To Love A God
It was a cold dark wet and dire day, maybe that's why the men sat in the hall drinking mead and telling stories of battle victory, loss and heartache. The younger men sat and listened to the older warriors tell of how the gods had cheated them of the victory that should have been theirs but two months ago. The men rambled in there drunkenness and caused such a row that no one really noticed the hooded figure, that had entered through the large oak doors at the far end…the figure that had entered from the god forsaken storm that only a man who was either mad or filled up with unbreakable courage would dear to enter.
The hooded figure, whose identity was hidden by a long black travelling cloak and black hood from which only silvery purple eyes could be seen reflecting in the light of the fire blazing in its pit, moved silently but quickly across the room and seated then self in the group, and sat and listened to what they perceived to be child's stories told by old fools.
One story in particular interested the mysterious figure as they sat and listened. It was a story told by a warrior from the old religion, which Christianity had nearly abolished, here in the land of the old ways. The old man named Grant told a story of how he had once met Odin the king of the gods the warrior of darkness and bearer of strength, and how he had fallen in love with his daughter the beautiful Hel goddess of darkness, death and destruction. He told of how he had fallen in love with not only her beauty but her coldness and passionate emotions as well. And of how this had angered Odin. Because not only was it blasphemy for he a mere human to love a god but it was also blasphemy for a god to love a human. Odin forced him to leave Asgard the holy realm in which the gods lived. He told of how he had been cursed to live and wonder this earth alone lost without his beloved by his side but never dying because she who controlled death could not bare the thought of his.
By the end of Grant's story tears dwelled in his eyes and he said he would continue to love her till Ragnarok when this miserable world would end. At this the mysterious hooded figure who was also harbouring tears said in a voice that made the chilly room seem to get colder but also held a certain passion and fire.
"Tiss not a terrible thing to love a god… the only thing terrible about it is how much I love you in return!"
Grant looked up and deep into the hooded strangers eyes. The tears of loss turned into tears of joy and his hands started shaking, his blue eyes that had seemed clouded with despair seemed to clear and reveal the warmth of a summer's day. As Grant reached forward with his shaking hands to remove the hood of the mysterious stranger he whispered.
"Hel my love could it really be you?"
As the hood fell away to reveal a feminine beauty that surpassed all known beauty. Locks of dark purple brown hair swept down beside her fair face. One word escaped from Hel's blood red lips.
"Yes."