Breaking the window: Expedition to Hyperborea

Chapter 25: A truth is endured...

"It is inspiring to think that, from the deepest of tragedy, the beauty of love can bloom. One of the last things I had certainly expected was that my niece had smuggled her girlfriend on board and managed to keep her hidden for months. Now, I fully expect the opinion on this to be divisive, as there is certainly a case to be made that this was a selfish act to the detriment of our expedition. However, there is an equally valid case to be made to the incredibly romantic nature of clandestine acts done for the sake of love. Regardless, it was a major impetus to the development to events we had no inkling of at the time. Likewise my distant cousin Tahki, had never expected her life to take the course that it did. This expedition sent shock-waves through our world, that much is true, but let us not diminish the personal."

- Bellatrix Black, Expedition to Hyperborea, published 2006

"Easy, easy," said doctor Big-Mouth, the vampire supporting Tahki on one side while Sunniva did on the other. "You're taking to the new tissue swiftly, but expect to be a bit wobbly for a day or two."

Tahki had to admit that this vampire doctor was something of a miracle-worker. From what she'd been told, when that damn unicorn rammed its horn through her, it did damage to her liver and severed her spinal column completely. She'd been in surgery for hours, with the doctor directly applying magic and potion to the damaged tissue layer by layer. This would have been a difficult enough feat with a full-blown hospital at his disposal and with a patient in stable condition, but doctor Big-Mouth managed to pull it off in a tiny ship's sickbay while his patient had lost pints of blood. Together, the two of them guided Tahki back to the stretcher where she was sat down.

Tahki glanced over at Goneril, sat in her own bed now talking to Nymph. Nymph wouldn't let go of her, holding her around the waist while sat next to her. Goneril smiled and lay her head on her shoulder. She looked way healthier than yesterday.

"Lost three toes and a finger," said the doctor grimly. "Managed to save the rest of her digits. Otherwise fit as a fiddle. Applied dittany to the wounds. Scarring is minor."

It was obvious to Tahki that the doctor considered the loss of those four digits to be a personal failure on his part. The doctor then turned to Sunniva with a toothy grin. "And then there's this idiot, who insisted on healing potions without infusion of dittany."

Sunniva's impressive abdomen now sported a rather impressive three-pronged rake between her ribcage and navel, running from one side of her waist to the other. Sunniva seemed oddly proud of this. "My scars are mementos of great battles and the clash with this massive beast is indeed memorable. Vikings with unblemished skins are those who are weak or those who have died young."

"Right, right, right," said the doctor, rolling his eyes. "I do believe I can leave you in Sunniva's capable hands, can't I?"

Tahki nodded while the doctor walked over to Nymphadora and Goneril. "Alright, you two lovebirds. I need to borrow Nymphadora for a bit. Captain wants to see the senior staff in his quarters and that includes you. I'm sure the young lady will be alright without you for a bit."

Nymphadora seemed stricken for a moment, her expression being one of a woman who knew she was in a lot of trouble. A hand on her cheek from Goneril and a brief kiss on the lips did a lot for her mood, though. Nymph stood up and give Tahki a tap on the shoulder before stepping out of sickbay. With Goneril laying down on her own bed, it gave Tahki and Sunniva some time for themselves. Almost instinctively, Tahki reached out to lay her hands on Sunniva's abdomen, running them long the site of the scar. "Yeah," she chuckled. "That does look pretty metal, though. I can see why you wanted to keep them," she said. Before she knew it, she was rubbing her hand back and forth, sliding over Sunniva's skin and thinking to herself how soft her skin felt, even over hard muscle. She felt those same muscles tense up. Sunniva's whole body went rigid.

"Sorry! I…" Tahki responded and tried to withdraw her hand. Her hand was caught by Sunniva, who gently pushed her hand back to her abdomen and held it in place while gently squeezing it. Tahki felt her own breath catch in her throat, blood rushing to her cheeks. "Thanks for… saving me. I… kinda owe you and Hermione. Big time."

"We stood with those we care about," said Sunniva in a hushed tone. "We do not leave comrades in arms behind on the battle-field."

Tahki smiled at that and her mind went back to their time on the ice. "After I was attacked, you gave me your axe and told me to hold it tightly," she said, remembering holding on to it as if it was her lifeline. "Why? Didn't you need it against the unicorn?"

Sunniva looked at her with those intense blue eyes of hers. "When scouring the battlefield for fallen warriors, the Winged Women always look for those warriors who died with an axe still in their hand. These are the warriors who will receive a seat at Odin's table and will enjoy the glories of Valhalla forever more."

"Wait, stop," said Tahki, blinking. "Do I understand correctly? You gave me that axe to so that… I could have your seat at Odin's table if I died?"

Sunniva smiled warmly. "The Winged Women know that those who died with their axe in their hand either died in combat. Or that another warrior has honoured them by placing their axe in their hand."

"But what have happened to you if… if you had died without your axe?"

Sunniva remained silent for a moment. "That would have been for the Winged Women to decide," she replied finally.

Tahki's mind was reeling. She had never been a religious person. Oh, she'd been told all the old legends and old tales by her kinfolk and she had always listened to them with wide-eyed joy and imagination. But, to her, they have been just that: legends and tales. For Sunniva, this was completely different. Sunni did believe her people's old legends and their gods were real and lived her life according to the rules set by them. Her religious views were strong so… it started to sink in that that woman fully believed she was potentially sacrificing her own afterlife for her sake so Tahki could experience the glories of Valhalla in her stead. Her breath caught in her throat as he jaw started to tremble.

"That…" said Tahki with a soft voice, a tear running down her cheek. "Is the single most incredible thing anyone has ever done for me ever."

Sunniva merely smiled at her.

That was it. That was the moment it all clicked together and Tahki finally realized the truth. About Sunniva. About herself. About those strange feelings she'd been having. What happened next almost happened instinctively. Tahki leaned forward to wrap her arms around the larger woman's shoulders, a bit awkwardly at first, and gently pulled her down. Nervously, she took a breath just before their lips met. It was a gentle kiss at first. A brush of lips, cautious and gentle. It felt good. It felt right. And Tahki wanted more. She gently parted Sunniva's lips with her tongue and started to probe her mouth. When their tongues touched, she was in heaven. When Sunniva took her into her arms, she was in seventh heaven. She never wanted this feeling to end.

But end it did. The two of them still embraced, looking into each other's eyes. Sunniva's expression, however, was decidedly sad. "I…" she spoke. "I have nothing to offer you. My lands and ships have been taken. My wealth has been confiscated. All I have left is my armour and my axe."

"Oh, hush," Tahki chuckled. "Let's do things my way for a change. You see, we Blackfoot shamans focus far more on skill than possessions. Possibly a left-over from our nomadic days, I dunno, ask my gramps sometimes. Thing is, you think my great-great-grandfather's extreme wealth and power mattered to Hurit Running Rabbit? Hell no, to the no, no, no. He had to work his ass off to impress her family. They had him fetch the chin-feathers of an owlbear, for fuck's sake. A task they thought impossible for someone not from the People. And yet he pulled it off because he loved my great-great-grandmother so much. Sunniva Ealdwynnsdottir. You have nothing left to prove."

Sunniva expression was one of gobsmack, until she simply smiled and embraced her a little tighter. "I will still build you a longhouse that will be the envy of all your kin! This I swear."

Tahki laughed. "Any Viking longhouse built on the reservation will be impressive, no matter the size," she said. Another blush came to her cheeks. Funny. This sort of thing never made her nervous before. "Sunni?" she asked carefully. "Shall we… go somewhere private? My cabin's bed is big enough for two…"

Her pale skin blushed easily, the red contrasting with the long blonde tresses. "It would be my honour," she husked.

Together, the two locked hands and walked out of sickbay. Tahki's feet felt surprisingly heavy and her throat was a little dry when they walked up the stairs and the door to her cabin became in sight. When they reached the door, Tahki turned to Sunniva with an apologetic smile. "I, uhm, should let you know that, uhm…. I've never slept with a woman before," she said, her courage faltering. Fuck, she'd slept with so many before. Why was this so hard all of a sudden? She felt like a virgin on prom night. Deciding to lighten the mood, she looked Sunniva in the eye. "This is where you tell me you don't have much experience yourself because you were saving yourself for the right woman, isn't it?"

Sunniva surprised her by picking her up around the waist and pushing her back against the door. Tahki literally swooned, shivers going through her body when Sunniva leaned in to whisper in her ear. "I will love you like you've never been loved before," she spoke with a low and enticing voice.

Tahki felt for the door-handle and managed to open the door, almost causing the both of them topple into the room. "Ride'm, cowgirl," said Tahki in between giggles while Sunniva kicked the door shut behind her.

"If the Kingfisher had a brig, you two would be in it right now!" Kirk all but shouted. The man was livid and Hermione was very much in agreement.

All the senior staff, consisting of Engrim, Nymphadora and Beodul stood next to Kirk. The rest of the expedition had been gathered to answer for what had happened in the hold. However, both Hermione and Bellatrix stood with Kirk in this matter. Quite literally in this case. "Why was that thing on board?!" Kirk demanded.

"Yeah!" Beodul pressed. "Ye scabrous lot put good people at risk, ye daft cunts!"

Nymphadora stood next to the captain with crossed arms. "I've checked the logs and it's right there in black and white. Aetheromagnetic detector, checked and approved by E. Snowbell. Nothing on it about, I dunno, a giant flesh-eating unicorn in a fucking bottle, yeah?!"

"No less than five people almost lost their lives yesterday! Three of those five were seriously injured and we're still assessing the extent of the damage to the ship!" Kirk roared. "So I'm asking you again, why was that goddamn creature on board my ship?! And I promise you, the answer to that question had better be good!"

To Hermione, Eleanor looked considerably more nervous than Chandra was. The buxom ex-unspeakable spoke no words, but simply stared ahead. Eleanor first lowered her gaze and then raised her head again, trying to stare down the captain. "Thomas, I…"

"Don't Thomas me!" Kirk shot back. "I want answers and I want them now!"

Hermione's mind had been put to work on this issue all night. She had been lying awake in bed, running through dozens of scenarios in her head. And she believed she had the answer. "Captain, if I may…" started Hermione. "Eleanor, you lied to me the other day, didn't you? You did know about the guardian. You did know about the Ur-dragon. You did know the Neo-Viking legends were real. And you acted accordingly."

Bellatrix gave her a stricken look, her expression one of anger and betrayal. Her girl crossed her arms and stared Eleanor down.

Eleanor sighed heavily. "You are too clever for your own good, miss Granger," said Eleanor. "Yes, you are correct. I did know about the guardian and I did know it was going to be a problem. It wasn't until six years ago that I found a possible answer to the dire problem of even attempting to approach Hyperborea."

"When Bellatrix and I appeared in the time-line," said Hermione. "Along with the unicorn and all the other creatures."

"The unicorn is connected to Hyperborea," said Eleanor. "Bellatrix' description of the creature, especially its distinctive six eyes, was corroborated with at least five written accounts of the Ur-dragon."

"I might be able to add to this," said Chandra, her light voice making heads turn to her. "Like I said, I am an ex-unspeakable and when I was still working for the Ministry, one of my projects was assisting with the analysis of Unicornis Rex. Honestly, most the creature's biology is still a complete mystery to us and all the experiments we did to replicate the creature's incredible regenerative powers failed rather spectacularly. But one of the things we did find out is that Unicornis Rex emits a very subtle and very unique magical signature. We're not quite sure why it does this, but we speculated that…"

"… Unicornis Rex is a guardian creature, just like the Ur-dragon, but for the Fae Realm," Hermione finished, rubbing her chin while thinking it over. "Explains a lot, really. Unlike all the other creatures there, there was only ever one Unicornis Rex. And like the Ur-dragon, it is not a unique creature but an altered one, based off a regular unicorn, I would think. That would mean there is a connection between Hyperborea and the Fae Realm!"

"I've been researching Hyperborea for longer than you've been alive," said Eleanor haughtily. "I've forgotten more about the lost city of wizarding than you have ever known, miss Granger."

Bellatrix snapped her fingers. "That's it. That's why the unicorn was here! Chandra was using her machinery to detect magic, but at the same time also transmitting Unicornis Rex' unique signature! You were trying to make it seem to the Ur-dragon that this entire ship was another guardian creature so it would leave us be!"

Chandra nodded with a grin. "Very astute, Bellatrix. That was exactly what we were doing. It was an educated guess. It stands to reason that the ancient wizards would use such a creature to guard their city, but no doubt would have a way to control or placate it. Believe it or not, your very descriptive book is the reason we decided to try it in the first place."

Bellatrix snorted. "Don't know if I should be flattered or angry."

"It was working perfectly too until those damnable Neo-Viking barbarians assaulted us," said Eleanor. "Their attack attracted the Ur-dragon's attention. And once it was done with those thugs, it focused its attention on us. And you know the rest…"

"You snide fuckers," Nymphadora suddenly yelled. "Rilly and Tahki almost died because you kept that thing secret from all of us!"

Hermione sighed. "Not to mention… it is still out there, walking the frozen wastes. And could come back here at any time."

"I'll have a watch set up," Beodul grunted. "Daelia won't need any excuse for duty in the crow's nest. Lets hope this scabrous cunt fog goes away fucking soon!"

Bellatrix gave Eleanor an icy, angry stare. "You had the unicorn under our feet all this time. You knew it was there. You knew it was dangerous. You knew of my and Hermione's history with it. And still you said nothing when you brought it on board."

"Under false pretenses," said Nymphadora. "You lied about what was inside that crate, mate!"

Eleanor and Chandra exchanged a look. "I made that call," said Eleanor. "Thomas, you would have never allowed the creature on board if you knew what it was."

"You bet your arse I wouldn't have!" Kirk retorted.

Bellatrix sighed. "I see. How very… Slytherin of you."

In that moment, Hermione wanted to do nothing more than to give Bellatrix a hug. That was not a compliment by any means. Her girl's voice sounded just so full of pain and spite. The woman she had always looked up to, always admired and even had a crush on, had just betrayed her for a second time in just as many days. And Eleanor was utterly remorseless about it.

Engrim, the old man who had been quiet for a long time, raised a finger and his voice. "I listen to Antonin Dolohov's show and I clearly remember that unicorn being taken to a Ministry black site. You mentioned working on it as an unspeakable, miss Raywood. So how did you even manage to acquire it?"

Chandra half-smiled, an oddly alluring half-smile. "I know how the Ministry works, Engrim. I know which paths to walk, whose palms to grease and which forms to fill out. Favours and contacts help out a lot and, well, the Ministry is known to lose things every now and then."

"In other words," Nymphadora snorted. "You fucking five-finger discounted it."

Chandra full on grinned now. "They do not even know it is gone."

"ENOUGH!" roared Kirk. "A two knowingly hid a stolen creature, classified to be more dangerous than a dragon, underneath our very feet. And then you lost control, three people almost died and that thing is still stalking the wastes out there. We are stuck in the ice and the Kingfisher is severely damaged. All of this could have been prevented if you had been honest from the start."

Bellatrix stepped forward, chest heaving and eyes brimming with angry tears. She looked Eleanor right in the eye. "You are not the witch I thought you were. You never were," she spoke spitefully before brushing past her and rushing into the corridor. Hermione watched her go with sadness in her heart. Never meet your heroes indeed.

"Dismissed! All of you!" Kirk sighed. "I need some time to consider all of this."

Most of the gathered people moved to leave in silence. Hermione was one of the last persons to leave, eager to find Bellatrix to comfort her, when she heard Kirk called out after them. "Not you, Nymphadora," he said. From the tone of voice it was painfully obvious that the man had a bone to pick with her. Glancing over, she saw Nymphadora had stopped in her tracks and had what could only be described as an 'oh fuck' expression. Hermione offered her a look of sympathy before stepping into the corridor and closing the door behind her.

"I know what you're going to say, right?" Nymphadora told the captain, not wanting to look him in the eye. "I bollocked it up. Just like I always do. Hell, I bollocked it all up before I even set foot on the ship! Rilly… she'll tell you it was all her idea, probably will try to take the fall for it by saying she made me do it. But that's not true. I was complicit from the start. It was selfish and stupid and I never should have smuggled her on board."

Kirk crossed his arms, obviously still furious. "You're bloody right you shouldn't have! What went through your damn head?! Wait, don't answer that question. This Rilly is your girlfriend, correct?"

Nymphadora nodded. "For two years. Works as a servant in the household. Kept it secret from everyone, including my mum. We… we just didn't want to be apart after my mum sent me to this ship. I thought I would hate it here so she decided to… tag along. But that was before… before I… actually found a place for myself here. Captain, believe me, if I had known how much… I would fit in here I'd… I'd never would have done it, I swear down!" There was a desperation on her voice and she herself didn't quite know why. No small measure of shame came over her again. All her life she'd been selfish and wasteful. The sad truth was that she'd been a disappointment to everyone, including herself.

"Hm, the maid and the rich kid of the house having a forbidden affair," chuckled Kirk. An angry chuckle. "Story as old as time itself. But I do want to know how you've managed to keep her hidden for months."

Nymphadora bit her lip. "Perhaps it's easier to just show you."

And so Kirk and Nymphadora stepped out of the captain's quarters to head down to the cargo deck. They walked together in awkward silence as they descended the stairs to the now partially closed off and ice-cold orlop deck. The cargo deck was warmed, but not by much and Nymphadora suppressed a shiver as they entered the quartermaster's digs where she quickly waved her hands to light the warmth stones. She then swiftly showed Kirk the contraption she had made under the bed where Rilly had her hiding space. After which she completely spilled the beans. How they had planned it and when she got on board. How the voyage across the Atlantic gave Nymphadora the time to build the contraption and how she finished it just in time in between her duties when they arrived at Nova Scotia. After that, it was simply keeping an eye on the schedule and making sure Rilly kept out of sight when the Orlop and Crew decks were most travelled.

Kirk kneeled over and studied the contraption and the hiding place. "A smuggler's compartment," he chuckled. "And an impressive one at that. Well, this certainly brings back memories. You built this all by yourself?"

Nymphadora started to feel a little more at ease now that his anger seemed to fade somewhat. "Yeah," Nymphadora muttered uncomfortably. "I, uh, am pretty good with my hands, me."

"I can see that," said Kirk. "I haven't missed you doing double-duty as the ship's handy man either."

"I just want you know that… when I calculated supplies before we left Newcastle, I fudged the numbers a little so we brought excess supplies," said Nymphadora.

It was then that Kirk gave her a bit of a smirk. "I know…"

"You… you know?" Nymphadora blinked.

Kirk started pacing slightly, lost in thought for a moment. "I realized the numbers were a little off. I have to sign off on the budgets, remember? But what I didn't know is why the numbers were off. There weren't any obvious mistake as the numbers weren't excessively raised. I wrote it off as you being a bit cautious since you're new to the job of quartermaster. And it's not as if it wasn't within the budget or storage space constraints. Having a little surplus never hurt anyone, especially in treacherous waters."

Nymphadora sighed. "I… just didn't want anyone to go hungry because I smuggled an extra mouth on board," she muttered. "And they still won't! I'll share my rations between me and her! If anyone is going to bed on an empty stomach, it's going to me, yeah? And only me!"

And she meant it. In her shame, all that mattered was making things right. Kirk looked her in the eye and nodded. "And your mother thought you immature," he chuckled. "You take responsibility for your own actions. Even before you got to really know the people you'd be crewing with. You'll find them a very understanding lot, but you already know that."

Nymphadora scoffed as she turned . "No need to make me feel better," she muttered. "Just call me a waste of space. I'm used to it by now."

Unexpectedly, Kirk approached her, grabbed her by the shoulders and shook her around a little. "Nymphadora, you are not a waste of space. Not by a longshot. For now, what's done is done. I will be speaking with the young lady later. She'll be expected to earn her keep."

Nymphadora nodded. "Rilly actually helped me with keeping the cargo deck clean and organized. You'll find her willing and able to help. She might not be much for climbing riggings, but she can help take care of the ship's upkeep, assist Haema in the kitchen, or Big-Mouth in sickbay. Oh, and she had surprisingly good finesse moving bigger crates with her wand."

"Ah, she's an all-rounder, then," said Kirk. "Good. As for you, Nymphadora, you'll keep your position as quartermaster for the rest of the voyage. And beyond, if you like. My offer stands."

Nymphadora blinked, giving the captain an incredulous look as an equal mix of surprised shock and relief washed over her. For a moment, she didn't know what to say. "Captain, I… You mean it? Seriously?"

Kirk nodded. "You have a big heart and a good head on your shoulders. You are well-liked by the crew," he said. "Why wouldn't I want to keep you on? Though, in all fairness, it will take me a while to fully trust you again."

That last bit of brutal honestly hit her heard. "It's right what they say. Someone disappointed in you is a lot worse than someone angry with you," she replied, though with a half-smile on her face. "Still, it's fab of you to say so. You've been kinder to me than my own mum's been. I'm nothing but a sponge in her eyes, me."

"Don't blame your mother for your own inaction," Kirk raised an eyebrow. "From what you've told me about your past ten years of life, you actually were a sponge. If you want your mother to stop seeing you as one, then show her you can be more than that. And the past few months, you have really taken charge of your life. There's no reason for that to end now."

Nymphadora sighed, a sigh which turned into a small sob. "It's just that…" she muttered while tears started running over her cheeks. "When everybody was telling me how glad they were that I was here and all those peptalks you gave me, and here I was all the while keeping secrets from everybody. Oh yeah, that Nymphadora… showing so much selfless maturity and responsibility… while I literally hid my stowaway girlfriend a few decks under everyone's feet. I bollocked it up before I even left the starting gate. And then when I saw that massive black-hearted monster grab hold of Rilly and drag her out onto the ice I thought… I thought I'd lost her too and it was going to be all my fault! I never loved anyone but her and I don't give a flying fuck anymore who knows and what they're going to do about it! Mum least of all! You're right. I need to take charge of my life."

Kirk crossed his arms. "Good," a smile formed on his grizzled face. "Very good."

"Captain," said Nymphadora, her expression resolute. "I know I don't have any right to ask you for a favour, but there's something captains can do, right? Something… Something I need to do."

Kirk seemed to realize what she was asking. "Are you sure of this?" he asked.

Nymphadora smiled through her tears. "More than anything in my life. If I need… want to truly take charge of my life, this is my way to do it."

"For a witch from a family like yours, it's one hell of a statement," said Kirk. "But hell knows, the crew could use a reason to celebrate. Want to do it right now?"

"Right fucking now!" Nymphadora shot him a grin from ear to ear. Her heart felt light, even though it was beating a mile a minute. A great weight was starting to fall off her shoulders. No more secrecy. No more delayed promises. Rilly deserved better than that. Hell, Nymphadora herself deserved better than that. She was in a good position; the captain still trusted her… for the most part and in a worst case scenario she could see herself staying on board the Kingfisher to earn a living.

"Give me some time to set things up. Oh and be sure to actually tell the young lady what you're planning, hm? She is a rather significant party in this."

"Erm, yes," Nymphadora bit her lip and started to stride towards the door. "I'll go do that right now…"

Tahki lay under the warm blanket of her bed in her cabin, being gently spooned by her Neo-Viking lover. She smiled: Sunniva was her gentle giant. Tahki was of the same diminutive stature of all the Black family women she had ever known, so if they were spooning she was the tea spoon and Sunniva a large soup ladle. To be honest, Tahki felt completely content. She felt her warm body press against her back, a soft hand playfully stroking her arm. Her warm breath sending shivers down her neck whenever Sunni exhaled. And what she had just experienced?

Jesus fucking Christ.

"That was incredible," spoke Tahki, surprised by the husky quality of her voice as she was still panting slightly. With sweat cooling on her skin, she probably needed a bit of a shower but would be happy to share one. Disappointment struck when she realized that Sunniva might just be too big to fit into the shower with her, though maybe she if squeezed in tightly... "You weren't lying when you said you'd love me like I'd never been loved before. And I'm not saying that because you're my first woman…"

More strokes. A soft kiss on the side of her neck. Soft blonde hair tickling her skin. She couldn't help but giggle a little.

"I am happy you approve, sæta," spoke Sunniva and she did sound quite pleased with herself.

"I gather I'm not your first woman?" asked Tahki. "Oh, um, don't answer that if you think it's rude."

"It is not," said Sunniva. "I have shared my bed with several women. Life among my people can be harsh, unforgiving and short. As such, we often revel in pleasures of the flesh. But… I have long sought to answer the call of my heart instead."

Tahki chuckled. "Yeah, I know what that's like," she said, biting her lip. "I'd never go as far as to call myself a chaste virgin, but I admit I want a little crazy since coming to the UK. Nymph makes fun of me all the time for jumping into bed with random boys but… I dunno. It's fun a bit, but you feel sort of empty inside, you know? And then you move on to the next mark and the cycle repeats. And just keep looking and looking and looking… until you have no idea why you're even looking. Does that make any sense?"

Sunniva remained silent for a while. "You look until you find."

Tahki froze. It was such a simple thing to day, but yet contained so much truth. Tahki smiled as she turned around in her lover's arms and found herself pressed against her as she did. Her breasts pressed against Sunniva's as she wrapped her arms around her. Their lips met for yet another kiss of which there had been so many. The blonde Neo-viking with her intense blue eyes looked at her with a warm smile on her face. "And?" asked Tahki. "Have you found what you've been looking for?"

"Freyja willing, I have," Sunniva spoke softly. It almost made Tahki swoon. "Question is, have you found what you are looking for."

In that moment, Sunniva was unsure of herself. It was an odd look to see those blue eyes so guarded and that expression so unsure. Tahki quickly moved to lay a hand on her cheek.

"I didn't even know what I was looking for until an hour ago," she said and kissed her again. "But I really do like what I'm seeing. Trust me, nobody wants to see where this is going more than I do. I… I know this is probably going to sound completely pathetic, but I've never been in love. I had no idea what it was like. Sure, you see about it in movies or whatever, but I never really knew what it felt like. I mean… looking forward to hanging out together, just chatting, talking about whatever and then when you don't see the other person you wonder where they are. And before you know it, the person you think is just your really good friend does something completely amazing for you and then you end up holding each other in bed after having the most amazing sex ever. So, uhm, I'm rambling now, am I? I… I guess what I've been trying to say is that… Freyja is willing."

Sunniva and Tahki had been talking for months by now. Heart to hearts about their families, their lives, their cultures, their dreams and their deepest wishes. Sunniva was a brave warrior, up until recently, enjoyed great status in Thule. She had once commanded ships, battalions of jomsvikingr, bought battles against men and beast and, despite a few lustful conquests, her heart had been barren. Sunniva'd been lonely. And, for some reason, she had fallen for her of all people.

"I love you, sæta."

It was a simple statement that make Tahki's heart pound in her chest. Sunniva was the first person to ever say those words to her other than her gramps, and to have it spoken with such passion in a paradoxically gentle tone. It made her smile and cuddle up closer against her. She gently stroked her hand over Sunniva's side, taking a brief moment to to slide the back of her hand over her abs, grinning at her as she did so. Sunniva, for her part, was pleased she approved.

"I think I… sorta… love… you too?" Tahki muttered, blood rushing to her cheek. "Jesus, that was a useless… 'I love you too'. Wait, did I just say it? I did, didn't I? Uhm, could we change the subject please, now? I… okay, I…"

Sunniva got the hint and silenced Tahki with another soft kiss. That a warrior this strong could be so soft and gentle.

"So," said Tahki after taking a moment to calm herself. "Tell me about this longhouse you're planning to build for us when we go back to Montana, hm?"

"Ah," said Sunniva. "You have never seen a Thule longhouse? Well, they are a sight to behold and I will present you with one of our own, though it will likely take many years to build. We will find a proper plot of land where we will build our home."

"Wait," said Tahki, stroking blonde hair. "You can't just plop down a house on a random bit of land."

Sunniva glowered dangerously. "I shall defend our conquest with merciless cold steel! The land will remain ours."

"Yeah, uhm," Tahki snorted. "That's not going to make you… or me for that matter… very popular at the reservation. Tell you want, I'll just ask gramps to set aside a nice plot of land from the ranch, right? We already own that. So, uhm what will it look like?"

"A proper longhouse is made from the finest of wood," smiled Sunniva. "Sixty meters long and seven meters wide. There will be a bowed roof, curving inward on both ends as if it is the hull of an upturned drakkar. There will be a great central hall with a large firepit in the middle, where the meat will broil and the mead will flow. Large wooden beams above and wooden columns below will support the longhouse, adorned with the finest carvings of dragons, gods and runic art which I shall carve with my own two hands. At the one end of the central hall will be a chamber where we can practise our magical and martial skill and at the other will be the great bed-chamber for the thagn and her woman."

"That's me!" winked Tahki.

"Indeed."

"From warrior to carpenter," said Tahki. "I hope it's not too much of a downgrade."

"I have always been good with my hands."

"Yes," Tahki smirked. "Believe me, I've noticed that. So, I… need some more practise to make you feel like you made me feel. It would be a shame to have a great bed-chamber go to waste, no?"

"It would at that, sæta."

"Hm," Tahki said thoughtfully. "There also needs to be another room for my brother to put down his Xbox, I think."

Sunniva gave her an odd look. "An Axe Box? Is your brother a great warrior?"

Tahki snorted. "Only with a controller in his hand," she joked, though she could see that Sunniva didn't get it. "Well," she chuckled. "I see there will be a lot of explaining in my near future."

Any thoughts to having a Viking longhouse built on the Blackfoot reservation and all the attention it would attract were swiftly forgotten when they kissed again. This time, Sunniva was more than happy to have Tahki take the lead. Though it was probably a bit silly to see the much smaller woman rolling on top of the much taller viking, Tahki was determined not to be deterred by their size difference. Things were just starting to get more hot and heavy when they both heard the sound of the ship's bell resounded through the ship.

"Hm, what now?" Sunniva muttered, more than a little annoyed.

"Great, can't two women in love just fuck in peace for once?" Tahki sighed. "I suppose we should see what's going on," she added reluctantly.

As the two women were getting dressed, Tahki was oddly happy that they would be stuck in the ice for a few more months. That meant a few more months of practice time to get on Sunniva's level. Black pride was at stake here and Tahki was not to be outdone, not even by the woman she was in love with. After one last happy grin at the messy bed and thoughts of what was to happen there, the two women closed to the door to the cabin and made their way to see by the crew and passengers were being summoned.