Father of Storms

by Dean Jones

  This answer seemed to provide his wife with the confirmation she needed, and she placed another kiss, this time on his lips and climbed on top of him letting her hair fall into his face.

  “So, I take it you can get me with child husband; will your gifts from Frigg allow this to be so?”

  This was a question he had been asked several times over the years and he reassured her they would have a child when the time was right for them to do so.

  Meredith smiled down at her husband knowing he was right and was happy she would soon be with child for without one she didn’t feel she was giving her husband what he deserved and knew people would begin to talk if one did not appear soon.

  A New Master

  The three men stood waiting nervously in the darkened room. They had been sitting in the waiting area outside for over an hour and had chatted amiably between themselves, but none seemed to know why they were there.

  It was late afternoon and the heat of the mid-summer sun could still be felt even though the windows of this room were covered to stop the light getting in. It was a large room which they had only been in once before and the desk which lay in front of them with its high-backed leather chair dominated what was a scarcely furnished office.

  There was a click and they turned to see a tall white-haired man enter the room from the door on their left closely followed by a diminutive redhead in a tight dress. He carried a gold-topped cane and it tapped and clicked on the hard-tiled floor as he crossed the room and took the seat behind the desk.

  "Good afternoon gentlemen" the man hissed and none of the men felt any welcome from his tone.

  "I thank you all for your time and am grateful you have agreed to join my efforts with the man called Seth Goodman who is currently sleeping off the effects of a rather potent sedative, I am sure you are all keen to begin your interrogations?”

  There was a hesitation as each man looked out of the corner of their eyes to the others waiting to see who would speak first.

  "Come now, surely my arrival hasn't left you struck dumb has it?"

  “Agent Harvey, your reputation precedes you and I am sure Doctor Garrett and Agent Bullens would be eager to understand what it is your intending to do?”

  Harvey cleared his throat and collected his thoughts before answering.

  "Once our interrogations begin in earnest, he won't be able to hold out for long and you will have the information, or he'll be dead from our questioning."

  A smile touched Hector Bullen's lips at the thought of ending Seth’s life and he absentmindedly nodded in acknowledgement of the fact.

  "I do not want him dead you idiot, I want him broken!" The man leaned forward and rested his chin on his steepled fingers and looked hard at each of the men in front of him.

  "Your instructions are clear, he is to be tortured, both psychologically and physically until I tell you to stop," a crackle of energy shot up their spines and the hairs on their body seemed to stand to attention under his gaze, "I am not interested in anything you get from him in way of information, there is nothing he knows I do not but I want him broken... That is your goal in this gentlemen."

  Both Hector and Harvey bowed their heads in agreement, but Garrett narrowed his eyes in thought, he doubted their task and felt it was barbaric to hold this man for no reason he could discern, and then torture him for no better motive than this man wanted him broken.

  The room went quiet for a second before the silence was interrupted by Hector.

  “We will make sure he feels the pain he needs to fulfil your requirements."

  Garrett’s mind was racing now, why were these two men so eager to carry out this instruction, he couldn't understand it.

  "I see you have some doubts, Tom?"

  Tom flinched back again at the intensity of the stare from his employer, but in his mind, he was trying to work out what was happening. Tom Garrett prided himself on his ability to solve a problem, in fact, he had commendations for his efforts in solving difficult cases from medical school.

  His instincts were telling him that this white-haired man in front of him was not all he seemed.

  "You are an exceptional doctor I understand Tom?"

  The men either side of him looked sheepish and Harvey looked around the room, more for something to do rather than acknowledge to growing tenseness gathering around them.

  "How are your wife and son Clarence?"

  Harvey looked up from examining the floor and cleared his throat.

  "They are very well thank you, sir, I spoke with Karen last night, Clarence junior is getting set for his first softball tournament."

  This a change of subject Garrett thought, he's trying to control the situation. This wasn't any major surprise to Tom as he hadn't felt in control from the first moment this man, whose name he was now aware he did not know, entered the room.

  Why didn't he know this man’s name? Surely, they'd been given his name when they were invited here?

  “My work takes me away from them too often and my government are…less than accommodating in these circumstances, though I know my duty, so I can’t complain.” He smiled, “though my wife tends to do enough of that for both of us.”

  The man nodded and let out a sigh.

  “And Agent Bullens, I am sure you, more than most, are keen to conclude this business and get back to your family?”

  Hector smiled and nodded.

  "It is a terrible shame though, such a lovely family you had and a beautiful life."

  He left the comment hanging in the room and Garrett noticed the confusion on the other two men's faces, a confusion he knew must be written on his face too. "The things Seth did to them was horrific, he is truly a monster!"

  Again, confusion but no one spoke.

  "Hector, I can empathise with your loss given the number of people who too have suffered at the hands of the man but a few floors beneath us…"

  Garrett noticed Hector nod as he was starting to show signs of understanding at these words.

  "Yes, it must feel raw to you still; having to look at the man who took your family away from you....it must pain you greatly?"

  Hector nodded again, and a tear rolled down his cheek.

  Garrett was now dumbfounded. What was happening here he couldn't work out, but he knew Hector’s family were well as he had heard the man talking about them not ten minutes ago. Now he looked hollow like all his hopes and dreams had left him. It was clear this loss he was being told of was real to him.

  "Perhaps it would serve you well to remember the atrocities he has committed not only to you but to all those I have told you about?"

  Garrett was on the brink of responding as he was certain they had never spoken of such things, in fact, this was the first time he had seen or heard from this man.

  “And my dear Agent Harvey, your son…such a sweet boy and caught up in something which wasn’t his fault…” Garrett looked to Harvey who he could see was nodding along in agreement.”

  “Wait a second?” He couldn't hold his tongue any longer, “Clarence, you have just said your boy is playing his first softball game?” he looked at the man quizzically, “what’s going on here?”

  Harvey shot him a look of horror, “my son is dead, my wife and I laid him to rest before I was assigned this mission…I told you this.”

  The man raised his hand. Hector and Clarence both looked towards him with Tom following their gaze whilst feeling incredibly confused.

  "Go and wake our guest and perhaps you can make him understand your grief and the pain he has inflicted upon you?

  They had apparently been dismissed and they turned and began to head for the door. Tom decided he was going straight back to his car and getting out of this madhouse.

  "Doctor Garrett, if you could wait I'd like to speak with you privately for a moment?"

  Garrett hesitated for a second before he turned on his heels to return to where he had just left, the other two continued not noticing he was no longer with them.

&nbs
p; The man shuffled around his desk and stood looking at the window coverings, as if he could see straight through them to the world outside.

  "I have noticed you have questions forming in your mind Tom" he turned to regard him.

  "Questions are good but only if the answers you seek provide clarity, unfortunately for you any answer to your questions will only bring further confusion."

  Garrett opened his mouth to reply but the man held up his hand to stall the response.

  "There are some things in this world which are beyond comprehension to those without the proper knowledge and what I'm about to tell you falls into this category." Slowly he turned and headed back towards his desk and sat on the edge facing Tom.

  "You see our prisoner, and you are unsure as to the motives behind my requests or the reason for his torture, is that right?" Tom nodded.

  "I thought as much, you see Tom you and Seth share something in common, and it makes you both a little special and irritating to me at the same time. I like solving problems, a lot like you, but I also expect the world to comply with my desires. Seth has a gift and I'd like to control it, I don't need the information, I need him."

  A smile touched the old man’s face and he gazed through Tom as though remembering another time.

  "Like you he resists my attempts to control his mind, he is better than you are at resisting which is why you are still standing where you are now," he paused to let what he said sink in but Tom found he was compelled to continue listening even though inside he was screaming to turn and run.

  "I like control and I've become very good at it over the years but every so often I find a mind, like yours, which requires a little nudge in the right place to open it up completely. I've watched you for the last hour and concluded you were not fully compliant with my suggestions.” He let the words settle and Tom could feel the urge to leave but he couldn’t quite get his body to listen.

  “So, as I need your services, I have decided to give your mind a prod to break down the walls you have built to stop me gaining the control I expect."

  Tom felt fear building and he once again urged his legs to move. He felt his foot lift and he started to turn but a voice stopped him dead, he knew that voice and he turned to see his wife, Kathy, being held by the man in front of him.

  Panic filled his mind as he watched a knife slowly being pulled down her dress revealing her naked body beneath. He instantly made towards the man to save his wife, but nothing happened. He felt hands gripping his arms from the side and he turned to see two masked men holding an arm each. Tom struggled to remember when these men had entered the room, but they were here now, and he found he couldn't move a muscle. He watched in horror as the man caressed his wife's body.

  "I do so enjoy the pleasures of a woman every now and then Doctor Garrett and I can tell just by the feel of her soft skin I will enjoy your wife, very much."

  Tom struggled against the men holding him but to no avail. He looked over to see Corey watching him with interest.

  “It’s amazing the tricks your mind will play on you isn't it Doctor?” he asked. “There you are fighting two men who have no identity and you can’t quite place where they came from…It is a wonderful tool and so much fun to play with.” He let out a little chuckle then returned his attention to his wife.

  The moments passed, and he screamed and threatened for what seemed an eternity as his wife was raped in front of him. She didn't struggle but tears filled her eyes and dripped onto the ground at her feet.

  And then it was over, and she lay on the ground sobbing and holding herself for comfort and to protect any dignity she had left after her ordeal.

  Tom’s resolve hardened, and he looked up from his wife to meet the eyes of this man who had done this horrific thing to the woman he loved more than anything else.

  "I will kill you!" He screamed determination filling his voice.

  "Doctor Garret, I am sure you think you will. However, this is not the prod I referred to, this was foreplay if you like to get your mind ready for the main course." He bent down to where Kathy was lying at his feet, raised her head, exposing her neck, and slowly dragged his knife across her throat spilling her blood in gushes across the wooden floor.

  The sight of his wife, lifeless and surrounded in a pool of her own blood shattered Tom and the anger which was building suddenly gave way to disbelief and emptiness. The men beside him disappeared and he felt his legs buckle but held himself upright unable to stop looking at his wife.

  "That's better." Tom heard the words, but his mind was now clouded with the last moments of Kathy's life.

  "Doctor Garrett, it's a terrible thing to have witnessed, the brutal rape and slaughter of your own wife. You can surely see why we must break Seth, for he will only continue to rob people of their loved ones, I empathise with your terrible loss and can only imagine the pain you feel at the sight of what he has done."

  Tom looked up and instead of the man he had watched murder his wife seconds ago, he now saw Seth stood smiling and cleaning his blade on the torn dress his wife was wearing when he saw her last.

  His anger returned, and he was eager to ensure this monster was kept alive, so he could watch him suffer.

  “It was all so long ago, Doctor Garrett, I am sure you have been able to put it behind you and dedicate yourself to your work?”

  Tom nodded and felt the pain disappear, the anger and loathing he had felt for Seth moments earlier left him and a determination to succeed at all costs replaced it. He knew even if he had to be nice to this man he would make sure he was kept alive as he knew this was important.

  With a nod towards the door from his master he turned and strode towards it.

  “Thank you, Corey.” He said as he left the room.

  Corey looked down at the woman on the floor and clicked his fingers. She stirred before climbing to her feet, straightening her dress and brushing a strand of her red hair from her face.

  “Thank you, Sarah, that will be all,” he smiled and felt satisfaction at his triumph. Hopefully, Seth would break soon, and he could take the ultimate joy from knowing the last of them is out of the way.

  The Meeting

  They had settled in a small village on the outskirts of Tamworth, not far from the king’s castle. Aethelbald had made sure they had a large farm to call their own and had made them feel very welcome in their new surroundings, he had organised many feasts in their honour to introduce them to the local people. The king’s generosity was well known as was his lack of mercy when someone crossed him.

  Meredith had made their new home comfortable and welcoming with Seth working hard on their fields to ensure they didn’t go hungry and could provide for those in the village who weren’t as good at farming as Seth was.

  Meredith had told Seth it was his duty as a Spae worker to help those around him who were in need, and the fact no one knew about his gifts was little excuse not to share the skills he had. This was one thing his wife was adamant about, he was exceptional and had spent many hours and days honing his skills with Mae before her death.

  So, it was, during times where there was no need for his physical prowess at his king’s side, he was always ready and willing to share his ability with Frigg’s energy around his own or his neighbour’s farms.

  Trying to keep it secret was a difficult task and he had, more than once, felt the need to threaten someone who had begun to gossip about his knack with animals and plants, knowing it was a small skip to link that with Spae.

  It continued for many months, with them both becoming key members of their community and Seth proving a vital aid to his King’s conquests and battles. Seth had not needed to perform anywhere near his abilities on the battlefield and had been no more than a bystander in their last foray into the northern territories to again hold back the tribes from over the sea, but he knew Aethelbald had plans to conquer and bring all under his rule. The goal was to finally call himself the king of the Britons. But he had to rid their lands of the northern sava
ges first, so his plans were stalled for now.

  Seth could feel a great battle coming and during his regular conversations with the Mara they had told him the same thing many times.

  One night whilst he was sat in his fields waiting for the sun to drop over the horizon, Seth once again called the Mara forth and waited for their arrival.

  “Master Seth, you are looking very well on this fine evening,” the Mara had arrived and paid him a traditional compliment as they settled themselves down in front of him.

  “You are too kind once again; I am tired from my days’ work and worried about the upcoming battle to the south. There has been growing nervousness at the news coming from the messengers that there is a great army ready to defend their lands.”

  The Mara looked at each other then back to Seth.

  “You are right to be concerned, Master for there is a great battle coming. You should know that you will be glorious, and all will flee before you…” The Mara’s pause caught Seth's attention and he looked to both of them.

  “Do you have something on your minds Mara, some wisdom you wish to give me on this night?”

  The Mara shifted uncomfortably and gave a quick glance over their shoulder.

  “We do not Master, but there is one who would wish to speak with you. You are becoming well known in your world as well as ours Master Seth.” The Mara gave the compliment, but Seth could see their unease.

  “Who is it who wishes to talk with me?” as the question left his lips there was a heavy feeling around him as the air thickened and the night grew black.

  Quickly the Mara shot behind him and he could feel their hands on his back as they hid from whatever was coming towards them.

  Seth focused on the night and wondered if this was another test like the one where he had met the Mara many years ago.

  A shape moved in front of his eyes and Seth tried to focus on it, but he found it was a shape which held no real form so only glimpses could be had as it settled briefly before blurring again.