The Fates watched Odin stew upon his throne. They cackled darkly. Anyone with any sense wouldn’t believe a word that came from their wisened lips, yet they had managed to convince Odin of the threat this one child posed. The truth was, the girl posed no threat at all. She would actually bring a balance to Asgard that it hadn’t known in millenia. One child, who had suffered at the hands of her own father, would change everything.

Munin and Hugin knew the Fates were watching Odin. They always watched him when things they had set into motion were beginning to unfold. The brothers knew they had to warn Loki but they were sure the Fates were watching them as well, at least as ravens. They melted back into the shadows behind Odin before leaving the throne room. Once clear of the throne room and the watchful eye of the Fates, they made their way to a secret part of the castle. It was a tower that could only be accessed by a bird. In years past, it could have been a rookery or something similar. Now it was a haven for the ravens. They quickly made their way up to their room. Once there and assured that they were alone, they took on their human forms.

“I don’t like this,” Munin muttered darkly. “Nothing good comes when he stews like this.”

“We must warn Loki,” Hugin replied.

Munin shook his head. “No, we cannot risk leaving and Odin knowing,” he told his brother.

“If what he said is true, the girl’s mortal body is dying,” Hugin snapped.

“But she is still alive,” Munin replied calmly. “You and I both know this because of the protections we put in place to watch over her as she grew up.”

“Yes, but weren’t those supposed to fade by the time she reached 20?” Hugin asked.

Munin sighed, “Because of the years she spent in and out of consciousness, the protections have not abated like they should have. They are far weaker than they were, which makes them nigh undectable, but around her they remain.”

Hugin rubbed his forehead before running his fingers through his irridescent black hair.

“Stop that!” Munin scolded his brother. “Every time you do that you give yourself sex hair!”

Hugin gave him a confused look. Munin rolled his eyes at his brother.

“Regardless, we cannot tell……” Munin stopped midsentence. “He will not notice the absence of only one.”

His voice was soft, barely a whisper but Hugin heard.

“What?”

“You are so dense,” Munin sighed. “If only one of us goes, he is less likely to notice and should he, we give the same excuse we always do.”

“You’re better at hiding than I am,” Hugin said sulkily.

“I am also better at lying, which is why I should stay,” Munin snapped.

“I don’t want to go to Midgard,” Hugin whined.

Munin groaned.

“At this rate, neither of us will be in time to warn them of Odin’s fears about his granddaughter!” he growled, if such a thing was possible.

By this time, he was thoroughly annoyed with his brother. He hated it when Hugin got like this. Anything that required any work at all, Hugin never wanted to do. So he always ended up doing everything that Hugin never wanted to do.