by GR Griffin
Lezard inwardly grimaced, knowing in the end he could only make suggestions to the God. It was up to Odin if he made use of the suggestions or not, though Lezard had a feeling he himself would suffer for any losses Odin occurred. But he didn't so much as shudder, keeping his calm facade up as he gazed at the people around him. "Randolf, why don't you tell us just what you've discovered in your two weeks away from Flenceburg?"
Randolf grinned, and nodded. "As you know, I spent much time visiting several cities. Including that of Odin's most holiest strongholds, that of Crell Monferaigne."
"And I take it by your grin you have something substantial to report?" asked Sameer.
"My time was not wasted." Randolf nodded again. "The city stronghold is immense as you all are aware of. They've many protection spells on it, though nothing boosted by a God's blessing." Randolf chuckled "It will be child's play for our own mages to unravel those spells."
"But will we be able to unravel them without the original casters aware of the spell's destruction?" inquired Lorenta.
"You need to even ask?" Hipsabe demanded. "As if a mage abandoned by Queen Hel could ever hope to be half as powerful as those blessed by our Goddess. I dare say we can destroy those spells, and none would be the wiser. Not until the plague rolls in, and many have died from it's contamination."
"Randolf, what say you?" Sameer asked, and all eyes were drawn back to the blonde man.
"I did a minor testing of the protection spells. They're strong, but not so strong that we couldn't break them with ease. The real problem lays in how many there are. It will take some time and a great number of mages working together to get them all."
"Can it be done from afar?" Lezard asked, knowing they couldn't send a large party of mages inside the stronghold. Only a small party like Randolf's could move without suspicion in the city, and that party had been too small to deal with the amount of protection spells Randolf had discovered.
"Hmm...I say yes. We don't have to be inside the city to break it's protection." Randolf's brow furrowed, the man concentrating. "If you can get within a half a mile of each spell's location...."
"And do you have the locations?" demanded Louville. "And what of the spells INSIDE the city's heart?"
"We will have to send in someone to take care of the center of the city." Randolf sighed. "I've seen the maps, did the calculations. The center falls short of the half mile radius, no matter what direction you approach it from. By my reckoning, there are three spells in the heart that needs canceling out."
"Sounds easy enough then." Lezard thought it might be too easy for his own liking. "What else have you discovered?"
"Oh the typical things you'd expect." Randolf grinned. "Free drink causes no end to the amount of talking certain people are willing to do. I've learned the schedules of the mages that power the spells."
"Why didn't you say so sooner?" Hipsabe demanded. "We could solve all our problems by targeting those casters!"
"No Hipsabe." Lezard demurred. "If we start killing off Crell Monferaigne's mages, Odin will become suspicious. We can't risk that...if Odin so much as thinks Hel is making a move, not only will he end this sham of an alliance, but he will brings arms against us. The last thing Hel wants is a battle that will bolster the number of souls the heavens gain."
"We'll have to be subtle." Agreed Sameer. "We can't actively kill off those mages. We'll have to chance it with the plagues, hope the sickness Hel sends takes care of Odin's mages."
"Don't know why you're so worried about them." Randolf said. "The power I tasted, can't compare to what we're capable of. However! I have information that will help sneak our mages into the city. Between the taverns and the brothels, I learned just who shirks their duty for women and wine, and how often. It will be no hardship to do away with those guards, or to sneak in under their watch. There's even a guard on the city gate who is prone to bribery, providing the gold is a large enough amount."
There was other things Randolf had discovered, the man detailing those who were prone to make trouble, and those who were not. There were more guards then Lezard had expected, who slacked off while on duty. Guards who slept too much, drank too much, bullied too much. Randolf seemed to know many names, along with the time and locations of where each of these men would be. It wasn't hard to come up with a plan based on the timelines Randolf provided for them.
The group was satisfied by the time the meeting was over with. They felt confidant of the plans, thinking it would only be a matter of time before Crell Monferaigne fell to Hel's plagues. Lezard didn't know for certain what would happen. He didn't know if Odin would give him that city, or if the God would weave his divine protection over it. The God was just that unpredictable.
His worry apparently showed through his eyes, Randolf suddenly thrusting the flash in front of Lezard's face. Immediately the pungent smell of Randolf's special brew assaulted him, Lezard jerking back with a scowl. "No thank you!"
"Sorry. Looked like you could use a drink." Randolf said, then proceeded to finish off the flask. "What's troubling you, my friend?"
"Who says I'm troubled?"
"It's plain to read off of your face." Randolf told him. Sameer who had not yet left the library, drew near with a nod.
"Is it the diseases you work with? Is that what has you so worried?"
"Not at all." Lezard insisted. "My work is progressing well with that."
"Then what?" demanded Randolf. "You've been borderline tense this whole meeting." Lezard was surprised, thinking he had hid his unease well.
"Have I?" Lezard wondered out loud, then shrugged. "Just have a lot on my mind...."
"We all do." Agreed Sameer. "Which is why the wedding will be a welcome break from it all." His look became shrewd, Sameer eyeing Lezard. "But somehow I can't help but wonder if your...frustrations are not born of your impending nuptials, rather than anything to do with our Queen's invasion."
"Am I that easy to read?" Lezard asked, sighing. "I've made a mess of things with Lenneth." It wasn't an easy admission, his shoulder sagging as he talked. "She's so...so angry with me now."
"Angry? Why?" Randolf wanted to know. Lezard and Sameer both fixed him with an annoyed look.
"Why do you think?" Demanded Lezard. Randolf looked as though he was in deep thought, clearly trying to puzzle it out. Sameer would sigh loudly in response.
"I take it the lady did not appreciate you in Randolf's words, trying to kiss her senseless?"
"No. Not at all." Lezard admitted. He would not go into detail, would not admit that he had tried to do more than kiss Lenneth. All in an attempt to protect her honor, and save himself the embarrassment of her rejection.
"I know!" Randolf grinned, hardly looking apologetic. "If kisses won't work, then try gifts."
"Gifts?"
"You know...flowers...jewels!" Randolf explained.
"Do you think she would even like those things?" Lezard asked.
"Why not? She is a woman after all. They like receiving things." Randolf insisted.
"Ah..." Sameer interjected. "It might be wiser to wait and discover more about your betrothed. To find out what sort of things she likes, before you just start throwing things at her, in the hopes she'll react favorably."
"Sounds wise." Agreed Lezard. "Unfortunately I don't know if she'll let me near long enough to get to know about her!"
"You have to try though!"
"For once Randolf and I are in complete agreement." Added Sameer with a sardonic smile. "Seek her out, engage her interest. TALK to her."
Lezard knew he was a coward then. "I have work to do....those cures won't discover themselves."
Sameer sighed. "Your work can wait for another day....your relationship with Lenneth is just as important as the work you do for our queen." Lezard knew that to be true. And yet he continued to hesitate. To the point Sameer let out an exasperated sound. "You'll never have more out of your relationship with her, if you don't take risks. Yes, there is the potential to fail, to be rejected. Bu
t there is also the chance to succeed!"
"He's right! You should go for it!" Randolf exclaimed. "Besides, it's better to make amends now, to find out where you stand with her, rather than wait until the wedding night. Because to have an unhappy bride will be the true disaster."
That decided it, Lezard not wanting Lenneth to be unhappy. "Very well." He said, rising out of his seat. "You've both convinced me. Thank you." He paused for a quick acknowledgment of his words by both men, and then left the library. He was in far better spirits than he had been all day, Lezard determined to seek out Lenneth and somehow fix the mess he had drunkenly made last night.
of course!
Chapter 29 : Twenty Nine
The front lawn of the castle was littered with bodies, both sides having suffered numerous losses. The corpses lay everywhere, their blood soiling the ground. There had not yet been time to organize a disposal for the bodies, the ceasefire being slow to take effect. Neither side had wanted to stop the fighting, both Asgardians and vampires eager for each other's deaths. His people were especially reluctant, and with good reason. They had been winning the battle, not only stopping the invasion in it's tracks, but actually slaughtering most of the Asgardians.
The remaining Valkyrie and their einherjar had been loathe to accept the temporary truce. They did not trust the reasons behind it, nor were they so cowardly as to flee the first chance they got. These Goddesses and the souls that served them seemed determined to fight to their deaths, to the very end of their existence rather than return to Odin disgraced.
Brahms did not expect them to leave the island before tomorrow night. The Valkyries had already made clear their stance on such an option. But they accepted the temporary ceasefire, if only so they could gather up their own dead. Bonfires were being built, the Valkyrie determined to burn the bodies of their brethren that had fallen on the battlefield.
His vampires were doing the same, dragging corpses to the field opposite that of the Valkyrie's bonfires. There was too many dead to hold individual burials. A mass burning was the best they could offer the fallen. Brahms stood on top the ramparts of the castle, keeping a watchful eye on both factions. The animosity was still there, both sides broiling with tension. It wouldn't take much for them to abandon their current tasks, and engage in the fighting once more.
Brahms couldn't' fault them for that. He too wanted to battle, the predatory impulses inside him not satisfied with the way the fight with Hrist and her einherjar had ended. It left him with unspent, nervous energy, Brahms fighting not to fidget in place as he gazed down at the people below. It was difficult to face one's mortal enemy and not have it end with the death of one or the other. Even worse was to let them go with the understanding they might be so foolish as to come back and make another attempt on one's life.
Or the life of one's mate, Brahms' voicing a low growl. He hoped that einherjar Arngrim would be able to talk some sense into Hrist. But he didn't hold favorable odds on the chances of that. Brahms suspected he would encounter Hrist again, and that next battle would surely end with one of them dead. He couldn't, wouldn't let Hrist continue to threaten Silmeria. And he thought Silmeria would understand that, now that the girl had come to WANT to live.
The miracle of that realization was almost enough to expunge the tension out of him, Brahms wanting to smile. He still wasn't sure how such a miracle could have occurred, but the fact remained that it had. Silmeria was no longer foolishly ready to throw her life away. She wanted to live, to experience all she could. Even if it meant doing it as a vampire. It gave Brahms hope, the vampire king wondering what experiences he could give her, what sights he could show her. Brahms felt confidant this was a new beginning for himself and his bride.
Of course he was well aware Silmeria's new acceptance didn't guarantee anything. She might continue to fight him, to deny the attraction between them. But Brahms could deal with that, take small steps with her. They had already taken the first, Silmeria admitting she wanted to live after all. Another could be the fact she had thanked him for sparing her sister's life. Brahms wanted to take more steps, to build upon them a future together with Silmeria.
He couldn't rush her though. Brahms knew he would have to tread very carefully in his dealings with Silmeria. As much as he wanted for their relationship, he couldn't force things. Not without running the risk of damaging his chances permanently. Which is why he had to handle her first feeding with extreme care. But Brahms couldn't hide his excitement at the thought, the vampire looking forward to his bride at last feeding.
He wasn't just excited, he was impatient. Brahms wanted to go to Silmeria at once. But he was aware of his own condition, and though his numerous wounds had at last stopped bleeding, Brahms was still weakened. He himself needed to feed, if he wanted any chance of sustaining both his bride and himself through the night. He grumbled, and wondered where was Gideon, the vampire having been sent to fetch a human off the mainland for Brahms' appetite.
It made him pace, Brahms moving but keeping a constant eye on the crowd below him. The vampires and Valkyries were being careful to avoid contact with one another. One group would walk over to the bodies, and gather their fallen. Once clear, the other group would pick up theirs. The vampires had little interest in the bodies of the dead Asgardians. Not with their spilled blood cold and without the vitality of life to it. The undead monsters however, would be having a fit, wanting to eat those bodies, wanting to consume the flesh of the dead.
It was really all Brahms could do to quiet their complaints down, the vampire lord exerting his control over the undead to send them as far away from the castle as the island would permit. He knew the undead wouldn't die from skipping a night's meal. Not even a week without feeding could end their existence, each type of undead needing a specific type of killing in order to die.
The way he handled the undead present this night, would not prove popular. Fortunately for Brahms, such was his power, his control over them, that they could do little. The zombies and ghouls, the dozens of other creatures would have no choice but to obey their Lord. All his whims and wishes theirs, even if it made them suffer the agony of hunger unsatisfied. They couldn't regress into anything worse, they weren't like the vampires who could turn revenant if they didn't feed often enough.
As upset as the undead would be, Brahms knew he would also have to contend with his vampire's dissatisfaction. His order for a temprarely cease fire was not a popular one. Nor did they understand his reasons behind it, especially when they had been winning. It would not do to tell them he had acted on his bride's behalf, and if the Valkyries did indeed leave, Brahms shudder to think what would happen if another hunting party came to the island. The smart thing was to slaughter every last Asgardian. It was the only message Odin would understand and respect. It might be the only thing they could do to keep Odin from sending even more Valkyries to their island home.
Even if Odin wanted Silmeria dead, he couldn't afford to waste all his soldiers on the attempt. Not with so many vampires and undead monsters lurking on the plains of Idavoll, waiting for their chance to march on the castle, Valhalla. Brahms was surprised at just how many Odin had spared for this island invasion. It made him wary, but also suspicious of the God's intentions. Did Odin suspect Silmeria was close to learning the truth behind the war? Is that why he pushed so hard for her death? Or did Odin merely want to take from Brahms, his first real happiness in ages?
Odin wanted Brahms dead, that much was true. But not just Brahms, he wanted all of the vampires dead. The monsters that made up the undead legions were a nuisance to the God, but hardly a race he wanted to wipe out. Not if there stood a chance he could control them in place of Brahms. Odin cared little for their appetites, and the prey they fed off of. He just cared about power, the amassing of it, and the using of it.
Of course, all that power would be a moot point if Odin could rid himself of his two hated enemies. Brahms was one, and to a lesser extent, Hel was another. But Hel was hardly a threat, at least
not when it came to fighting wars. She just barely manages to defend herself, to keep Odin from snuffing out her existence. She could have stayed off of Odin's radar if only she had kept away from Brahms all those millennia ago. But if she had stayed away, Brahms probably wouldn't have survived those first years on Midgard. He owed much to the Goddess of Nifleheim, even if they were no longer on the best of terms due to all that had happened.
Brahms could have lost himself to thoughts of the past, the memories wanting to press in on him, but he sensed power gathering near to where he stood. Brahms straightened, turning already to greet the vampire that was teleporting onto the narrow walkway. "Ah Gideon...I was beginning to think you had gotten yourself staked while running my errands."
"Never that, my King." The vampire with the salt and pepper colored hair flashed a thin smile. In his arms he held a burly human, the man nearly bald. He was of broad chest, skin a healthy color. The human looked robust enough to feed several vampires, even ones as hungry as Brahms and Silmeria both were. His green eyes were glazed over, the human bespelled by Gideon's compulsion.
It was apparent by the look of the human, the reason for Gideon's delay. The vampire had spent his time well, carefully choosing out a human capable enough to feed both his King and queen. Brahms nodded his thanks to the vampire, already stepping forward to take hold of the balding man. He would not drain this human to the death, but the man would be sick for the next few days. That could not be avoided, Brahms needing blood badly. But nowhere to the extent that Silmeria needed it.
"So...it's going to happen tonight?" Gideon inquired, watching as Brahms ran his clawed fingers over the side of the human's neck. "She's really going to feed?"
"That is my hope." Brahms answered, his fangs lengthening in his mouth. It became difficult to talk around their length, but Brahms managed. His voice was a distorted growl, already the scent of the blood inside this human was calling to him. "Silmeria wants to live now. And to do that, she must feed."
