Empty Altars

by Judith Post

  "I'm not that tired." Freya raised a hand to stifle a yawn.

  "Right. Let's see if you stay awake long enough to finish supper."

  They were slicing bread and cheeses, grilling lamb, and pouring wine when Noir yowled a warning. Diana ran from the house to find her cat glaring at someone cowering behind a tree. Freya's cat stalked opposite Noir to challenge their visitor. Peta rose and stretched his neck, ears flat, ready to shoot fire.

  A breeze blew. Fabric fluttered, peeping around the tree trunk. Cheap fabric with a sloppy hem. "Show yourself!" Diana called, "or face the consequences."

  Helga took a hesitant step forward. She glanced warily at the cats. "I'll leave. I shouldn't have come, but I'm desperate."

  Diana felt her stomach clench. Great Zeus! Griswold hadn't taken this girl, had he? And if he had, would Helga care? "Tell me. What's wrong?"

  "I feel foolish. I should go." Helga lowered her gaze. "You have important matters to deal with. It's just that…"

  "What?" Diana felt her patience frazzle. "Just spit it out!"

  The girl stared, taken aback. "I'd never spit at a god."

  Freya's chuckle annoyed Diana. "The Roman's language is different than ours," she told Helga. "She wants you to state your problem."

  "Griswold threw me out of the longhouse. I've worked there since I could walk. I'm never lazy. Hlif was going to give me Vigdis' position in the kitchen." She sniffed and looked away from them for a second. "He's assigned me to cleaning stalls in the stables. He claims that I took advantage of him by sleeping with him when he was crazed. If I were only a little prettier… You can make love spells, can't you? One of you?" Helga looked from Freya to Diana. "Or make me less repulsive?"

  “By the wrath of the gods….” A list of curses flew from Diana’s lips.

  Freya's brows soared upward. "I know a little Greek, and that was nothing that should come from a goddess' lips."

  "So sue me."

  Freya sighed. "Who are you mad at—Helga or Griswold?"

  "Griswold should be gutted and stuffed. The stables!" Diana clenched her hands and took a long, drawn-out breath, trying to calm herself.

  Freya nodded. "Then we agree." She turned to Helga. "Come, girl. We were about to eat. Join us."

  Helga looked at the two cats blocking her way and the dragon ready to charge her.

  Freya waved a hand. "We have a guest. Let's make her welcome."

  The smoke-gray cat sauntered forward to weave around Helga's ankles. Noir turned his back on her and returned to Peta. He leapt on the dragon's snout and clawed his way to the top of his head. The dragon, with his thick skin, was impervious to Noir’s nails. Then they both lay down, ignoring the others.

  "Come, child. Break bread with us, and we'll discuss your problem."

  Freya took Helga's hand and led her inside the house. Diana preferred to eat outdoors, but the girl was too frightened of the beasts.

  When Diana brought wooden plates to the table, Helga smiled at her. "I heard you'd changed Inga's hut, that she's no longer shunned. I'm happy for her."

  It was genuine, Diana could tell. She liked the girl even more. They made small talk while they ate. It wasn't until the plates were rinsed and put away that Freya grew serious. "You don't want a love spell," she said. "It's small joy to entrap a man who doesn't want you."

  Diana nodded agreement. "Better to find someone who loves you for who you are."

  "Look at me." Helga spread her hands. "Skin and bones, and ugly to boot. No one wants me."

  "You don't know that," Freya said. "You've had no chance to meet anyone but the chieftain and his warriors."

  "The stables might be your freedom," Diana told her. "You'll meet people of your own class, people who leave Griswold's longhouse when their work is finished."

  Helga's mouth turned down. "You don't understand. I'm too plain for anyone, even them."

  "We'll see." Freya put her hands on Helga's shoulders. She chanted words, and the girl's skin glowed. When Freya finished, the glow faded, but Helga looked different, more appealing. "You need to value yourself more, believe in yourself. I've bespelled you to meet your soul mate, someone who’ll want you for your inner beauty," she said. "If nothing happens in a week, return to me, and we'll do more."

  Helga blinked. "A soul mate?"

  "Someone who'll see what a lovely person you are."

  The girl smiled. "Is that possible?"

  "Give it a week. We'll find out."

  When Helga left, Diana turned to Freya. "You know she'll be even more disappointed if no one wants her now."

  "Someone will. Wait and see."

  "How can you know?"

  Freya sighed and grinned. "I am the goddess of love and beauty, you know," mimicking Diana's line.

  Diana smiled too. Helga had been a nice interlude, something charming to look forward to in the future, unlike tomorrow. Tomorrow worried her. "I need sleep," she said.

  Freya nodded. "I'll walk with you to the village in the morning. The warriors might need me. Besides, I'd go crazy staying here, waiting and worrying. If something happens, I want to be there."

  Diana would feel the same. Wondering and watching weren't her strong points either.

  Chapter 22

  Diana woke when the sun was barely starting its climb across the sky. At first, she blinked, confused. Shadows enveloped the room, making it feel like early evening instead of early morning. A chill hung in the air. A day shrouded in mists. Noir slept at her side and she jostled him awake. The house was quiet. She slid from beneath her blankets and, shivering, hurried into her clothes. Dressed, she reached for her runes, intending to do a reading before setting out for the village. As she tiptoed to the kitchen, she glanced at Freya's bed to find it empty. What the Hades?

  When she stepped into the house's second room, she saw the goddess sitting at the wooden table. A fire burned in the brazier in the center of the room. Freya held her runes in her hand, eyes closed, and then tossed them. Diana smiled. Freya had the same idea.

  Diana went to stand behind her. The bones began to sing, and an image painted itself on the marble wall. She and Tyr, flanked by half a dozen warriors, walked to the village together. Everyone seemed angry and frustrated. Obviously, Heid's deal didn't work, and the war was still eminent. The image faded.

  Freya sighed. "I'm not surprised. Heid must have demanded too much."

  "What did you ask?" The question could make all the difference for a reading.

  "If it was safe for you and Tyr to meet with Heid."

  Diana nodded. That was her biggest concern, too. "It looks as though everyone survives, but nothing's accomplished."

  "Who knows? You might learn something. And this way, you'll get to meet our dark witch, see her up close."

  Yes, that was worth something. Diana reached for a fresh fig.

  Freya pushed herself to her feet and returned her ebony bones to their pouch. She put the long, leather strip that held it around her neck and nestled the pouch between her breasts. "Come on," she said. "I don't want to sit here. Let's walk to the village and make Tyr fix us breakfast."

  "I'm game." Diana was restless too. "Noir?"

  The cat glanced outside at the damp grass and gloomy sky. He turned back toward the bedroom.

  "Shadows?" Freya called to her familiar.

  The gray cat watched Noir, turned his back on his mistress, and headed for a fur blanket too.

  Freya's eyes went wide. "See what your cat has done? He's taught mine bad manners."

  "Cats are cats," Diana said. "They do as they please." She started toward the door.

  Freya wrinkled her nose. "I wish I'd brought my shawl with me. It's a rotten day."

  "Appropriate," Diana grumbled. "Heid probably cast it this way."

  "Can she do that?"

  "I can. I hope it stays. It will make things easier for me."

  Water drops fell from pine boughs as they passed under them. The mists coated them in moisture. By the time they reached the
meadow, their clothes and their hair were damp.

  The giants and witches slept on the ground around a fire. Straw heaps formed beds under them, and furs completely covered them. They looked like huge mounds from a distance. Not even the wolves stirred, deep in their den. The goddesses walked past them, and no one noticed until the guards on the fence walk spotted them.

  The gates opened.

  "Where can we find Tyr?" Freya asked.

  "In Olaf's smith shop." The guard pointed the way.

  Diana couldn't hide her surprise. Why would a Norse god share a room with an apprentice instead of sleeping in Griswold's longhouse with the warriors? But then Tyr never did what she expected. She couldn't wait to hear his reasoning for this choice.

  As they neared the blacksmith's longhouse, a dog came to sniff them. It bared its teeth until Diana held out a hand to it. All of nature recognized her, not as Mother Nature, the nurturer, but as Artemis—her Greek persona—goddess of survival. The dog put its tail between its legs and cowered.

  "I'm not here to harm you." She scratched it behind its ears. "Take us to Tyr."

  Tail waving, the dog led the way to the workshop attached to the dwarf's home.

  When they stepped inside, Diana's heart caught. Tyr lay on a wooden bench, a fur tossed over him, in deep sleep. He looked so worry free, so calm and serene, she didn't want to wake him.

  A bemused look passed over Freya's expression, too. "Do you think he had one second, somewhere, when he wasn't the sky god, when he could enjoy himself?"

  Diana tried to think back to her own childhood. She remembered sitting on the lap of her father, Zeus. She told him her many wishes, and he granted them all. But even those wishes brought responsibilities. "Being immortal brings heavy burdens," she said.

  Freya nodded. "Thankfully, for me, it also brings many pleasures." When Diana frowned, Freya shook her head. "You and Tyr take yourselves way too seriously."

  But how could they not? Diana wondered.

  Their whispers woke Tyr. He pushed himself onto an elbow and blinked. He saw them and sat up quickly. "Is everything all right?"

  "We came to bully you into making us breakfast. We thought to find you at Griswold's longhouse," Freya said. "When we found you here, we were going to take mercy on you and let you sleep."

  "No need." He threw back his fur and stood. He wore nothing but a linen tunic. Thankfully, it reached his thighs. His bare legs bunched with muscles, and Diana blushed when she realized that the tip of her tongue touched her upper lip.

  Freya beamed. "It's your duty, you know, to take pity on this man and claim him."

  "Her duty?" Tyr frowned. "I was hoping to be a happy temptation."

  Freya told him about Inga's reading. "And if the heavens are declaring that Inga should end her maiden phase, it’s long past time that Diana had her way with you."

  Tyr shrugged. "If she must, I'll consent to save our people and fulfill my duties as their god."

  Diana arched an eyebrow. "Very funny. If you two are done amusing yourselves, we have things to do."

  Tyr bent to tug on leather pants. As he did so, a chain slid into view. It circled his neck with the rune she'd given him. "I won't presume on Olaf's family for my meals. Let's go to Griswold's longhouse. The servants will bring us food."

  On the walk there, Freya asked, "Why are you sleeping at Olaf's in his smith shop? You're a god. You're sleeping beside an apprentice."

  "Better company than Griswold," Tyr growled.

  Diana nodded. She'd bespell the chieftain if she had to spend much time with him.

  When they knocked at the chieftain's door, Jon, not Jorunda, opened it to let them in. Dark circles cratered his eyes. His cheeks caved in. He was barely recovered from the pox.

  Tyr frowned. "Where's Jorunda?"

  The dark warrior glanced at the goddesses before saying, "He'll be here soon. He rose late this morning."

  A smile split Freya's face. "Did Inga rise late this morning too?"

  Jon struggled for an innocent reply, and Diana smiled. "The runes declared that Inga and Jorunda are destined for each other. This is happy news."

  The warrior's shoulders relaxed. A loyal friend. He was doing his best to cover for Jorunda. "It would be best if Griswold heard nothing of this."

  "Fine by me." Diana wanted as little to do with the chieftain as possible.

  Jon's relief was evident. "Then come with me. I'll get a servant for your needs, and I'll fetch my friend."

  "No need. He's busy at the moment." Tyr grinned. "He doesn't need to join us. We came to eat before we set off for the shrine."

  "About that…" Jon caught himself and stopped abruptly. "It would be better if Griswold told you himself."

  "Told me what?"

  Jon pressed his lips together in a firm line. "I'll fetch the chieftain. He wants to see you before you leave."

  A groan escaped Freya. "There goes my appetite."

  Hlif hurried servants into the kitchen, bringing cold slabs of beef, breads, and pickled vegetables. "I'm sorry, my lords, but Griswold doesn't usually rise this early. We didn't expect you."

  "You had no way of knowing," Tyr told her. "Cold meats are fine." He sliced a chunk of beef and bit off an end. Diana tore off a piece of bread. Freya played with her enchanted necklace, ignoring the food.

  Steps sounded on the cold floor, and Griswold came to stand over them. A deer hide draped over his shoulders to keep him warm. A heavy sleeping gown scraped the floor. Other than that, he'd completely recovered from Heid's poison. "When were you going to tell me about the meeting with Heid?" he demanded.

  Freya's brow arched. Diana glared. Tyr slowly looked Griswold up and down. "You obviously don't know your place, chieftain."

  "This is my village, my people. Their safety is my charge. Six of my best warriors will go with you. If anything happens, they can help you. We rely on you for our protection."

  "Donar's going to accompany me. He's more than enough to ensure my safety."

  "My men will go too."

  "And how will warriors protect me from witchcraft?" Tyr asked.

  "Men!" The six warriors entered, Jon and Jorunda among them. Griswold motioned, and they lifted the talismans from around their necks.

  Diana sniffed. "Well and good when you're inside the village and Heid is outside its walls. Not very effective if she's across a table from you."

  Griswold's expression turned murderous, but he didn't argue with her. Instead, he said, "The warriors accompany you, or I'll go myself."

  Diana blinked. Had the chieftain's fever fried his tiny brain? Then she understood. "You don't trust us, do you?"

  Tyr's eyes narrowed.

  Griswold shook his head, but looked flustered. "I simply want to make sure that my best interests are represented."

  "Your best interests?" Tyr asked.

  "As chieftain for our village," Griswold hurried to say.

  Tyr rose, placed his fist on the wooden table, and leaned forward, bristling with temper. Before he could speak, Jorunda interrupted. "I'm glad we're going with you. It's an honor to be by your side."

  "It could also mean your death. I can withstand Heid. So can Donar. You're mortals. You might not get so lucky."

  Jorunda didn't back down. "Then I'll die with my hand on my sword, and I'll meet you in Valhalla."

  "I have other plans for you at the moment." Tyr growled in frustration.

  Jon placed his hand on the hilt of his sword too. "What more can we ask than to die serving you?"

  Tyr shook his head. "If you die, who'll fight to protect the village?"

  "They're going with you and Donar," Griswold said. "With such a show of force, Heid wouldn't dare start something."

  "I'm not taking them. They're staying here."

  "Then I'll send them after you depart."

  Tyr's hand balled into a fist. He looked as though he'd gladly throttle the chieftain. He glared at Jorunda. "I have no choice but to let you go. It will add another burden for me, bu
t Griswold will have it no other way."

  Diana turned to study the chieftain. What was his purpose? He knew the gods abhorred him. Was he worried that they'd trade his power for the meadow's safety? If so, he understood them little. But why did that surprise her? The man was so self-consumed, how could he see honor in others?

  Tyr jerked his head toward the door. "Let's set off now. I'd rather reach the temple early and wait for Heid's arrival. We can be watchful for others."

  Jorunda fell into step behind him, not at his side, as usual. The warrior wasn't brave enough to vex him more. Jon and four others followed. Tyr turned to Freya and Diana. "Thank you for coming to see me off. You can return home now. I'll meet you there when this is finished." It was the ruse they'd decided on. Diana didn't want anyone to know she was going with him.

  With a curt nod, Freya pushed herself to her feet. She refused to look at Griswold. She took her place behind the warriors. So did Diana. Inga hurried to join them. They all filed out of the gates and separated. Tyr started for the cliffs and the temple. The women started for the woods. The mists had deepened. Gray shrouded the meadow. When they passed the giants and witches' camp, Diana was relieved to see everyone still sleeping. The furs that covered them were wet with dew. She murmured her obscuring spell and slowly faded into the fog.

  "Diana?" Inga turned in a circle. "Where did she go?"

  "Shh. With Tyr." Freya narrowed her eyes and hissed, "I'm looking for you and can't see you."

  Diana made one hand visible and gave them a quick wave goodbye.

  "Take care," Freya said. "I don't like these new arrangements."

  Neither did Diana. She half ran to retrace her steps and catch up with the men. Freya and Inga would be doubling back soon, too, to keep watch over the village. They’d made arrangements to hide in Olaf’s hut, out of Griswold’s sight. Diana was careful to circle the warriors before she reached Tyr's side. Then gently, she put her hand in his.

  He gave a slight start, then a small smile curved his lips. He curled his fingers between hers. To the warriors, he was simply clenching his hand. For Diana, joy zinged through her nerves. The sky god was happy for her company.