It seemed as if this day were bound to happen, as if two paths were destined to meet despite the odds. War had driven us apart and yet, peace had brought us together. It was not an ideal situation in which we had come back together, but at least it had been final, a moment in which I would come to look upon in later years. His eyes had widened, grown sharp with remembrance and I was giddy with the emotion myself. I was even tolerant of his nudges, touches, reminders of something that I had long ago outgrown. If I had chosen to forget him entirely, it would have been for the best. But this day had come and the memories were gallivanting back as if some strange magic had envisioned this, turned the tables… just for us.

Of course I hadn’t heard anything of Odin, our father. He had long since vanished from my thoughts and my timeline. But the look on my brother’s face was something that was hard to ignore, hard to inform… What could I tell him? That our father had died in war? Surely not. But there was no plausible answer to his strange disappearance from our lives. Forget it. It wasn’t worth worrying about now. Neither were the whereabouts of my own mother. Had she simply forgotten her son? Given him up for some gypsy way of life? Whatever her excuse, I wouldn’t be around to hear it. Her words were no longer worth my time.

“I’ve heard nothing of either, though I am glad to find you well.” In that moment, I thought that I could nearly conquer the world, at least until the edgy voice of the mare brought me sky falling from my reverie. She was harsh thing, clearly designed for the darkness from hence she came. Something about her made my skin crawl and it was evident in the way I looked upon her. “Hold your tongue impatient mare. If you desire his quality time, perhaps you should seek it elsewhere.” The words were cold upon my tongue and I nearly spat at her, disgusted by the ill tone she had used at my expense. I cocked my face at her now, challenging her to say more, test my resolve as Myriad had done in the Edge. Not all would end in her favor, she would be smart to remember that.

Though, I had little else to ponder about the strange little mare, obviously outcast from any real purpose or home. Perhaps she deserved the title since she wore no familiar perfume, one that would define her as one of our nearby allies. But no, she was no Foothills mare, no Throat lade, and certainly no kin to the Edge. So I let her be, festering in her ill-temper until she was sure to self-implode.

“Dear Loki, I am so surprised to find you here within Helovia, you must join me in the Edge after your wanderer’s heart finally tires.”

Walk walk walk.
Talk talk talk.
Think think think.