Valkyrie Rising

by GR Griffin

  "She just needs time to adjust to her new life." Lezard said defensively. "An adjustment she won't make so long as you continue to pester and hound her!"

  "So what would you have me do? Avoid her completely?" Mystina shook her head, her hair bouncing wildly. "I could no sooner stay away than you could! Not when she holds the answers to so many questions."

  "You will make the effort all the same." Ordered Lezard coldly.

  "Think of the opportunities the Valkyrie offer us!" Mystina continued to press him. "If I could study her, experiment on her, I could..."

  "Experiment on Lenneth!?" He was aghast. "You will do no such thing. I forbid it."

  "But Lezard...."

  "But nothing Mystina." He stepped towards her with menacing intent. "If you try to harm Lenneth, either through words or action, I will make you pay." He snarled then. "I will not let you use Lenneth, or harm her in an attempt to get in good with Queen Hel."

  "Your lust has blinded you to the potential the Valkyrie presents us." Mystina retorted. "Or is it you fear my research? Fear the foothold it will gain me with Queen Hel?"

  "There's nothing a hack with your level of power can do to impress our Queen." Lezard's words had anger spiking in Mystina's eyes.

  "You won't always be the queen's favorite." Mystina warned. "Mark my words, someday you will be replaced."

  "But never by you." Lezard retorted, a cruel smile of his own worn on his lips. Mystina made a disgruntled sound, moving to walk past him. He grabbed her by the arm, halting her escape. Mystina was forced to turn to face him, the woman hissing out her displeasure.

  "Let go of me!"

  "We are not finished Mystina. Not by a long shot." Lezard told her. "You owe Lenneth an apology."

  "What? For what?" demanded Mystina.

  "For your behavior this morning. And for the malice you harbor against her." Lezard said.

  "If you think I'm going to apologize to anyone, let alone the Valkyrie....!"

  "I don't just think, I know you will. You will heed my command." Lezard's voice was low, angry.

  "Oh, your command?" She scoffed, her insolence even more apparent now.

  "I am still Lord of this castle, still ruler of Flenceburg." He reminded her.

  "Only in Queen He's place. And only so long as you retain her favor." She jerked on her arm, trying to get free. "Let go of me you brute!"

  He didn't relax his grip, knowing she would surely come away from this encounter bruised. "You're right of course. But the fact remains, I am still the one in charge. You will apologize to Lenneth. You will put away any further thoughts of using her for your own ends. And you will avoid her as much as possible."

  "I will not!"

  "You will! Or else I will strip you of your title, collect on your fortunes, and leave you to flounder penniless in the gutter." Lezard was cold as he said this, even as his anger inside him flamed so hot it was burning him alive.

  It was no idle threat he made, and Mystina understood that. "You would go that far?" He only smiled in return, a nasty, unpleasant smirk. "Queen Hel would never allow you to throw away someone of my talent! You are a fool if..."

  "It is you who is the real fool Mystina!" Lezard spoke over her. "You place too much value on yourself. You think you are special, and yet there are hundreds of others just like you, all greedy and ambitious, grasping for power. You wonder why Hel has never elevated you beyond what you think you deserve. But the simple truth is you matter not one bit to her!"

  Mystina's mouth opened and closed, her eyes intensely angry. But he had cut her to the quick, and all because he spoke the truth. "Fine....fine!" Her eyes blazed, her voice sounding near animalistic in her growl. "I will do as you ask. I will play nice with your precious Valkyrie and apologize for hurting her feelings!" She gave a violent jerk on her arm, Lezard letting go so suddenly that she stumbled forward.

  Mystina would catch and right her footing, turning to glare at him one more time. Mystina looked as though she had more to say, but he was in no mood to hear it. Lezard stalked past Mystina, hearing her let out a low voiced scream she tried to muffled with her hand. She was just as infuriated as Lezard, maybe even more so. She was a dangerous enemy to have, her ambitions and jealousy being the defining force that kept her going. Lezard knew he would have to tread even more carefully around Mystina, the sorceress eager for his fall from grace.

  And it seemed she wasn't just hungry for Lezard's blood, but Lenneth's as well. Lezard seethed with rage, all over the nerve of Mystina. As if he would ever consider experimenting on Lenneth, even to please his Queen. The very thought had him shaking, a violent tremble he could not control. Anymore than he could calm down the worse of his anger, Lezard's eyes violent with it.

  The look on his face had many of the servants frightened, the men and women doing their best not to further rouse their master's displeasure. Lezard knew he would calm down some if he could find Lenneth, but the woman continued to be elusive, never staying in one spot for long. It was as though she was looking for something, though Lezard didn't dare hope he was what she searched for.

  But he wouldn't give up, stopping everyone, both servant and noble. All to inquire if they had seen the former Goddess. Their words sent him scurrying all over the castle, until finally he was in the wing that was reserved for him and him alone. Not many ventured to this part of the castle. Not without reason, and certainly not without permission from Lezard. And yet the reports he had been given all strongly hinted this was the last place Lenneth had been seen.

  He stepped quicker through the corridor that would lead him to his workshop and bedroom. Would he find his quarry at long last? Did he even want to? What would Lenneth think of his workshop, of the experiments laid out in the open for her to view? He remembered the body spread out on the table, and inwardly flinched. He instinctively knew Lenneth would not approve, even if that body was simply that of a monster's.

  And yet perversely, there was pleasure in thinking of her situated in his private chambers. Of seeing Lenneth among his things, the woman venturing where few others had dared to. Even worse, his thoughts turned from his workshop to the bedroom that lay beyond it, Lezard wanting to see Lenneth inside it. To see her sit on his bed, lay back with a smile as she invited him near.

  He wasn't so deluded to think their relationship was anywhere near that point. But it was a nice thought to linger on, even as he pushed open the door. She appeared not to notice his arrival, Lenneth's back to him as she studied one of his experiments. She looked without touching, keeping her hands behind her back as though fearing contamination from the objects that lay on the table.

  Lezard stood for one moment just staring at her. He was so greedy for Lenneth that even the sight of her back stirred him, though it would never be enough. Looking wouldn't content him forever, he needed a connection between them. Needed touch added to sight, wanting the intimacy of true lovers. That desire is what got him to step towards her, allowing the door to slam shut behind him.

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  Chapter 19: Nineteen

  It had not been difficult for Lenneth to discover the location of Lezard's private rooms. The many servants that he employed were only too willing to answer her questions, some even so eager as to offer to escort her there. She had demurred against being accompanied, Lenneth telling them she did not want to take them away from their jobs. Fortunately for her, no one made any insistences against her protests.

  She was both surprised and not surprised to learn Lezard kept himself separate from the others in the castle. She didn't know him well, but Lenneth very much thought he was a man who valued his privacy. To the extent he had made sure to take a whole wing of the castle for himself, several rooms appointed for his exclusive use. Many of the rooms were used for storage, Lenneth having spied book cases whose shelves were cluttered with jars and co
ntainers. She hadn't bothered to attempt to catalog the items there, just sensed the magic whose essence clung like dust to their skin.

  There had even been barrels, and large sealed crates. It seemed Lezard would want for nothing when it came to his alchemy. One room was chilled by spells, a magical device needed to keep the contents inside fresh for longer periods of time.

  Those cluttered rooms might warrant a closer look, though Lenneth had her doubts about finding anything useful amidst Lezard's warehouse. She felt he had to keep anything of true value closer to him. Somewhere he could readily notice if it had been tampered with. That led her into his workshop, Lenneth looking around at the many experiments that lay out in the open.

  She wasn't as accomplished a mage as those men and women who made Flenceburg their home. But Lenneth did have some magical aptitude. Enough to sense the dark nature of some of the spells that had been cast over the objects in this room. As such, she was very careful not to actually touch anything, not wanting to risk getting a curse cast on her.

  It made looking more difficult, Lenneth trying to snoop without using her hands. Her nose wrinkled at some of the smells, Lenneth scenting the divine energy that so mimicked the essence of magic. But it was different from the ether she was so used to breathing in Asgard. There was the scent of brimstone associated to it, the taint of the corrupt. Lenneth instinctively knew it was Hel she had smelled, her hackles raised in response to the scents that lingered in the room.

  It wasn't just the fact that Hel had been here. The experiments disturbed her, especially the one with the body. It had no head, having been sliced off by some weapon. But she could see it's insides, the body not emptied of it's vital organs. She couldn't imagine what purpose it would serve. Lenneth just knew it bothered her to see it, and not even the fact that it was neither animal nor human could reassure her.

  She quickly moved on, pausing to lean over a table that held a row of beakers. Each tubing had a different, brightly colored liquid. Some bubbled inside the glass tubes, while others were still, and one was even in the process of freezing. A book was open a few inches to the right of the beaker, a messy scrawl printed on the page. Lenneth assumed it was Lezard's handwriting, the woman bending closer in an attempt to read the words.

  It was then that the room's door slammed shut. The sound startled Lenneth, the woman practically jumping in place in response. Her heart beat just a little faster, but her quickened pulse had no effect on the way she moved. Lezard was standing before the door, arms relaxed at his side. He was staring at her with an unreadable expression, leaving Lenneth to guess if he was displeased by her presence in his private sanctum.

  "Lezard...."

  "I have been looking for you, Lenneth." He stayed in front of the door, almost as though he would bar her from leaving. It was an uncomfortable thought, Lenneth trying not to react like a bird trapped in a cage.

  "Have you now?" She asked, pleased her voice came out even. It didn't betray any of her unease, just as her face did not show her guilt over snooping.

  "You are a difficult woman to track down." Lezard told her. "I feel like I've been all over the castle this past hour."

  "I...I am sorry." Lenneth apologized. "I was exploring...."

  "There's no need to apologize for that."

  She didn't relax to hear that. "Do you have need of me?" The weirdest expression crossed her betrothed's face, and seconds later he would vanquish it. It didn't lessen Lenneth's uncertainty, the woman shifting uncomfortably. "You mentioned you were looking for me....I thought that meant you had a reason..."

  "Do I need a reason beyond wanting to see you?" Lezard asked, tone soft.

  Again she shifted, trying not to give him startled eyes. "Well, no." She admitted. "You are to be my husband. You can call on me at anytime..." That served only to frustrate him, Lezard shaking his head no. Lenneth felt as though she had given him offense, and didn't know how to set things right. So Lenneth did the only thing she could, a careful gesture of her hand at the beakers on the table. "What is it you are working on?"

  He seemed to take that as an invite to approach her. "I'm breaking down the components of various substances, trying to find the essence that makes them what they are."

  "And the body?"

  "I've extracted it's fluids." Lezard explained. "Many are poisonous to mortals, but if run through a filter..." He shrugged. "Some have proved beneficial, provided the correct dosage is used." He had reached her, stepping so close the front of his shoes touched the toes of her slippers. "There is a high market for medicines, the mortals desperate to advance their knowledge of cures."

  She couldn't exactly back away from him. Not without risk of bumping into the table. So Lenneth forced herself to be still. "I didn't think you would have such an interest in my work." Lezard continued, his amethyst colored eyes studying her.

  "Much of it is beyond the realm of my understanding." Lenneth admitted. "But I wanted to see...To know what it is that occupies your time."

  "These experiments are only a small part of my day." He sighed then. "Too much do I find myself busy with the running of this castle and kingdom. It is tiresome."

  "So there are disadvantages to being Lord of all you survey." She didn't mean it, but her words came out as though Lenneth was teasing him.

  "There are." He smiled then. "But there are also benefits." His eyes reflected her startled face, Lezard reaching to touch her hair. She had forgotten to fix her braid, many unruly strands still free and curling about her face. Lezard did not seem to mind, taking pleasure out of stroking his hand over her hair. Lenneth tried not to stiffen, even as her words came out harshly.

  "And am I one of those benefits?" The things Mystina had been saying were fresh in her mind, Lenneth staring searchingly at Lezard. He appeared not to know how to answer, and this time she sighed and stepped to the side of him. "I know I mean nothing to you. Nothing save the fulfillment of your Queen's alliance." She wasn't looking at Lezard, and thus was taken aback by his growl.

  "You know nothing." Startled, Lenneth turned back to him. Lezard was almost glaring at her, so fiercely did he look at her.

  "You can't honestly tell me I am wrong." She argued. "I'm a token of good will, our marriage nothing more than a formality. A way to bridge our two kingdoms. Any Valkyrie would have done, it is just chance that I am here."

  His brow furrowed, his lips parting as if he would argue with her. But then he sighed, and looked away. "You are letting Mystina fill your head with nonsense."

  "Am I?" Her words were a challenge, but her voice was so soft, unsure.

  "You are." He looked at her again, Lezard's eyes blazing. "She knows nothing of my wants, of my desires."

  "Desires do not equate this to mean something more." Lenneth retorted. "You can want me without true feelings or concern for my well being. Where I? I have no such defenses." She didn't lower her eyes, though she did bring her hand to close in a fist over her heart. "I have been weakened by Odin's spell. My heart has been toyed with, my feelings tampered with. I want to love you...But I cannot afford to." She shook her head then. "I will not be your plaything, my heart yours to crush."

  "Lenneth." Was the upset that showed in his eyes real? Was anything he said trustworthy? Lenneth strongly remembered Mystina's words, how the sorceress had said Lezard incapable of loving anyone, even himself. "You have it all wrong. Not just you. Mystina too. Neither of you know what you speak of...."

  "Do not compare me to her." Lenneth begged.

  "She speaks with malicious intent. You speak out of a need to protect yourself. You are not the same. But you come to the same conclusions about me, and it is the wrong one to have!" Once again he approached her, reaching out with his hand to stop her from fleeing.

  "Why is Mystina so bitter then?" Lenneth tried to ignore the fact that his hand was on her arm, holding her in place. "What reason could she have to hate so strongly?"

  "She is bitter. And jealous of me. She longs for recognition from our Queen. My
stina fails to realize she is like a hundred others, powerful but with no real potential." Lezard explained. "Mystina feels she has been done wrong, that her skill has gone unrecognized. She sees what I have, and she envies me." His other hand was extending towards her face, Lenneth holding herself still though she thought she might shatter if her touched her there.

  "That envy and bitterness has found a new focus. She wants to get to me through you. Wants to ruin our chances before we can try to make something of this relationship! Don't let her..." He said the last in an imploring tone, his expression earnest as he begged softly.

  "This matters to you." Lenneth spoke with shocked realization. "You want this union between us to work. Why?"

  Now he turned embarrassed, dropping his hand away from her face. "We are to be married. I think it would be better to have you as my friend, than as my enemy."

  "Is that all?" Lenneth couldn't help but feel disappointed. She knew it was foolish of her. He didn't know her, didn't love her. He had no feelings where she was concerned. He simply wanted peace in his household. A peace he might not get if she was anything less than compliant.

  "If you give me the chance, the time, it could become something more." Lenneth knew that was probably the best Lezard could offer her. Her heart panged with hurt, Lenneth sure he would never feel anything as powerful as what the love enchantment tried to force on her. It was a curse, forcing her to love without gaining that love back. She lowered her eyes, unable to bear looking at him in this moment.

  "Lenneth!" He made a frustrated sound, both his hands touching her cheeks, lifting her face to look at him. "Mystina is wrong about me. And so are you. I can love...."

  "Have you ever loved anyone?" Her question took him aback, she could see how startled he

  was by it. "Or anything?"

  "No." He sighed with his admission. "I've never let myself get that close to anyone...or they to me." He locked eyes with her, his thumbs caressing her cheeks. "I've never known love. Never been blessed with even the love of a parent."