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.

30. Chapter 30

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

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First Moves

Nami had done well to hide her emotions throughout supper. Law watched as she showered the king with attention and false flattery. Her laughter was melodic, her cheeks tinged pink with a blush any time the king complimented her. She took the wine and fruit from the servants to fill his cup and feed him his berries, all while drinking deeply, more than the king and most of the soldiers.

Enel did not appear to question her cheerful demeanor or her fawning. He seemed to revel in her attention, soaked in every kind word and boast, and listened to her recount her activities while he was away as though he were utterly fascinated by them. For a man so arrogant and self-centered that he would call himself a god, he appeared to be genuinely fond of the young woman now in his charge. At the very least, he found her amusing. Perhaps she was a novelty to him. A trinket to entertain and delight.

His bored expression rarely wavered, but Law caught a faint smirk, a short nod, and sometimes he would throw his head back with laughter that echoed throughout the hall. Enel's lack of suspicion toward the woman he took by force, and most of all the mercenary who followed her in the guise of a traitor, left him to wonder if the king's self-proclaimed gifts truly existed. The king seemed suspicious enough of him, viewed him as the agent of a trickster whose motives could never be trusted, but any time Law thought the king might be uncertain of Nami's or Ove's true intentions, Enel brushed off his concerns with an air of stoic apathy.

It may well be hubris that drove him to ignore their potential threats. Law had no doubt that arrogance would be his downfall. He would see to it personally if Nami's wolf failed.

After Enel ate his fill, he decided that he would take a warm bath and retire early. Ohm had left earlier in the evening, but Satori seemed content to linger in the hall with his brothers. Nami said goodnight to the king with a coy flutter of her eyelashes and tired smile, waving him off when he told her to go to bed, too. She argued that she wanted to work for a few more hours and promised that she would go to her chambers shortly.

She waited for Satori to nod off at his table before she vanished into her new workroom with Conis on her heels. She glanced at Law over her shoulder as she left and gave a subtle nod to invite him to join them. He waited a minute to not garner too much suspicion from any servants or guards, then followed Nami to the other room. He spotted Ove hidden in the shadows of the back hall, hunkered down close enough to eavesdrop on any conversation. Ove had disappeared after the king retired, but Law was not surprised to see that he continued to lurk and watch his ward without her taking notice.

He spared a nod to the man as he stepped into Nami's workroom and gently shut the door. He found Nami pacing the room, gnawing on a fingernail, while Conis sat at the table and watched her lady in confusion.

"I have an idea," Nami said in Frankish as soon as she noticed him. "But it will only work for one of them."

"One of them?" Law asked as he eased into a chair beside Conis. "Are you talking about the captives?"

"Of course, I am," Nami huffed. She came to a stop in front of Conis and addressed the handmaid in Norse. "What do you know of this Wiper and his people?"

Conis chewed on her lip and glanced over Nami's shoulder. Her whole expression and posture gave away her fear. "I've told you all that I know. King Enel claimed the land they used for their herds and it angered them."

"You know more," Nami urged. "You must."

Conis shook her head. "They keep to themselves, remain hidden deep in the mountains. If any outsiders near their new territory, they kill them on sight. We know little about them, just that they are angry and want their ancestral lands returned to them."

Nami sighed and rubbed the bridge of her nose as she began to pace again. "You mentioned they herd reindeer," she muttered. "So, they are Sami?"

"Yes," Conis answered. "Mountain Sami."

Law did not know much about the Sami people. They were concentrated to the northernmost regions, within the Laplands, and did not often associate with the Nordic people to the south. The Sami on the northern coasts sometimes allied with the Norse jarls and chieftains, paid their taxes in exchange for protection against common enemies, and others traded their furs and hides, but some warred and fought for the territories encroached on by Norse migrants. They had been steadily pushed further north, into the coldest, bleakest lands. This clan was obviously not one that would step aside for the more powerful king, nor would they bow to his rule. They wanted their land and their autonomy, they would settle for nothing less, even if it meant losing their lives.

"They have reason to hate all of us," Nami continued to mutter to herself. "Would she even consider my offer?"

"Offer?" Conis asked, shaking Nami from her thoughts with the question. "What do you mean to offer?"

Nami's expression turned cold and distant as she stared at her handmaiden. "Salvation," she said after a long pause. "I mean to offer her mercy, if King Enel will allow it."

"Her?" Law asked. "You only intend to save the woman?"

"I have a credible reason to take her as my servant. Enel knows my family history, he knows how my clan was organized in the past," she explained in Frankish. "I can make an argument based on that knowledge, but it would only pertain to the woman. I do not know how to save the man's life."

"The king has no shortage of slaves," Law suggested. "He has a use for them."

"That is true," Nami agreed. "But the last man he captured from Wiper's clan was put to death. The king does not seem interested in keeping any of these people alive, not even to use them as slaves."

"Then why do you believe he would permit you to keep one of them for yourself?"

"Because I have a use for the woman," Nami said, but did not elaborate on what that use might be.

"What use?" he pressed.

Nami ignored him and continued to pace. He could tell that she wanted to save both captives, the inability to do so left her anxious and stressed.

"Do you need both alive for your plans?" he asked. "Or just the one?"

"I could possibly work with just the one, assuming she is cooperative." Nami frowned. "I doubt she will be. I may not have been in the king's company when he took their land, but I am his priestess now. She will not trust me, and I cannot blame her for that."

"If you have your doubts about her, then what is there to assume that if both live, the truce will be easier to form?"

"If I can convince Enel to spare them both, she may be willing to see reason in the alliance. If I allow her companion to die, though, his blood will be on my hands through my failure to protect him. If I have the power to save her, then I should have the power to save him, at least that is what someone outside of this situation might believe. She does not know the constraints I have to work within to keep the king from doubting my fealty."

"Then make her understand those constraints," he suggested.

"I cannot be open and frank about my motives here," she hissed. "I can only speak openly with you because the king cannot understand this language. Any whispers, any plotting, anything that would give him reason to suspect me—he will hear them, he will know, and he will punish everyone associated with it."

"Then find a way to communicate with her that the king will not understand or hear. She is Sami. Do they not have their own language?"

Nami glowered at him. "They do, but I do not know it. The Sami tribes in Svealand are isolated in the Laplands. I grew up far to the south, in Geatish lands. It is rare for them to travel so far for trade. I had no reason to learn their language."

Law turned to Conis. "What of you? Do you know any of the Sami language?"

Conis stared at him shock. "I know some, but I am hardly fluent. Just enough to barter for a reindeer hide. Why do you need to know their language?" she asked, her attention on Nami.

"They may be more willing to accept Lady Nami's offer if it is given in their native tongue," he explained. "Do you believe they would acknowledge such an offer if it was given with respect?" he asked Nami.

"You have a point," Nami agreed as she sank into thought once again. "But, I would still have to speak with her. If I use someone to translate messages, I would need someone I can trust, someone who won't share whatever I whisper to them. And I'm afraid he will somehow still hear me."

"That will be a risk no matter how you choose to communicate with her," he reminded, though he had his doubts on how strong Enel's foresight was, especially his ability to hear. He had spoken with Nezumi at length, though mostly in Frankish, and Enel had not approached him about any of those conversations. Then again, he had been away for weeks, focused on other business. He did not understand how Enel's seidr worked, nor did he understand Nami's, but perhaps there was a limit to how far they could see. "Could you place wards in a home?" he asked. "Those sigils you created for your maps, could you use them to create a barrier or wall to block out Enel's gifts?"

Nami's eyes widened and she spun toward him. "That's it." She laughed and rushed to her worktable to grab the parchment with sigils on it. "The one for my map is crafted to hide it from sight, and specifically that. The king seems to hear things more than he sees them. I had suspected I would need a ward-stave of some sort in my room, but I've had trouble creating one I think would be adequate."

Quill in hand, she drew more sigils, more jagged lines and circles he did not recognize, and then scratched them out. Over and over until finally she stopped and stared at the last sigil on the parchment. "I had thought to use the algiz rune in my stave. It's a protective rune, common in wards and blessings, but none of the sigils felt right as a countermeasure to Enel's magic. His seidr is powerful and different from my own." She looked to him. "He is a son of Thor. He is lightning and thunder, he is a storm personified." Her eyes glowed with realization, with knowledge, as she pointed at her stave. "But Thor was the one who warned me of this storm and path. Thurisaz is the rune that helped me see him in the tree." She was speaking nonsense as far as he was concerned, but the nonsense seemed important to her, so he held his tongue. Seidr was her realm, her world, not one he could ever understand. "The only one strong enough to protect me from Thor is Thor. He was the one who warned me, and it is his wife, Sif, that watches me in his stead. I already meant to use the rowan, but I should be able to invoke his power and strength, too. He is an ancestor the king and I share. If he can draw strength from a storm, then so can I."

"If that is so…" he said slowly. He still could not comprehend what she said or meant, but she had a sigil and seemed confident that it would counter Enel's own magic. "But what of the Sami? An offer in her own language is one she would surely trust."

Nami sank back into thought, chewing on her nail as she considered that obstacle. If she could not speak their language, and Conis only knew enough to barter, then they needed to find someone who might speak it more fluently. He glanced to the door and wondered if Ove might know enough to pass along a message. He doubted Nami would know, and even if she did, she would not want to ask that sort of favor from him. Ove might have volunteered to help with her schemes, but she believed that aid to be given unwittingly, not with the knowledge that it was advancing Nami's plans.

"My father…" Conis whispered, once again glancing to the door as though she feared the king would interrupt and bring his wrath down upon them at any moment. She had been silent as he and Nami spoke in Frankish, watching as Nami made her new sigil, listening with no sign of comprehension. But she seemed to sense her lady's distress. "He is capable of talking with the Sami in their language. He might be able to help."

Nami lit up with excitement, gifting her handmaid with a genuine smile Law had only seen brief glimpses of since she arrived. "Truly?" she asked as she rushed to kneel in front of Conis. When Conis nodded, Nami cheered happily and engulfed the woman in a hug. "Thank you. Thank you. Thank you." She pulled back and clasped Conis's hands in hers. "I swear to you that I will do everything in my power to protect you and your father. I will repay you both for the help you've given me. Any favor you need, any gold, anything—just ask it of me, and you will have it."

"And what of the man?" Law asked quietly. "Will you sacrifice him for this opportunity?"

Nami's brightness faded, her eyes turned sullen and distant. Her grip on Conis tightened as she gnawed on her lip. He watched her expression turn cold and hard, a dark ruthlessness overtaking her gaze.

"If his blood must be shed to protect the woman and give life to an alliance that may well save his kin." She took a deep breath and he knew she did not like the decision she had made, but she had no other option, not without taking on more risk. "An honorable man would understand, would sacrifice himself for the betterment of those he loved." She nodded resolutely and stood straight, her head tilted with stubborn resolve. "I will have the woman for myself, if nothing else."

"Then I wish you success," Law said as he stood and turned for the door. "I will return on the morrow to see if you win this battle."

He hoped that she would. She needed a victory, no matter how small, to fuel the change she sought. Every revolution needed a flicker of hope, the first spark to take the kindling. If she could not win this single piece for her side, then it may be a sign of greater failure to come in her mind. She could not lose here. Not when she had only just begun.

He found Ove hunched in the shadows, so silent and still anyone else might have mistook him for a pile of old furs.

"Do you know the language of the Sami?" he whispered in Frankish to the berserker guardian.

The furs shifted ever so slightly. He glanced down to catch Ove's eye through a sliver of space between the furs he hid himself in. A short nod was the only answer Law needed, and with it, he made his way out of the hall.

He fought back his smile until he passed through the outer gates. His trek through the chilly mist was filled with excitement and anticipation. He could not wait to see the lady at work the next day.

He could feel change in the wind, and Nami would be the driving force behind it.

---

"The circles beneath your eyes are terrible this morning," Conis bemoaned as she helped tame Nami's wavy and knotted hair. "Nearly as dark as Corazon's."

Nami could feel the weight of exhaustion beneath her eyes, she did not need to be reminded of it. She had slept fitfully and gave up on finding rest altogether well before dawn. Her dreams had been filled with fog and mist, her way shrouded. She could hear the wolf in his chains but could not see him. Instead she only saw two blue snakes lying limp before her and when she thought to lift one, it lashed out and bit her. She woke from the dream as she watched blood trickle over her hands and the snakes dissolve into ash.

The dark omen of her dream made her fear that her decision was the wrong one, but she would not go back on it. She would take the bite of a snake if it might save one life and be the first step toward winning a war. The path she chose carried risks, she knew that when she made the choice to leave Drafn. She knew it would not be easy, that she would have to carve her own way through the storm. She could not be deterred by her fear. She had to be strong, to carry on alone, to fight for her freedom and the lives that depended on her.

She had to be a warrior dressed in gold. She had to be a queen unlike any before her. She had to endure the weight on her shoulders as though it were nothing more than a feather.

"Find some kohl," Nami ordered as she shut her eyes and focused on the mask she would need that day. If she was to sit with Enel as he passed judgement on his captives, then she could not let the façade slip once. "Ove should have some if no one else does."

"Of course, Lady Nami." Conis finished pinning Nami's braids, the hair intricately woven along the top and sides of her head to coil together in an elaborate nest. The rest of her hair was bound into a long braid that fell along her spine, decorated with thin gold and silver thread that glimmered when candlelight struck it and danced like lightning.

Conis left to search for the kohl Nami would use to line her eyes and hide the exhaustion that ruined her pristine mask. She would sleep well if her day was successful, of that she was certain. She would sleep and dream of her wolf and find a way to reach out to him.

When she shut her eyes, and allowed herself to think of him and nothing else, she could almost feel the heat of his skin beneath her fingertips and hear his soft growls as he whispered in her ear. If she thought of their absence in the waking world, her heart would ache and tug at her chest, longing to find him. He was so close, only a few hours away by ship, half a day by foot or horse, but he may as well be in another realm to her. He was bound in iron shackles, and she in golden chains. All she had of him were memories and dreams and the hope that she could break them both free someday soon.

A tap on her shoulder snapped her from her wandering thoughts and disjointed dreams. She opened her eyes to find Conis had returned. She held a tin filled with black kohl that Nami recognized as Ove's, but the worry etched into Conis's face was what stole her attention.

"If you are too tired to sit in the king's judgement, perhaps you should rest a day. He may delay it if we ask it of him," Conis suggested.

Nami shook her head in answer, and to clear the last of her heartache, then spared Conis a sliver of a smile. "I will be all right," she reassured. "I do not want to put this off, and I doubt King Enel would appreciate any weakness on my part. If I am to be at his side here, then I will not falter once."

"Are you certain?" Conis whispered. "You seem troubled, like something is weighing on your heart."

More than you know, Nami thought to herself, but only widened her smile. "Nothing at all. I'm just anxious to meet this woman and claim her for myself."

"And if the king refuses your request?"

"He won't," Nami said with forced certainty. "I will convince him."

Conis did not appear convinced, but she held her tongue and set back to work preparing Nami for the mockery that would serve as a trial.

"We should make more paints for ceremonies," Nami said as Conis lined the kohl around her eyes. "Especially gold. Our king's power lies in the gold he hoards. His priestess should drip with it."

"I will have the women work on it," Conis responded. "It will bring out the amber in your eyes, too. That is where your power lies, does it not?"

She tried to stifle a laugh, but it came out and startled the handmaid. "You are correct," she said. "Amber and gold. My power lies in the treasures I long to possess."

Just as it also lay in the seas and the stars, and in the wind and rain and sun and snow. And in her heart, where she holds to hope, and the smile she swore to never lose, to never have stolen away.

Nami nibbled on a light breakfast while Conis put the finishing touches on her hair. She had chosen to eat in her quarters that morning so she could prepare herself for the judgement. She wanted to make a grand entrance, one that she hoped would enchant the king and make him struggle to refuse her request. Everything had to be just right if she had any chance of deceiving him. She had to use every tool at her disposal to persuade him, even if all she had was her beauty and allure to sway him. It was enough to prove successful in the past. Most men forgot all sense and reason when she set out to seduce them for her own gain.

A servant to the king summoned her to the hall near midday. She had been lounging on a bed of furs in the front room, hard at work on another leather and amber bracelet to pass the time, and rose with all the regality she could find within herself. Judging by the servant's dumbstruck awe, her mask was perfect.

The day was warm, but she chose to wear her cloak to remind Enel of the family she came from, the reason he wanted her in his hall. Her dress was a deep blue, the color of the open ocean, lined with thread as blue as the sky and white as the clouds, and woven into the shapes of dragons and serpents along her sleeves and skirt. A thick leather belt wrapped around her waist and ribs, drawn tight enough to keep her back straight and shoulders rigid in the posture of royalty. The leather was so thick, it could serve as a war belt, a piece of armor to protect her from an attack, and declared whatever authority she had in the king's hall.

She had thought to wear the gold dress Enel had given to her, but she was saving that for another occasion, a bigger favor to request.

The blue dress made the gold she did wear stand out that much more. Her long braid was secured with the gold coil Enel had given her when he returned, while more golden clips and combs were fastened into the nest of braids and curls atop her head. Gold chains wound around her neck like a collar. Strands of gold and pearls fell over her chest. And yet more gold coiled around her wrists and waist. The shackles of her gilded cage were in place, there for Enel to see. If nothing else, he could be certain that his wealth bought her loyalty.

The hall was abuzz with conversation when she walked in. Enel's militia and guards milled around the room, while the nearby landowners, the karls and jarls that pledged fealty to the king, gradually trickled in and gave their greetings to the king and his priests. A hush fell over them as she strode in and she allowed herself to feel arrogant as their eyes drifted to her.

She spotted Law in a far corner, hidden by the shadows of the walkway above. He melted into the darkness with his black clothes and cloak, his arms crossed over his chest and head bowed. She caught the corner of a smirk and the glimmer of a gold eye. It seemed he approved of her guise, but his approval was not what she sought.

Enel reclined in his throne, raised above the four seats of his priests. His gaze remained flat and bored as it swept over the room, not a hint of emotion until it landed on her. His brow rose, his lips curled in a lazy smile, and then he let loose a long, loud laugh that filled the hall.

"I thought you may be plotting something in your room this morning," he declared. Nami stopped in front of his dais and ignored the shiver of fear that trailed down her spine. He could not have seen her plans already. He could not know what she was up to. "You were plotting to steal my men with a display of your beauty."

She nearly sighed in relief, but covered it with a quiet laugh. "Merely displaying the wealth and power of my lord," she said, her tone filled with coy sweetness and false cheer as she bowed to him. "I dress as a queen to serve my king. While you and your priests inspire your people to worship you through fear, I will inspire them to love and praise you for their subjugation. At the very least, I will make them long to be your servants, your faithful flock, in the hopes that you might bestow on them the riches you share with those in your keeping."

Enel laughed again. "I see. I suppose men need more reason than fear to remain loyal, especially the simpler ones who forget to listen to that fear. I appreciate the consideration." He gestured for her to take the seat to his left and waved for the other priests to sit, as well. "Now that I have my counsel present, we can begin the Thing."

Nami had not expected to hear that he was holding an assembly. She thought he only intended to try his captives.

"My landholders were eager to address some issues they had with each other," he explained. "And a ship brought news from the Christian lands."

She took her seat to his left, the chair a step below his throne. Ohm claimed the seat at Enel's right with Satori in the chair beside him, and Ove the seat beside her.

The landowners and minor jarls took benches and chairs nearest the dais, while those of lower rank sat further back, or stood at the wall. Out of the people she recognized from around Oslo, only McKinley and a handful of his militia sat near the front, the rest were allotted space at the back. The visiting landholders took precedence in hospitality, they traveled the farthest, and were fortunate enough to own some wealth and importance to the king. If they were seated far from the king, it would be an insult, though she doubted Enel cared. He would strike down any that took exception to a lack of hospitality. He only kept to decorum to expedite the meeting.

Talk of local matters took precedence. Border disputes. Marital disputes. Fostering requests. Enel listened to them with his usual flat expression, appearing so bored Nami wondered if he listened at all. Each dispute was settled quickly. Enel made his decisions without counsel for most of them. He threatened to claim farms if they continued to bicker, turn the landowners into tenants on his land and force them to pay higher taxes to him. Enel already felt he owned the land, he was merely being generous to those that bowed to his authority by allowing them to claim their ownership.

Marital disputes were waved off if he deemed them petty. He granted one woman a divorce, but made her pay a fine to the husband for ending the marriage without just cause. Nami wanted to argue the judgement, but according to the law, Enel was correct in his ruling. The only reason she wished to end the marriage was because the man had an affair. Nami felt it was reason enough. If a man could divorce his wife for being unfaithful, then a woman should be permitted the same without losing what property she had. But, the laws were written by men, and while she understood them to be better for women than the Christian lands, injustices remained.

A couple wanted to foster their third son in Enel's hall. Enel did not care to take in a child, but after Ohm whispered something in his ear, he allowed McKinley to take the child and foster him in the militia. The parents shared an anxious glance, but did not refuse. Their child would have an advantage over many others, and they would not have to worry about another mouth to feed come the winter. Judging by the woman's swollen belly, their winter stores would be strained.

A second couple was not so fortunate. Their son was frail and quiet, not ideal for a soldier, or a smith, or a boat-builder. Enel decided he would go with the jarl of a small village in the mountains. His decision was made without discussion and the jarl that had been declared guardian did not seem eager to take the boy. Nami was left to wonder how the child would fare. He likely would not survive to the winter, not unless he made himself useful to his keeper.

As Nami watched the children greet their new guardians and say their goodbyes to their families, her thoughts wandered to the children she left behind in Drafn. She wondered how Sind and Ingvild fared. After she left with Ohm and Satori, she had no idea if Heat and the others reached safety. She wanted to believe that they had, but the village had been surrounded, they may have faced more enemies in the forest. If they survived, she had no doubt that Kid and his men would treat them well, but they would bear scars in their hearts after the slaughter they witnessed.

"Bring the captives in," Enel commanded, snapping Nami from her musings. She sat straight in her chair and glanced at the king as he held out a cup for a servant to fill. He glanced sidelong at her and lifted a dark brow in silent question. She answered with a smile that was quickly dismissed. "Eager for my judgement?"

"Curious to hear what excuse they have for trespassing on your lands this time," she insisted. "I am sure it will be as pathetic as they are."

Enel chuckled. "You would be correct," he said as they watched the two captives dragged into the hall. They were hunched and shivering, with dark circles beneath their eyes far worse than Corazon's. They stumbled through the crowded room, their iron shackles ringing with every faltered step. Their guests muttered to themselves as they watched, a few jeered at the prisoners. One grabbed the woman's backside. Nami's glare was ignored as he bellowed with laughter.

Pig, she thought to herself.

Enel slammed his cup of ale against the arm of his throne to cease the man's laughter and end the crowd's muttering. Silence fell over the hall as the king stood. His stoic expression made fear curdle in her gut, reminding her of the dangers in her plan. She fought the urge to fidget as he stepped forward, dug her nails into the arm of her chair to stop herself from running away like the coward she was.

She could not turn away from her plan now. She needed this pawn.

"I found these two hunting wolves in my forest," Enel declared to the room. "They belong to a tribe I cast from my lands, led by a foolish and feral berserker—the warrior Wiper." The captive man sneered, the woman growled, and Enel laughed at the display. "Kamakiri," he said, turning to the man, "you have been charged with trespassing in sacred forests and poaching. What do you plea?"

"What difference does my plea make?" the man rasped. "We all know you declared me guilty the moment you put me in chains."

Enel's smile was dangerous, crooked and sadistic. "Humor me," he said.

"Innocent," Kamakiri relented.

Enel laughed. "Innocent? Were you not caught by me personally? Did I not find you in my forest? Holding a bow with an arrow stuck in a mangy wolf?"

"I was not hunting the wolf," Kamakiri insisted. "The creature was sick. It was alone and tried to attack us. Its mouth frothed unnaturally when it snarled, and its gait was drunken. It was not healthy, but it would have slaughtered us if I did not put it down first."

"Assuming that story is true"—Enel stepped off the dais and sauntered toward his prisoners—"then what, pray tell, were you doing in my forest in the first place? If you had remained in the mountains, as you are supposed to do, then you would not have been attacked by the wolf."

Kamakiri pursed his lips and glanced at the woman. Enel's gaze followed his while he slowly circled the pair. Amusement flit over his face as he stopped behind her and leaned over her shoulder.

"He will not answer, then how about you, Laki? I have charged you with trespassing. What reason did you have to be in my territory?" he asked.

"That land is not yours," she whispered. "And even if it was, travelers have a right to pass over it in peace."

"In peace, yes, but the warrior Wiper refuses to broker for peace," Enel mused as he circled back to stand in front of the pair. "If you had claimed you were an envoy for that very purpose, you would not be in fetters right now. I would respect your chieftain's decision to bow down to me, as he should have done from the start."

Laki hissed. "We will never bow to you."

The king chortled. "No, of course not. You and your kin must make your ancestors proud—or whatever drivel Wiper constantly spews when I evict him from my lands. Now, what reason did you have to enter my territory? Surely you have a reason? I cannot imagine that you were out for a stroll that took you from the mountains."

This time Laki glanced at Kamakiri, as hesitant as he was to answer Enel's question. Nami shifted in her chair as the air grew heavy and uncomfortable with every second of silence that passed.

"McKinley," Enel said as he turned back to his throne. "Put the man on his knees. If they will not answer, then I will declare him guilty of poaching, trespassing, and raiding."

"Raiding?" Laki called out, lunging forward despite her chains. "We did not raid! You would make up charges to punish us?"

McKinley shoved Kamakiri to his knees while Enel sat back in his throne. His bored expression said that he would not answer Laki. He had no reason to. They all knew the judgement he intended to pass.

"The man known as Kamakiri is hereby sentenced to death," Enel said, his gaze fixed on the woman.

Laki panicked as McKinley took Kamakiri by the hair and exposed his throat to the knife he drew. Nami's fingers ached with how tight she gripped the chair. She wanted to end this, but she feared to speak up. She would save the woman. That she could do. But she could not save the man.

"A child," Laki shrieked.

Enel raised a hand to still McKinley. The knife remained at Kamakiri's throat, bobbed as the prisoner swallowed hard.

"We were searching for a child," Laki continued. Her shoulders fell forward and shook with a sob. "My cousin. She loves your trees. She says the soil is rich and warm and full of life. She often disappears to bask in your forests, but she always returns within a fortnight. This time she was gone too long. We feared she had been caught. We came to look for her."

"A child?" Enel glanced at McKinley as he frowned. "No child has been taken captive in recent weeks. Nor have I heard one traipsing through my forests. It is unfortunate that your mistake will cost you your lives."

He nodded at McKinley who tightened his grip on the knife.

"Wait," Nami called out, leaping from her seat. "I want to keep her."

"Nami?" Enel cocked his head as she spun to face him. She curled her fists in determination and grappled for a shred of courage to stand against his ruling. "What foolish plan do you have in mind now?"

"I have no foolish plan. I like the woman. I want to keep her," she explained. Enel's brow rose as he drummed his fingers on the arm of his chair. His patience was limited. She would be wise not to press him, but she could not turn back. She swallowed down the pain in her chest and went to her knee with her head bowed. "I wish to have her for"—she took a deep breath and dared to glance up at the king's bored gaze—"for a slave."

Enel stared in silence. She could feel the gaze of the others in the hall on her back. They were all heavy, foreboding weights, warning her against this request. She bowed her head again and prayed that he would not refuse.

His short laugh made her flinch. The others began to quietly chuckle, but immediately silenced themselves when the king stood.

"A slave?" he asked as he sauntered toward her.

She gave a short nod and swallowed again as the heavy weight returned to her back. Her hands trembled beyond her control as he lowered himself in front of her. She clenched her skirts tight when he gripped her chin, lifting her gaze back to his.

"Why?" he asked. "What purpose could you have for her?"

She cleared her throat. "Well, you are aware of my family and their traditions," she began at a whisper. "Men were shunned from the immediate family. But, we are daughters of the Vanir, and Freyja and Hnoss, and there is much magic to be found in… certain rituals… to connect us to the gods."

Enel's head cocked once more, urging her to elaborate in greater detail.

"I have—" She leaned in closer as her cheeks heated with embarrassment. "I have learned first-hand how strong seidr can be when… when fueled by lust." His brows shot up in surprise. "I saw you," she rushed to explain. "I was told of your coming while I was…" She looked away bashfully.

"In bed with your wolf," he finished for her.

Her throat tightened as she gave a nod. "That vision was what inspired me to drive him away from his hall."

"To save his life?" he asked.

Yes, she thought, but she shook her head and smiled for Enel. "No. I wanted him to leave because I feared what he would do when I chose you."

"You ran at first," he pointed out.

"Because his people forced me to. When the battle was obviously lost, I made my decision; and with so many dead and dying, they could not argue with it. I intended to go with you from the start," she explained.

"Her possessions were packed," Ohm reminded, and she thanked the gods for it.

"I knew I would have to leave. I knew that my place was with you," she urged, daring to reach out and grab his arm as she pled for him to believe her. "I knew that it was my fate to be in your hall, by your side. Since I have made that decision, I am determined to do everything in my power to aid you."

"And taking this woman as a bed slave will do that?"

"I mean to refuse all men. My family is cursed because no man is worthy of us, of our magic, and I see that now. I will not allow my curse to be a burden to you, but I do have a means to make it benefit you. I will rekindle the old ways of my family. I will use her, and any other women I desire to take into my bed, to fuel my sight in rituals. That is how the women of my family strengthened their magic for generations without the aid of men. That is how they learned and prepared. Between everything you have taught me, and will continue to teach me, and all that I can learn from my ancestors, I will be stronger than any volva before me."

"And you will reject all men? Even your wolf should he come for you?"

She nodded, then pursed her lips in thought. "Well, perhaps not all men," she whispered to him as she took on a mask of coy innocence. "If it were you, I might break that vow. Of all the men I know, you are the only one I believe could be worthy. But… you are a god, a true god, and I will never be worthy of you. So, I will abstain from all desire for men, until the day I might prove myself worthy to you."

Enel threw his head back with laughter. "How amusing," he called out. "All right. I shall grant you this woman as your slave."

"You will?" she gasped. At his short nod, she lurched forward as though she meant to hug him in her glee, but held herself back as she gripped his arm tight and bowed her head. "Thank you. Thank you. I am forever indebted to you for your generosity, my king."

Enel chuckled as he pried her fingers from his arm and stroked her hair. "You will inform me of every vision you have with her," he instructed.

"Of course," she promised.

A bark of laughter from Ove broke into their conversation. Enel looked at the mercenary with a deep frown. "Do you find amusement in something?"

"I do," Ove answered. "If you are handing out slaves, then give me the other one. I may not have rituals and witchcraft as an excuse to use him, but I can use him, just the same."

"The same?" Enel's brow arched high on his forehead.

Ove chuckled. "The same. I am certain I will grow bored with him quick enough. When I am done with him, I will see that he's returned to his chieftain, short a head and some testes, and well used."

The king laughed again. "So be it. I suppose I will be generous with my new priests today." He sauntered back to his throne and collapsed in his seat, waving for Nami to return to her chair by his side. "I will temporarily stay their executions, but declare them bondsmen to my priests. They are hereby stripped of their freedom and rights. You two may do with them whatever you will and kill them when you desire it. Inform me when you are done with them."

"Yes, King Enel," Nami agreed, unable to keep herself from smiling. She had saved the woman for herself. The man was alive, too, though she pitied his fate as Ove's slave. But at least he was alive. The living can do more than the dead.

"Take them from my sight," Enel commanded. "We have one more item of business to discuss." He looked toward her and reached over to nudge her hand. "This will be of importance to you."

"To me?"

Enel hummed and patted her hand. "You will see."

Those ominous words filled her with dread. If it was of importance to her, it was likely related to Kid. Or perhaps it had to do with Arlong. If he meant to go to war with her former jarl, she would rejoice, but if it was his war with Kid he meant to discuss—she feared that all her preparations would be for naught.

Kamakiri and Laki were dragged from the hall. The woman struggled in her bonds and seethed, the man was still too weak from his wounds to do more than jerk at his chains once. They were not happy with their fates, but she would make them see reason. At least Laki. The other just had to hold on to his life long enough for Nami to find some way to free him from Ove. There was a glimmer of hope there for him, even if his enslavement would leave him sullied and dishonored.

No matter how dark life became, a person always had to keep looking forward, and fight to survive. For as long as breath remained in their lungs, happier times would come.

A man stepped forward once the captives were out of the hall. He had long black hair and a bushy beard to match, and was dressed in a plain blue tunic and beige trousers. He took a knee before the king, placed a hand over his heart, and bowed his head. Two more men nearly identical to him took to their knees behind him.

"My lord, I bring news from the south," he informed.

"Lady Nami," Enel said, waving toward the trio before them, "these men are clergymen from the Birka region. Their families have been employed by mine for generations."

"Clergymen from Birka? So, they are Christians?" she asked, scrutinizing their attire once more. At a closer look, she took notice of the leather pouches attached to their belts. Each bore a cross stitched in gold thread on the front flap. "I thought you disliked Christians?" she whispered.

Enel leaned toward her and took her hand. "I distrust them. As you should, too. Our shared ancestor tried to drive them from Svealand because he saw that they would become a threat to your family and their ways. As it turns out, he was correct. Your Frankish father and his Christian mercenaries took away your family, the life you should have known." He turned back to the three clergymen and waved his hand over them with a hearty laugh. "But these three are not the same as the Christians from the south. They are wise and understand the importance of the old ways, as well as the new; just as they understand that soon they will be in servitude of a far greater god. I have received great counsel from these sages. And their pious, Christian demeanor is of value to me as my ears and eyes in lands my sight cannot reach."

"They are your spies?" she asked.

"That they are. They move among the converted Danes without any notice. They listen and watch and return with news. I sent them to Denmark the day I learned your wolf had fled Drafn before my attack. They returned just this morning. I suspect with news that your wolf has returned to his den. Is that so, Gode?"

"It is," said the man who approached first. "He was in Hedeby for just over a week. He was guest in Earl Bonney's hall, but as he left, we heard the clang of fetters. He left as a prisoner, of a sort."

"Just as I heard," Enel mused. He glanced at her and smiled. "You are not the only one who has heard his whimpering at the roots of the great tree. I heard his great howl when he returned, and I hear the clatter of his chains. He is bound from you. The gods will not permit him to fetch you."

She was afraid that he might see as she had. If he heard the wolf at the base of Yggdrasil, then what else did he hear in those boughs? Did he hear her conversation with Loki?

"And what of old Birka and Sigtuna?" he asked, turning his attention back to Gode. "Did you visit as I requested?"

"We did. That was what delayed our return."

"And what news from our cousins there?"

Gode cleared his throat. "They are far from Tingstad, out of Jarl Arlong's reach, but it seems the Jarl has grown restless as of late. He and his closest brethren have begun to roam east in search of Lady Nami."

Nami gasped. "I am sorry, did you just say Arlong had gone east to search for me? He is not in Tingstad?"

Gode shook his head. "Many farmers northeast of his territory had their lands seized, some burned. There have been few survivors in his wrath. Only the wealthiest have been spared, but they had to forfeit their hoards and cattle to his invaders. The survivors have fled to the church for protection. Others mean to go further north, to the temple in Uppsala. They pray to the Christian God in Sigtuna for protection, and to Freyr in Uppsala for peace."

"What does their king say of this?" Enel asked.

Gode bowed his head in sorrow. "In the past, he has been a noble ally to the farmers against the jarl class in Svealand, but his influence and favor with the farmers has waned of late, and he does not seem eager for civil war. He has had his sights set on the Danes for too long to be concerned with Jarl Arlong's tantrum."

"So, Arlong will be allowed to raid the free lands at his leisure as he searches for you," Enel hummed.

Nami was happy to hear that he was not in Tingstad. That meant the people would have a respite from his wrath. "What of his brethren?" she asked. "You said his brethren have been searching, as well. Who?"

Gode's brows furrowed in thought. "Kuroobi was the name I heard most."

She could not restrain her relieved laugh and quickly covered her mouth to hide her smile. Without Kuroobi there, then Tingstad truly would see peace for a time. If Hachi was left behind to keep order and protect Arlong's interests, he would not terrorize the people, at least not to the extent Kuroobi would. She pitied those left in Arlong's wake, but Tingstad had suffered for eight years under him. They did not deserve to suffer his wrath any longer. He would return soon, of course, but his time away would let them catch their breath.

Perhaps his search will take him further east. Perhaps he will venture into the king's territories and become a viable threat to him. He may be forced to war with the jarl and Nami hoped he would be victorious, that he would rid Arlong from the world and end her nightmares for good.

"That news pleases you?" Enel asked, a thread of mirth lacing his voice.

She turned to him with a genuine grin. She could not contain her hope and happiness. "Tingstad deserves freedom from his wrath. I pity the others, but—"

"You hope Arlong's demise comes from this search?"

She nodded. "I know it is a distant hope, but it is all I have. For the time that he is away, my people can know peace."

Enel gazed up at the ceiling and hummed. "I have had no visions of this giant you fear. All my visions are plagued by your wolf. He is not fated to be an enemy to me. I cannot see what is to come for him, either. Let us hope that means the svear king will eventually save me the trouble of destroying this man for you."

She wanted more than anything to hope for that outcome. If Arlong returned to Tingstad, brought his anger down on the people, she may be forced to return. Only her presence would bring peace back to the village under Arlong's rule. She would contemplate returning sooner to save the others that endured the terror of his rage, but she knew that she could not escape Enel, not yet. For now, she would be relieved that Nojiko was safe, if no one else.

"I will have you return to Svealand after you have rested, Gode," Enel decided. "If Jarl Arlong turns back for Noreg, I want to be the first to hear about it. Without any word from his agents, he may well think to visit me in person—once he has cooled his temper and considered his options with a level-head. In the meantime, we will let him run wild through Svealand. It will keep him out of my way here."

"Yes, King Enel." Gode bowed his head. "And what of Drafn?"

"McKinley," Enel called to the militia captain. "I believe it is time we learn what Jarl Eustass has decided. Will he bend his knee and pay his taxes to me, or will he go to war?" The king's crooked, arrogant smile told her that he knew the answer well enough. "Gather twenty of your strongest men and take a ship to Drafn. Lay out the terms of taxation to the jarl as we discussed last night. Inform him of the consequences if he refuses."

"The consequences?" Nami asked.

"War, of course," Enel answered flatly. "I will see that there are no survivors this time." To McKinley he said, "As a show of force, take his cousin's head. I have no doubt the one known as Killer survived. Change that, and put the true fear of God in Jarl Eustass's heart."

McKinley stood straight, slammed a fist to his chest, and bowed his head to the king. "As you wish, King Enel."

"I want you gone by the morning," Enel added. "I will not waste another second dealing with him." He waved for his captain to leave and turned to the remainder of the audience. "The rest of you are dismissed. Gode – stay and talk with me for a minute." As the karls and farmers made their way from the hall, Ohm and Satori stood to leave, as well. Nami took that to mean she was dismissed with the rest and began to stand, but Enel snatched her wrist and tugged her back into her chair. "You stay, as well," he commanded, then glanced over her shoulder at Ove. "See to your new slave."

Ove cast her a quick glance. She wondered what he might be thinking, but he remained silent, save for a grunt, and stood to leave with the others. She saw Law slip out behind him. She hoped he stayed close. He had promised that he would stay close.

"Conis," Nami called to her handmaid when she saw her heading toward the back rooms of the hall. "Could you see to Laki for me? Do not unchain her yet, but assess her condition. We may need Corazon to treat her before I can put her to work. And see that she bathes. I do not want an unwashed woman in my bed."

Confusion and wariness flit over Conis's face. She wrung her hands together in front of her as though worried. After a moment, she cleared her throat, nodded her understanding, and then hurried out to the square.

"My king," Gode began once the room was empty. He sounded as nervous as her handmaiden appeared. Were they in danger of Enel's wrath? "What did you wish to discuss?"

"A moment," Enel said, a hand held up to his spy as he turned to face Nami. "Are you worried for the people in Drafn, Nami?"

She was more than worried. She was terrified that the path she took had guaranteed a bleak fate for them. She hoped that she would find victory, but there was an inkling of doubt that nagged at her thoughts any time she wondered about Enel's plans. Now that he had made his next move, that terror and doubt had become very real. Her stomach curled in a mixture of anticipation and anxiety. She hoped Kid was smart, did not push for a war too soon. He was not ready for one. His men needed to heal. He needed to secure alliances, gather more warriors to replace those he lost. He needed a true army to face Enel and she knew he was far from having the numbers and power necessary.

She dug her fingers into her skirts and forced a smile. "I worry that Kid will fail to see reason and sacrifice his people to a senseless slaughter. He is a prideful man. He will not bow to you so easily. I chose to go with you to give them a chance for peace, to spare the lives of his friends and kin. If he refuses you as his rightful ruler, then I will be furious that he threw my gesture in the mud. It will be as though he spat in my face and pissed on the graves of the good people who lost their lives believing that they fought to protect me."

Mirth shone in his eyes as he turned back to Gode. "What do you believe will happen to McKinley and his men in Drafn?"

Gode took on a pensive expression. His gaze cast to her for a moment. "I hear this man has a strong interest in Lady Nami. And I have heard the tales of the curse that befell her family. If Jarl Arlong's behavior is any indication, I believe those tales to hold a modicum of truth. Arlong has gone mad with rage since he was separated from his ward. I have no doubt Jarl Eustass will be the same. At least half of McKinley's men will not return from this meeting. And those that do will be heavily wounded."

Enel chuckled at the assessment. "Not bad. Do you wish to hear my prediction, Nami?"

Did she? Hearing Gode's estimate was a ray of hope. Would Enel contradict it? She knew that Kid would not agree to subjugation and taxation, and he would be furious that she had left. She had no doubt that some of those men would die in Drafn. How many? That she could not be certain of. Would McKinley and his men be strong enough to carry out Enel's execution order before Kid killed them? Did Enel spare Killer's life knowing that he would be able to take it at this juncture?

A knot formed in her chest as she looked at Enel's expectant gaze. His brow rose when she gave no answer. She could not find her voice to respond. Her throat was too tight to breathe.

Enel sighed and turned to Gode. "Killer is weak. He will die easily, but they will need to get passed the wolf first." His lips curled in a malicious smile. "Twenty-one will leave here on the morrow. Five will return late in the evening."

"Five?" Nami gasped.

"Yes, only five," Enel said without inflection.

He did not care that he would lose those men to Kid's anger. Nami knew that she should care. She should feel remorse that those men would die because of her. But all she felt was relief.

"The cousin you had me spare before, will be spared again," he added.

She let out a long breath, a mixture of surprise and relief. "You will send your men to their deaths? You do not care that Kid will slaughter them all?" she asked as her shock overcame her relief.

"They are my guards. It is their duty to die for me," he explained. "They have been most loyal since I seized the throne from their old king. I have faith that they will fight and die honorably, knowing that they die for me. It is a necessary sacrifice to protect the future I have seen."

How many more people was he willing to sacrifice for his plans? How many more would die because she was there?

"Does that upset you?" Enel asked, his head cocked as he observed her reaction.

She forced a smile. "As you said, it is their duty. I will pray that the gods welcome them to their halls with open arms."

The king's laughter should ease her fears around him. She should feel relieved knowing that she had fooled him into believing her yet again. But his laughter only made her shoulders tense and stomach knot with fear. She wanted out of that hall and far away from him before she learned who else he would sacrifice to his cause. His hand gripped hers painfully tight, forcing her to remain as he continued to laugh.

"Was that so amusing?" she asked, her voice as soft as a mouse. His laughter began to subside and his hold on her hand loosened. She didn't dare snatch it away, not yet. He may see it as an insult. Though, he may not. He wanted her to fear him, and she did.

"Those gods and their halls will soon be no more," he said. "When I rise as a true god, above the filth in these lands, the old gods and their ways will cease to be. I will raze their halls and memories myself, if I must. But certainly, pray to them for the dutiful souls who fight and die for me. It will not matter, but it may be of comfort as they lay bleeding out in the mud."

Bile rose in her throat at the thought that these men would die for a man who would not mourn them. Enel did not even care enough to avenge their deaths. He would war with Kid and mean to defeat him, but that was for his own purposes, nothing more. He would step on the corpses of his people to achieve what he must. Their lives and their deaths held no more meaning to him than their use as stepping stones.

"Go see to your slave," Enel ordered, waving for her to leave. "I wish you luck breaking her in, but you may need to sleep with a knife in your hand until you have lost interest in her."

"I will keep that in mind," she whispered as she stood.

She had already planned to sleep with a weapon and possibly restrain Laki during the night, unless she saw reason in Nami's offer. But even if she agreed to the arrangement, Nami knew better than to trust her too easily. If she were in Laki's shoes, she would play the part of willing servant and then slit the throat of her captor the first second their guard lowered. She had dreamed of doing that very thing for years with Arlong and she was currently plotting Enel's demise. Laki seemed angry and scared enough to lash out at anyone she deemed a threat to her freedom. She would be dangerous and unpredictable.

Villagers milled around the square as Nami walked out. The people whispered to each other as they stared at the captives that should have been executed that day. She ignored the murmurs, the rumors that would flourish. They could not believe that Enel was softening. A life of enslavement was no better than death, and what Ove meant to do to his new slave would be worse than death. But they would wonder why he listened to her request at all. They were his captives and he killed all trespassers in his forest, especially those from the mountain tribes. They might fear for themselves, that the next law they broke would not end with a fine or lashing or dismemberment, but instead with a life that put them lower than a rat. People could do whatever they wanted with their slaves. Beat them, rape them, torture them, kill them in cold blood. They needed no justification for their actions.

The people would believe Nami to be as cruel as their king for taking a woman as her slave. That suited her fine, for now. If rumors swirled that she was cold-hearted and ruthless, then Enel would not grow curious of her intentions.

"You cannot do this to us," Laki hissed to Conis.

Kamakiri stood beside her, his face gripped in Ove's large hand while the priest attempted to pry open his mouth to examine his teeth, as though he were livestock up for auction. They remained in their chains, but were no longer bound to their stakes. Guards surrounded them with spears in hand to deter them from fleeing, but Nami doubted they were stupid enough to try.

Conis grimaced at Laki's ire, held her hands up as though she intended to calm, but her eyes flit about nervously and she kept her mouth shut. She knew there was nothing she could say to Laki to ease her concerns. Not there, anyway.

Law stood nearby, huddled in his black cloak and hood. She caught his faint smile. He seemed far too amused with the show, but his sadism suited her, too. Her alliance with an outsider, an exile from another kingdom, would have more fear her if only because of her association with a murderer.

"The key for their shackles," Nami ordered, a hand held out to the nearest guard.

"Lady Nami, I do not think that wise," he said.

"How are they supposed to do their duties with those chains?" she asked. "Ove might be particular to seeing his slave in chains. I do not know his preferences. But I want mine out of her fetters."

"But—"

"If she runs, you have my leave to put an arrow in her," she said flatly. "Just try to aim for a leg. I still want her alive. You can cut the tendons in her ankles to keep her from fleeing again."

Laki stared at her in horror, an expression mirrored by Conis and the other people of the village. Nami's threat made bile rise in her own stomach, and she had to cross her arms over her chest to hide how her hands shook. She hoped the woman did not run. She did not want to see the guards make good on her threat.

"Corazon, I want you to examine her. Thoroughly," she said as the guard opened Laki's shackles and unwound her chains. "I cannot have an ill woman in my bed."

He glared from the shadows of his hood at the command, but nodded in agreement to keep with the farce.

"Mine, as well," Ove spoke up, releasing Kamakiri's face with a shove. He grinned wickedly at his new slave. "I like my men prettier than this, but if you can treat the wounds on his back so I do not have to stare at seeping puss or scars, I will be content."

She sneered at his rumbling laugh. He was enjoying this far too much. She pitied Kamakiri's fate, but she had no power to change it.

"I have everything I need at my home," Corazon said as he turned to walk away. "I will examine both there."

He would examine Kamakiri there, but not Laki. If she said otherwise while in front of Enel's hall and guards, that might raise suspicions, so she held her tongue as she snatched Laki by the arm to drag her through town to the peninsula. Ove did the same with Kamakiri once his slave was free of his fetters. He had not needed to give a warning to keep his slave from fleeing. The axe he bore was warning enough, and Kamakiri was too weak to have any hope at getting far if he ran.

Laki jerked at her grip and Nami glared over her shoulder, but paused when she noticed the guards following. "We do not need your escort," she called back to them.

"If they attack you and attempt to flee—" one began to say.

"Then Ove will take care of it," she said. "Or do you believe he is incapable of killing two malnourished slaves hobbled by injuries?"

He opened his mouth to argue but snapped it shut when Ove snarled. His skin turned pale and he took a step away from them. The other guard cleared his throat. "We mean no insult," he muttered. "Of course, you are safe with one of the king's priests."

"I would be safe without," she said, sparing them a wave over her shoulder as she tugged Laki along once more. "I am not so weak," she called back. "If you do not believe me, I will use you both to practice my spear work when Enel trains me next."

She did not bother to see what reaction that garnered from them. She heard Ove snort his own amusement. It must be a sight that he would enjoy seeing, though she doubted he would hope for her victory. Not long ago, he might have rooted for her in a battle, but that time was gone.

Laki gave up her struggles by the time they reached the edge of the village, but Nami did not loosen her grip. She knew the woman would take advantage if she lowered her guard. With the militia far behind them, she might think to have a chance at escape. Ove would catch her in an instant, if he was so inclined, and Nami was just as capable of chasing down a fleeing slave. It was a foolish hope, but if Nami were in her position, she might hope the same.

Pagaya's home was closer, so when the path they took forked in two different directions, Nami turned away from Law's.

"I do not want that rat looking upon her while you examine her, Corazon," she explained.

Law paused where the paths branched, but Ove continued toward Law's home. "The other one's wounds are more severe," he said as he waved her off toward Pagaya's. "I will see to him first and meet you after."

She was fortunate Ove did not question her desire for privacy. He did not seem to care one whit about her intentions.

She watched the men walk away until they disappeared around a bend, and then jerked on Laki's arm to continue toward Pagaya's. Her captive planted her feet and refused to move.

"What do you think you are doing?" Nami asked. "We do not have time for you to fight me here."

Laki narrowed her eyes on her but said nothing, so Nami gave another sharp tug and forced her to stumble along.

"Why did you claim me as your slave?" Laki finally asked as the house appeared through the trees. "Why not let me die? Why torture me with this fate?"

"I have my reasons," she answered cryptically.

Conis hurried ahead to announce their arrival to her father. She had been silent the whole time, nervously wringing her hands and searching the woods around them. She was uneasy with Nami's plans. It made sense for her to be worried, especially with how little Nami was willing to tell her. The less Conis knew, the better, though that would change very soon.

Nami invited herself into Pagaya's home and found father and daughter huddled together, whispering to each other. Pagaya had a kettle of stew over the fire that filled the small home with the scent of buttery broth and vegetables. A loaf of hard, brown bread sat on the table, a knife and cup of butter beside it, and a pitcher of goat's milk nearby. They were interrupting his evening meal, but he could eat as they spoke.

"Lady Nami," Pagaya greeted as soon as he noticed her. "Conis says you need me to translate something for this new slave of yours?"

Laki twisted her arm in another futile attempt at escape. "I do not understand what you are up to," she hissed. "I speak your language. Why do you need a translator? I thought you were only treating my wounds."

"She is wounded?" Pagaya exclaimed as he came closer to inspect her. He squinted in the dim light provided by the fire. "Ah, the woman in the square. Sit. Sit. Will Corazon be treating her?"

"After he has finished with her companion," Nami explained as she shoved Laki down into a chair by the table. "Ove has taken him as a slave, too. Conis – shut and bar the door, and carve that sigil I showed you into the wood. Stand guard there for the time being."

"Yes." Conis nodded and rushed to follow her orders.

Pagaya hummed as he fingered his beard. He canted his head and examined Laki who sat there glaring at them. Nami thought she saw a flash of fear in her eyes, but it was hard to tell with the flickering flame in the hearth.

The long, pained gurgle from the woman's stomach was far more obvious.

"Do you have stew and bread to spare?" Nami asked. "I apologize that we have interrupted your meal, and now I am asking you to share, but I doubt the king bothered to feed her since he took her captive. Not if he intended to put her to death."

"I have plenty. Will you have a bowl, too?"

Nami shook her head. "I will eat supper with the king when we are finished here. Conis may eat with you once I am certain my slave will not attempt to flee."

Pagaya took two more bowls and cups from a chest beside the fire. As he ladled out a helping of stew, Nami took one of the cups to fill with milk and hold out to Laki.

"Will you answer my questions or not?" Laki snapped. "Why am I here?"

"Eat first," Nami commanded as she sat across from her. "I do not want your stomach interrupting our business."

Laki's lip curled, but her stomach growled in protest of her defiance. She needed the food if she was to think clearly, and the generosity might go a long way in persuading her. Nami knew she saw reason as she slumped over and accepted the bowl of stew without further argument. Nami nodded at Conis to join them, gesturing that she take the seat beside Laki; it would appear that she meant for Conis to guard Laki, but Nami merely needed Pagaya close by to whisper to him. She was still not certain what Enel could hear there.

Nami watched as the three ate in silence. Laki had been slow to take her first taste of the stew, waiting for Conis to sip at her broth first. She remained wary as she spooned out a chunk of cabbage, chewed carefully as she glanced around the room. Once she found a generous bite of fish in her stew, she devoured her meal like the starved woman she was. Pagaya served her a second bowl, urged her to have an extra helping of bread, and Conis poured another cup of milk after Laki guzzled the first down.

"You will eat better than that in my care," Nami said while Laki began to eat her second bowl. She glanced up, brows furrowed in confusion. "You will need the strength."

Laki's brow lifted. "For my duties in your bed?"

Pagaya choked on his stew in alarm. Nami ignored his blustering as she stared hard at Laki.

"For the storm that is building on the horizon," she explained. "I spared you because I need you."

"To strengthen your magic, as you told Enel?"

Nami turned to Pagaya and waved him closer. He cleared his throat as he leaned in and listened to her whisper, "To provide allies to a wolf in Drafn."

Pagaya jerked away, eyes wide in disbelief. Nami pointed to Laki, encouraging him to translate. He cleared his throat again, his beard twitched with a frown, and then he stammered out foreign words only Laki should know.

"Allies? A wolf? I do not understand." Laki glanced between them.

Nami whispered to Pagaya. "I offer you my allegiance. All I need to know is the location of your chieftain."

Pagaya's translation shocked Laki. Her brows rose, jaw dropped, and then she shoved from her chair with an alarmed shout. "I will not tell you where the tribe is," she yelled.

Nami glared as Conis jumped up to block the woman's escape.

"You would be wise not to speak so openly," Nami warned while Conis held her hands up in some attempt to ease the other woman's temper. "I do not know who may be listening."

"Why would I tell you where we have settled? What is this alliance you seek?" Laki continued.

"Sit down and be quiet," Nami growled, pointing at the chair in front of her. "You invite danger with your shouting."

"Explain yourself!"

Nami stood and slammed her hands onto the table. Her temper was on razor's edge as she felt fear prickle at the back of her neck. If Laki continued to argue, they were liable to be heard, sigil or not.

"The child you seek, do you wish to find her?" she asked, her tone sharp as a whip.

"Do you know where she is?" Laki asked, distracted from her tirade. The child was truly important to her. She was her priority.

Nami sighed and forced herself to soften. Arrogance and coldness would not win her any friends. Laki needed to know that she sympathized.

"I do not," she whispered. "But I will do what I can to help you find her."

Laki's shoulders relaxed as she began to calm. "And in return—"

Nami pressed a finger to her own lips, signaling that she not finish that thought. "You will teach me your language. Enough to communicate with you privately without a translator. I will explain more myself when I am able, but if you say anything else of this offer I have extended, it may court trouble for all of us."

Laki slumped back into her chair and Nami lowered into hers. "What—" Laki looked toward Pagaya, pursed her lips, and then continued in her Sami tongue for Pagaya to translate. "What does this wolf need allies for?"

"War," Nami answered.

"Against?" she asked.

Nami said nothing, but she could see realization dawn on Laki with every second she remained silent. Even she knew it was suicide to speak openly of war against the king while so close to his hall.

"What of Kamakiri? Is that bear making him the same offer?" Laki asked at a whisper so full of hope, Nami's heart ached at the answer she would have to give.

"He is fortunate to be alive," she said through Pagaya. "I will do what I can to help him, but…"

She did not say anything more, but Laki understood well enough. She placed a hand over her mouth and stifled a sob.

"But Aisa—you will help me find her?" she struggled to ask. "You will help me find my cousin?"

At Nami's nod, Laki cleared her throat and wiped at a tear. She sat straight, raised her chin, and gave a short nod in return.

"I will teach you our language," she said, shoring up the strength she had. "And you will explain this all to me yourself. Fully. I want your secrets if I am to share mine."

"Then you will teach Conis, as well," Nami said. "I want no more secrets with her, either. She deserves to know the truth of what I mean to do here."

Laki nodded and held out her hand. "Then we are in agreement. I will teach you my language, and in time, I will share what I can."

Nami took her hand and smiled in relief. "Let us hope I am a quick learner. I doubt we have long before the storm strikes. Before the first harvest, there will be war."

---

The rat moaned and struggled in his cage as Law watched the two men speak in a language that may as well be gibberish to his ears. He kicked the cage he leaned against and hissed for his prisoner to be quiet. He may not be able to understand the words, but he could make astute guesses from their tone and gestures.

Ove had begun the conversation at a low rumbling growl. It had since escalated into sharp words, hands flying as they argued. He hoped Nami was having better luck communicating with her new slave.

Ove said something that made Kamakiri fall silent, shock written all over his face. The bear pointed toward the door and Law heard Nami's name. He punched a finger into Kamakiri's chest with enough force to make him stumble back, and growled what Law assumed was a low threat.

The rat whined. The cage door rattled.

"Shh," Law hissed with another kick. It was a good thing he had not cut the sutures on Nezumi's lips. The man would not cease his whining then. "I will feed you once they are gone," he whispered. "Sit and wait."

Nezumi huffed and slumped over in defeat.

The conversation fell silent as the two men stared at each other. One in thought, the other waiting.

Kamakiri glanced to the door, pursed his lips. He asked something, his tone quieter. Ove grunted and gave a short nod. Kamakiri scrubbed a hand over his face as he released a long sigh. The tension in the air was palpable, but the moment he dropped his hand and held it out to Ove, it vanished.

Ove grinned, truly grinned, as he clasped Kamakiri's hand and jerked him into a hug. It was the happiest he had seen the man since meeting him. His warm, jovial laugh was infectious and brought a wary smile to Kamakiri's face. Even Law felt himself grin.

"Does this mean I can finally treat his wounds?" Law asked when Ove broke the hug with a hard pat on his new ally's shoulder.

"Yes. Treat them well. I do not want any of them to fester. He will need his strength and soon," Ove said in Frankish.

His grin vanished, but his eyes were as bright and alive as ever. He had helped his lady secure an ally, without her even knowing it. Even if she failed to persuade Laki, she would have the information she needed out of Kamakiri. His jarl will surely be proud of all that he has done for Nami.

As Law helped cut away Kamakiri's tattered and bloodstained tunic, Ove threw himself into a chair and reclined back, proud and at ease. He seemed entirely too content, too pleased with the day. Certainly, he had Kamakiri's allegiance, which should secure the Sami tribe to his jarl's side, but Law could not understand why he was so excited.

And then he remembered Enel's earlier orders.

"What will happen to McKinley and his men?" he asked in Frankish as he set to work on Kamakiri's shredded back.

Ove's grin returned – wide and bloodthirsty.

"He will only allow enough to live to convey his intentions clearly," Ove said. "If the gods are with them, a handful may return to die at their king's feet after delivering Jarl Eustass's message."

"And what message will that be?"

Ove laughed. Law paused in his work to regard his feral, madden expression. He waited until the man growled an answer he had not expected.

"A king kneels only for his queen."

---

A/N: As I said, I am going to attempt to keep these chapters shorter to keep to a more consistent schedule. It'll also build suspense.

Some notes - a reviewer had mentioned making the Shandians into Sami people, and that was actually my intention from the start. I had mentioned a few chapters back, when Conis and Nami spoke about them, that they herded reindeer. Husbandry is a major part of Sami life in some areas.

I will warn that my representation of the Sami will not be perfect because the Shandians are not Sami. I will do my best to remain respectful of them, though. The Sami people, in this time period, were slowly being driven further north by the Nordic people. According to my scant research, they usually coexisted in some manner of peace because they had different economic niches and food sources, but the Nordic people had better access to southern trade and wealth (and disease), thus making it easier for them to seize Sami lands and people if they desired it. There is a history of trade between the groups, possibly assimilation in some areas, some Sami utilized the strength of their Nordic neighbors and paid taxes in exchange for protection from shared enemies, and there are tales of wars and battles between them (at least they are assumed to be in reference to the Vikings). As time carried on, relations grew much worse, with the Sami losing rights, resources (especially those along the valuable coasts), and their independence/ sovereignty. Their language and culture especially came under attack in the last few centuries, especially around WWII. Since the war, they were mostly assimilated into the Scandinavian culture, though Finland, Norway, and Sweden do have Sami parliaments now that give the ethnic group some political influence, and there has been renewed interest in their culture, language, and history.

I do not know much about the Sami and their exact relationship with the Norse at this time period, I can only go off what historians assume to be the case based on scant evidence, but I will do my best to remain respectful.

The Nordic people often referred to the Sami tribes in relation to where they were settled. So, Mountain, or River Sami were those that lived more inland. Sea Sami lived along the coasts. They are of the same ethnic group, the Norse just differentiated between them. There were other terms they used to refer to them, but some of them are considered disrespectful, so I will stick with just 'Sami'.

About the Sami language - it is an Uralic language, like Finnish or Hungarian, rather than having any relation to Norse (which is a Germanic language).

Since I make mention of Ove's sexuality again, I will explain that it was not looked down upon for men to have sex with other men, so long as they were in the 'active'/'male' role, i.e. penetrating. The Viking raiders were actually known to rape men they captured, not just women, in order to emasculate and humiliate them, and slaves in their society had zero rights and could be used however they desired. It was only when men subjected themselves to be in the 'female' position, that they were condemned and looked down upon. They were called 'ergi' - which is a term that has been applied to some of the gods, as well (ex: Odin for his practice of seidr - a womanly magic, and his supposed transformation into a female to have sex with men in a ritual; and Loki is of course considered ergi for giving birth, among other questionable acts).

Female homosexuality was not deemed important enough to discuss in the sagas. It happened (there is reference to women refusing men because of their own sexuality), but was generally overlooked as long as they married and had children (something that was expected of gay men, as well). Shieldmaidens were often women who refused typical gender roles, and some believe this was because they were gay (or trans), but there are stories where they eventually put down their sword and married. Also, some believe the goddess Frigga's handmaidens could be her lovers, that some of the descriptions of them could be euphemisms (Norse poetry is filled to the brim with kennings that make it difficult to decipher, so this is entirely plausible). One is said to 'keep her secrets', an act considered intimate. So yes, Nami collecting women to be her 'handmaidens' is a reference to this theory. Because of her higher social class and status, and her spiritual position as a volva, her desire for female sexual partners is not considered abnormal.

Does she have sex with them? *shrugs* I will leave that up to the readers' imaginations and preferences. I can safely say that, while I will not depict it, there are at least two named female characters that will have sex with each other at some point in time. It just has no relevance to the plot, so I'm not writing it. But, I will mention it near the end of the arc. Tbh, none of the women I write are actually straight in my head, soooo... *shrug*

Last note is about the Swedish King I briefly mention - no, he is not a One Piece character or of particular importance. Technically the king of Sweden at this time period is Erik the Victorious (I make a subtle reference to that), but seeing that Norway does not have its proper king in this story (Olaf Tryggvason), then I can't really say if it's actually Erik ruling over Sweden, lol. The fun of fusing fictional characters with actual history.

I think that is it for notes on this chapter.

Advance warning for the next chapter - it will obviously have a lot of violence and gore. And I mean A LOT. :)