Revelations

Ernak eyes shot open and coughing violently felt the comforting arms of Torvi immediately tap his back to ease his pain; he rolled over coughing again until receiving an tankard of water looked up to see the Seer’s impatient feet tap the floor lightly, “So?” Ernak clutched his head before nodding spoke, “I’m not a god but was constructed to be reborn as one” “Slow down, what do you mean constructed? And reborn as one? Start at the beginning” Torvi ordered and thinking back Ernak replied, “I awoke confronted by... Artemis and... yes Thanatos; my parents, not far away from Asgard with them pleading me not to go. I remember replying with a question about their relationship and whether it was welcomed or something similar” “Who were you? What was it like? When was it?” Torvi asked in an 100 questions, “Ssshhh, let him finish” the Seer urged, “Logos, I was Logos but the bow belongs to Artemis, my mother. I believe his memories were attached to it. It felt weird, I was fighting, talking, walking as if I was acting out an story. When it was, it was Ragnarok” “The reckoning!” Torvi exclaimed but seeing Ernak’s discomfort asked, “What?” Ernak sighed before trying to explain it, “I think there was an subtle message in it. The way it was shown. The war, it was the gods verses humans. It started off as the gods fighting the Jotun but over the memories it started to become more clear and this is what I saw. The Gods had the more established weapons but there were soo many humans. The explosion was an massive burning rock shooting from the sky.” Torvi contemplated it before assuring she had heard right she spoke, “War between humans and the gods? Did you survive?” Ernak nodded before replying, “Yes, Logos was searching for Freyja; his lover and seeing her and the others gods leave the centre but Logos’ attention was diverted to Loki sneaking in to where the others left. What I saw there were devices that I later learned was their way of continuing on living. Loki saw the way it happened and did the same. The machine took an sample from them and it went into this ball, clear enough to see an baby” “Then what?” the Seer asked, “Logos went and told Odin, they agreed that just stopping Loki wouldn’t be enough, he was crafty and would already have an back up plan. Odin’s solution was to do the same as the others but to instead add Logos’ into Odin’s host. Freyja feared that this was just serving Odin’s mad aims and not about the greater good. Freyja knowing of Odin’s madness didn’t destroy all the spare... well the spare babies because she anticipated errors could have taken place and added Logos’ essence to it. Freyja admitted that Odin had already done a partial transfer into the spares so if Loki did have access to one, it wouldn’t be easy for Loki to achieve his goals. She believed an larger sample from Logos would counter Odin’s sample; I don’t fully understand the machine but I remember reading that this machine won’t work like a mother giving birth to a child and they continue the blood with their own family but instead will make the “god blood” active after a certain: date, event, person or artefact” “Like the bow...” the Seer spoke and sheathing back on his back Torvi asked, “Did... Freyja? You know, did Freyja live?” Ernak nodded before recalling the rest of the tale, “They fled back through the secret entrance and was confronted by Odin who had some sort of physical control over her, every time he slammed his spear to the ground she was pulled back towards him. Logos duelled him on the shore and defeated Odin who was too confident in the fact he was going to die by Fenrir’s hand not Logos’. Logos knew this and after injuring Odin escaped on the boat back South. After that I woke up in pain head burning with these thoughts and memories” “Take some time to process this and we’ll return to this. There must be more to this” the Seer assured and agreeing heard Torvi question, “There’s a few things I don’t understand. If that is Artemis’s bow then why can’t you see Artemis’ memories and secondly why is Odin attached to it as well; why are you seeing both?” Ernak contemplated it before bringing it back to an earlier point replied, “His memories are attached to the bow for a certain reason; I believe it’s to trigger my dormant blood at this exact time but the reason I’m not sure on, is Loki around perhaps? Odin is here because his essence was already implemented in the original growing baby and part of me, so I can’t see one and without the other” he looked over to the distance and seeing Logos, arms folding nodding whilst Odin remembering what happened scowled at the remember, “Do we tell the others?” Ernak shook his head before saying, “We shouldn’t, not for now however I think we should look for others, they will be recognisable by possessing this black mark on their necks” Torvi studied it and nodding asked, “Any idea of where to look?” he shook his head before looking out of the window replied, “They can be anywhere. You know what that means? Us exploring the distant world for my family and of course loot. Whatever happens; I must get my sword back!” “Your sword?” Rosta asked, “Yes both Freyja and him made it obvious that this must be my next task after finishing the memories” “Go and make yourself known to the others, they were worrying” Rosta pleaded opening the doors to see Ivar and a few others waiting and impatiently Ivar asked, “Sooo what did you learn?”

“It’s all blurry to me; was it memories or merely a dream, I can’t be sure” “So are you a God?” Ivar pushed and contemplating it replied, “I can’t be sure, there is soo much more to learn” “What’s next?” Ernak shrugged before looking to the stables replied, “Brush the horses, Torvi.”

Weeks later at Sigurd’s clan the rumours had reached their ears as faint mummers but still the villagers talked and eventually the news hit the Jarls ears, “Have you heard Sigurd?” Alfhild queried interrupting the latest Clan politics with his son by his side, “What is it mother?” Ragnor replied too which somewhat happily Lagertha replied, “A God lives among Ivar’s clan. Some claims he protects them, some claim he is an war god that slays his foes, one claimed he was an God of animals looking after the animals but to the most he is the God of vengeance and ****; those bandits... well he butchered them and drowned the son by breaking his legs and arms and left the tide take him” “A god! Really?!” Sigurd laughed and nodding Alfhild replied, “I’ve heard the same. This being is a source of wisdom to the clan and a unstoppable **** on the battlefield, there’s even an story of him causing all the enemy both dead and alive decay in front of him. Ernak seem’s to be the real deal; the memories are flooding back and the voices are growing louder” “Yeah but he isn’t happy about Ivar eavesdropping. He doesn’t know what it all means and wanted it to all be kept quiet even if it was only until he understood it all” Lagertha looked at her father and Sigurd before laughing spoke, “You wanted to secure your power and grow stronger but you backed the wrong horse; Ragnor’s a man nothing more and if what we have heard is true then I could have been married to a god!” “It can’t be true, is my brother still at Ivar’s?” Ragnor questioned Alfhild nodded before commenting, “He has one more memory to explore before leaving our shores to raid and search for relatives; obviously he wants to focus on the later but he understands what the crew will want. He leaves by the weeks end with Torvi not far behind him” Alfhild replied to Sigurd’s acknowledgement, “We should send him a gift or someone to remember where he came from, a peace offering” “He doesn’t want anything off us; but Lagertha he wants you to visit him before he goes, to say his farewells if you could” Lagertha nodded teary eyed, “I may never see them again so I will; it’s the least I can do, maybe we can reach an understanding of all that has happened” Alfhild smiled before informing her husband that she will be accompanying her simply left a thought with them, “Whatever happens is our own fault.”

“You’re back son” Artemis cried seeing her son return, his face slightly covered in blood and seeing Thanatos nod in approval, the Queen smiled seeing the sun lit statues and smelling the fresh flowers took Logos’ arm as he escorted her along the beach with her spare hand holding her boots so her toes could feel the warm sand between them, “I promised I would be, Persephone is going to keep her word right?” “Change of plan, Persephone wants Freyja to rule alongside her as an advisor and Logos; well... she has an different idea for you” Artemis replied and sighing loudly Logos growled, “She still wants me to impregnate her?” Thanatos nodding explained to Freyja, “A child to secure her future. Either way let’s show you to your new house.”

The walk back calming with the location of the house ensuring they would be left alone in private Freyja couldn’t help but notice the people respecting her position even though it wasn’t an Southern claim bowed to her until seeing the house that blew Freyja away. Elegantly designed with lavish colours, carved statues and mosaic floors, fountains occupied the courtyard and flowers covered the pillars and ground growing in the perfect conditions. There were: pools, libraries, kitchens and to Freyja’s shock it was styled in the shape of a longhouse, something she was familiar to. “I love it!” Freyja muttered gobsmacked by what she saw and kissing Logos he simply spoke, “Now we can hang our weapons up and live peacefully, even if it’s only for a short while” she nodded before smirking revealing something that only her and Logos knew, something that made his parents now understand his haste to save her from Ragnarok, “And raise our child” he nodded placing his hand to her stomach kissing her once and Artemis smiling hugged the couple warmly, “I didn’t think I would ever be a mother and now a grandmother, I... I don’t even know what to say” Thanatos in his own way accepted what he had heard with an simple nod to the couple, “Where are we going to store our belongings?” Freyja whispered and kissing her once again he spoke, “Why not here? Where our lives began?”

Ernak woke up and jumping up smiled to Logos who grinning remembered that memory fondly looked over to angry Odin, “She was pregnant. You couldn’t have even waited until I was gone to get her pregnant?!” Logos laughed before mocking, “A woman of her beauty deserved nothing more than complete bodily worship; something you never cared about. We went all night multiple times when you ran to Jotunheim…” “Enough both of you. Logos, do you remember the location now?” he shook his head before contemplating it replied, “No but I know how I can track it; when we get near it I will remember, for now we sail to Greece.”

The ship waited at the dock and seeing the handful of experienced warriors be joined by the Warrior Thralls they began to stock pile what they needed, Ernak nodded approving of what was taking place and seeing Torvi walk up with her new clan shield sheathed to her back was greeted by Ivar who came to bring Ernak news, “Our scout has reported several horses coming this way, one being your love. Are you going to tell her where you are going or leave her in the dark like us?” “I said already, Greece. Then from there it’s surrounding areas. I dare not reveal anymore” Ivar nodded before shaking his hand spoke, “Well good luck, I hope you find some of your... well family” “O I hope so to but can you do me one more thing?” he nodded and seeing the young woman’s horse stopped near the the port he immediately knew what Ernak was going to ask, “Torvi, help me get the others away, they wish to be alone.”

The others led by Ivar quickly backed away and Torvi dragging Alfhild further back than she wanted but seeing Lagertha approach understood his desire for the distance. Lagertha was unsure on what she would hear or see, he was an supposed god but still Ernak, if he was an god did she matter to him? Was this THE goodbye she had been dreading or merely I will return later. Ernak took an breath before smiling when the familiar footsteps ceased, “Ernak?” she watched him casually turn with an aura of authority to his tone but immediately pulling her into an hug felt her arms pull him closer to herself he simply carried on with a small kiss to her cheek replied, “I’ve missed you” “Not as much as me” “Are they... is HE treating you well?” She shrugged before contemplating her response replied, “I suppose so but I don’t really want to be in the same room as them, so it would be hard in a sense for them to treat me well” “Ragnor?” “I know there is bad blood between me and him and you and him but he really doesn’t want to be with me. When father mentions children he doesn’t even contemplate it, he just point out refuses” “And how do you feel about it?” “I hate it all. We aren’t even an couple and that’s how I want it to stay, we don’t share the same room as each other most days and bed that’s out of the question. Alfhild doesn’t like it but if I’m not drinking, I’m sleeping in the stables, she wants me to give the relationship a go but we don’t want to, I’m yours and we know it!” “That bitch. I’m going to kill her!” “Sshh, calm my love; she like the rest of us are more interested in the rumours that we’ve heard. Are you a god?” he pulled her in front of him so she now blocked his lips on what he went to say before shrugging confessed, “Not exactly. To explain it in not soo many words, I’m human that possess a God’s memories and with that his abilities” “If you possess his memories will they... take over and forget your past life?” “Logos doesn’t want that, he by the look of it wants me to have my memories and life providing I fulfil what is required of me and accept his lessons” “Which is?” “I don’t know yet, what I do know is I must try and find Logos’ human relatives and retrieve his blade” “Don’t go please. If anything should happen... I...” he hugged her tighter before handing her his knife spoke, “Carry this and to remind you that I’m still thinking of you even though I am far away” she nodded before handing him her cloak spoke, “Take this so I at least know you will be warm” “I will cherish this Lagertha, you know I will but don’t worry nothing is going to happen to me, I have Torvi watching my back and when I do return hopefully with my relatives and answers we will sort all of this out” “What can you do about this? Only Sigurd or Ragnor have the power to do anything” “You really think they would refuse a “God” we will sort this out and then maybe we could be celebrating our wedding?” “Or maybe a child?” she lustfully whispered, “I’ll remember that for when we return” she nodded kissing his lips for all the surrounding people to see and returning it holding her in his arms he heard her speak “Goodbye Ernak” she tried to pull away but looking back at him he spoke, “You will always be my goddess, my Freyja” she rushed up and kissing him once more she spoke so even Alfhild from her distance could hear, “Then make sure you return to me” “I promise! Torvi let’s go!” Torvi nodded pushing past Alfhild where seeing Lagertha heard her sister order, “Bring him back home in one piece!” “I will sister but I can’t promise anything related to his mind!” “Thank you Torvi” she nodded before laughing saw Ernak land a punch to Alfhild’s nose, “You bitch. Don’t you ever talk to me again and when I return if I hear of you trying to make Lagertha do anything I will punish you” “Torvi get him out of here!” Ivar yelled rushing to Alfhild and laughing Torvi spoke, “I don’t want to miss out in all the fun.”

“I...I only wanted to say goodbye” Alfhild whimpered clutching her blooded nose and looking back Lagertha simply spoke, “He heard what you were trying to do and didn’t like it. Betrayal hurts like being smacked in the face” “Not funny?!” Alfhild scolded back to which Lagertha simply spoke, “Am I laughing? The man I loved has just sailed to distant lands searching for a purpose; to bring his “family” together. You were his family and now he is searching for a new one. Maybe they won’t fuck him over, like you all” *slap* “Don’t you dare say that again. I stood by him, okay I could have, no I should have done more but I tried to help him. I offered everything, it’s not my fault I couldn’t get the one thing he wanted” Lagertha her punched her back before yelling, “Slap me again and I will put you in the ground you lying bitch. Let me tell you this he put his trust in you, something rare and I know this because I have been there with him since the beginning. He has only ever trusted: me, Torvi, Ragnor and Skadi before you. I wasn’t able to talk to him, Torvi was away, Ragnor betrayed him and the Horse doesn’t speak. He put his trust in you, his faith in you to help us, after Ragnor who was more than an brother but a best friend it must have been hard and you sold him out for what suited you. Ivar and Estrid have been better parents than you” *Slap* “Don’t you dare... I have raised him since he was barely able to walk. I will not have you claim that I was a poor mother” “Then where were you when he needed you; I was there at the talks, I saw you give in to the very littlest of pressure from the others. You needed to be strong but you were nothing of the sort and now you crawl over to him like a misbehaved puppy begging for forgiveness. Should have let Torvi speak on his behalf” “You know I couldn’t do that. It would have been a bloodbath, anything for Ernak” Lagertha nodded before confessing, “I love him, she loves him and he loves me; she would do anything for his happiness and you “dearest mother” when he comes back with his family will you still act all high and mighty like the others or will you kneel and worship him as a God?” Alfhild laughing shook her head, “No, he isn’t a god and this trip will make him realise this. Let me guess you will be praying to him?” “I will be on my knees worshipping him in a different way” “I didn’t need to know that. I am your mother in law” “Well we were fucking way before Ernak and I were considering marriage.” Alfhild glared at her before yelling, “You what?! Why didn’t you tell us, that’s grounds for refusing the marriage between you and Ragnor” “Ernak wouldn’t allow me to have the shame or lose my status. Doesn’t matter now” Lagertha spoke changing the subject when Ivar came to join them.

“Broken nose, you just had to piss Ernak off didn’t you” Ivar stated examining it closer, “It’s a fools errand” Alfhild replied wiping the rest of her face clean, “I don’t think so. He is going East to find his sword or more like Logos’ and then will look for his family” “And how will he know they are his family?” Alfhild mocked and grabbing her nose to straighten it Ivar simply spoke, “By what I can gather the procedure that the gods used to create these hosts left a black Mark on their necks, a small rectangle shape from where the sample was taken. I’ve seen his” Lagertha froze on hearing that before stating checking she had heard right, “Black square on the neck?” Ivar nodded before asking, “Yeah, why?” “I... I have one” “Your kidding me?!” Ivar bellowed in laughter and exposing her neck he nodded confirming it, “Estrid bring the Seer. I’m not sure how this works but she’ll know. She always knows.”

“I can’t believe he did that to me. I just wanted to say goodbye” Alfhild whimpered and being met with Lagertha’s coldness, “You think he would have welcomed you? I’m more concerned about this mark... the Seer said it will take an event or object to trigger the initial stages, what if it happens when Ernak’s away?” “Does it matter?” “Yes, what happens if I start hearing voices ? How do I handle them? Could I be related to Ernak? Could I be Freyja? Could Torvi be related to him? There is soo many question that need to be answered” “And what if you are his lover or family?” “Then we will be together, one way or another!” “I’d hope you wouldn’t say that. Never mind, help me explain this to Sigurd” “You are on your own! Maybe now you will understand that he doesn’t want anything to do with you all!” “Doesn’t mean I won’t stop trying, Lagertha. He is family and we all need to remember that” “Then tell Ragnor and the others that! Now if you don’t mind; I have the Seer to see!”

“Astrid what in the gods names has happened to you?” Sigurd rushed over with Ragnor worried to see her condition, “Ernak... Ernak punched me.” “That bastard!” Ragnor spat to which Sigurd queried trying to understand why, “But why?” “Lagertha explained that I intended for Lagertha and Ragnor to give the relationship a go and discussed children, he saw me as the traitorous bitch that sought to fight against their love and the person plotting against him. I dread to think of what Torvi would have done if she was around” “He can’t just hit you mother. Where is he?” Ragnor snapped clicking his knuckles heard Alfhild state, “Gone to find his family” “He doesn’t have a family” Sigurd spoke calming his son, “Not his birth family but his god family, the one his ancestor is descended from” Alfhild tried to explain, “This rubbish again!” Ragnor snapped, “Maybe it is maybe it isn’t but he isn’t here and no one for sure knows where he is going, only Torvi does and she has gone with him” “The crew won’t stand for this crap!” Ragnor retaliated to which Alfhild responded funnily, “A crew of Thralls wanting release for their enslavement serving on an crew with their Skipper a god searching for his family and he’s promising them gold and treasures...” “She has a point son” “He ISN’T a God; he’s my brother, who in his depression and loneliness dreamt of it all, a way to comfort him whilst he copes with not being able to obtain what he desires, Lagertha. It’s going to be a cold and hard truth but when does learn of this, we need to be here for him when he does return... perhaps a war council role or an war-band to lead” Alfhild shook her head before replying, “It’s true and I know how... Sigurd do you remember that black mark on his neck?” “Yes, we discussed it when he first came to us...” “That’s a sign, his sign. Some have this very mark” “Rubbish!” Ragnor grumbled once again until seeing Lagertha venture up to the Seer’s hill asked, “And Lagertha how did she react to this and Ernak?” Alfhild glared at the pair before snapping angrily, “You want to know what happened. What happened is love, Sigurd what we love we share is ten times stronger in them. She was nervous not knowing why he called her there, whether this was it and was worried if he had changed now he was popular but it hadn’t. He hugged and she hugged him as if they hadn’t seen each other in years and his concern was merely whether we were treating her good or not. She told him the truth and wished it was him instead of Ragnor. What I saw was two people not wanting to let each other go and believed they would eventually be together. Their kisses reminded me of ours when we were first married and those promises *giggle* those promises. Do you remember when I made you promise to return to me alive when you went raiding?” Sigurd nodded remembering how young they both were until hearing, “She made him promise and Torvi promise that he would safely return. Then they exchanged gifts like we used to, she took his knife for protection and to remember he will always protect her when she needed it the most. He took her cloak to remind him that she would always be there for him when he needed support and like a cloak she would bring him warmth even in the coldest of weathers. The cloak would remind him of their past and what their relationship IS about even if the God tries to takes over. Then when he turned to leave with no care to who would see she kissed him like a married couple and he muttered “You will always be my Goddess, my Freyja” I haven’t seen an more wholesome and organic relationship as I have with them two.”

The group stood in silence until Sigurd nodding stated, “When he comes back we’ll discuss it; I get the feeling whatever happens this needs to be resolved and the family remaining intact is the preferred option” “Intact?” Alfhild queried to which her husband simply explained, “A potential civil clan war between Ragnor and Ernak” Alfhild now understanding partially what he meant was met by Ragnor still trying to put the pieces together, “Ragnor, if Ernak finds the evidence he seeks or the family he seeks when he returns the villagers of most clans will accept him as a god. There is nothing stopping him coming back and asking for Largetha” “But she is my wife...” “Do you really think the villagers will support a Jarl over a God? They won’t. What Sigurd suggests is they are together and he doesn’t challenge you to Jarlship of the clan. If he does one of you will die. We aren’t even taking into account Ivar’s clan siding with Ernak and going to war with us” Ragnor nodding before asking, “And Erik?” “His ego inflamed seeing a god has chosen his daughter as his wife” Sigurd explained and looking back Ragnor spoke, “So what we wait?” Sigurd shook his head before looking at his wife replied, “No we carry on as normal, come on back to work.”