The Silvers (Take 2!)

Prologue

"Fóstra! Fóstra!" Sleipnir yelled, running through the palace halls, golden hoofs slipping as his legs tangled with each other. Still, he did not lose his balance entirely, managing to stay upright as he tried to catch up with the Goddess.

Sigyn stopped and turned with a heavy basket of apples in her arms, chuckling. "Yes, oh Slippery one? Did you need me?"

Sleipnir skidded to a halt, finally tripping and toppling hard onto the ground. He was up again quickly, bouncing in place in his excitement. "I learned a new trick, Fóstra! Do you want to see?"

"Of course I do." Sigyn answered, smiling softly. "Show me your trick, dear."

Sleipnir crossed his eyes in concentration, mouth opening. His tongue slipped out, stretching until it could wrap around his muzzle and touch the back of his head. Around it, he mumbled something that might've been "Isn't it cool?"

"Very cool indeed." Sigyn nodded, looking around to make sure no one else was in the hall. "But I think it might frighten the others, so be careful who you show it to, dear."

"Oh." Sleipnir shrunk his tongue back, now looking around himself. His ears flattened. "I didn't mean to be a monster where other people could see, Fóstra. I'm sorry."

Before Sigyn could assure the boy that there was absolutely nothing to apologize for and he was not a monster, shouting filtered down the hall, several voices that were all too familiar to her being loudest.

"This is the final straw, Laufeyson."

"Oh, please, Borson–"

"Show the Allfather some respect!"

"I will when he earns some! If you so-called Gods can't handle a few insults–"

"It was more than a few–"

"And is not the main issue anyway, Laufeyson. Baldr–"

"Is fine! It was a gag, you morons."

"You dare?!"

Sleipnir snorted, backing a pace from the direction the arguing was drifting from. He looked to Sigyn, who was staring down the hall in concern. "Fóstra? Is that Mommy yelling?"

"Yes it is, dear." Sigyn shook herself out of her shock, setting down her basket and selecting three of the freshest apples. "I need you to take these and go have lunch with Nari and Váli; they've been out training in the woods all day, and I don't want them to skip meals in their distraction again."

"Okay, Fóstra." Sleipnir agreed, letting her slip her own bag over his neck to carry the apples.

"Stay out of the palace for a while, and make sure your brother and sister do so as well." Sigyn told him, looking behind her. The voices were growing closer. "Can you do that for me, dear?"

"Of course, Fóstra." Sleipnir nodded, tilting his head in confusion. He glanced the same direction she was looking, eyes narrowed. "But why?"

"Because your father's a fool." Sigyn sighed, mouth pinched in worry and fear. Shadows appeared around the corner, the voices rising quickly with both closing distance and increased volume. She pushed Sleipnir gently away, whispering. "Go, quickly now!"