by Helen Bright
Julia opened the first one she came to then ordered me to sit and close my eyes. I did as she asked and she started to pat something cool around my eyes, which actually felt quite good. She explained that it was an eye gel and it should keep the wrinkles away. I couldn’t help but smile, but I didn’t remind her that I wasn’t ever going to show any signs of aging that weren’t already present when I became a vampire.
She then applied what she said was a daily moisturiser. I loved the way she touched me as she smoothed the creamy substance into my face and down my neck, and honestly if Julia was to apply this to me every day I would wear the stuff without fail.
When I looked in the mirror I couldn’t see much of a difference but Julia said it gave me a more youthful appearance. When she started talking about treating me to a spa day I quickly drew the line at that. No way was I going to be doing any girly stuff, no matter how much she tried to persuade me that it would make me feel less stressed. Making love to Julia for hours on end was a good stress reliever and I told her so. She blushed and looked away and I could tell she was thinking of what we did in the shower.
I changed the conversation, letting her know that Gregor was coming tonight and he was bringing my sister Freya here for a few days.
“I would love to hear more of yours and Freya’s story Alex. The last part you told me was when you had become a vampire. What happened next?”
I grabbed her hand, led her into the living room and sat her down next to me on the two seat sofa. I didn’t really want to tell her this next part of the story but I didn’t want there to be any secrets between us either.
“After I woke up Gamall fed me from his wrist. The thirst for blood was incredible and we had to call in another human to let me feed more. Mind control wasn’t easy and it took a few attempts to persuade the woman to let me take her blood.
Gamall informed me that Freya had awoken only hours before me. She had been out of it for over two days and although she had taken blood from both father and one of the hunters who worked for him she hadn’t yet spoken.
I noticed how weak Gamall appeared and he suggested giving him some of my new immortal blood to help him replenish the blood he had been giving me.”
“Gamall was very concerned about Freya and said that father kept trying to get her to say something, anything, but she either wouldn’t or couldn’t talk.
He encouraged me to go to her to see if I could help, so when my need for blood was finally sated I went to find her.”
“When I went through the door at my father’s house I could find no one, not even Anya the housemaid, so I went to the back of his home where the bedrooms were. I heard a woman sobbing in the room to the left which was father’s bedroom. I pulled back the fabric from the doorway and found Anya knelt at the side of his bed with Freya’s hand in her own.”
“Freya looked as though she was sleeping so I indicated to Anya to follow me and we went to the front room where the fire was glowing, warming the large cooking pot above it.”
“Anya put her arms around me and kept sobbing. I asked her what was wrong and she said she thought that Freya did not want to live anymore and she couldn’t really blame her. She said she had tried to tempt her with her favourite foods but she just shook her head when they tried to feed her.
I told Anya that I would go to her and see what I could do.”
“Freya’s eyes were still closed when I sat next to her on father’s bed.
I stroked away the hair from her eyes and spoke to her softly.” “The moment she stirred and looked up at me she said “Oh, brother, what has he done to me, why has he condemned me to this life.” I shook my head not knowing the answer and I leaned down to kiss her forehead before I spoke.
“I have taken the blood Freya, I too am now immortal. You will not be on your own in this life. I will be your brother always and will keep you safe from harm so no one can hurt you ever again.”
“She took me in her arms and cried for what seemed like hours and she only stopped when we scented father enter the dwelling.
He came straight to the bedroom and looked at Freya in my arms, then at me.”
“So we are all as one now my son.” He said proudly. “You will make a good, strong immortal and together we will become more powerful and will fear no one.”
“I didn’t understand what he was talking about. Why should we fear anyone? It didn’t make sense to me, but I didn’t want to speak to him so I said nothing and just looked away.”
“We waited for our father to go out again and Freya and I went into the front room to eat some of the rabbit stew that Anya had created. It was delicious as always, but somehow it tasted even better than usual and both Freya and I complemented Anya on this. The woman fussed over Freya, pleased that she was now speaking at least, and offered to make more of her favourite foods.
Freya shook her head and looked into Anya’s eyes, and in a clear voice she said, “Anya, you made sure that I was fed and well cared for and agreed with me that it would do me much good to take a walk outside for a while.”
“Mind control.”
“Freya pulled it off first go, not like me and my poor attempt. She then looked at me and said, “I have no home now. Everything that I loved or owned is gone apart from you. Will you let me stay with you brother, I do not wish to be in the presence of my father, this night or any other.”
“I held her in my arms and said, “Freya whatever I have is yours including my home. You can stay with me as long as you wish and you do not have to do fathers bidding ever again.”
“We left straight away, not wanting the confrontation with father that would be sure to happen if he saw Freya leaving with me.”
“When we reached my home Gamall was tending the fire. He immediately got up and hugged Freya, and tears streaked down over his red cheeks.
He pulled me over to them and hugged me too. I wasn’t used to displays of affection like this coming from Gamall, and I have to admit I got pretty choked up myself. Freya spoke first.”
“Gamall, I need to learn everything you know about witchcraft and also everything you have found out from Eadgar and Colton about being immortal. I do not wish for my father to find out that you are telling me about being immortal. I will let him think he is teaching me all I need to know instead.
When you come over to see me or I to see you, we can tell him it is so I can learn about herbs and potions and such like.”
“Freya I am willing to tell you anything that I know but if Sebbi uses mind control he will compel me to tell him what we have discussed.”
“Do not worry about this uncle. Before we part I will compel you, so all you know is that we have discussed potions.”
“Freya, what is going on,” I asked? “Why do you need to know all this?” I was unsure as to why this seemed so important now.
“Aðalbrandr, you are my brother and you are loyal, noble and good. I do not think you got these traits from our father. I do not trust the man who forced me to live life as an immortal and neither should you.”
“Freya, what our father did was wrong, but he loves and adores you. He was devastated with what happened to your family and he tried to save them. You above anyone else have been his life. He would be nothing without you.”
“My brother, I love you, and I know now that you and Gamall have a love for me that comes with no conditions. I cannot say the same for my father.”
“We left the conversation there and I was glad to do so. I know what my father did was wrong by forcing Freya to become immortal, but I also knew he loved Freya and I remember his charred body in front of Freya’s house after he had tried to save Brisa. I was torn between hating him for forcing Freya to become immortal and forgiving him for his selfish act of saving a loved one who did not want to be saved.”
“Father came to my home later that night. He begged Freya to go home with him and Gamall but she said she needed to be away from the home in which her son died. Father went to her and held her close,
whispering how sorry he was for the deaths of her children.
“My husband also died father. Are you sorry about his death too?” She questioned.
“Of course I am child, what do you take me for? Do you think I have no feelings? Think on this Freya, you are my child and I would have done anything to save you. Just as you would have done anything to save you own children. But somehow that has made me a monster in your eyes, so tell me daughter, how do we put this right?”
“With time father. Just as with anything else, all we need is time and then everything will be as it should be.”
“I thought this statement odd as all will never be as it should be. Freya would never get her family back and we would be on this earth forever. But father seemed to be appeased with what she had said and he let her stay with me without any further arguments.”
“Months went by one after the other. Freya and Gamall became inseparable and would often take long walks around the village and beyond.
They would stop and speak with everyone and it was good to see Freya smile again. They practiced their potions in my home and also father and Gamall’s home.”
“I had often wondered why Gamall did not have a home of his own with a wife and children. He said he was too set in his ways for a wife, although he enjoyed the company of women and liked to rut with them often. He also said he thought of Freya and I as his children, as we were blood to him and he had been with us throughout our life.
He said he stayed with Sebbi at first to keep an eye on him after our mother died, and then because Freya lived with them, and he was able to watch her grow up, child to woman.”
“He then said that when Freya left to get married he stayed because he was used to being there, and was too old to change.
He was now sixty years old and I asked him why he hadn’t wanted to become immortal like us. He said that as he would not have been a born vampire, he would instead become a made vampire which would mean he couldn’t walk in the sun, as that would kill him.”
“He said it was too late now anyway, as he wouldn’t want to be a sixty year old man forever. “
“The conversation made me want to know more about the differences between being a born or made immortal so one day whilst out hunting I asked father.”
“He told me how to turn a human into a made vampire, by drinking their blood to the point of imminent death then giving them our blood.
He seemed irritated as he said he had told me all this before.
I said I had forgotten and I wanted to make sure I knew the difference in case I had to battle with one.
He said after the exchange of blood the human becomes immortal like us, but they could be killed by driving a wooden or metal stake through their hearts and burning their bodies.
He also said that if a made vampire was exposed to enough bright sunlight they would die a painful death, burning slowly from the inside out, although after many years they too are able to tolerate bright sunlight for a short time.
He said that a born immortal could never be killed by any means and that is why we were far superior than a made vampire.
I did not question him any further and he did not offer me any other information either.”
“One day nearly a year after Freya’s family had died; Anya came running to our home to let us know that Gamall was gravely ill.”
“We hurried over to father and Gamall’s home and the sight shocked us both. Gamall was very pale and his lips were blue.
He was gasping for breath and holding his chest but smiled when he saw us. Sebbi was by his bedside bathing his brow with a cloth. He looked at us both and begged us to convince Gamall to be a made vampire.
Freya Immediately said no, and that we should respect his wishes to pass into the next world, but Sebbi still looked at me to side with him and force Gamall to change his mind. But I shook my head and dropped to my knees beside his bed with Freya.”
“She moved fathers hand from Gamall’s brow and kissed him gently and I did the same. We both told him that we loved him and that we would hold him forever in our thoughts.
Before we could say anything else he clutched our hands, and then gasped his last breath.”
“Father was both distraught and enraged that we had not begged Gamall to become a made vampire and he started to throw furniture and other items around the room. I had to wrestle him away from Gamall’s body but he fought me, like he meant to cause me harm.”
“Freya yelled, “Father we need comfort from you, today of all days, when our uncle has left this life, so be a father to us and not a savage who beats his children.”
“This made my father pause and he looked at Freya closely before saying, “For a year you have not wanted comfort from your father, and you suffered then over your losses. What makes you want your father now?” “It is perhaps on a day like this, time to think about who is important to us. I know you will grieve the passing of your friend father and I will try to give you comfort at this time.” “Daughter,” was all my father said as he went to Freya and held her closely.”
“I looked on at them in this strange surreal moment that I thought may never happen again.”
“And that’s when I knew who held the most power in our family.
She was the smallest of us all, but had stopped us fighting with mere words.”
“The villagers came together to build a funeral pyre as befitting a noble Viking, and each of them left gifts with Gamall’s body to take to the afterlife.
As he was not a warrior he would not go to the hall of Valhalla in Asgard, but to us he was more important than any esteemed fighter and I was touched by the love everyone in the village had for him.”
“A week after Gamall’s passing Freya went out on one of her long daily walks.
I had been concerned about her strange behaviour over the last few days so I followed her, staying far enough away that she wouldn’t be able to scent me.”
“She met with a young man from our village who was a great hunter. I watched as she spoke to him, and then nearly fell over with shock when she started to fight with him. I knew she wasn’t in any immediate danger as she was much stronger than any human, but I was impressed with her fighting skills nonetheless. “
“The way she threw him, pinned him, and then jumped away to let him get to his feet again was quick and practiced, and I knew that Freya had been doing this for some time. When the fighting finally came to an end Freya hugged him and then fed from his wrist.”
“I waited till the young man got into his cart and left before I joined Freya.”
“Sister, what is going on? Why do you need to learn to fight? I will always protect you, and anyway, we cannot be killed Freya, father told me.”
“Yes, he told me the same. Did you believe him Aðalbrandr?” “Why would he lie to us Freya? It serves no purpose.” “Why indeed brother?”
“I didn’t answer her. I couldn’t understand why she was doing this. A woman should never need to fight. She kept home and made babies, although thinking about that statement I could see why Freya had started to choose a new path.
I wondered whether Gamall had known about her learning to fight and I knew he must have.”
“When we got back to the house Freya began to prepare our meal and she asked if I would sharpen the axe as it was getting a little blunt. I did as she asked, then chopped more wood for the fire. I went to change my shirt before we ate and found Freya covering up the woodpile with a wool blanket. I joked that she did not have to keep the wood warm and she laughed along with me, saying that it was nice to cover it up as it made the room look pretty.”
“Father came round as he had done every night since Gamall’s death, we sat and ate a hearty meal, then Freya got up to clear away our dishes.”
“The next thing I knew Freya was stood behind father asking him why he had compelled someone to set fire to her home. Father spun round to face her and denied her accusation but she persisted questioning him about that night and th
en pushed him so hard he fell to the floor.”
“I felt like I was watching all this from a distance, and in slow motion, but when father leapt back up to Freya I dove forward to grab him.
I heard him scream out in pain. His feet gave way, and Freya pulled her hand away from his chest, blood covering her fingers.
Freya pushed me out of the way and pinned father to the floor, pushing a long metal tool further into his chest.”
“This tool belonged to my beloved husband who you murdered. It is fitting that I use it to help you meet your end.”
“No Freya,” sputtered father, “you cannot do this, I cannot die, I am immortal.”
“You can die father; I know what I have to do. You killed my husband and children. It isn’t right that you get to live a long life while they are cold and dead in the ground.”
“I didn’t mean for Brisa to die. I loved her. She was blood of my blood. I tried to save her, you know this.”
“But she is dead father, by your hands. Why did you do it? Why did you kill my family?”
“Your husband was stopping you becoming immortal. He would rather you face death as an old lady instead of life still young and beautiful.”
“But I would have rather faced death as an old lady, having known true love, family, children and grandchildren than the immortal life you offered.
I did not want this father. Now I have to mourn the loss of my family forever.”
“With that she stood and lifted the blanket off the wood pile, revealing the axe I had sharpened earlier.
“No,” I yelled and made a grab for the axe, but she kicked my hand away and lifted the axe into the air”.
“Aðalbrandr,” my father shouted, “Stop her son, she doesn’t know what she is doing.”
“Oh I know exactly what I am doing father. I rendered you weak with a stake to your heart and now I shall cut off your head before I burn you until there is nothing left. I studied well with Gamall this past year. He had been informed by Colton how a born immortal who had taken blood could be killed. I used mind control on each of the unsuspecting villagers to find out what they were doing the night the fire had started, and I found the one that you had compelled. I did not kill the man. It wasn’t his fault he just did your bidding.” She said as she raised the axe.”
