Chapter 12
Together Kol and Lathea walk back until they reach the spot where they first met, then turning towards Kol she wraps her arms around him hugging him tightly.
“Welcome to my home lover.” She says softly pulling him under ground with her.
On some level Kol knew he shouldn’t be here and although every inch of his body screamed at him to shut up and go with whatever she wanted a good part of his mind fought the feeling reminding him that he had to get back to his quest.
“I…I can’t stay long.” He finally managed as she led him down a dank narrow corridor dimly lit by the faint glow of strange plants jutting from the earth here and there.
“You can stay forever lover, here you would never age, never get sick and be free of the troubles of the mortal world.” Lathea replies sweetly kissing his lips.
“I can stay forever.” He repeats in a trance following her deeper into the tunnel.
After a few minutes Kol can see a warm glow obviously coming from a large room at the end of the tunnel.
“Welcome to our home.” She says leading the way into the large room.
The cave is huge with the ceiling looming over head made from the earth itself, the dirt walls are covered in beautiful life like paintings that seem to be alive and moving. A warm and peaceful fire is roaring in the corner of the room and is the source of the light he had noticed earlier. Also filling in the massive space is a large and comfortable looking bed with black sheets and a white comforter, a small table with two chairs and a little brown dresser.
Kol notes with a bit of surprise that the place is completely clean devoid of any clutter or dirt on top of everything.
“It’s lovely.” He murmurs looking from the room to her.
“It is nothing compared to you lover.” She smiles leading him to the table.
“Where are we going?” He questions staring longingly at the bed.
“I would like to show you how good a cook your new wife is, allow me to make you the best the meal you shall ever have.” She comments pulling out the chair for him.
“Wife?” He questions with a frown.
“Of course, we will be married once we make sweet love, but first let me prepare your meal.”
“But the beds right there.” He says insistently staring at it again.
Laughing while batting her eyes at him she answers. “All in good time my husband.”
Watching her move with untold grace Kol marvels at how swiftly she puts together the most amazing meal out of thin air. Wild boar roasting on a spit over the fire filling his nose with pleasant smells making his mouth water in anticipation, at the same moment she is chopping up potatoes, onions, peas, carrots, garlic, beans and rice mixing them together with exotic smelling spices in a large pot also hanging over the fire for the most wonderful soup. Then grabbing a beautiful bottle from the shelf she places a glass in front of him.
“Something to wet your pellet and sate your hunger a bit until dinner is ready?” She questions.
“Sure, what is it?” He responds.
“Wine from the land of Jotunheim, a gift from the giants who took pity on me after I lost my home.”
“Jotunheim?” Kol questions getting to his feet as the fog slightly lifts from his thoughts. “You are friends with the frost giants?”
“I wouldn’t think that would be a problem for a son of Loki.” She smiles innocently grabbing his hand.
“The frost giants are an evil people who have tried to conquer Asgard and Midgard several times. They’ve killed countless innocents and have no care for any other people but themselves.” Kol snaps pulling away even more.
“Not all of them are bad, I’m sure that you can understand being judged just for being born from Loki and yet here you are a wonderful and good man. You are not held to being like him and they are not all evil simply because they were born frost giants my husband.” She says musically enchanting him again.
“I am intent on proving myself by being the best hero ever, I have yet to hear of any frost giant performing a good deed.”
“I have seen the deeds lover, trust me. Now whereas your dinner has yet to finish cooking, why don’t you and I occupy ourselves in the bed.” Lathea smiles leading him to the bed while kissing him over and over.
Laying him down on the bed she begins kissing him more insistently at the same time as she shoves her hand down his pants rubbing him until he begins moaning from the pleasurable feeling.
“Wait, stop.” He says pulling her hand out of his pants and sitting up on the bed.
“Whatever is the matter?” Lathea pouts with her bottom lip trembling.
“I’m sorry, you are wonderful and beautiful, and I’m sure that someday you will find the right man for you, but alas it’s not me. I have things I must do, things I cannot ignore and people I have responsibilities to. If far off one day you are single then I shall find you again, I do not expect you to wait for me, but if the Norns wish it then I’m sure we will meet again.” He sighs shaking his head unable to believe the words are coming out of his mouth.
Lathea begins crying on the bed clearly hurt at the thought of Kol leaving her.
“I’m sorry Lathea but that is the way of things.” He says rubbing her back.
“Marry me Kol.” She says staring into his eyes. “I don’t care that you have to leave, I would gladly follow you into hell itself to be with you, and I will brave any risks that come our way, please just marry me.”
Looking at her Kol’s body cries out to him again to accept her offer and his loins throb at the thought of her being his wife. Thinking about it he can’t help but know that if they were to stay together he would grow to love her, but would it be fair to put her in such danger?
“I can see us falling madly in love and having a wonderful life together, but that would have to be after my long journey, I would not feel right having you in danger on my account.” He says getting up from the bed and heading back towards the tunnel. “I am sorry, I wish things were different but they are not.”
Swiftly the entrance to the tunnel closes over with rock sealing him in.
“You’re not going anywhere Kol! No man, (demigod or otherwise) leaves one of the Huldra!” She screeches getting to her feet and facing him.
“The huldra?” He gasps.
“How did I not see it? The Huldra were the children of Adam and Eve cast from the Garden of Eden. Her story fits perfectly she practically screamed it to me who she was.” He thinks.
As he watches her face twitches along with her body, her face becomes crinkled and old like hags, her eyes turn blood red and hair sprouts from her cheeks adding to her troll like features. Her body hunches over and her entire skin changes color to become grey, her hands grow claw finger nails and a tail springs from her butt swinging back and forth.
“Like so many others I will have you here for all time, it is a shame that you didn’t just chose to be with me. Had you decided to stay with me willingly I would have stayed young and beautiful for all time along with you as my husband, but like all the others instead you decided to scorn my affections.”
Backing up against the wall Kol stares at her in revulsion. “What others?”
“Why the other suitors.” Says Lathea pointing to a wall.
Reluctantly turning his head to look at the wall Kol stares in astonishment when he sees well over twenty men frozen in complete and utter fear in the walls of a large room.
“I didn’t scorn you. I was trying to keep you from harm.” He reasons.
With extraordinary speed she flies across the room grabbing him and throwing him crossways into the small dresser on the other side of the cave.
“I don’t care your reasons!” She screams destroying everything around her. “Look at me! The gods know you declined, they don’t care why! You could have saved me from this curse and I would have done anything for you! Anything!”
“Your life is not my fault nor is your curse of my doing, now release me from this cave you call
a home or I’ll be forced to make you.” He declares drawing power to his hands and making them glow.
“In my home you have no chance of winning son of Loki the more power you use the more you fuel me.” She squeals in delight.
With a simple wave of her hands Kol’s power dissipates completely leaving him feeling drained and barley able to stand.
“There is nothing you can do Kol, you are mine. Had you developed your powers from your father completely things might have been different.”
“Kol is not yours to have Lathea, as it is you were not supposed to trap the other men that rejected you. If you are unable to get a man to stay with you that’s something missing in you and no one else.” A new beautifully sweet voice chimes in.
Whirling around Lathea finds herself face to face with Hypatia daughter of Zeus the Greek goddess of creativity, the sky and light.
“This is not your business Hypatia.” Snarls Lathea backing away fearfully.
“That would be an incorrect assessment my dear, my father sent me to check on both Kol and Vasos’ progress since they have yet to complete a single quest. As such if I found them hindered in any way, shape or form I was to provide aid without actually interfering.”
“Ha you cannot directly interfere? Then if I wish I can trap Kol here and all you can do is provide the lighting.” Lathea laughs turning back towards Kol.
“Maybe, maybe not but I can give him the gifts that are within my sphere of power.”
Without waiting for a reply Hypatia appears next to Kol giving him a gentle kiss on the cheek.
Instantaneously a warm feeling spreads throughout Kol’s entire body, he feels light on his feet and his power as infinite as the sky, and thoughts rush through his head, thoughts and ideas on how to use his powers in ways in never dreamt possible.
Walking confidently towards Lathea, Kol smiles creating a staff from thin air. “My time here is done Lathea.”
Without any movement or gesture from Kol he reaches out with his powers forming ice around Lathea’s waist and pulling her backwards into the wall trapping her there.
“I must punish you for the wrong that you have done to these poor men. I will drain you of your power adding it to my magic. Then I will use my magic to free them from their prison and release them into the world once again and finally I will turn you into a stone statue leaving you in the woods as a warning to all monsters of the world never to harm the people of Midgard. Rejoice Lathea, as you wished I am setting you free from your curse.”
Immortals Children Of The Gods Page 12