Alcaia stood up and then reached down to embrace the Amazon child to her hip.
“Remember this day, little one! And when you are older, tell all you know of the time that Nameless the Valkyrja and his companions brought the shield of Volka back into the world!”
The girl nodded earnestly.
“But come! I think that he is thoroughly bathed, Escrya! And I think it would be best to get the temptation of his touch away from you!”
The Amazons all laughed, while to his surprise Escrya blushed crimson at her mother’s words. Her and the other two girls led him out of the water and patted him dry with towels.
Thoroughly relaxed now, they soon feasted with the Saenga tribe once more.
The food provided was… excessive.
Their first meal with the Saenga had been more than generous and they had all eaten their fill, but now it was as if they were having two feasts at the same time, though thankfully no mention was made of the ambrosia draught.
“You journey to Garland?” Alcaia inquired of Miranda.
“Yeah, there was a major weapons cache under the sand and we need to contain it before it falls into the wrong hands. That and I think maybe I should tell my superiors that we found a flippin’ Valkyrie.”
Alcaia chuckled.
“Indeed you should. If you do not object I would like to send some of my warriors with you, at least until you reach the edge of the wilds, though many will want to go beyond, if you will allow it.”
Miranda shrugged.
“Yeah, I figured you would. Just try to leave somebody behind to mind the children.”
There was a chorus of laughter from those in earshot.
Myrina stood and turned to Alcaia.
“I will lead them Warleader, in penance for my foolish words against him, and to ensure that our people do not cause them over-much grief when entering the world of men.”
Alcaia nodded, trusting in the experienced Amazon’s judgement.
“Mother, I will go with them as well, if you will permit it.” Escrya spoke.
Her mother frowned, considering her daughter for a beat, before finally nodding. Her eyes shifted to Nameless; he wore an indulgent smile on his face as one of the younglings was playing with Milly’s braid around his neck.
“He has more wives than I have ever heard of, and rightly so! Just… don’t get your heart broken, daughter.”
The teller nodded seriously.
“I go to learn what I can of their journey, so that one day I may pass it on to the children who come after. My stone is bright, and I will keep it close. Unless he asks, I will not offer myself to him again.”
The serious conversation was cut short by a squealing giggle as Nameless abruptly tickled the adolescent Amazon in front of him.
“Truly a day of joy.” Alcaia murmured.
As the light faded the younger children were taken to bed, the excitement of the day enough to tire even them. The older children were allowed to stay up as their elders ate and made merry around the fire. But soon enough eyes began drooping, Erica already slept, her head purring in his lap as he absently stroked her ears.
“What happens now?” He asked Alcaia.
Despite the late hour and the long day, he found that he wasn’t tired at all as he nursed a mug of tart fruit juice.
The older Amazon gave him a warm smile, her own bond-mate cuddled to her side and snoring softly. Nameless never did catch her name…
“Now you rest, beloved Valkyrja. You and yours are free to remain here for as long as you desire.”
“Er… no thanks. Not that your home isn’t lovely! It’s just…”
“Home is elsewhere, we understand. But home is far away, and you are all weary, I can see it. Your quest is complete, so rest amongst us or as long as you need.”
He turned to Miranda, only to discover that she was asleep as well, her head in Jan’s lap.
“I’m not, geeze, I’m not keeping everyone up am I?”
Myrina smiled from her place to Alcaia’s left.
“I doubt many of us will sleep this night.” She said wryly.
She and another Amazon were exchanging heated looks through the fire.
“Still, maybe I should turn in. This one, at least, needs her beauty sleep.”
He scratched Erica’s ear for emphasis.
“Yeah, because she is so ugly.” Nina nodded.
Nameless opened his mouth to object, but realized that he had phrased that poorly.
“I’ll take her Master.” Milly knelt beside him and pulled Erica into her arms.
The kitty gave a quiet meow but soon was purring softly into Milly’s cleavage. Many eyes were on them as they retired for the evening, and it was readily apparent that Alcaia had ordered guards posted at the entrance to their hut.
With the last of the Valkyrie inside, the Amazons were taking no chances.
As they settled inside, the sound of the Amazons still reveling around the fire and in their own huts was not enough to keep them from drifting off to sleep.
Chapter 21:
Legacy
They took Alcaia up on her offer and spent two more days with the hospitable Saenga, but the urgency of the arsenal under the sand had Miranda insisting they depart on the third morning.
Alcaia addressed them, while the entire village gathered to see them and the Amazons who would accompany them off.
“I bid you farewell dear friends. Myrina and her warriors will keep you safe, as will my daughter. She was right, I think, about one thing. The title of Valkyrja is not quite enough for you anymore, and so I have conferred with the other elders and we have a new name for you. You are our Valkyrja-datta, blessed and beloved!”
The Amazons surrounding them bowed their heads to him.
“Um, and what does that mean?”
Alcaia considered him for a moment.
“It means that we love you.” She said simply.
Once again the humble orphan found himself overwhelmed by the regard that the Amazons had for him and as he looked around, he realized that Alcaia wasn’t exaggerating.
Every Amazon in sight wore a warm smile for him, and every unbonded girl was blushing slightly and holding out their heartstone for him, their meaning clear, though fortunately it seemed he wouldn’t need to respond to the multitudinous offers.
Alcaia pulled him into a motherly hug, both arms wrapping over his shoulders and holding him close to her breasts.
“I meant what I said about wedding an Amazon, and I humbly ask that you consider my Escrya to wife. She is young, and in many ways she is reckless, but she is warm.” She murmured in his hair before leaning back and planting a kiss on his forehead; “But know that whatever you decide, the women of the Saenga will always love you.”
“Th-thank you.”
With their farewells said and accompanied now by several dozen eager Amazon warriors they set out into the forest.
It quickly became apparent that their guides knew the land far better than Nameless and the others as they traveled towards Bramblewood; they avoided dead ends and natural obstructions with ease and made excellent time back to civilization.
Though one thing they hadn’t counted on was the Amazon’s desire to make their trip as comfortable and easy as possible. When they had journeyed with Yana and her girls they had seen to their own meals and worked with them to set up their camps in the afternoons.
But the Saenga would have none of it, and on their first night three Amazons all but tackled Ophelia when she tried to start a fire, the Flutterby intending on preparing them dinner.
“You need not worry about such things! You are still our guests! Rest your beautiful wings and let us prepare something for you.”
Ophelia was more than a little put out.
“But… I like to cook!” She objected.
The three girls didn’t seem to hear her and set about rapidly preparing them dinner. At last she sighed and let it go.
Surprisingly Miranda took it all i
n stride, the independent woman never voicing any objections to the Amazons waiting on them hand and foot.
When Nameless drew her aside and asked about it she shook her head.
“Kid, I don’t think you yet fully appreciate what this all means. I have heard the telling of the fall of the Valkyrie more times than I can count from the Amazons while working with the Aegis, and that was before bonding with Kala! Their entire society has been in mourning for a thousand years. Look at how happy they are! They would gladly carry us on their backs for the rest of the journey if you suggested it.”
Nameless gave a weak laugh, nodding at Jezebel, who was currently clinging to one of the Amazons’ backs.
The frog noticed his attention and quirked her head.
“What?” She asked innocently.
Miranda chuckled with him.
“Well, carry the rest of us anyways.”
But her smile soon faded and her look turned serious.
“When we get out of the wilds, you need to be careful.”
“Why?”
“Because whether you like it or not, you have tremendous power now. And when word gets out, the movers and the shakers of the city-states will either want to befriend you to use that power, or they will consider you a threat, though I don’t think any of them would be stupid enough to try anything. The idea of every Amazon in the world descending on them should dissuade them from that!”
“Indeed!” Kala declared fiercely; “My people would leap at the chance to trample your enemies underfoot and grind them into dust!”
“But! I’m just… me! Sure I’m an Empath, and yeah I found Volka, but you all helped! In fact, you did way more than I did! I shouldn’t get all of the credit! This is getting a bit silly isn’t it?”
Miranda nodded.
“Maybe, but it is what it is. We’ll talk to the council, and to Sadie, they’ll no doubt have advice for you. But they’ll want to use you as well, albeit with the best intentions. For now though, let’s just allow these girls to take care of us, it costs us nothing and they very much want to do it.”
He sighed before nodding his agreement.
She wasn’t finished though.
“One other thing, heartstones are still a commodity, as unusual as that may seem to you since everyone seems to just want to throw theirs at you. They’re worth money, though by Aegis law the girl has to approve the sale. So don’t doubt for a second that those heartstones were offered in jest! I think you could easily gather up a vast fortune if you wanted to just start playing matchmaker for the Amazons.”
But Nameless was shaking his head.
“I don’t want that! I don’t want to be rich! I just want to go back to our cottage and live in peace!”
Her smile turned a bit sad.
“Kid, in a very short time, you will be as well known as the Aegis herself. I’m sorry, but we won’t be able to keep this under wraps like we could the whole Empath thing. The Amazons need- no, they deserve to know about Volka. Word will spread, hell I imagine Alcaia is already sending out messengers to the other tribes!”
Nameless felt his stomach drop a bit, the image of a horde of Amazons descending on his home just to thank him was a little overwhelming and he was starting to feel queasy at the thought of drowning in a sea of heartstones.
Later that evening, while the Amazons talked around their fires he all but fled to their tent, the weight of everything crushing him.
I’m just a dumb orphan! I’m not special, not really…
Milly found him lying on his back on his bedroll, desperately trying to reconcile himself to his new reality. She didn’t say anything, just lay down next to him and pulled him over and into her arms.
They lay like that for some time, until finally she spoke into the air of the tent.
“Better?”
He was laying mostly on top of her now, his head nestled against her warm breasts while she ran her fingers through his hair. He pressed his face deep into her flesh, his cheek smooshing against her and forcing his lips to purse as he responded.
“Not really. I’m sorry baby, but I’m kind of losing it over here.”
His voice was shaking.
She mooed softly and ran her tongue through his hair slowly, hugging him even closer.
“Why?”
He sat up, meeting her eyes with an aghast expression.
“Why?! They’re treating me like some kind of… of hero or something!”
She smiled at him, her warm blue eyes asking nothing of him.
“Silly Master, you were a hero long before we got to this point. Or have you forgotten?”
She bit her lip as she pressed her thumb against the scar on his chin.
“But-!” He tried, but she shifted her fingers over his lips and shushed him.
“You are my hero, and Erica’s, and Ophelia’s-” She pulled him back down to lie against her; “And Nina’s and Volka’s. Is it so bad to be a hero to the Amazons as well?”
As he considered her words he saw Ophelia settle against Milly’s side, then Erica and Nina settle opposite her, their eyes all tracking his.
“But I don’t know how I’m supposed to act around them…” He sighed.
“You aren’t supposed to act at all dearheart. They love you because of what you did, and because of who you are. Just keep being you. Be the man who we all fell in love with.”
Sounder advice I could not have given myself.
Volka’s voice echoed in his head and by the startled looks on the faces of all of the girls, in their heads as well.
They leapt up and surrounded the shield at the foot of the bedroll, Nameless picking it up once again.
“Volka! You’re awake?”
Truly Husband, I was not asleep, exactly. I was… dormant, but aware. I have gleaned a great deal since you brought me out of the darkness. And I am much aggrieved by the pain that the loss of my sisters has caused to our friends, the Amazons.
“So are you… all better now?” Erica looked around, unsure where to direct her voice.
In a manner of speaking, sweet Erica. My power is not limitless and recent events have caused me to exhaust much of it. But now that I am with our husband his strength flows into me through our bond and is gradually restoring me.
Nameless lifted the sparkling shield, his eyes locked on the heartstone at its center.
“But how? How was any of this possible? How were we able to form the bond from so far away? And why-”
Nina cuffed the back of his head lightly, dazing him.
“How about letting her answer one?”
There is much to speak of, but one thing I must know myself. Does the Aegis still stand?
Ophelia spoke first.
“Of course! For a thousand years now!”
Volka gave a mental sigh of relief that they all felt.
That is heartening to hear. And peace, truly, is there peace?
“Yeah, I mean, there are still some shitty people out there that cause trouble, but no like, big wars or anything.” Erica answered.
Bittersweet happiness flooded Nameless’s breast before Volka’s voice sounded in their minds again.
Then my sisters did not die in vain.
None of them knew exactly what to say to that.
“Volka, are you, are you going to be okay?” He offered.
I am. My sisters of old are gone, but I have new sisters now. And though I have met you all in our husband’s thoughts and in our journey together, I still would like to get to know you better.
“That goes for us as well dearheart.” Ophelia smiled; “But I think we all would still like to know the answers to our master’s questions.”
Indeed, well then allow me to explain. I believe that the Amazon- Escrya?- told you that we Valkyrie are spirit as well as flesh. Well, my spirit sought yours out when you were trying to save Nina, as your sacrifice that day was a veritable beacon for my soul. And when I found you in her mind, you were so desperate and so selfless that I could not
help but love you. It is not physical contact that is required for the bond to form, but spiritual. It is just that to most creatures their physical and spiritual selves are one and the same.
“But not for Empaths and Valkyrie?”
You speak truth, gentle Milly. I could never have struck a bond with an ordinary human across such a vast distance, which would be why I have spent the last thousand years alone.
“That sounds… just awful!” Nameless shuddered at the idea of being trapped in the dark for so long.
Perhaps. But I endured because I must, and now here we are! I told you it was good to be held again, but that was an understatement. You holding me in your arms like this is… the most joyous experience of my long life.
Her mental voice was thick with emotion and Nameless felt himself tearing up at the palpable sense of elation that came from her heart at her words.
“Yeah, I get that.” Nina nodded.
“Okay, but how did you end up in that vault thingy?” Milly inquired.
Volka sighed mentally.
A question I have asked myself countless times throughout the centuries, believe me.
Nameless had a sudden thought.
“Volka, can you um, talk like this to anyone?”
I can, and I agree with your thoughts on this. The Amazons have waited long enough.
Nameless nodded and together with the other girls he carried Volka out to meet Myrina, Escrya and their sisters.
“She has recovered her strength?” Escrya could barely contain the eagerness in her voice as he purposefully strode towards her.
Nameless opened his mouth to respond but Volka beat him to it.
I have indeed Escrya, daughter of Alcaia.
Even with the gravity of the situation Nameless had to bite his cheek not to laugh at the pole-axed expression on Escrya’s face.
“Wh-what!?”
Forgive me. We have not been properly introduced. I am Volka Gundrsdotter, Lightbringer of the Fourth Host.
Escrya’s eyes were still absurdly wide as she stared at the golden heartstone in the center of the shield. She swallowed nervously before she was finally able to speak.
“W-well met Volka, daughter of Gundr. You cannot know the honour and joy that I feel to hear your voice this day!”
Legacy of the Valkyrie Page 29