Warning: Violence, gore, cannabis/hashish use.
Disclaimer: I do not own One Piece or the characters, they belong to Eiichiro Oda.
The First Glimmer of Hope
McKinley woke late in the day, just as the servants began to set out supper. His flesh burned from a fever and he thrashed violently on the pallet Law had transferred him to. Through broken and swollen lips, he cried out, "Wolf." Over and over, he hollered it. Bloody spittle ran down his chin, splattered over the faces of the servants that raced to hold him down at Law's command.
Nami stood with Enel and Ohm, watching as Law braced McKinley's head and forced a spoonful of green-brown paste into his mouth. He slid the clean spoon out, held McKinley's mouth shut, and tilted his head back to force him to swallow whatever concoction he created. She watched with bated breath as McKinley thrashed less and less. Law and the servants eased their grips as he began to settle. His breathing evened out, his body went boneless with sleep, and Nami let her breath out in a rush of relief.
Law sat back with a disgruntled sigh, glaring at the blood and spit on his hands. "The hashish should ease his pain and fever, as well as help him sleep," he said as he grabbed a linen cloth to wipe his hands clean. "I could use a censer to burn dried hemp leaves and seeds. The scent will keep him calm. If he wakes up thrashing like that again, he'll tear out his stitches and bleed to death."
"You should just let him die," Ohm muttered.
Nami glared and prepared to argue, but Enel held up a hand to quiet them both. "That will not be necessary, Ohm." The king looked to one of the servants. "Search through some of the trinkets in my hoard for a censer. There is one from India that might suffice for Corazon's uses. Is there anything else you require?"
"More linen and water."
Enel nodded at the servants, sending them to fetch what Law needed. "And what of the prisoner you keep in your home? Would you like a guard sent to watch over him?"
"He has no hands, is locked in a cage, and is too weak to survive if he did somehow break out." Law turned to her with a grin. "And I suspect Lady Nami would not mind if he starved alone for a few days."
She did not mind, but Law had said that Nezumi was of use to him, so she doubted he would leave him to suffer for long.
Enel laughed. "No, I do not doubt that." He turned for the door with Ohm. "I will send your supper in shortly. Come along, Nami."
"I'll be right there. I would like to call for Eir to aid Corazon in his work," she said.
"If you feel that you must," Enel said, shrugging. "Do not be long."
As soon as the king and his priest left, Nami rushed to kneel beside Law. "How is he doing? Truly?" she whispered in Frankish.
Law glowered as he pulled the fur blankets off McKinley's body and then peeled away the bandages on his stomach. "He did not tear his stitches this time and there has been no evidence of internal bleeding. None of his wounds appear infected at this stage, but the fever is worrisome."
"And the hashish will help?"
Law nodded. "The strain I had him ingest was combined with willow bark, the latter is especially good for fever, but the hashish will ease his pains and soothe his mind so he can sleep. Only rest will allow his body to heal."
Nami gnawed on her lip as she thought of how painful McKinley's recovery would be. Perhaps Ohm was right. Death may be a greater mercy.
"If his pain is too much for the hashish, I have some opium from the east that will help," Law said quietly. "I do not have much, so I would prefer not to use it unless absolutely necessary. Not unless your king has his own stash of opium here."
"I'm not sure. We have received some trade from the Mediterranean routes recently, but I only know of the fruit the merchants brought, not medicine."
"I will ask his healers." Law replaced the bandages before leaning over to catch her gaze. "Did you sleep at all?"
She grimaced at the subtle rebuke in his tone and shrugged in answer. She tried to rest, but her mind could not find peace. There was too much to do still, and her dreams only reminded her of that. She had to seal alliances and find a way to send a message to Kid without Enel questioning her intentions. She did not know how much longer Kid would wait before making his own move. If the gods had bound him from coming after her, he might have no choice, but she doubted their chains would hold him for long. His anger would get the best of him if he had to wait too long.
If only she had a way to soothe his ire from Oslo.
"I will make a pill of hashish for you to ingest before bed and have Conis search for another censer," Law said, breaking into her thoughts. "Burn the herbs tonight and sleep. You will be of no good to anyone if you continue to walk about looking half in the grave."
She glowered at his remark, though was silently grateful for the offer. "What of you?" she asked, pointedly staring at the dark circles beneath his eyes. "You look as though you never sleep."
Law snorted. "Worry not. I will sleep well with my patient once I am brought a censer."
"Should you really be sleeping while your patient is so close to death?"
He shrugged indifferently. "He will be fine for a few hours."
"And do you truly mean to leave Nezumi to rot?" she asked, frowning. "I thought he was of use to you."
"He is, which is why I told Ove to check on him from time to time."
"And Ove is willing?" She cocked her brow at him. Ove may be working to aid her in some manner, but he did not seem overly fond of her ally. She could not imagine him doing Law any favors.
Law smirked. "I said he was free to do whatever he desired to my captive, so long as he left him alive. He seemed satisfied enough with that." He sighed. "I should have told him that I need the rat to be sane, as well," he mused, then brushed it off with a shrug as he gathered his things to search through pouches of medicine. "Go eat your supper, Nami. If McKinley decides to die tonight, there is nothing you or I can do to stop it now."
Resigned to do nothing but wait, Nami stood and turned to leave.
"If nothing else, feel hopeful that your gods believe this man still holds use in this realm," Law said softly. She glanced down at him to see that he stared at McKinley, his gaze distant and solemn. He looked up and graced her with a confidant smirk. "If for no other reason than to test my skills and prove my own value to you. And I will not fail that test."
"Thank you, Corazon. Rest well tonight."
"You, as well."
Nami spent most of supper watching the people in the hall as she quietly ate. Enel and Satori laughed as they spoke of the ark's progress. Ohm remained silent when not idly insulting his peer. Of the warriors that ate in the hall, Nami noticed a stark contrast in moods. Those that made up Enel's main army unit were in good spirits, their appetites large and the conversations jovial. The militia soldiers that focused on affairs within Oslo, or collected taxes from the surrounding territory, were sullen and hardly ate as they cast glances toward the hall leading to Law's temporary hospital room.
Sympathy knotted in her chest. They had lost twenty of their comrades and their leader's life depended on the skills of a stranger. The only one that did not seem worried was the boy McKinley had been assigned as a ward, but he had not had the time to bond with his new guardian. The other men had years with McKinley, and most were born to the area, had followed McKinley's lead when Enel arrived and bent their knee to the new king without a struggle.
Their brother suffered on the precipice of death and they could do nothing but wait.
Unable to stomach the rest of her meal, Nami allowed Laki to take her plate to her room and steal whatever she wanted from it. She stood from her table, ignoring Enel's curious gaze, and walked over to the militia tables. She greeted the confused men with a smile, took a pitcher of ale from a passing servant, and took a seat. If she could do nothing more for their captain, she could at least try to set their hearts at ease and distract them from their worries.
It took some time, and four pitchers of ale, but she got the men to laugh. Nothing more than somber chuckles as they shared stories about McKinley and the men they lost. Most of them had grown up in Oslo, or came from the surrounding farms, and they all respected their leader, knew him since they were children, followed him without question or doubt. They told her that he cared for his village and the people he protected, wanted nothing more than to maintain order and peace for them, no matter what it took.
She was right to believe that his actions were not taken out of cruelty or malice. He upheld the king's laws to keep his people from revolting and dying in the war that would ensue. He was protecting them. She did not agree with his methods, but she supposed she was not in a position to belittle him for it. She sat at Enel's side, ate his food, clad herself in his riches, all while his people suffered in fear outside his walls. And it had been the same in Tingstad, where she had garnered a reputation as a witch because of her cold glares and unyielding punishment against any stupid enough to take up arms against Arlong – at least against those she made it to before Arlong or his brothers. Her beatings and the fines she leveled on them were a mercy compared to what Kuroobi would do to them if he got to them first. Bruises mended easier than broken bones, and better to part with a few trinkets of gold or silver than one's life.
"There were rumors once, before the king arrived, that McKinley attempted to court your handmaiden," one of the guards whispered.
"Conis?" She stared in surprise at the piece of gossip. She had not expected to learn that sort of information, but it made her realize that she had not bothered to learn anything about the people in Oslo outside of the king and his priests, as well as Conis. But Conis had not told her of this. "What happened?"
"Those were just rumors," another guard huffed. "He visited her and Pagaya often, that was what started the whispering."
"I swear he had his eye on her," the first said. "But she refused him."
A third guard snorted. "Of course, she did."
"He was captain of the previous king's guard before, correct?" Nami asked, looking around as the men bobbed their heads in answer. "Why would she refuse a man with such a good position? The political advantage alone would benefit her and her father. And his pay would see they lived more comfortably than they do now."
The third man beckoned her to lean closer as he glanced around the hall. "Flannfluga."
Nami laughed in astonishment at the label. Her family once bore those claims because they refused marriage, but they did not flee from men in all ways. It was a common label for shieldmaidens that chose war over marriage. Many had no desire for men, some identified more strongly with their male counterparts than the female, and others just wanted to war. To be flannfluga, though, a woman tended to prefer the company of other women.
"There you go spreading that rumor again," the first guard hissed. "Even I do not claim that as her reason to refuse him."
"She had no reason because he had not courted her," the second guard said, rolling his eyes in exasperation. "But if you spread those sorts of claims, you may well get her in trouble with her lady." He gestured to Nami. "She may be offended by such a woman."
Nami raised her hands to wave off the thought. "Of course not. Many of the shieldmaidens in my family refused all relationships with men. According to my mother, it was quite common for them to be more inclined to women."
"And you forget," the third guard huffed, "she just took a woman to be her slave for that very same reason."
"Ah, that is true," the second relented. "Still, it is not wise to spread such gossip. I am sure Conis will find a husband in the future, even if it is not McKinley."
The men nodded in agreement.
"And what of you all?" Nami asked, deciding she should learn more of their lives outside of their duties to the king. "Are you all married, or do you have a girl you wish to court?"
To her surprise, many of the men turned their gazes to their cups, their expressions grave. She gaped at them, searched for one of them to meet her gaze so they might explain the sadness so many carried. The guard beside her caught her eyes and managed a smile that was more grimace.
"I am married, with a son and three daughters," he said quietly, "but my wife"—he sighed and glanced up at the king—"she has stayed faithful to me, but the marriage has turned cold."
She nodded in understanding. He did not have to say more. Their fealty to this new king strained their relationships with the villagers, including their own kin. She could understand that well.
"There was a guard once," whispered another, "when King Enel first took the throne. He bent his knee with McKinley and the rest of us, but his wife—"
"She was vocal in her resentment," the man beside her said with a more obvious grimace. "It is a crime to speak ill of the king."
One of the guards who spoke of Conis nodded as he spun his cup. "It is even worse to speak slander and insults directly to his face." There was a round of nods among all the guards.
"Since this woman was a wife to one of his guards, the king, in his mercy, gave his guard a choice—"
"Either he take them both as prisoners, subject them both to lashings and torture and enslavement—"
"Or the guard kill his wife and prove his loyalty," said the man beside her. His hard stare said all she needed to know, but he still leaned in to whisper the outcome. "He was given a night to make his decision. He could not bear to see his wife tortured. He knew that she would likely die from it, a long miserable death. He reeked of ale and he sobbed loudly when he delivered her body the next morning."
"Two days later, McKinley found him face down in the lake," said another guard, shaking his head solemnly. "A pouch of poisonous mushrooms and an empty mug sat by his shoes at the shore."
"After that, McKinley suggested that any unmarried men in his militia remain that way."
"Not like we have much of a choice," said a man across from her with a derisive snort. "Most of the women don't speak to us beyond polite greetings or to sell their wares in the market. A few are friendly to those they've known since childhood, but… it's not the same."
Nami frowned as the men hummed in agreement. They were outsiders in their own village because of the choices they made. They could not lead normal lives for fear that they will be forced to choose between their king and their family. Even she could not make such a choice lightly, everything she had done in her life was to protect what family she had left, even if it made her an enemy to everyone else.
She did not know what to say to ease their guilt or fear. She could not feign optimism, not when she knew of the war that loomed over them. She could not promise that they would all survive the battles they would face. And she could not promise that Kid would pardon any survivors should he claim victory. So, she poured them more ale and struggled to smile while turning conversation to something she could let them hope for.
"I asked Eir to guide Corazon's hands and see that McKinley heals well," she said to them. "When he wakes, and is well enough, we will have to throw him a huge feast. He fought a frenzied wolf and lived to tell the tale. I think that is cause for celebration."
The men grumbled their agreements, fought to return her smile. The war would take a heavy toll on their consciences, they would have to decide once and for all who their fealty belonged to – King Enel, or the village they had sworn to protect.
Once supper was complete, the guards trickled away to see to their nightly duties, check on their captain, or go off to bed for a few hours of sleep before they would be roused for their next shift on the wall. Nami said her good nights to the king and his priests and slipped off down the hall to peek in on McKinley, herself.
Ove stood at the door with an irritated glower. She had seen him slip into the hall near the end of supper, but after he ate the remaining scraps of supper, he disappeared.
"The Islamic healers I have met typically warn against the overuse of hashish," Ove grumbled.
The room reeked of burning hashish, the odor sharp and strong. She looked around Ove to see that McKinley slept peacefully – as did his healer. Law sat upright against the wall on his pallet of furs, braced on his sheathed sword, with his eyes shut and lips twisted in a lazy smile. He chuckled, leaving her to wonder if he was awake, but he slumped down a moment later and his head lolled to the side. His chest rose and fell with even breaths, the rest of him limp with sleep.
Nami sighed. "The healers still use it in their practice."
"They are not supposed to use it themselves."
"He needs his sleep, too," she said in defense of her ally. "You're just searching for a reason to dislike him."
"I need no more reasons, he merely continues to present them to me."
She glared up at Ove. "He can be trusted," she said, her Frankish words sharp with her confidence.
"I highly doubt that," he growled.
"Then it is a good thing your opinion does not matter to me."
She spun away to storm off to her room, but Ove grabbed her by the wrist and jerked her back into him. He leaned down and whispered, "Do not get too attached to him, Lady Nami. He may wear the guise of a friend today, but tomorrow he may prove to be something different."
"Such as a mercenary traitor who claims to care only for riches yet follows me like a faithful dog despite all his claims of loathing me," she hissed.
Ove's grip tightened for a brief second, and then loosened enough for her to slip her hand away. "Exactly," he said, chuckling. "Do not forget that."
Confused, she tore away from him before he could try to stop her again. They needed to have a frank discussion about where exactly his loyalties stood. As much as she wanted to believe his betrayal was a ruse, she knew better than to get her hopes up. He may well be there for his own interests in her, rather than acting in Kid's interests. But, if it was true that he worked as a spy and guardian, then it was not safe to say anything that might make it obvious to Enel.
Her stomach fluttered with fear as she thought of what Enel would do to him if he learned that Ove was a spy. It would not just be a hand that Ove lost.
She shook away that fear when she noticed Conis waiting for her outside her quarters. She forced a smile for the handmaiden, whose returning smile was not as bright as it could be. Pink stained her cheeks and she looked away after a moment. The bashfulness did not escape her notice.
"You overheard?" Nami asked as she brushed by Conis.
"I heard my name," she whispered as she followed her inside. "I know the sort of rumors McKinley's men spread about me."
"I suspect my decision to take Laki as a bed slave did not help," Nami quipped once they were in her sitting room where a fire smoldered in the hearth to chase off the night's chill. Laki stood in the bedroom, spreading out the linen shift Nami would sleep in that night. She paused in her chore to glower at the remark. Nami merely smiled back, waving off her annoyance. "You share a bed with a mistress who claims to desire women for her pleasure," she said as she turned to Conis. "They did not claim that I use you, but I have no doubt they have thought it."
Conis's cheeks reddened as she fidgeted and wrung her hands. "It is likely."
"And what is the truth of these rumors?" Nami asked.
Conis's eyes widened and Nami swore she saw a flash of fear.
"I do not care if you flee men or marriage or anything of the sort," Nami rushed to explain. "I am not Christian, and my family is markedly different from others when it comes to relations between men and women. I would not punish anyone for who they share their bed with, and if the king or any man thought to cause you trouble for it, I would do what I could to intervene in those charges. I am curious, though, if McKinley courted you. He is also the one who suggested you to the king for the position as my handmaiden, which leaves me to wonder if he had other purposes bringing you to the hall."
Conis gnawed on her lip before sinking onto a bench covered with furs and thick pillows. Nami sat beside her and waited. Laki slipped closer, her curiosity piqued as she stared at Conis.
"It is true… to an extent," Conis began. "McKinley suggested a marriage years ago, but I was still young and my mother had just died. My father was not yet ready to part with me. It was a very generous offer, and… looking back, if I had to choose a man to have children with, he would be an agreeable husband."
"Agreeable but not someone you desire?" Laki asked, her head cocked to the side. "It would be a marriage of duty."
Conis shrugged. "He is the reason my father was left alone when Enel came. He convinced the king that the village needed an independent craftsman to repair what they could not. The king agreed. I owe a great deal to McKinley for that. The reason I am here is to repay some of that debt."
"How has he treated you since you came to the hall?" Nami asked. "I have not noticed you two spending much time together."
Conis shook her head. "We have both been busy with our duties. When I have spoken to him, he has been kind." A sad smile tugged at her lips. "Distant but kind. He used to be so jovial, but he has grown to be such a serious man. And now…"
Tears pricked her eyes as she bowed her head. Nami wound an arm around her shoulders and tugged her against her side to comfort her in her grief. Conis may not desire McKinley as Nami desired Kid, but she did care for him. There was history and friendship, even if it grew stiff and cold over the years since Enel claimed the throne. The others in the village likely faced the same pain and sadness, even as they all but shunned the men they had grown up with. The king had driven a wedge between the people, destroying old bonds and testing others.
A sob racked Conis, and Nami wrapped her up tight in her arms. Conis returned her embrace, clung to her. She had not seen Conis grieve for McKinley or his men since they returned. The weight of all that happened to them must have been a heavy burden. She may no longer be close to anyone in the militia, but old friendships were difficult to forget and put out of one's heart. It was impossible not to mourn for those lost, and for the one survivor who may yet leave them soon.
"Shhh, he will be all right," Nami whispered. Laki sat on the bench beside her, uncomfortable but sympathetic, and gripped Conis's arm in her own attempt to give comfort. "Corazon has sworn to take care of him. He is a good and talented healer, he will not fail to make McKinley well again."
How McKinley might change after such an event, she could not say, but he would be alive and that was cause enough to hope his friendship with Conis may return to how it was. Perhaps whatever fondness Conis still had for McKinley would be what helped revive their friendship.
Or perhaps it would be enough to sway McKinley and his men to turn away from the king. They kneeled to protect their people, but that would not be enough to save them from Enel's ambitions. And if they remained loyal and unquestioning, she would not be able to protect them from Kid's wrath. They would have to make their own choices and save the village themselves. She could not do anything to persuade the villagers to revolt. She was an outsider, and a priest, any attempt to stir discontent and aggression would be met with skepticism and mistrust. But, if they did not at least find a way to flee from the path of war, they would be caught in the tide and slaughtered by either side without any care.
Nami relaxed into the pillows as she held Conis, resting her cheek against the handmaiden's head. She was tired, but she had too many thoughts swirling in her mind. On top of devising a plan to turn the militia to her side, or at least to the side of the people, she had to locate Wiper's tribe and send a message to inspire an alliance between he and Kid, and Laki would not inform her of anything until she found her cousin. Kamakiri might have shared more with Ove, assuming Ove worked in her interests, but it was not safe to discuss much with them.
Laki continued to rub Conis's arm and shoulder, though she appeared no more comfortable with the gesture than she had been. Nami peeked at her as she thought about all she had to do for the Sami woman. She had no idea where to start looking for Aisa. The forest and mountains were a large area for a child to get lost in, filled with dangers that may turn their search into a tragedy.
"What is it?" Laki asked when she noticed Nami's gaze. Her brows knit together—annoyed or confused, Nami could not be certain.
"Have you spoken with Kamakiri?" Nami asked, prompting Laki's expression to turn solidly into one of confusion.
"Briefly. Only a few words before that brute of a bear took him away. Why?"
Nami pursed her lips and wished she could say more. They had not yet had much time for her to learn the Sami language. At best she knew a word or two, but if pressed to use them, they would drift far from her grasp and she would forget them until much later, when she did not need them again. She had not had such problems when learning Frankish and the various dialects, but she had been younger, and her tutors had immersed her in the language to prevent her lessons from going lax. Anyone within Arlong's hall, slave or warrior, was to speak to her in Frankish if they knew the language. As much as Arlong hated the tongue, he agreed it was the best way to teach her the dialects.
"I was just curious," Nami said before a yawn interrupted her. She squeezed Conis tight as she settled deeper into the furs and pillows. "I wanted to know how Ove was treating him. He has been fed better than I expected and does not seem any more damaged than when you two arrived, but appearances can be deceiving." A man she thought to be a traitor may very well be an ally. "If I can do anything for him without drawing Ove's ire, I will, but on the surface, his enslavement does not seem to warrant my intervention yet."
Laki nodded forlornly.
"May I ask, what is your relation to him?" Nami asked.
"We have been friends since childhood. He is one of the most devoted to Wiper's cause, as well," Laki said.
Being enslaved by his enemy's priest would be especially insulting, then. Yet Kamakiri truly did not look worse off for it. He was quiet and observant whenever Ove brought him into the hall, he ate well, his wounds were healing with no new ones appearing. He did not glare at his master, did not give away any impression of disgust with his situation. He seemed to be patiently waiting for something. His freedom, perhaps?
Too many questions, not enough answers.
"I need to find Aisa," Nami muttered as her eyes grew heavy. She let them shut, but sleep did not greet her, only the backs of her eyelids and the questions and plans that plagued her.
"You need to sleep," Laki said flatly.
Conis stirred in her arms. "I'm sorry, I have kept you awake," she said with a sniffle. Nami glanced at her as she pulled from her arms. Conis wiped at her tears and struggled to give her a shaky smile. "You did not sleep when you were supposed to this morning."
"And you slept fitfully the other night," Laki interjected
"And not at all the night before that," Conis added with a silent rebuke. "Corazon gave me a small bundle of his hashish with directions that you burn it and rest tonight."
Nami sank back with a sigh and rubbed her tired eyes. "I have too much to think about, too much to plan."
"And nothing will be accomplished if you do not rest," said Laki.
"Your thoughts will order themselves with sleep," said Conis.
Nami groaned. They were right. Answers may come to her as she slept. Or she may just find herself in Yggdrasil, staring down at fog and motionless roots that hid the man she desperately wished to see. She missed the comfort of Kid's embrace, the safety promised within his arms, the warmth he shared with just one kiss. She would not have any of it again if she failed to succeed there.
She would give anything to see him, to feel him. Just one more time.
"Lady Nami?" Conis asked, worry evident in her voice.
Nami felt a tear slip free and trail down her cheek. She shook her head, forced back her own grief, and wiped the tear away. She could not cry there. She could not lose her hope.
"I'm fine, just tired," she said, forcing a smile. "Are you feeling better, Conis?"
Conis nodded but appeared doubtful of Nami's excuse. Laki seemed to share that doubt, but she held her tongue as Nami dragged herself from the comfort of the bench.
"I will use Corazon's medicine and pray for my dreams to bring me some answers," she told them as she slipped into her bedroom to change. "I may fall asleep at my altar. Leave me there if I do, just cover me with extra furs so I don't grow ill."
The women exchanged a look. She ignored whatever thoughts they had as she drew the linen and silk curtains between the two spaces shut. She preferred to leave them open, but she desired privacy that night. Her fears and desires wore on her heart and she did not have the strength to smile again.
A bronze censer sat on a table beside her canopied bed, and a piece of cloth, folded and tied, rested next to it. She untied and opened the linen to find a soft ball of Law's green paste and a leather pouch that held loose seeds and small pieces of black charcoal. She was unsure how this medicine would help her, but if it allowed McKinley to rest, and even put Law to sleep, she supposed it would not hurt to try.
Once she had changed into her shift, she arranged the censer on the altar she kept tucked into a corner. The censer was shaped like a cat, with its head and body formed from an intricate latticework of weaving bronze. The design was one she knew to be from the Mediterranean countries, crafted by Islamic artisans. Its bronze body gleamed beautifully in the candlelight, and she decided the cat fit well on her altar.
The head of the cat lifted to reveal the inner chamber for the herbs or incense. She took a pellet of charcoal, held it over a candle flame until one end began to glow, and then placed it inside the censer with a few of the dry seeds before lowering the head back into place.
The smoke that wafted from the censer smelled of the sharp musk that permeated the room Law and McKinley occupied. It wasn't immediately pleasant, but after a few deep breaths she grew used to the scent and found it oddly soothing.
As the seeds burned, Nami poured herself a cup of ale from the flagon Conis left beside her washing bowl, and then settled onto the floor with an array of pillows and furs. She took a sip of ale before eating the soft pill of hashish. She grimaced at the bitter taste and washed it down with more ale.
She unbound her braids and ran a comb through her hair as she waited for the herbs to lull her mind. Her gaze focused on the altar and the pieces she had gathered in only the scant few months since she left Tingstad. The golden boar sat at the back. Its paint flickered from gold to orange as the candle's flame wavered. Its empty eyes appeared to move with the light, gazing at her one moment, and then off into the distance the next.
The silver box Kid stole for her sat at another corner toward the back, overflowing with strings of gold and pearls and polished gems. Trinkets she pilfered from the hoard in Britain, coins taken as fines for offenses, and other pieces that she had accumulated over the weeks in Enel's hall. Her broaches and amber and her mother's bracelet laid over the treasures—protecting them, blessing them. They were the most important pieces in the box, to be worn daily.
Her falcon took the most prominent spot on her altar. Kid had crafted it for Freyja, but it was not she who wore the falcon's cloak and watched over her in Oslo.
Her limbs grew heavy as she stared at the falcon before her. Her fingertips tingled as though they were numb, but as she eased the teeth of her comb through her hair, the silken graze of each strand felt like the gentle flow of a river upon her skin.
Her gaze blurred and sharpened. The shadows grew darker, the candle's flame brighter. The falcon's face shifted, its beak turned into a wry grin.
Her face twitched and tingled. She felt a smile tug at her lips and giggled at the statue's strange face. He was watching her even there.
Would he help her in the dilemma she faced? Could he help her?
Hands as heavy as stone fell into her lap. Her eyes sagged, threatened to shut. Every part of her seemed to relax all at once. She felt as though she would sink into the floor, into the earth, swallowed up whole.
She breathed in the last wisps of the musky smoke and shut her eyes on a sigh.
And then she felt as light as air.
She heard herself laugh again as her body swayed. Her hair cascaded over her back, tickled the nape of her neck. She snickered as she drank in the shiver that raced down her spine. The air itself seemed to be caressing her, whispering to her, embracing her.
She thought she was too tired to smile again, yet it was stuck on her face as she floated on her pillows and furs and wondered if a cloud felt as soft.
The soft patter of rain filtered in through the haze of her wandering thoughts. The scent of damp wood replaced the smoldering embers in the censer. Thunder rumbled in the distance. The air around her shuddered with the sound, yet she did not fear it. It seemed to fill her veins with energy, tickled her spine with the need to act. She remained comfortable on her cloud of fur, absorbing the charged air, breathing in the rain.
"Ah, the good healer has fine taste in medicine," a voice hummed from somewhere above. "He pleases me more and more each day."
She opened her eyes to find herself in the great tree. The branches and leaves around her swayed with the breeze while mist swirled up and around. It seemed different, yet the same. Details seemed sharper, each evergreen leaf as real as those she would see in her world while awake. The wood beneath her fingertips as she sat upon a bough was intricately gouged by its bark, while the sharp scent of its sap mixed with the scent of rain.
It was not uncommon for priests and priestesses to use various herbs and plants, strange medicines and magic brews, to send their minds to other realms in ritual. Mushrooms and henbane were most used, but trade far to the south and east provided hashish and opium. They were said to heighten the experience, connect them to the gods with far greater clarity.
Nami had never tried anything stronger than mead. The assembly that Arlong had taken her to had magic brews concocted from henbane and mushrooms that fueled the orgy she walked in on. There was no ritual to that, though. The men had only sought to enjoy themselves, the brews merely fueled their lusts. She did not understand what sort of ecstasy they took from such an event back then, but now she could see the attraction of it. Though, she would rather avoid lying with strangers in such a state.
The thought of joining with Kid sparked her curiosity. His touch alone invoked ecstasy and magic beyond any she had known. They may well truly lose their minds if they joined in such a state.
"The day your people learned of hashish from the Muslims was a blessing," the voice continued, bringing her wandering mind back to the present. "The scent…" A sigh broke into his words. "Ah, it is glorious."
Nami looked up to see fiery hair spill over the branch above her. Loki reclined languidly, stretched out with an arm dangling limply and a single leg bent to steady him on his perch.
"I take it you would like this as an offering instead of the berries and wine?" she asked, her smile growing.
His hair shifted as though he turned his head. A chuckle drifted along the wind. "Perhaps," he said, an alluring purr in his voice. "All good things in moderation, though. If you or I spend too much time in this haze, nothing will change in the world. Nothing will be accomplished."
Those words sobered her. She turned her gaze down and searched for the wolf chained at the roots. The knotted web remained where the tree had shifted to hide Kid, the mist thickened to shroud it further, but she could hear the whimpers and scratches of the wolf, the rattle of its chains. They were not as urgent as they had been, done more out of stubborn habit.
Her limbs ached with the urge to go to him. She wanted to soothe him, and she wanted him to ease her own worries. But she could not move, no matter how much she wished to.
"It is not yet time," Loki said. "You took a great and foolish risk last time. It is best to wait a while, until all the pieces are set."
"Enel said he heard him call for me," Nami said with a long sigh. Loki was right, it was too soon. If she went to Kid and the king heard her, he would put an end to her before she even woke from the vision.
"Of course, he did," Loki said. "I warned you that his magic is too strong to fight directly."
"He did not hear me. I silenced myself as soon as I heard the thunder, but he has been in the tree other nights and there was no thunder to warn of his presence. Could he have lied about that? Could he have heard me talking to him?"
Loki shifted again, this time turning to his side to peer over the bough and meet her curious gaze. "His magic is strong, but it is not pure. He can sense you, but for some reason he cannot always hear you."
"Can he hear you?"
He shook his head. "He cannot even sense me." His lips tugged into a frown as he sprawled over the branch on his stomach. "Thor has complained of it to me many times. Something is disjointed in that family's magic. Their senses are not what they should be, especially after they wove their lineage with Freyja's. He can hear and see much in the realm of mortal men, far more than you can. His magic is unrivaled there, but the realms of the gods seem to be beyond his reach." He sighed. "Ask him of it, he may confide this particular weakness in you, though he may not view it as a weakness considering his unbridled arrogance."
"What of Yggdrasil? He was not surprised when I said the tree had sheltered me. Can he sense the life in the tree?" Even as she asked that question, she could feel the pulse of growth and subtle movement in the branch beneath her, like a fluttering, slow heartbeat.
"That I am not certain of," Loki admitted. "He is comfortable here, but Yggdrasil does not favor him as it does you."
She hummed as she wondered on that. Could it be her connection to the gods was stronger than his own? Seidr was meant to communicate with the gods, to hear them, to speak to them. Foresight was part of it, but the root of it was a connection to the other realms, an understanding of the worlds connected to their own. He should be able to hear the gods, or at least sense their voice when they are close.
But if it was true that he could not hear them in the tree, that meant she could openly conspire with Loki there.
"Loki?" she called. He had shut his eyes as she thought, his lips parted as though he slept. He cracked open an eye to glare and she gave her most disarming grin in return. "Could you help me with something?"
He snorted in amusement. "I was wondering when you might ask that," he mused while stretching. He hooked his legs around the branch and gracefully flipped to hang upside down, his grinning face hovering right in front of hers. "What favor might I bestow upon my beloved grandchild, hm?"
"There's a child," she began. "A little girl. She's supposedly lost in Enel's forest, or somewhere between the mountains and the forest."
"Ah. The Sami woman's kin. Yes, what of it?"
"Well, finding a little girl in the woods is a difficult task for a lone mortal woman. It would take me too long to find her. She may well be dead, I don't know. But a god, one who happens to have Freyja's cloak, may find her faster, before the elements take her life," she hinted.
"You want me to look for her in your stead?" Loki frowned. "You should use this opportunity to practice your sight."
Nami pouted at him. "But I have too much to do as it is, and seidr is meant to invoke the gods for their aid. Well, I am here invoking you to aid me in finding this little girl. Once I have her, I can complete my map and figure out a way to send it to Kid."
"I still think you should practice your sight, young one," he lectured. "But," he huffed, "I will aid you."
His agreement elated her. "Truly?"
He looked at her as though she had grown a second head. "Of course. Why should it come as such a surprise that I would help you?"
"Well, all you've done so far is tell me stories, say cryptic things about the man you've sent to aid me, and pushed me out of this tree," she said. "I trust that all you do is to help, in your own way, I just was not sure if you would take direct action on my behalf."
"I cannot do everything for you, but I can lend what I'm able when you ask it from me. Seeking a little girl to secure your continued alliance with the Sami woman is simple enough." He kicked his legs free of his branch and flipped away. The feathered cloak he wore flew out around him as he fell. She watched him descend until she heard wings catch air.
The falcon flew up with a deafening shriek, its wings beat at the mist. "Wait there," he called out. "I will not be long." And then he was gone.
Nami crawled along the bough to settle against the trunk. Yggdrasil was peaceful, even the wolf's whines and huffs could not disturb the pleasant mood she found herself in.
With her back to the tree, she breathed in deep. The distant scent of the hashish filled her lungs, mingled with the rain and damp wood. She shut her eyes and sank back with a sigh. Her skin tingled, and she swore she could feel every minuscule drop of water in the swirling mist. She could feel how the clouds billowed, how the rain fell. She could hear it splash over every leaf, on the roof of the hall, on the ground, in the wells below.
The storm would grow stronger before it was gone.
She hummed to herself as she waited, singing along with the wind in the branches. The wolf's scratches grew still, but she heard the chains clink together. A flash of an image showed the wolf curled within the roots, his eyes shut as he listened to her voice carry through the air. When she dared to stop, he huffed and growled, so she hummed some more, the sound filled with her mirth as she pictured Kid's annoyed glower on the face of a wolf.
The branch dipped with another weight, claws scratched over rough bark. She thought Loki had returned, though she had not heard the beat of his wings. She peeked open an eye, prepared to tease him for sneaking up on her, but froze when she saw a large cat on the bough at her feet.
A forest cat with long fur of white and orange and tawny brown peered at her with glittering gold and amber eyes. Its head canted to the side as she gaped, and then it let out a quiet mewl before padding forward. She sat perfectly still as it clambered onto her. Its heavy weight tilted as it walked over her legs and she reached out to steady it until it sat on her lap.
She forgot how to breathe as it held her gaze and mewled again.
She swore she heard a woman snicker, but it had to be her imagination. Perhaps the hashish was making her hallucinate?
The cat sat back on its hind legs, lifted its forepaws to balance against her chest. It pressed its head to her chin, began to purr, and Nami finally gasped in a deep breath as she felt the silky soft fur of the cat caress her cheek.
The laughter returned, echoing in the air around her. She shut her eyes as fingers swept through her hair, danced behind her ear, along her jaw, down her neck. Her heart raced, heat coursed down her spine, filled her chest with a comfortable warmth she only felt in Kid's embrace.
She bowed her head as tears stung her eyes. She missed that sensation, longed to have it in her waking life. The wolf whined below, yelped and growled when she gasped back a sob, howled when she struggled to restrain her grief. His claws urgently scratched at the roots, the chains groaned with the pressure he put on them. He missed it, too. He missed her.
The cat's forehead butted against hers.
"Patience," a woman whispered on the breeze. "Breathe. Just breathe." She struggled for a breath as the cat continued to nuzzle her. "You will find your way back to him. Do not lose hope. Do not lose faith in yourself. Trust in your own strength and you will not fail."
A falcon's shrieking cry could be heard in the distance. Nami gasped in a sharp breath and fought to regain her composure. The cat leaped from her lap, landed on the branch in front of her.
"I will guide you when the time is right," she whispered. "For now, prepare yourself for what is to come."
The cat bounded along the branch, jumping off to vanish into the fog. Nami wiped at her tears and focused on steadying her breaths. The wolf continued to whine and scratch, so she whispered, "I'm all right," over and over, until he calmed. A lingering growl carried to her from below, followed by a huff and the heavy clang of his chains coming to rest on the ground.
By the time the falcon landed, and Loki reappeared in a flurry of feathers and cloak, her tears were gone, but her smile was more forced than it had been. He waved his arms in a mocking bow that might have made her laugh if her heart did not ache so much.
"I have returned with—What is this?" His grin vanished the moment he met her eyes. Anger licked at his gaze, the bough shook with his heavy steps. He crouched in front of her, snatched her face in his hand, and studied her with simmering annoyance. "Your face is splotched. You were crying. What caused this melancholy?"
"It's nothing… I—" she stammered, but her voice caught in her throat as his gaze swept down.
His frown pursed as he released her to pluck a soft tuft of fur from her dress. "That willful, impatient shrew." She gasped at his muttered words and prepared to yell at him for insulting Freyja, but he silenced her with a glare. "I say that with all the love in my heart. And she has called me worse," he huffed. "What did she say to make you weep?"
It was not what she said, it was the reminder of what she lacked. When had she grown so desperate for his affection? When had she come to care so much for him, that she longed for even a simple, fleeting touch? She had never allowed herself such attachments before. Why now? Why him? She knew that she could not keep him, that fate may yet rob them of the life they desired together. Yet still she allowed him to court her, yet still she cried for what she missed, yet still she would fight to have him back.
Loki sat back with a sigh when she did not answer. "That woman should sit with her brother a while. He has worlds of patience, but no, not her. He must have hoarded all the patience in the womb, while she took the temper." He sighed again. "Did she at least tell you to pass on any kind words to me? Encouragement? Gratitude? Hm? Anything?" Nami shook her head and he let out a long, exasperated sigh. "I am not surprised, and yet I am still disappointed. But enough about that careless tart, I have news on the girl, do you wish to hear it?"
"You found her?" The reminder lifted her spirits, forced her thoughts back to what was important, what she had immediate control over.
Loki hummed. "Perhaps," he purred, too crafty and mischievous for her liking.
"Perhaps? Either you did, or you did not, so answer me straight, Loki," she snapped impatiently.
He arched a finely groomed brow in a silent rebuke she ignored with a glare. This child's life and well-being were crucial in gaining Laki's full cooperation. She would not tolerate wasting her time with riddles.
"Deep within the king's oaken forests, I heard a little angel cry," Loki said, a lilt of amusement in his tone to match his wry grin. She sighed, relenting to the riddles he would torment her with. "I followed the distant sobbing until I found a great snake." As he spoke, he thrust out his arm where a large blue and green snake coiled around the limb. She sat back in surprise and stifled a shriek as it slithered along his arm and stretched toward her. "Its gullet was wide open. The angel's cries echoed from within, so I peered inside." He held the snake closer. Its maw opened, its fangs glistened with venom. Nami fought off a shiver, and then froze when she heard the softest of weeping. "And lo! There sat a tiny cherub with a broken wing, trapped within the bowels of the serpent."
The snake lashed out. Its jaw widened, unhinged, and it swallowed her whole.
A wolf's enraged howl grew muffled and distant as she fell through darkness. It vanished entirely the moment she crashed to the ground. A jagged stone stuck into her back, forcing a cry of pain from her as she arched away.
"Hello?" a tiny voice called out. Scared, sad, weak. It tugged at her heart, even as she wondered if they heard her. "Is someone there?"
Nami grappled in the dark and found a mossy rock to her right. Pain lanced through her back as she pulled herself up. A sniffle and stifled weep drove her to stumble through the darkness, stubbing her toes on rocks, scraping her head on the stone above.
Water dripped from somewhere, the sound echoing around her. The scent of rain, of rich soil and damp moss, surrounded her. Thunder made the air tremble. The little voice gasped in surprise and Nami knew she was close when she could hear teeth chatter and a muted whimper of fear.
"He won't find me," the voice whispered reassuringly. "He won't find me."
Her eyes adjusted to the darkness. A thin stream of light cast the world in muted greys and browns. She blinked, strained to see through the shadows.
She was in a cave.
And there on the floor, huddled between boulders with a ragged cloak wrapped around her thin body was a little girl. Her brown hair was wet and matted and knotted with leaves, the bit of flesh exposed on her arms was filthy and bruised. The girl glanced up, tears streaked through the dirt on her cheeks.
She met the girl's gaze…
And woke with a startled gasp. "Aisa."
Nami bolted upright from her makeshift bed on the floor, the lingering scent of the burned herbs wafting around her. She breathed deep as she tried to understand what she had just seen. Her hands trembled with excitement or fear or some combination.
Someone groaned in the bed behind her. Laki stirred first, picking up her head to turn bleary eyes toward Nami. Conis burrowed into the blankets and pillows beside the Sami, stubbornly refusing to wake.
"Did you just say Aisa?" Laki croaked.
Nami threw her blankets away and crawled toward the bed. She snatched Laki's arm, startling the woman.
"Can your cousin see?" she whispered.
Laki's brows knit. "See? Of course she can see. She has eyes—"
"No," Nami interrupted. She squeezed Laki's arm, urged her to understand. "Can she see?"
Laki's confusion deepened before realization dawned on her. Her eyes widened, mouth gaped. Nami knew the answer before she even nodded.
"I saw her," Nami whispered. "And she saw me."
"You saw her? You know where she is?" Laki asked as she fought at the blankets and began to climb out of bed.
The movement forced Conis awake. She picked her head up to glower at her bedmate, but the look was ignored as the last of the linen sheets were flung into her face.
In the glimpse Nami had of her handmaiden before the sheets shrouded her, she had caught sight of Conis's disheveled linen shift. The front had been loosened, the shoulder slid down, and the swell of her breast slipped free. Nami's cheeks warmed at the sight of a red-brown bruise on the crook of her neck.
She knew that mark well. Kid had given her plenty.
"You can find her?" Laki asked, drawing Nami's attention back to her.
Nami hesitated to answer. Could she find her? Loki said she was in Enel's forest, but she was trapped in a cave, or some crag of rocks. The boundaries of Enel's oaks helped narrow the search, though there were still far more tunnels and ravines and rocky formations to make it an easy hunt. She could not safely traipse into every single one.
But she promised Laki that she would find her cousin and the gods had gifted her with a vision that gave hope to the search.
"I can," she said, forcing herself to appear more confident than she felt. "Dress quickly. Both of you. No dresses. Trousers and tunics."
"What about the king?" asked Conis, rubbing at a tired eye. "Will he not wonder?"
He will most certainly wonder, Nami thought to herself. "Let me worry about him," she said as she clambered to her feet and headed toward the chest that held her shieldmaiden garb. Enel might question why she was dressed for war if she only meant to walk through the woods, but she could not climb through boulders and crags in a dress. She may as well dress to battle whatever nature thought to throw at her in this hunt. She would worry about Enel's suspicions when he approached her with them.
They dressed in a hurry, each woman helping the other gather their hair into high tails and knots, binding their legs and waists with leather straps and belts. They would make for an odd sight in the hall, so Nami sent Conis off with the excuse that she was still weary and lethargic from her night's rest, and that she would take breakfast in her quarters. She returned shortly with three servants in tow, each carrying a healthy platter of bread and cheese and porridge and fruit, while Conis carried a pitcher of goat's milk.
It seemed that Law had advised the cooks to make a large meal for her, informing them that her hunger and thirst would be ravenous from the hashish.
He was correct. The moment she bit into a piece of toasted bread with melted sweet cheese on top, she moaned in delight and devoured as much of her breakfast as she could while still sparing some for Conis and Laki.
"I will need to speak with Corazon before we leave," Nami said as she bit into a ripe cloudberry. He was the only healer she would trust to care for Aisa if she was injured. Loki had mentioned a broken wing, but the child had no wings, so she was not sure what might be broken, or if it was just a play on words to mean she was hurt in other ways.
"Should we gather others to help in the search?" asked Conis.
"I would not readily trust any others," she whispered.
Conis frowned but nodded her grudging agreement. It would be a long, tiring day if it was only the three of them. Ove would likely aid her if she asked, and he might bring Kamakiri with him, but that could garner even more suspicion.
"We will need bows and arrows in case we come across any animals that may attack," Nami said once their empty plates and bowls were cleared from the room. Nami had sent the servants to fill skins with fresh water and pack food for their hike. If Aisa had been missing for days, she would be starving when they found her. "And with that storm last night, there might be fallen branches to contend with. We'll need axes for that."
"It's unfortunate we cannot trust anyone else to aid us." Conis frowned as she slipped an axe into her belt. "This will be a tiresome day."
"I have flint in my purse if we need to rest in the woods for a night," Laki said. "I do not want to return to the hall until we find her."
They may have no choice in that matter, but Enel might forgive them a single night away. She hoped.
Once they had everything they needed, Nami led the way out of her quarters. Her mind was still searching for a believable excuse to leave the fortress as she stepped out onto the walkway to the main hall. A blur of brown and white flew in front of her, and she leaped back into Conis and Laki, stifling a shriek of surprise.
Her heart raced and her breath caught as she watched the falcon swoop around and back across the walkway before skidding to a stop in front of them. Conis grabbed Nami's arm. Laki gasped in surprise. They stood perfectly still and watched the bird peck at some creature caught in its talons, seeming to pay them no mind.
Nami knew better than to think it was merely a coincidence.
She eased her arm from Conis's grip and took a careful step forward. The falcon glanced up, opened its beak in a silent acknowledgement, and then returned to pecking what Nami realized was a tiny dead snake. Its blue and green scales split open as the falcon tore into it.
The falcon arrived with a snake like the one in her dream, albeit far smaller. This was no coincidence.
She waved back at the women, and whispered, "Find me a leather glove." She hoped there was something thick enough to protect her arm from those talons and that beak. Even if this falcon was sent to her by a god, it was a wild animal and she had no doubt it would not accept captivity that easily, even if it was only temporary.
She heard the women drop to the ground to sneak off for the glove. They gave her and the falcon a wide berth as they circled around. Wise decision. There was no telling what the bird would do if startled.
Nami slowly crouched down as she edged closer. The falcon glanced up once, but its meal still had most of its attention. "Were you sent to help us find the snake?" she asked quietly. The falcon gave a chittering reply as it scooped the snake up in its beak. It let it hang there as it turned its head to look at her. She swore she saw it nod, but she also wondered if her mind was playing tricks on her.
Perhaps the hashish hadn't completely worn off yet.
Nami sat down in front of the falcon as it returned to tearing the snake apart. It didn't move away or snap at her, so she let herself breath and relax as she waited for her glove.
Sitting so close, she was able to make out the mottled brown on its cream-white chest—a female's pattern. She snickered as she remembered Loki's tale of his masquerade as a southern lord, and the female bosom he wore as a trick. Her laughter drew the falcon's attention to her. She swore it glared.
"I hope you don't mate with that form. You will invite more mockery if you give birth to another monster," she whispered.
The falcon most certainly glared, this time coupled with an indignant squawk. She laughed again.
Until it picked up the snake and flung it at her.
She shrieked and batted the shredded carcass away. "I was only teasing."
The falcon squawked once more but brushed off its ire as it lifted a wing and began to groom.
Conis and Laki returned shortly after, tiptoeing through the mud and patchy grass at the side of the walkway to avoid startling the falcon. Conis held a long falconer's glove out to her, Laki held a length of twine to use as a lead.
"Ohm is searching for a bell," Conis whispered as Nami took the glove.
"Ohm?" Nami's heart raced as she noticed movement further down the walkway. The king approached with Satori at his side, Law followed a few paces behind.
"The king found us in our search for the glove and questioned the use for it," Conis explained. "There is no lying to him."
There was no need to lie to him about the falcon, but this meant her need for an excuse to leave the grounds was urgent. She glanced at the bird, its head cocked to the side as though asking what she intended. She took a deep breath, slipped on the glove, and held out her arm. The bird's head cocked the other way, staring at the proffered arm.
Please, she silently urged.
The falcon glanced at her, then back at the men nearing them. Ohm appeared in the door to the hall, his dog at his heels, and turned toward them. The falcon bobbed its head and squawked at the newcomers, then turned to skip closer to her, hopping onto her forearm without any struggle.
Nami breathed a sigh of relief.
"I see the falcon has taken to you," Enel called. "All those offerings must have softened it."
She laughed uneasily. "I still believe it belonged to a hunter or noble once," she said as she drew her arm close to her body, balanced the heavy weight of the bird, and slowly stood. "It is too tame."
The king stopped in front of her and took the twine from Laki. "Well, their loss is your gain," he mused as he slipped the twine around the bird's ankle. Nami held her breath and preyed it did not snap at the king. To her fortune, it only stared at the king, though its black eyes narrowed with its ire. "A fine creature," Enel said as he tied the twine, either unaware or unbothered by the danger in the falcon's beak. "The gods favor you."
She remembered what Loki said to her about Enel's seidr, that he could not hear the gods as he should.
"I am glad to hear that," she said, hating how her voice trembled as his gaze flit to hers. His gaze was usually flat and bored, but there was a knowing sort of mirth that swirled in his eyes. The corner of his lips quirked up. Her heart raced even faster as she forced a smile. "But they are not the god I want favor from."
"Oh?" He chuckled. "You have my favor, as well," he said as he turned to Ohm and took a small bell attached to a leather cuff from his priest. "But not enough that I would overlook your attempt to leave the fortress," he said as he slipped the cuff onto the bird, just above the temporary lead.
She cursed in her mind. There truly was no lying to the king.
She laughed nervously as he straightened. The mirth in his eyes was gone, his gaze now flat with annoyance and a silent command to explain herself. The falcon on her arm growled and pecked at the accessories secured to its scaled talon, all while ignoring the king who dared to reach out and stroke its back.
"I heard your servants whispering for provisions. You intend to go for a walk in my woods," Enel said. "What reason do you have for it?"
"I would have told you myself," Nami insisted. "I was on my way to do just that, but the falcon's appearance interrupted me." Enel hummed, his eyes narrowed. Nami felt a shiver trickle down her spine. She glanced at Laki. Her new slave glared at the king, but it wavered when she noticed Nami's gaze. Laki would not be pleased with her, but there truly was no lying to the king. Not this time. "I had a dream last night," Nami said, turning back to the king. "I was in your forest and I heard a child crying. I thought it might be my slave's lost cousin. I wanted to see if my dream told true, or if it was just a dream."
Enel brightened, his gaze flit to the women at her side. "Ah, well, I thought I heard you make use of your women last night."
Laki sneered. Conis blushed and refused to meet anyone's gaze. Nami silently thanked whatever intimacy came between them. She did not know what conjured it, would not pry into the details, but she would use it to her advantage.
"The hashish I used made for an interesting night," Nami said. It was not a lie. Enel could come to his own conclusions from that, even if they were wrong. "Even this falcon is a sign that my dream was not merely a dream. It came to me in the tree. Delivered that snake there. It swallowed me whole and within its gullet, I found a cave where the scared child hid."
"Then the falcon is here to help you find that cave within my forest." Enel nodded at his priests. "A search of the forest will take you three longer than an afternoon. We will join you in this hunt."
"That is not necessary—" she began to argue but fell silent at the king's glare. She cleared her throat and bowed her head. "You do not need to bother yourself with this chore, but I am grateful to have your aid. Your ears are better than mine. We will find the child quicker with your help."
Her acquiescence pleased the king. He turned away to his priests to gather men and supplies for the search. Horses, hounds, and extra provisions. He would send a small army after a single child.
Laki grabbed her arm as Enel led the way to the hall. "How can you allow this?" she hissed, openly fuming over the addition to their search party. "He will kill her when he finds her."
"You presume she has any say at all," Enel called over his shoulder, cutting off Nami's explanation before she could do more than open her mouth. He glanced back at them, glare set on the hand gripping Nami's arm. Laki immediately loosened her hold. "I am king. I could very well forbid Lady Nami from searching for this child and hunt for the trespasser myself. Then, I assure you, I would have this vermin put to death." The color drained from Laki's face. "You are fortunate that I am curious if her dream brought her a genuine vision. That is the only reason I am giving her leave to search with you."
"You will allow us to help, but you will still kill a child for setting foot in your forest," Laki dared to accuse, her voice trembling with her anger and fear.
Enel chuckled. "Lady Nami has done much to garner my favor since she came to me. If she requests I spare the child, I might be persuaded, just as she persuaded me to spare you."
"I would be grateful if you showed the child some mercy," Nami said. "She is still young. She has much to learn about this world."
"That she does," Enel agreed. "I will spare her life, but she will not go unpunished. She will gain some wisdom from this escapade and hopefully, in the future, she will heed the call of fear as well as you, Lady Nami." He turned away without waiting for her response. "It will not take long to rally my men. Meet us at the gate shortly."
Nami breathed a sigh of relief. The king would not murder the child. That was one burden off her shoulders.
"Corazon," she called to Law before he could return to the hall. He regarded her with a raised brow. "The girl is likely injured. I don't know the full extent of her injuries, but she was hurt in my vision."
"That is to be expected if she fell into a cave," he said, eyeing the falcon perched on her arm with curious bemusement. The falcon cocked its head and returned his stare. "I cannot be away from McKinley's side for long, but I will prepare my room to treat the child when you return with her."
For a man of no faith, he did not question the reliability of her foresight. He seemed certain that she would find Aisa. His confidence soothed the last of her anxieties.
Nami gripped his arm and smiled. "Thank you," she whispered.
His brow cocked higher in his confusion as he glanced at her hand. His lips pursed in a frown before he gave her a short nod and placed a hand over hers, squeezing it. "You're welcome," he said. "Now hurry along, before the king changes his mind and leaves you all here."
She spared him one more grateful smile before hurrying away to meet the king, Conis and Laki following at her heels without further command. Excitement and fear swirled in her gut, a mixture of heady anticipation as the horses and carts and soldiers came into view.
They would find the child, and the last piece she needed would be in her reach.
A/N: Sorry, allergies and general malaise have slowed my progress yet again. I will do my best not to take so long with the next chapter.
Only remark I have is on the term 'flannfluga.' It basically translates to 'she who flees the male sex organ.' The male counterpart is the term 'fuðflogi.' They were used for anyone who shunned marriage, usually on the basis of their sexuality. There was a possibility that they could be penalized by the law for it, particularly in Christianized regions, mainly because people had a responsibility to marry and reproduce, and the Christian societies had their own moral codes that spoke against such relationships. There are many known Old Norse slurs for gay men, but there is nothing really known about lesbians, though the law codes referencing them make it obvious that they were known about; flannfluga is not necessarily a slur, but to accuse someone of shunning their societal obligations can cause trouble if that is not exactly the case.
I wasn't going to be so obvious about the ConisLaki pairing, at least not this early into the fic, but I decided why the hell not. They can blame the weed.
I was so happy when I remembered I could use cannabis/hashish in this time period, btw. Law was even happier. He needed the nap.