The morning was nice enough as mornings go; the sun light was slowly kissing each and every building, tree and blade of grass. The birds were singing delightfully as if the whole world belonged to them and the people seemed like they were in the best spirits talking and joking with one another. But all Kol could think about was how great it would be to share this view with Sig.
“Look out!” Comes Bjorn’s voice waking him from his thoughts.
Turning around quickly Kol dodges a dagger just in time.
“What the hell is wrong with you?” He yells in anger at first until he sees a stranger at the door trying to force it closed on Bjorn.
“Who are you?” Questions Kol irritated.
“I’m the man whose wife you tried to steal!” He yells.
Softening a bit Kol just stares for a moment unsure how to start.
At the same time Bjorn stops pushing on the door to listen.
Drawing a rusted sword Kol can’t help but feel sorry for him; clearly this young man has never been in a fight in his life and has no training. His six foot body trembles either in anger or fear but he can’t guess which, his sky blue eyes are tinged with red from crying and his dirty blond hair is close cut. As he stares at Kol his square jaw is twisted in a sneer of anger while his lip trembles trying to hold back tears.
“I will send you to the afterlife for what you did!” He screeches.
Sighing Kol sits down on the bed. “What did I do? Walk with your wife and talk with her? Nothing even happened.”
“Nothing happened?! Nothing happened?!” He yells stepping a few paces closer. “Because of you my wife spent the day away from me and gave her heart to another man! Tell me you have not seen her naked body.”
“What?!” Questions Kol both excited and ashamed.
“She came back and told me everything; she told me that in the short time you two spent together she began to fall in love with you. She told me that our arranged marriage was something she had never really wanted and if she had met you first it would have been a dream come true.”
“I had no idea; I never knew she was married until the day was over. The moment I found out she was married I stopped everything and sent her back to you.”
“I don’t care! Before you she said she loved me completely and now, now her heart is torn! She said that she would not leave me and asked that I stay, but why would I?” He cries.
“Because she does love you and you’ll never be lucky enough to find a woman like her again.” He snaps shooting to his feet. “And if you can’t see that then you don’t deserve her or the pathetic life you have!”
Backing into the wall the jilted man shrieks in terror staring at Kol.
Perplexed at the reaction Kol looks down at himself, surprised he finds that his entire body is vibrating and glowing with a shimmer of green energy surrounding him. Hastily Bjorn kicks open the door because of the shriek to find the strange scene playing out in front of him.
“Kol please try to calm down, you don’t want a repeat of what happened yesterday.” He says raising his hands in a defensive way.
“I didn’t even know it was happening!” Shouts Kol beginning to freak out himself.
“Ok, ok, just try and relax. Think relaxing thoughts, dream of a place that is totally yours and filled with the people and things that you care about.” He says in a tranquil voice.
“Wow Bjorn, with the gods as my witnesses that has to be the most amazingly stupid thing I have ever heard.” He cackles loudly.
“As retarded as it may sound just do it.” He says slightly laughing himself.
Forcing himself to be serious Kol closes his eyes concentrating, slowly the images of his own private paradise forms in his mind. As he watches a beautiful castle with shimmering white towers and a fortified wall build itself, the windows shine bouncing the light of a newly forming sun peeking through a cloudy sky. All around him mountains form encircling the valley where his castle sits, each one has a giant river flowing from the top peak flowing through a massively thick forest covering the mountains into a large lake sitting in front of his castle.
“It’s perfect.” He whispers to himself.
“Yes it is thank you for building it for us my fair one.” Comes Sig’s musical voice.
Spinning to face her Kol catches his breath. “Sig, what are you doing here?”
She laughs musically while throwing her arms around his neck. “Where else would I be silly?”
“Um, with your husband?” He says unable to move.
Frowning she looks thoughtfully into his eyes. “But you are my husband fair one.”
Blinking several times Kol forces himself to look around once again, in awe he realizes that this is the perfect place with everything that he has been wanting.
“How do you feel my husband?” She questions with a reassuring smile.
“Wonderful, completely happy.” He says.
“I will be in the house my fair one waiting for you, anytime you need me I am here for you.” She says kissing him deeply before turning to enter the castle gates.
With a deep breath he floats into the air of his perfect place over looking it as he slowly disappears.
Opening his eyes he sighs contently to find Bjorn smiling proudly.
“I take it you were fruitful in your endeavor of building the perfect place?” He asks.
“I was.” He replies looking at his own body which has returned to normal.
“Was she there?” Interrupts the whispered voice of Sig’s husband sitting in the corner of the small room with his head in his hands.
Sorrowfully Kol walks over to stand in front of him. “I am sorry for what happened. It was not of my doing and if I could spear you this pain I would, that being said, I also cannot change the way I feel about Sig. In the end though my feelings don’t matter, she is your wife. You don’t have to worry about me, my companions and I are leaving this place today and I doubt that I’ll ever come back.”
“But how can I go back to the way things were after what happened?” He pleads.
Grabbing him by his arms and forcing him to his feet Kol slaps him in the face. “Get a hold of yourself you baby, go home and treat her like the queen she is because if I find out you do anything other than that I will come back here and make you pay.”
“Kol!” Shouts Bjorn seizing Kol’s hands forcefully. “Let him go, I will talk to him. Now leave!”
Kol resists for a moment before his shoulders slump and he walks out of the room.
“Thank you stranger but I fear I am beyond anyone’s help save the gods.” He sighs.
Closing the door Bjorn turns to stare at the man for a moment.
“Then you are in luck.” He smiles changing form until he shows his true form as Vili brother of Odin.
His intense green eyes swallow everything and Hiem is lost in awe at the sight of them, before turning away he takes in the size of the god, standing at eight feet tall with the build of a model statue forged of perfection. His white beard flows over his chest and his white hair lies across his shoulders.
“I am Vili brother of Odin and I shall give you the peace you so long for, my great nephew Kol was telling you the truth when he said that he was not at fault for what took place between Sig and himself. It was in fact the goddess Lofn. She wanted to test Kol to see what kind of person he is. She forced Sig to go to Kol and seduce him.”
“But she didn’t make her fall in love with him did she? That was all her.”
“It was. Although it matters not for I will erase the memory of what happened, you will not recall anything that took place between them. Things will go back to the way they were for you, that is all I can offer.”
“Will you erase her memory as well?” He questions hopefully.
“That is for her to decide.” He states firmly.
“I…understand. Please take my memory away, I can’t take the pain any longer.” He sniffles.
“As you wish child.” Says Vili touchin
g his forehead.
Seconds later Hiem stares blankly at the form of Bjorn standing in front of him.
“What was that?” He questions.
“I was saying that the job is all set up for you now that I’m leaving town, Gar the blacksmith has agreed to take you in and train you as his apprentice, good luck.” He says shaking his hand. “By the way I heard you recently got married, how are things going?”
Hiem smile stretches from ear to ear. “Wonderful! She is the most wonderful and good hearted woman I have ever met! I’m truly blessed by the gods to have her as my wife!”
“You’ve no idea.” Says Bjorn under his breath,
“What?” Questions Hiem.
“I said congratulations.” He replies quickly. “Well, you better get going my friend, Gar is expecting you any minute now.”
“You’re right. I don’t want to be late on my first day and thanks again for everything.” He says running out the door.
Closing the door again Vili takes he’s true form again, then with a snap of his fingers Sig appears in front of him with red swollen eyes and a half washed dish in her hands. Seeing Vili she jumps in surprise dropping the dish to the floor and placing her hands over her mouth.
“Forgive me my lord for my unsightly appearance and lack of reverence but the gods have stung me recently and my faith has been shaken.”
“You need not apologize my child I know what was done to you and I am here to offer you a reprieve from the horrible feelings you are experiencing. If you so desire, I will wipe away the memory of what Lofn made you do and the problems it caused for you as I did for your husband.”
Brightening a bit Sig drops to her knees. “Oh thank you great Vili, you are truly benevolent.”
“Then you accept my gift?” He questions.
“Oh yes my Lord.” She says happily.
“As you wish,” He says reaching towards her forehead.
Right before he touches her she slightly cringes causing him to pause.
“What is it child?” He questions concerned.
“It’s just, I mean, I was wondering if I would lose the feelings and memories I feel for Kol as well?” She asks shyly.
“I’m afraid you will, after all, you cannot have one without the other.”
“Then if I may, I’d like to keep my memories of everything that happened. I would rather have the pain as well as the feelings of love than have neither. I promise I will never speak of what happened again and I will not let it affect my duties as Hiem’s wife.” She swears.
“I believe you would try your best child to do what you say but eventually it would eat at you to tell him everything and once you did both of you would suffer again. How about I repress the memories but do not take them and should you ever be single again they will return.”
“I suppose that is for the best, again thank you my lord.” She sighs.
Without hesitation Vili touches her forehead repressing the memories and sending her home at the same time.
A sudden knock at the door forces him to retake the form of Bjorn quickly before answering the door to find Hagar looking concerned.
“Is everything alright father? I saw Kol and he told me what happened.”
“Everything is fine Hagar, I took care of it. Now, let’s get Kol and head out we have a long way to go if we’re going to make good time to Ktn.”