs up before walking away.

As she wandered, she stopped in one of the gardens overlooking the city. It was one of her favorite spots, and she used to visit it all the time when she was younger. Closing her eyes, she focused her magic, sending out a projection at her desired location. Looking through the image's eyes, she took a quick moment to get her bearings. She was in one of the prison cells, but this one was furnished. It looked almost nice. Turning, she saw Loki and Frigga standing there, watching her.

"I was wondering how long it would take you to be here." Frigga says, "Although, I thought it would have been sooner."

"Ran into Thor." Zima replies, "Long story. Not urgent, but you'll want to see for yourself."

Frigga nodded in response.

Loki then approached her. "I almost thought you wouldn't come."

"What made you think that?" Zima asks.

"Don't tell me you've forgotten already." Loki responds.

Zima pauses, realizing what he was talking about. "Later." She says.

Not long after, noise could be heard as more new prisoners were brought in by the guards.

"Odin continues to bring me new friends." Loki remarks, walking up to the barrier that kept him in, "How thoughtful."

"The books I sent, do they not interest you?" Frigga asks.

"Is that how I am to while away eternity?" Loki asks, "Reading?"

"I've done everything in my power to make you comfortable, Loki." Frigga says.

"I wish I could do something, myself." Zima adds.

"Oh, I'm sure you'd find a way, love." Loki tells her, "Tell me, does Odin share your concern? Does Thor? It must be so inconvenient, them asking after me day and night." The sarcasm was not missed as Zima shook her head.

"You know full well that it was your actions that brought you here." Frigga says calmly."

"My actions?" Loki challenges, "I was merely giving truth to the lie that I had been fed my entire life. That I was born to be a king."

"A true king admits his faults." Zima adds, "What about all those lives you took on Earth?"

"A mere handful compared to the number Odin had taken himself." Loki responds.

"Your father-" Frigga starts, but is cut off by Loki.

"He's not my father!" He shouts, causing Zima to jump slightly.

"Then am I not your mother?" Frigga asks.

"You are not." Loki says after a brief pause.

Frigga did not seem too fazed by what he said. "You're always so perceptive about everyone but yourself." She says, holding out her hand.

Loki reaches out to take it, but instead, the image fades in a shimmer.

"Tell me you didn't actually mean that." Zima says.

"Why do you care?" Loki asks.

"Of course I care. If anything, it feels like you are the one who stopped caring."

"Is that really what you think of me?"

"I don't want to think that, but recently, I haven't seen much reason to believe otherwise. We've already had this discussion before, and I don't think we need to repeat that right now, as tempting as it is."

"We don't? Or can you not convince yourself to continue once you start?"

Zima didn't respond, and just ran her hand through her hair in frustration. She felt like she wasn't getting anywhere with this. After a short pause, she was about to say something, but stopped herself when she heard a commotion outside. She walked over to look, and saw guards rushing down the halls. Somehow, someone had busted out, and was releasing some of the others. She wasn't sure who started it, but her best guess was the large, monstrous creature that stormed through and took out the guards with little effort. Fandral and Volstagg later joined in and did what they could to help the guards and stop everything. When the creature approached Zima and Loki, Zima backed away slightly as the creature stared at them before backing off.

"You might want to take the stairs to the left." Loki says to it as it leaves.

"Well, it seems I'll be busy." Zima says, mostly to herself shortly after. "I'll return soon." She then says to Loki right before the image fades and she returns to the garden.

She didn't waste any time and left the second she could, finding Jane with Frigga.

"I saw what was happening. Some monster, it escaped. I didn't recognize it." She explained.

"Do you know where it's headed?" Frigga asks.

"I don't. But we might need to be prepared if it finds us." Zima responds.

The three women kept walking until they ran into Odin and more soldiers. Odin assured them it was nothing major, but asked them to stay in Frigga's room until it was over. As they walked in that direction, Frigga took a sword from one of the guards.

"Listen to me now." She says, "I need both of you to do everything I ask. No questions."

Zima and Jane nodded in response as Frigga explained her plan: She would cast a projection of Jane to be with her in the room in case anyone was looking for her, while Zima would hide herself and the real Jane from sight so they wouldn't be detected. Zima was only to uncloak herself if she absolutely had to. The second they entered the room, the spells were cast, and they waited. The silence felt like ages as chaos ensued outside, and then the door opened. Unknown to them at the time, the figure who entered was Malekith, the leader of the Dark Elves. Zima and Jane did their best to stay silent as they watched, while the fake Jane retreated back slightly.

"Stand down, creature, and you may still survive this." Frigga says.

"I have survived worse, woman." Malekith responds.

"Who are you?"

"I am Malekith. And I would have what is mine."

He approached the fake Jane, who tried to get away from him as Frigga cut his face with her sword. He tried to fight back, but Frigga was faster, eventually having her blade at his throat. Before she could do anything else, the monster, Kurse, entered the room. Frigga tried to attack him, but he easily disarmed her and held her by her neck on one hand, with her weapon in the other.

"You have taken something, child." Malekith says to the fake Jane as he approached her, "Give it back." He reached out to touch her, but she vanished in a green shimmer. He then angrily turned to Frigga. "Witch! Where is the Aether?"

"I'll never tell you." Frigga responds.

"I believe you." Malekith says right as Kurse drives the sword through her back.

Zima and Jane didn't see what was happening, but figured it wasn't good when they heard Thor yelling and the sound of thunder and lightning as half of Malekith's face was burned. A few clangs followed as Malekith and Kurse escaped, and silence fell. Zima lifted her spell and both she and Jane re entered the room to see what had happened. Queen Frigga was dead.