Thunderstorm VIII
On the day the Allfather came, everything changed for the Russ.
Fenris had been just a world out of many, and its warriors were not even close to being the mightiest across the stars. The Allfather did not come alone. With him, he brought his own warriors. Giants in ornamented gold armour, and wild warriors in grey, who claimed to be Leman's sons. As outlandish as the claim was, their appearance gave credence to it. Some had black pinned golden eyes like his, and all had his wolfish cast to their features. They were the mightiest the nascent Imperium of Man had to offer.
The youths of Fenris were deemed potential candidates to join their ranks. The grown experienced warriors were all told they would risk death if they insisted on taking the Trial of the Wolf.
"I'm going to die anyway," Bulveye laughed. "Might as well die trying."
Others followed—both Thorgerd's and Leman's hirths declared they would either join them in making murder across the stars or die trying. One after another they rose and proclaimed their readiness. They had followed the King of the Russ and the Stormqueen across the turbulent seas of Fenris. They would follow them when they left to conquer the stars.
But the warriors were not the only ones the Allfather brought. Odd creatures in red robes came as well, and with them contraptions of steel and adamantium that belched oily smoke as they dug through earth or rock. They were directed to build a new seat for the warriors, one that Leman chose. His sons would reside in the highest mountain, away from the other tribes and their feuds.
The Russ and several allied tribes would move there as well, their fate now forever tied with that of the Wolves of Fenris.
Serenity sat at her father's side and watched the VIth and his adopted sister, the Bellatrix. She was doing her best to maintain her cool, but she had simply not expected the other woman to be that much older than her. It was one thing to know in theory that Warp travel could lead to temporal paradoxes and another to witness one first hand. And yet, the other woman did not look her age at all—she appeared to be in her mid-twenties instead of forty. And then, there was Leman of the Russ, who was nothing like Horus: wild like a giant wolf, and oozing danger instead of radiating charisma. Both were silent, and she did not blame them for being unwilling to speak just yet. The announcement that one's father made you to be his executioner was not easy to swallow.
"Every man has his wyrd," Leman finally said.
Thorgerd turned her head sharply at those words and to Serenity's shock, slapped Leman. Her hand crackled with thunder and it left a red handprint on his cheek for a few minutes. "You're just going to agree to become an attack dog?"
Leman shook his head. "I will not become an attack dog. I am one. I have always been one."
Thorgerd's frown did not lighten, and if anything she now appeared to be insulted.
Serenity hesitated. The other Bellatrix was an intimidating presence, and she was clearly not taking the situation well. Still, her father appeared to be content to let the situation unfold, so perhaps it was her cue. Maybe it was some sort of a test, to see if she would be of more use? Determined to show how much she had grown, she started to speak, "You are not merely-"
"No, I'm not merely an attack dog," Leman said, interrupting Serenity. "But I am what I am. I know this and Thorgerd knows this too." He turned to look at the tall woman, a feral smile playing over his lips. "And you will come with me, won't you, sister? You let your husband and your son join my army. You've already made your choice."
Thorgerd remained silent for a moment, before nodding slowly. "Yes, I did."
He was still unmistakably Bulveye. His eyes had remained icy blue, for which Thorgerd was absurdly grateful. It would have been unnerving to meet her brother's beast-like eyes when looking into the face of her husband.
It helped to alleviate the sense of wrongness as she craned her head up to look at him. Thorgerd was not used to people being this much taller than her.
"How are you feeling?" she asked.
"Well," Bulveye replied, canines flashing behind his beard. They all had Leman's sharp teeth now. "I'm stronger than ever."
Thorgerd smiled back. A warrior ought to be proud of his strength. "Alvar took the Trial. Your son is doing as well as you are."
Bulveye nodded. The silence that fell was different than before his change. There was something new and tense in it, and at the same time something else was missing. It took her a moment to realize what it was, since it was something she had taken for granted for years. All the many little signs that he found her attractive were gone from Bulveye's behaviour; he hadn't glanced at her chest even once.
She frowned, considering her next words. The Allfather had said those who became Wolves would change. Perhaps she ought to have not taken for granted that he simply meant growing larger and hairier.
"Do you love me?" she asked.
Bulveye's confused stare met her own. "I… Yes, of course. You're my Queen and my battle-sister…"
His voice trailed off and for a moment they stared at one another in silence.
Only forty men were left of Thorgerd's and Leman's hirths. The others were gone, having failed the Trial of the Wolf. Most had died. Some of the deaths had been painful, with once mighty warriors howling in agony as their bodies rejected the implants. Others died in their sleep, or fell dead during physical exertion.
They were not the worst.
Thorgerd watched the two beasts, one black, the other white, as they rested their large canine heads on Leman's lap. They gazed up at him with eyes that were black pinned on gold, just like his own.
"Are those?.." she asked, but found herself unable to finish the sentence.
"Yes," Leman replied. "Freki and Geri."
Thorgerd swallowed, almost reflexively imagining Bulveye like this. Seeing what had become of the twin brothers made her husband's new form easier to bear. The thought of her husband made her sigh. He still appeared familiar, and yet… there was something missing, something that had existed between them for years and now was extinguished.
"Why so glum, sister?" Leman asked. "Did you have a row with Bulveye?"
"What's the use of an ageless husband, if he only wants to be friends?"
