Pride of a Viking

by Sky Purington

  Kodran kept grinning as he recalled her endless attempts to spearhead that mouse. It had given her a good chase. He glanced at the pitiful thing again and couldn’t stop another chuckle as he conceded, “It was a bounty well earned. It should fill you right up.”

  Erica narrowed her eyes before she gave in to a chuckle as well. “I’m sure it will.”

  He grinned. “It’s a good thing I caught far more.” He enjoyed teasing her. More specifically how she met it with humor. “Just in case you’re eager for more than one bite.”

  “Ha. Funny.” But not far from the truth.

  She sat across from him, watched him skin the rodents and commented, “Gotta say, sometimes I wonder why we twenty-first century women are always traveling back in time to you men. It seems it would be the other way around. The food is so much better in the future.”

  “That you know of,” he replied. “When seasoned, freshly hunted game and fish are quite good. You might like it more than you think.” His eyes met hers. “You’ll see when you try it at the Fortress once this is all over.”

  She nodded but said nothing as her eyes dropped to the fire. The truth was if they saw her plan through she would never get the chance. But he was hoping that wouldn’t be the case. He prayed that something would happen first to deem her plan unnecessary.

  “I wonder how it went for Maeva and Eluf after they vanished last time. Did they convince the court to start making changes?” she said a while later as they ate. “I assume it couldn’t have gone all that bad if she and Eluf had so many years together. He seemed pretty intent on getting the backing of the court before they started seeing each other.”

  “True,” he said. “But that was before he realized she was his long lost soul mate.” He shook his head. “Who knows how many rules he was willing to break after that.”

  “Right,” she murmured. “The look on his face when he realized who she was...” Her eyes went to his. “It was a pretty powerful moment, wasn’t it?”

  “Very.” Their eyes held. “It looked to me like there wasn’t anything he wouldn’t do for her.”

  And he understood because he felt the same way about Erica.

  “Tell me about yourself, Kodran,” she said, genuine curiosity in her eyes. “I have a pretty good idea about who you were in our previous life. Tell me about this one.”

  He knew she could sense a lot about who he was through the mind but like him, she wanted the process of getting to know one another to seem normal.

  “As you likely already know, Kol and Amber are my parents,” he began. “Tait and Kadlin are my older brother and sister. Runa is my little sister.”

  “Big family like mine,” she remarked then grinned. “But then it makes sense considering who your parents are.”

  He smiled. “Yes, they are infamous for certain things.”

  Lust mostly.

  “The apple didn’t fall too far from the tree, eh?” She was still grinning. “I have it on good authority you’re just as flirtatious as your brother.”

  He shrugged. “Maybe.”

  “Maybe my ass,” she replied then waved it away. “It’s all good. Doesn’t bother me.”

  “I wish it would,” he said bluntly, humored by her line of questioning. “Though I think it probably does.”

  “Did you love any of the women you were with?”

  “No.” He decided to be absolutely truthful. “Though I have befriended every woman I’ve laid with I did not want more with them. I was waiting for...something else.”

  She perked her brows. “Something else?”

  “Someone, I suppose,” he said. “I have always wanted to experience love with a fellow dragon rather than with a human.”

  “I see.” She frowned. “That sounds sort of close minded. You miss out on good things when you think that way.”

  “So I’ve been told many times by my mother and aunts,” he said. “They say love has nothing to do with species.”

  “I tend to agree.” She gave him a pointed look. “All things considered.”

  “I’m starting to see the error of my ways,” he allowed. “But then I’m also thankful I didn’t lose my heart along the way so that it’s still available.”

  Her lips curled up slowly, and she appeared a little disbelieving. “I had no idea you were such a romantic, Kodran.”

  He chuckled. “Neither did I.”

  “I haven’t dealt with a lot of romance,” she said. “So bear with me.”

  “Bear with you how?”

  “While I figure out how to respond to it.” She shrugged. “When my sisters were reading romances, I was reading law books. I guess I’ve just always been more the practical sort.”

  “So you don’t believe in romance?” he said. “Love?”

  “To a degree, thanks to watching my parents but even their love seemed rocky with all the fighting at the end so who knows,” she said. “I guess I never really put much stake in love lasting. So with that in mind, what’s the point of all the romance?”

  What a dismal outlook. But he understood why she might have come to that conclusion. He knew her parents had fought a lot before her mother passed away.

  “So you went to school to become a lawyer very young, yes?” he asked, redirecting the conversation.

  “Very,” she said. “I was classified a genius before my tenth birthday and became the youngest American to do a lot of things. I graduated Harvard Law School when others my age were still enjoying Junior prom in high school. I became an associate at a corporate law firm in Boston and then became the youngest Junior Partner ever. Had I continued on my current path I would have made Senior Partner and very likely Named Partner in no time.”

  “That sounds...confusing.”

  “And it should to a tenth century Viking,” she conceded with a soft smile. “Now tell me more about you...besides the women.”

  “You’re the one who got started on the women,” he reminded, matching her smile. “I can’t say that I’m as accomplished as you nor that I am a genius, but I’m a valued member of my society.” He shrugged. “I can outfight and outthink most.”

  Her brows shot up. “Outthink? How so?”

  “I have always been good at coming up with innovative ideas I suppose.” He cocked the corner of his mouth. “Perhaps something I got from Eluf?”

  “Sounds like it might have been.”

  “I enjoy solving puzzles,” he continued. “And spend ample time with Aunt Veronica to help with various things.”

  “Veronica.” The same grin stayed on her face. “Once a lawyer herself.”

  “That’s right,” he said. “And has made a great difference in our tribe over the years.”

  “I imagine she would have,” she murmured. “With your help of course.”

  “At times,” he conceded.

  “So you really are as intelligent as I guessed you were,” she continued softly.

  He shrugged. “Intelligent enough.”

  “And humble,” she complimented. “All good traits.”

  “Thank you.”

  “Anytime. I look forward to hearing about how you helped Veronica over the years at what you Vikings call The Thing. Or court.” She considered him and refocused on other things. “I’d like to fight you sometime. Sharpen my battle skills.”

  “Have you had a lot of practice then?”

  “Quite a bit actually,” she said. “I’ve made a point of educating myself as much as I could and training back home. But I know it’s different than the kind of fighting I can expect here. My reflexes seemed good when you threw the blade earlier, but I’d like to test that again. I’d like to figure out how much of the woman I once was is going to help me out now.”

  “All right.” They were finished eating, so he handed her the Gungnir blade and stood. “Try to stab me with that.”

  “Oh, I don’t think that’s the best idea,” she started, but he cut her off.

  “You won’t be able to do it,” he said bluntly. “But
it will give me an idea of what we need to work on.”

  She snorted. “You’re pretty confident, eh?”

  “Very.” He made a come hither motion. “Show me what you can do, Erica.”

  “If you insist.” She headed his way. “But be careful.”

  “You as well,” he said. “And remember, do not use dragon magic no matter how tempted.”

  “I won’t,” she assured and came at him fast. Faster than he expected. He dodged right, left, ducked then spun. All the while she was a slice behind.

  “You are better than I expected,” he allowed as she spun and pursued. “You have a natural talent.”

  “Thanks.” She grinned, a little winded as she continued to come at him. Left. Right. Spin. Duck. And all without an ounce of magic.

  “Yet I see your weakness,” he murmured as he dodged another thrust.

  “Care to share? Because as far as I can see, I’m damn close to nicking you.”

  “Nicking me,” he allowed. “But certainly not stabbing me.”

  “How do you know?”

  “Because you’re only trying to wear me down right now,” he said. “Something you best not do when up against the enemy.”

  “But pretty smart considering your size,” she said. “And that you’re a seasoned fighter.”

  “Yes, but the chances the enemy will come at you one at a time is very unlikely,” he said and leapt to the right of her thrust. “You need to plan on many attackers coming from multiple directions. Then there are two more things.”

  “What?”

  He waited for another one of her cocky thrusts before he moved fast and bumped her wrist in just the right spot that her hand released the blade. Seconds later he snatched it out of the air and held it inches from her neck. “Always be confident but beware of being overconfident unless you have every right to be. It will get you killed.”

  “Noted,” she whispered, breathing heavily. “What’s the other thing?”

  “Remember that while you’re wearing down your opponent by not wounding him right away, you’re also wearing yourself down,” he said. “Notice how I am barely out of breath? It’s because I made small, calculated moves that didn’t require much energy. You did not wear me down at all.”

  “Good point.” She put her hand over his on the blade. “Another round then?”

  He was about to reply when the blade warmed, and the water began to glow. This time they didn’t get sucked toward the waterfall, but it seemed to warp toward them before everything turned white and they were somewhere else again.

  This time they were standing on a shore and as far as the eye could see dragons and seers were battling.

  Chapter Nine

  “OH NO,” ERICA started to say but trailed off as she started paying attention. “Are they really fighting? It seems...off.”

  Kodran watched everything with a practiced eye and shook his head. “I’d say this is some sort of mock battle.”

  “But why?”

  He shook his head.

  “Wait.” She pointed down the shore. “Look.”

  His eyes followed hers to Maeva and Eluf fighting.

  “Damn,” she murmured. “Look at them go.”

  Kodran sheathed the blade, took her hand and kept her close. “They are impressive.”

  Total understatement. In many ways, how they battled reminded her of how they had sex. So passionately you couldn’t look away if you wanted to. It was mesmerizing. Perfect. As though they had been doing it for centuries.

  Seconds later, Eluf made the same move Kodran just had on Erica. Maeva released the blade, and Eluf caught it. The only difference was they didn’t speak afterward because he pulled her into his arms and kissed her.

  “Something tells me she let him do that on purpose,” Kodran murmured.

  “No doubt about it,” she whispered.

  Half a breath later, Eluf murmured a chant, and all the battling around them faded away. So it had been a phantom battle. Perhaps preparing them for what might be coming? The shore had changed. Now there wasn’t anything but a wide swath of grainy sand with cliffs on either side that swept inland encasing a small lush valley and the most incredible ash tree she had ever seen.

  “That’s it, Kodran.” She nodded in its direction, awe in her voice. “That’s the original tree Eluf brought here.”

  Massive, it was bigger than a dogwood.

  “You’re fighting better and better, Maeva,” Eluf said as his lips brushed hers one more time. “You will be prepared when the day comes...when war comes.”

  Both strength and tears shimmered in Maeva’s eyes as they strolled toward the tree and Kodran and Erica followed.

  “If it comes,” Maeva said, hope in her voice.

  “The time for naiveté has passed, my love,” he said softly. “If the seers would do what they did to Einar’s mate, rest assured there is no stopping the dissention anymore.”

  Emotion thickened Maeva’s voice. “Poor Einar.” She shook her head. “To watch his love burned at the stake like that.”

  “I just thought...” Maeva continued, shaking her head. “I thought our words at court years ago were heard. I thought they might be making a difference.”

  “Sometimes there is no stopping ignorance.” Eluf pulled her into his arms beneath the tree. “Sometimes there is no changing people.” He shook his head. “Now Einar can see no reason but only the rage born of a broken heart. Rage directed at us seers every bit as much as Bard’s is.”

  “You do not think they will join forces, do you?” Maeva asked, concerned.

  “I think anything is possible when only a broken heart guides one’s way,” Eluf said. “So we must be prepared for that.”

  “But surely my grandfather will see reason and stop it from happening,” Maeva argued.

  “What reason?” Eluf frowned. “He does not know about us, and he would not be pleased if he did. Bjark might be kind to seers, but he is also very proud to be dragon. You need to accept that if war comes, he will side with his own and likely not try to stop it.”

  “I do not accept it, and I think you are wrong.” Maeva shook her head. “He was not pleased with what the seers did to their own. He did not see it as a grand gesture to dragons.”

  “Perhaps not,” he murmured.

  “What do you mean by that?” She frowned and pulled away. “Because it sounds like you doubt his response.”

  “I think your grandfather has always been good at diplomacy,” Eluf said carefully. “He has long been the preferred dragon we seers like to communicate with on important matters.” A heavy frown settled on his face and he sighed. “And he did consult with us over the burning of Einar’s love.” It was obvious he didn’t want to hurt her with his next words but preferred she know the truth. “He was pleased with our actions, Maeva. He thought it a right and honorable act on our part. That we were upholding the laws our people had agreed upon long ago.”

  Sadness and anger flickered in Maeva’s eyes as understanding dawned on her. “Our actions,” she whispered and shook her head. “You said you were not part of it.”

  “And I was not...directly.” Eluf’s eyes pled with hers. “But I did not stop them when I knew it would be happening. And you know why.”

  “Because for all you supported me in court years ago it did not work. And since then, things have gradually gone downhill.” Maeva wiped away a stray tear, leaned against the tree and stared at the ocean. “Now if you go against a big decision such as that, the seers will turn a suspicious eye your way. When that happens, they might discover our secrets...and they might tell Bard.”

  “There is no might, my love.” Eluf wiped away her tears and cupped her cheeks. “They would, and your life would be at great risk.”

  “So another deserved to burn for that?” Maeva’s eyes met his. “An innocent?”

  “Many have died in the long strife between seers and dragons,” he said. “Do not put another death on yourself, Maeva but remember that like us, Ei
nar and his mate knew what they were doing and had been doing it long before you and I came together. It was their choice, and I am sure they would agree that it was worth every moment they had together.”

  Maeva didn’t respond but buried her face against his chest and wrapped her arms around him before they faded.

  Erica didn’t say anything but tried to process the sad truth behind what they had just witnessed. Eventually, she murmured, “Every life was a bitch for us, wasn’t it Kodran?” She stopped beneath the tree and stared up through the branches.

  “It seems we have faced some trials,” he agreed as he stood beside her and looked up as well. “Yet here we are again. Together. Three lives later that we know of.”

  “Here we are,” she echoed, more aware of him by the moment. It was safe to say she had been drawn to Kodran since the minute she met him, but something far more intense was happening now. A quick and comfortable connection that she realized they had always shared.

  “So now we know it didn’t go all that great at court.” She leaned against the tree like Maeva just had. “Or if it did, prejudice had already taken root in far too many people.” She shook her head. “So sad...what a waste of what could have been a flourishing community had they worked together. They might have seen a better outcome and not be hidden nowadays. If things had gone differently, they might have found a way to get along with each other as they progressed instead of becoming stuff made of myth and legend.”

  “Some things aren’t meant to be,” he said softly. “Yet we found a way. Eluf. The seers. Maybe even the dragons. Because so many of us have been reborn and found each other again.”

  “I know.” Her eyes went to his. “I hope we find out how that happened while we’re here.”

  When he said nothing but simply stared at her, she cocked her head. “What is it?”

  “You’re so much like Maeva...or the other way around,” he murmured. “That look in your eyes just now. So hopeful...always looking for the best in people despite how difficult life has been for you...” His voice dropped to a whisper. “You’re beautiful, Erica.”