COF 36

For one brief moment, all was silent except for the crackle of ether as it disbursed into nothingness. The gathered crowd stared in shocked surprise at the empty spot on the ground, the space so recently vacated by their ruler and her mysterious companion. And then that silence was broken, voices urgent, seeking answers to the many questions surrounding Lenneth and her disappearance.

Hrist listened to the voices, her fellow Aesir questioning and offering up speculations on the strange new God who remained a constant presence next to their Queen. Her lips twitched, wanting to ruin the blank expression she wore to hide her true feelings. That slight movement of her lips did not go unnoticed, Erda advancing on the Dark Valkyrie, eyes flashing with suspicious excitement.

“Hrist! What do you know? Who IS that man?” demanded the Earth Goddess, stopping before her, her hands on her hips as she stared with some impatience at the Goddess.

The other Gods and Goddesses also turned their attention to the raven haired woman, having found a new target to pester with their questions. Hrist stifled back a sigh, glancing about for Freya, but she was nowhere to be found. It seemed it had fallen to her to reveal all, a task she viewed with a mixture of loathing and perverse pleasure.

“Tch!” Erda made a snorting sound, impatient for Hrist to speak. “Does no one have the answers we seek?”

“Give Hrist a moment to gather her thoughts.” Eir said in a chiding tone. “I sense she has much to tell us.” She glanced at the Dark Valkyrie, not being able to hide the curiosity in her eyes.

“Yes.” A curt agreement, Hrist nodding her head. “The story is a long one, with many twists and unexpected turns.”

“Well, start at the beginning!” Erda ordered. “And don’t leave anything out!”

“I think perhaps…an abbreviated version with the key details included would be better.” Thor said wearily.

“Forget all that!” snapped Tyr, body bristling with nervous energy. “I want to know who that man is!! And what he means to do with our Creator!” The War God was upset, angry to see Lenneth taken from them once more.

“Yes, where did the God come from?” asked Thor. “Why have we not seen him before? Is he Vanir?” That caused all the Aesir to start talking at once, worried chatter as they discussed the possibility of there being survivors among the defeated Vanir race.

“There’s nothing wrong with him being a Vanir…” Eir said, her tone careful to hide her true feelings. “The Lady Freya and her sister Frei are Vanir, and they are our allies…”

“Yes, not all Vanir are bad.” agreed Thor, ignoring the cackle of amusement Erda let out.

“Freya and Frei have been among us so long they might as well be Aesir.” The Earth Goddess said. “They certainly think and act like one of us!”

“Lezard is not a Vanir.” Hrist said, holding up her hand to quell the excited voices. “Nor is he an Aesir. He is…” Again that twitching of her lips, a smirk fighting to come out. “Unique.”

“Unique?! What does that mean?” demanded Tyr, confused. “He has to be one of the two!”

“No…he does not.” Hrist replied, eyes betraying her, revealing her anger to the Aesir. “He was a human…A heretic…a blasphmer…” snarled Hrist, her hands curling into fists at her sides.

“What? No!”

“Yes.” hissed Hrist. “Lezard Valeth is a necromancer, a defiler of souls who has committed many crimes, against mortal and immortal alike. To say murder is the least of his sins would be an understatement!”

“Hrist…?” Silmeria was suddenly at her side, placing a hand on her shoulder. The older woman glanced at her youngest sister, seeing Silmeria frowning as she shook her head no.

“Silmeria! What…?” The question died on her lips, Hrist staring at the girl.

“Is this not Lenneth’s story to tell?” asked Silmeria, still touching Hrist. “Hers and Lezard? Should they not be the ones to reveal all, speaking with an unbiased tongue about the events that occurred?”

Hrist surprised everyone with a short bark of laughter, the Dark Valkyrie shaking off her sister’s hand. “Unbiased? Lezard? Ha! He would paint himself to be a hero! And Lenneth? Lenneth is besotted with him. She’d sooner cut her wrist than say a word against the fiend!”

“But still…” Silmeria sighed. “I think we should wait to talk to Lenneth. Already your words cloud our comrades’ judgment, forcing your impressions of Lezard and the situation onto them. Should they not hear the facts told in a straight manner, and then make up their own minds on what to think of this new God?”

“You wouldn’t say that if you knew what he had done!” Hrist retorted, the Gods glancing back and forth between the two sisters. “The crimes he has committed!”

“Well, then tell us!” Erda said, impatient for good gossip.

“Yes, tell us!” urged Tyr, Thor nodding his head in agreement.

“Perhaps it would be better to wait.” Eir said nervously. “To hear it from Lady Lenneth herself…”

“Don’t try to play the good girl.” Erda snapped, turning to glare at Eir. “I know you are dying to know more about this Lezard fellow! Don’t bother trying to deny it!”

Eir sighed, shaking her head no. “I just think we should heed Silmeria’s advice. Hrist is obviously upset…and that clouds her feelings on the matter.”

Hrist knew she was scowling, no longer able to keep a blank expression on her face. “Fine!” Her voice was controlled calm, only the briefest hint of anger coloring her words. “I will let Lenneth deal with this headache…” She turned to leave, braid bouncing against her back. “Go to her…listen to what she has to say…and then…”

“And then?” urged Thor when Hrist offered no more.

“And then tell me if you can still view this Lezard without anger and contempt!” snapped Hrist, throwing her hand up in the air. She flickered, her body distorting as she teleported away from them, the gathered Aesir staring at empty spot she left behind. They were surprised by her anger, not used to the Dark Valkyrie being this emotional.

“Well…!” huffed Erda, crossing her arms over her chest. “She didn’t have to leave like that!”

“I think that was the only way she could prevent herself from saying any more.” Silmeria sighed. “Hrist has never been one for calm thoughts and actions when she feels her sisters are in danger.” She shook her head, a small smile offered up to her fellow Gods. “She can be a tad too over protective at times.”

“It’s only because she loves you.” Eir said softly. “She knows of no other way to show her affection for you two.”

“Do you really think so?” Silmeria seemed slightly cheered by the news.

“I know so.” Eir said, and suddenly Erda let out a loud groan. Everyone turned to stare at the Earth Goddess, a question in their eyes.

“She left!” Erda was scowling, her eyes angry. “You do realize what this means don’t you?” A shake of their heads was her answer. “It means we have to transport all these einherjar home without Hrist’s power…” Her eyes widened as she came to another realization. “Lenneth is gone too…so is Freya and this Lezard!” She moaned, wringing her hands wretchedly, having counted on the added support of those Gods.

“Worry not Erda…” Tyr clapped his hand on her shoulder, patting her soothingly. “We will manage somehow.”

“It will be a good test of our powers.” added Thor, smiling to hear the Goddess moan. “And afterwards we shall have a nice long rest.”

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He was getting better at teleportation, Lezard was pleased to note, finding it had only taken him two tries to reach Valhalla. It helped that he had Lenneth with him, the Goddess placing her hands on his chest, fingers caressing as she leaned in to whisper instructions in his ear. Lezard listened to her words, nodding, his face showing his concentration as ether swirled around their bodies.

Bells rang out, bodies growing tense a moment before they made the jump, disappearing from outside the grand building. It happened in an instant, the divine pair reappearing inside the building, inside the very throne room of Valhalla. Their feet made not a sound as they touched down, the red carpet that coated the floor muffling their footsteps.

Lezard looked around the room in interest, seeing the gold the throne was made out of, a thick, solid piece of it, it’s value immeasurable. He let out a whistle, impressed by the wealth of the Gods, hearing Lenneth let out a giggle, the girl squirming in his arms. “Lezard!” She was laughing as she pulled free of his embrace, shaking her head ruefully. “You shouldn’t have done that!”

“Done what?” He asked, still staring around in amazement.

“You shouldn’t have removed us from the battle field.” Lenneth was trying to sound chiding, but she found she wasn’t at all upset with him. “They needed us.”

“The battle is over…” Lezard pointed out, dragging his eyes away from the gold to look at Lenneth. “And they were…overwhelming you with their questions. I merely sought to relieve you of that burden.”

“Hmm…thank you…” The amusement died down in her eyes, Lenneth letting out a sigh. Before Lezard could ask her the reason behind her somber expression, Lenneth was speaking once more. “But you know Lezard…we will have to talk with them sooner or later. We can’t go on avoiding their questions forever!”

Lezard stifled a groan. “Don’t remind me!! Oh Lenneth…that is a conversation I do not look forward to.”

“And you think I do?” Lenneth arched an eyebrow at him. “No…but it is something I must do…”

“WE must do.” Lezard said, reassuring her that she would not be alone in facing the Gods.

“Yes…” Lenneth smiled, taking hold of his hands. “Together we will do this…and somehow we will come away victorious!”

Lezard laughed then. “You make it sound as though winning over the Gods will be a harder task than facing Brahms!”

“I have a feeling it will be…” Lenneth sighed. “When they learned that you kidnapped me…well…I fear their reactions will be similar to Freya’s!”

“Just so long as they don’t react in the manner that Hrist did!” Lezard joked, thinking back to the blow the Goddess had landed on him.

“Hmm…Thor might.” Lenneth said, expression serious. “Tyr too. We have to face the fact that our relationship will be heard for them to accept.”

“We’ll win them over with your good looks and my dazzling personality!” Lezard tried to be glib, though he felt unsettled at the thought of the two Gods laying their hands on him in anger. “But in all seriousness…I think we’ll be okay…” He raised her hand to his lips, kissing her wrist. “Love will guide us through any hurdle.”

Lenneth blinked, surprised. “Lezard…” He was still kissing her hand, kissing upwards to her fingers. “I didn’t expect you to be so…so…”

“Confident?”

“Sappy!” She grinned at his expression, giggles escaping her lips. “Come on…you have to admit…that line was more than a bit corny. And so unlike you.”

“I was being serious!” protested Lezard with a pout. “I truly believe in the power of love. After all…” His expression evened out, a smile on his face as he pulled her against his chest. “It brought me you…”

“Hmm…” She stared up at him, wrapping her arms around his waist, fingers brushing against his wings. “Yes…love truly is a powerful thing to have been able to pull that off!”

“Some would say it accomplished the impossible.” Lezard smiled, touching her hair. His fingers combed through her platinum strands, finding her hair just as tangle free as ever, Lenneth sighing happily at his tender strokes.

“It did…” She said, pressing her cheek against his chest. For one brief moment they just stood there, safe in each other’s arms, Lenneth listening to the beating of Lezard’s heart. “We’ll be all right…won’t we?” She asked suddenly, not meeting his eyes. “They…they won’t be able to tear us apart, will they?”

He didn’t ask who the they she referred to was, knowing opposition was strong against them and from all sides. “No…and you know why Lenneth? Because we won’t LET them. Not now, not ever.” He heard her sigh, her arms tightening around him as though Lenneth was hugging him to make sure he was real.

“I wish I had your confidence.” Lenneth whispered.

“You’ll see.” Lezard replied, hands on her back, returning the hug. “Lenneth…” He gently pried her off of him, seeing the question in her eyes. He smiled in reassurance, moments before he scooped her up into his arms.

“Lezard?!” Lenneth exclaimed, confused as he began walking towards the raised platform where the throne rested. “Put me down!”

“In a minute.” Came the answer, the man carrying her up the stairs of the dais. He reached the top within a minute, striding towards the golden throne. Shifting his grip on Lenneth, Lezard gently placed her on the throne, noting how small she looked in that seat of power. Lenneth gripped the armrests of the throne, still staring confused at Lezard, and he smiled, covering her right hand with his.

“This…this is why you should be confidant…” Lezard explained, fingers tapping the throne. “Here you sit…in the ultimate seat of power. There is no higher authority than you, no one to tell you what to do, or how you should feel. The other Gods can make you doubt, can talk you down, attempt to change your mind, but they cannot force you to do anything you don’t want to do. And that includes stopping you from loving me!!” He touched her face, caressing her cheeks with his fingers. “Lenneth…if all else fails, then remember my words and know them to be true.”

Lenneth was nodding her head, wanting to believe in what he said. She watched him, seeing him bend down to brush his lips against her mouth, a chaste kiss that held the promise of burgeoning passion to it. It was a struggle for them both, fighting not to deepen it, not to lose themselves to the lust brought up by the kiss. Lezard pulled back with a low sounding moan, staring into her eyes. His thumb touched her lips, stroking the bottom one as he gazed longingly at her.

“Lenneth…?” He sighed out her name, and he leaned in so close to her, she thought him about to kiss her once more.

“Yes Lezard?” Lenneth asked, feeling his breath warm on her face.

“Can you do something for me?” He asked, expression serious, eyes dark with intent.

“Of course.” Lenneth said, eagerly anticipating his request. Lezard smiled and leaned over her shoulder, placing his mouth next to her ear. She felt him kiss the curve of it, and she sighed, raising a hand to touch his head, fingers curling in the silk of his hair. “Anything…” She added, sighing happily as he licked down to her the lobe of her ear.

“Can you…” More kisses, Lezard working his way down to her neck. “Please…” Soft smacks against her flesh, sweet kisses that left her wanting more. “Help me…” Lenneth let out a gasp. “Get rid of my wings?” He suddenly pulled away, laughing at the disappointed look on her face.

Lenneth stared at Lezard, unsure if she should be annoyed or not. She looked at his grin, the man pleased with his teasing of her, and she couldn’t help but smile back.

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To be concluded!!

Okay…short chapter, but it’s sorta builds it way to the epilogue. Without it, it just felt like…something was missing between the last chapter and the jump to the epilogue. I’ve had the epilogue done for over a month now, but didn’t want to post it cause of the above reason. The story just didn’t feel right without one more chapter. Sorry for the wait, but aside from November 1st, (my submission for the LezaLenne anthology.) I did no writing for a whole month. Just lost my creative impulses. But I’m back now! “grins”

—–Michelle