I hope you guys get the reference here about Svadilfari, if you don't, go go go swot up!

Chapter 2 – Noble Steeds

Trying to speak to Loki was like looking for a ghost, you would see him flitting in and out through columns; see him out of the corner of your eye. But when you looked again he was gone, he was always there, in the shadows and backgrounds of the scenes of your life but you never noticed him, or even knew he was there.

The only time I managed to get close to him was when we went out on missions, but even then barely a word was exchanged.

We were called to the throne room early one morning, many weeks after our first mission and given a new assignment. There were rumours of treachery in the realms and talk of Frost Giants becoming hostile, we were to go out to the each of the realms and find out what we can and stop any uprisings we might encounter.

We rode out of the gates of Asgard and onto the Bi-Frost, listening to the powerful hoof beats of our steeds as sparks flew behind us. I followed the billowing cape of Loki for a small while before pushing my horse on, I came up beside him and looked over to him before winking and asking my horse on. He obliged and surged underneath me, his powerful shoulders pulling us forward across the glittering bridge, Loki looked on in surprise before touching his heels to his black beast's sides and the horse struck off and powered after me. I looked behind me and laughed as he came up beside me and thundered past me, my horse's ears pricked up and I gave him his head, no horse in the 9 realms could touch Falhófnir for speed, not even Sleipnir. As Falhófnir bunched his muscles together and burst forwards we flew through the galloping warriors until we reached Thor, but before I could gather my reins Falhófnir had shot past Thor much to the Prince's astonishment and before he knew what was happening Loki was upon him. I heard him shout something over the roar of the wind before he came up behind me and then beside me.

"You really think your little horse is a match for the horse of a god?"

"I don't think my lord, I know!"

Loki laughed before bending lower over his horses neck, I touched Falhófnir's shoulder lightly and he flicked an ear back to me, he understood what I was saying 'let him pass, we shall show him'. I let Loki and his charger get a good few paces ahead before I shouted into the wind.

"Yah Fally! Yah!" Suddenly the world became a blur as the storm of power inside my horse exploded out from underneath me and he ate up the ground in front of him like it was nothing, I saw Loki look back before putting his heels into his horse's side and urging it on ever faster, but that wouldn't work. Falhófnir lengthened his strides again and again until they were longer than any of the chargers around us. He may be the smallest there but Falhófnir's legs were long and his heart was powerful, he would never lose a race.

We soared up to Loki's horse's flanks and past them, Falhófnir pushing his neck out to become more streamlined as I wrapped my fingers into his dark mane and leant into his neck, he sailed past the larger horse and took off across the bridge, we got more than 5 strides ahead of them before Heimdall became visible and I sat up, breathing out as my horse slowed his pace underneath me. His breathing became heavier as he blew out through his nostrils and tossed his head, wanting to carry on. I spoke to him and his ears flicked back and forth as he obeyed my command and almost slid to a stop in front of Heimdall, he snorted and pawed the ground before arching his neck, proudly showing off that he won the race.

Loki trotted up behind me and stopped.

"That I was not expecting from such a little horse, even an Asgardian stallion, I had heard tell that there was a horse unmatched in speed but never thought him to be yours."

"He never loses a race; small he may be, but never to be underestimated."

"I will not make that mistake again, what is his name?"

"His name is Falhófnir, what is your steed's name?"

"Svadilfari, he is said to be the best horse in all the 9 realms, yet today your little one has bested him," he looked Falhófnir up and down, "haha, 'hairy hoofed indeed, a fitting name."

"Never underestimate the little ones, they will always surprise you." I winked at him before sliding from the saddle and smoothing down my robes underneath my armour. I patted Falhófnir on the neck and he blew into my face, I laughed and kissed him on his forehead, he was a beautiful beast. His long legs gave him the look of a dancer rather than the stocky legs of the fighter Svadilfari, with heavily feathered large hooves and powerful hindquarters he was no more a pony before the royal horses but he made up for it in beauty and speed. He was a deep rich black in colour, with a long flowing mane and tail and blue eyes, his face was white and long, a boxy head with small ears that never stopped moving. A thick crested neck bulged under his wavy black mane and his body was long and steep, his legs were white and his hooves a pale colour, another meaning of his name to be precise. I looked over his splendid form once more before turning around to wait for the other warriors.

Loki jumped off Svadilfari with all the grace of a wolf and patted the stallion's broad neck as it jittered about waiting for the others to approach. Svadilfari was black with a rich chocolate coloured mane and tail, both sweepingly long and wavy, like waterfalls, he was as wide as he was tall and gave off such presence and power he was hard to ignore, I had always admired him, though rumours of how Loki came to be in possession of such a large and powerful creature were spread far and wide.

"Easy boy, no more for now." He whispered soothingly to the horse.

He came to stand next to me and looked down at me, I looked out of the corner of my eye at him and he smirked devilishly before looking back to Thor and his warriors who had just come to a stop before us.

"That was impressive Valen, and unexpected." His tone was firm, but playful and I couldn't help but smile. He leapt from his horse onto the rainbow bridge, his sheer mass making sparks fly from under his feet and he strode forwards, parting myself and Loki and approaching Heimdall.

"Heimdall, we go to Vanaheim."

"I have been waiting, there is trouble down there, I see it..." His crystal eyes stared at us before he turned in one sweeping motion and led us into the Bi-Frost chamber where he drove his sword into the slit on the platform, lightning sparked out from the sword as the portal cylinder set its location. We stepped up to the gateway and I felt the familiar tug at my waist as we were sucked into it. We were shot out of the cylinder like cannonballs and flew out into empty space, Thor thrust Mjolnir out in front of him and the warriors flew like speeding bullets.

I loved this feeling of flying past the stars and spread my arms out in front of me, I looked over to see Loki on his back with his hands behind his head looking thoroughly bored and I just had to laugh at how casual he looked, he noticed me and laughed back before turning on his side to face me. I pulled my arms in and positioned myself so it looked like I was lying on a sofa and he laughed again, that bright, musical sound that he only seemed to make when he was going into battle or plotting some grand scheme. Before we could continue our games we slowed down and we all rotated our bodies ready to hit the ground, we landed down hard in a blast of dust and light onto a grassy plain beside a small village.