Hey ya!
Keep your eyes peeled for the sequel folks - I have it started but don't want to upload it until I can do the first few chapters at once. It'll follow the beginning of Lauren and Tamsin's crazy journey together, their binding ceremony, their actual wedding, kids, and what happens when the family is finally torn apart by the inevitability of the two women being called away to a very important battle... and everything that happens in between! Expect the sequel to be a doozy - I have a lot planned.
Thank you again everyone for reading; I appreciate every single review and piece of feedback I was given. So much. You're the reason I even like doing all of this in the first place. n_n
- C
"What's taking so long?", Bo whispers – loudly – to Tamsin. The valkyrie sends her daggers in her direction, looking around to make sure no one else has heard her.
"Shut up, succuslut. She's coming. Soon."
"It's taking forever", Kenzi adds with a pout, not at all attempting to be even half as quiet as Bo. "Why is it taking so long? This guy has been blabbering on for like, ever."
Tamsin peers around Bo to send a dirty look to the human, who quickly returns her gaze to focus in front of her. The valkyrie lets out a sharp sigh and sends an apologetic glance to the speaker, who had stopped speaking to glare at her. Everyone in the feasting hall had turned to send her pointed looks, actually, causing her laugh nervously as she motions with her hand for the speaker to finish. Eisa, who was sitting in the first of the five rows of filled chairs, chuckles as she shook her head at her younger sister's blushing. Brynja, standing on the opposite side of Odin's throne as Tamsin and the rest of the gang were, stood stoically, avoiding any and all contact with her sister (her face was still a cut up and bruised mess from when Tamsin had jumped on her a week ago; she hadn't said a single word to Tamsin directly, though Hanna had communicated to her that Brynja had let it slip that she was also impressed by how the past few days had played out). Hanna was sitting on Odin's lap, doing her best to avoid fidgeting and not doing a very good job at it – the young blonde kept giving goofy faces to Tamsin, who had to try very hard to not return them and earn a giggle from her.
The hall was filled with heroes and valkyries alike, all piled in to the seats in front of the stairs to welcome their newest sister to their rite. In preparation for this moment, after Odin had made good on his promise (And after Lauren and Tamsin had gotten in to an argument that ended up becoming physical – she wasn't mad that Tamsin had brought her back, in fact she was happy to just be able to look into her eyes again; but the idea of trading her indentured servitude to the Light fae for an indentured servitude to Odin didn't sit well with Lauren at first. After learning the conditions of this service, as no valkyries ever thought of it as any kind of slavery, Lauren had calmed. The same, however, could not be said for Bo, who was still angry at the valkyrie for making such a rash and in her mind selfish decision for the doctor – though she was happy beyond words to have Lauren back in her life.), Lauren had to be swept away by the elders to learn how to properly control her powers and use them to the best of their potential in the event that she was called to battle. It had taken several days, during which she was banned from seeing Tamsin or anyone else lest they be a distraction to her studying and training. Now, a week later, Tamsin, Bo, Dyson, and Kenzi stood anxiously next to the throne to await Lauren's introduction. Tamsin fiddled nervously with the straps of her armor, and carefully readjusted her helmet as she heard the speaker begin to wrap up his speech.
"And without a moment more of hesitation", the old man said smiling out at the crowd before he raised his arms, instructing everyone in the room that was sitting to now stand, "I introduce to you all your newest sister in arms."
The door in the back of the feasting hall slowly opened and flooded the large room with light, making the figure that was walking in appear to be a heaven sent angel. Odin then stood, plopping Hanna down to stand with her sisters, and descended the stairs slowly. Everyone bowed their head at him as he made his way through the aisle in the middle of the rows of chairs, and turned to follow him with their eyes as he walked to greet their newest sister with a proud smile on his face.
"May I present to you", Odin said as he approached the figure, "Lauren Lewis."
The doors finally closed and as Tamsin's eye adjusted to the restored natural lighting of the room, her eyes fell upon Lauren – her honey hair fell around her shoulders in loose curls, the sunlight catching her armor perfectly. Tamsin never thought she'd see Lauren in the armor that she herself had worn so many times, but was happy to see that she looked stunning in the metal and flowing silks that adorned her body (though she knew she shouldn't be surprised – Lauren looked good in everything). Her winged helmet sat perfectly atop her head, a small symbol engraved in the center of it to match the larger version of the same symbol that was engraved in to the left side of her breastpiece. She smiled nervously at the crowd, her cheeks tinted in a blush as she she bowed her head to the cheering that filled the hall. Odin slowly directed her with a hand on her back through the aisle and up to the stage to join her friends.
"I can't believe it", Brynja muttered as Lauren got close enough for her to clearly see the symbol. "I can not believe it!"
The large woman stomped down the steps and pushed her way through the crowed gathering to the side of the chairs and quickly made her way out of the feasting hall. The group at the top of the strairs regarded her with a raised eyebrow, but Tamsin was far too mesmerized by Lauren to question her sister's rude behavior.
"What does that big symbol on her armor mean?", Kenzi stage whispers to Tamsin as Lauren slowly approaches them, stopping to shake hands and accept gifts from the people that fill the hall. Tamsin's eye well up with tears when she recognizes the symbol – it is something only one other valkyrie in the history of their kind has been permitted to wear. Her mother. The symbol, appears to those that don't know it as an 'X' in a diamond, was an ancient and meaningful mark that valkyries had sought to earn for centuries now, Tamsin and her sisters included. Their mother was the only woman known to earn that honor, and the fact that Odin would bestow this same honor to Lauren made Tamsin's knees weak and her heart swell with pride for her girlfriend.
"It's a gungnir", the valkyrie says quietly.
"A gun-what-now?"
"A gungnir." Tamsin sends a dazzling smile Lauren's direction, who looks up just in time to catch it and return it in full. "It means, strength. It never misses it's mark, and always makes it back to where it belongs."
Finally Lauren and Odin make their way up the stairs to the throne. Tamsin extends her hand to Lauren as she clears the last step, which she happily takes and threads her fingers with the blonde's. Tamsin resists the urge to pull Lauren in to a much needed kiss, and instead settles for squeezing her hand reassuringly. Odin stood before them, and placed a hand on either of their shoulders. He surprises both women by pulling them in to a massive hug, causing the entire room to erupt in applause and cheering.
"You two are to be bound for a very long time – forever, to be frank", he winks at Tamsin and smiles at Lauren, who blushes and nods – the 'binding' of valkyrie's is an intricate and delicate ritual that ends in a large ceremony very similar to a human wedding, and must be then physically consummated in a ritual that is just as tricky as the actual ceremony, that she had spent the past few days learning about. It would take time to prepare for, and it would be at times a very stressful affair, but Lauren couldn't be happier to be sharing this very special experience with the woman she loved so much. The woman she risked her life for, and who would risk her life for Lauren's own – Lauren wouldn't change anything about how everything had played out, though if she had to do it all again she would remember to take Tamsin's gun with her everywhere she goes on nights she is home alone. "It is our way."
"I know, father." Tamsin looks over to Lauren and fails to keep down the smile that is threatening to break her face in two. All of the things that she can give Lauren now fly through her brain at once and it is all she can do to stop herself from excitedly jumping up and down. She settles for extending her free hand to her father, who takes it with both of his own and shakes it excitedly.
"I'm okay with that."