Mark of the Valkyrie

by A R Hall

  Latham got to work on the last few chairs for the dining table. He didn’t know why he had put it off when he knew they were going to be needed for Thanksgiving dinner. It was a large table that could easily sit a dozen people. He had four chairs finished and already waiting on either side of it. The last six just needed a second coat of paint and he’d carry them inside in the morning after giving them time to dry overnight.

  * * *

  A welcoming cold front came through over night. Latham was appreciative since it had been unusually hot recently. He had woken up early to get the turkey in the oven so it would be ready in time for lunch. He had received a text from Makenna reminding him to do so. She wanted to bring something, but he said he would take care of it all. Knowing her, she would still show up with a dish, probably a dessert.

  Latham placed a box of pastries from the local bakery on the counter near the coffee pot. His parents had gone out the previous night to catch up with some friends for drinks and would no doubt be sleeping in a little this morning. He was more than okay with it. It gave him some quiet time before the day’s festivities. He didn’t know how the reunion between his father and uncle would go. Latham assumed it would go well. He hoped it would at the least.

  After getting the finished chairs inside and around the table he made quick work doing one final dusting over them before beginning to set the table. He put out five table settings and wondered how long it would take before one of his parents asked about who else he had invited.

  His parents finally emerged from their room while he was lighting a fire in the fireplace. It was just small enough to take a little chill out of that side of the house.

  “The table looks nice. Who else is coming?” His mom smiled as she held her hands up to the fire for warmth.

  Latham glanced at his father before looking back at his mother. “Hopefully a happy surprise.”

  “Fenn.” His mother raised her eyebrows at his father.

  “Do we know them?” his father questioned.

  “You know one of them. It’s been a long time, though.” His father remained quiet in response. Latham continued, “Ivar. My uncle. Your brother.”

  “What?” His father’s eyes grew in shock.

  “Don’t be angry. Family is important. I don’t know why I never knew him growing up and it doesn’t matter anymore. He and Makenna are our family.”

  “He’s out of the lake?” His father’s eyes glistened slightly. If he didn’t know any better he’d think his father was getting emotional.

  “He met his mate earlier this year.” Latham smiled.

  “Why didn’t you tell me? I would’ve come home.”

  “I wasn’t supposed to say anything. He wanted it to be a surprise.” The doorbell rang before anyone else could say a thing. “That will be them.”

  Latham was quick to the door and welcomed them into the house. What came next was truly amazing.

  Fenn and Ivar eyed each other before they embraced in the only way two brothers born in another time would. They shook each other’s forearms as their foreheads met. Seconds later, they were patting each other on the back and laughing.

  There were smiles all around and stories being told of the last thirty years before they had settled in at the table to eat.

  “Fenn, do you remember Astrid Erickson?” Ivar looked up from his empty plate.

  “Astrid?” His father sat down his mug. “Yes! Sweet girl, deadly with a sword. What of her?”

  “I heard an interesting story from Kris and Jaxx earlier this week. Seems someone saw her mark but she’s still in the lake.” Ivar didn’t look at Latham.

  Makenna choked on air and took a sip of water. She stole a quick glance at Latham.

  They knew.

  “That’s a tough one. I’ve known a few to go on living in the lake after meeting their soul-mates. A physical pain like no other for both sides I’m sure.” His father took another drink of his beer.

  Latham glanced around at the table. His mother was eyeing everyone curiously, she knew something was up. His father was clueless. Makenna crossed her arms and leaned back in her chair looking at him. She knew.

  “What do you think about that, Latham?” Ivar looked over at him from where he sat at the head of the table.

  “I think she made her choice, and the guy is trying to work out how to talk her out of the lake.” Latham fisted his hands under the table.

  “Why would he let her go back to the lake knowing she only gets out every ten years?” Ivar crossed his arms.

  “Maybe he knows he’s an idiot and is trying to figure out how to fix the situation.” Latham grew frustrated.

  “I’m only trying to understand what was said that would make her choose to go back in the lake. You both know the curse.” Ivar glared.

  “What do you know about this, Latham?” His father looked to him.

  All eyes were on him.

  “Yes, I saw her mark. She ignored me at first convinced it was a lie.”

  “What?” His father stood from the table. “You saw a glamour?”

  Latham shook his head and looked down. He rubbed his hand across his beard. “I saw it. I felt it. I saw everything. I know why she didn’t believe me. I don’t know how to prove myself to her. She’s fragile.”

  “She’s not fragile. She has a warrior’s heart. It’s just been a little damaged in the past so she keeps it guarded. What are we all just sitting around here for?” His father started to walk away from the table. “I have a phone call to make.”

  “Do you know why she only comes out every ten years?” his uncle questioned him and stood. “She doesn’t believe in love, not anymore.”

  Makenna shook her head at him. “You’re an idiot.”

  “I’m aware.” Latham rolled his eyes.

  “What are you going to do about it?” His mother asked.

  “I don’t have the slightest clue.” He had spent the last several days wondering what he could have said or done differently that would have made Astrid change her mind.

  “Why didn’t you just swim after her?” His mother looked at him like he was an idiot.

  “Because…” he trailed off. Could he do that?

  Latham had been dipped in the lake when he was three months old, like most of the children with a cursed parent. It gave them the ability to swim with a tail. He could be a merman when he wanted to be. He hadn’t swam like that since he was a kid, though. Could he still do it?

  Chapter 9

  Latham had spent the last ten minutes pacing the water’s edge. He was dipped in the lake as an infant and spent several years of his childhood swimming with a tail. He remembered some of it, the later years. He remembered the serpent at the bottom of the lake watching him questioningly. Not many children swam in the deeper parts. He remembered going into the lake with many as they returned at the end of the full moon. When he was little he thought it just meant it was time to swim. He hadn’t realized they were returning to their cage. Swimming should’ve been freeing but the curse was a cage.

  He knew as he got older what it meant when he could see the emotion on their faces. The look of defeat. He didn’t like swimming anymore after that. It had been years. He was out of practice and nervous.

  “Are you going to go in?” His father questioned. Him and his uncle insisted on driving him to the lake. They sat on the back of his tailgate with a cooler between the two of them.

  “Are you two really going to just drink while I do this?” He knew they had beer in the cooler. “What about Mom? What about Makenna? Surely they want to spend the holiday with you.”

  “They’re enjoying telling each other stories. We promised to clean up after we return. Now, get in the water.” Ivar pointed to the lake.

  “I don’t remember how!” Latham raised his arms.

  “Just walk in, and the water will do the rest.” His father reached in the cooler and opened a beer. “I bet I can drink three of these before he puts a toe in.”

  “A bet?
Really?” Latham took his boots off and tossed them towards his truck.

  “At this rate, I’m thinking five.” Ivar opened a beer and took a swig.

  “Shiiiit.” Latham stripped out of the rest of his clothes and tossed them towards his boots. “This lake is going to be fucking freazing.” He turned to face the water. “I’m going in.”

  “We’ll believe it when we see it.” Ivar chuckled.

  “I’m glad I can be amusing for you.” Latham eyed the water.

  The air around them was cold and he knew the water had to be even colder. The sun remained behind the clouds for days and offered little warmth under the surface. He heard the tops pop open on their second round of drinks. It was now or never.

  Latham quickly took several steps into the lake before he was waist deep. It was surprisingly warmer than he’d imagined. It was comfortable. He started to question when the tail would appear when he glanced down at his legs to see they were gone.

  The top of his blue-green tail blended in seamlessly with his top half, and it was much larger than he remembered. That was most likely because he hadn’t swam in this lake since he was a boy. He’d grown since then.

  “Quit checking out your tail size, and go get your girl!” Ivar pretended to throw his beer at him. His uncle was not going to waste a perfectly good drink nor would he litter in the lake that was still the home to so many.

  Latham turned to dive in and held his breath. Reminding himself he could breathe underwater was the hard part. It took a minute to adjust his eyes and look in front of him. The water was clear from here. Parts of it was like he remembered. Rocks formed to make caves and temporary homes for some. A few swam around and paid no attention to him.

  It wasn’t exactly an underwater city and not like what you’d imagine from movies. There weren’t any lights or air pockets. There were no modern homes or electricity. He swam closer and realized, although there were still several in the lake, many had found their soulmates over the years. It had given many hope. He swam around for a while before asking for help.

  “Excuse me, where can I find Astrid?” he asked the first person he came across.

  “Erickson? Probably asleep in her cave.” The guy shook his head as he gestured behind him towards a clutter of caves in a deeper part of the lake.

  Latham started to swim closer when the serpent swam across his path and back around, eyeing him curiously.

  “I screwed up. I know this. I need to fix it.” He talked to it as if it could answer him. “She deserves so much more than this. I don’t know how I’m going to convince her but I’ll prove it to her.” He swam closer to the caves and watched as the serpent stayed where it was. “I’ll prove it everyday for the rest of my life.”

  He meant every word. He didn’t know why he felt the need to tell the creature. Perhaps because its purpose in life was to protect everyone in the lake and he wanted to make it one less. Latham knew his purpose in life was to love and protect a girl who was cursed to this lake. He just needed to find her and figure out how to tell her.

  As he swam deeper, the water grew colder but not too cold. It was the perfect temperature to fall asleep to. He could see the appeal of the caves down here for those that wanted to sleep away time between full moon phases.

  Latham swam in and out of several with men and women sleeping. It was still two weeks until the next full moon and he started to wonder how hard it would be to wake her.

  Of course it was the last cave he came across where she lay sleeping on a curved rock. It wasn’t as dark inside as he imagined it. He wasn’t sure where the light source was, though. He swam right up to her.

  “Astrid.” He waited for her to wake and called her name a few more times before shaking her arm a little to try and wake her.

  Her fist quickly collided with his face. “Why are you waking me?” She looked at him in shock and shook her head. “What are you doing here?” She glanced at his tail. “What?”

  “I came to ask you not to sleep away the next ten years.” He blurted it out before turning to face her.

  She crossed her arms. “Why?”

  “I shouldn’t have let you come back into the lake without knowing how I felt. I don’t feel obligated, and I feel like you need to know that. You need to know that I need you. I want you.”

  “What?” She swam closer to him.

  “Astrid, I love you. I don’t care if it seems too soon or out of this world. I feel it deep in my soul. I want you in my life. I will prove my love for you every day for the rest of our lives if you will let me. Please don’t sleep away the years and let this pass.”

  “You do?” Astrid wanted to believe him. She’d protected her heart for long enough and was finally ready to take a chance. She wasn’t ready to admit it to him, but she loved him too. She loved him from the moment she watched him sleep in her bed when he was reliving her life. She just wasn’t ready to admit it, yet.

  “Give us a chance.” He wrapped his arms around her. “Will you let me love you and prove myself?”

  “How?” She looked up at him.

  “At the next full moon, come out of the water. I’ll be waiting for you.”

  “Really?”

  “Really.” He pressed his lips to hers in a quick kiss. “You deserve the world, Astrid.” He pulled away.

  “Where are you going?” Astrid knew he had to return to the surface, though.

  “I have to take care of some things. Can I get your things from your cabin and take them to my house? I want you to live with me.”

  She nodded. “Just the clothes. The furniture can stay for someone else who needs the cabin.”

  He placed another kiss to her lips. “I’ll see you in a couple weeks. It’s going to be great.”

  Astrid watched Latham swim away. Had that really happened? She placed her fingertips to her lips. Had he really just swam into the depths of the lake to tell her he loved her? Not only that but he wanted her to move in with him. She didn’t even know where he lived.

  She was sure of one thing. She was going back to sleep, but only so the time would go by faster. She would wake up for the next full moon in a few weeks and hurry to the surface. She was finally going to get her happily ever after.

  Chapter 10

  Latham had put the final touches on the house, including fresh flowers, before rushing to the lake. It could be another hour before she came out but he wanted to make sure he was there when she came to the surface. He would prove everyday that she was worth it. She was more than the heartaches of her past. He hoped she would come. If she did it meant she had opened up a little to him and that was all he could ask for.

  He thought back to their conversation in the water. He hadn’t given her much time to respond before he had swam back to the surface. He had gotten so excited about her moving in with him that he chose to get to work right away.

  His father and uncle had been surprised to see him so fast but he told them he had work to do so she had a home to come to at the next full moon. He wanted to give her every reason not to return to the lake. His family was more than helpful and encouraging. They even went by her cabin before going back to his house to collect her things.

  Latham’s mother and Makenna volunteered to go shopping for Astrid and Latham was more than willing to hand over the credit card. They told him she had a dated wardrobe and needed more things, girl things. He didn’t care. He’d give Astrid whatever she needed, wanted, and more. They guessed her clothing size from what little clothes he had brought over from her old cabin. Two days later, he had to install more closet hanging space and extra bathroom storage. They had brought in bags of clothes, toiletries, and who knows what else. He just told them to put it where they thought it should go.

  His family helped make his house a little more of a home over the next few weeks until it was time. It was finally finished except for needing the person meant to share it with him. He hoped she loved it, and if she didn’t he’d happily redo the whole thing. Anything for her. W
ith the way his mom had fussed over everything you would have thought he was getting married. In a way he knew he was, it was the same level of commitment. He had every intention of asking her too. He had the ring hidden in the closet waiting for the right moment whether that was in a matter of days or months. She was worth the wait.

  Latham ran his hand through his beard and watched the lake for any sign of movement. The water was still, and the reflection of the moon had the surface of it giving off a glow. He waited for what felt like hours for any sign that she was coming.

  His heart skipped a beat when he saw the ripples moving near the edge of the lake. They rushed towards the land where he stood. He didn’t know where she usually emerged from the lake, but he chose to wait where he had returned her. He held a breath as he saw the ripples grow in size and increase in speed.

  * * *

  Astrid was hesitant to return to the surface. She was still in denial that Latham had swam into the lake and woken her. What if it had been a trick and he wouldn’t really be waiting for her? Could fate be wrong? She didn’t think the Gods would let her go through the pain of such a loss again, not after her heart had been fooled before. Deep down she believed he had to be different.

  He had forced his way through the walls around her heart, not giving her the chance to change her mind or object. Her heart raced as she made her way to the surface. Slowly at first before quickening her pace.

  She glanced around the lake. Most that returned to the surface had already done so nearly an hour before. The ones left chose to sleep through this moon. This could be the moment, the last moment she saw the lake from this point of view. The thought of the curse finally being broken had her swimming even faster. All she could think about in this moment was Latham. She questioned why she chose to sleep in such a deep part of the lake.

  Astrid rushed out of the water and took in a deep breath. Her legs had barely returned as she stepped onto dry land, and she was embraced in Latham’s large muscular arms. She sighed into him.