Bo entered the large dining area and it too was empty, expect for a single medium size circular table and 2 chairs setup in the middle of the room with some food. Just like the area down stairs, it still had the same theme with mahogany walls but there were now slivers of mirrors on the wall to break up the effect. This did make the room brighter and several large chandeliers were dispersed symmetrically on the ceiling. She was about to wonder if she should sit down at the empty table, when she noticed near the back toward the stage there was a well-dressed man in a black suit looking to be in his mid 30's. He had slicked back brown hair and soft facial features. He looked like Bo's older brother if she had one. He was talking to 2 other Valkyries in full uniform with the same gear as the guards opening the doors, but they were wearing on over their white uniforms, black sashes. The man looked at Bo with piercing brown eyes and immediately without expression, proceeded to walk toward Bo with his guards following close behind. Bo looked at him and then looked at Arin behind her as the doors had yet to close. Arin straightened up, clicking her boots together and then immediately put both of her arms sharply across her chest in the form on an x with her fists closed. She then extended her right hand out open just as crisply as the former action. The man just nodded from a distance. It was then Bo mouthed the word "Odin?" while discretely pointing to the man with her gaze toward Arin in a questioning expression. Arin just made the slightest but barely detectable nod at Bo.
"My Ysabeau. I am so glad you could make it." The man said in deep, steady but unfeeling voice. There were no expressions that he made that showed any type of warmth in him. "I hope Arin did not get you lost on the way here." He glanced at Arin giving a very slight evil smile. He extended his right hand bowing slightly and was asking for Bo's hand in return.
Bo did not know what to do or how to address him, but she knew she was brought here against her will. That and the fact he also hurt and terrorized her friends and then killed Tamsin. The emotions she had just set everything else into motion. Before she knew it she extended her fist quickly and gave Odin the hardest right hook to the jaw that she could. A cracking sound echoed in the room as he staggered back surprised, her eyes quickly turned electric blue as she pull Odin into a choke hold with her dagger against his neck using him as a shield against his own black sashed guards backing up towards the door. She then heard both Orin and Arin scream "Stop!" simultaneously to their guards. But the guards at the door were already on top of Bo and in the process of impaling Bo's back with their spears. Bo tried to get out of the way but she knew she was about to be in a world of pain but she did not care. She had so much anger and rage venting now she could not contain it.
The impact never came as she saw Arin engage both guards and used her sword to deflect the both spears in flight at the last moment. Bo smirked slightly knowing that Arin did have her back after all.
"Stand down! STAND DOWN NOW!" Arin yelled again at the attacking guards. Both of the attacking guards went quickly back to attention. They were still on edge, but at least all guards in the room ceased their advances toward Bo.
Bo then growled into Odin's ear, "Is this the part where were you tell me that you are my father and then tell me about joining the dark side to rule the universe together?" Pulling Odin in closer letting out in a husky voice "You terrorized my best friend Tamsin and tried to coerce her to bring me here and then after she does not do it you kill her. Why shouldn't I return the favor."
Bo then felt a strong and heavy hand on her shoulder. It was Arin's. "Let him go NOW Bo!" Arin forcefully commanded. Bo hesitated as she was thinking of her next move. She had 4 fully armed guards at the ready and Arin. She knew if she really concentrated hard enough she could suck the chi out of everyone the in room at the same time, however, she did not know which side Arin was on which was a problem. Had it been Tamsin, she would be on Bo's side right now just for the challenge. Bo then felt a streak of guilt about dragging Arin into her battles as she was not Tamsin. 'I am walking death to all those I get close to' echoed in her head from earlier. This situation was simply not fair to Arin Bo quickly realized.
Arin was torn to say the least as she had no idea why she just reflexively stopped Freya's assigned guards from rightfully executing their duty. Granted Arin's rank afforded her the ability to command them, but it bothered her on why she felt protective of Bo. Was this one of Bo's succubus tricks? Tamsin's deep feelings about Bo during the last couple months probably transferred subconsciously through the link which is more likely to happen with identical twins. 'Tamsin having deep feelings for Bo', interesting she deduced. On one hand Odin did kill her sister but Bo may have contributed to Tamsin's corruption. Arin, although serving under Freya's flag, was also faithfully loyal to the Valkyrie's creed set forth in Asgard millenias ago which was to protect the realm of Valhalla including its gods and inhabitants. Logically under normal circumstances, she would have struck Bo down by now and possibly killed her, but killing Odin's daughter was probably not the best career move either. Tamsin always seemed to trust Bo's judgment after they warmed up to one another when Bo was given the correct information and Arin knew this as well.
Odin just calmly went along with it and said nothing and did not even put up a struggle. It was as if he knew something that Bo didn't.
Arin, seeing that Bo was not responding to her command decided to give Bo better information on the situation. She, with her sword at the ready, leaned within less than an inch from Bo's ear opposite of the side she was holding Odin. In a faint whisper, she murmured "Bo, Odin can't be hurt or killed by your puny dagger as he is a noncorporial form normally." She mentioned in a very serious tone. "I also swore an oath to protect Valhalla and its inhabitants so that succulette includes Odin." She concluded with a snarky expression and hoped that she got through to Bo. It was true that she did swear to uphold that oath but due to her now conflicted feelings, she had no idea whether she could execute. Valkyries don't feel period. They are trained to suppress and avoid them. 'Damn you Tamsin. You never told me you had strong feelings for this bitch and I have to deal with this now!? This is really fucked up!' she loathed.
Bo's eyes turned back to their normal brown color. She started to release Odin, but he just vanished in a plume to smoke and reappeared in front of her again facing her with a neutral expression and stance. "Feeling better are we or shall we continue my daughter?" Odin calmly mused at Bo. Bo sheathed her dagger and crossed her arms in front of her at her father. Odin then directed his gaze at Arin and her guards in white and spoke in a more official tone, "Arin, daughter of Freya, you need to keep your guards under control. They almost killed my daughter. But it is comforting to know that like your sister, you have lightning fast reflexes. Maybe I should post more of my guards in lieu of Freya's along the perimeter?" Odin asked but he continued after a brief silence "Arin, a spot just opened up in my order. Care to be one of the prestigious elite in order 4,division 1, unit 8?"
"You keep your back room dealings to yourself. She's not interested with your stupid fucked up order." Bo spat out with venom. "You keep her out of this. This is between you and I." Bo warned. Bo did not want to make Arin situation worse after all.
Odin just ignored Bo and kept his ever piercing gaze on Arin.
"Well Freya's benefit package is better, pay is good, people are great, opportunities to travel yada, yada, yada. And oh, switching allegiances has the teeny tiny issue with working for a narcissistic and sadistic psychopath …. hmmmm" Arin stated in an aloof manner sheathing her sword and then putting her index finger on her own lips feigning thoughtfulness, "Ummmm I'd have to say no but I'll let you know my final decision when hell freezes over." She concluded with a fake smile.
Bo just could not help but to let out muffled giggle. 'I see where Tamsin gets her sarcasm from or is it reversed.' Bo thought.
Odin showed on signs of getting angry, but he was getting impatient. "Bo, please sit," Odin motioned to the table. "We have much to discuss. First and foremost obviously is Tamsin as she is not dead like everyone claims."
Bo and Arin both looked shocked and just glanced at each other.
"How can that be. I can't hear her nor can any other Valkyrie?" Arin questioned.
Odin stared at Bo this time ignoring Arin's comment and murmured "I thought you wanted this to be between you and I?"
"OK" was all Bo could say in an unsure manner as she glanced at all the guards in the room.
Odin, probably sensed this and barked "Leave us!" He waved his hand to his and Freya's guards. The black sashed guards saluted immediately putting their closed right fist against their plate armor hitting it sharply 3 times in succession and left the room. Freya's guards at the same time, crossed their arms across to their chest in the x pattern and then extended their right hand toward Odin and they too took an about face and moved out of the room.
Arin hesitated as she had questions about Tamsin, but she was also bound out of respect to the gods she served even though she did not directly follow Odin's orders specifically. A heart beat later Arin seeing Odin expectantly looking at her, she performed her salute as well and started to march purposefully away. Bo was looking at Odin then at Arin and back again and then interjected the silence by quickly stating "Arin, stop. I need you to stay."
"No, she will do as she is told because unlike Tamsin, she actually respects her leaders and follows orders." Odin rebutted raising his voice slightly.
Arin was half way to the double doors, guards waiting for her when she hesitantly stopped midway without turning to look at Bo or Odin. Again she had to make a choice. Who does she follow? Odin or Bo. Arin just froze there and gave up. 'I really need time away from this succubus, she really has managed to mess up my year in less than 30 minutes' she lamented.
"This concerns her sister, and she has the right to know" Bo countered. "Besides, we will have 3 separate parties here and no one party will be missing or under represented. You represent the dark side, Arin belongs to the light and I am unaligned." Bo summarized trying to apply logic to convince Odin otherwise.
Odin paused and thought about it for a moment then looking at Arin's back requested "Arin, you seem to be confused. With whom do your pledge your allegiance to? Is it Freya? Me? Bo? Your sister?"
'Shit this is not what I need' Arin thought mentally kicking herself. Arin turned around in another about face sharply. Then Arin proclaimed loudly across the room and with authority locking on to Odin's eyes, "I am a Valkyrie nothing more, nothing less. I swear to uphold the tenants set forth in Asgard governing all my kind to serve, protect, and fight for Valhalla. My allegiance therefore is to no one and everyone with every fiber of my existence until the end of my life cycles."
Bo smiled at Arin's well thought out and poetic response. She could now see the difference between Arin and Tamsin. While they were both awesome, Arin embraced and was bound by Valkyrie core values and laws while Tamsin would follow the spirit of the law and therefore stretch and dismiss them as circumstances permitted to accomplish an objective. The ends, to Tamsin, justified the means.
"Join us then." Odin gestured to the table.
Arin nodded to the guards and they closed the doors. As she walked to the table, she observed that Bo and Odin were sitting across from one another. 'Great I get to be in the middle'. There was no chair for her, but she chose to stand. From a tactical standpoint standing was better. Besides, she might need to get out of there fast if Odin and Bo have a standoff and go full "HaDoKen" on her.
Bo could sense that Arin was out of her element and chose not to push it. "You were talking about Tamsin?" Bo asked inquisitively.
"Ah yes, Tamsin, as talented as she is, over the past century had consistently demonstrated a trend of insubordination and her most recent task, to escort you to Valhalla was almost a total failure. Normally, had this been any other Valkyrie serving me, I would have just ended their life cycle immediately." He paused and looked at both Arin and Bo, then continued "However, since Tamsin did do well for me in the past, I graciously commuted that punishment. I therefore thought it best to release her of any and all obligations to this kingdom. " He concluded.
"Meaning what exactly as I am new to all things Fae." Bo added.
"She is now free to do what she wants minus the support of her sisters." Odin clarified but Bo still had a questionable look on her face. 'I think he is speaking english' but I don't get it.
"Bo, she's a fallen Valkyrie. That means that she has been stripped of all her Fae powers and is now human." Arin looking at Odin to ensure she was getting it right and it was confirmed when Odin just nodded ever so slightly. 'Tamsin, hang on there.' She thought although she knew it would not be heard. Being a Valkyrie was everything to Tamsin. It formed, made and identified both of them.
"What!?" Bo was about to smack the table with her palms but restrained herself. "Give her powers back to her! Taking away her powers is like taking a fish out of the water. You are giving her a death sentence." Bo said with stress in her voice.
"Bo, I am trying to protect you and my decision will not be swayed. Her influence and her unpredictability is a liability to us all." Odin calmly mentioned with finality.
"You have a funny way of showing you really care. The way you treated Tamsin, my mom, and let's not get into how you abducted me!" Bo started to get angry. "Did you ever think about maybe knocking on my front door? I don't have tons of guards and castle gates to stop you."
"Even as a god. I can't visit your world and you could not visit mine until Tamsin completed the task of breaking the rune artifact in front of you." Odin then looked at Arin and Bo.
"Great, so I can visit you anytime I want but you still can't visit me. I think there is a silver lining to this after all." Bo spat out sarcastically.
"You just need to get to a Valkyrie warp station and you will be able to pass through it. Bo, I am not your enemy and I am not your captor, you can come and go as you please." Odin shifted and got up. "I will see you another time when calmer heads prevail." His gaze shifted to Arin "Please see our guest back to her plane."
Arin was still in shock processing all this new information. Numbly she saluted Odin without a thought. She was on autopilot.
Bo got up and looked at Arin with concern. 'She must be really worried about her as am I' she thought. As they walked quickly out of the door and were past the guards, when Bo grabbed Arin's arm and stood in her path. "Let's find her, maybe my grandfather the blood king can do something for her if my dad won't." Bo stated with new zeal.
Arin just nodded with a somewhat distant stare. She did not know how to respond. Being bombarded with so many complex emotions at the same time, she reflexively suppressed her emotions and she was now in a daze trying to process everything logically. She now had more unanswered questions after the meeting then before. 'Is this Bo's fault on why my sister is now a human? Did Odin really make the right choice as he is a god? Does Bo really have my sister's best interests in mind? Can I trust Bo like Tamsin trusted her? Is she going to enthrall me and make be follow her to do her bidding?' All these were too overwhelming that Arin started to back off from Bo.
Bo observed the now very troubled Arin and knew that this was a bad time to give her charms to Arin in order to calm her. It would have helped but would have complicated their relationship with one another down the line. "Arin, I am not going to make you do anything you don't want to do. Just get me to the warp station and I can take care of the rest." Bo stated with both her hands up showing that she was not using any of her powers.
Arin closed her eyes tightly trying to think this through. In despair she thought 'Odin said Tamsin is alive but is a fallen Valkyrie, I need to find her. She is my sister, I can do this. Bo has offered to help, I think I can trust her.' Within moments another voice entered her head 'Arin? That is distressing to hear about Tamsin's plight say the least, no Valkyrie has been given that status for thousands of years.' Freya communicated with concern. 'I am sorry to bother you, I did not mean to abuse the link' Arin stammered an apology in her head.
Bo heard multiple but heavy footsteps. Arin still had her eyes closed in thought. Approaching quickly to Arin and Bo was an older but still very beautiful blond haired Valkyrie in a white flowing dress flanked by 2 heavily armed guards with gold sashes. Bo could only assume it was Freya and her assigned guards. They came to an abrupt stop in front of them. Bo looked at the older blond who was glancing intently between the two of them. She then reached out her hands and put them on both sides of Arin's shoulder blades and said "There is no need to apologize to me, your mind just automatically knew what you had to do."
Arin then quickly snapped open her eyes and feeling Freya's reassurance helped her stabilize her thoughts. "Thank you. I have been asked by Odin to escort Bo Dennis to her plane, but I respectfully request to go with her although my duties to you state otherwise." Arin reported in a formal manner.
"Find her, bring her back to the sisterhood if at all possible. I will speak with Odin." Freya commanded.
"I will" Arin remarked with a sharp salute and a smile.
Freya looked at Bo and assessed her. "So you are the legendary unaligned succubus. You are the first of your kind to visit here. What are you to Tamsin that you are so willing to offer your help?"
"I don't know how I received the legendary title as people just call me Bo. Tamsin is my friend. She kind of grew on me even though she was other things that rhymed with rich. She is one of the most noble and honorable people I know." Bo was beside herself, she answered honestly, but the word noble and honorable never sounded like they could describe Tamsin's but Bo knew deep down that it did once you got past the her rough and tough exterior.
After Freya took a moment to think, she questioned "Your reputation precedes you Isabeau Dennis, daughter of Odin. Arin told me that she needs your help. I am asking if you will you do everything in your power to find and keep Tamsin safe as she is one of our sisterhood."
'Wow, I need a telepathic link too' Bo thought offhanded. 'I wonder if it gets free nights and weekends."
"I will" Bo proclaimed but she felt she needed more than just her word and after seeing Arin do the salute several times already, Bo thought it fitting that she do the same. With the same sharp motions, she executed the salute flawlessly.
A momentary look of surprise came across Freya's face and then it was followed by a genuine smile.
"Bo, you flatter me with your allegiance and unwavering determination. You are more than what we give you credit for." Freya concluded and she quickly walked away with her guards trailing closely behind.
Arin just watched the whole scene unfold and right as Freya was almost out of sight, Freya turned her head toward Arin and she heard in her head via the link 'You have solid instincts. You made the correct choice to trust the succubus.'
"Swell! So do you realize what our salute symbolizes succulette?" Arin now questioning with a grin. Bo just shook her head. "To serve" as Arin held her hands down by her side palms open and toward Bo. "To protect" as Arin brought her arms across her chest with her fists. "And to fight for the just" she punched her right palm out in front of her. After a brief pause for effect, Arin laughed and teased "Brown noser!"
Bo gave a light whack on Arin arm. "Let's get going, we gotta catch up on what's been happening in my world. For all I know all hell broke loose down there."