Chapter 36

When they get down to the cave, Bolo is dying. Sorbo pushed him too hard, but he is such the man that he is glad he got to follow his oldest friend into battle once more.

“It has been an honor, brother.”

Dakota kneels down beside Bolo as he is talking with Sorbo. She takes her left hand and grasps the Eye and then places her other hand on Bolo’s chest and slowly a golden glow starts pulsating through him and then the glow pulsates through Sorbo and Braylard, too.

Bolo sits up and says, “The pain is gone. What does it mean?”

“I think it means, my friend, Odin finds you worthy to join his ranks. Plus your hair is once and again brown.”

“Oh, my goodness and look at you two, both of you look ten years younger.” Dakota’s magic has refreshed them all.

“What was that you said about Odin?” asks Braylard.

Both Sorbo and Dakota smile at them, but it is Dakota who says, “Sorbo is now a Knight of Odin.”

“A Knight of Odin?” asks Bolo.

“Yes, it appears, my old friend, that the Old Man in the Mountain is actually Odin, Father to all the demigods we know as our gods.”

“Really?”

“Yes and he has directed me to restart the line of the Knights of Odin, and Dakota and I can think of no two worthier people to begin it with us.”

“Guess what, Braylard?”

“What, princess.”

“Odin married us. Sorbo is now my husband.” He looks at Sorbo who proudly nods his head. There is no judgment from his friends.

“What say you, brothers? Will you walk with us into the unknown?”

“Aye.”

“Aye.”

Sorbo pulls out his sword and has them kneel before him. As he lays his sword on their shoulders the once blue fire now gold fire ignites and surrounds them. But just like in Odin’s cavern they do not get burned, it goes into them and they are the stronger for it. “You are both now Knights of Odin.”

“What do we do first?” asks Bolo.

“For now we can still be tracked through you guys so we must stay separated.”

Just then there is a bright golden flash and Odin is standing before them. Both Braylard and Bolo go down on one knee, but Odin helps them up and says, “There is no need to bow before that which you are apart of. I forgot to tell you one thing; my children or dark magic cannot track my knights. Yes, send them out to find the worthy, but you can assemble without fear of being tracked.”

“Awesome!” says Sorbo.

“Wonderful!” says Dakota, and with that Odin is gone.

“I say first and foremost we go back to the village and celebrate our wedding.”

“Yeah.” says Dakota, beaming.

As they are walking out the entrance of the cave something dawns on Sorbo and he stops in his tracks. “Oh, yeah!”

“What?”

Sorbo turns and looks at Dakota with love and pride in his eyes and then he gently places both of his hands on each side of her head and kisses her passionately. Dakota’s eyes go big. Sorbo leans in and whispers into her ear. “Get down on one knee, girl.” Dakota swallows hard with tears in her eyes because she understands the full circle this is completing for him. Sorbo slowly pulls out his sword and places it on her shoulders and when he is done he says, “You, Dakota Star.”

“Actually, I’m Dakota Pralene.”

“Oh Yeah!” he says, with a smile. “You, Dakota Pralene, are now a Knight of Odin.” Again to the amazement of all, Sorbo’s sword does not spill forth blue flame; it once again spills forth golden flames. Once and again the power of Odin encapsulates them all in its embrace. From this day forward the show color of the Knights of Odin is gold.

After Dakota flies into Sorbo’s arms and kisses him they once and again notice that they look another five years younger. All except Dakota she looks like a beautiful, amazing and strong young woman.

With Sorbo pushing himself beyond endurance to get to Dakota, it took him two days to get to the Valley of the Old Man, which will now be known as the Valley of Odin, but on the way back it takes them almost a week. Sorbo then knows Odin was guiding him.

Once they are back at the inn and Dakota is sitting in Sorbo’s lap near the fire, the wonderful memories are many. He has his right hand on her right hip and with his left hand he raises his glass in a toast. “A toast to my beautiful bride.”

“Here, here.” says Braylard, in his deep bovine-like voice.

As the evening progresses thoughts are on celebration, not the daunting task ahead of them. Katarina, who was annoyed that she was left out of the knowledge about Dakota being kidnapped by Andromeda, is lying on her tummy with her legs bent up at the knees. She is in the middle of the table with her hands propping her lovely platinum-blonde crystal-blue-eyed head up, staring at Sorbo and Dakota with great happiness in her heart. With her wearing her see through chiffon type dress her little fairy tushy is looking all so adorable.

Dakota has her head leaning on Sorbo’s shoulder and then she whispers something in Sorbo’s ear. Sorbo looks at her quickly and a smile comes to his face.

The next time Katarina looks up Sorbo and Dakota are staring at her with strange smiles on their faces. “What?” She asks, in her sweet voice, which is a little slurred because Sorbo gave her a drop of mead to sip on.

“Katarina, for many years you have been our greatest confidant and friend. You have helped us in more ways than I can count. Not in just the physical things you did for us like always keeping my beautiful Dakota looking pretty in her clothes, but just being around your beautiful heart has made us better people.” Katarina’s eyes tear up.

And just like an old married couple Dakota continues for her husband. “If there is one thing the Knights of Odin want to share with the world is the knowledge that it takes a strength beyond that which most possess to have such a beautiful heart and to look so pretty like you always do.”

Sorbo finishes. “Because of that we bestow upon you the honor and rank of Knight of Odin. Make no mistake about it pretty girl this is not an honorary title; you have earned the right to be a full Knight of Odin.”

“Really?” says Katarina, with tears freely falling from her crystal blue eyes.

“Of course! If not for you my magic would not be half as strong. Not to mention the fact that your magic is very powerful in its own right.”

“Here, here.” says Bolo, banging his cup onto the table. When he does it some of his ale splashes and comes flying out of his glass and showers Katarina.

“Ugh! This ale stuff is awful and it is sticky.”

“Sorry, little one.”

Everybody is trying their best to keep it in, but eventually they can’t and everybody bursts out laughing, including Katarina.

One by one everybody turns in for the night leaving Sorbo and Dakota sitting alone in a chair in front of the fire cuddling into each other just like their favorite times. Neither of them really wanting to suggest that it is bedtime because it is going to be very difficult lying next to each other knowing you are married and yet you cannot enter into the woman that has for a very long time held your heart in her precious tiny hands.

But at long last with a sigh Sorbo says, “Well, wife, I believe we should get to bed. We have a lot to discuss tomorrow.” Dakota nods her pretty head that is lying on Sorbo’s shoulder.

And then a thought comes to Sorbo and he stands up taking Dakota up with him in his arms. He easily carries her upstairs and into their bedroom and then gently he puts her onto the bed. As Dakota is sleepily watching him, he undresses down to nothing.