by Quinn Loftis
“I know that, Torben, but I cannot refrain when someone is in need. Would you rather have had me let Talia die?”
He wanted to howl in frustration. “I suppose not, but only because I know you are safe. Next time it might be different. Your life will always come first. Always,” he said, leaning closer. “I can live without all others, but I cannot live without you. For that reason, you are correct—we need to fix the disruption of the bond immediately.”
I thought back to when I first felt the bond slip away. “We lost contact with one another after your mother mixed my blood with hers.”
“I remember you saying that, but what exactly do you mean?” His hands tightened a little on my face.
“She chose to give up her life, but before she did, she cut our hands and pressed them together to mingle our blood—that’s how she transferred her power to me. Then she spoke some words of power. I don’t remember them—I was too rattled at the moment to commit them to memory. She’d just told me she was about to die, and the witch was bearing down on us. But that’s when the bond broke… or did whatever it did that keeps us from being able to use it.”
“How did you manage to get away from Giselle unscathed?” he asked.
“Her magic didn’t work on me. After your mother’s transfer of power—I guess that’s what it was—Giselle’s magic had no effect on me.”
“A cloaking spell,” Torben said. Though he looked at me, his eyes were unfocused as he spoke. “She put a cloaking spell on you. Maybe that is why the bond is no longer intact. The spell is blocking it.”
“How do we break it?” I asked.
Torben shook his head. “I have no idea.”
I let out a frustrated sigh. “Well, there’s nothing we can do about it right now, so I need to start training.”
He frowned at me. “Do you think that’s a good idea? Maybe you should rest for now.”
He tried to make his words sound like a suggestion rather than a command, but he failed miserably. It was cute. “I’m fine—a little tired, but it will pass.”
Torben leaned forward and pressed his lips to mine. It was a bruising kiss that conveyed his irritation with my lack of compliance. When he pulled back, he let his hands slide down my shoulders and arms until he was holding both my hands in his. “Promise me you won’t overdo it. Warriors who train while they’re tired make mistakes, and they can be fatal, even in mock fights.”
“You don’t need to worry, Torben,” Freya interrupted. I’d forgotten she was even standing there. Torben had a way of stealing all my attention.
“Why?” Torben asked.
“First, your soon-to-be queen is not doubt dead on her feet after healing Talia, and second, you are to be married tomorrow. If she starts training today, she won’t be able to walk tomorrow, let alone enjoy her wedding night.” She winked at us, and I felt my face flush.
Torben chuckled, which earned him an elbow to his side. He grunted but didn’t stop laughing. “That’s very considerate of you, Freya,” he said through his laughter.
The shieldmaiden shrugged. “It’s only a short reprieve.” She turned her eyes on me. “Two days from today, you’re mine.” She looked back to Torben and pointed a finger at him. “Don’t break her.”
My mouth dropped open as I watched Freya walk away. Babs, who’d been standing beside Freya, quietly snickered and then turned to follow her commander.
“I cannot believe she just said that,” I whispered.
Torben wrapped his arms around me and pulled me to his chest. “Notice I didn’t make her any promises.”
I tried to wiggle out of his arms, but he was too strong. “We are not having this ridiculous discussion out here in the open.”
“You’re right. We should go back to the hut and have this ridiculous discussion there,” he said, keeping my struggling body from escaping.
After a minute or so, I was too tired to keep it up and hung limp in his arms. It felt good. “Okay, if I’m not training, then I’ll admit to needing a nap.”
Torben leaned down to pick me up, and I swatted at his hands. “I will walk, dammit. You aren’t going to carry me through the village. How weak do you want the clan to think I am?”
“What if I threw you over my shoulder and promised to give your bottom a good spanking on the way to the hut?” he asked as I began to walk toward Hilda’s former home.
By the time we made it to the hut, I was out of breath and ready to collapse. “I feel bad taking a nap when everyone else is working,” I said as I took off my shoes. I still had the dress on, as I hadn’t had a chance to change into the garb Babs had gathered for me.
“You literally just saved a woman’s life, Allete. I’m pretty sure everyone in our clan would agree that you deserve a nap and quite possibly a feast in your honor.”
“I’ll just take the nap, thanks. No feast necessary,” I said, my words slightly distorted by the yawn that accompanied them. I dropped myself onto the thick bed of furs in the corner and sighed. My eyes slipped closed, and the last thing I remember before falling asleep was Torben’s soft lips against my forehead.
* * *
When I awoke some time later, it took my eyes a few seconds to adjust to the dark room. The only light came from the flickering flames of the fire in the hearth.
“I was just about to wake you up.” Torben’s voice came from the kitchen area. He moved closer, and I could finally see him once he was directly in front of the fire. “It’s almost time for the remembrance to begin.”
I stood and stretched my arms over my head, then attempted to get my hair somewhat under control. “What, exactly, is a remembrance?” I asked as I braided my long locks.
“It’s something we do for our loved ones when we don’t have their body for the traditional ceremony of passing. We can’t send them on to Valhalla, so we petition the gods to find their spirit for us, and we celebrate their life. After the prayer is given by the priest, clan members will take turns speaking about Hilda, sharing their experiences with her. It is a way to begin the healing process.”
“It sounds much more appealing than a funeral,” I admitted. “I like the idea of sharing memories about her. She was a very special person, and I don’t say that just because of what she was.”
“I agree,” Torben said with a small, crooked smile. “She had a way with words and an uncanny ability to see from the back of her head.”
That made me laugh. It seemed like all mothers had that ability and wielded it fiercely.
I got up, and we walked together out of the hut. Torben wrapped his hand around mine, and it felt as though we’d done it a thousand times, as if Torben had always been with me, holding my hand. Even without the bond, I still felt as though I belonged with him. I was under no illusion that just because our relationship had been prophesized it would somehow be easy. Nothing about putting two people together, each with their own wants, needs, ideas, opinions, ideals, points of view, political standings, religious beliefs, child rearing views, or anything else two people could possibly disagree on, is easy. I knew how stubborn I could be and, at times, how selfish.
Torben may not know it, but he’s in for a treat, I snickered to myself.
“What’s funny?” he asked.
“That you’re going to be stuck with me for the rest of your life,” I said, smiling up at him.
“That’s not going to be a hardship, Princess.”
“Remember you said that a year from now when I’m not as agreeable. You may no longer think it’s attractive that I have my own mind and confidence.”
He gave my hand a squeeze. “I don’t have to remember. I’ve no doubt that you will remind me of my words any time we quarrel.”
“I shall do my best, but only when it’s absolutely necessary.” That sounded reasonable.
“And who will determine when it is absolutely necessary?” he asked. He sounded as though he were trying to hold his laughter in.
Okay, so maybe it was not completely reasonable. �
�We could always get a mediator,” I suggested.
Apparently, Torben was unable to hold his laughter back any longer and let out a bellyful of it. It sounded good and refreshing, but I felt guilty for enjoying it when we’d both lost people we loved. I felt as though I should be dressed in black, sporting a blank stare. Every smile and chuckle felt as though I were spitting on my sister’s nonexistent grave, as if her death hadn’t killed a piece of my soul.
“Hey, whoa,” Torben said as he pulled us to a halt about fifty yards from the gathered clan members. “Where’d you just go? One minute we were teasing and laughing, and now your faced drooped as though I’ve just stomped a field of butterflies. Talk to me.”
I glanced at the clan, but Torben gently guided my chin back so that I was looking at him.
“You come first. We can’t be the leaders our clan needs if this,” he motioned between us, “isn’t strong.”
I gave him a sharp nod. “All right. I love these moments we have together. I love hearing you laugh and seeing you smile. But I feel guilty for feeling any amount of good when we’ve lost those whom we love dearly.”
Torben’s face softened as he ran a finger down my cheek. “My love, we are the ones still alive. As unfeeling as that might sound, we can’t stop living just because of their deaths. They wouldn’t expect it of us, and we have people depending on us to lead them. We can’t just bury ourselves in a foxhole and refuse to take part in life. And just because you have moments of laughter, that doesn’t mean you won’t still have moments of sadness as you continue to mourn them. But mourning them doesn’t mean giving up our lives. We celebrate the lives they had, and then we live ours so that when it’s our turn to leave this world, we’ve lived lives worthy of our family’s celebration.”
I leaned forward and pressed a soft kiss to his lips. I didn’t have to stand on my toes because Torben had leaned down to me as he spoke. “You are a remarkable man, Viking,” I said as I held his gaze, “and I get to marry you.”
“That makes you a remarkable woman by default,” he said with a crooked grin, just before placing a kiss on my forehead. “Are we level?”
I frowned. “Level?” I really needed to learn his Viking warrior language if he was going to be speaking it on a regular basis.
“Yes, level,” he said nodding. “Steady, good, on equal ground?”
I nodded. “Yes, Viking, we are level.”
He recaptured my hand, and we headed toward the rest of the clan, who were gathered around a large fire. Torben stepped toward the center of the circle.
“Welcome, Clan Hakon,” he said loud enough that everyone could hear him.
I noticed Thomas standing next to Babs, and the grin on his face as she spoke to him gave me a small sense of peace. He was just as broken as I was over Dayna, but my sister wouldn’t want us to sit around wrapped in sorrow. She had been so full of life, and she would expect us to keep living.
“We are here tonight to celebrate two lives,” Torben said.
My head snapped back to him. I thought we were celebrating only Hilda.
“Hilda, our Oracle and my mother, lived a life that was selfless. She gave of her energy and time to others when they needed her, and she did it without complaining. I feel honored to have been her son and to have been someone she loved.
“We are also here to celebrate the life of Dayna Auvray, the sister of my bride. We are not certain she has left this world, but we know she has been placed in mortal peril, and though we hope with everything we have against it—”Torben gave Brant a pointed look, and the large warrior nodded in return”—we may not see her again. If she has passed on, we want to wish her spirit safe travels and give Allete and Thomas an opportunity to share a piece of her with us.” He made a motion toward the circle, inviting others to speak.
Brant stepped up, his usual smile missing from his handsome face. “Hilda was one of the best women I’ve ever had the privilege of knowing, and I will miss her dearly. She helped guide this clan with patience and wisdom. She used to whip me raw when I was a lad, but I have no doubt I deserved every lash. She helped make me into the man I am today.
“Dayna, well… I haven’t known her long, but in the brief time I spent with her I knew without a doubt she was the woman for me. She’s fierce and fearless. She’s confident and says what she thinks. I don’t believe she’s gone, and I truly hope this clan will get to meet her.”
My throat was tight as he stepped back and allowed someone else to come forward. One by one, clan members advanced and talked about Hilda, about their relationship with her, and the life the Oracle had lived. Just in the time I’d known her, I’d come to see the woman was remarkable, but hearing Clan Hakon speak of her with such respect and affection made me realize how much I would be missing now that she was gone. It broke my heart to know the children Torben and I would have wouldn’t get to know their grandmother. If Brant was wrong, they wouldn’t get to know their aunt Dayna, either. It hurt. Gods, it hurt.
When there was a lull in the remembrances, I took a deep breath and stepped into the center of the circle. The small amount of murmuring ceased abruptly as all eyes focused on me. I smiled and wiped at the tears that had gathered in my eyes. “I am so very blessed to get to be a part of this celebration because it means that I had the opportunity to be a part of Hilda’s life, no matter how brief our time together. I didn’t know her as well as you all did, but the time I spent with her was revealing. She was brave, probably the bravest woman, next to Dayna, that I’ve ever met. She was honest, giving, self-sacrificing, and wise. I am truly filled with sorrow she will not be here to see the prophecy she gave come to fruition. Her memory will live on every day in our conversations and recollections of her.” I paused and pressed a hand to my chest, just over my heart as if I could push the pain out. “I truly hope you all will get to meet Dayna.” My eyes met those of Freya and Babs. “She will love the shieldmaidens and be the hardest worker and fiercest warrior you will ever have the privilege to meet. Dayna is someone that brings energy with her wherever she goes. She walks into a room and fills it up with light and laughter. She’s loyal to a fault. When she chooses to love you, you’re hers for life and she will defend you to the death. She’s my sister, but she’s also my best friend.” I bit my lip to keep the sob from breaking free. I wanted to talk about her without becoming a sopping mess, but it was so hard. I was so scared I would never see her again, and that thought just re-opened the wound that had torn inside me when I’d seen her fall.
“Brant,” I said, gazing at the large man. “I will be honored to call you my brother-in-law. And if you bring her back to me, I will forever be in your debt.” I stepped back, and Torben wrapped his arms around me.
“You did good, Princess,” he whispered in my ear and kissed my hair.
I looked at Thomas to see if he was going to speak. He was watching me. My brow rose in question, but he just gave a subtle shake of his head. I didn’t blame him. Talking about her was not easy.
As the night continued, the circle broke up and people mingled with one another. Some talked about Hilda, some asked me and Thomas about Dayna and wished us the best for her. It was an evening I would not soon forget.
By the time Torben and I made it back to his mother’s hut, I was ready to collapse. Torben lay down next to me and wrapped his arms around me.
“Tomorrow, you become my wife,” he whispered into the dark.
“We’ll see how you feel in the morning,” I said with a small smile. “You might change your mind.”
“Never,” he whispered fiercely and hugged me tighter to him.
Taciturn and prudent, and in war daring, should a king’s children be; Joyous and liberal every one should be until the hour of his death.
~ Hávamál, Book of Viking Wisdom
I stared into Allete’s eyes as I held her hands in mine. The priest was speaking, but I didn’t hear a word he said. I couldn’t take my eyes off the beautiful sight before me. Rainah had found the dress
she’d worn for her own wedding and had loaned it to Allete. My bride was stunning.
“Torben, will you take Allete to be your wife? To stand by your side as your helpmate?”
“I do,” I answered.
“Do you promise to provide, protect, honor, love, be faithful to, and respect her all the days of her life?”
“I do.”
The priest turned to Allete. “Allete Auvray, will you take Torben as your husband? To stand beside you and be whatever it is you need him to be?”
“I do,” she answered without hesitation.
“Do you promise to care for, protect, honor, love, be faithful to, and respect him all the days of his life?”
“I do.”
“By the power given to me by the gods of life, love, and fertility, I pronounce you man and wife.”
Our clan erupted into cheers around us, and it made my heart soar. They could have been judgmental. They could have rejected her. But instead, they’d embraced her. I had a feeling some of their acceptance was a residual effect of Magnus’ betrayal, but it didn’t matter to me. If they were willing to give Allete the chance to show them what an amazing leader she was, then I’d take it. They would soon see what a valuable asset she was to the clan.
“I love you,” I whispered to her as I leaned down and pressed my lips to hers.
“I love you back,” she said just before our lips touched.
We spent the evening celebrating. Though I saw sadness in Allete’s eyes a for a couple of moments, her face was full of joy, and that feeling was reflected in my own heart.
Late that night, as we walked to the hut—which I already had plans to expand for our future children—I smiled as I saw the light shining from within. The clan women had been there, and I’d no doubt Freya and Babs had done something that would make Allete blush.
As she stepped into the hut, I noticed the soft flush that was already rising on her neck.
“You okay?” I asked as I closed the door.
She nodded but didn’t speak.
