Chapter 4

“Now what?” Ingrid shouted as she slid down Lars. I had to view Ingrid in a new light. It would be difficult to keep thinking of her like I had.

“Ingrid, do we let them find this place or just let them wander about and surmise what happened?”

“Either choice works. I would like to kill more each time, it takes hardly any extra effort and some of my pets could use the exercise; especially Fenrir. Loki dotes on him too much often ignoring his daughter and other son. By the gods that boy is already taller than Lars.”

“There is much our poor, dear husband does not know and may not understand even if he did. Humans no longer believe in us, and find it hard to understand each other’s actions or motives. We fear Regan must learn some things before this war is done with.”

They all must have taken pity on me, Diana, Sigrid and Ingrid related many things that day. Not that I remember everything and understood even less but a summary went so. Norse history relates on the Valkyrie’s as spirits capable of love affairs with human men as Diana and Sigrid have done. They also assist Odin in transporting his chosen ones among those slain in battle to Valhalla, where they will fight by his side during Ragnarok, some others may go to Freya, always equal in number to those for Odin. The Valkyries have always had such a purpose, but in earlier times they went about their tasks with far more blood lust. The meaning of their name, ‘choosers of the slain,’ referred not only to their choosing who gains admittance to Valhalla, but also to their choosing who dies in battle and using magic to ensure that their preferences in this regard are brought to bear. Examples of Valkyries deciding who lives and who dies we had seen today, none of the enemy lived but not all would go to Valhalla or to Freya.

My initial response got about as far as my mouth before it stopped. Confirming that my wives, beautiful as they may be, were not human initially brought about a plethora of negative responses. Upon reflection, actually looking at them now, recalling how they, and the Queen had treated me adding to that the actions on the battlefield of Ingrid earlier, I found it impossible to fault what had happened to me. I might have been only human, but I was not a stupid one.

I know they said much more to me, not that I might even understand but my mind was filled by other things. No, these were not questions about what was said; rather still lingering ones as to who was it that attacked and why had they done so.

Our night was quite subdued. Ingrid joined us. Her hut was not yet built. I had little doubt that cousins might do more than buss lips however this was all new to me. In the end my girls and Ingrid too must have taken pity on me fore they behaved themselves as if in public surrounds. For this I was grateful, grumpy in the morning but still gratefully so.

Ingrid has asked a valid question when she said ‘Now What?’

If anything that was the first thing we had to do. Since we were all together in the sleep furs, it seemed the time to answer this question. I made the error in thinking ‘I was in-charge’. I had forgotten the rule to ‘Listen to your women’.

As I saw it we could either go back to my home for more troops, rescue those taken captive, use Ingrid to gain a victory over the rebels or, or ... I guessed I had better ask the women.

When I had begun this campaign I thought everything would be soon over. Take more men, more supplies, traverse a shorter distance and emerge victorious; easy right?

If that was the worst I had to worry about. Nope, remember that ‘little rain falling’. Some food and drink was thoughtfully awaiting on the far end of the hut. I spotted it when I sat up. It looked really good and wondered how in a place like this the cook ever found such a feast. I gave credit to the supplies from my new mother-in-law.

I nudged Diana and she reciprocated by waking Ingrid and Sigrid. One greater priority was to go outside and water the bushes. I came back the girls were dressed and hurried outside too. This left my free to sample the feast.

I looked over our morning repast. We had smoked fish, meat of some sort, fresh fruits, two cheese, mead to drink and loaves of bread; a meal fit for a king. I nibbled until the girls returned, then we all began to tuck in our banquet.

Before the first flask of mead was finished, I felt strange, more-so, I was followed by the girls back to the sleep furs. Why a spirit of sorts should be affected like me became a fleeting thought as I almost made it to those furs.

I had no further thoughts as three more bodies shortly made a thud sound falling near me.