by Lizzie Vega
“I would hope so,” Goodmund acknowledged, “it would be hard to keep that kind of thing out of the news.” He took of his glasses and rubbed his eyes. “Anything else of note?”
Iris just slumped back into the sofa and sighed. Goodman’s almost cavalier attitude was beginning to wear on her. “Other than we interrupted a forced wedding to an evil prince who’s now going to come and get her back, no nothing much else.”
Stefan quickly chimed in, “Other than she currently shopping at the mall with Katie and Samantha, that about covers it.”
Goodmund looked at the couple without saying anything. He was processing but he remained calm, “Well, Ok then,” he leaned forward and put his elbows on his knees, bouncing his fingertips together, “Let’s summarize.”
Iris looked tired, “Great. Sure.”
Stefan had also leaned forward in anticipation but now seemed to be studying the magazines on the table in front of him. He seemed distracted.
Goodmund saw what he was doing and cleared his throat, “Again, to summarize,” and he caught Stefan’s eye, “We have a group of students and a professor and a witch that have been brought together for some unknown reason and have ended up summoning a woman from another time, interrupting a marriage ceremony to an evil prince except that now, she’s at the mall with her pals creating havoc in the food court.”
Stefan and Iris both looked at the old man. Had he not been grinning, they would have thought he was angry given his tone.
“You left out one relatively important part of the story, Stefan,”
“Which is what?” Stefan responded with a hint of frustrated sarcasm.
“That Annika is your sister.”
Iris gasped at the disclosure, “How is it possible you know this?” her eyes narrowing at him, but the man seemed pleased with himself, “I didn’t, until just now.” He sensed a growing distrust toward him and sought to dispel it. “I understand how troubling this must be for both of you. Please understand, I am, for the most part, as surprised as you.”
He watched Stefan stand slowly in front of him. “This ends now. No more secrets.”
The old man looked up at Stefan, who now towered over him menacingly. Iris sensed a potential altercation, but it wasn’t Goodmund she was worried about, “Stefan, please stop this. He is not what he…”
Goodmund interjected in a gentle voice, “My young prince, you have nothing to fear from me. Please, I have something to show you.”
The unexpected salutation served to disarm Stefan’s attempt at intimidating the old man and he took a step back, his face a mask of confusion.
Goodmund rose slowly from the sofa, “Come with me. I have something that may answer some of your questions.” He led them toward the next section of the apartment. Past the kitchen and then down a short hallway toward the two paintings that Iris had commented on. The hallway opened into a large bedroom space. Only a large suspended wall panel blocked their view.
As they rounded the panel, Iris caught the sight of a full-length robe suspended as if it was a work of art. The roughly woven garment was plainly made, almost rustic but it also appeared to be very old. The display method made it look like a priceless relic.
Stefan’s eye was caught by the erotic artwork and he didn’t see the robe as he walked into the bedroom. Iris noticed distinctive several pieces in the room. This private space was the only thing that hinted as Goodmund’s heritage. A small carved Viking ship, a couple of large fur throws on the king size bed as well as an ancient map artistically matted and framed on the far exterior wall. Her eye was drawn to a reflection on the wall and she stopped short.
“Stefan, look,” She pointed to a long sword mounted above the bed’s headboard.
He didn’t hear her. Stefan had taken a step back as he stared at the bold images. Perhaps something caught his eye, or he just wanted to get a unique perspective but in backing up, he brushed his hand against the robe. Startled, he recoiled to see what he had touched.
He now stood stock still transfixed by what he saw. He shook his head as if to clear his vision and then began to reach toward the garment. He stopped, then he looked at Goodmund, “Is this..?” he began, “How is this possible?”
Goodmund looked genuinely puzzled and he sat awkwardly on the edge of the elevated bed.
“Stefan, how do you know this?” he exclaimed loud enough to break Stefan’s focus. The young man turned slowly to Goodmund, “It was all I had when I first arrived, when she sent me here.”
Goodmund gasped audibly, “She? Stefan, who do you mean by she?”
Iris answered for him, “The Red Wolf,” she said in a hushed tone. It seemed that Stefan’s earlier description of her had stuck, “She banished him here.”
Goodman sighed deeply, “My god, it seems we are all learning something today.”
Iris stepped to be at Stefan’s side, “I don’t understand, Stef, what’s this robe to you?”
It seemed he had regained his focus. “I have one just like it,” was his hushed response.
Stefan looked at Goodmund as he reached up for the oversized collar of the robe, “May I?” he asked. Goodmund nodded and suddenly smiled as Stefan began to feel around the perimeter of the collar, the old man rose and went to his nightstand and picked up a small jewelry box. “You won’t find it in the robe,” He gently opened the small box, “It’s right here.” He held out the small case so that both Stefan and Iris could see what it held.
The look on Goodmund’s face was almost child-like. It was small glass tube with a small curve to it. Although it wasn’t as polished as the one hidden in Annika’s chain mail, the small bubble tilted back and forth in the tube as Goodmund tilted the box.
Iris recognized it immediately, “This is like Anni’s, well, almost like it.” She looked on as Alec gently closed the case and then held it tightly to his chest. He closed his eyes and said something so softly Iris had to lean in very closely to hear, He repeated it several times…All is possible.
He took a step toward the nightstand to replace the case in the drawer and stumbled. Stefan quickly caught his arm to stabilize him. Goodmund just chuckled weakly as he set the case down and then sat back down on the bed with a heavy sigh.
“I’m sorry, you two, I know this is a lot for you to take in. Even I wasn’t prepared for that little puzzle piece to fall into place,” He put his hand to his temple with a grimace, “It’s really quite exhausting.” He looked up at the young couple. While they both looked concerned for him, Stefan, once again, had his arm protectively around Iris.
“Ah, yes,” the old man remarked as he acknowledged Stefan’s stance toward Iris, “He always did play the role of guardian for those that are important to him.”
That was met with a puzzled look from Iris and she felt Stefan draw her closer to him but not in an alarmed way.
Alec stood up slowly, “May I ask a question, please?”
Both Iris and Stefan answered in unison, “Of course.”
Goodmund looked at them, “It seems we have even more in common than before, so I ask for one more indulgence. Do you trust me?”
To her surprise, Stefan was smiling as he answered for the two of them, “Yes, of course, Alec.”
“Thank you, that means a lot to me” he smiled, “please step back a little, more answers for you Stefan, I promise.”
He raised his hand and quickly traced a complicated hand glyph in the air and then placed a wrinkled hand on top of his bald head, closed his eyes and took a deep breath. A blurring of his face came first, so much so, that Iris blinked and tried to clear her vision, then looked at Stefan only to see him doing the same.
A faint crackling sound could be heard as his hand arched and a small arc of green tinged light began to trace itself around his silhouette. Old wrinkled, age spots on the back of his hand faded quietly and were replaced by softer more youthful tanned skin. The light continued over his wrist and across a now muscular forearm and bicep.
Iris watched in fascina
tion as the once sparsely covered head shifted to long flowing locks of dark hair, accented sharply by touches of grey at his temples. She could feel a static charge glowing off his form, strong enough to pull gently at the loose strands of her hair and make the hair on her arm stand up.
The body transformation continued along his shoulders and chest, the tired slumped shoulders now broad and defined, his bent posture now straight and strong.
Iris gasped as the once elderly man’s image began to be replaced by that of a much younger more physically robust man. The dated ill-fitting clothes replaced with a much simpler black t-shirt and faded jeans. A small leather bracelet, the hint of a tattoo added classic artistic detail to the change. Well-developed thighs and long legs completed the change and an amplified crackle of light wrapped around a pair of black boots before dispersing with a loud snap.
He stood. His eyes remained closed as the conversion ended, the wrinkled visage of the senior citizen had been completely replaced by a man at least thirty years younger.
Stefan just began shaking his head. A grin spread across his face and he began to chuckle, “Always playing tricks.” He reached up and grasped Iris by the shoulders, “Sweetheart, we’ve just been schooled,” he began to laugh heartily, “All is possible,” he continued, “I didn’t catch it at first.”
Stefan reached his hand out, “Alec?” he said quietly. The man reached his hand out as if to stop Stefan from speaking, traced a second hand glyph and took a deep breath and opened his eyes and smiled. All had changed except for his twinkling blue eyes. He then reached out his hand to Stefan.
The young man stepped forward and clasped Goodmund’s forearm with his hand, Goodmund did the same. For a moment, they just stood with broad smiles on their faces. The once short old man now stood almost eye to eye with the younger one.
“Welcome back, Alec,” Stefan exclaimed, his eyes filling with tears, “I thought I had lost you forever.”
Goodmund smiled and looked at Iris. Throughout the transformation she had remained silent. Even as Stefan left her side to embrace Alec, she stood speechless, perhaps a bit star struck.
“I, uh, I’ve only heard stories,” she stammered, “Rumors really, of this happening. That was, um,” she put her fingers to her chest, she was almost breathless, searching for the correct word, “the sexiest thing I have ever seen,” causing Stefan to laugh out loud.
“Well now,” Alec grinned broadly, “I’ve never heard it described that way before,” and he took a step toward Iris.
“So, young sorceress, I apologize for the ruse at our earlier meeting. Your arrival into Michael’s world was very unexpected. I didn’t know if I could trust you.” He reached out his arm to touch her, but suddenly winced, “Hold on, damn, being old is challenging work.” He flexed his head to the side releasing a cascade of pops from the tight vertebra in his neck, “That’s better.”
Iris visibly shivered as he grasped her hand gently.
Stefan snickered, “You’re like a movie star to her now, I’ll have to keep on my toes around you.”
That earned a dark look from Iris, “Hey now,” she barked and then her tone softened, “Don’t worry Stef, I know where my heart belongs,” her mouth dropped open as she said it, “Dammit, what is it about you two? Now I don’t have any filters.” She just rolled her eyes and shook her head in embarrassment.
A second chirp from her phone, interrupted her awkwardness, “Really?” she chuckled as she read the text, “it’s from Katie again, apparently Annika made quite a scene at Victoria’s Secret,” Iris raised an eyebrow and winced slightly, only to hear the phone chirp one more time. “I’m afraid to look,” she joked, “from Sam this time, “Is she always this forward?”
That made Stefan laugh, “Even when she was little, she would hold nothing back.”
Alec smiled, “Ha, I remember that. My god, how old is she now?”
“She just turned twenty-three,” Stefan looked a little sad and shrugged his shoulders, “I missed almost all of her teenage years. I can only imagine.”
“No doubt, my friend,” Goodmund counseled, “you’ll have plenty of time to get reacquainted with her.”
Iris put her phone back in her pocket and pointed to the sword above the headboard, “Alec, is this yours?” she asked and took a step to get a closer look.
“Not exactly, it’s a replica,” he said with a wink, “from long ago. I had it made a few years ago as close to the original as I could remember.”
Iris looked at Alec blankly, “I think the original almost took Parker’s head the other night. Look, Stef, it’s the same sword or damn close.”
Alec put his hands on his hips and looked up toward the ceiling, he was processing something and let a long blowing breath, “Stefan, look closely, is it the same from what you have seen?”
Stefan nodded, “It’s very close to the same except for one major difference, the jewel in the pommel,” he held up his hand with the tip of his forefinger touching his thumb, “it’s a really large ruby.”
“Herregud.” Alec said quietly and shook his head, “Come with me,” he said, directing them back into the living room, “There’s work to be done.” He quickly walked back out toward the seating area leaving them standing alone in the bedroom.
“Stef?” Iris looked worried, “Did things just get a little worse?” He took her hand, “Don’t worry. Alec was one of my family’s most trusted advisors until he, well, we’ll talk about that later. You’ve seen his power.” Stefan gave her hand a squeeze and pulled her toward the living room, “Seriously, Love, between the two of you, we have nothing to worry about.”
She came along with him but stopped again at the paintings and pulled him back to her. “Subject change, is this not the most erotic thing you’ve ever seen?” She grinned slyly. He reached back and discreetly squeezed her butt, “Not exactly,” then gave her a frisky swat. She just pushed him toward the sofas, “Go, I’ll be there in a sec,” she felt strangely drawn to the handsome couple in the rendering. The woman was beautiful. Long cascades of hair trailed along her shoulders and down her arm. She held the mans’ face in her hands as she straddled him.
What the light of the artwork revealed was beautiful and tender but what was hidden by shadow spoke to a deep level of almost animalistic pleasure. Their shared gaze was electrifying. Iris took a step toward the sofas, but she lingered a moment longer.
When she joined the two men in the living room, Stefan shot her a teasing look. Alec was more direct, “Distracting, isn’t it?” he said as he twisted the cap off the top of a beer, “Every time I look at it, I see something different. Sometimes, subtle, other times not so much.” He raised his beer to her, “I’m glad it speaks to you.”
She just smiled and sat down next to Stefan and leaned into him briefly with a smile.
Goodmund waited patiently until they had settled. Iris spoke first, “Ok, Alec, what is happening?”
He scratched his head for a moment, “Honestly, Iris, I’m not entirely sure. Since we have been talking, even more puzzles have come up. It’s really hard to see the whole picture,” he shrugged, “I see that’s not making you feel any better, but some of this seems to be directed from another realm and I have no idea why, or at least,” he added, “not, at the moment.”
“But,” he said forcefully, “here is what I do know.” He took a long sip of his beer, “I think it’s safe to say that our evil prince, as you called him, is going to come for Annika. We have to be ready for him.”
“I’m ready,” said Stefan defiantly, “I want him to come. He owes me.” His tone was deadly serious. Iris just stared at him blankly and she turned to look at Alec, “No, please.” Her eyes pleading with him. She shook her head and looked away from them.
“It’s alright, Iris,” he said to her, but cut a terse look to Stefan, “We’ll handle him. He’s a genuine problem, but don’t worry, your young prince is a powerful warrior.”
She shook her head, “No.” She wanted no part of a
ny platitudes. She turned and brushed her hand across Stefan’s back, “I’ve seen Amund’s work, he’s more than a genuine problem.”
There was subtle shift in the air around her and her eyes smoldered suddenly, her tattoo twisted in a shared spasm, but she quickly tried to settle herself.
“Impressive, Iris.” He looked at Stefan, “You make quite the couple.” Then he focused back on Iris, “You’re going to learn so much.”
“Dammit,” she spat out, “don’t patronize me, Alec. This is nuts. It started out helping a bunch of kids with a goofy little project and now we are fighting ancient Vikings? What could possibly go wrong? After Amund, then it will be the Red Wolf. Please tell me how we are not fucked?”
Alec just sat there smiling with his arms crossed in front of his broad chest, “She’s a keeper, my boy. She’d make a very alluring queen for you.” He began to laugh heartily, his deep and strong voice resonating in Iris’ chest. A thought crossed Iris’s mind and her expression turned cold.
She crossed her arms over her chest and sunk back into the sofa.
Stefan sighed heavily, “Maybe we should call it a day, Alec. There is a lot to think about here.”
“Agreed.” he said, “Maybe a bit too much for one day. Let’s get together tomorrow, I’d like to see Annika. I’d like to get a look at that sword as well.” He stood up and Stefan joined him. After a second, Iris stood as well, her eyes locked on Goodmund.
“I’m sorry, Alec,” she said quietly, “I didn’t mean to spout off like that, I know better.” Her voice had still had an edge to it.
“Yes, Iris, I know you do, I wasn’t just saying things to make you feel better. If I am correct on a couple of theories, you will learn things beyond your wildest dreams.”
Her eyes narrowed, “I know,” she answered, “You said that to Michael,” she paused, “he is still waiting.” She spun on her heel, walked across the foyer and went out the door without another word.
“I’m sorry too,” Stefan began, “she’s just…” Goodmund smiled softly, “No, Stefan, I understand completely. Until a few days ago, her life was completely on track. I can almost see her independent streak. It’s a struggle for her not to be in control.”