Amber Curse

by TSValing

In a time of gods and giants, there was no escaping the fate woven by the Norns. A young woman with a mysterious heritage flees an oppressive Jarl, only to find herself in the possession of another. But is the Berserker truly as cruel as the man she's hiding from? Rated for violence, gore, and sexual content. Kid x Nami. One-sided Arlong x Nami.

24. Chapter 24

Warning: Sexual content and mentions of violence.

Also, Loki has hijacked this fic and made himself a character. Enjoy that.

Disclaimer: I do not own One Piece or the characters, they belong to Eiichiro Oda.

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Final Choice

That bastard was only supposed to be in his village for one night, maybe two if repairs took longer. But, no, Nezumi had to lurk around the village for four nights and Kid wasn't stupid enough to believe he was preparing himself to face down death in Oslofjord.

His ship was fixed in two days, but somehow took on water during the evening while tied to the dock. Kid's suspicions grew when he inspected the hull and found a wood slat that had been warped, like someone tried to peel it off but only succeeded in creating a weak point that let water slowly trickle in. He doubted it was from the reef they hit. It was too high and the boards weren't splintered. Wire assured him that the damage hadn't been there when he inspected it the first day, which meant someone tampered with the ship to keep them in Drafn longer than they were supposed to be.

He was fuming when he realized what had happened. He didn't know how he reined in his temper, but somehow he restrained the urge to throttle Nezumi while his men split Frankish heads open. Every time he saw one of them, he saw red and had to be intercepted by one of his men before he screwed up their plans. To keep some sense of mind, he let Killer handle their guests until they were ready to leave.

He stayed out of sight, hiding in his workshop with the door barred. Sind was the only company he allowed, and that was only because he caught Nezumi trying to interrogate the poor boy. Sind only answered him by sticking his tongue out, then stomped on the man's foot before sprinting off to hide behind Kid when Nezumi appeared ready to beat him.

He considered sending the boy to stay with Nami, but Nezumi's men had taken to exploring the woods around his old house, hoping to catch a glimpse of this elusive Ketta that Kid was hiding from them. He thought it might raise an alarm if Sind went to stay with her, especially since he had already claimed him as his ward. It would look suspicious if he handed him off to some mysterious woman in the woods and the father that had left Kid bloody and bruised after catching him in bed with her.

He couldn't even visit her, which left him far more irritable than he had already been. He managed to use Gunda as a messenger, under the guise that he was sending her to deliver a gift to Hróarr and Ketta, apologizing for his behavior and making a proper gesture of courtship. Nezumi tittered with that annoying laugh that made Kid want to shove a sword down his throat. Instead of torturing the ass, he spun away and locked himself back in his workshop to demolish a piece of wood while pretending it was Nezumi's face.

But finally he was leaving their shores, though he was taking his sweet time walking to his ship. Kid had come out of hiding for the sole purpose of seeing him off, and every second that it took for Nezumi to casually stroll toward the docks, he felt his patience whittle away.

"It is too bad I did not get to meet this Ketta that created such a commotion," Nezumi said, snickering under his breath as he eyed a wolf carving one of the village craftsmen had displayed on his fence. Kid bristled as he ran a finger over the wolf's ear and gave the piece a look of amused disgust. "So quaint," he commented, but he continued on toward the docks while Kid swallowed his temper and willed his fist to unclench.

Enel will torture him mercilessly, he thought to himself, taking a deep breath to cool his heated temper. He's leaving, and then I can have Nami back in my hall where she belongs. That reminder helped him relax. Everything would be better once he could freely be with his woman again.

"Perhaps after I've met with Enel, I can return and meet her," Nezumi remarked, making Kid's teeth itch. "I'll bring a gift to congratulate you on your upcoming nuptials…." He glanced back at him with a mocking smirk. "Assuming her father doesn't kill you first."

Kid growled. "You don't have to," he forced himself to say. If he did come back, he would have his archers ready the moment his ship was spotted in the bay. He would see that not even one of them survived if Enel didn't kill them himself.

"Nonsense." Nezumi waved him off. "It's the least I can do after the gracious hospitality you've shown me."

Kid heard the faint crack of a tooth as he clenched his jaw and cursed Nezumi in his mind. The bastard was making him grind his teeth down to nothing. He really should just kill him.

A familiar clap to his shoulder eased his temper. Killer was there to keep him in line. He took a deep breath and released it in a long sigh.

"If you insist," he grumbled. He would just have to find a woman to stand in Nami's place if Nezumi made good on this threat. Or kill him.

"Wonderful," Nezumi cheered, and finally they reached the dock and the Frankish ship loaded with the bastard's men. "I thank you again for your hospitality, even if it has been less than warm," he said as a Norman sailor helped him aboard.

Kid grunted. It was the only sound he trusted himself to make. The lacking response made Nezumi snicker, but he was on his ship, taking a seat beneath that swath of silk that Kid wanted to turn into a fancy noose. He forced himself to remain calm and settled on glaring at the bastard.

Nezumi waved obnoxiously as his men pushed their ship away. He called out an irritating good-bye in Frankish once they were a few feet away. Kid answered it with a rude gesture and spun away to storm back to the hall. Ove stood in the square waiting for him, a horse saddled and ready to go, just as Kid had ordered.

"They're gone," Kid said as he took the horse's reins and gestured for his man to mount the old stallion.

Ove was a big man, with a broad, thickly built torso that made even the strongest horse groan and whiny at the weight. But he was smart and strong enough to take a dozen arrows without slowing down, an unstoppable force that could flatten enemies and stone walls with no discernment. He was a Dane he befriended years ago on the battlefield while fighting for his former jarl. The man had been a mercenary, loyal to the highest bidder until Kid swayed him to join his cause and overthrow the corrupt jarl. Now he was loyal to Kid.

"Stay in the trees and watch them," Kid reminded while Ove hid his intricately braided lavender-tinted blond hair beneath a fur-lined cap. Fur pelts draped over his shoulders made him appear bigger, resembling a bear atop that horse. An axe hung from his belt and two knives were strapped against his chest beneath the furs. He was prepared to battle in a melee if necessary, but for once, Kid wanted him to avoid warfare. "Don't engage them," he warned. "Return once you've seen that they're headed for Oslofjord."

Ove grunted, and Kid released the horse's reins just as his man kicked it to gallop off in a burst of speed. Kid watched until Ove was out of sight, hidden in the trees along the northeastern coast and following the Frankish ship through the fjord. With that errand seen to, Kid headed to the stables to saddle and mount his own horse. Killer had slipped into the hall while he spoke with Ove, but returned just as Kid climbed in the saddle.

"Will you return to the hall tonight?" he asked while securing a leather bag to Kid's saddle.

Kid glowered in thought. "I doubt it. I don't want to bring her back until I know it's safe."

Killer chuckled. "Then tell Nami I say hello. And I'll send Ove to you when he returns."

His cousin smacked his leg and stepped away for him to head toward his old home. Gunda had gone early in the morning with food for Hróarr and Nami, and remained there while they waited for word on Nezumi. He had been tempted to have them return that night. He wanted Nami back in his hall, where he could keep an eye on her and know she was safe, and maybe get her into his bed if he were lucky enough. But if Nezumi resorted to trickery again and returned to Drafn immediately, then Kid didn't want to be caught off guard.

The forest appeared empty of spies as Kid cantered along. He had counted all of Nezumi's men when they were aboard the ship to see that none were left behind, but he remained suspicious. Something didn't sit well with him about that rat. The details of Nami's latest vision were still unknown to him, likely the reason he was so uncertain. What part did the rat play in the coming storm Nami foresaw? What threat did he bring to their shore? It wasn't Arlong. Nami would have mentioned something if it was. At least he thought she would. There was too much mystery surrounding this vision, and he didn't like it. He hated when he didn't know everything. He hated facing down an enemy without at least a minimal amount of information to devise the tactics he needed to be victorious.

Hróarr was outside the house when he arrived, skinning and filleting two fish. The older man glowered at him and set aside the fish he worked on while clutching his knife.

"Stand down," Kid ordered. "They left."

Hróarr visibly relaxed with a loud sigh. He sheathed his knife and stood to help Kid with his horse. The home's door opened slowly as Kid slid from the saddle. Gunda peeked out first, then Nami stuck her head out, careful to keep herself shrouded with a cloak while she hid behind the door.

"It's safe," he called out. The women relaxed and Nami pushed her cloak off so he could clearly see her beautiful, relieved smile. "But, I want you to stay here for the rest of today," he explained as Nami skipped from the house, taking in the first deep breath of fresh air she had had after days of being cooped up in the small home. Her excitement was lost to a frown at the news, but Kid brushed it off as he untied the bag on his saddle. Hróarr walked the horse to the others so he could brush her down and water her, leaving Kid free to drag Nami into a tight hug the moment she was in reach. She returned the embrace, but propped her chin on his chest to glower up at him.

"What's going on?" she asked.

"I sent Ove to follow the ship and see they do head toward Oslofjord. He should return by tonight or tomorrow morning to report their movements to me," he said.

"And if they don't go to Oslo?"

He frowned. "If they turn south, I'll assume that they're reporting to Arlong. Or maybe he'll take the coward's way out and flee to Francia so he doesn't have to face Enel. We'll prepare for him to return with Arlong." She swallowed thickly, fear flashing in her eyes. He grinned confidently and squeezed her tight. "Don't worry about that. If Arlong comes with him, I'll send you away with Gunda and Hróarr. You can hide in the mountains, or buy passage on a ship to Álasund. Iceburg offered you asylum if anything happens to me here. You'll be safe up there." His reassurance only made her frown deepen as sadness turned her eyes watery. She really would mourn his inevitable death, but he wouldn't let her mourn him while he lived. "I doubt he'll go to Arlong first. If he doesn't turn for Oslo, he'll likely turn back in the hope of catching us by surprise, with you out of hiding. I won't let that rat outsmart us. If his ship turns back for us, we'll be prepared to kill them all before they reach the bay."

Nami took a deep breath and he felt her shoulders relax as she released it. A shaky smile turned up her lips. "Then I'll stay here until we know," she said.

"Good girl." His praise was met with a withering glare, making him laugh as he pushed her toward the house. "While we're waiting on Ove, we have some things to discuss. I need to hear the details about this storm you've seen."

Nami huffed and stood her ground when he nudged her toward the door again. He didn't know what her sulky pout could be for. Did she not want to discuss her visions?

"Do we have to go back inside?" she whined. "I've been cooped up in there for days now. I want to be outside."

Kid chuckled. "But the bed is inside, and I have other things I want to discuss with you. Preferably without clothes on."

She glared, her arms crossing over her chest. Her defiant stance said she was not about to humor his jest. "Lech," she growled.

"I'm kidding," he reassured before turning toward the entrance to the property. He tied the bag he brought to his belt, then laughed again. "We don't need a bed for that, anyway." He glanced over his shoulder, winking when he caught her eyes narrowing further. "Well? You coming along?"

She let out another huff, grumbled something under her breath, and then stomped after him. Gunda looked ready to follow her, but Kid glared at the older woman and waved for her to stay at the house. He hadn't seen Nami in days. He wanted time alone with her, and not just out of the hope he could pleasure her again.

"Where are we going?" Nami asked as he led her down the path toward the trickling stream.

"You'll see." He could hear the roll of her eyes when she sighed and slowed for her catch up so he could wrap his arm around her shoulder. "What's with the attitude today, Kitten?" He was trying not to take it personally, but if she continued to snip at him for nothing more than teasing her, he was liable to get annoyed and start bickering with her. "Would have thought you'd miss me and want to spend some quality time alone."

Nami glared up at him. He didn't wink, didn't give her any clue that he might be flirting, only stared back with a curious scowl. Her irritation withered with a resigned sigh and her shoulders relaxed under his arm.

"I'm just frustrated," she answered as she sank against his side. He grunted to encourage she elaborate. "I did miss you, but I was hoping that the days apart would help me focus on my visions of the storm." She frowned at him. "You can be a distraction."

"I take it the distance didn't help?" he grunted.

"No." She fidgeted, casting her gaze down as her cheeks tinged with pink. "I think it made it worse."

His brow shot up. "Oh? How so?"

Nami pursed her lips in a scowl while her blush deepened. He couldn't help but laugh at her. "It's not funny," she snapped. "Every day I tried to concentrate, to meditate, to do anything that might bring my vision into clarity, but my mind never failed to drift to…" She trailed off to purse her lips again and looked away. She squirmed and tried to pull free of his hold, but he kept her locked tight at his side as they walked. "I couldn't even conjure the vision of Yggdrasil. Only of you touching me."

He knew he shouldn't be so proud that he affected her so strongly, but the fact he had spent the last few nights plagued with dreams of her that felt so real he woke in agony, desperate for her touch, it was a relief to know she was in a similar state of misery. He could understand her frustration, though. She needed answers as much as he did, and if she couldn't use her magic and foresight freely, those answers would stay out of their reach. He didn't want to lose the progress they had made, but if the physical relationship he had forged with her stood in the way of altering their fate, then he knew he would have to pull back. He hated that that might be the case, but he wouldn't hold her back from her full potential with his selfish desires.

With a heavy sigh, he took his arm from her shoulder and sped up his pace. "Come on," he said while taking her by the hand to drag her along with him. "We're almost there."

Nami had to pick up her skirts and jog to keep up with his longer strides as he climbed up into the hills to the north of the river. He led her through the old forest, beneath trees growing from rich soil, until he could hear the rushing current of the river ahead. He slowed once he spotted the grassy knoll overlooking the river with another mighty oak that had grown in a knotted, twisted fashion that bent over the river. Its roots ran deep, but the ground around two large tangles of root had eroded away at the bank, creating a nook perfect for a child to hide in when the river wasn't swollen.

When he came to a stop beside the oak, he glanced back to see Nami smiling as she overlooked the river. She took another deep breath. "Pretty," she commented, her earlier sour mood vanished.

"I used to play here when I was child," he explained, pointing toward the gnarled roots. "Nearly drowned while hiding down there during a storm. River almost carried me away, but Killer swam after me and dragged me out."

Nami giggled at the story as she tucked her skirts in and lowered herself to the grass. "He's been keeping you out of trouble for a long time."

He huffed before falling to sit beside her. "We're family. It's what we do."

There was something off about her smile as she cast her gaze over the river. A sadness tinged her eyes, her lips quivered. He knew she was thinking about her mother, or the shieldmaiden that raised her. Leaning in, he brushed his lips over her ear and chuckled when the touch made her jump. The glare she sent him wasn't as heated as it could be—at least it wasn't heated with anger. There was a glimmer of desire that showed through when her eyes flit to his lips.

"When you look sad like that, it makes me glad that I'm such a distraction to you," he teased before stealing a quick peck. "Now tell me about your vision," he ordered. "Or do I need to distract you some more?"

She glowered at him and swatted his leg, then turned her face away in a failed attempt to hide her blush.

"As I said, there isn't much to the vision," she began. "It came in flashes during the storm. First there was a ship with rats in a fjord."

"And that was Nezumi?"

Nami nodded. "And then there was a golden spear in its place in the water."

"Gungnir? Odin's spear?" he asked.

"I don't know," she groaned. "I don't think so. It was gone in a flash and replaced with a man standing on the end of the dock overlooking the fjord with his back to me. He was too young to be Odin, so I doubt he's connected to him. The only detail I could make out of him was the gold he wore."

Kid snorted. Of course she would see the gold and nothing else. His amusement drew a glare from her before she huffed and looked out at the river in front of them.

"I know what you're thinking," she bit out. "I wasn't distracted by the gold. I saw him in my vision of Yggdrasil when I returned to camp, and I still couldn't make out his face, only the gold he wore. I do know that he's likely a seer because of that vision. He was at home in the tree, far more comfortable than I was, and staring at the same storm I saw on the horizon. That's about all that I've gleaned on him."

Kid wondered about that detail. A man clad in gold, with a gift of foresight—he had a feeling that he might know who this man was. The king in Oslo claimed that gift for himself, though Kid had his doubts. The man was mad with power, nothing more. But, he did love gold in his own twisted way, and favored the god Thor in his worship. Nami was given the vision in the middle of a storm and swore Thor might have been warning her. The connections were piling up, which meant sending Nezumi to Enel might truly be the catalyst of what was to come.

Damn it, he should have killed the rat when he had the chance.

"What else did you see?" he asked with a low growl. If Nami noticed the frustration in his tone, she didn't respond to it, merely sighed and drew her knees to her chest.

"The man vanished where he stood on the dock and I saw the spear in the water again. All around the spear, the water roiled as fish and whale carcasses floated to the surface." She paused and fidgeted beside him, drawing his gaze to see her chewing on her lip. "And then with the next flash, I saw you."

His brow rose at the faint blush blooming on her cheeks. "The wolf again?" he asked.

Her teeth dug into her lip until the pink flesh turned bright red and threatened to break. "No," she said quietly. "You were not a wolf in my last vision." Both brows shot up and he leaned closer, quietly encouraging her to continue. "You stood before me as a man," she explained, casting a quick glance at him from the corner of her eye before looking away again. "You were close…. Touching me… My face… My lips… I thought you were going to kiss me." She cleared her throat and squirmed where she sat again. Now he understood why she was having trouble concentrating on her vision—she was too distracted by their physical relationship to focus on anything else. "But then I closed my eyes and tasted blood on my lips. When I opened them again, blood was trailing down your face. And then you were gone and I was awake."

"So, you think this path might lead to my death?" he asked, trying to make sense of the end of her vision.

Nami's lips pursed in a thoughtful scowl, her brows pinching together as she glared at the water. "I don't know… Possibly, but…" She looked to him, her scowl turning into a confused pout. "The vision didn't scare me the way my dreams had before. In my dreams, when you're a wolf, dying at the feet of a giant, it feels like my whole world is being torn away. I'm not physically hurt, but it's the greatest pain I've ever known." She had told him before that his death would not be easy on her, that it would hurt her deeply, and as she said it again, he could see the pain in her watery eyes. "But this last vision, I felt nothing. No fear. No heartache. My emotions were completely disconnected from it. I truly have no idea if the danger for you is mortal. I don't know. And I hate that."

Sighing, he wrapped his arm around her shoulders and tugged her against his side. "I know how you feel," he said.

"I thought I hated the visions I had before, but this one—not knowing what it might mean, what course I'm supposed to take or what I'm supposed to change—it's even worse than actually knowing exactly what lies ahead. How am I supposed to alter our path if I don't know what lies ahead?" She turned into him and rested her head on his shoulder, taking the comfort he offered. "I feel lost."

With her uncanny sense of direction, he imagined that wasn't a pleasant feeling for her. His instinct told him to fix this for her, but he was as lost as she was. How could he fix something he couldn't see? All he could do was provide some clues from his own knowledge and see if that helped. He wished he had better to offer her, but he felt useless, and that was a feeling he hated most of all. It made him angry, but he had nothing to take his anger out on before him.

"I think the man you saw was Enel," he said. Better to focus on what he could do than fly into a rage over what he couldn't. "I've heard rumors that he shares a similar gift of foresight. He venerates Thor, too. I'm not sure what interest he might have in you, though. I can see him making a grab at part of my territory, but I don't know what that might have to do with you."

"You said Nezumi was going to see Enel, right?" she asked, tilting her head to gaze up at him. "What if he succeeds in gaining his support? He might come for me as a favor to Arlong."

"I still doubt he would go so far. Nezumi said he had a chest of gold to offer up for you, and Enel loves gold. But, he'd just as easily kill Nezumi and take his gold rather than go through the trouble of searching for you to earn it honestly. To grant a favor to some unknown jarl would be beneath him," Kid reasoned, but he would be prepared for a war with the self-proclaimed king. His gaze flit to Nami's lips as he considered that possible future. He still needed more answers, a direction to take. He needed Nami to be focused, though he didn't like the idea of slowing down his courtship with her, not with how far they had already come. "I'll try not to distract you," he forced himself to say with an unhappy grumble. "If that would help."

"Are you volunteering to let yourself suffer in abstinence again?" she asked, a teasing smile on her lips.

Kid huffed. "I said I would try." He leaned down to steal a hard peck. "But I can only restrain myself so much. You'll have to behave, too."

Nami rolled her eyes. "You're the one who starts it."

"I didn't start anything that night in your bed," he pointed out. "You're the one who asked me to seduce you with that stupid poetry."

She snorted. "I suppose that's true, but you still start most of it."

"You also seduced me in Britain," he added.

"I was trying to teach you a lesson for propositioning me like that," she said with another roll of her eyes. "You seduced me."

"You still started it. I just finished it." He kissed her again, then forced himself to lean away. "But, as I said, I'll try not to tempt you anymore, at least not until we know what's ahead."

She smiled bright. "Thank you." He grunted, still unhappy with that decision, but he would do whatever was necessary to win the battles ahead. Nami ignored his annoyance and peered down at the bag attached to his belt. "By the way, what's in that bag you brought?"

He straightened at the reminder and untied the bag. "It's another gift."

Nami lit up with excitement before he even pulled it out. She knew it wouldn't be gold, yet still she looked as happy as she would be receiving a massive treasure hoard. The fact she would liken the gifts he made for her to a pile of gold pleased him to no end.

"I spent the last few days locked in my workshop, so had plenty of time to work on this," he explained while pulling out the falcon he carved from birch. It stood tall with its wings folded over its breast, just beneath its carved face. He didn't paint it like he had the boar, but he smoothed and polished it so its feathers appeared with the light and dark browns a falcon wore.

Nami beamed as she took the gift from him to inspect. "This is perfect," she said, grinning up at him. "I can already tell it'll be well received by the gods."

He openly gloated at her praise, even more so when she leaned up to kiss his cheek in gratitude. He would have to think hard on her next gift, unsure what he might be able to create that could garner a better reaction. Probably something made of gold. Since he had no other plans for that day, he would have plenty of time to think on it while enjoying Nami's company. Maybe she would give him a hint.

"Let's stay here a while longer," he suggested, stretching back in the fragrant grass. The sun was out, not a cloud in the sky. He could laze in the sun all day, listening to the river flow toward the bay with Nami tucked against his side.

Nami smiled, agreeing without argument. She laid back to rest her head on his chest, nestling into the crook of his arm perfectly. Having her at his side, warm and comfortable, made everything right in the world once again. He didn't have to think about a looming storm or war or death or whatever fate thought to throw at them. All he needed to think on was how to make the woman he loved happy. Nothing else was more important to him than that.

---

Ove didn't return until the next morning, but when he did, he brought Sind along with him to report what he saw to Kid. Nami giggled at the boy swinging on Ove's outstretched arm with playful laughter, all while the big bear of a man stood there without a care in the world, letting the child have his fun. Nami hadn't seen anyone other than Gunda and Hróarr for days until Kid came to visit, so it was nice to see more friendly faces and nearly distracted herself from the levity of the matter.

"They met with another ship," Ove informed them, forcing Nami to focus on the conversation.

Kid sat by the fire, scowling over the breakfast he had only just woken to eat. He had spent the night on the floor beside the bed, leaning against the frame at her side. He woke grumpier than usual from his stiff posture and knotted neck, and barely managed to grunt a thank you when Nami handed him a bowl of porridge. The news Ove was giving him only seemed to make his mood worsen as his brows knit together with a glare.

"Frankish or Norse?" Kid asked.

"Norse. Crewed by only fifteen men."

"Meager," Kid grumbled thoughtfully. "Nothing more than a search party."

Ove nodded. "They looked to be captained by a tall, slender man with blond hair and a pursed expression."

Nami sat straight at Kid's side. "Chew," she said, drawing Kid's attention to her.

"One of Arlong's?" he asked quietly.

"One of his closest sworn brothers," she answered, nodding. "He frequently runs errands for Arlong and is responsible for maintaining what few trade agreements they have."

"So, he works regularly with Nezumi." Kid huffed and turned to Ove. "I take it they didn't turn back. You didn't return in a panic."

Ove shook his head. "They both went up Oslofjord."

Kid hummed. "Then that means Nezumi requested an escort. He really is wary of Enel." He sighed and went back to eating his breakfast. "Well, so be it. They'll hopefully be dealt with by that mad-man and leave us alone for a while longer."

"But if they're suspicious and return after meeting with Enel? What if Enel does have foresight and sees that I'm here? They might all come for me," Nami reasoned.

Kid glared at her. "Then we'll deal with it. I doubt Enel will get his hands dirty over a stranger, even if she does share similar gifts of magic. He has bigger things in his head. If we don't get in his way, he won't get in ours. Nezumi's men looked weak, and we can handle a small search party. Even if it is made up of giants."

"Giants?" Sind asked, dropping from Ove's arm to gape at them. "There are giants coming here?"

Kid rolled his eyes. "Your lord back in Britain was a giant. What are you getting all excited about?"

"But he was…" Sind paused to think of what word he needed. "Nice? Are these giants nice?"

"No, they're not," Kid growled. "If they come, you're not going anywhere near them." He glanced at Nami. "You can stay with her. Gunda and Hróarr will flee with her, take her to safety somewhere else. I don't want you near the village if they attack." He looked at her with a deep frown and silent warning in his gaze. "We'll prepare to sink their ships before they reach us, but if war breaks out, you get far away, fast. Go to Álasund first. If we defeat these men, I'll search you out so you can return home. I don't want you vanishing on me."

"I won't leave you," she reassured, nudging his side. "This is my home now. I'll always come back."

Kid's surly mood vanished at her words, his face splitting with a wide grin as he nudged her back. "I'm holding you to that."

After the argument they had days before, she knew hearing that was a relief for him. Saying that Kid's hall was her home now wasn't something she expected to happen, but knowing that she had a place to return to, with people that opened their arms to welcome her, made her feel safe. She was being honest. If she ever had to leave, she would do everything in her power to return. Drafn was her home.

"We'll return to the hall after we eat," Kid said to Ove, gesturing for him to sit and join them. "We need to revise our patrols, build fortifications further out in the fjord, with archers on guard. We should have plenty of oil from Álasund to use as pitch and set their ships ablaze if they come."

Nami's attention drifted away from their talk of strategy. She wanted to share Kid's hope that this mad king would deal with Nezumi and Chew for them, but doubt twisted in her gut. A shadow loomed at the edge of her mind and she hadn't been able to shake the feeling that someone was watching her. While Nezumi's men were lurking in the woods, she had been able to brush the paranoia off, assume it was only the spies. But now they were gone and still she felt a tingle creep over the back of her neck, making her hairs stand on end.

Her gaze fell to the figure Kid had carved for her. It sat on a low table, right where she left it the night before, watching over the room. When she looked at its hollow eyes, that shiver returned, as did that odd, familiar buzz of a fly.

A vision flashed before her in the blink of an eye. A falcon's wing flapping, then vanishing in a flurry of feathers. The shadow loomed at her back, close enough to feel breath on her neck.

"Nami?" Kid asked, snapping her from the momentary vision to see him staring at her in scrutiny.

She shook her head, clearing the lingering anxiety and paranoia. "I'm fine," she assured him with a smile. "Just lost in thought."

His eyes narrowed, but he didn't push the subject. She knew that she should tell him what she saw, but it made as little sense as her other visions had of late. She truly was at a loss of where to go, what her visions meant. Though, she suspected she knew who loomed over her shoulder.

She had a feeling the falcon statue was a more apt gift than either of them suspected. Because the fly was clad in a feathered cloak and she could only hope he was there to help.

---

Oslo

He had been lounging on a fallen log near his temporary home when he saw the ships enter the bay. It had been a lazy few days for him with nothing of interest to keep him entertained, but the sight of a Frankish ship surely promised to steal him from boredom. He wondered about the Norse ship accompanying it. Was the ship captured and brought to the king for trespassing in foreign waters? Was the ship stolen and crewed by Northmen? If it truly were Frankish men, then what were they doing in that fjord? Did they not know the dangers lurking for Christian men?

When he heard the bellowing horns echo off the hills around the bay, he hurried to grab his cloak and make his way to the village. McKinley would greet the unexpected guests and Corazon was curious if they would be welcomed as he was. He would have to take care not to be seen by any Frankish men lest they recognize him or knew those he meant to injure in the near future. He couldn't have them warning anyone of his presence in the north.

He reached the main square in time to see one wiry little man disembark the Frankish ship while a couple of men heads taller than he climbed from the Norse ship. As he slipped closer, keeping to the shadows with his head down, he spied the flags of the ship signaling who they belonged to. A rat decorated one flag, a fish of some sort the other. Enel said the storm would bring rats and dead fish. The fish were alive, but he wondered for how long.

Enel would invite these men into his hall, if only to question them and learn what connection they had with this storm he foresaw. The king had been mute to him since he told of the amber haired woman and her ravenous guardian. Corazon took no offense to the silence, wholly welcomed it as he remained at his borrowed home and minded his own business. Enel would find him when he needed to, or, in the case of these guests, Corazon would make his own way to the king's hall to eavesdrop on the conversation.

He passed Enel on his way to the hall. The king had stepped out to greet the newcomers, likely seeing their connection to the storm, just as he had for Corazon.

"Rats and fish," he muttered to the king as he passed through the fortress gates, knowing he would not have to speak loudly for the man to hear. Enel slanted his gaze to him, frowning stoically as Corazon chuckled. "I wonder when the wolf will come?"

Enel said nothing as Corazon walked away, aiming for the hall's entrance. The lack of rebuke meant he could enter and listen to the meeting, so he ignored the grumbled protests of Enel's priests as he walked into the main room. He wouldn't have listened to them, regardless, but the fact he had permission meant their opinions were of even less import to him. They had nothing to complain about, anyway. He would stick to the shadows on the walkway above. They wouldn't even know he was there.

He made himself comfortable hidden in the rafters with a view of the hall and Enel's dais below. He kept his cloak tucked around him, his hood up to hide his face, and melted into the shadows where the fire-lit gold cast no light. He watched the priests mutter among themselves, wondering about the new arrivals, as well as his presence in the hall, before standing to greet their king and his guests with more civility than they had greeted him.

That was surprising. They were not supposed to be welcoming of Christians. Or so he thought until he noticed McKinley trudge in with another soldier, hauling a massive chest between them. They set it down with an unceremonious thunk and exhausted groan. He could hear the clatter of coins rattling inside and wasn't surprised when they pried the lid open to reveal a large hoard of gold.

"Splendid," Enel called out with a grin as he sauntered toward his throne. "Chew, your jarl is a very thoughtful man, if I must say. If only more people thought to come to me prepared with such gifts."

Corazon snorted in amusement when he caught a flicker of Enel's gaze cast toward his spot in the rafters. He wasn't there to indulge the god-king's delusions and greed. He was there for a purpose all his own.

"Though, I wonder about the company you svear are keeping," Enel continued as he propped his feet on the arm of his chair. Corazon peered down between swaths of silk and gold to see the men filing in to the tables in front of the dais. He spotted a tall blond man leading the way, his lips pursed in a tight frown that made his thin face appear almost gaunt. Corazon supposed that was the one Enel called Chew. The man walking in behind him was clad in rich silks and velvet, styled as a Frankish lord might wear. He was small in comparison to the blond, with twitchy whiskers growing sparsely on his face. "I am not inclined to entertain Christians, no matter how much gold they bring me."

"As we have been informed," the blond said with a tired sigh as he took a seat. "But these Christians have their uses to us."

"And what uses would those be?" Enel asked, eyeing the Frankish man suspiciously before dismissing him in favor of the blond he addressed.

"These past two months we have been tirelessly searching for a woman who has fled my jarl's care," Chew explained. "Nezumi has been a great asset for us in seeking her out. He has learned that the woman we seek might have come to your territory."

"This woman's name?" Enel asked while looking bored with the conversation already. Corazon's curiosity, on the other hand, was piqued.

"Her name is Nami, though she might have given a false name if she means to hide from us. She is a woman of nearly nineteen years, with amber hair," Chew answered.

Enel's gaze flit up again and Corazon caught a hint of a smile. This woman was quite popular to have more men searching for her, but he supposed he shouldn't be so surprised. The druid had mentioned her fleeing some plight.

Enel let his feet fall to the floor and leaned forward, elbows perched on his knees as he scrutinized Chew and his companions. "I have not seen this woman for myself, but I have heard a tale or two of her. Little more than passing wonder and curiosity. Why do you believe she is with me?"

Chew shifted where he sat, a sign of unease. "She is gifted," he answered. "Such as you are. We thought she might have sought one of her own."

Enel's brow rose and he straightened in his chair. "Gifted with foresight? How intriguing. And her name is Nami? That is a strange name… not of these lands."

"It is from the far east, borrowed from their people. She is named for the waves, just as her mother had been, and her mother before her, and so on. A tribute to their matriarch, Rán," Chew explained.

Enel's smile widened, excitement sparked in his eye. That look of interest hadn't been there when Corazon spoke of the woman, but this was all news to him, as well. He knew she was important to the gods for some reason, but apparently her value surpassed his own expectations. He knew little of Rán, only that she was a goddess, or a giantess of some sort, that ruled over the depths of the sea.

"She is from Västerås?" Enel asked.

Chew answered with a reluctant nod. "I understand your family once came from Birka, not far from there."

Enel sank back into his plush throne with his grin. "That we did. My great-great-grandfather was once a loyal ally to the Västerås clan. He sadly fell to their curse and was executed while the remainder of my clan was exiled." Chew's frame turned rigid and the room grew tense. But Enel dismissed the unease with a loud laugh and waved for the guests to relax. "I hold no grudge against this woman for the actions of her predecessors. She was not alive, after all. And my family knew the consequences if one of their own was chosen to father the next daughter, that my grandfather was doomed to die if he was not deemed worthy by the gods. His sacrifice proved a blessing to me for I was chosen worthy enough to be king." He gestured around his hall with his arrogant grin. "And the child he fathered with his wife after laying with the sea-witch was given a blessing that I now hold – the same foresight that the Västerås clan claims as their own."

As the tension in the room eased, Chew released the grip he had on his sword. "If you hold no grudge against the clan, then perhaps you could lend us your support. My jarl is a son of Aegir and cherishes Nami dearly, as he would his own family. The gods brought us to her to protect her now that she has no family left. It is imperative she returns to Arlong's hall quickly, before she falls into danger."

"I understand," Enel said, his smile relaxing. "But, as I said, I have not seen this woman—this distant cousin of mine. If she meant to seek me out, she never made it this far. I am afraid she is lost to you."

"I believe we know where she is," the twitchy Frankish man called Nezumi spoke up. He flinched when Enel's whole gaze landed on him, the king scowling at the interruption. Nezumi tittered with an annoying, nervous laugh, but gathered his courage to speak. "We searched many villages along both the coast of Svealand and Noreg, meeting at the juncture between Oslofjord and Drafnsfjord. The jarl of the last village I visited was a peculiar sort. He was hiding a woman he called Ketta, supposedly the daughter of one of his men. He claimed to be lusting after her, but had her hidden in his hall before she slipped away, and then he made off to see her in the night. He returned as a man should after a father catches him bedding his daughter, but I found it suspicious how adamantly he refused to let me see this woman for myself. Her father didn't even return to the hall, though one of their servant women regularly brought the family gifts of food as an apology from the jarl. I sent my spies to watch the man's house, to see if they could catch a glimpse of her, but she rarely left the house and always kept herself shrouded in a ratty old cloak, with her hair carefully hidden."

"Arlong always likened Nami to a cat," Chew explained. "When Nezumi reported this oddity to me, it did strike me as suspicious, but since the jarl had claimed to see the girl further south before she vanished, with the purpose of going north, presumably to Oslo, and voiced animosity over an apparent theft she made, I had my doubts. Men are often protective of the women in their lives. The jarl of his lover, the father of his daughter. But seeing that Nami is not here, that leads me to believe Nezumi's suspicions are correct."

"If you believe that this is where she is hidden, then why do you need my aid? You can fetch her yourselves," Enel pointed out.

"They will be expecting us," Chew stated. "If this jarl is indeed hiding her, he will not welcome Nezumi a second time. Nami knows who Nezumi is—if he returns, they will be ready. And if I return with them, it will be the same."

"So, you wish for me to fetch her for you?"

"You will be given great gifts in exchange," Chew said, nodding. "And when Jarl Arlong has made his mark in Normandy, he will become a great friend to you."

Enel stroked his chin in thought, his gaze boring into the men in front of him before casting up to the rafters. "Tell me, the jarl you believe is hiding her—does he have hair as red as blood?"

"That he does," Nezumi answered. "His name is Jarl Eustass of Drafn."

"Drafn…" Enel chuckled. "We have found our wolf," he said to Corazon, then looked back at his confused guests. "As I said, I have heard a tale or two of her, and one such tale mentioned her in the company of a vicious wolf with blood red hair. I believe your suspicions are more than correct. Jarl Eustass has your lady and has been witnessed acting as a very fierce guardian. He will murder you all before you even lay eyes on Lady Nami."

"Then I'll inform Jarl Arlong. We'll gather our forces. A single wolf is no match for a giant," Chew said.

"You will not be facing a single wolf. You will be facing a pack," Enel stated. "Though I suppose an army of giants could destroy them all the same, I would still be guarded if I were you. Wolves are dangerous and unpredictable, especially when protecting their own."

"She is not theirs to keep," Chew growled. "She belongs to Arlong and no one else."

Enel's eyes narrowed on him. "According to my family's stories, she belongs to no one but the gods." He waved off the man's next retort. "But far be it for me to sway you from that opinion. Perhaps the gods have changed their minds. They tend to do that when it suits them. As for this wolf, I believe I can help you. I have had it in my mind to seize some of his territory that neighbors my own. I need the timber for a ship I'm constructing, so it would suit my own purposes to see him toppled. I will take care of him and fetch the girl."

"Truly?" Chew asked, wisely suspicious of Enel's generosity.

Enel smiled. "Truly. All I ask is that you remain as guests in my village while I deal with Jarl Eustass, and in five days I will bring Lady Nami here."

Chew sat quietly, Enel's offer still sinking in. After a moment, he bowed his head. "Jarl Arlong and our whole clan will be in your debt, then," he said, his voice thick with a growl. He didn't like being in debt to this king, or perhaps he knew his jarl would not be pleased with it. But if this woman was so valuable to them, then no debt would be too large.

Enel chuckled. "Please, there will be no debt. In fact, you have done me a great favor in coming to me. I could not possibly expect anything more in return." The king's smile was forced, but if his guests noticed, they wisely made no mention of it. Enel turned to one of his priests. "Ohm, gather a small force and ride southwest to spy on Drafn. Scout the region and Eustass' forces, then return in two days with your information."

Ohm stood and bowed his bald head toward his king. "It will be done," he said as he tucked his long sword into place on his white leather belt. He was one of Enel's strongest warriors. He was quiet and stern, but Corazon had often heard him bickering with his fellow priests when Enel was not around. Whatever they fought about, Corazon didn't care, but he made a note of the discord within Enel's ranks. It hadn't done anything to weaken them, but he might find a use for it in the future if he needed to escape with the amber-haired woman.

He watched as Ohm grabbed a grey cloak to throw over his green tunic and tan trousers. It had been weeks since he last saw the woman, and he found himself curious to see her again, before she was dragged to Oslo against her will.

"I'll join him," he called down, shifting on his perch to leap down to the floor below. The guests jumped in surprise and turned in their seats to look at him. He kept his hood up, his head down, and only let them see a sliver of his smile. "I wish to see this woman that is so cherished for myself."

Enel chuckled. "Go, then. But don't get in Ohm's way, Corazon."

He nodded in understanding and made to follow the priest out, ignoring the surly scowl Ohm gave him. Even if Enel refused to let him go, he would have followed them, anyway. He wanted to see that it was the same woman, and it would never hurt to see the people that were currently caring for her. Depending on the paths ahead for her, those wolves she lived with might be of use to him in the future, assuming any of them survived Enel's forces.

A good trickster would always take care to have multiple pawns on the board and a few more up his sleeve. And what better pawn to have in a war than a ravenous wolf?

---

Nami's frustration was worsening. She had been back in Kid's hall for two days, with no new visions, no new answers, no new course to consider. The unnerving sensation of being watched only grew, with the shadow at her back looming closer, as though waiting expectantly for something to happen.

When she voiced her worries to Kid, he acted instantly. Patrols were increased, his men swept the forest night and day. They found nothing that seemed out of the ordinary to them, though Halle reported a set of footprints further east. There was no sign of who they might belong to, though, so they assumed it was another villager that went foraging in a nearby cloudberry patch.

She thought she might lose her mind if nothing came to her. What if she was right before? What if the tales of her family were nothing but superstition? Maybe her dreams and visions were a coincidence. Maybe she had no gifts and she was putting these people in danger for nothing.

She couldn't stand to think that the gods were sacrificing these people for someone so worthless, for a prophecy she couldn't fulfill. So, she threw herself into work. She had nothing else to distract her, not with Kid carefully keeping his distance. He showed her affection sparingly since they discussed slowing their courtship. A kiss to the temple before going to separate beds was the most she received, though it was enough to make her desire more. She was beginning to understand why Kid was so miserable at the thought of abstaining before. The more she knew of what his touch could bring, the more she hated being without.

She decided that if she worked hard enough during the day, she'd be too tired to give more than a passing thought to her desires at night. The first day back in his hall, she busied herself with Sind's clothing until Ingrid sent her granddaughter to the hall to get her out of the house. Ingvild was full of energy and driving the old woman out of her head, so it was up to Nami to give the girl something to do and hopefully give her grandmother a break. She ended up exhausting herself after chasing the girl around the hall and square before she corralled her long enough to get her help with the mending.

That first night she had been too tired to focus on her meditation, but still she tried. She needed to see the storm before it was bearing down on them. The only vision she received was a flickering flash of lightning far off in the distance, out of her reach, and then nothing. She was too distracted by the ache in her shoulders and neck, and the heavy weight in her eyes pulling her toward sleep. To make it worse, she was desperate for comfort, but all she received was a warm hug and chaste kiss before Kid ordered her to bed.

Now she had spent most of her day helping with the wash. The hall was crowded with Kid's men and servants, all working around tubs of water to scrub their laundry. Nami and Gunda were rushing back and forth with buckets of fresh water, or taking washed clothes to hang on lines outside. The men that weren't helping with the wash were all in the bathhouse, cleaning themselves.

She hadn't seen Kid since breakfast, so she assumed he was in the bathhouse, but near midday, she spied him at the blacksmith's with Sind at his side. As she passed by the smithy's open doors, she spotted Sind at the bellows with Kid barking complaints at the boy while the blacksmith sat back, watching and laughing at the two attempting to help with the work. She and Gunda stopped to watch, curious what they were up to. Kid often helped the blacksmith when time allowed, or when he was in desperate need of nails and rivets for his ship but the smith was too busy with other orders to see to his first.

Kid was a builder to his core, a man who loved to craft things from any material he could. Shipbuilding was where he held his pride and having a passing knowledge of smith work helped him construct his ships faster, with his blood and sweat going into more than the boards and hull, but into every rivet and bracket that helped brace the wood together. If he needed to, he could even fashion a decent axe, though he would admit that his smith was more skilled at forging weapons and chainmail, particularly the intricate designs the smith might etch into the flat of a blade.

"More air," Kid hollered at Sind. "What did I tell you? Don't slow down," he growled before yanking a glowing iron rod from the hearth. "Damn it," he snarled as he set the iron on the anvil and began to hammer at the rod.

"It's fine, Jarl Eustass," the blacksmith said, chuckling. "He's not doing terribly for his first time at the bellows. If I remember correctly, you weren't that talented at it, either."

"Shut it," Kid growled between hammer strikes.

The blacksmith took no offense to his foul mood. "You're more suited to the hammering, anyway. I always felt you were imagining the former jarl's face when you struck the iron."

Kid stopped hammering to grin back at him. "No, I was picturing his sons."

That had the blacksmith clutching his stomach as his laughter carried over the last few hammer strikes. "No wonder your nails always came out so flat and broken when you were younger."

Kid chuckled as he stuck the hammered iron back into the hearth and hollered at the boy to keep the air moving. "If there's smoke, you're doing it wrong," Kid said until finally the smoke cleared, leaving only a bright blaze. "That's it. Good." He yanked the iron back out to continue hammering, this time pleased with the boy's work.

As far as she could tell, he was almost done with another nail. A bucket sat near the door, filled with new iron nails. So, she watched until he was finished cutting the nail off the iron rod and hammering the end into a head. Once it was ready to be added to the rest, he turned to toss it into the bucket but froze when he saw her.

"How long have you been here?" he asked, dropping the nail in with the others.

"Since you were yelling at Sind for doing his job wrong," she said, snickering at him

"You'll have to be more specific, I've been yelling at him all day." Kid snorted and turned to regard the blacksmith as he took off the thick leather gloves that protected his hands from the heated metal. "I'm going to take a break," he said, then came out to lean against the doorframe to talk to her.

Kid took a deep breath of fresh air and rolled up the sleeves of his dark blue tunic, revealing his strong forearms, the skin reddened from the fire and slick with sweat. She couldn't even begin to fathom why that caught her eye, or why it made her want to touch him. She fought off images of him without his tunic on, looking far more exhausted than he did now, with sweat drenched hair clinging to his face, and those strong arms wrapped around her, clutching her against his heated body.

"What are you ladies doing?" Kid asked, snapping her from wandering thoughts.

"The wash," Nami said, shaking away the last images and forcing a smile as she looked up at him. "You and Sind need to take a bath later. Most of the men have already had theirs."

He waved her comment off. "When we're done here," he promised, then grinned at her lecherously. "You're welcome to join me."

She glowered at him. Kid only chuckled at her response, so she dipped her hand into the bucket of water she held, and splashed some onto his face. His grin widened as he wiped the water off.

"I'd say I'm teasing, but you truly are welcome," he said with a wink.

She rolled her eyes and chose to ignore him, instead asking, "So, you're helping the smith today?"

"That rat bastard used up the nails I had left for his repairs and I have projects around the hall that need them. And, thought it might not be a bad idea to have Sind start learning a craft," Kid explained.

"I'm certain you put a lot of thought into that and didn't just pick this craft because of his father's name," she teased.

Kid grinned. "No, that's exactly why I picked it."

Nami laughed. "Well, be nice to him. He's still a boy, you don't have to curse at him if he does something wrong."

"He can handle it," he said, brushing her concern off.

She dipped her hand into the bucket and flit more water in his face. "You took him in, at least try to show him some kindness."

He scowled at her as he wiped a drop of water from his eye. "I do show him some kindness, but I'm not going to coddle the boy. When we teach him how to wield an axe or sword, he won't be treated softly."

"That's different," she insisted.

"No, it's not. You know what sort of abuse that old smith has received in the past? He was never treated kindly when a commission wasn't finished just right, 'specially by my predecessor. But he learned to take the abuse without a care, and not back down when he was owed fair compensation. Any craft the boy picks up to make extra coin will see him scrutinized over every minute detail. He'll have to tolerate shitty attitudes and getting yelled at, but if he learns to take it all with a stony expression, then he can't be taken advantage of," Kid explained.

Nami had no argument against that, and a quick peek at Sind told her that he wasn't upset, even as the blacksmith yelled at him as they worked together. Kid followed her gaze and snorted in amusement.

"Saw the brat getting yelled at by a monk in England and he hardly flinched. He's stronger than he looks, Nami. You don't have to coddle him," Kid said, turning her attention to his reassuring smile. "I think he's happier being yelled at over this, too. He really hated pulling weeds. He's been eager to learn woodwork and he got excited when I told him he could help me here today. This work suits him better."

She sighed. "All right," she relented, splashing him with another handful of water. She snickered when he growled at her. "When you're done here, get him into the bath with you, then send him to me. He needs a haircut if he's going to help here." She gestured to Sind as he took a chance to wipe sweaty strands of blond hair from his eyes. She glanced back to Kid and noticed the scruff growing along his jaw. "And it seems you need a shave."

He grinned at her. "I've been waiting for you to notice."

"Coin, Kid," she reminded, with another splash of water on his face.

"Tsh, you're still making me pay for that? Sind doesn't have to pay for the shit you give him," he huffed as water trickled down his nose.

"Sind is a child. You're more than capable of sparing me a few coins in compensation," she said, sticking her tongue out at him before spraying more water on his face. She pursed her lips to keep from laughing when she noticed his jaw tick while his eyes hardened in annoyance. Even Gunda had to muffle a giggle behind her hand at the sight of her jarl's temper slowly thinning. They both knew Nami was in no danger when she teased him, no matter how angry he became.

"I might have the coin, but don't I get some special treatment for courting you," he growled.

She flicked more water in his face, this time smiling when it made him sneer. "You're not my husband, so no."

"Not yet," he huffed. She gave him another splash of water. "Stop that, woman," he barked at her.

Another flick of water. "Go finish your work, Kid," she said, stepping back as she watched him seethe.

She couldn't resist sending one last handful of water at his face before turning to head back to the hall. That last splash was what finally made his temper snap and she jumped back further when she noticed his lip curl into a sneer while a low growl rumbled in his throat.

"That's it…" He took a step toward her.

"Kid," she said pleadingly, a hand up as she slowly backed away. "Don't do anything rash."

His grin sent a chill down her spine as he took another large step toward her. "I won't. Just going to teach my woman a lesson about what happens when she flirts with me so openly." He let the threat, or more like promise, hang in the air while she shuffled further away.

"I wasn't flirting," she snapped at him. "I was just teasing you."

"Same thing," he growled, the sound lacking anger, not with the wide grin and gleam of amusement in his eyes. He took two big steps to close the distance. "I think I ought to throw you in the river again."

"Don't you dare," she screamed before thoughtlessly throwing the rest of the water in her bucket in his face.

His grin was washed away and she had to purse her lips to keep from laughing again as he stood there, soaking wet and shocked. Strands of red hair streamed down his face where they fell from the leather headband he wore to hold his hair back that day. His lip curled with another rumbling growl that made her shiver, and not out of fear. The moment he pushed back his hair, she took off with a shriek of laughter and flung her pail back at him as soon as he gave chase.

"Lady Nami. Jarl Eustass," Gunda called after them. "Now is not the time."

Gunda was ignored as Nami sprinted between two homes, squeezing through the narrow alleyway in the hopes it would slow Kid down. He ran around the row of homes and rounded the corner just as she made it out of the gap. She turned away with another playful scream and ran through the village as fast as she could. She heard Kid chuckling behind her as she led them on a twisting path, slowly making her way toward the hall.

She ran by the stables, the drying racks covered with whitefish, the barn where they stored the grain and barrels of ale. She ran behind the barn and glanced back to see how close Kid was. She came to a halt when she found him missing and quickly searched around for him while she took the chance to catch her breath. He hadn't been that far behind. He should have turned the corner right after her. She glanced ahead, the back of the hall in sight, and wondered if he had seen where she was headed and took a different route to cut her off. If that was the case….

She spun on her heel to creep back the way she came. She would lose him and try to give him the jump when he least expected her to.

She walked by a pile of empty barrels that stood taller than her and noticed movement from the corner of her eye. She reacted a moment too late and found herself captured in a tight hold, hauled back against a hard chest shaking with laughter.

"Not flirting with me, huh?" Kid teased as he nipped her ear. Water dripped from his hair to land on the crook of her shoulder, the sensation adding to the pleasurable shiver that raced down her spine.

"I wasn't," she argued, futilely struggling against his grip. "We're supposed to be avoiding that."

Kid hummed in her ear, and then in the blink of an eye, she found herself spun around and shoved back against the side of the barn. He crowded her, boxing her in, and let his gaze sweep over her until he settled hungry eyes on hers. "No harm in one kiss, right?" he whispered, leaning in to tease his nose over hers.

Her gaze fell to his lips and she found herself in agreement. "Just one," she whispered.

She knew what just one entailed before he even slammed his lips to hers. His hand dove into her hair, knotted in the long strands until his grip teased the edge of pain. His other arm wrapped tight around her waist, crushing her to him as he slanted his mouth over hers and deepened the kiss without hesitation. Warmth seeped through her, urged her to pull as close as she could. Kid groaned at the back of his throat when she gripped the front of his tunic, pushed onto her toes, and returned the passion in his kiss with equal fervor.

"One more," she whispered when they parted for a breath. Kid's lips were on hers before she even finished uttering the words.

"More," he demanded with their next breath, even as she speared her fingers in his hair and dragged him down again.

His hand fell to cup her bottom and pull her hips flush to his. Heat seared her at the feel of him hard against her. He had awakened an intense need in her that couldn't be sated with merely a kiss. She ached to feel all he could provide.

"We should stop," she forced herself to whisper at another breath.

"Soon," he agreed, but kissed her again and she had no complaints about that.

A throat cleared nearby and Kid broke the kiss with a disappointed groan to see Gunda standing at the front of the barn. Her arms were crossed over her chest, a brow cocked high in silent rebuke. The stern warning in her gaze was hindered by the blush staining her cheeks, but the message was clear enough that Kid grudgingly began to release her.

His hand slid over her hip as he leaned in to press one last kiss to her cheek and sent a lingering wave of warmth through her. "I'll get Sind in the bath when we're done in the smithy," he muttered into his kiss before pulling away to give her a strained grin. "And I'll find some coin to reimburse you if you help me shave."

"Thank you," she said, her own smile coming easier than his.

He squeezed her hip, stole a quick peck, and then released her, sauntering back to the forge. He sneered at Gunda on his way by, but the shieldmaiden squared her shoulders and glared right back. The determination caught him off guard for a moment. He shook his surprise off and gently nudged her with a quiet chuckle.

"Good job keeping me in line," Nami heard him mutter before he walked off, disappearing around a corner. Once he was gone, Gunda turned her glare onto Nami.

"I didn't intend for that to happen," Nami said with an insistent huff. Gunda's brow rose higher. "It was just one kiss."

"Then you leave me wondering what two kisses looks like, Lady Nami," Gunda said, snorting in amusement. Her stern glare vanished when Nami pouted, and she held out her forgotten bucket. "You'll need to fetch more water. I suggest keeping it in the bucket this time."

Nami snatched the pail with a roll of her eyes. "All right. I'll meet you back at the hall, then," she said before stomping off toward the river.

"And avoid the forge and Jarl Eustass, Lady Nami," Gunda called after her. "If you do not return quickly, I'll have Killer toss you both in the river to douse your lust."

Nami felt her heart skip a beat and her cheeks heat in embarrassment. She was fortunate no one was nearby to hear.

"I'll stay away," she promised as she picked up her pace to hurry off to the river.

Despite her best intentions, she still passed the forge and caught Kid hovering inside the door. He glanced outside as she walked by, captured her gaze, and gave her a wicked smirk. She squeaked when he winked and just barely stopped herself from sprinting toward the river as she felt her blush burn her cheeks.

It wasn't the first time she was caught in a compromising position with Kid, but this time she wasn't supposed to be succumbing to that temptation. They agreed to take a step back, to give her space to focus on the storm ahead without the distraction he provided. She was getting impatient for a clear vision to come, if only so they could keep moving forward in their relationship. It had only been a couple of days, she knew that wasn't enough time to clear him from her mind, but she desperately needed an answer because the shadow looming behind her made it painfully obvious there wasn't any time to spare.

She forced all thought of Kid out of her mind and returned to her original plan—throwing herself into her work.

As she crouched by the river to fill her pail, she heard the cry of a bird overhead and looked up to watch a falcon circle above her. To her surprise, the bird landed on the rocky beach beside her and skipped over the rocks to the water. Entranced, she watched it splash into the shallow water while letting out an excited, clattering chirp. It was a beautiful bird, with white feathers flecked with patches of brown on its back and head. The falcon dunked its head into the water a few times, splashed its wings, and turned to groom under one wing.

When it was done bathing, it hopped back to the shore and stopped long enough to meet her astonished gaze. Its head tilted to the side, as though only noticing her presence, and then it leaned toward her as it let out a loud squawk before taking off in a flurry. She watched the falcon fly off until it vanished into the trees with one last echoing cry.

She shook herself from the stupor of being so close to a wild falcon and turned back to her task. As she began to lift her pail from the water, her gaze caught a flash of white floating on the water. The lost feather rocked on the gentle current that slowly brought it closer.

Remembering the last gift Kid gave her, she decided that the falcon was leaving her another gift and reached out to take the feather. As soon as the feather touched her fingertips, a vision of feathers swirled around her and she felt the shadowy presence at her back. A breath of the breeze fanned over her ear and a shiver went down her spine.

"You need a guide, child," a voice whispered in her mind. Her back went straight as her world snapped back into place. "I await your call," the shadow added, and then it was gone.

She took a deep breath and stared thoughtfully at the feather she held. She realized it wasn't meant to be a gift for her and another shiver raced through her. The advice she was given would likely prove useful, but she was wary of the deal that might have to be made. She wondered what sacrifice she might have to make for the help she would receive.

She would expect everything and nothing, because there was no telling what might come of this deal. A deal she had no choice to make, not if it meant moving forward and saving her fate.

---

That night she finished her supper quickly. She had no chores left to do. Kid sat with his ale, rubbing his clean jaw and running his fingers through freshly trimmed hair. Sind was just as intrigued by his new haircut, the sides and back shaved down while she merely trimmed the hair atop his head so that it could easily be kept out of his eyes as he worked. The boy constantly ran his hand over the soft fluff of hair left at the sides, smiling to himself as he toyed with it.

With the men fed and satisfied, there was no need for her to remain in the hall. Gunda offered to finish cleaning up with the servants, leaving Nami free to do as she wished. She wouldn't leave the free time to waste, not when she might have a chance to get answers.

She whispered to Kid that she wanted to be left alone that night as she stole a cup of ale. She couldn't have him ruining this chance by coming to her room and distracting her, even if he didn't come to her seeking affection. His very presence was known to pull her mind from the deepest dreams, she would not allow him to distract her this time. He frowned at her, but didn't argue her decision. With a tilt of his head, he silently asked for a kiss to his cheek that she happily gave before slipping off to her room.

She had fashioned a crude altar out of a chest, placing it against the wall beside the tapestry and escape hatch so that she could face north as she concentrated on her runes and magic. She had little luck conjuring visions with the other runes, but she refused to give up all hope in finding a way to work her magic. Combining them with offerings to her family and gods might offer more insight into her magic, or so she hoped.

That night she opened the hatch in the wall and moved the tapestry to let in the fresh air of late spring, filling her room with the scent of the sea and woods around their village. She had decided that if this didn't work, then she would venture down to the bay the next night and meditate close to the sea, where she had the most luck in conjuring a vision.

She changed out of her dress, choosing to wear only the loose tunic she slept in. She wanted to be comfortable and at ease, as well as ready to crawl into bed if her meditation lasted long into the night. Once she had her hair unbound from its braids, she arranged the furs on the floor around her altar and then lowered herself to kneel before the chest.

On her altar, she arranged her tributes so that the falcon was in the center—it was the one she knew she needed to focus on. She placed her cup of ale in front of the statue, along with the feather she collected that afternoon. She had also collected a stone from the riverbed and etched the thurisaz rune into its smooth grey face. She thought to use the acorn she brought from England, desiring the comforting protection of the oak should her vision bring calamity, but she wasn't hoping to connect with Thor. He wasn't the one that offered her aid.

No, this time she was looking for help from a giant that lived as a god, a force of chaos and change.

With only the flickering light of a single candle, she concentrated on the falcon before her and the one who bore its cloak. A breeze rustled the tapestry and her hair, bringing with it the scent of the woods and the world beyond the boundaries of society. She felt tired from her day, but the scent invigorated her and kept her focused on the play of flame and shadow that fell over the statue. Her eyes blurred until the light and dark bled together and another breeze carried through the room and blew the feather from the altar.

Between the flicker of the candle's flame, her sight turned dark and then all she saw was the flurry of feathers surrounding her. In the span of a breath, her sight shifted and stretched. She blinked once and opened her eyes to Yggdrasil and found herself perched on a branch with the storm in sight, but at a distance.

Despite that distance, she still felt the tremor that came with the lightning and thunder as the tree quaked around her.

A falcon's cry distracted her from the storm and she gazed up to see the falcon of earlier perched on a branch just above her. It flapped its wings, loosening its feathers, and then flew at her, shrieking as though it meant to attack. She ducked as she was assaulted by white and brown feathers, covering her face with her arms when the bird pecked and bit. A claw struck her left shoulder and then the bird was gone.

She blinked in surprise at the abrupt leave and wondered if that was all the vision she would receive. She would have been disappointed, but she had dared to converse with a trickster and a person could be harmed far worse than a few errant scratches.

But Yggdrasil remained beneath her, the storm before her. Her vision was not over.

The branch groaned as a new weight settled behind her. She straightened and began to turn to see what, or who, had joined her. Firm hands clamped down on her shoulders and stilled her. The touch made her shudder as icy fingers curled into her flesh. A breath fluttered over her pulse and sent a chill down her spine.

"You are lost," he whispered, his voice a deep rasp that urged her to listen. "But you have not chosen a path."

She glowered ahead at the storm. If those words were meant to guide her, they were of no help. "I've seen no path."

"You rely too much on foresight," he growled. "It is meant to aid you, but you are turning it into a useless crutch that leaves you more hobbled than you would be without it. You fear it, yet you cling to it. Your hypocrisy is maddening."

"So, what do you suggest? You've offered me aid," she huffed.

"I've offered you no such thing," he huffed right back, his grip tightening on her shoulders.

"But—" She began to turn, intent on glaring at the trickster at her back. He shoved her face forward before she could get more than a glimpse of long, dark hair.

"I offer nothing without compensation," he hissed. "You should understand that well."

Her shoulders sagged forward. "And what compensation would that be?"

"A favor," he said cheerfully. "Nothing more. If you listen carefully to me now, then a time will come when I will have need of you. If you agree to do exactly as I request, without question or complaint, then I will give you the hint you are so desperate for."

Instinct told her to decline. He wasn't trustworthy. He might certainly give her the help she needed, far better aid than she had received in cryptic visions and the Norns' whispers, but no guidance could be worth the debt he would saddle her with.

"Why would I agree to such an offer? You are as likely to betray me as you are to help me. For all I know, your guidance will lead only to death," she reasoned.

The once icy grip turned hot and painful, but relaxed as quickly as his annoyance flared. "You should have more faith in my generosity, because unlike other gods, I don't care if your lover lives or dies."

"And that's meant to reassure me?" she asked, astonished.

He chuckled, leaning in closer until she could feel his weight resting firm against her back. "It should. Freyja might wish to see your lover meet a happier ending than Hnoss' lover, but she will not turn him away should he meet his end in battle and welcome him to her fields with open arms. And Odin doesn't care one whit about happy endings, only fostering the best warriors for his hall." He stretched his arm out in front of them, letting her see long fingers and the black sleeve of his tunic, gilded with strings of gold and silver interwoven with blue and green. "When your lover has shown himself to be the strongest and fiercest, the ravenous wolf Odin desires among his men, Odin will reach out and pluck his life." He snapped his hand shut and yanked his hand back toward them. She felt his breath on her ear with his whisper of, "As easily as he might pluck a ripe apple." His hand opened to reveal the succulent fruit before he pulled it back toward him.

The hand still gripping her by the shoulder relaxed. She heard the crunch of teeth biting into the apple he held.

"But, it is your choice to make," he said blithely as he chewed.

She gnawed on her lip in thought while staring out at the storm on the horizon. Nothing changed, nothing new stood out. No answers were at her fingertips. He was right. She was lost.

"One favor?" she asked. "All you desire is one favor."

He carelessly tossed his apple core from the tree and she watched it arc down through the boughs until it vanished from view. "That's correct. One favor. And I will only request it if you succeed in saving your wolf's life. Doesn't that sound like a good deal?"

It did. Too good. There was a trick, a loophole. There was always a loophole. But what other choice did she have?

"I agree," she said, frowning when she heard him snicker. "Now guide me."

"So impatient. Just like your grandmother," he said with an exaggerated sigh. But then he draped over her back and pointed out toward the storm. "You seek a path, do you not?"

"I do," she huffed.

"And that is where you have erred," he said, waving a finger as though scolding her. She glared at the finger, suddenly feeling like an ignorant child being shamed. "A path is the simplest analogy for what you seek. It is the concept a novice would use, for a path is a set course, a route gouged out by those that came before them. You were on to something when you likened your magic to navigating the seas. Do you pick a path when you sail?"

"There are ways that are known," she said, carefully thinking over what he was telling her.

"But those ways are not always the best. When you crossed the open seas west, you followed old routes, you followed the stars in the skies. But you also followed the currents beneath the waves and the winds that filled your sails. The stars remain the same, but the rest changes. You may have a fair wind one day, a storm the next. You may see the stars bright against the night sky, or you may find them hidden by clouds. You never see the exact same route that those before you did. You must always be prepared to change course when conditions warrant it and forge a new way."

She was beginning to understand what he meant, but she wasn't certain how it would help her. She saw no route to take at all. She was sitting in open waters, with no wind, no current, no stars to guide her, just waiting for the storm to bear down on them and sink their ship without a chance to avoid it.

He sighed at her back and slumped into her as he pointed to the very end of the branch in front of her. "You remain lost, but that is because you have not tried to move forward. A ship has oars, does it not? You can pick a way without wind and test what lies ahead." She watched as the branch grew, as though encouraged by him, and split off into two new branches. His finger traced along one. "You have tested one way and rejected it, though I suppose your wolf made that decision for you."

A vision flashed before her of Nezumi's sneering grin, the rat's teeth sinking into her arm to drag her away. With a wave of the trickster's hand, the vision dispelled and left behind a wilted, broken branch.

"So, that leaves only one route to take," she whispered in disappointment. What route would that be and where would it lead? Were they returning for her? Was the mad-king coming? Would he bring Arlong and Kid's inevitable demise?

"Does it? Would you say that avoiding one route in favor of another meant there were no other possibilities should the route you take prove unfavorable? Can you not adjust course as many times as you need?" He pointed toward the other branch. "Your magic has been trying to pull you in a direction, yet you insist on ignoring it in favor of fear."

"What do you mean?"

He sighed. "Navigation is easiest for you, but that is not all that your family gifted you with. Did you ever wonder why your foremothers continued their rituals and lineage, despite the threat that came from every generation's father?" She furrowed her brows in confusion, an expression he apparently didn't need to see as he sighed again. "Magic. You come from a family of volvas that bear ancestry to the goddess of love. And I am not speaking of warm, flutter in your stomach, wretched, swooning endearment. I am speaking of passionate, heart-stopping, world-shattering love. The sort of love that sets you on fire. The sort of love that creates life. You wish to avoid death, why not look toward life."

As he spoke, she stared out over the branch he gestured toward and watched another vision flash before her. It was more than an image. Sensation came with it and left her breathless. Her body warmed as she watched fingers clutch naked flesh, sliding over sweat-slick skin, leaving red scratches in their wake. The heat flared within her, singed her, filled her with an ache. She could hear gasps and moans, feel every hot breath upon her flushed skin. Her heart lurched as she watched their bodies writhe, joined together in unending ecstasy.

"The magic is there," he whispered in her ear, "just waiting for you to grasp it. Why not test this route? See what that magic might awaken. The vision it might conjure. If it proves to be the wrong way, you can turn around, seek another route, but you will not know if it is wrong or right unless you try."

"What of the curse?" she asked with a breathless voice, her mind enraptured with the vision before her. "What of the madness?"

"What of it? Did you two not enter your courtship with the intent of breaking that curse? You won't know if it's broken until you test it. It is a risk you would have to take eventually," he said, waving his hand and snapping her from the haze of her vision, though the needy ache remained. "Tell me, woman, do you care for that man?"

She nodded.

"Do you desire him? Lust for him?"

She pursed her lips and nodded again.

"Do you wish to save him?"

Another nod.

"Then go to him and see what comes to life. Do not fear the outcome until you know what it is. Give in to the magic born between you, the very magic that has tied you together from the first moment he laid eyes upon you."

He shoved hard at her back, throwing her off the branch to crash back to reality with a strangled gasp. The abrupt change left her reeling and off-balance. She fell back onto her elbows and blinked rapidly to reorient herself in the world that seemed to spin around her.

Even disoriented and confused, the ache remained, urging her to go to Kid, just as he had told her.

Shaking away the last of the haze, she stood on shaky legs. Her heart pounded in her chest as she turned toward Kid's room, threatening to beat right out of her chest with every step she took toward him. She clutched the curtain between their rooms as doubt overcame her. She had always hoped to find freedom, happiness, and she had begun to find it in Drafn. But this was different, this was binding herself to a man she might lose, damning herself to the agony she spent so long avoiding.

But if what he said was right, they were already bound, and she knew there was no denying that.

A flash of him above her, his arms wrapped tight around her as he drowned her in bliss. The memory of his warm lips, his deep voice rasping in her ear, spurred her to action. With a deep breath, she steeled her resolve and pushed the curtain aside to slip into his quarters.

The room was dark and she had to step carefully as she sought his bed. She followed the sound of quiet snores, the murmur of his voice as he spoke in his sleep.

"Kid," she whispered as she drew near, reaching out for the bed. He groaned just as she felt silky soft fur graze her fingertips, shifting with the man rolling over in his sleep. As her eyes adjusted to the darkness, she could make out his face in the shadows, his brows furrowed in a scowl, his lips parted to his raspy breaths. "Kid," she called again, pawing at the blankets to slip beneath them.

He twitched when she reached for him, flinched as her fingers trailed along his strong jaw. His snores broke as her touch fell to his lips and he jerked awake, snatching her hand away by the wrist.

"Nami," he grunted, his voice hoarse and confused. "What's wrong? Did you have another—"

She cut him off with a kiss, unwilling to stop herself long enough to doubt again. She needed answers. She needed to know that this was the right way. But most of all, she needed him.

He laid frozen in shock at first, but quickly relaxed, releasing her wrist to wind his hand in her hair and return her kiss. Kid didn't question what he felt. He moved forward as he was compelled to. He wanted her, so he took all she was willing to give. He would never stop long enough to question if it was the right way. He was already certain that it was.

"I need you," she whispered against his lips.

Kid groaned as he sealed their lips in another hard, needy kiss that echoed her words. He pushed her to her back and settled between her legs, tilting his head to deepen the kiss as he did. She wrapped her arms around his neck, her legs around his waist, and welcomed his tongue as it flicked past her lips.

She could feel his length pressing against her core, teasing her between layers of cloth. His hips rocked forward with every thrust of his tongue, grinding him against her until the warmth ignited into a blaze. Kid broke the kiss, allowing her a gasp of breath that turned into a moan as he kissed and sucked over her neck.

"I hope you know what you're asking me for," he grumbled against her collarbone as he kissed his way down.

She felt his hands slid over her sides and stomach until they cupped her breasts. She tried to stifle her pleasured cry as she arched into him, reveling in the sweet torment of his touch. Her breasts tingled for more, grew heavy and taut, pleading for the pleasure he never failed to give. His fingers found her nipples and pinched them tight through the fabric of her clothes and she let loose her cry.

She whined when his hands left her and griped the collar of her tunic. She heard him growl, felt the vibrations ripple through her, exciting her. She was too lost from the pleasure of his kiss to care about the sound of fabric tearing. All that mattered was that his mouth covered her breast right after, licking and suckling her nipples until they throbbed. His hands grasped each mound as his mouth toyed with the swollen buds and she swore his skin was on fire everywhere it touched her.

When a hand went down between her legs, pushing her tunic out of his way, that fire coursed through her with one touch. Kid hissed against her chest as he found her wet slit and pushed a finger inside. The thrill that traveled through her core, her stomach, up her spine, left her in knots. Reason flew from her mind as she felt pressure build at the second finger. She felt herself stretching for him with every hard, steady stroke, rocked her hips up to meet each thrust and quench the fiery need within her.

He hissed out a curse, his kisses forgotten as he gasped for breath against her chest. "I need to be inside you," he whispered. "I need to feel all of you wrapped around me."

"Kid," she cried out as she felt the first tremor of satisfaction tease her. He nipped her breast in response, then pulled his fingers from her, chuckling at her pained whine. "Don't stop," she pleaded.

He kissed down her chest, tearing her tunic open to lave his tongue over her stomach. "I still want to taste you," he rasped as he bunched the hem of her tunic around her waist. And then his mouth was on her, his tongue delving into the canal his fingers had just been, stoking a new fire inside her. "So sweet," he rumbled against her core as he sucked the sensitive bud that made her wrap her legs tight around his head and arch back with a keening cry. "Beautiful," he whispered, licking over the tender lips.

Her fingers clawed through his hair as delicious heat filled her, her pleasure coursing over her in waves. Her mind spun in the foggy mess of pure joy. The ripples of satisfaction teased her, filled her with the urgent need for completion. His lips left her for an agonizing second that made her cry out and beg for more. But then she was gifted with the sweet pressure of his fingers entering her, coupled with his mouth playing over that tender bud, and it didn't take long before the world shattered.

And then the vision she sought came.

Lightning crashed down. A cacophony of steel and screams and deafening thunder. The rain that came with the storm was red as blood and chilled her to the core. She was on her knees, sobbing as she clung to red stained fur. Footsteps sloshed through the bloody puddles until someone stood before her.

She slowly looked up, prepared to plead for mercy. The man before her took her breath away with one look. Striking blue eyes looked right at her as a crooked smile pulled up his lips. The gold bracelets on his wrists clacked together as he gripped his golden spear and eased down to crouch in front of her.

"You're going the wrong way, Lady Nami," he said, his voice a deep rumble of thunder to her ears. "That way leads to death."

With another roar of thunder, she snapped from her vision just in time to find Kid above her, his lips heatedly kissing her neck as he murmured, "I can't hold back anymore." She felt something push at the entrance to her core, something much larger than the fingers that were once inside her. "I need to have you," he rasped as he slowly pushed his hips forward.

She panicked as the uncomfortable pressure that bordered on pain washed over her, making her realize exactly what he meant to do. After the vision she just had, reality crashed upon her with the jolt of a lightning strike and she shoved at the man atop her.

"Stop," she cried out, struggling to pull away from the hard cock poised to enter her. "Stop," she demanded with a ragged sob when Kid didn't hear. She twisted her hips and dug her knee into his side, braced her forearm at the front of his throat until he was forced to pull away so he could gasp in a breath.

"What? Nami?" he coughed, picking himself up enough to allow her to scramble back. "What are you doing?" he asked, reaching for her.

She smacked his hands away as another sob welled in her throat. She no longer felt that same lust that drew her to his bed, drew her to beg him for pleasure. All she felt was the heavy ache crushing her heart.

She knew it was too good to be true.

"We can't do this," she explained through a pained gasp as she finally shoved him away. "It's the wrong path," she cried out just before falling out of his bed.

She could just barely make out his face in the dark, though the tears welling in her eyes left it blurry. She could still see his confusion morph into a scowl, and then an angry sneer.

"What do you mean it's the wrong path?" he growled. "What madness has gotten in your head now?"

The contempt in his tone was like a knife to her already pained heart and she scrambled back over the furs scattered on the floor, needing distance from him as she watched anger rapidly grow into rage.

"I'm sorry," she whispered, shaking her head as the words lodged in her throat. "I want this, but…"

"Get back into bed, Nami," he bit out.

She shook her head again and curled up against the wall, gathering her torn clothes as she listened to him snarl.

"Damn it," he shouted, throwing the blankets from where they tangled near his feet.

"I can't," she whimpered. "I'm sorry."

"Just shut up," he hollered as he climbed from his bed.

She flinched as he stomped toward her, cowered as he stood above her—large, enraged, nude and still fully aroused. He reached for her and she instinctively drew away, shaking her head again as though that was enough to stop him from doing whatever his fury drove him to do.

"No. Please… I'm sorry…" she pleaded.

Kid hissed and ignored her pleas to snatch her by the arm. She continued to beg him not to be too angry with her, only to have her pleas fall on deaf ears as he hauled her from the floor.

"I said shut up," he growled as he dragged her to her feet.

"I'm sorry," she whispered.

He shoved her toward her room, forcing her to stumble through the sliver of an opening in the curtain.

"Please, Kid," she whimpered as he followed her. He sneered before picking her up and tossing her into bed. "Please don't."

"Shut. Up," he yelled before spinning on his heel and stalking back to his room. "Stay there. Don't come near me. No matter what, you don't leave that bed." He paused at the curtain, glanced over his shoulder. His eyes were a torrent of emotions, too many to pick out, though she recognized the spark of his rage as his lip curled in another sneer, and she quickly grabbed her blankets to cover up while curling against the wall. His gaze snapped to the table beside her bed and her eyes followed to see him staring at her axe. "Keep that close," he growled in command. "If I come back in here. Use it."

With that firm warning, he stormed out, leaving her to listen to his temper give way to a crashing rage.

For the first time since she met this man, a shiver of fear raced through her. She felt as lost as ever, but she had hope that this was the direction she needed to go.

---

Kid stood on the dock watching the dark sky bleed into the light blue of a new day. He had finally found a thin veneer of calm to cling to after feeling his mind tease madness he rarely felt outside of battle.

He had been so close to having her. Nami had come to him, kissed him, needed him. Watching her fall apart from below, seeing her arch in ecstasy from his position between her thighs was a thing of wonder. Hearing her call for him, wantonly writhe for him, drove him past the point of control. He didn't want to stop. He didn't want to slow down. He wanted to join her in that frenzied lust and feel her come apart again with him deep inside her.

But then she told him to stop with a broken voice filled with panic and fear and agony, and he didn't know what to do, what to feel. He would have taken her without a second thought if she hadn't managed to shove him back and make him see the terror in her eyes.

His first thought was that he had hurt her. It would have been her first time with a man and he could have taken greater care in her comfort if his eagerness didn't get ahead of her needs. It was the reasonable assumption.

But then he saw the tears in her eyes, heard her say it was the wrong path, and he felt nothing but rage. She had seen something while in his arms and he hadn't even bothered to notice her mind had left, all he paid attention to was the warmth between her legs and the wetness beckoning him to enter her. He would have acted recklessly and damned whatever chance he had at keeping her.

Then the realization of another vision set in, along with the thought that the gods were surely toying with them, and his anger grew. Filled with vile contempt for the woman's gifts, he wanted nothing more than to forget it all and just live as though there was no curse, no foresight, no impending calamity on the horizon. He wanted Nami to have a normal life—with him—not this farcical drama more suited to the gods.

His last realization came as she cowered and whimpered on the floor. She looked pathetic, weak, nothing like the captivating woman that had his heart. She wasn't just terrified of her vision, she was terrified of him. That had sent him over the edge, but he managed to keep his rage in check as he focused on getting her out of his sight. No matter what her fear made her think of him, he wouldn't hurt her. He couldn't hurt her. He wanted to fuck her senseless and if he lost himself, he very well could, ignoring all her pleas.

He would have turned into the vile beast he loathed, breaking a promise he made to himself years ago. But he wouldn't let himself be like the scum that ruled before him. Even if Nami had to open his skull with an axe to stop him, he wouldn't lose that last thread of control and cross a line that could not be uncrossed.

After upending the table in his room to send maps and statues and cups crashing to the floor, he stormed out to the main hall, intent on escaping his home and finding something better to take his anger out on. All his men and servants were wide awake, staring at him in mixtures of shock and fear. His men were ready to attack, his servants ready to flee. He must have looked like the mindless beast he felt he was.

He snapped at Gunda to see to Nami. When she hesitated for a brief second, he snarled in her face and watched it turn ashen white. She had shown him such bravery and determination earlier in the day, but that night she knew better than to question him. She ran away, leaving Killer to take her place. His cousin didn't fear him, no matter how angry he was. All he did was stand there with his arms crossed, face set in a disappointed scowl so reminiscent of his father's that Kid felt an inkling of control return, just long enough to have a clear thought.

"Stay with her," he growled. "Don't let me near her. Kill me if you have to." Killer's gaze hardened. He said nothing, but Kid knew that he would take every measure to follow his orders. Satisfied, Kid turned to the rest of his men. "Whoever wants to come with me, be ready at the docks. I leave at dawn."

He stormed out of the hall without waiting for them to ask what he meant and spent the rest of the morning in the forest, taking an axe to every tree that stood in his way until his anger was exhausted.

Now that he was calm and waiting for his men to finish loading their things onto his ship, he had a moment of doubt creep up on him. Unease made him wonder if he was doing the right thing, but that anxiety was quelled at the memory of her terror-stricken face. He couldn't be near her in the state he was in. He might be calm now, but he was liable to snap from frustration. That day, and especially that night, had shown him that they couldn't be trusted to control themselves while together. No matter what they said they would do, he would inevitably be drawn to her, forgetting all that loomed over them. If he wasn't there, though, she wouldn't have to fear his fragile patience, and he could use the distance to quell his desire. Or so he hoped.

Geir stepped up beside him and glared at him with enough strength to break him from his thoughts. Kid flicked his gaze toward him, and narrowed his eyes on the judgmental scowl Geir wore.

"Don't give me that look," he grumbled, looking away.

He saw Geir's sneer from the corner of his eye and swore his glare was hard enough to crack his scowl.

"I know," he huffed. "But I have no choice."

Geir leaned in, growling low in his throat.

"I don't want to hear that from you," he barked. "It's more dangerous if I stay. You're all better off if I'm gone."

"Tsh," Geir hissed, the sound one of grudging retreat.

"I won't stay gone. Once I have my wits together, I'll return," he assured, turning to slap his hand on the man's shoulder. "You're staying with her?" Geir nodded. "Good. Whatever comes while I'm gone, you keep her safe." Geir nodded again before the sound of someone running turned their gazes toward the village.

Kid scowled as he saw Nami race through his men, Gunda and Killer chasing after her. She had changed from her tattered tunic, into a green and blue dress that made her hair look like a wildfire in contrast. It didn't look like she had bothered to comb her hair before she came to him. Even her dress was askew, as though thrown on as an afterthought. He didn't know why she was rushing to him in such a panic. She should be fleeing him in a panic.

"Go back to the hall, Nami," he barked in command.

If she feared his temper, she didn't show it again. "Why are you leaving?" she asked, coming to a stop just within arm's length. Her brown eyes looked as wild as her hair, filled with that same terror that pushed him away.

"I have to," he grunted. He straightened his back and crossed his arms over his chest, hoping to appear resolute in his decision, while also physically restraining himself from dragging her into his embrace.

"What? Because I…?" Her eyes went wide and gleamed with unshed tears. "Kid… I—"

"Don't say anything," he growled. "I ain't mad at you, so quit apologizing." Her lip quivered and he felt his resolve crumble with a sigh. He opened his arms to invite her in. She took a tentative step closer, just enough for him to grab her and pull her tight to his chest. This would be the last time he would hold her until she told him it was safe to move forward. "I won't be gone long," he said as he pressed his lips to the top of her head. "But I need to get away before I lose control again. I can't let myself hurt you like that, and the only way I know to prevent that is by getting far away from you."

"But the storm, Kid," she reminded, her small hands clinging to his tunic with such strength, he knew she didn't want him to leave. That was what kept him from being angry at her. She didn't want this any more than he did. She wanted to live a normal life with him. She wanted to give herself to him. The only thing that was stopping them was that damn vision.

"I'm not taking many men, only enough to crew the ship and get us to Hedeby," he explained. "You'll have the rest of my warriors to protect you if I don't return before this storm comes. But I'll do everything I can to return before then. I won't let anything happen to you. I won't let anyone take you away from me."

She pressed her face into his chest as he heard her sniffle. He held onto her even tighter and buried his nose in her hair. The unease returned with an irrational fear that this might be the last he saw of her. He would return for her, though. He would always find his way back to her, no matter how far this curse tore them apart.

"Jarl Kid," Wire called behind him. "The ship is ready."

Kid nodded against Nami's head. He wasn't ready to go, but he had to leave.

He pressed a hard kiss to the top of her head, grabbed her by the shoulders, and shoved her away. She still reached for him, stared up at him with pleading eyes. He held on to her shoulders, squeezing her hard enough that he knew it had to hurt, yet she didn't wince once.

"I'll return in a week. Two at the most." He forced a smile that he doubted was as reassuring as he wanted it to be. "You stay out of trouble until then."

She didn't smile for him. She couldn't smile. Her lip quivered and fear returned to her eyes. He wanted to kiss her fears away, if not hunt them down and slaughter them all, but he didn't trust himself. One taste was all it might take to shatter his resolve completely.

He looked over her head to find Killer and Geir standing together, Gunda not far from them. They watched and waited until he pushed Nami toward them. Killer said nothing as he grasped Nami gently by the arm and tugged her to his side as she seemed to wilt before their very eyes. Geir stepped in Kid's path to her, standing in the way so he couldn't go to her and take that solemn expression away.

"I'm trusting you all to protect her," he grunted, his eyes hard on Killer. "When I return, I want to see her smiling again."

Killer nodded as he wrapped his arm around Nami's head in the gesture of comfort Kid wished he could give. Gunda stepped closer to her, her ashen fear gone, replaced with the determination he had been proud to see on the shieldmaiden's face. She grasped Nami's hand and gave her own promise in a firm nod.

Geir said nothing. But he never said anything. Kid only needed to see the hard set of his eyes to know his answer.

With more effort than it should have taken, he turned his back to them and forced himself to board his ship. Wire stood at the prow with a sympathetic smile. Halle greeted him as he climbed on board and slapped his back to console him. He would have a bare-bones crew, Halle and Wire his strongest among them, but he didn't need more than that. His strongest would stay at the village to protect Nami. There was no greater priority than that.

They pushed from the dock just as the rest of the village woke and left without the fanfare he received before a raid. As they rowed out to the fjord, Kid glanced back to see Nami still standing on the dock, surrounded by an army as ferocious as wolves to guard her.

A tremor of unease hollowed out his gut, fear that he was going the wrong way. It had to be the right way, though. He had already made his decision. All he could do was look forward now. There was no going back.

She would be safe.

She had to be safe.

---

Corazon sat perched on a tree branch overlooking the village of Drafn. Ohm sat on a branch in a tree across from him, his expression markedly different from his own.

Ohm wore a look of firm determination. "I'll free them," he muttered before quietly dropping down to the ground. He had the information King Enel desired. It was time to return to Oslofjord.

Corazon wore a crooked smile as he lingered long enough to see her turn from the docks, the ship finally out of sight. He chuckled to himself. The wolf was away. This was his chance.

A falcon cried out from a branch above him. He looked up to see it staring down at him. If a bird could lecture him, he was certain that falcon would try. He never knew one to have such a stern look of rebuke on its face.

"I'll behave," he assured the bird, unsure why he bothered.

The falcon growled at him and bobbed its head, then flew off with an echoing shriek.

He slipped from the branch to join his allies on the ground. Ohm stood waiting with a withering glare that made Corazon grin.

"Tsh," Ohm hissed before turning his back to him and leading his band eastward.

Three days had passed since the rats and fish appeared. Two days remained before she would be within reach.

He couldn't wait to see where this path led.

---

A/N: Barely got this update done for you. I'm literally leaving in like fifteen minutes for England, lol. Admittedly, I skimmed the last couple of sections while I edited, so there are probably a ton of typos. Leave me reviews if you catch any and I'll fix them when I get back.

So, yes, Loki demanded to be an actual character in the fic. He wouldn't shut up until I let him in. It's already annoying enough having him inspire more things for Law, it's impossible to say no when he wants his own direct role. But, he is really important to the plot, so might as well let him have his fun. I feel he's helping more than hurting, so it's fine.

Oh, and I was surprised by how quickly Kid and Nami jumped into the sexual relationship in this, but... it's Kid... I should be more surprised he held out this long. Anyway, as I've warned, the shit is about to hit the fan. There will be deaths (multiple) in the next chapter or two. There will torture and carnage and more death in this whole arc. It is a very dark arc. And the title of the next chapter fits the 'theme' of this arc for Nami, a Swedish proverb or saying that I've found that I feel resonates well with Nami - ensam är stark, which, loosely translated, means alone is strong, or more can be accomplished on your own. Thinking of Nami's life with Arlong reflects that mindset, to me.

Anyway. I'm off for a few weeks. I'll be posting pictures and updates and general screaming on my tumblr for any curious to know how my trip goes.

EDIT: Okay, I think I caught all the mistakes I made. Sorry for the hastily posted, partially unedited chapter, but I'm back and any that read this now won't have to see the little errors I left.