Cursed Blessing

The winter was finally giving way to spring. Snow was melting showing patches of green underneath. Haursi had been sent to find a crew for Christian, while she and he waited for the thaw to come. Luckily she had been given a small cottage towards the outer part of the village from a couple who had been grateful for her in saving their small child when he had grown ill. She was grateful for it got them both away from the inn and it had made the villagers seem a bit happier as well. She put the finishing stitch into the shirt, inspected it then folded it adding to the pile.

Christian was sitting on a pile of wood just outside, even if he was allowed to sleep inside he never did. The sun was slowly setting over the roofs of the village; the spring wind was gently caressing his face. The salty taste in the air made him long for the sea.



She stood and walked to the open door, she peaked around at him. "You miss her don\'t you? The sea? "



“Every single day, there are days when she calls to me” he simply sat there and looked out over the sea.



She went and sat next to him. "Haursi should be back soon and the ice is beginning to flow well. It shouldn’t be long before you can set sail on her." She had grown fond of him over the months even though he kept to himself and was grumpy most of the time, saying little. It was still better than being alone.



“Indeed” was all he said, he had set himself not to get to close to her. He couldn’t afford it.



She looked at him but saw he was not going to say more. "Well, your shirt is mended and supper is nearly done. You know" she said as she stood. "I am actually looking forward to seeing Haursi, he has an odd sense of humor but he is entertaining in his own way. I wonder if he has had any luck in finding men."



“Thank you” he stood up and walked inside. “When I leave for the open sea, we will not see each other for a long time”



She stared at him. "What do you mean? I have to come with you."



“That is quite impossible. Women on a ship are bad luck” he took a seat by the table.



She snorted rather loudly. "That is silly. There is nothing wrong with a woman being on a ship. And I am not just a woman but a shaman." She grabbed a plate and dished up some stew from the fire. "I\'ve traveled on other ships when I was searching for you and they had no issue."



Christian barked at her, as an old sailor he was very superstitious and he never joked about it.



She frowned as she placed the food on the table. "You really are going to leave me here." She sat down across from him. "Well that won’t do, you are just going to have to get over your silly superstitious feelings."



His eyes looked down at the food then back at her. A growl left him as he stood up and walked out of the place. Haursi was about to open the door when he got a solid body in his face instead, from the brute force alone he was thrown onto his ass. “Bloody hell!” he cursed as he just followed the large Viking with his eyes. He stood up and peeked inside. “Did I miss something?”



Her lips twitched. "He is finding out that a woman can be just as hard headed as any man. He was going to leave me here and sail off. I told him No. Well that is the simple way of putting it anyways. So now he is throwing a tantrum. Welcome back by the way."



“You two are fighting like an old married couple” he joked as he walked inside and took a seat. “Oooo, fill me up please”



She rolled her eyes, but filled the plate for him. "We do not argue like that. He hardly speaks to me." Returning to her seat. "Any luck finding men for the ship?”



“Yes” was all he said as he started to eat.



She waited to see if he was going to say more but he was clearly more interested in food than speaking. She got him some mead and set it down next to him. "Did you get enough? He is anxious to get to sea."



“Yes” he said with his mouth full of food. “I found nineteen warriors for a future campaign”



She refilled his plate and cup. "Good that should make him happy. Do you know what would make me happy? “She smiled at him.



“No” he drank some of his mead and looked at her.



She leaned towards him. "You." she wrinkled her nose. "Taking a bath."



“On one condition” he grinned at her.



She raised her brow. "And that would be?”



“You in bed with me”



She laughed. "Nice try, but that will only happen in your dreams." She grabbed her cloak and bag. "Tell grumpy when he gets back, I\'ve gone to meditate and see what the stones have to say this evening. Perhaps you should try the barmaid, she openly adores you."



“I took her ten minutes ago” he answered as he continued to eat.



She shook her head. "So go back and get more." She opened the door and saw the sun had dipped lower. She pulled her hood up as the nights were still very cold.



Christian had jumped up in to the top of a tree and looked out. He had become quite accustomed to her being around too, but he couldn’t allow her to follow him, not on a ship.



She closed the door and started out towards a small cave she had found down by the sea. It fit her purpose nicely. She could hear and smell the sea, which was relaxing. She skirted the village finding the narrow path that lead downward to the cave. Reaching the entrance, she slipped inside. She first lit a small fire to keep the chill at bay, then lit candles and incense. First she drew her stones and cast them, studied them then sighed. Nothing of importance. She sat down and listed to the sounds of the cave and water.



He looked at the faint light in the old cave. He jumped off the tree and started to walk down to the shoreline. He took a seat on the stone face above her.



Her mind wondered and could not concentrate, so she walked to the front of the cave and watched the waves of the sea hit the shore. She glanced around, seeing no one, she undressed and walked down to the water’s edge, lifted her face. "My goddess, will you not speak to me? I\'ve done all you have asked. What would you have of me? “She stood there, she skin prickled by the cold. She ignored the discomfort and waited for an answer.



Christian jumped down from behind without a sound and changed himself into the wolf form. He didn’t stare at her; instead he wrapped his large furry arms around her for warmth.



At first she stiffened at the feel of someone behind her, but when his arms went around her and she realized who is was she relaxed. "I\'m beginning to feel you were correct and she doesn’t care. She hasn\'t spoken to me since I told her about the Minotaur attack and their markings."

He pulled her close, making sure that his fur was keeping her warm in the still cool sea winds.



“I am not surprised, they are all a like”



His warmth gave her comfort and sighed. Her fingers idle played with his fur, she enjoyed the feel of it and feeling it against her everywhere made her stiffen again. "Perhaps I should redress."



“Of course” he let her go and jumped back up on the ledge to give her some privacy.



She scrambled back to the cave and retrieved her clothes. Once dressed, she put out the fire, wrapped her cloak around herself and stepped back out into the night.



Christian looked around him; something was near, a very distinct smell. He sniffed the air and lay low.



As she left the cave a bright flash of light blinded her for a moment, but then Freya stood there. "How dare you doubt me?"



A startled scream left Brina’s lips, but immediately fell to her knees feeling the rocks cut and bruise. She bowed low. "Forgive me mistress; I shall never do it again."



Christian’s eyes opened wide, it was her. The one who cursed him and now was his chance. Silently he jumped of the rock face and changed to his wolf form in mid air, his claws and fangs ready to kill this god. He landed on her back and sank his teeth in her neck. “You’re all mine”



Freya screamed at the attack and so did Brina. "CHRISTIAN, NO!!" she scrambled to her feet.



Freya vanished from his teeth and claws.



Christian stood, blood dripping from his teeth and mouth. He slowly licked his mouth to taste the blood. “Show yourself” he demanded.



She reappeared and hit him with a god bolt. "HOW DARE YOU ATTACK ME!" Her neck was still bleeding, leaving a red trail down her throat and dress.



He picked himself up and looked at her with eyes of hate. “HOW DARE YOU PUT THIS DAMNED CURSE ON ME!?!” he was lightly growling at her.



"IT WAS NOT ME YOU FOOL! For this I should leave you to your fate."



Brina gasped. "No mistress please, forgive him, he is upset at all that has happened. He can only believe what his mind tells him."



“Only you were with me when you ‘blessed’ me, and because of you I killed my shipmates and laid waste of several villages. I’ve killed hundreds. YOU are to blame and I will have your hide for it” He launched at her again, but he made sure he was able to change his direction in a heartbeat if she would strike at him again.



Freya moved quickly and grabbed Brina, putting her between them, her hand on her throat. Brina shut her eyes and waited for the impact.



Christian braced his feet hard into the rocks beneath him, that made him fly over the duo and as he flipped over them, he ran his claws over both Freya’s shoulders. He landed hard; the claws on his feet ripping through the rock like paper and moved at her back.

Freya groaned in pain but turned to face him. Her face was full of anger and pain. She drew on her powers and hit him with several bolts. He dodged the first but the rest hit him straight in the chest. The blasts made him fly backwards and in to the sea.

.

Brina ran to the edge of the water and searched for him.



"He loved the sea, she can keep him." Freya snarled.



"Mistress please. I beg of you."



Freya looked at her handmaid. "Why? He is an ungrateful beast."



"Because he does not know of the other or what truly happened. If you would just let me tell him."



"You have too much faith in him. He will still blame me."



Brina bowed low. "Please mistress I will do whatever you wish or pay whatever price, but give him one more chance."



"You offer much, but very well. I will accept that." She snapped her fingers. "You will find him in your home. Tell him what happened. Also I have found a way for it to be reversed; he only needs to kill a child."



Brinas eyes widened. She listened to what he mistress told her. Once Freya had left she ran back to the small house and burst inside.



Haursi was asleep in his chair and the stein with mead was on the floor by his hand. Christians wet body was laying on the floor, a pool of water and blood was mixing underneath him.

She slammed the door and ran to Christian dropping to her knees beside him. Grabbing a shoulder she pushed hard to make him roll to his back. She then began looking for wounds.



Haursi snored and landed on his back when he fell backwards. “By Odin woman!!!” he cursed as he stumbled to his feet.



She ignored him as she set about fixing the wounds caused by the bolts. "Christian? Christian wake up"



The drunken Viking stumbled over and looked down at them. “I knew he liked to play it rough, but damn. Looks like you almost killed him in your games”



She glared up at him. "I didn’t do this. This is what happens when you anger a Goddess or dumb enough to try to attack one."



“Goddess? Wait…” he placed his hand on the table for support. “He attacked a goddess? Ha ha ha ha, he will never change”



She struck out with a fist hitting him in the leg. "It is not funny. She almost killed him."



“Ouch!” he cried out as he landed on his ass, her strike had landed on the nerve center in his knee and made it collapse for a moment. “I heard a story that he went against close to impossible odds when he defiled the king of England. Outnumbered and out gunned he made his country free, his fighting prowess and strategic mind saved it. I am not surprised to hear that he went against a god, I was almost expecting it”



"Going against a Goddess is a bit different don’t you think? The English cannot kill with a thought." She finished caring for his wounds.



“No, but gods can still be killed” he grinned at her.



She just shook her head. "Warriors. We need to move him to the bed."



“Sure” he walked over to her the best he could and pulled the massive creature on to his back.

“By Thor he’s heavy, what have you been feeding him while I was gone” he asked as he dragged him to the bed in the corner.



"Nothing special, but he sometimes does catch his own meals. So who knows what he has been eating." She grabbed some rags, bent down and scrubbed the floor of blood and water.



He let the big beast down in the bed so hard hat all four legs broke, even as he fell asleep again.

She winced at the sound of wood breaking and sighed. Standing she sat in the chair by the fire, pulling her legs to her chest, wrapped herself in her cloak and tried to get some sleep.