Lezard's Triumph

It was quiet in the bedroom, silent except for the crinkle of paper and the sound of the pen's movement across the desk. Occasionally Lezard muttered to himself, pausing to stare off into the distance. Lenneth was grateful for his preoccupied state, her thoughts focused on the baby inside her. She kept a hand pressed to her stomach, trying to take comfort from the life growing inside of her. Her fingers caressed her belly, and she bit back sighs, wondering about it's future.

She tried not to think about whether it was a boy or a girl, not wanting to form a closer connection to it. It would be too painful to separate from it if she found herself growing to love the child, and little touches like it's gender and thinking of names for it would bring her one step closer to wanting to keep the baby. She idly wondered how long she could hide the pregnancy from Lezard, wondering how long it would take him to put two and two together. Should she even try to hide this from him, or would it be better to get it over with and tell him herself?

And yet when she tried to steel her nerves, to speak and gain Lezard's attention, she found herself tongue tied, the words held trapped within her. Partially it was fear of his reaction, Lenneth wondering what sort of rage induced fit he would throw. She was almost positive an argument would follow the announcement of her pregnancy, Lezard having already made it known how displeased a baby would make him.

Lenneth shook her head, frowning as she gazed at Lezard's back. Why did everything have to be a struggle with him? Why must he be so vigorously opposed to her having a child? His reasons didn't make sense to her, they were just words, more signs of his sick obsession with her. The man seemed to zealously guard her affections, not wanting her to have anyone else in her life, wanting her to be dependent on him and him alone for her needs.

A heavy sigh from Lenneth, Lezard glancing her way. "I'm just tired..." She explained. "It's boring being in bed all day long."

"But it's for your health." Lezard said, turning his attention back to his paper work. "You do want to get better, don't you?

"...yes..." She agreed, and offered no more words to him. But inside her mind was spinning, turning all the angles of her pregnancy, trying to find a happy outcome for her baby. She wondered if she could count on Eir, if the Healer would help her in her schemes. Things would go a lot easier if she had an ally, Lenneth imagining telling Lezard the baby had died, allowing the Goddess to spirit the child away.

Midgard would be a fine place for my baby to grow... Lenneth thought to herself. Perhaps among the elves... She frowned, shaking her head. The elves lived too close to Bifrost, the child might be tempted to travel to Asgard. Perhaps living with mortals would be safer for the baby. Kept far, far away from Gods and their sacred lands, and most important of, kept far away from Lezard!

She was still attempting to puzzle out the details, when a knock sounded at the door. Both she and Lezard turned, surprise in their eyes. The chair legs scraped across the floor as Lezard stood, setting aside his paperwork for the moment. Lenneth's eyes tracked Lezard's movements, watching him head for the door. The knock sounded again, more urgent this time, and Lezard was in the process of pulling open the door when Vor all but flew into the room.

"My liege!" The Goddess began, a hasty nod of acknowledgment in Lenneth's direction. "You simply must come with me at once!"

"Vor? What is the matter?" Lezard asked, voice calm and unaffected by the Goddess' agitation.

"It is Fenrir." She answered, nervously wringing her hands together.

"The wolf?" Lezard arched an eyebrow. "What about him?"

"Haven't you heard the howls?" Vor demanded. "The great wolf grows restless with hunger, testing his bonds. In his agitated state, we fear he will break free!"

"So go and feed him." Lezard said, thinking the answer simple and obvious.

Vor's eyes widened, Lezard not missing the nervous look in her eyes. "I could not! Neither could any of the other Aesir..." Now her expression turned angry, eyes narrowed as she looked at him accusingly. "Only Tyr was strong enough, brave enough to deal with Fenrir."

"And Tyr is now mortal..." Lezard sighed, fingers raising to adjust his glasses.

"Yes. You do know what they say about Fenrir's escaping...?" asked Vor. "The rumors whisper it is a sign of Ragnarok!"

"Well, what do you want me to do?" demanded Lezard.

"You could see to the beast." suggested Vor. "Tend to his needs."

Lezard let out a heavy sigh, nodding his head, though reluctance shown in his eyes. "I suppose someone needs to do it."

"Or perhaps...you could restore Tyr to his divinity..." a crafty look was in the Wisdom's Goddess' eyes, and Lezard frowned to see it.

"No...He betrayed me. Let him stay a mortal...let him stay and rot in the dungeons for all I care." Lezard said.

"Lezard..." It was Lenneth, adding her voice to the discussion. "Perhaps you could release Tyr from his imprisonment. Give him a chance to prove himself, allow him to tend to Fenrir." Lezard glanced at Lenneth, appearing to listen to her words. "He is mortal now." She added. "Surely he would not even think of opposing you now."

"I will...consider it." Lezard said. "But only because it's you who ask me." Lenenth smiled, relieved.

"That is not the only problem to consider." Vor said.

"Oh?"

"Heimdall is missing...we fear he is dead." explained the Goddess. "There is no one to guard the rainbow bridge...and no volunteers are forthcoming for the position." She held up a hand, and began ticking off problems. Lezard listened to her, expression growing more and more grim as the Goddess found more and more work for him to do.

Lenneth sighed, and shook her head, hiding a smile. "Lezard..." She gently interrupted the Goddess' mid sentence. "Go with her."

"But..." Lezard frowned, not wanting to leave Lenneth alone in her delicate condition. "What about you?" He said at last.

"I'll be fine." She was quick to assure him. "Really. And they need you a lot more than I do."

"I suppose..." Lezard sighed, his reluctance showing in his eyes. Vor was already reaching forward to catch at his arm, the Goddess trying to draw him out of the room. "I'll send for Freya..." Lezard said, taking slow steps after the Goddess. "So you needn't be alone."

"I'd like that." Lenneth smiled, making shooing motions with her hand. "Now go!"

Lezard cast one last look at Lenneth, staring at her in resignation. And then he was gesturing, casting ether about to transport Vor and him out of the room. Lenneth sat staring at the empty spot, nostrils flaring at the smell of burnt ether. It tickled her nose, making her want to sneeze, though she fought against that impulse. With a sigh, she fell against the pillows, staring up at the ceiling. With Lezard gone, the room felt a whole lot more empty, and yet...the weight of her secret was somehow lessened by his absence.

A bitter laugh escaped her, Lenneth raising a hand to her mouth, attempting to muffle the sound. She found herself wishing she could trade problems with Lezard, thinking the political disasters of the court were much easier to navigate than deciding what to do with her child. The thought of facing Fenrir and his endless appetite, facing Hel and her undead minions, even dealing with Ragnarok seemed a less burdensome task than telling Lezard she was pregnant.

"I'm such a coward." Lenneth said out loud, disgusted with herself. She made a fist, slamming it against the mattress, a failed attempt at venting her frustration. She lay still for a few seconds more, just trying to center her thoughts. And then she was rising, moving to the edge of the bed. She stepped down onto the floor, pausing to search for her shoes. She found them, slipping them on, pausing to run her hands over her gown, smoothing out it's wrinkles. With a nod of her head, she was on the move, hurrying towards the bedroom door.

"I'll have to speak with Eir..." Lenneth decided, voice low as she spoke out loud. "Without Lezard's knowledge." Now was the perfect chance, the necromancer was otherwise occupied with work, and would be gone for hours.Her meeting with Eir might take hours, Lenneth knowing if she didn't want Lezard to be able to trace where she had gone she'd have to forgo the use of ether, sneaking to Vingolf on foot.

She wore a look of determination in her eyes, hands reaching for the handle of the door. She all but wrenched it free of the wood, throwing open the ivory doors with a flourish and stopped. "Frei?!" She gasped out the name, Lenneth staring in surprise at the auburn haired Goddess.

"Lenneth!" Frei said happily, her hand poised in mid knock. She hastily lowered it, dropping into a curtsy. "I was just coming to see you!"

"Freya's not here right now..." Lenneth said, trying not to frown, to not betray the impatience she felt.

"Oh...that's okay." Frei smiled. "It's you who I wanted to see." She went to move forward, and Lenneth found herself stepping to the side, allowing the young Goddess entrance to the room.

"What is it Frei? What troubles you?" asked Lenneth, trying to appear concerned, even as she kept glancing anxiously at the doors.

"Oh it's no trouble...I just thought...well..." Frei felt shy, not failing to notice the agitated state Lenneth was in. "It's about your illness."

"Yes, what about it?" Lenneth asked, wishing Frei would just get to the point of her visit.

"I was just thinking...some fresh air would do you good." Frei said. "It's just that you hardly ever leave Valhalla!" The words rushed out of the young Goddess' mouth. "You spend most of your time in this room...it's a stifling atmosphere..."

Lenneth blinked, looking at Frei as though for the first time. "You're right Frei..." She said, the girl smiling in relief. "I do spend far too much time in this room. I should do something about it...Right now in fact..."

"Now?!" Frei's eyes widened in surprise. "But..."

"No time like the present." Lenneth said cheerfully, stepping out into the corridor. Frei hurried behind her, pausing only long enough to close the doors behind her. She heard Frei's boots click loudly on the floor, the young Goddess hurrying to keep up with Lenneth's quick step.

"Don't you think you should tell Lord Lezard first...?" Frei worried out loud.

"Nonsense!" Lenneth said. "I'll be back before he even knows I'm gone."

"But..." Frei sighed. "At least allow me to accompany you..."

"..." Lenneth paused, turning to look at Frei. The young Goddess smiled hopefully, and Lenneth sighed. "Very well." It was with great reluctance that Lenneth allowed Frei to accompany her, thinking to avoid a potential scene. "But do hurry and don't dawdle on the way!"

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The woods that surrounded the town of Crell Monferaign could almost be described as peaceful. There was little to intrude on the sounds of nature, Alicia hearing twigs snap underfoot, and the quiet conversation of her companions. The men kept their voices to a low murmur, senses keen and alert for trouble. They listened not for sound, but for the absence of it. The forest was alive with noise, birds chirping, bushes swaying in the breeze, the bubbling of streams, and the sound of hoof beats clopping. To hear it go silent meant something was wrong, that something disturbed the natural peace of the forest.

So far they had been fortunate, there was little monsters to be found in the woods. The soldiers of Crell Monferaign were prone to doing weekly sweeps of the forest, clearing out any and all monsters they came across. But evil had a way of surviving, festering deep in the heart of the forest where the sunlight could not reach, hiding in the shadows. Those crafty beasts who knew enough to avoid the patrols of man were ever vigilant, ever on guard. Lurking, waiting, hoping for a chance to strike. And a party of four, seemed just the right size, just the right amount of risk to take.

And so they came, bursting out of the undergrowth, their hooves clip clopping against the dirt, sending up clods of brown mud. Goatmen, an odd, pitiable beast that was half monster, half man. The human half was what gave the creature its intelligence, made it crafty and smart. They showed up in parties of three, wielding their weapons, spears and bows. The use of arrows made them problematic to defeat, the sharp pieces of wood keeping Alicia and Arngrim from getting close enough to use their swords.

Rufus and Dallas unleashed their long range attacks, a blinding blaze of arrows torpedoing towards the arrow wielding goat men, the attack boosted by Dallas' fire storm. Screams were heard, the goat men not liking the fire. A less brave monster turned and fled, leaping over burning bushes, disappearing into the forest. Swords were drawn, Alicia and Arngrim standing back to back, guarding each other as they defended against the spear fighters. The two made fast work of their opponents, leaving the forest floor littered with bodies.

Even with the delays these battles provided, they made good time. Even with Arngrim's insistence at stopping to loot each and every body, progress was steadily made, the party of four drawing closer and closer to the town. The sun seemed to move with them, staying high in the sky, shining it's rays down through the leafy canopy of the forest.

"I think...we should stop and rest." announced Alicia, much to Dallas' relief. He was panting slightly, out of breath, simply not used to such an excursion.

"A rest? Why?" asked Rufus, a frown on his face. "If we push on, we could make it Crell Monferaign before nightfall."

"Rufus is right." agreed Arngrim. "I have no objection to spending the night in these woods, but...if we can shave off a day's delay from our journey, shouldn't we try for it?"

"There's no rush." Alicia said, letting her eyes glance at Dallas. She was concerned for her friend, knowing the man would never voice his complaints out loud. "And we haven't had lunch yet."

"Well, I have been working up quite an appetite with all the fighting." admitted Arngrim.

"You're always hungry." Pointed out Rufus with a laugh. "Your stomach is like a bottomless pit!"

"You're one to talk!" retorted Arngrim. "You practically inhale your food without chewing!" Both men laughed, not angry at the barbs they playfully traded.

"Dallas?" He turned to look at her, and she smiled kindly. "It's up to you. It's for your sake that we travel to the holy city."

"I think..." He hesitated, glancing at Rufus and Arngrim. The beserker had the half elf in a head lock, playing rubbing his knuckles into the top of his head. "I think we should stop and rest. I am getting a little hungry."

"Then we're all in agreement?" Alicia asked, clasping her hands together. Grunts and nods were her acknowledgment, Rufus struggling to get free of Arngrim's grip. "Great!" She sheathed her sword, letting her pack fall to the ground. Dallas slumped gratefully down onto a flat boulder, taking a moment to himself.

"Let go you big oaf!" Rufus shouted, jerking hard on Arngrim's arms. He stumbled when Arngrim released him, taking a few steps forward before turning to glare at the warrior.

"You said to let you go." pointed out Arngrim, and Rufus huffed angrily. His hands raised, the half elf brushing back his hair, trying to smooth out the mess Arngrim had made of it.

Alicia was smiling, eyes shining with merriment as she laid out a tattered blanket onto the ground. She dug around in her pack, removing paper wrapped sandwiches, piling them up in the center of the blanket. Dallas watched her, quiet contemplation in his eyes. Suddenly a water skein was thrust before his face, and he glanced up, seeing Arngrim grinning at him.

"Drink up!" Dallas gratefully took the water from him, uncorking the end. "You know...how about you use some of that fancy magic of yours to turn water into wine?"

Dallas took his time in answering, feeling the cold liquid rush down the back of his throat. "My magic doesn't work that way." Dallas said, returning the skein to a disappointed Arngrim. "I can't change the very nature of an item...I can only create new items using a mixture of ingredients."

"Oh..." Dallas had a feeling Arngrim didn't understand, so he hastened to explain.

"It's like with cooking. You just don't get a cake out of thin air." Dallas said. "You need flour and eggs, milk...among other things depending on the type of cake you want. They all go together, in certain measured amounts, and when you bake the batter, out comes the finished result."

"Hmmm...so you'll need to get ingredients for your potion business." Arngrim frowned as Dallas nodded. "That's bound to be expensive...we better hope we run into more monsters!"

Dallas' eyes were wide with disbelief. "No one hopes for that!"

"I do!" grinned the beserker, flexing his arm muscles. "I can never get enough taste of the battle."

Dallas shook his head, unsure if he should be amused or not. "Fortunately I only need to buy stuff to get started. I'm hoping to plant my own garden, to grow the most basic herbs needed for my magic."

"Good luck with that." Arngrim said, having no interest in gardening. He turned, eyes seeking out the rest of his companions, seeing Alicia had snuggled up to Rufus' side. The princess held a sandwich in her hands, breaking off tiny bits which she delicately fed to a grinning Rufus. The sight made him grin, making Arngrim wonder what it would be like to have a woman that devoted to him. "Rufus is a lucky man..." he said wistfully, his voice a low whisper.

"Yes." Dallas was also staring at the couple, pain in his eyes. "He is."

"Come on...Let's get some grub." Arngrim said, shaking his head to throw off melancholy thoughts. "Hey lovebirds, save some for us!" He all but dragged Dallas off the boulder, urging the mage to sit down next to him.

Ill at ease, Dallas knelt on the blanket, reaching for a sandwich. His fingers fumbled to unwrap it, the mage having to struggle with only one hand. No help was offered, and he preferred it that way, not wanting to be made to feel like an invalid.

"So what's the game plan when we get to Crell Monferaign?" asked Rufus, around a mouthful of bread. "Do we just waltz into a shop and announce ourselves?"

"No!" Dallas shook his head, pausing to take a bite of his meal. Turkey, dribbled in a white sauce tantalized his taste buds, Dallas almost swooning as he tasted one of his favorite meats. "First I need to have something to sell...We'll have to go shopping first." He carefully chewed, thinking on his next words. "I think I should start with the more basic potions, ones that require ingredients easily stocked. Once I've had a modicum of success, I can begin importing the more exotic ingredients."

"Sounds smart." Arngrim nodded, a large chicken drumstick in his hand. He bit down on the tender skin, teeth tearing at the meat. "You know..." He munched on his food, talking with his mouth full. "Maybe there'll be some bounties up for grab." He smiled, liking the idea. "I could lend out my services as a merc, earn some more gold."

"Oh I hope so!" exclaimed Alicia. "It would solve the problem of being bored, and help you earn money for your ship!"

"Plus it'd get my name out there. Put me back in contact with my old pals." mused Arngrm thoughtfully. "I do have to put a crew together for my ship, and when one plans to be a pirate, you can't just hire anybody to man your boat."

"Yeah, you wouldn't want someone who would snitch on you to the authorities!" laughed Rufus.

"..." Dallas was quiet, wondering why no one seemed to have a problem with Arngrim's desire to be an outlaw. Once again he found himself worrying about the unsavory company the princess kept, shaking his head in disgust.

"Crell Monferaign..." Alicia sighed, taking a sip of water. "I wonder if they are still preparing for war." She knew that with the news of Dipan's ruin, the holy city was eager to stake it's claim as top empire in the world.

"It would be good if they were, from a financial point of view." Arngrim replied. He was rewarded with the evil eyeball from Alicia, and he hastened to explain. "It's just...they will be in need of magic...magic Dallas can supply!"

"You're right..." Dallas breathed out, feeling excited at the prospect. "My services would be in high demand."

"Just think of the money you could charge!" Arngrim grinned.

Alicia frowned at them both, highly disapproving of this plan. She opened her mouth to let out an angry retort, when a scream rang out through the forest. It was high pitched and decidedly female, full of fear and loathing. She started to speak, saying, "What was that?!" When the scream sounded again, nearer this time.

"Someone's in trouble!" Rufus said, making a grab for his bow.

"We have to help them!" Alicia decided, scrambling to her feet. The men nodded, all standing, their meal forgotten as they listened to the screams.

"It's coming from that direction!" Rufus said, pointing to the East. He didn't give a chance for them to respond, already he was running, and his wife hurried after him with a shout.

"Rufus!"

Arngrim was ahead of him, rapidly gaining on the newlyweds. Dallas ran as fast as he could, robes flapping around his legs as he moved. He clothing wasn't suited for speed, the heavy material dragging him down, twisting and constricting around his legs. By the time he broke through the brush, wildly lashing out at the branches that snagged on his clothes, he could see his companions had surrounded a monster.

It was large, towering a good two feet over Arngrim. Arrows were embedded in it's thick flesh, a dark gray color that reminded the mage of dirty stone. Occasionally it's skin would flicker, a sickly yellow light, and Dallas realized with a start it had a regeneration spell cast on it. It roared, it's mouth wide open, revealing a dazzling array of teeth made out of diamonds. It was a troll, carrying a thick tree trunk as it's weapon.

Rufus was moving from side to side, arrow after arrow thudding into it's skin. He wouldn't be able to keep this up, he'd run out of arrows sooner or later. Arngrim was up close, twirling his heavy blade, clashing it against the troll's tree. "Watch it!" The beserker barked as an arrow landed in the center of the trunk, coming perilously close to his head.

"I'm trying!" snapped Rufus, drawing back the string of his bow.

"How hard is it to hit a target this large?!" demanded Arngrim, muscles straining as he fought to keep his sword from being pushed back. Dallas tore his eyes away from the men, frantically scanning the area. Where was Alicia?!

Another roar from the beast, a large hammy fist raised in the air. Dallas caught sight of blonde hair, a figure laying still on the dirt floor. Alicia! He thought, running forward, all thoughts gone except for fear for her safety. He cast out a spell, screaming out, "Frigid Damsel!"

Dallas felt the coldness leap out of his hand, ice and wind stirring up his robes. They spun together, forming the shape of a woman, her skin snow white, naked except for a sheer skirt wrapped around her legs. She screamed, and her hands lashed out at the troll, her large fingernails scraping along it's skin, drawing blood. The fist paused in it's movements, the troll staggering back as it tried to center it's attention on the ice maiden.

Seeing his chance, Dallas practically dove forward, grabbing the blonde around the waist. He yanked her to her feet, feeling her take a shaky step forward. He barely paid attention to her, still looking at the troll, even as he tried to guide her away from the monster. Suddenly the tree trunk was swinging in their direction, and with a scream, Dallas pushed her, going down at the same time. The two rolled, a tangle of limbs that ended with Dallas on top of the girl.

He raised his head, eyes locking onto hers, and gasped. Instead of the bright blue of the princess' eyes, chestnut brown gazed back at him, the girl looking as surprised as he felt. He stared at her, noticing other ways she differed from the princess. Her blonde hair wasn't as pure a golden color, being faded in it's blonde hue. It fell down to her waist, and she wore a light purple headband on her head, with small white wings gracing either side over her ears.

"Who...who are you?" He started to ask, seeing her eyes widen.

"Move!" She ordered, and grabbed at his shoulders, pulling him into a roll with her. He felt the wind rustle over his head, realizing the troll's fist had almost hit him. They ended up in the bushes, the girl crawling off him. She slowly got to her feet, and he stared some more, seeing the sun shine down on her. She was oddly dressed, her clothing a mix of browns, white, and the purple that was in her hair. She wore tight leather pants, and a midriff baring purple shirt, a long bit of tunic falling forward to cover the front of her stomach.

Slung on her hips, was a sheathe containing the remains of three arrows, Dallas realizing that it was her weapons that pierced the troll's flesh. She was speaking to him, Dallas realizing she was the source of the screams they had heard. "Thank you for the save." She said gratefully, eyes intent on the battle before them.

"Er yes...you're welcome." Dallas said, stumbling over his words. He went to rise, finding it hard to look away from the girl. She was beautiful, a loveliness comparable to the princess of Dipan. He frowned, wondering why he was comparing her to Alicia, and then his eyes widen. Alicia!!

He quickly scanned the field, and saw her, standing behind the troll, stabbing her sword into it's back over and over again. Again that yellow color flashed, the troll healing it's wounds. Arngrim continued to attack the front, swinging his blade wildly about, at some point having knocked away the tree from the creature's hand. Rufus was holding back, careful to maintain his depleting stock of arrows. Occasionally he would bend down, retrieving one that lay on the ground.

"That thing has a spell on it." The girl scowled, her hands on her hips. "Otherwise my arrows would have taken care of it!" He liked her confidence, idly wondering if she had the skill to back up her boast. "Hey..." She turned to look at him, a calculating look in her brown eyes. "You have magic...think you could help?"

"I can only try..." Dallas said, finding he wanted to succeed, if only to look good in her eyes. He turned his gaze to the monster, raising his arms in it's direction. His sleeves fell back, revealing his hand, but the girl showed no sign of disgust at the stump he had for a left hand. She merely watched, curious as to what he planned to do. "Normalize!" shouted Dallas, fingers curling around the empty air. A ball of pure white appeared in his hand, and with a fling of his arms, he was hurling the spell at the troll, praying his aim would be accurate.

It was, hitting the creature, white light competing with yellow for dominance. At last in an explosion of sparkles, the white won, the yellow flickering into nothingness. "You did it!" cheered the girl, giving his arm a quick squeeze. He smiled back at her, but already she was running, dashing onto the battle field. Dallas hurried after her, considering spells in his head, as he watched her.

She seemed to be searching for something, and at last she found it. It was her discarded bow, almost as large as she was, but she handled the wood with ease. It's tips were made of silver, it's string still intact. She drew an arrow from her sheathe, locking it into place on her bow. She was careful of the other fighters, watching and waiting, patient for her turn to strike.

Suddenly she was shouting, finding an opening. "I shall light your way to Hel!" Her arm pulled back, and the bow sang, the arrow flying free. It glowed purple, and split into a multitude of lights, all shooting towards the troll. Alicia and Arngrim hastened to get out of the way, crouching to the sides, weapons at the ready. "Pulverizing Storm!"

The arrows of light blasted the troll, breaking off one of it's arms. The girl was already readying another arrow, even as Arngrim leapt forward, slashing his weapon at the troll's head. With a sickening crack, bone was split, the head being severed. The body stumbled backwards, then fell, hitting the ground.

"Nice work!" Alicia complimented the beserker, seeing Arngrim's eyes lit up with greed as he stared at the troll's head.

"You too..." Arngrim nodded, sliding his sword back into it's sheathe on his back. With a grin, he removed a small bloodstained dagger, eyeing the troll's body. Alicia made a disgusted sound as Arngrim began prying at the troll's teeth, whistling a happy song as he loosened the diamonds. "I can buy several ships with the fortune to be found inside a troll's mouth!" He said gleefully, unperturbed by the blood that squirted him in the face.

Shaking her head, Alicia sought out her husband, seeing him rifling through his pack. He removed a bundle of arrows, adding them to his near empty arrow sheathe. She let out a sigh of relief, grateful he was not hurt. She heard the sound of footsteps, and turned, seeing Dallas and the girl approaching her. Dallas had a funny expression on his face, and he blushed every time the woman smiled at him.

Alicia frowned, cocking her head to the side. There was something familiar about the woman, something she could almost recognize. The girl turned, finally drawing her eyes away from Dallas to set her gaze on Alicia, and gave a start of recognition.

"Alicia?!"

The princess' eyes widened, she knew that voice! "Lydia?!"

The girl, identified as Lydia, nodded, smiling widely. "It's good to see you again."

Dallas looked back and forth between the two woman, expression curious. "You know each other?"

"Yes..." A warm smile on Alicia's face, she stepped forward to clasp Lydia's hands. "We traveled a lot together in recent times."

"Lydia was one of Alicia's einherjar." explained Rufus, giving a wave as he approached. "It's good to see you again."

"Same to you." Lydia said, nodding at him.

"What are you doing here?" asked Alicia, letting go of her hands.

"I live not too far from here." explained Lydia. "In Crell Monferaign to be precise."

"These woods are dangerous!" Dallas said, fretting over how close Lydia had come to losing her life. "You shouldn't be out here alone."

"Ah...Lydia can take care of herself." Rufus grinned. "As long as the monsters don't cheat!"

"I thank you all for coming to my rescue." She turned to smile at Dallas, touching his shoulder. "Especially you mage. Without your spell, I fear we'd still be battling the beast."

He turned an interesting shade of red, Alicia noted, Dallas practically glowing at Lydia's praise. Flustered, the mage glanced downwards, stammering out words. "It was nothing...really...I was just doing my part to help."

"But I'm grateful to you...to ALL of you." Lydia said. She looked expectantly at Alicia. "What brings you to this part of Midgard? What of your quest to retrieve the Dragon Orb? How goes it?"

"That's a long and complicated story." Rufus said, and Alicia nodded her agreement.

"We have much to tell you since the time of your release." She said.

"I look forward to hearing the tales of your travels." Lydia replied. "And perhaps I can find a way to repay my debt to you."

"No please!" Dallas said, hastily waving his arms. "You owe us nothing!"

"But I insist." Lydia said. "I am ready to pledge my arrows to the princess of Dipan once more."

"Er yeah..." Rufus didn't sound thrilled by the idea. "We sorta don't need another warrior coming along with us. You see, we're ready to settle down from a life of adventure."

She looked so disappointed, Alicia hurried to proffer an idea. "But maybe you can help us out in some other way."

"Name it, and it shall be yours!" promised Lydia.

"Great!" Alicia smiled brightly. "What say we get back to our meal? We can play catch up while we eat."

"An excellent idea." Dallas said.

"Coming Arngrim?" Rufus called out to the beserker.

"Er...I'll catch up in a bit." promised the warrior who was currently covered in gore. His three long time companions sighed, fighting back a roll of their eyes. Lydia looked horrified at the sight of the warrior hacking the troll to pieces, but wisely kept silent. With one last glance at Arngrim, she turned to follow Alicia, allowing the princess to lead her back through the woods.

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Although it was with a great and pressing need that drove Lenneth to leave the halls of Valhalla, she still found herself pausing to admire the beauty of Asgard. Pausing to appreciate the first taste of freedom she had had since becoming Lezard's captive. She inhaled the sweet air, of the scent of flowers carried by the wind. It teased her hair, lifting it up to blow out and away from her, and rose petals flew by, seeming to dance on the air.

Sunlight shined down, a warm inviting caress on her exposed flesh, and the enchanting melodies of birds filled the air. Lenneth found her steps slowing, the Goddess gazing around as though this was the first time she had ever laid eyes on the splendor of Asgard. Frei walked a few steps ahead of her, laughing and giggling, seeming to not have a care in the world. As far as she knew, they were simply out for a walk, and she skipped merrily along the path, Lenneth slowly following behind her.

The plains of Idavoll stretched out before them, an endless sea of flowers beckoning them closer. Frei paused to caress the petals of white flower, encouraging it to release it's perfume into the air. Lenneth herself couldn't resist picking a flower, a dark purple bulb with splotches of blue on it's leaves.

"Lenneth look!" Frei pointed up at the sky, where there was a chariot drawn by two stallions, their golden manes shining as brightly as the sun they guided across the sky. The chariot's movements were shaky, the handler of the horses unused to guiding such a heavy burden across the sky. Lenneth glanced upwards, but kept walking, soon passing by Frei. The young Goddess frowned, and hurried to catch up with the platinum haired woman. "Where are we going?" She asked, curiosity in her eyes.

"Who says we are going anywhere." came Lenneth's answer.

"You move with a purpose my lady." Frei pointed out. "It would seem you have a destination in mind."

Lenneth smiled, and nodded at the young girl. "You're right Frei...I wish to visit Vingolf."

"Vingolf?" Frei was surprised, wondering what interest Lenneth could possibly have in the abode of the Goddesses. She decided to ask her point blank. "Why Vingolf? Why go there Lenneth?"

"..." Lenneth was silent, seeking to evade answering the question.

"Lenneth?"

She turned when Frei touched her arm, smiling mysteriously. "I merely wish to visit with an old friend."

"Oh?" It only serve to pique Frei's curiosity, the girl looking expectantly at Lenneth. "Who?" Lenneth pursed her lips, finding Frei asked too many questions. "You don't have to tell me." Frei said hastily, seeing the look on Lenneth's face. "I guess I can wait to find out when we get there."

Lenneth merely nodded her head in reply, moving forward once more. The two walked in silence, crossing the field of flowers, slowly drawing nearer to the Vingolf. Frei kept casting sidelong glances at Lenneth, quietly wondering about her health. It appeared being outside agreed with Lenneth, color was in her cheeks, and her eyes sparkled with vitality.

Frei was still looking at Lenneth when she heard the screams, male and female voices rising in alarm. Lenneth was already spinning on her heels, eyes narrowed in worry as she gazed on the direction of the screams. "Isn't that...where Bifrost is?" wondered Frei out loud.

"Yes." Lenneth's voice was grim, the platinum haired Goddess giving a curt nod of her head. "It is." She peered off into the distance, trying to see what was the matter. Frei nervously stepped closer to Lenneth, taking hold of her arm.

"Please my lady...let us go back..."

"No." Lenneth pulled her arm free of Frei's grip, shocking her as she began walking towards the screaming.

Frei hurried after her, pleading with her. "Please! At least let us go to Vingolf...it's closer than Valhalla!"

"You can go back if you like Frei." came Lenneth's answer, the woman not bothering to turn to look at the young Goddess. "But I'm going on ahead."

"Lenneth!" Frei shouted out her name, but the cry was lost to the sounds. The screams were growing more frequent, and a humming could be heard, bells ringing as something heavy teleported along the field. Lights shimmered moving across the Rainbow Bridge, numerous flashes of light, the sounds growing quicker. Lenneth broke into a run, hitching up her skirts, forcing Frei to keep up or be left behind.

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Lezard was not in high spirits when Loki entered the throne room. The God wore a prominent scowl on his face, sitting slouched over in his golden chair. His fingers drummed impatiently on the arm rest, and occasional sighs escaped him.

That was a disaster. Lezard mused, thinking on how he had nearly become Fenrir's lunch. The beast had seemed docile enough when he approached it, carrying his meal. But when Lezard went to set the platter down, that was when the wolf had struck. His jaws had clamped around his arm, acidic drool working it's way through the fine fibers of his jacket. Only his regenerative powers saved him the loss of an arm, Lezard conjuring Gungnir to his side, cuffing the wolf up side it's head.

Dazed and confused, Fenrir had released his hold on Lezard, eyes seeming to shine with intelligence as he looked at the divine lance. In a fit of anger, Lezard had kicked over his meal, marching away, grumbling insults. He had passed by Vor, who had done her best to keep her expression blank, but her eyes couldn't hide her amusement. They danced with laughter at his expense, Lezard very nearly striking the Goddess in a fit of rage.

Tyr it is then. Lezard decided. It would cost him nothing to release the former God, and it seemed the wolf actually LIKED the man. Tyr can tend to the beast's needs. A slow smile on his face. I can even keep them chained up together in the same room.

Vor was looking at him, clearing her throat to get his attention. Lezard fought to keep his eyes from rolling, arching an eyebrow at her. "Yes Vor?"

"What do you intend to do about Heimdall?" She demanded.

"I will allow you to investigate the circumstances around his disappearance." Lezard said. "In the meantime, send a small contingent of einherjar to guard the rainbow bridge."

"I suppose that will have to do." Vor sighed, knowing einherjar couldn't make up for the loss of Heimdall. The God was able to go without sleep, and his senses were unmatched, even among the divine pantheon. Nothing could slip by his eyes, no sound could escape him, making him the perfect sentry for the rainbow bridge. "But it's a temporary measure at best!"

"Vor worries too much." Loki said, walking up the dais' staircase. "A fact I am sure you have noticed."

"Ah Loki!" Lezard nodded at the God, hoping for a diversion from Vor and her endless list of problems. "Please tell me you have not come with yet another problem for me to address?"

"On the contrary!" Loki said, elbowing Vor aside. "I think you will be most pleased with what I have brought you."

"A present?" Lezard lifted an eyebrow.

"You could say that." Loki grinned. "I'm sure Vor here has been keeping you busy, but has failed to mention the...finer aspects of being Lord of the manor." He was pleased to note Lezard was eyeing him with interest, even as Vor scoffed and scowled.

"We do not have time for Loki's foolishness!" Vor said, hands on her hips. "There is a kingdom to run. Affairs to put in order..."

"Yes yes, I know all that." Lezard waved dismissively at her. "You've told me that numerous times already." He leaned back in his throne, ignoring the grimace on Vor's face. "I think it's time for a diversion from all this. Loki?"

Loki smirked at Vor, before holding out his hand. Red and black ether swirled around it, and something gold dropped into his hand. Vor let out a gasp, and Lezard frowned, disapointed. "A necklace?"

"Not just any necklace." Loki said. "But Brisingamen!"

"The Necklace of Flame?" Lezard asked interested, holding out his hand for it.

"Won't it look lovely around the Lady Lenneth's neck?" Loki dropped the necklace into Lezard's waiting hand, the necromancer staring at the amber and gold wealth with a look of awe in his eyes. "It's yours now..." Loki continued. "As is all of Freya's other items, and her hall."

"All of it?" Lezard jerked his eyes away from the necklace to look at Loki. "Even her fabled cloak, Hawk's Plumage?"

"Anything that belonged to the Goddess is yours now." Loki said. "Call it...spoils of conquest."

Lezard grinned, softly murmuring out loud. "A divine artifact..." The scientist in him wanted to study the necklace, wanted to test out it's magical properties, even as his mind turned greedy, thinking of the items just waiting to be claimed.

"There's also the matter of Tyr and Thor's items." Loki said. "Mjolnir awaits a master...you need only take it in your hand."

"Mjolnir should be given to whomever is to replace Thor as Storm Lord!" protested Vor. "As should Tyr's spear be handed over to whomever you decree to be the new God or Goddess of War!"

Lezard looked at her frowning. "You would have me hand over these artifacts, yet assign to me their more unpleasant tasks? No...I think not. It doesn't work that way."

"That's right." Loki said, smirking. "As ruler of the Gods, does not all our wealth, all our treasure rightfully belong to our King?"

"Lord Lezard, be reasonable!" Vor sighed. "You cannot think to strip the Gods of all their possessions..."

"But it is his right to do so!" Loki said, not failing to notice the greedy look in Lezard's eyes.

"Do not listen to him." hissed Vor. "Loki is little more than a pauper. He seeks to distribute the wealth because he has none to give!"

"Careful Vor!" Loki growled at her. "You go to far with your insults."

"It is the truth." She snapped back, crossing her arms over her chest.

"Quiet." Lezard ordered, still fingering the necklace. He stared thoughtfully at the two divine beings before him, seeing them both anxious to hear his words. "Fear not Vor...I won't be claiming all the wealth of the Aesir." She let out a sigh of relief, though she still wore her frown. "However...the ones who have fallen, the ones who toil in my dungeons, they are another matter."

"Lezard!"

"Perhaps I will keep them all to myself..." mused Lezard. "Or perhaps I will give them to those I deem worthy. No matter what I choose, know this Vor. It is my right to do with them as I please!"

"Fine..." She scoffed, and was stepping back off the dais. She bowed in acknowledgment, blue ether already swirling around her body. She faded from the room, bells ringing in her absence.

"Heh...if I known that was all it took to get rid of her, I would have inquired sooner about the riches the Gods left behind." Lezard smirked.

"It takes much to upset the Goddess of Wisdom." commented Loki. "I fear she will be back with a long list of task for you once she has had time to cool down."

"I fear that you are right." Lezard sighed, absentmindedly placing Brisingamen in his coat pocket. "So let us enjoy the quiet while we can."

"An excellent idea my liege." Loki said, hiding back a smirk, knowing things were about to become very chaotic and decidedly unquiet in Asgard.

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It was a scene of carnage, the entrance to the rainbow bridge lay in ruins. Pillars were knocked over and broken in half, and people, both Gods and einherjar alike lay in bloody heaps. Lenneth stepped carefully over the bodies, casting about for signs of life. A breath here, a sigh there, hurrying towards the injured to give them her blessing, the tiny miracle working it's magic to heal their wounds. She was no Eir, but she still had power enough to offer some from of healing, desperate to save lives on this day.

"It's so horrible..." Frei commented, standing at the center of the bridge's entrance. Her expression was stricken, eyes wide and full of unshed tears. "Who could have done this?! Why?!"

"We were under attack..." coughed a God with hair that shimmered from blue to purple, then green. "Without Heimdall to sound the alarm, we were taken by surprise..."

"Shhhh..." Lenneth hurried to the God's side, kneeling down to pass her hand over his face. "Rest now Kvasir."

"Lady Valkyrie..." He smiled to see her, but his eyes were dimming, even as he gazed on her with confusion. "Ready the einherjar...you must prepare for battle...the...the..."

"Don't exert yourself..." Lenneth said, taking hold of his hand. He gave her a squeeze, clinging to her as he clung to life, desperate to get out his warning.

"The giants...the Frost Giants of Jotunheim have come...Asgard is in danger..." He managed to get out, and then he was slipping away, lying limp against the ground.

"Kvasir!" squeaked out Frei, the tears falling freely down her cheeks. "Why?! He was no fighter!!"

"In times of war we all must fight..." Lenneth said, rising to stand. She was scanning the area, a frown on her face.

"Lenneth?" Frei asked, moving closer to the Goddess. Lenneth shook her head, holding her hand up for silence. Her eyes met Frei's and she nodded, pointed at something.

"What is it...?" Frei whispered, even as Lenneth moved forward.

"Heimdall's horn..." Lenneth said, but she wasn't looking at the blood splattered object. Instead she moved as though she was stalking prey, taking cautious but confident steps forward, her skirts fisted in one hand. Frei felt her alarm growing, watching as Lenneth pressed against a large boulder, slowly inching across it. She hesitated, her eyes seeking out Frei's.

The young Goddess gulped, but raised her hands, balls made of ether glowing in each palm. Lenneth nodded in approval, and then she was moving, fleeing around the rock, a scream in her voice. It died in her throat, the boulder moving, straightening up, legs and arms unfolding. It was a giant, made of stone, and it growled, taking a swipe at Lenneth.

"Look out!" shouted Frei, lobbing her ether attack at the stone giant. Lenneth was ducking, just missing getting her hair snagged by it's fingers. The ether hit the stone creature dead center in the chest, staggering him backwards. Lenneth scrambled to her feet, casting about for a weapon, seeing a sword laying discarded on the ground. The stone giant screamed, making another grab for Lenneth, and she rolled forward, legs getting tangled in her skirts as she avoided it's hand.

She came to a stop next to the sword, reaching out to grasp it's handle. Her other hand tugged and pulled at her skirts, seeking to unwind the material from her legs. Frei was screaming, shooting ether blast after ether blast at the giant. Lenneth could barely hear the young Goddess, the giant's roars deafening her to all sound. Lights shimmered, the sound of teleportation ringing out, and then the heavy tread of something immense approaching.

"Behind you!" Lenneth screamed, seeing the frost giant behind Frei. He was an ugly thing, with jagged ice crystals for hair, and his body was stained with the blood of her fallen comrades.

A large fist was made, the frost giant smashing it into Frei's side. With a cry the young Goddess was flung to the side, landing atop a body. "Frei!" screamed Lenneth, at last managing to stand. She ran towards Frei, even as the giant moved to intercept her. He paused, looking at her for the first time, eyes narrowing as he took in her silver colored hair.

"What are you grinning at fiend?!" demanded Lenneth, holding the sword up before her body. The frost giant didn't answer, not in words, hand coming forward to grab at Lenneth. She lashed out with her arm, striking her sword against icy fingers, seeing the metal chip away at his hardened flesh. The frost giant merely laughed, flicking the sword out of her hand with his finger. An outraged yell from Lenneth, the Goddess ducking under his grabbing hand, being herded away from Frei.

Lumbering footsteps alerted her to the fact that the one made of stone was drawing near, Lenneth feeling a moment of worry as she played a game of dodge with the one made of Ice. She made a hasty sweep off the field, looking for more discarded weapons, eager to arm herself once more. "I won't go down without a fight!" She started to say, and then she felt the familiar feeling.

Oh please no... She thought to herself in dismay, fighting not to hunch over. Not now!! Nausea assaulted her, Lenneth fighting to keep from being ill. She swayed where she stood, fighting an inner battle with herself. A hand was to her mouth, and she swallowed down bile. She glanced up at the shadow that fell over her, the frost giant blocking out the sun.

"Stay back..." Lenneth started to say, and then she was vomiting, being sick all over the grass that bordered the edge of the bridge. The giant had no reaction to her illness, his hand grabbing her. Lenneth closed her eyes, expecting him to squeeze down on her, and end her and her baby's life. She was shocked when the hand closed gently around her, the giant showing an extreme amount of care as it lifted her up off the ground.

"Put me down!" Lenneth said, getting one hand free. She pounded her fist against his finger, feeling her legs dangling in the air. She cursed and she screamed, hurling creative insults and detail riven threats, making the giant laugh. His reaction only infuriated her, causing her tongue to spill more vile and curses at him, even as he and his stone companion began to move, lumbering back towards the bridge.

"Le...Lenneth!" Frei said, struggling to stay awake. She got to her knees, raising her hands before her, preparing a monstrous sized ether blast. With a scream, she hurled the attack at the giants, falling forward as the last of her energy drained out of her. The last thing Frei heard was Lenneth screaming out her name, telling her to blow Heimdall's horn...