Valkyrie Rising

by GR Griffin

  Lenneth was not a young Valkyrie. She had existed for centuries. Had even once fought in a war against Nifleheim's forces. The underworld wasn't as a great a threat as the vampires continued to be, but Nifleheim had caused enough trouble over the years. It was through Hel, that Brahms had gained control of the undead, of the many monsters that existed apart from the vampires. Lenneth could never understand why Hel would give up such a powerful tool, but the fact remained that Brahms had made use of it.

  How many misguided mortals had Hel lured to the underworld? How many souls corrupted, whole destinies rewritten at the whim of the Queen? Hel was a greedy, grasping Goddess. She was not content with her underworld kingdom, wanting more than was her right to have. Lenneth had always privately thought that once the threat of Brahms was exterminated, Asgard should set out on a path to ending Hel's reign.

  Now it seemed that would never happen, Asagrd and the underworld poised on signing a truce. On forging an alliance, one that came too late to do her sister Silmeria any good. Or Lenneth herself, the former Valkyrie feeling as though she was the first to be sacrificed for Odin's ambitions. Other Valkyrie would surely follow. Lenneth was certain they would feel as repulsed as she did towards the alliance. Towards the thought of making children that would one day follow Hel's teachings.

  Regardless of what Odin decreed, it would be difficult for the Valkyries to forget their struggles against Hel and her forces. Even harder to forgive them, Nifleheim's crimes many. The Valkyrie had lost einherjar to the queen, and Midgard itself had been divided, whole kingdoms given unto Hel's possession. Flenceburg was just one of those lands, the people here devotees whose ancestors had faced off against Lenneth and her einherjar.

  It made her uneasy to be in the heart of what she viewed as enemy territory. And no amount of signed treaties would ever get Lenneth to relax and think of Hel's holdings as otherwise. Nor could she be entirely at ease around these people, around the man that was meant to be her husband. Lezard had admitted to being part of Hel's inner circle. To being so closely associated with the Queen, that she confided in him. Once she would have taken great pleasure in using Lezard, in leading him on in order to learn of Hel's plans and relay them to Odin. But that was not the mission that had been given to her, Odin's only command that Lenneth give herself over to Lezard as his wife.

  She rebelled against that, against it all. She wanted to do something to change her fate, to curry favor with Odin once more. Was it possibly for a Valkryie to regain her Godhood once she had been rendered mortal? Lenneth did not know. Such a thing had never before been attempted, the Valkyries dying on the battlefield, or living out the rest of their lives as mortal. But if she could, Lenneth would gladly play spy and ferret out some dastardly plot of Hel's. All to give that information to Odin, stop the alliance, and any back stabbing betrayals Hel might have planned.

  Lenneth had a good idea where to begin with her spying. Access to a high ranking member of Hel's council was readily available to her. Lenneth's lips did not quite quirk in a grim smile, the woman thinking of the man who was to be her husband. But it was difficult to think of Lezard, and not remain unaffected by Odin's love potion. The enchantment was always working, always looking for an opening to slip into. It wanted to lock onto her heart, onto her thoughts and feelings and make Lenneth give herself wholly unto Lezard.

  It was difficult, and Lezard's attempts at kindness made it more so. He wasn't acting mean or depraved, actually friendly to her. He wasn't giving her a reason to hate him beyond the simple fact of what he was. Once that would have been enough to get her to kill him, Lenneth despising those who toyed with the dead and defiled souls. But Odin's enchantment wouldn't allow her to actively hate him. It left her in a conflicted state, Lenneth both longing for Lezard and wanting to despise him. It might be enough to drive her insane, Lenneth at constant war with opposite emotions where Lezard was concerned.

  It left her tired, a mental weariness she could not afford to give in to. Any weakness would be played open, the love spell taking full advantage to force her will to give in to it. To love Lezard. Lenneth was sure he was unworthy of her love. And all because he was in Hel's employ, a damned soul that would one day reside in the underworld.

  Of course Lenneth didn't think many men were worthy of her love. Of any Valkyries' love. But the men who allied themselves with Hel were doubly unworthy. But Odin's love spell didn't care about a person's worth, it just cared about making the match. Lenneth was more than hesitant to engage Lezard in any manner, a sliver of fear in her at the thought that to use him for her purposes was to open herself towards becoming more susceptible to loving him.

  She'd just have to be strong, Lenneth decided. She wished that strength could come to her as easily as the decision. But something in her melted every time Lezard smiled at her. It was a nice feeling, but one she did not want. Anymore than she wanted to become familiar with him, with Lezard's mannerisms and way of behaving. But already some of him had imprinted on her. Lenneth could easily conjure to her mind the way he looked, the way his bangs fell in messy disarray across his forehead. The way his eyes twinkled constantly with his amusement, and how often he had smiled at her even when she was surely disappointing him.

  The love enchantment surged stronger in her, Lenneth shaking her head no to dispel it and Lezard's image. The enchantment urged her to go to him, to seek him out. Lenneth would do exactly the opposite, refusing to step out of this room. Some part of her thought it pure cowardice on her part, Lenneth seeking to avoid that which would magnify the effects of the enchantment. But it was as she said, Lenneth was tired. She needed the time to recuperate, to prepare herself for the battle of not giving in to love.

  Sometimes thinking of Silmeria situation helped ground Lenneth in reality. But there was a different kind of danger to spending time on thoughts of Silmeria. And all because the thoughts brought despair rushing through her, Lenneth thinking she might cry for the first time in years. As she struggled with the love enchantment, Lenneth also had to deal with her grief over failing her sister. That left her just as vulnerable to mental exhaustion, Lenneth sighing. But she couldn't stop from wondering what was going on with Silmeria, hoping the girl hadn't yet fed.

  Lenneth shivered, remembering the dreams she had suffered during her enchanted sleep. Were the dreams close to becoming a reality? And what of Hrist? Did she even now journey to put an end to their sister, to save Silmeria before she damned her soul for good? Lenneth had no way of knowing, cut off from Asgard, and both of her sisters. That was perhaps the worse torture of all, to not know what was going on, what was happening to her family.

  Would she ever know? Lenneth knew she could never be at peace so long as she didn't know what was Silmeria's ultimate fate. Or for that matter, Hrist's. Lenneth was well aware of the danger, knowing Brahms might easily overpower her older sister. Shame filled Lenneth as she recalled how easily Brahms had beaten her. It was that defeat that had led to her being in Flenceburg, left to endlessly wonder and worry.

  The enchantment could take away all her problems, do away with her worry. Lenneth understood that. She knew if she gave in, the love would fill her so completely she wouldn't have room in her head for thoughts of anyone but Lezard and the family she would make with him. But she refused to take such an easy way out, even if she was driven to collapse from the constant fighting she was doing in her mind.

  Her mind was always moving from one source of anguish to the next. It had been hours since Lezard had excused himself, leaving Lenneth alone in the chamber she had first awakened in. And all throughout the hours, she had constantly agonized over Odin's plots, the love enchantment, and her sisters' fates. Not even the temptation to explore the room had distracted her for long.

  Of course she had taken stock of her surroundings. It was a Valkyrie's nature to assess the area, and be aware of any and all things she could use to her advantage. But the room was a typical bedroom, depressingly devoid of any sharp implements and weapons. What it did
have was a few dresses in her size, equally frilly and frivolous gowns that were ill suited to the battlefield.

  A stool showed more promise, Lenneth thinking she could break the legs of and use them as a club if need be. But Lenneth had reminded herself she would play snoop and saboteur, ferreting out secrets rather than charging blindly about. But a sword under her pillow would help Lenneth to relax just a smidgen more.

  At least the chirping of the songbird had a somewhat soothing effect on her. The pretty blue bird was vocal, constantly singing as it fluttered it's wings and paced it's cage. Lenneth thought the bird as restless as she, the little creature constantly trying to squeeze through the bars of it's cage. Lenneth had more room to roam than the songbird, but the castle was just as true a prison for her as the cage was for the bird.

  "At least one of us should be free." Lenneth decided, voice soft as she walked towards the songbird's cage. She would take it off it's hook, and carry the delicate cage over to the window. The window was unbarred, curtains stirring in the soft breeze of the coming evening. The sun had yet to set, but already the moon could be seen. The sky was brilliant in it's sunset colors, the day had been nearly cloudless. It was so different from the day her entourage had been ambushed by Brahms people.

  Below her window, she could see the inner courtyard of the castle. There wasn't many people walking it, most had already gone inside for the evening's meal. She was glad they were gone, not wanting to be stared at. Lights were beginning to flicker on, the white globes some sort of magical construct that sensed the coming darkness and reacted.

  The lights would keep many predators away, but Lenneth sensed there was additional protection beyond the globes. She made a note to ask Lezard about it later, the woman unlatching the bird cage. The little songbird immediately tried to dart out, Lenneth cupping her hands protectively around it. Her head bowed, she was sending a prayer with the bird though to who she addressed that prayer to, she no longer knew.

  As she whispered words over the bird cupped in her hands, she heard the door to the bedroom open. She didn't raise her head, not immediately. She could feel the trembles of the songbird, the tiny creature unsure of what was to happen to it now. To the right of her, she heard something being set down on the room's table. But she didn't look to see what, instead turning, ready to release the bird.

  "I wouldn't." A hand close over hers, preventing the bird from escaping. She didn't mean to, but Lenneth reacted startled at that sudden and unexpected touch. But more than that shock, she liked the warmth of the hand on hers. Her face turned to look at the one who touched her, but Lenneth had already known it was Lezard.

  "Wouldn't?" She echoed, letting her confusion show. "Why shouldn't I set it free?"

  "All it's known has been this cage." He began, but Lenneth quickly interrupted him.

  "Isn't that all the more reason to let it go? Birds were never meant to be caged, but to soar free in the sky. It's WRONG to imprison them, to take that chance from them...."

  "I can agree it's wrong." Lezard said with a nod. But he didn't uncover her hand. "But sometimes these things cannot be helped. This bird has led a sheltered life, has never known anything beyond this cage. It was born in captivity, has come to depend on the kindness of humans for it's needs. It would not be able to exist in the wild, would soon fall prey to starvation or predators."

  "I hadn't realized..." She allowed Lezard to gently take the bird from her, the mage returning it to it's cage. The little songbird would let out a questioning chirp, head tilted in confusion as it tried to understand what had just happened.

  "It's a big world out there." Lezard continued, leaving the closed cage on the sill of the

  window. "It can be exciting but dangerous, overwhelming to those who do not know how to cope outside these walls."

  "We're not just talking about the bird any more, are we?" Lenneth asked him, not quite frowning. She missed his hand on hers, and despised herself for that longing. "I can take care of myself..."

  "I don't doubt that you can. But living on Midgard is a lot different from living on the battlefield." Lezard told her. "You're no longer a Goddess. You are mortal now, limited in some ways. You are susceptible to things you never had to worry about, and you know little of the expectations people would put on you. As a former goddess, and now as a woman."

  "Expectations?" She questioned with an arch of her eyebrow. "You mean such as our marriage cementing the alliance between Asgard and Nifleheim?" She shook her head then. "I know what is expected of me. What my King would have me do. I will not disappoint on that front."

  "You are as honorable as they say Valkyries should be." Lezard noted. But Lenneth didn't feel very honorable in the moment, plotting to use him to get back in Odin's good graces. It must have shown on her face, for Lezard was suddenly apologizing. "Ah forgive me, I've made you uncomfortable."

  She didn't acknowledge that observation with words, instead looking out the window again. "Those orbs...they are more than just magic to light up the night, yes?"

  "Why yes. But I am surprised you can sense that." Lezard told her, and she did a sidelong glance at him.

  "I have dabbled with magic in the past."

  "Have you now?" He asked, sounding interested.

  "It's nothing much. Just a few healing spells." A wry twist of her lips. "Healing magic always comes in handy on that battlefield."

  "That it does." He agreed.

  "What other spells is enchanted into the orbs?" Lenneth asked again.

  "It's a warding spell. One designed to keep out the undead." explained Lezard.

  Lenneth went wide eyed at that. "I had not realized that you mortals were capable of such a spell."

  "We're not." Lezard said, then quickly explained. "It is a boon granted to us by Queen Hel."

  "Hel?!" Lenneth tried not to growl out her name. The effort made her gasp instead, though she was sure a sneer was in place on her face. Lezard noted her reaction, his own flustered.

  "She protects those who serve her loyally." Now he looked away from her, as though uneasy with the topic. "The entire city of Flenceburg is warded. We are safe so long as we remain inside it's borders. It's those who are foolish enough to venture out that run the risk of being prey."

  "So you lead as sheltered a life as that bird?"

  "Hardly." Lezard snorted. "Unlike that bird, many of us can and will protect ourselves."

  "With magic...."

  He nodded. "We are not the typical warriors you are used to in Asgard. We use mystical energy rather than swords as our weapons."

  "But magic can be draining on one's energies." Lenneth pointed out. "It is better to team up a mage with a warrior. The one protecting the other."

  "I suspect if we had made use of more swordsmen during our war with Asgard, the underworld wouldn't have been as easy to defeat."

  "I suspect you are right." Lenneth agreed, wishing she could force more cold into her tone of voice.

  "You were alive back then, were you not?" Curiosity filled his expression, Lenneth giving a grudging nod. "What would you say was the main reason for Hel's defeat? Did her armies really rely too much on magic to put up a good fight against Odin's warriors?"

  Lenneth could remember there was several things that were the deciding factors in the war. Hel's forces had been superior where their spell casters were concerned, but ultimately the Valkyrie and the einherjar had been stronger when it came to pure physical force. With their own mages casting reflection spells, the warriors were able to cut down many a mage before the men and women could finish focusing their power. She acknowledged that if there had been more warriors on the underworld's side, the soldiers would have been able to defend and fight against the Valkyries.

  But she didn't want to tell Lezard this, not trusting that he would report back her assessments to Hel. For helping the Queen of the underworld improve her army's efficiency was the last thing Lenneth wanted to do! She didn't think it showed on her face, but just the fact that she remain
ed silent was telling enough for Lezard.

  "Ah." He did a slow adjustment of his glasses, looking away from her. "Forgive me. I suppose war is the last thing you want to talk about." What she wanted was to question him, but Lenneth wasn't a fool. She knew Lezard would be suspicious if she started prying so early in their relationship. She would have to cultivate a closer friendship, to lull him into relaxing his guard against her.

  "I'm sure you're hungry." Lezard continued, and stepped away from the window. She turned to track his movements, noting he went over to the table where a covered tray had been set down. He didn't tease or patronize her in the moment, simply uncovering the tray rather than chide her for skipping out on dinner. The food there was warm, the scents growing stronger as she approached the table. "I didn't know what you would like." Added Lezard, as Lenneth curiously looked over the contents of the tray. "So I brought you a little of everything."

  "I see." A pause, and then Lenneth remembered her manners. "Thank you."

  "It's no problem at all." Lezard said, but Lenneth wasn't paying attention to his words. She was looking at the food, trying to ignore the warm feeling that was spreading through her at his thoughtfulness. She told herself it was only a meal, that it didn't mean anything that he had thought to bring it to her. She feared Odin's enchantment would exaggerate every gesture, filling her with pleasured feelings for any scrap of attention Lezard might throw her way.

  There was some kind of broiled meat, the pieces looking juicy and succulent, browned to perfection. There was an array of vegetables around the meat, potatoes and corn, carrots and peas. And some kind of golden colored liquid that just might be cider in a glass. But what stole Lenneth's interest, was the square pieces of brown on a cloth napkin. It was both familiar to her and not, Lenneth knowing it had been ages since she had indulged in such a thing.