The North wing of Valhalla was the home of the godly army, or at least the majority of it. Both male and female warriors of the cavalry were stationed here and made up the largest part of the Asgaardian forces, with legions of what they called "winged soldiers", soldiers on bronteos horses, stationed elsewhere in the mountains. The vast northern grounds were the training fields of Ard's troops. By having their own sleeping quarters as well as their private feasting hall, the noise of the soldiers could be contained. And a noisy bunch they were, at least during their leisure time. As well as being incredibly strong warriors, hardworking and dutiful, the gods loved music and drinking and celebrating and especially the young warrior gods were known for their hedonistic behaviours.

Ard walked past the hall, his steps echoing and bouncing off the ancient stone walls, but there was no sound coming from behind the 15 foot high intricately carved wooden gates. Hera and Lugh must have suspended the feasting and ordered everyone to their quarters. Ard was relieved to find the north wing quiet. He still felt confused and unsure as of what to do, encountering his soldiers would have put him on the spot, as he'd have had to explain his unannounced extended absence. He headed past the gates to the quarters of the lower ranking soldiers and towards the rooms of his second and third in command. First he knocked on Hera's door but when no one answered he tried Lugh's door but with no avail. So he walked further down the corridor to his own rooms only to find the door unlocked. A part of him almost expected to find a Norn waiting for him but instead Hera and Lugh were sitting at his desk.

"For the gods' sake where have you been?" Hera hissed, brushing her long strawberry blonde hair back with both hands and then bringing it forward again, which made her look like a wild ginger lion, yellow eyes upon her pray. Lugh gave him a grim stare.

"May I remind you that I'm the commander here? What are you two doing in my room?"

"Oh shut up Ard, you left once again without warning, not even a vague note! We've been looking for you after Heimdall sent word of your return!" Hera didn't seem happy at all. "In the past weeks you kept disappearing without telling us what's happening. Then you go on one of your little secret missions again and don't come back before our soldiers notice your absence. Particulary on companison's night. Why didn't you tell us? I thought you'd trust us as your generals...and friends?"

"Damn" Ard's lips twitched. He forgot that it was companion's night. Every full moon the soldiers may bring their companions to their quarters for feasting and drinking...and other kinds of amusement. But it wasn't exclusively their actual companions that would find their way into the north wing. Male and female gods alike were attracted by the merry atmosphere on companison's night particularly around the time of Beltane. The creating energies of the mother goddess were in the air and everyone seemed to be drawn in by her power. The built up to Beltane was marked by increasing lust and longing. The vibrations were rising from the first day after winter solstice over the following month leading up to the moment were the goddess of the earth and the horned god of spring unite to create new life. Everyone in Asgaard could feel it. Ard imagined the frustration and disappointment of the warriors, the knock on effect it would have on their performance over the next few weeks.

"There are things that need discussing" he said, addressing both Hera and Lugh.

"The soldiers weren't happy as you can image. Only you can lift the vail, there was no way for us to let their visitors in."
Ard nodded. "I will talk to them tomorrow. But I actually have more important things to worry about at the moment." A pounding headache started to build up and made it difficult for Ard to concentrate and explain things without going into dangerous territory of treachery.

"There were whispers that the Norns came to visit" said Lugh. A statement, but also a question. "The whispers are true." Both Hera and Lugh looked concerned.

Ard kicked the door close and spoke with lowered voice "A month ago I was given the mission to...transform a human into a half goddess so she can be the golden maiden..." Lugh swallowed loudly and Hera shriek "What!?".
Ignoring their shocked and surprised faces, he continued "I was ordered to go to Midgard and determine the best possible moment, hence my regular absences."
"But why...." started Hera but Ard cut her off "I was under strict instructions to keep this to myself until Beltane."
He saw disbelieve in their eyes and for a second considered whether or not to tell them the whole story. They were his friends and he could just stick to the facts, didn't need to include all of his suspicions. Perhaps the plain facts alone would raise the same questions as they did for Ard.
"Where is the girl?" Lugh's face expression a mixture of confusion and caution. He was the opposite of Hera, who was impulsive and often spoke without filter. He was calm and seemingly relaxed, but Ard knew better. Often, Lugh already had the answers to his own questions in his head, but was looking for confirmation. His chin resting on the palm of his hand, elbow leaning on Ard's desk, his ashy brown, slightly wavy hair gleaming in the candlelight.
"The girl never made it to Asgaard. Heimdall didn't even know about her impending arrival. He wasn't told." Neither of his two friends seem to understand, so he continued "The Norns have changed the plan long before, or perhaps always had the intention to kill her. Instead of Aether essence to transform her and bring her into our realm, I have unknowingly given her a drop of Aether infused with death. When I got back she wasn't at the gates so I went straight to the Elders and the Norns were already there, seemingly waiting for me."

"But why?" Hera wanted to know. The same question was written all over Lugh's face.

"Well, I'm not sure. I demanded answers but all I was told is not to interfere with the executioners of fate." He gave out a bitter hiss. "I had a bit of a...ehm...run it with the Norns and Elders and was ultimately dismissed."

"What did you do you idiot? Pointlessly threatening the three faced goddess?" Hera snorted.
"Well, kind of."
"OH you didn't you hot-headed fool?!"
"Calling me hot headed is a bold statement coming from you Hera." Ard said with a half-hearted smile and she just shrugged her shoulders.

"So that's it?" Lugh said. "You had a disagreement with the highest beings in the realm over a human, got kicked out of Valhalla and went off to sulk, leaving us here to deal with several hundred high spirited warriors?" He rolled his eyes.

"Excuse me but I hope you see that this isn't just any other mission my friend" Ard was suddenly even more serious. "A golden maiden was announced for the first time in hundreds of years and the Norns decide to eliminate her. Surely there must be a very good and very important reason for it.

"Then we must find out the reason." Hera's lovely face now a mask of steel and determination. She was often underestimated. By being more petit than most Valkyries, the female warrior goddesses of Asgaard, both male and female warriors alike assumed she'd be weaker, an easier target. Oh how wrong they were. Perhaps her smaller frame was the very reason for her will of steel to proof them wrong. She trained harder than most, made her body strong and her mind even stronger. Her tongue sharper than the blades she carried. Many Valkyries far older and experienced than her had tried to put her down, to discredit her, take her place as second in command next to Ard but each and every one of them failed. Hera was the goddess of war, not by birth, but by choice. Some gods were born into a role. All of the elemental gods and goddesses were, as were the moon and the sun, Mani and Sol. Nothing could ever change their nature, take their place. But the goddess of war was self-made.

Lugh was the opposite of her. If Hera was a burning flame, he was the water. Deep and still, wise and controlled. Quite a good balance for Hera's Impulsiveness. In a way she was a lot like Ard, who was stubborn, even more impulsive but yet but yet, he had learned to control himself in ways the Elders never thought possible. When he was a god child, he was the wildest of his brothers. Often disobedient, constantly questioning authority and not fearing punishment half as much as he should, they kept telling him that he will end up banished to Helheim with Hella. How ironic that Hella took the throne of Niflheim and instead of Ard the rebel, Atlas, the most ambitious and dutiful of the three brothers had to go with her. Perhaps those circumstances evoked a change within the youngest of the three. There was a place to fill, a sacrifice that shouldn't be in vain. Ard wanted to honour his brother by following in his footsteps, making him proud. The wayward young god grew up more controlled, trying to tame the wildness within. Most of the time he succeeded at it, but sometimes the beast inside him was roaring and fighting to come out. When he was face to face with the Norns, his innate fear of them was overridden by a self-willed power, one he couldn't quite control. He almost didn't dare to admit it to himself, but an anger so strong and unmanageable nearly overcame him and made him rip into the females, tear out their ancient throats. Justice. It was a false sense of justice and he knew it. He shouldn't, couldn't punish them for their disgusting attitude of being all powerful fate bringers deciding who lives or dies. Thinking about it he wasn't even sure whether their internal anatomy was that of flesh and blood beings. The Gods and humans were very similar inside, the difference was in their DNA, but the Norns? Were they even real? Or just manifestations of power?

"Ard? Ard!" Hera shouted at him. "Are you even listening?" His thoughts had drifted off. What was he even doing?
"So let's make a plan" he said, playing over the fact that he really wasn't listening. "Let's try and gather as much information as we can. I suggest that you, Lugh, go and speak to my brother. See if he's heard anything. Just check for anything out the ordinary, we don't want to raise suspicion. I'm sure he is trustworthy but he is very close to Asereth and his two ass kissing friends. At this stage we cannot take any risks."
Lugh gave a quick nod.
„Hera, you go and speak to the valkyries. Not just the ones in our army. Try and approach the ones from the camp too."
"Why would we want to speak to the others?" she replied with confusion. "What would they know? Surely whatever is going on is between the Elders and your father?"
"My father, Hera, have you seen him recently?" She didn't answer. "No? Well me neither. He is a shell. He is broken. I don't know what they are doing, or not doing to him, but I will find out. I'm going to speak to him even if I have to break down the gates to his chambers. I have a feeling that this isn't a small issue between the inner circle of Valhalla. The Norns are personally involved, something big is brewing up." He could feel the anger building and rising from the pit of his stomach. Anger over the Elders and Norns for excluding him from whatever serious matter they were dealing with. Anger towards his useless father who once called himself the mightiest god of all and now was nothing more than a broken old pile of self-pity.

The fury and exasperation must have been seeping out of his pores as Hera and Lugh only nodded in acknowledgement. But after a silent few seconds Lugh addressed Ard with his typical calm, cautious way of speaking "Are you sure this is all necessary? And you are not just reading too much into a precautionary decision?" Not just a friend and trusted general, he was also one of Ard's biggest critics. And there was no other quality that Ard appreciated more.
"I am certain. Something is happening and no one is telling us."

Whilst Ard and Lugh were staring at each other in the midst of this pretty important conversation, Hera casually strolled over to Ard's bar cabinet, opened it as if it was her own and pulled out a precious looking bottle of wine. Ard and Lugh stared at her in disbelieve.
"What?!" She shrugged her shoulders. "It's past the eleventh hour, there is nothing to be done here right at this moment – we might as well have a little fun before the dirty work begins tomorrow. And I tell you, approaching some rogue Valkyrie is definitely going to be dirty work."
With another innocent look at the two males, she picked up the bottle opener hanging from a hook on the side of the bar, swiftly pulled out the cork with a plop, took out two glasses from the glass shelves and filled them up generously. She handed them to her friends and kept the bottle to herself.
"Cheers!" she said raising the bottle and Lugh smiled mischievously. Even Ard couldn't supress his grin. As responsible as they were and as heavy the recent happenings were resting on his shoulders, right now, right here there was only him and the young god and the young Valkyrie that he called his best friends. There was a time to feel heavy and there was a time to forget the burden. Right now was the time to drink and forget. So they did and shared 12 bottles of wine between them until Lugh was falling asleep on Hera's shoulders and Ard had to carry him to his room. Then he went back to his room to pick up Hera who by the time of his return was also asleep so he carried her to her chamber too. With a kiss on her cheek he laid her down in bed and closed the door, only a few hours between them and the rise of dawn.