The Lost Valkyrie Ch. 05

Author's note: This fantasy story contains very little sex, and the sex it does have is more romance than erotica. However, there is some (light) lesbian sex in this chapter!

There is also some continued discussion of sexual violence.

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After Asger's departure, the feast went on into the night. It seemed like additional celebration was in order, at least for most of those assembled in the feasting hall of Valhalla.

The oppression that Asger's dominance had weaved like a spell over the court was dissipating!

Rune was lifted effortlessly on strong shoulders and carried to the dais, where she was seated with honor in the chair formerly occupied by Asger - the seat of the Mightiest Warrior of Valhalla - and congratulated by all. Odin smiled warmly at her from a few seats away, as did Friia, and the other heavenly powers assembled. They seemed quite pleased, and Rune blushed back at them, inclining her head respectfully.

Now, it was the young Valkyrie's turn to narrate the tales of her battles, and Rune spent the next couple of hours telling and re-telling how she'd saved her squadron from the demon ambush. And how she'd learned to shoot heavenly fire from her hand. And how to detect danger.

And most of all, how she'd defeated Asger!

Not that Rune wanted this attention. At all. But her audience was so enthusiastic! They pounded on their tables! They lifted their horns of ale in salute! They cheered her exploits! Then they made her tell the story again!

By the Gods, it was all rather exhausting! And all Rune wanted to do was to check on Helga and Hildi, who had fought to defend her from Asger.

Finally, there was a break as another warrior told one of his stories instead. The Valkyrie tried to listen politely, but it was difficult while she was so worried about her friends.

The man seated next to her, presumably the second mightiest warrior in Valhalla, made a polite inquiry.

"My Lady, are you OK, after the fight," he asked.

The young woman could feel him treading lightly, lest he insult or annoy her.

Rune wasn't in the mood to allay whatever fear he had. She had a lot on her mind, and she didn't know this man at all. And it wasn't ONLY about Helga and Hildi, she began to realize.

How well did these men know Asger? Probably well. She wondered if they shared Asger's views on the use of Valkyries.

"I'm fine, thank you for asking," she responded politely to the warrior, but with a cool tone.

The man took the hint and didn't try to talk more. Instead, he nodded to her respectfully and said simply, "Gorm, at your service, my Lady. If you need anything, you have only to ask."

Rune nodded back to the man, biting her tongue now to keep herself from asking him how many of her sisters HE had attacked and raped.

Very soon another Valkyrie appeared, offering the finest ale and meat, and asking what else Rune might like. It was Estrid, a much more senior Valkyrie compared to Rune! This made the young girl blush, shyly demurring the special treatment Estrid offered.

But there WAS something she wanted, and after a moment, she beckoned the other girl closer to whisper in her ear.

"Could you please check on Helga and Hildi for me? I never had a moment to see about their condition."

Asger hadn't been wrong when he thought Rune might fear her two friends were dead. She'd seen the other Valkyries carry her sisters from the hall, and that was it.

"Of course, I will, my Lady," Estrid responded with a gentle smile. As Estrid took her leave to go and do so, Rune had already decided something:

If Helga and Hildi were dead, she was going to find Asger and burn him to ashes.

Had such a thing ever been done? The girl didn't know. She was pretty sure the Valkyries had never stood unified against a Valhalla warrior, either.

Rune felt a rush of fierce pride in her sisters as she remembered how they'd grabbed spear and shield and rushed to defend her (and Helga and Hildi). Their unity would translate on the battlefield, she was sure, and her heart ached with her love for them.

The Valkyrie had never felt anything like this!

In fact, the girl had always felt she was a bit of an outsider with the older Valkyries. Maybe every new Valkyrie felt this way, but no one had ever said it. The taunting she'd endured from Helga was a big part of it, but she realized now it was only a part, not the whole. Rune could see suddenly with clarity how much she'd just wanted to be PART of something good. Something close and intimate and valuable.

And she'd never felt it with her sisters. Yes, things were getting better since the demon ambush, but the sting was fresh, and she felt it anew as she considered all this, tears filling her eyes briefly and threatening to overflow.

The young Valkyrie wiped at her eyes furiously. It had been an emotional evening for her. But it had turned out well, at least for HER. She thought about how Helga and Hildi had stood up to that brute for her. And how her other sisters had rushed to defend her. They were so strong. So brave. So GOOD.

And it made her want to burn that fucker, Asger, to a pile of dust that much more as she considered all the Valkyries he'd attacked and raped over the years he'd been here. How much of her sisters' goodness had he defiled, ruined, and snuffed out? The Valkyrie remembered how she'd felt as he'd flung her friends heedlessly around the room, how she'd felt with this stinking breath in her face, the lurid grin she'd endured. It was as if she could see in that grin all he had planned for her.

It was an upsetting train of thought, and Rune could feel the heat of her fury building within her.

"My Lady, are you certain you are OK," Gorm's voice came to her, sounding worried.

She'd not been aware of how her rage was manifesting. She was glowing intensely, and she was hot. Very hot.

Rune laughed grimly, feeling her aura kick up another level at his question. "Tell me, Gorm. Tell me what you did to stop Asger from what he's been doing to my sisters all these years. You're the second mightiest warrior in all of Valhalla, right? If anyone could influence him, it would be you. Right?"

The man pushed his chair back and stood up, a look of terror on his big, sturdy warrior's face - a face that was sweating either in apprehension or due to the intense heat from the fire within her. Or both.

It reminded Rune of the way the demons had fallen back in terror, trying to get away from her during the battle, and for a moment, the young warrior wanted to laugh.

But the comparison was startling. Were these men the same as her demon foes? No, they weren't.

"I better get this under control before I hurt someone," the Valkyrie thought to herself, closing her eyes and trying to center herself in the ways she'd been practicing since her time with Friia. She was LIGHT, she was GOODNESS, and she must allow the light to flow through her and cleanse her. She breathed deeply, considering the life-giving, cleansing flow of light, and her rage started to recede.

"That's good," she said softly to herself, opening her eyes to see all those around her looking at her silently, many in apprehension, others in surprise, and some who looked envious. All sorts of expressions! The man sitting next to her was nowhere to be found, presumably having fled in case Rune decided to incinerate him.

Ugh, this was too much attention. Where had that silly girl gone? The Valkyrie, Estrid, who was supposed to tell her how Helga and Hildi were?

"I need to get out of here," Rune muttered to herself.

"Excuse me, please," the Valkyrie said to those near her as she stood up from the table. "I need some fresh air." And quiet. And to check on her friends herself, as she should have done, from the start.

Looking over at Odin and Friia, the Allfather's expression was unreadable. At least he didn't look angry that she'd almost set the feast hall on fire or something. However, Friia looked pleased and nodded at her subtly.

Good, she'd controlled herself, and Friia had noticed. She must be on the right path!

That made her feel better, and Rune held her head high as she walked around the edge of the hall to one of the big sets of double doors that served as an exit. Passing through the exit into the hallway, the young woman saw Estrid returning with news of her hurt friends.

Finally! It felt like an hour since she'd asked.

The girl was smiling. "They're going to be fine. The physician wants them to sleep and regain their strength, but he said you can visit them tomorrow if you like."

Rune breathed out a sigh of relief. Now she didn't have to KILL Asger.

"Thank you, sister," she told the other Valkyrie. "I think I'll go and rest. I feel really tired now." And she started to move off.

Estrid nodded. But then she paused, seeming to have more to say.

"Rune," she started, continuing once the mightiest warrior of Valhalla turned back to face her. "You made us all so proud tonight. We were honored to stand with you against that nasty pig of a man. He's needed to be put in his place for a long time."

Rune smiled at her and moved to hug her sister tightly. "Thank you. And the honor was mine. It meant so much to me, truly."

The pair hugged again.

"Rest well. You've earned it, and you'll need it. You're the leader of our squadron, now. Helga and HIldi both got promotions, too," Estrid told her, with a wink.

Finally, the senior Valkyrie turned back to the feast hall, leaving Rune gaping at her.

"Squadron leader," she mused out loud in the now-empty hallway. "That's INSANE."

Being "Mightiest Warrior of Valhalla" was one thing. Leading her whole squadron was quite another, at least to Rune.

"It doesn't sound insane to me," came a friendly voice from behind her. "Maybe you didn't see yourself in action, tonight."

Turning to see who was speaking, the Valkyrie saw a handsome young warrior. His face was friendly, and he looked familiar. But she didn't know him. And she still wasn't feeling overly friendly, despite the good news Estrid had brought about Helga and Hildi

"And you saw me in action," Rune asked, her tone cool.

"I did," the man returned. And he smiled. "And may I say, my Lady, you were magnificent."

He looked more familiar now even than before. And, he was cute, Rune saw. Despite herself, the young woman felt her heart thawing a little at his words.

Suddenly, she recognized him.

"I was serving your table, tonight. You're the guy with the roaming hands," she declared pointedly.

Several of the warriors had flirted with Rune earlier in the feast before Asger had appeared. This man was the one with the hands she'd had to pry off her!

But he hadn't been like Asger at all. Rune had been having fun earlier with those guys. The ones at the far end of the feast hall. The ones that Helga and Hildi told her were not too drunk on their own legends.

Now the young man had the good sense to look a little bashful. "I pray, forgive me, my Lady. I hope you won't turn me into a pile of ashes as punishment."

Rune giggled at him. Of course, she wasn't going to burn him up.

"Not for now, then," she replied, just to see what he'd say.

The young girl might be innocent - naive, even - but she felt if the hero were anything like Asger, his nature would reveal itself quickly. And if he were like Asger, she might burn him up, after all.

"Thank you, my Lady," the man responded with a smile that lit up his face. "I am Torsten," he added.

"I am Rune," she responded. "It is nice to meet you."

"Rune, I was wondering if you might like to go for a walk with me in the gardens?"

The gardens of Valhalla were a lovely place to wander and enjoy, and the idea made Rune smile... and blush. It was sweet. And brave, after the show she'd put on for the whole feasting hall.

"You're not afraid I might set you on fire, or something," she responded with an arched brow.

He laughed and smiled.

"No, my Lady. Though it is a chilly evening. Perhaps you'd consent to keep me warm."

Now SHE laughed. It was tempting. Torsten was young and cute, and he didn't act full of himself.

"Maybe I should go for a walk with him," the Valkyrie thought to herself. It would be romantic!

But it had been a long evening, as well as emotional. And Rune was quite tired.

"I'd like to go for a walk, Torsten," she said. "But maybe next time? I'm feeling a little weary, tonight."

The girl hoped he'd not be too disappointed, or even angry at being denied. But he smiled again, instead, and Rune felt her heart flutter.

"My Lady," the young man replied. "Next time, yes. I'd love that. Rest well, tonight."

Torsten didn't seem upset at all. He seemed to like her!

"Very well, then," she said as she took her leave, smiling as she walked back to her barracks.

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Older Valkyries, especially the originals, had private quarters in the halls of Valhalla. As their numbers grew to fight the demons, newer Valkyries tended to be grouped in small apartments nearby, or even in larger barracks, like a heavenly army. Which, of course, they were.

Each barrack was a long hall with beds in rows on each side. "Spartan" would be a fair description of the living quarters, with up to twenty girls per barrack, according to their assigned squadron.

But Rune liked it. She liked being close to her sisters. It made her feel more like she belonged. And the girls decorated the space together to make it feel like a home! The traditional Viking home fashions of elaborate wall hangings and furs and ceremonial (and real) weapons and shields were all richly available in Valhalla, and the women added anything they liked to make their living space welcoming. Carvings, flowers, fur rugs, and more.

Living as they did, the young women had few secrets and little privacy. They also tended to not have many issues with shyness about their bodies, or with sexual activity.

Valkyries commonly comforted, consoled, and pleasured each other as the need, opportunity or desire arose. This last sort of activity wasn't usually discussed openly: some considered it deviant (some more and some less), but most just felt it was personal and not anyone else's business.

And it wasn't as if Valkyries married the way Midgardians did. They had no husbands and no children. As servants of the heavenly powers, they were both free and slave. Denied the opportunity to settle down, they were free to engage with any warrior of Valhalla they liked, as well as with each other.

In any event, such forms of intimacy had increased during the reign of Asger as the top warrior. The Valkyries didn't appreciate how the top warriors had been treating them, often making it easier and more satisfying to turn to each other.

That said, many of the warriors of Valhalla were amazing specimens of the male of the species, and they were all available to the women, too. After all, the afterlife was a long time and would be boring without some sort of fun in it. Most Valkyries had their favorite men. And if one of the girls liked a male, she'd not mind sleeping with him or possibly sharing him with her sisters.

Even the men of Midgard could be possible partners - and had been, at times - but mingling with living humans was more controversial for a Valkyrie. For that reason, such trysts tended to be fleeting and were not discussed openly at all.

As the newest Valkyrie, when Rune lay her head down to rest, the barracks were where she went to do it, surrounded by her sisters.

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Arriving late, most of the Valkyries not on duty somewhere or serving at the feast were already asleep, and Rune made her way quietly to her bed, changing quickly and getting under the covers where it was nice and warm. Sighing as she sank into her comfortable bedding, she pulled her blankets up to her chin, wriggling around to find the perfect position.

Almost immediately, someone was climbing into bed with her, slipping under the covers, and snuggling right up to Rune with a girlish giggle, slender arms slipping around the Valkyrie's body as a soft, warm body pressed to hers.

"I thought you'd NEVER come," a gentle voice whispered to Rune in a faux pout. "Where have you BEEN?"

Rune smiled and giggled: it was her friend Äse, part of her squadron. They'd always been on good terms, but after the demon ambush, later that night Äse had unceremoniously slipped into bed with Rune, snuggled up to her, and stayed the whole night. Now, the other girl did it every night. And Rune welcomed her.

Äse loved how Rune had protected her sisters. She admired the other girl and wanted to be friends. Rune loved being close to her friend. She loved HAVING a friend like this. Äse wasn't much older than Rune, so they had a lot in common. They talked in whispers late into many nights, comparing notes on each day's activities. Or they just slept together, sharing warmth and friendly comfort.

Tonight, she needed to talk.

"I was at the feast..." She whispered, then paused and looked at Äse curiously. "Have you heard what happened?"

Äse giggled mischievously. "EVERYONE heard. Every. Single. Person. In Valhalla."

Rune groaned. "Oh, Gods. Now everyone will be looking at me. And talking about me. Fuck."

That kind of pressure and attention wasn't something the young woman wanted.

"Äse, what am I going to do? I don't WANT to be the 'Mightiest Warrior of Valhalla!'" And she made a funny face and spoke in a funny voice for the "mightiest warrior" part, parodying how people said it. "This sucks."

Her friend nodded, one hand moving up to stroke Rune's hair gently, soothing her. "You're going to keep your head up and stay aloof, that's what. They don't deserve your notice or time. You did the right thing, and you don't owe any explanation to anyone."

"But what if the other warriors want to challenge me for the top position? I don't WANT to fight them!"

Äse moved her hand to Rune's tummy, still soothing, her fingers tracing circles over her friend's soft skin. "You can resign your position or something. You don't have to fight the men. It'll be OK, I promise..."

But Rune was not consoled. "I can't do THAT! It would insult the Allfather! He gave me the title!" The young Valkyrie found herself on the verge of tears. It had been a long, emotional evening, and some of this stuff was just now occurring to her.

Äse could see how upset her friend was, and she put her face right next to her. "Shhhh, shhhh, it will be OK," she said, kissing the other girl's cheek and the side of her head. "If one of them challenges you, just burn his ass off. You won't be challenged ever again. See?"

Rune's brow furrowed as she considered this, wiping away a tear. "You really think so?"

"I know so. Don't worry. Weren't they scared of you tonight, after the fight?" Äse kissed her friend's head again.

"You know..." the other girl paused. "They really WERE. Maybe even terrified. That Gorm guy got up and moved away," Rune giggled. "I was angry thinking about what happened to Helga and Hildi, and I started glowing again."

Her friend nodded. "There, you see? Don't worry."

"Thanks, Äse," Rune told her, turning her head to face her friend. "You really helped me."

"Of course. That's what friends are for," Äse nodded, looking in her friend's eyes, feeling enormous affection for the other girl. And she moved in, with a smile, to kiss Rune, who smiled and giggled, seeing it coming.

The pair kissed with a familiarity, eyes drifting closed, as Äse moved her hand slowly up, under Rune's nightgown, to hold and then caress her full breast.

Rune broke the kiss with a sigh as her friend ran her hand over her. "Why do you love touching me like this," she asked her friend very quietly as she watched the other girl's hand moving under her white gown, from breast to breast.