by Audra Hart
“I know that dammit. I just feel helpless.” Morna rubs her face in frustration. “Forgive my attitude Gullveig,” Morna entreats earnestly. “I did not truly intend to attack you.”
Gullveig comes to Morna and kneels before her. She takes Morna’s hand in her own. “Morna, I am a mother too. I understand completely. My love for my daughter allowed me to turn a blind eye to her reckless ways for many, many years. In some ways, this is probably my fault. Your anger is justified, if somewhat misdirected,” Gullveig quietly assures Morna.
Morna reaches out and strokes Gullveig’s face. Her remorse for her daughter’s actions is genuine. Morna knows this Vanir desperately wants to make it right. “I don’t blame you, Gullveig. Honestly, I don’t.”
Gullveig kisses Morna’s hand and returns to her seat. “Heimdall, please explain for me. I am feeling too ashamed to do it myself.”
Heimdall takes a deep breath and then clears his throat. He is watching Luca warily. “Valgullveig cursed Aideen with a love curse. She has been cursed to love someone romantically that is incapable of loving her back in that way.” Morna gasps, and covers her mouth with her hand. Heimdall looks at her sympathetically and continues. “We have broken the curse, but the shame lingers. It has caused her to behave in ways she detests herself for. It may take a while for her to heal enough to be able to face the people she knows and loves. She could emerge from her stasis at any time, but she refuses. She’s hiding… from her shame.”
A tense silence descends on the room as Morna and Luca digest this information. Luca tries to clear his throat, emotion is making it difficult to speak. Finally he says; “You mean me, don’t you? That bitch cursed my daughter to fall in love with her own Daddy?” He chokes out painfully.
Heimdall sadly nods. “Yes, Lucian. I am sorry, but that is exactly what happened to Aideen.”
Luca growls and stands up taking an aggressive pose. It is plain to everyone in the room that he is losing control. He snarls and bares his teeth, looking every bit the part of a vicious, blood-thirsty vampire. Morna rises instantly and stands before her mate. He initially snarls at her. And then she speaks his name so quietly the others can barely hear it. “Luca! I feel the exact same way, my love. I want to murder her too. But it won’t help our daughter that we feel that way. Lucian, you know I am right, my darling.” She puts her hand gently on his face. He softens instantly at her touch. “I know you want to commit murder right now. But that’s not who you are. And it wouldn‘t do one damn bit of good for our daughter.”
Luca is again under control when he takes his wife into his arms and kisses her gently. “Forgive me, cor meum, but I should have seen it. She has been acting so strangely for years now. I just put it down to immaturity and not having her parents around when she was younger. I made so many excuses for her.”
Morna puts her fingers over his lips to stop him from saying anymore. “Nonsense! There is no way any of this is your fault. Listen baby, go hunt. Let loose some of this aggression you are feeling. Get some sustenance it will help you reason through this impossible situation, my love. Go and hurry back. I need your wisdom and calm, clear mind, now more than ever.” Morna kisses him gently and he pulls her to him and presses his forehead against hers for a long moment.
“Morna, I am truly sorry,” he whispers so quietly no one but her can hear him.
“You have done nothing to be sorry about! Go!” she assures him in an equally quiet voice. Luca kisses her again softly, and then leaves so fast no one in the room can see him go, but they feel the air stir in his wake.
Morna turns to Heimdall, “Summon every living soul out of that park, immediately!” She orders in a calm, authoritative voice.
“I already have, Morna. There are only animals left. Luca won’t do anything he will regret. I promise you. Do you want me to send Damian after him?” Heimdall asks doubtfully.
“No, no, in fact make sure he doesn’t go to check on him. In this frame of mind he might turn on anyone but me. I would go, but it might offend him. He needs time alone,” Morna speaks quietly.
Morna sits down leadenly. And lets out a long breath. The group sits quietly for many minutes. Then Morna looks up as Ingrid comes in with another icy Coke for her. Morna accepts it gratefully, “Thank you Ingrid.” The serving girl smiles sweetly and quietly leaves the room.
“What the hell was that?” demands Agnar. “I have dealt with vampires before, but your mate is no ordinary vampire.”
“That is the powerful creature that results when a demigod is turned into a vampire,” Morna quietly informs Agnar. “Bellona is his mother.”
“You are married to the grandson of Mars? By Thor’s hammer! No wonder he can handle you woman!” Agnar says admiringly. And then he laughs uproariously at himself. “And I am fool enough to be in love with his daughter!”
“Luca isn’t the one you should be afraid of if you ever hurt Aideen. He’s too honorable to do to you what I would. Luca would only kill you if hurt our daughter. I would do far worse. Do you understand me Agnar?” Morna asks softly.
“I understand Morna, I have fought enough battles with you. I know how dangerous you are,” Agnar concedes with a smirk. “How the hell did you control him earlier? I have never seen anything like that. Have you bewitched him?”
“No one controls Lucian Michaels! He controlled himself, I simply reminded him of who he is, that’s all.” Morna quietly informs Agnar. The group falls silent again, waiting for Luca’s return.
After about twenty minutes of silence, Gullveig speaks quietly, forcefully, “My daughter is not only evil, but a damn fool to boot!”
“Yes Gullveig, I am sorry, but you are absolutely right. She hurt my Luca with this nonsense. She will pay for that!” Morna vows, the steel of her conviction plain in her voice.
“Morna?” A soft, familiar voice calls from the doorway. Morna turns to look and a huge smile lights her face. “Rinda!” She rushes to meet her lifelong friend. Rinda kisses Morna gently on the lips and then hugs her fiercely. The pair of old friends hold each other for a long while. Morna is crying softly and Rinda is comforting her. Morna finally starts to get some control when Rinda asks, “How is our girl?”
“She’s out of danger physically, but in bad shape mentally,” hiccups Morna as her tears subside. “She’s refusing to emerge from stasis.”
“I figured that when Valliant came back and said I was needed. Tell me what’s happened.” Rinda leads Morna to the couch, she is holding her hands and gently strokes her face. “Tell me love, what does our girl need?”
“She will need your help healing herself from the effects of a curse and that a Vanir witch put on her.” Says Luca calmly from the doorway. Morna smiles hugely at the sight of her husband. His hair is wet, he smells like soap, and he’s wearing fresh clothes. Morna wonders where he got the jeans, tee shirt and motorcycle boots. Damn, he looks good like that! FOCUS, Morna!
Rinda rushes to Luca and hugs him and kisses him gently on the lips. She strokes his cheek affectionately. “You okay brother?”
“I am under control now. Thanks to my Morna. She sent me out to hunt.” Luca turns to Heimdall. “I am sorry friend, but I abused your hospitality. I hunted three wild boars, a stag and two does before I had myself calmed enough to come back. I am afraid I was very savage about it too and made quite a mess in your park. I hope you can forgive me. I have only lost control like that twice in my life; when Morna died the first time and when I tracked down the four vampires that raped and murdered her during one of her incarnations.”
“I know that Luca. You have nothing to apologize for. I saw you after those other two events. I knew what was coming when you went out into my park. I had already summoned all sentient beings out of there before you left this room.” Heimdall quietly reassures Luca. “No worries, brother. None at all.”
Rinda leads Luca back to the sofa to sit by his wife. Morna takes his hand and smiles at him lovingly.
“I don’t get it,” says Agnar, looking b
efuddled. “How did four vampires get the drop on Morna?”
Luca looks at Agnar and growls, “She was a twelve year old mortal at the time, and there were actually six of them and that damned witch Kyera. Morna killed two of them before they overtook her.”
Agnar looks at Morna thoughtfully, looking very saddened. “I am sorry Mo-Mo. I shouldn’t have stuck my nose in where it doesn’t belong.”
Morna chuckles and says, “I can forgive that, but don’t call me Mo-Mo again, you twerp. You know I hate it.” Everyone laughs at that.
“Okay, obviously this is a very painful matter to discuss, but if I am to help Aideen, I need to know the nature of that curse.” Rinda insists quietly.
Heimdall speaks up softly, “Rinda, first let’s get the introductions out of the way. You didn’t even greet me, little one.”
Rinda hops up quickly and goes to Heimdall. He scoops the tiny Spell Weaver up with obvious familiarity. Rinda kisses Heimdall’s lips gently and caresses his beautiful ebony face with obvious delight. “I am sorry, love, I was worried about Morna.” Heimdall kisses her soundly. It is obvious to all that they have been lovers at some point. She purrs softly and strokes his face again and whispers, “I think I may have missed you.” He chuckles and then turns his attention to Gullveig and Agnar.
“Little one, allow me to introduce a dear friend. This is Gullveig, Vanir ‘goddess’ and witch.” Rinda smiles and nods politely at the Vanir as Heimdall continues. “She is the most wise, powerful and honorable of the Vanirs.”
Heimdall smiles proudly and continues; “This is Rinda Fine, Spell Weaver of the Second Order of Airendell, Healer of the First Order of Airendell and Warrior of the Third Order of Airendell.” Heimdall makes the introductions.
Then Heimdall turns to Agnar, “Rinda, I believe you know Agnar.”
Rinda reaches out to shake his hand, and asks sweetly, “Sure I do. You still going around burying your face between the legs of sixteen year old girls?”
Agnar laughs and says, “Not lately. I am a reformed reprobate.”
Rinda snorts in derision. Heimdall says, “He’s in love with Aideen. Has been for nearly a hundred years.”
“No joke? So you actually love her? You weren’t just screwing around with her because she was Morna‘s kid?” Rinda looks at Agnar with a fresh eye. “Well, hell’s bells, will wonders never cease?”
Morna and Luca laugh at Agnar’s discomfort and Rinda’s surprise. Rinda comes back to sit by Morna, and Morna takes her hand and asks quietly, “So you obviously knew about Aideen and Agnar?”
“Yes I knew. Apparently it was big secret affair. Then all the sudden she ended the relationship. She wouldn’t never talk about why. In fact, she completely withdrew from me about that time. It was about twelve years ago. About the time Luca found the gate you emerged from in Georgia. Remember Luca, you tracked me down because Aideen had started acting all weird and threw that big hissy fit because you were on Morna’s scent again.”
“Yes, I recall Rinda. But why didn’t you ever tell me she had been involved with this Norseman?” Luca asks quietly.
“Because she made me promise not to.” Rinda admits. “Luca, your baby girl is a grown woman. She’s almost six hundred years old. If she wants to keep an affair secret from her Daddy, who am I to argue?”
Morna drops Rinda’s hand and turns to Luca, “Darling, our poor baby has really been through it.” Luca nods his agreement. “But what does Rinda mean by a hissy fit?”
“Well you know how she possessively hangs on me at times? Well she behaved very inappropriately one time and I chastised her for it. She went berserk and started cursing you and telling me I was fool if I tracked you down again, that you would only hurt me, and on and on. It was horrible. She stormed out and I didn’t see her again for over three years. She has acted differently with me ever since. I just assumed she was embarrassed by her behavior. But now I see something else entirely was going on.”
“So would someone mind telling me what the hell happened to Aideen?” demands Rinda impatiently.
Heimdall speaks up quietly. “Valgullveig, Gullveig’s daughter cursed Aideen to fall in love with someone that could never return her love in the same way.”
“Oh sweet Jesus!” Rinda gasps and crosses herself as she immediately understands who Heimdall means. She pats Luca’s knee and smiles sadly at him. And then she looks at Gullveig and says sadly, “Sounds like your daughter is one sick piece of work. You have my sympathies Ma‘am. It‘s obvious you would never condone such a thing.” Gullveig nods her appreciation at Rinda for her understanding.
Rinda turns back to Morna, taking her into her arms and hugging her fiercely. “Love, no wonder Aideen tried to kill you.”
“Wait a minute! What do you mean? I don’t understand what you people are talking about,” says Agnar in utter frustration. “What‘s this foolishness about Aideen trying to kill Morna? She is the most tenderhearted, loving woman I have ever met. Yeah, I admit she had some issues with Morna, but I can’t believe she would try to kill her own mother. Morna, she loves you. She really does.” Insists Agnar earnestly. “You can’t believe she would ever do anything to hurt you.”
“She did Agnar. She beat me into unconsciousness with a stave with a steel hook on the end. She would have probably beaten me to death if not for Damian. But it was because of the curse I am positive of that.” Morna admits quietly.
“Aideen did a lot more than knock her unconscious. She cracked her skull, and broke numerous bones. She was truly trying to kill her Aggie.” Rinda says venomously.
Morna chokes at Rinda’s words but continues speaking to Agnar, “But it wasn’t her fault, I could have outrun her or put her in binding spell. I just let her do what she wanted. I am deeply ashamed of myself over that.”
“Why Morna?” asks Agnar quietly.
“I guess because I feel so guilty about not being around to be a mother to her, and for all the pain I have caused Luca over the years. There’s no excuse. It was totally inexcusable. I don’t know what to say.” Morna sobs and flies out of the room.
“Dammit man, leave her alone,” Luca seethes as he follows her out of the room.
“I want to know why she feels ashamed about not raising a hand against her own daughter,” Agnar says softly. “I know Morna, she loves Aideen with all her heart, but she hates herself for not being around to be what she calls a ‘real’ mother.” Agnar looks at the persons remaining in the room, “That’s all I meant, I didn’t mean to hurt Morna.”
Gullveig clears her throat and says, “Morna was cursed too. I have removed the curse, but she still has to live the consequences of her actions. Just as Aideen will.” She looks at Agnar and Rinda, wondering if they will actually be able to work together to help Morna’s daughter.
“Aideen’s problem is that she doesn’t want to face what she has done. Morna willingly faces it. But the curse is indeed the reason she let Aideen nearly kill her. And make no mistake about it, if that young vampire Damian hadn’t got there when he did, Morna would be dead. And if Morna had not been changed by Luca’s venom, she would have died anyway. I have gone through Aideen’s memories with her. She was determined to kill her mother and had woven what the Spell Weavers call an iron-lion spell, her magic is quite strong and it made her very powerful. Damian made her treat her injuries, so I know how severe they were. I am amazed that Morna is perfectly healthy now, and still carries the baby.”
Rinda and Agnar ask in unison, “Morna’s pregnant?”
“But how, I thought Morna had a hysterectomy in this incarnation?”
“The venom!” Heimdall says gleefully. “It has restored her body to a former state, well actually better than before. But she now has a functioning uterus and ovaries. She and Luca conceived their son in Chicago.”
Morna and Luca return quietly. Morna apologizes, “Sorry, I don’t know why I reacted that way.”
“Pregnancy hormones, I would wager.” Laughs Rinda. “Congratulations my love!�
�� Rinda plants a gentle kiss on Morna’s lips and smiles into her face with genuine happiness radiating from her. “And a boy too! I bet he will be as gorgeous as his daddy.” Rinda hugs Morna and leads her back to sit with her on the sofa.
Rinda familiarly caresses Morna’s belly as she talks with the group. “So what‘s the plan? How can I help our little girl, Aideen?” She looks at Agnar, “Sorry brother, but I still think of her as our little girl. We all took it upon ourselves to help raise her after Morna died that first time and that bitch Magdrid trapped Luca in an exile spell.”
“No problem Ms. Fine. I get it.” Agnar says stiffly.
“You don’t have to call me Ms. Fine. We have known each other for ages, you can call me Sweet Rinda, just like you used to.” She says with a wink. Morna suppresses a laugh and wonders how many times Rinda had let Agnar plant his face between her legs. Rinda guesses what Morna is thinking and holds up three fingers. Morna chuckles, and pats Rinda’s knee affectionately.
Heimdall and Luca are both amused by the side play between Morna and Rinda. Agnar and Gullveig think Luca is either in the dark, or a very confident man not to be threatened by the obvious intimacy between these two women. Gullveig is confident it is the latter and not the former.
Gullveig says, “The plan, as you called it, darling girl, is for you and Agnar to help Aideen deal with what she has done, for Morna to prepare for ascension. I will help Micah and Mordir look after the babies and their mothers…”
“Babies? Who else is pregnant?” Rinda asks.
“Breena and Damian are well on their way to becoming lifelong mates,” snickers Heimdall happily.
Rinda nods and says, “Yeah, like we couldn’t see that coming from a mile away. They have been mooning over each other ever since they met.” Rinda looks at Morna and says; “You know she’s been dreaming of Damian for centuries, don’t you?” She laughs happily, not waiting for Morna’s response and hugs herself. “Two babies! Wow! That’s wonderful!”