Legacy of the Valkyrie

by Archibald Bradford

  “No you see, he has a particular… preference, when it comes to girls like us.”

  The other girl’s eyes narrowed slightly.

  “And what kind of preference would that be?”

  “Oh you know, he likes to be in charge.”

  The girl’s smile returned and she gestured grandly with the boa around her neck.

  “Well what a coincidence! Because I love a man who takes charge.”

  But once again Erica was shaking her head.

  “He likes it… when girls have to do what he says.”

  The Katje’s expression turned slightly suspicious and her arms dropped to her sides.

  “We don’t offer that service here.” Her tone was neutral, though her eyes were speculative.

  Erica sighed mournfully.

  “Oh that’s too bad, you see, he had a very successful season and was looking to treat himself. Say, three hundred?”

  The woman considered her proposition for a few seconds.

  “Six.”

  Greed was naked on her face.

  “Four.” Erica countered.

  “Five, and he can go twice.”

  “Four fifty, and he only goes once, weak constitution.”

  The whore gave him a long look up and down, and then snorted.

  “Yeah, I believe that. Alright sold, but I’ll have to take some precautions.”

  Erica smiled.

  “I would be disappointed if you didn’t.”

  The girl went inside.

  “Okay, what just happened?” Nameless queried.

  Erica turned and gave him a serious look.

  “What happened is I got you an hour alone with a whore, so don’t waste it.”

  He was in a bit of a panic at that.

  “W-what am I supposed to do with her?”

  Erica rolled her eyes as if he was being thick on purpose.

  “Find out what she knows about Mishka, of course.”

  But Ophelia frowned and Kar shook her head.

  “Forgive me but I don’t see that happening, these girls strike me as the closed mouthed type.”

  “You’re right, they are. Unless an Empath holds their heartstone and asks them straightforward questions about the well-being of a child.”

  Their eyes all widened.

  “So when you said he likes to tell people what to do…” Ophelia breathed.

  Erica gestured towards the Cat-House with one hand.

  “Right now she’s arranging things so that the two of you will be alone in a room locked from the outside, and then she’ll give you her heartstone so that you can play. Don’t try to leave with it though, that would be a very bad idea.”

  “But I thought you couldn’t order a girl to have sex, and she said they don’t offer that service!” He argued.

  The Katje rolled her eyes again.

  “Yeah, you can’t order her to fuck you, that’s what the money is for. But you can order her to do all kinds of other weird shit. And of course she said they don’t offer that service! Drives up the price. Normally this would cost two hundred coins, maybe two-fifty, tops. Did you see the way her eyes lit up when I led with three? Plus if they didn’t offer that service then there would be no chance of one of them getting lucky and bonding with a customer.”

  Nameless felt a hint of sadness from Erica’s heartstone and after a thoughtful moment he closed his eyes as he realized the truth.

  “It gives them hope doesn’t it?”

  She was quiet for several seconds before responding in a low voice.

  “It did for me.”

  Kar put her arm around her and pulled her into a quick hug.

  “That life is over for you, dear Erica.” The Amazon looked to Nameless; “She returns. Do you have enough coins?”

  Nameless gave a quick nod before the girl came back out onto the porch and threw her boa over his shoulders and took him by the hand.

  “Okay baby, I made the arrangements, but your girls will have to wait downstairs. You and I get to play in the big bedroom.” She giggled.

  She led them into the garish interior, and the smell of the place washed over him: alcohol, perfume, sweat and sex.

  He could not have been less aroused.

  Money changed hands and she led him to a set of stairs going up the back wall.

  “We’ll be down here waiting, sir. Enjoy yourself.” Erica called to him as he climbed the stairs.

  “This couch is sticky.” He heard Kar complain.

  As he ascended the stairs his mind was racing, he wanted to get answers, to figure out what was happening with the little girl that they had only just met, but the light of Volka still called to him in his mind and he couldn’t help but feel like they were wasting time.

  The double doors of the gaudy bedroom closed together with a loud click, the Katje leaning against them with both hands behind her back, gripping the brass handles.

  “Well baby, I have to admit, this is a rare treat for me. Not a lot of men around her are willing to shell out the coins for this kind of special service.”

  “What’s your name?”

  Nameless was still a bit flustered by the situation and couldn’t help but try to stall.

  She smiled as she sauntered towards him, her soft white tail flicking back and forth as she purred.

  “You can call me Grace, and yours?

  “Nameless.”

  She smirked as she held up her peach coloured heartstone.

  “Sure you are baby. And your hour starts… now.” She dropped the stone into his palm with a wink.

  He closed his eyes as his hand closed around the stone, her emotions flooding into his mind.

  Smug satisfaction, a hint of arousal, and buried underneath it all the tiniest flicker of hope. So tiny, in fact, that if he hadn’t been looking for it he wouldn’t have sensed it at all.

  He opened his eyes again; her head was cocked to one side watching him.

  Curiosity.

  “Just so we’re clear baby, you only get to cum once, but we can cuddle for the rest of the hour if you pop off too soon. Now how do you want me?”

  He sighed, realizing that he had tricked this girl and feeling a little guilty about it. But then he thought of Mishka, out in the muddy streets with no shoes on.

  “I was hoping that we could talk for a bit.”

  She had crawled up onto the big bed, the creamy colouring of her hair, ears and tail contrasting sharply with the red coverlet and her red panties.

  “Mmmm, yeah baby, I can do dirty talk.” She arched her back and shook her tushy at him as she purred.

  He shook his head vigorously, deciding to be more direct.

  “Actually I want to talk about Mishka.”

  The Katje froze.

  “Um… what?”

  “I want you to tell me about Mishka.”

  Disappointment and disgust.

  Fear.

  “Look, we don’t deal in kids here.”

  Her fear was mounting, he held her stone and he wasn’t what he was supposed to be.

  “It’s not what you think. I met Mishka earlier tonight, me and my friends tried to help her but then the lawkeeper showed up and she ran away. Please don’t scream. I don’t feel like having my ass kicked by the man on the other side of the door.”

  She let out the breath that she had drawn in to do just that, but then she realized that he had only asked her not to scream, not told her.

  “Why do you care?”

  Nameless frowned.

  “Why don’t you? A child is out there right now, in the muddy streets alone. Why isn’t everyone in this town looking for her to make sure she is safe?”

  Contempt, she didn’t like him judging her.

  “I’m not judging you, I’m just trying to understand.”

  “Sounds like you are to me.”

  Nameless was losing patience.

  “Okay, let’s try something else.

  He closed his eyes once more. He’d never done this on purp
ose, or with someone who wasn’t a Tenebrae, but Sadie had told him that it was all instinct so he just sort of pushed himself into where he felt her emotions coming from.

  When he opened his eyes he was staring at Grace but the room had dropped away all around them, instead they were surrounded by giant balls of yarn and feather boas, seeming to go for as far as the eye could see.

  Hello Grace.

  Her fear had returned and was rapidly becoming panic so he worked quickly to sooth it.

  It’s alright, you are safe, I promise.

  His sincerity was an actual physical presence within her mind, so she couldn’t help but believe that he meant her no harm, but she was still pretty freaked out to see him in her happy place.

  W-What is happening?!

  Her voice echoed all around them and the figure before him looked around in surprise.

  We’re inside your mind.

  He gave her a second to absorb that.

  Bullshit.

  Maybe a second was too long, so he again thought of another tactic.

  Go ahead, think of something, a memory, a wish, anything.

  The image of an imposing man wearing black popped into being around them, he was guarding the doors to the bedroom, a hefty cudgel at his side, and she hated him.

  That’s Francis, he’s here to keep you safe. He’s actually kind of a bastard but he does his job so you girls put up with him.

  H-How can you possibly know that?

  I told you, we are in your mind, and I can see what you’re thinking. No, that’s not right, I can feel what you’re feeling? The thoughts are kind of just, attached to it, I guess.

  The confusion was plain on her face and in the air around them.

  That makes no sense.

  Look, I don’t have time to explain everything, but I really do need your help. Here, maybe this will make it more clear.

  With that, he pulled where before he had pushed and her consciousness flooded into his mind.

  Whoa…

  Instead of yarn and feather boas, they were in the cottage, the indistinct forms of Milly and the others wandering around inside, the light of their anchors plain to see.

  And now we are in my mind, and there is something I want to show you.

  It took Grace a few moments to collect herself, looking at him and down at herself before looking far into the distance.

  What is that light? It’s so beautiful…

  Startled, he looked in the direction she was pointing and realized that Volka’s light was twinkling far away, and despite the distance it really was quite beautiful.

  He gave a mental sigh, they were getting off topic.

  That… is someone else I hope to help, but right now all I want to do is help Mishka.

  The image of Mishka’s fearful face filled their shared consciousness.

  With a thought he recalled the encounter with her out in the street, and the cottage fell away as the entire scene repeated all around them. Ophelia was once more trying to help her but inevitably Jared showed up and the little mouse girl ran off again.

  He said that you girls look after her, is that true?

  Grace was slow in answering, still bemused by her surroundings.

  Yeah, I mean, kind of. We try to make sure she gets enough to eat and stuff, but a house full of cats isn’t really a great place for a mouse, she’s made a little place for herself in one of the crawlspaces.

  Images of Mishka in the Cat-House popped into being around them as her memories flowed unbidden into his mind. The little girl was scurrying to and fro, playing in out of the way corners to keep out from underfoot.

  How the hell are you doing all of this?

  I’m not, you are. You are sharing your memories of Mishka with me.

  Another scene played out, Grace was teaching Mishka her letters, the two of them cuddled together on her bed.

  Abruptly a brutal stab of remorse and fear cut through the scene as an image of Francis throwing a kick at Mishka popped into being. She had spilled something on his leg, some kind of juice that Grace had given her.

  Fortunately she was quick and scurried away from him before his boot made contact with her vulnerable ribs, though she couldn’t escape his harsh words.

  Grace let out a gasping sob in their mind.

  Y-You’re right, he is a bastard.

  It’s alright, it wasn’t your fault.

  Yeah but I didn’t do anything, I didn’t say anything.

  Another image popped into being, this time it was the little mouse hiding underneath one of the divans in the main room downstairs, crying pitifully from Francis’s verbal abuse.

  Grace had seen her, and though she felt terrible for the poor girl, she was in heat and had a customer waiting for her.

  This had happened just a few days prior so the memory of it was fresh in her mind. The cat sobbed again, a dark wave of guilt colouring the scene around them. But he pushed it away from her with his words.

  Don’t dwell on past mistakes! All that matters is that you’re doing something now!

  His thoughts were passionate.

  It took her a few more seconds to compose herself, so he thought more warm thoughts at her, showing her the love and compassion that he knew she was capable of in an effort to help bolster her resolve to do the right thing.

  It worked.

  Her image swallowed her tears and looked him straight in the eyes.

  Where do I even start?

  __________

  Kar, Ophelia and Erica were waiting downstairs, Nameless had been gone for almost the full hour and they were beyond impatient.

  They spotted the lawkeeper entering the main room, evidently looking to treat himself, but then his eyes landed on them and he scowled.

  “Well now, I thought you lot had skedaddled.”

  They stayed seated, doing their best to look like they belonged there. Several curious Katje faces surrounding them.

  “Our owner decided he wanted to spend some time with one of the girls here.” Erica answered as calmly as she could.

  “Well, that’s an interesting coincidence, since I told you these were the good folk who looked after Mishka.”

  Kar snorted.

  “Yes, a very interesting coincidence. But certainly not an illegal one.”

  Jared gave her a stern look.

  “I told you folk not to stir up trouble. I don’t like trouble-makers. Now I think it would be best if you got the hell out of my town.”

  Kar stood from the sticky couch and leaned on her spear.

  “Is that so, little man? You would drive us out for no reason? I find that curious.”

  But as she spoke Nameless and Grace came down the stairs, their arms around each other, they were both laughing and whispering together.

  “Thanks so much Gracie! That was something special!”

  He gave her tail an affectionate stroke and she leapt away giggling as she pulled it out of his reach.

  “Oh, go away you! Unless you have more coins to spend….” She purred.

  “Nope, I’m afraid you cleaned me right out! Girls, let’s go! Oh! Hello again, Jared wasn’t it?”

  He turned to face the other man, his expression one of innocent surprise.

  The lawkeeper gave him a long look, suspicion plain on his face.

  “Thought you were leaving.”

  Nameless smiled and gestured grandly all around them.

  “We were, but I saw that cream-coloured dessert earlier and I had to try a piece before we headed back to our camp.”

  The girls were once again shocked by his duplicitous behaviour, he nearly had them convinced.

  Jared shook his head slowly.

  “Well now that you’ve had your ‘dessert’…”

  “We’re on our way of course. I think after Gracie here I’ve seen the best that Bramblewood has to offer.”

  He wrapped his arms around Erica and Ophelia and led them outside.

  “Who are you?” Ophelia whispered as they walke
d down the street away from the whorehouse.

  “Right now, I’m just a guy looking to get back to his camp.” He muttered back.

  Kar walked along beside them, the evening was in full swing, so the Cat-House was getting busy behind them.

  Erica whispered in his ear.

  “Did you learn anything or-”

  “Not here.” He mumbled at her.

  Once they approached the palisade and the crude gate leading out into the wilderness Nameless pulled the girls into the shadows of a squat building near the wall.

  “Kar, we’re being followed.”

  “How can you-”

  “Shh! They’re almost here, two men, both armed.”

  Kar gripped her spear and smiled in the moonlight.

  “Only two?”

  It was over quickly; she lashed out with the butt of her weapon and rendered them unconscious with two solid thwacks and then hastily dragged them into the shadows by their ankles.

  “Okay, now what?” Ophelia asked.

  “Now you fly back to camp and get Miranda and the Amazons. This is bad.” He answered grimly.

  “What about you?”

  He shook his head.

  “We have to find Mishka, she’s the key. If the Amazons show up, he might just kill her to cover it up.”

  Ophelia gasped.

  “Wh-”

  “Sorry, I don’t have time to explain, go get Miranda and the others, the Aegis needs to be involved like, yesterday.”

  “Lover… you’re shaking.” Erica whispered.

  He was, the strain of lying and the truths he had learned that night had him terrified, but fear also drove him on.

  “Go Ophelia, get help while we save Mishka.”

  “Okay, be careful dearheart.” She nodded and flew off, her wings barely making a sound as they carried her away into the night.

  He swallowed his fear.

  “Where are we going now Valkyrja?” Kar asked.

  He took a steadying breath and pointed back into town.

  “We need to go break into someone’s house.”

  Kar’s mouth opened, but she closed it quickly.

  Chapter 9:

  Heroics

  The three of them stood before the door of one of the many squat wooden structures in town. It was locked, but not by anything Kar couldn’t get through easily.