"You unfaithful bastard!" Screamed the enraged queen, two of the guards caught her by her arms and held her back. Eyes of the sharpest blues glared into the single blue of her husband. "You horny cur! How dare you! How dare you!"
The room was a mess of chaos as servants coward before their queen's rage and the demon woman standing by the crib of their newborn prince, said babe held in her golden arms as liquid gold moved up and down her body like living water. The woman's long hair was braided so tightly it was almost as thin as a whip. Her golden green eyes alight with power and rage.
"Ohh, another woman?" The demoness purred. "I thought you were not wedded Odin, son of Bor."
"You would've come after my wife and unborn son. You would have slewed them both as retribution for my slaying your offspring." He stated calmly. "I did not lie, simply did not correct you. As for you my wife, I did slay the demon plaguing the outer villages, just not its mother."
"You think that makes me feel any better?! How do I know that you did not sire the creature!? And slayed it to hide your faithless adultery!? And you even dare to trade my child to her!? You know nothing of Women! We do not take kindly to the things you have done! She will kill our child!"
"She is right, Odin Liar." The Demoness grinned, showing off dagger like teeth, her beautiful face morphing and warping into something alien and inhuman, but then it changed back as the baby in her arms awoke and began to whine looking for his mother and some sweet milk. "Ooh, ooh, shh... shh my sweet, shh..."
The Demoness gently rocked him, cooing and whispering gently, kissing his brow and for a moment she felt that happiness she once felt for her dead children. And then she snapped her eyes open, her hair whipping out like crack of thunder to pierce through the flesh of several guards who dared to attack. Killing them instantly and smashing their corpses into the walls of the nursery.
"... Hmm, I believe I've come up with a fitting punishment for you, Odin the Faithless." She hissed, her hair moving in the air now like the lazy sway of a dragon's tail when bathing in the sunlight or laid on heated rocks. "I will allow your son to live, but!" At this she held a clawed finger to the babe's lips and some of the liquid gold on her skin gathered into a thick drop that clung stubbornly to her claw only to break off and fall into the wailing babe's mouth. "He shall be cursed. To become that you fear, that what you hunt! A monster! But unlike my other children, this one will not be slain for none would dare to kill the AllFather's child. To risk the AllMother's wrath. But I will be kind as well. For this Curse comes with a Blessing. But only our child will know what it is and only he will be able to find it, if he lives that long."
With that she wrapped her hair around the babe and used it to carefully hand him to his mother. The Queen frantically looked him over before she held him tight in her arms and sobbed. The Demoness smiled coldly at Odin, walking backwards to the destroyed balcony doors upon which she had first entered. Odin held Gungnir in his hand, aiming the spear's tip at her, but she scoffed.
"As the moon waxes and wanes, so will the monster our son shall become. Weak as a lamb when the sky is without Moonlight and as terrible and uncontrolled as a Berserker when the Moon is at her fattest! And should those rarest of days where the sun is blackened come, all will see him for what he truly is... A Beast in Aesir flesh." She crooned and then held out her arms, which had transformed into a pair of wings and when she turned to leap into the air, the figure of a woman gone, in her place a golden dragon flew off vanishing into the early light of dawn.
The room was silent minus the sobbing of his wife and the wailing of his child. But then his wife stopped crying, standing up, she ordered everthing that was not ruined to be packed and that her belongs, gathered and moved from her husband's chambers. Odin blinked as she ordered the dead to be picked up and prepared for a pyre, that the nursery cleaned and sealed, never to be used again. It was when she ordered that her belongings and the things belonging to her son be packed into a coach that seemed to make Odin find his tongue.
"Wife-"
"NO!" She hissed darkly, sounding very much like an angry dragon herself, her eyes alight with magic, the air around her shimmering with it. "You slept with her, you have slept with others as well! By the Nine Mothers, I should have your cock for this! But no, no. I am leaving you, this place and I am going to live in the Outer Village! There I will raise MY son with your Demonic Mistress! Because I will not allow you to influence my child! I will not have you training him to be a weapon of war for you! I will not allow you or anyone to treat him as an animal!"
"He is my son, Frigga!"
"Did you carry him for nine months?! Did you spend three days in labor with him!? Did you nearly die so that he may be born and live!? Did you even hold him? Did you? You had not come to see me since I became too big to leave the bed, you went to 'slay the demons' while I was left here to rule and worry, to birth your child and you did not come home for almost a month! And when you finally do come home you wish to take me to bed before even coming to see your child! You had hoped if I was too busy on your cock, your Mistress could come steal our babe!"
Odin's jaw tightened as did his grip on Gungnir, the spear humming dangerously with power. Frigga stood up straighter, her shoulders back, chest puffed up and chin out daring him to strike her and their babe, daring him to prove to all still in the room that he was not nearly as noble and just as he made everyone thing, that he was not a faithful and loving husband, a caring or doting father. He was Odin, the Ogre, Odin the Deceitful, Odin the AllFather, but now, now he was Odin the Shamed, the Dishonored, the Bastard.
No matter how furious he felt, Odin did not strike nor did he stop her from leaving. He did not even stop the handful of maids, 12 of them with their young daughters and 9 of his guards leave with her. He watched from the Nursery balcony long after they vanished from his far sight, but he knew his Gate Keeper, Heimdall could still see them and watch over them as he watched over all of the Nine Realms. It was not until evening that he finally turned away and left the now empty room, the castle was quieter, duller, lonelier. But he ignored it for he was the AllFather and he had not only his kingdom, but all of the Realms to govern, he would not miss his Wife nor his Son for he knew where they were and knew it was only a few hours by horse back to go see them...
Upon arriving in the Outer Village the people came to see their Queen riding on a horse a babe tightly bound to her chest as a procession followed her. She arrived before the Village Leader's home and the elderly man looked up with awe and concern.
"My lady?"
"The mansion on the edge of the Demon's forest, is it livable?" She demanded in a gentle tone.
"Yes, but.. my queen-"
"No longer." She told him.
He blinked and looked her over and realized she was dressed in a fancy dress, yes, but she was wearing the armor of a mid ranked Shield Maiden, she did not wear any fancy jewels save for her wedding band on a simple string of thick leather. She may not wish to be called Odin's wife any longer, but no matter how furious she was, she loved him still to keep the ring he made for her, to wed her with.
She had a Vanaheim made silver short sword on her hip a long dagger on the other and her once long hair was shorn short, something done to shamed warriors or one does to themself when they desert their positions. It didn't take the old man long to figure out that the Queen had left the AllFather's hall of her own accord and has made herself look the part of the shamed party. Turning to his young granddaughter, he asked her to bring him the key from his desk.
"The Demon is dead, but its mother lingers."
"I know. She came to visit me in my former home. She has placed a curse upon my babe and I will be damned if I will stay in a gilded cage and do nothing." She spat out, dark and full of all the fury only a mother could produce. "Forgive me, I've had a terrible day and many more to come. A warning, Headman, do not allow your people to wander at night when the Moon is at its Fullest nor to venture out on the days the sun turns black. I cannot speak of what will be fall those who do not obey."
"Yes, my lady... Ah thank you my dear." He took the key from his granddaughter and handed it to Frigga who thanked him, apologized once more and then she and her company were off.
The Mansion was only an hours ride away, sitting on a nice hill above the small village, almost hidden by the trees. It was a very lovely if not disquieting building, polished stone and mortar bricks of a natural earthy tan made up the outer walls of the ground floor while the second story and third story were either dark wood or dark stone that looked similar to wood, however the wrap around decks of the main floor and second floor were strong and sturdy wood, the railings of marble. The roof was a rich navy blue and shingled to minimize leaks. The windows were large and seemed to surround the whole house, making it bright and airy.
It was almost comical how perfect the house was, an outsider who did not know any better would think the villagers mental for not using the house themselves or renting it to the nobles. But then they would learn the terrible price one must pay to live there. For the Dragon and her hatchlings raid this mansion, from the chickens to the goats from the cows to the horses, they've stolen and eaten them, and if those living there dared to enter the forest, they were felled, torn limb from limb. Their remains then carried back by the clutch of dragons to be dumped upon their heads as a warning. But that was then, and now it was Frigga who wished to dwell here.
Dismounting, she checked her babe, the darling sleeping soundly wish his little face buried in her bosom, his little ear pressed to where her heart beat at its loudest, a steady and soothing rhythm that rarely changed. The others followed suit, gathering their things as she stepped up to the door and with the key unlocked it. But upon entering, she gasped seeing the house already clean and furnished. The fireplaces were all light with bright but small fires, windows were cracked open to air the building out without letting the warmth leave too quickly. She was almost tempted to explore, but then she frowned, spun so quickly, one could only see the flash of silver and blur of gold, her sword and dagger drawn and held to the neck of the Demoness who smiled coldly, neck proudly displayed as Frigga held her weapons in place.
"Welcome, Queen Frigga, to my domain..."
"I am no longer Queen, I am Frigga." She growled low.
"Then Frigga the Brave you are..." The she demon nodded, looking from her to the sleeping babe, her face softening into a loving and mournful look. "I've made a mistake... One made in anger, but sadly demons do not feel regret... But know that I do wish I could."
"You were punishing my husband." Frigga nodded. "However I cannot help but to resent you for damning an innocent babe. I'd have preferred you kill him."
"Yes, but evil begets evil..." The dragon woman crooned.
Frigga snorted, lowering her weapons and waving away the guards who had blocked the doors, ready to attack at her command. "I know that raising him will be nothing but heart ache and sorrow, but also joy and love. I want him to grow up loved, to grow up honorable and noble, humble but brave and strong."
"I want him to grow into a King that all would gladly follow." The dragon added, raising her taloned hand, but looked to the Vanir woman for permission. At Frigga's nod, she gently caressed the baby soft ringlets of gold. "I wish to raise him with you, by cursing him, I've made him my own, but I know he is not mine and it was wrong to steal him."
"You were grieving, blinded by anger and sorrow. I will forgive you in time, though there will always be resentment. However, I will not deny my little Prince knowing his other Mother. Just remember, he will not hunt humans for sport or food. You will change your ways and we will teach him all life is precious."
The Dragon woman looked shocked before smiling softly, crooning lowly in happiness and leaning forward to press her golden lips to the corner of Frigga's mouth, whispering in Draconian, "Ini lex vur sepa di ibahalii, tir zyak vow aso vur tobor ekess wer Ferrod Rumag."
A chain of runes appeared around them, one snapping tightly around the Dragon woman's neck while the other snapped snugly on Frigga's wrist, a chain of light glowing between them.
"I have pledge my soul to you, Golden Mate, for only my treasured mate could tame me. Use me as you deem and know I can never run nor cause harm to you or our Clutch and all who live here are our Clutch, my precious Treasures..." She growled lowly, eyes green and bright, her pupils golden and reptilian. "My name, Frigga the Brave, Jalan of the Black Forest..."