“Shhhhh. We have to be quiet.” Hermod opened the door to his father’s hall and looked around. The coast was clear. This was going to be so much fun. They just had to be sure he didn’t get caught. That would really spoil everything.

Odin and Frigg had gone out for the entire day. They were probably doing something royal. They had needed someone to watch Hermod and his younger half-brother, Bragi. Balder had run off with some of his friends and Hod was blind. Being blind made it hard to watch over his younger brothers, even when Hermod promised not to go running around the hall. That left a few other choices. Thor was just too… Thor. Vidar was off learning something important. So Tyr was the one recruited o watch them with Hermod’s parents were away.

( They had just finished lunch... )

Technically, he was not supposed to be doing what he was doing. He was suppose to train the animal and care for him, but riding him… Well, he knew he was supposed to ask for permission first. And even then, it had to be for something very, very important. But if he got caught (which had not happened yet) then he would just explain that this was part of the training. Every horse needed proper exercise. ( Especially when they had eight legs )

Hermod could not remember a time when he had been more tired or more terrified. He and Sleipnir had been riding for days. He had actually lost count of how many had passed. He had to do this, though, no matter how long it took. It was for his mother. And maybe a little bit for himself as well.

It all happened after one of his brothers killed the other. Hermod knew there was probably more to the story, Hod wouldn’t just kill Baldr like that without someone making him do it. But he couldn’t stay to hear the reasoning behind what had happened. His mother, Frigg, had asked for someone to go to see Hel and offer a ransom for Baldr. When no one else came forward, Hermod did. He would save his brother for all of Asgard.

( He took his father's best horse )

It was ridiculously hot, but that was probably to be expected. Philotes was standing in the middle of a gigantic dry lake bed in the middle of a desert. There was no shade to be found except the small bit afforded by shadow cast by her supercar. With the panel up so she could tinker with the engine, the top half of her was covered, slightly protected from the merciless rays of the sun beating down on her, but she felt a bit like she had stuck her head in an oven. No air stirred to bring relief. Her torso was baking and her legs were frying. But if she could just get a little bit more out of her engine, Lottie was sure she could make it nearly fly.

The Bugatti Type 35 was already one of the fastest cars in the world. It had an overhead cam straight-8 engine that gave her 90 horsepower to play with. But that was just the beginning. From the leaf springs to the alloy wheels, the car was the ultimate machine for creating speed. The very best part was the hollow front axle that reduced weight. The Type 35 was created for racing, not touring, and it wasn't the most comfortable ride she'd ever had. But in a man-made contraption, it was the fastest.

( And she loved it. )

Odin shooed the handmaiden aside, not wishing to disturb Frigg. As a matter of fact, he was hoping to avoid her altogether. "No need to announce me. I'm here to see my son. I'll find him myself." At least he assumed he would. If Hermod wasn't at Fensalir, he wasn't sure where he would find the boy. He supposed he could wait for one of the ravens to return, but he didn't want to put this off. And really, if he couldn't find one young man in Asgard, he didn't deserve to be king.

The problem with Hermod was that the young god didn't seem to Odin to have any real direction in his life. He was old enough now that he should have found his place, yet he seemed to stumble around that as much as his tongue did around the maidens that graced his wife's hall. It was no secret that Hermod had somehow missed out on that particular trait of his father's. But it was high time he found his place among the gods of Asgard.

( Odin was here strictly for that purpose. )