Confessions of a Valkyrie

Chapter 1

Valkyries are not born. They are not endowed with the gifts of fae power when they are born, but rather are chosen. They are chosen by the god Odin. He is the collector of warriors and offers people of valor a new way of life. He gives these people a chance to be extraordinary.

At least this was the way that Tamsin saw it. She was young and as she saw it was unimportant. She saw herself as only one grain of sand among millions on a mile long beach. She wanted what anyone wants. She wanted a chance to be special. Odin saw this in her.

When Odin found her, she was just seventeen years old. She had stepped out of the house like she did on many nights. She didn't like to stay around her parents. They never noticed her. She was an odd one in her family and most of the time they pretending like she wasn't their child. It was often her custom to go out for walks late at night to gather her thoughts. She would usually walk to a cemetery that was close by. It was easier to be around dead people than to deal with the living most of the time. The living never seemed to like her much. She stayed in trouble. It wasn't that she was a bad person; it was just that she didn't like her place in the world. Staying in trouble was the best way to be noticed; even if it wasn't in the way she wanted. At least people were paying attention. Trouble always had a way of finding her as well. School was a major pain in her ass. Her snarky attitude always got the better of her and she usually ended up in fights. The other girls that she went to school with always seemed stuck up and too happy for her taste.

As a result, Tamsin usually kept to herself. She did things her own way. The night she met Odin started out like any other night. She had gone out for her walk and happened to hear something odd. She thought that she heard a scream. She listened hard and it came again to her ears. She walked faster so she could find the source. It was coming from a dark part of the street that she often walked by. She walked up to where it was coming from, and was careful not to be seen.

She looked around the corner and saw a man struggling with a woman half his size. He had her pressed against a wall. She was trying to get away and he was not having any of it. She looked closer to see that the man had a knife to the woman's throat. His other hands were trying to unbutton his pants. It was more than obvious what he had in mind for her.

Tamsin saw red when she saw this and pulled out her own pocket knife. If she had stopped to think, she would have known how stupid her next actions were. Tamsin was impulsive and she was angry. She lunged forward and pulled the man's arm that held the knife away from the woman. She pulled the man's hand behind his back and forced him to drop the knife. She grabbed his other hand and had them pulled behind his back in a manner of seconds. She took her own knife and held it to the exposed part of his body that he was going to use on the girl. It was still erect.

"Give me one good reason why I shouldn't leave you an appendage short. Not that there is much there to miss," said Tamsin pressing the blade closer to his skin.

"Fuck you, bitch. This doesn't concern you, unless you like what you see." He said.

"You have some balls to talk back to a woman with a knife to your dick. I can take care of that as well. What kind of piece of shit has to force a woman anyway? If I let you go, you're going to go straight home. If I ever see you out here again, I will kill you. If others do not consider your actions a crime, I will have to handle it myself. You're not even going to stop to pick up your clothes. You better get going before I change my mind." Tamsin said letting go of his arms. She was about to rethink letting him go when he vanished before her eyes. She thought she must be going crazy. She looked over at the woman she had saved in confusion. She was still there. She looked at her and she changed before her eyes too. She had gone from being a small woman to a big man with a one eye. He spoke to her.

"Good work, Tamsin. That was very impressive," He said.

"How do you know my name? Who are you? Where did the other man go?"

"He wasn't real. I created him."

"But I felt him."

"Things are not always the way they seem. I created him so I could test you. You are braver than I thought you were."

"You created him?" asked Tamsin confused.

"Yes. I am the god Odin. I have watched you for several years. You're different from any other people in your time. You're a fearless girl that in never in her place. You're a troublemaker."

"I still don't know what you want with me. Why did you give me a test?"

"I want to offer you a unique position. I need warriors and you are one of the best I've seen in years. You're a little head strong but otherwise perfect. I bet with a little training you could be very talented in combat. I want you to become one of my Valkyries. You will be a warrior and help me choose others like yourself in battle. You'll be very powerful and have a much longer life."

"What's the catch?"

"You'll answer to me and you cannot form any long term relationships with others. These relationships will only get in the way of your work. You'll have to bring in the people I order you to without question. Love and friendship will not have a place in your new life. Every lifetime I give you will have to be earned. Every thousand years I can choose to keep you or let you go back to a human. It's kind of like renewing a contact. You do a good job and you will get another life." He explained to her.

"I'd have to give up relationships?" asked Tamsin trying to take in all that he was saying. I few hours ago she would have thought that he was a crazy old man. She had seen what he could do and knew that he was serious. She thought about it and she had never been one to form relationships as it was. She was always on the outside and the people she did meet she didn't want much to do with anyway. It was not a high price for her to pay for a piece of greatness. She knew that if she stayed in the life that she was in then she would have to do what others told her all her life. She was a woman and that was not a good thing to be in this time. She would always have to fall in line and answer to everyone else. If she did this then she would only have one person to answer to. She could make her own choices and be her own person. This was all she had ever wanted. Her parents would never miss her. They forgot they even had a child most of the time.

"Yes you would have to give up relationships. I cannot risk you being involved with the people that you are to bring in. It would only make things more complicated. In return you would gain power and influence. What do you say?"

"Yes. I'll do it. This is what I've been searching for and I'm going to take my chances."

"Good. This will only hurt a little," he said taking a knife out of his pocket and ran the blade across his palm. He took her hand and she recoiled a little. "This is how it works. I need to cut your palm as well. Now, hold still," he said taking the blade and putting it to her palm. The knife stung a little but it was sharp enough that it didn't hurt but a second. Tamsin looked down at his palm and her own bleeding palm. She noticed that his palm was not bleeding red but it was glowing a blue color. She had never seen anything like it before.

He took her palm and pressed it to his. She felt a shock as soon as his did. She could feel her body reacting. It was changing. It felt like her body was trying to tear itself apart. The pain was unbearable. She wanted to scream but nothing came out. The pain soon passed and then all she felt was strength. She felt stronger than she had ever felt. It was like she was invincible. She felt like nothing in the human world could hurt her anymore. She looked back at her palm and was surprised to see that it was completely healed.

"Wow that was a neat trick," she said turning her hand over to look closer at it.

"That's only the beginning. Valkyries have great power. Their power comes from me and they serve me. Of course when you are not carrying out my orders, you are free to do as you wish. Valkyries have a wonderful sense of justice and right and wrong. This is strong in you as well. I think you will do best in a place where you can help people who cannot help themselves. In a few thousand years, I think you will do well in law enforcement. Until then you will have to what you can and stay out of the public eye. You are godlike know and you will need to learn how to use your new abilities. You will have plenty of time to do this. I will find you when I need you. For now, I will set you up a place to live both in the human world and in my world. You will be very happy I think. You have to remember our deal and as long as you do that we will be fine. Relationships can be the end of a Valkyrie."

"So all I have to do is bring in the people you chose?"

"Yes and there will be some battles I need you to be in as well."

"How will I know what I can do?"

"Practice on those who need your help. It will be the best way to learn. Protect others. I will find you when I need you. Follow me to your new life."

Tamsin thought of the things and the people she was leaving behind. She felt a moment of sadness, but she didn't want to look back. She was leaving her old life for something better. She followed Odin and thought about all the good she could do with her new abilities.

Author's note- I know this is a different take on things. I wanted to get Tamsin a back story and wanted to explore her relationship with Odin. I hope you like it. I was a challenge to write.