War 02

 Lezard had to fight back the laugh that threatened to bubble up out of him. He didn’t want to seem out of control, wanted to appear the picture of perfect sanity. But it was difficult to maintain his composure when he had Lenneth Valkyrie glaring at him. Her azure eyes flashed with anger, her pretty little mouth swollen from his kiss was turned up in disaproval, and he could practically taste her contempt for him. It was just too perfect he thought, more than a tad smug. She was perfect. In every way, reminding him of the Lenneth he had chased after for years, of the Lenneth who had constantly rebuffed him, turning him down every chance she got.

But, his mind whispered as he rested his hands on her slim waist, pulling her closer to him. This Lenneth had not, could not turn him down. She was his, body and soul, and he was determined to see her heart claimed as well. Lezard fought to keep his expression calm, battled with himself to hide just how affected he was by her nearness. It was a losing battle, some of his longing showing in his eyes, dark desire that had Lenneth looking up at him uncertainly.

He was vaguely aware of Freya speaking, the proud Goddess a distant buzz in his ears. She did not matter, none of them did, except as bargaining chips for him to procure his woman. He went to speak, aware of how breathless he sounded, knowing the eagerness snuck into his tone as he asked, “Have you been appeased?” He was already tightening his fingers on his bride—-HIS bride! How he wanted to laugh at that, even as Freya answered.

“Good, then we’re off.” This time that laughter escaped him, wild and giddy as he drew Lenneth up against his front. “I’m sure you’ll understand if we don’t stick around for the after wedding festivities.” He cared little for such things, knowing of only one wedding tradition that garnered his interest. The honeymoon.

He was already casting his magic, using his divine powers to sweep them from the room, feeling Lenneth struggle in his arms. He bit back a sigh, delighting in the feel of her moving against his front, enjoying her wiggles. Lezard was sure Lenneth wouldn’t move about like that if she realized just how much pleasure he wrought from feeling her rub up against him.

Lezard barely noticed the way colors blended together around them, the Aesir fading away to blurred blobs that bobbed and wavered as they began the shift from this reality to the next. Such sights had rapidly become mundane, the necromancer quickly growing accustomed to the style in which the divine traveled. The colors seemed to pulsate, bright oranges and yellows bursting before his eyes, before they faded away to darkness, all in a single instant. It had made him ill the first time, Lezard falling to his knees, gagging on the bile in his throat. He was pleased to have no such reaction now, knowing it would not impress his new bride were he to show such weakness before her.

He felt an excited thrill at referring to Lenneth as his bride. He still couldn’t believe it, almost not knowing how this turn of fate had happened. He thought back over the last forty-eight hours as they traveled, recalling the events at the top of Yggsdrasil. It was there that he had claimed Gungnir, the divine lance that was said to be worthy of only one wielder. And now he was the one who the sacred treasure called master!

Lezard was laughing again, even as their feet touched down on the ground, a finely furnished room shimmering into view. Lenneth shifted, placing her hands on his chest, pushing down to free herself of his arms. He let her go, watching her step away from him, spinning around to look at their surroundings. She was looking to the left and to the right, taking in the room, and he wondered what she made of it. After all he had decorated it with her in mind, picking out the furnishings to appeal to her delicate feminine sensibilities.

His eyes bore into her form, staring at her hard as she looked around, just taking in the details of her. She was far more interesting to look at than the room, with her platinum hair that pooled around her like captured moonlight, and her lily white skin made all the paler when encased in her gown of pure white. Lezard was stepping forward to place a hand on her shoulder, noticing the contrast of their skin tones. His own skin wasn’t much darker than Lenneth’s, the wizard being slow to tan, even as he journeyed for weeks with the princess of Dipan and her companions.

Lenneth turned at his touch, eyeing him warily. He could tell she was uncomfortable with the placement of his hand, but still he lingered there, stealing her warmth for his own. She gave a roll of her shoulders, a not so subtle attempt at dislodging his hand. Lezard settled for trailing his fingers down her arm, feeling the cool silk of her long white gloves. He gently took hold of her hand, thumb caressing over her wedding band. “Lenneth Valkyrie…” He realized with a start that she was now his wife, that she should take his name. He tried it out. “Lenneth Valeth.” A frown on his face, matching hers. Somehow the name didn’t have the same ring to it, didn’t flow off his tongue the way her true name did.

“Don’t call me that.” She told him, boldly meeting his eyes.

“Ah! My angel is capable of speech!” He said, pleased to hear her voice. He was raising her hand to his lips, intending to graze his mouth against the back of her hand. Lenneth gave a small tug, firmly pulling her hand free of his grasp. “I’m capable of a lot more than just that.” She said, a hint of a threat in her voice. It made him smile all the more to hear it.

“I don’t doubt that for a second.” He purred, hands reaching out to catch at her waist. They touched air, the Valkyrie whirling away at the last moment, intent on avoiding any further touches. He narrowed his eyes, moving after her, trying to get close to her. She managed to look graceful as she backed away, eyeing his approach warily. “Come now my pet…” He wheedled, hoping to coax her near to him. “You needn’t be shy.”

“I’m not shy…” But he was talking over her. “After all we are husband and wife now. Bound together, in all that entails.”

“Husband and wife in name only.” Lenneth corrected him, still avoiding his hands.

“For the moment…” He agreed. “But if you would only still your feet, we could get to work on…consumating our union.” Lezard thought he saw her tremble at the word, liked to imagine it was a shiver of anticipation his bride experienced. She raised her hands to her arms, rubbing them as though cold. “Are you cold my sweet? I could warm you up…”

“No thank you!” She shook her head, stray curls caressing against her cheek much like his lips long to.

“So polite.” He smiled, advancing on her yet again. She stepped back, bumping into the stone colored walls, and a startled gasp escaped her lips. Lezard could feel himself grinning, a predatory smile as he stepped towards her, slamming his palms into the wall. His hands were on either side of her body, trapping her between his arms, and he leaned into her, pressing his body against hers. Lenneth moved her hands, grabbing at his shoulders, fingers digging in cruelly on his flesh. She was attempting to keep him at bay, but he ignored her efforts, pushing forward bit by bit, lips puckering for a kiss.

Lezard stared into her eyes as he kissed her, that first claiming of her lips gentle and soft, almost hesitant. His lips nibbled at her lower lip, licking across her mouth, trying to get her to part her lips for him. She was letting out a little gasp, mouth wide enough for his tongue to slip past her teeth, Lezard delighting in the warmth of her mouth. She wasn’t trying to kiss him back, the mage not minding her refusal to participate. He was far to use to kissing the cold lifeless lips of his homunculi, and had plenty of experience stealing kisses from her future self.

One last pressing of his mouth to hers, firm, demanding she yield to him, and then he was grazing his mouth along her jaw line, butterfly soft kisses on her flesh. “Lezard!” He heard her call out his name, and encouraged he continued, tasting the salty sweetness of her neck. The pressure on his shoulder was gone, Lenneth twisting about in his arms. He pulled back to look at her, and suddenly her hand slapped across his face, causing him to see stars, and hear the resounding slap of skin on skin.

“Don’t touch me!” She hissed, blue eyes blazing with anger. “How dare you!” She glared at him, and Lezard had to admit he felt confused. “But we’re married…”

“In name only!” She reminded him. “I may have agreed to this farce of a marriage, but I do not agree to…” Her cheeks reddened. “I do not agree to give myself to you!”

“When I demanded you as my prize for the Aesir’s continued well being, it was with the understanding that you would be mine.” Lezard said heatedly. “In every way.” He narrowed his eyes at her, suspicion deep within them. “Do you intend to renege on our deal?” He waited to hear what she would say, knowing he would not let her go, regardless of her answer. She was his, he fought long and hard for her, made countless plans, twisted the very laws of nature to get her. He would not be giving up Lenneth any time soon.

She paled, but did not back down. “I agreed to marry you. That was…the only demand made known to me.” He was laughing then, he couldn’t help it. “Either you are incredibly naive, or you are a fool.” Anger flared up in her eyes at his words, the girl demanding to know what he meant.

“Just what did you think I wanted from you, to have agreed to take your hand in marriage?” Lenneth didn’t answer, biting her lower lip as she stared at him. He was sure she realized how foolish any protests she could form would be. He began leaning forward again, intending to kiss her once more. “Why did you choose me?” Her question caused him to pause, just looking at her.

“I mean surely you could have picked some other Goddess…one who might…give you what you want.” She didn’t name names, and he couldn’t help but wonder who she was hinting at. But no matter, he had the Goddess of his dreams, trapped between his arms. She was all that mattered.

“Why did I choose you?” He nervously licked his lips, thinking now was his chance to dazzle her with proclamations of heartfelt devotion. “Because I love you. I’ve loved you from the moment I first laid eyes on you.”

She frowned at him. “How can that be? I’ve never met you before today…and yet you knew of me…Freya said you spoke of me as though you knew me.” Lenneth said this almost accusingly.

Lezard sighed, wondering how he could explain it to her. He didn’t want to tell her of the future he came from, didn’t want to mar her image of him. Here he was merely Odin’s slayer, a blasphemous conqueror of the divine, but to the Lenneth of the future he was a twisted necromancer, a defiler of souls with his many lifelike dolls made in her image. Here was his chance at a fresh start, to make a life with a Lenneth who did not have preconceived notions of him.

“I knew of you, in the same way I learned how to take Odin’s power.” Here was a half truth. “The philosopher’s stone told me what I needed to know, showed me your image. You were…are breathtaking. I could not help but fall in love with you…Lenneth…I am your devoted slave, your most stringent admirer. I worship you as no other can, and would do anything to make you mine.” He left out that he had indeed done many things to capture her interest.

Lenneth seemed unswayed by his words. “You don’t know me at all! You are merely infatuated with my looks.” She shook her head. “That is not something to base a relationship on!”

Lezard sighed. How to make her understand without revealing too much? “You’re wrong! I love many things about you, not just your beauty!”

“Name one!” challenged the Valkyrie.

“Your proud warrior spirit. Your convictions, and your compassion towards mortals. I love the fire in you, the anger that is quick to burn, hiding the passion underneath it.” He could tell she was surprised by the quickness in which he listed the traits he adored about his Goddess. “Lenneth…I adore you, I love each and every single thing about you…even your hatred of me.”

“I…I don’t hate you.” How his heart sang at hearing those words! “I don’t even know you enough to feel that strongly about you!”

“Then let us work on changing that…” He attempted to lean in to kiss her, but she was ducking under his arms, seeking to escape their closeness. “Where are we?” She asked instead, looking around the room.

“We are in my world…” He said, coming up behind her. His hands hovered over her shoulder, close but not touching, trying to respect her boundaries. But it was hard, oh so hard! When all he wanted to do was push her down to the floor, and make love to her then and there.

“What do you mean your world?” She was turning, her hair brushing against his face, sending up the smell of jasmine and lilacs to tease his nostrils. “There are only nine worlds in all the realms…”

“Ten now.” Lezard corrected her with a smile. “I hand crafted this world, grew a second world tree to support my creation.”

Lenneth was silent for a minute, an unreadable expression in her eyes. “Yes…” She said at last. “You are Creator now.”

“Yes…” He grinned. “I am.”

“With power you stole.” She noted. That certainly was annoying, Lezard thought. And he certainly couldn’t deny her accusation, he had stolen Odin’s power. “Your former ruler wasted his power, turning greedy eyes on Midgard’s treasure. It was time someone stopped him.”

“And you thought that someone should be you?” Lenneth arched an eyebrow at him.

“Yes.” Lezard said simply. He watched as she sighed, shaking her head sadly. He couldn’t resist touching her, and was please to note that this time she tolerated the touch, though her flesh goose pimpled at the close contact. His hands were rubbing along her shoulders, feeling the silk of her hair brush against his knuckles. He was bending down over her, intending on kissing her when she asked, “And what of my sister, Silmeria?”

“Pardon?” He asked, frustrated at her attempts to block his kisses.

“Freya mentioned you used the power of my sister on your attack on Odin.” pointed out Lenneth.

“Freya talks too much for her own good.” muttered Lezard angrily.

“Then it’s true?”

“Yes…Silmeria was instrumental in my obtaining Odin’s power.” admiited Lezard. “What of it?”

“Does my sister still live?” She asked.

“In a manner of speaking.” He replied, seeing her expression darken.

“I want to go see her.” Lenneth said softly.

“I suppose that can be arranged…” His hands were on the move, one sliding down her arm to pull her close to him. The other was on her back, pressing down on her spine, a firm push that caused her to be plastered against his front. He held her there in a one arm grip, letting go of her arm to touch her face. “Depending on how good you are…”

Her expression turned angry at that, eyes dancing with anger as she gazed into his eyes. “I will not bargain my body away to see my sister!”

“I don’t ask for much…” Lezard whispered silkily, touching her face gently. “Just a few kisses here and there…some tender touches…we needn’t go all the way.” He tried to smile reassuringly at her. “I’m willing to wait for you…” Every fiber in his being protested this, wanting her and wanting her now.

Her face was troubled as she considered his words. “You can really take me to Silmeria?”

“Yes.”

“Then…” She was hesitating, loathe to agree to his conditions. “If you show me her…let me see her first, then…I agree to your terms…” Her body let out a shudder, her cheeks flushing at her promise. Lezard let out a wild laugh, delighted that she had agreed so easily. He hugged her, and she squirmed. “Remember! Silmeria first!”

“Yes yes, of course.” He agreed, unable to resist planting a kiss on her pink cheek. He reluctantly released her from his embrace, turning to fling out his arm at the center of his room. He concentrated his power there, felt the ebb and flow of it circling his arm, a low thrum of ether that begged for release. He casually waved his hand, and the air shimmered as though from an intense heat. He heard Lenneth make a strangled sound in her throat, felt her step forward as a crystal shimmered into view.

“Silmeria…” She whispered, cautiously approaching the crystal. It was large, as tall as the Valkyrie, and twice as wide. Inside the crystal, trapped in a dark blue mineral was the Valkyrie Silmeria, her one arm flung outward, her mouth open to cry out a warning that went unheard. She was lovely, though her blonde beauty could not compare to the magnificence that was Lenneth’s exotic perfection.

He watched as Lenneth reached up towards Silmeria, her hand shaking as she pressed her palm against the crystal. “Release her…I beg of you!” She turned to look at him, eyes tortured with grief for her sister’s fate.

“Perhaps in time.” Lezard said noncommittally. He waved, and the crystal became a blur, sinking out of this reality, spirited away to the same hiding place that Gungnir resided in.

“No…” whispered Lenneth sadly. “Bring her back.”

“Later…” He stalked towards her, smiling widely. “I have lived up to my half of the bargain…You have seen Silmeria…and now…”

“Now…” she mimicked dully, not moving as he approached her. He placed his hands on her hips, a possessive grip as he leaned down to kiss her. He was pleased to see Lenneth tilt her head upwards, closing her eyes so as not to see his descent. Mouth on mouth, hot breaths mingling as they kissed, Lezard tightening his grip on her just short of bruising her tender flesh.

He could feel the fight in her, just boiling under the surface, wanting to come out and deny him this. He kissed her all the harder for it, and with the barest of energy exertion, he teleported them to the edge of a great big bed. She broke the kiss when she felt the mattress bump into the back of her knees, Lezard giving a slight push, causing her to fall backwards onto the silk sheets.

Lenneth looked panicked as he climbed up on top of her, hands traveling all over her body, stroking and caressing her sides. He buried his lips in the crook of her shoulder, tiny worshipful kisses, even as his hands moved, carefully avoiding the diamonds on the front of her bodice. “Mine…” He whispered into her skin, a kiss punctuating the word. “All mine…”