She wrapped long legs around his thrusting hips, taut arms around his broad back,seiðrsurging through her veins.
When she convulsed in spasms of pleasure, her body tightly clenched his.
Sigurd arrowed in deep and roared in release, filling her with seed,seiðr,and soul.
She kissed his tense shoulder, the salty taste of his fresh sweat dancing on her tongue.
He pressed frantic kisses into the side of her neck, his hums of pleasure tickling her ear. “I have longed to sink into your exquisite body every single day since our last dawn together. I thank all the gods you are here.” He lowered himself to her side and cradled her over his thundering heart. “But now, you must tell me how and why you have come.”
With a tender fingertip, Brynhildr traced theouroboroswhich glowed with amber fire in the moonlight. As she reverently kissed themark of the dragonthat bound their two souls, the golden ring from her vision flared into her mind.
Rising onto one elbow, she stroked the hair on Sigurd’s beloved chest and gazed into his fierce blue eyes. “In aseiðrvision, I foresawÚlfblóðrshattering beneath Hjálmgunnar’s deadly blade. Yet I also saw that you shall reforge yourfaðir’slegendary swordGramr,which yourmóðirhas kept all these winters.”
Brynhildr sat up in bed and took his hand, squeezing it to impart the importance of her message. “You must claim the broken shards from Queen Hjördis, and carry them north byfjord. Bring the remnants ofÚlfblóðras well, for the two sacred blades shall be reforged as one. A dwarf waits in a waterfall cave, veiled in frosty mist. You must help him awakenGramr—so yourfaðir’sVölsung power is reborn, and the Sea Wolf spirit ofBlárúlfrrises anew within the god-forged steel.”
Her thumb traced his pounding pulse. “The wolf blood of Odin flows in your Völsung veins. Only you can awaken its dormant power.” Her heart lurched as theouroborossurged with sparks ofseiðr. She raised Sigurd’s hand to her lips and bestowed a breathless kiss. “And with yourfaðir’sreforged blade, strengthened byÚlfblóðr’sblood-forged steel…you, my beloved Sea Wolf… shallslay a dragon.”
Sigurd bolted upright beside her, lupine eyes wild with feral wonder.
Before he could speak, she told him of the dragon’s hoard… and the three priceless items she’d glimpsed in the startling vision.
“An enormous dragon with deep green scales, its eyes ablaze like fiery emeralds, guards a trove of treasure. In that hoard, I saw a trio of enchanted objects pulsing withseiðrpower. A winged golden helmet, shaped like the head of the dragon, with emerald eyes like the beast itself. A goldenbrynja,radiant as the sun. And, Sigurd…” she cried, her voice shaking as she placed his fingers over thesoulboundrune which seared her flesh. “An ouroboros ring, just like thismark of the dragonwhich binds our souls throughseiðr.”
He cradled her hand in his, lowering his lips to bestow a reverent kiss. “I am grateful that you have come, not only for the joy of sharing love, but for guiding my fate with your Valkyrie vision. I shall aid the dwarf and reforgeGramrwithÚlfblóðr…but how do I find the dragon?”
“The dwarf knows the location of the dragon’s lair. Long has he waited for you to come. He needs you to slay the beast andretrieve the stolen gold, for it is far more than mere treasure. It is a sublime source ofseiðrpower, bound to the dragon’s fiery soul.”
Wrapping his arms around her, he drew her with him as he laid back down upon the bed. As she snuggled against his chest, he pulled soft furs over them both, enveloping her in a warm embrace. “Tell me aboutFólkvangrand your life as a Valkyrie. I can feel your eyes upon me when I gaze out at the sea.”
She told him of Freyja bringing her toSessrúmnirand theseiðrlessons with her goddessmóðirin the Amber Hall that left her with violently shaking limbs. She described how the Valkyries worked in three triads, selecting the slain through different forms ofseiðr.
“My Laguz Triad wieldsseiðrthrough water,” she murmured, her whisper laced with sorrow. “I watch you every day through the Mirrored Sea. O, Sigurd… I long for you with an endless yearning that robs my breath and gnaws at my bones. Though I am proud to ride as a Valkyrie, the price of losing you is more than I can bear.” She buried her face and sobbed on his chest as he softly stroked her long hair.
“We aresoulbound,” he whispered, kissing the top of her bent head. “Though distance may separate our bodies, our spirits are forever entwined. I am yours and you are mine. In this life and the next.” When he lifted her chin so she would look at him, his smile clenched her heavy heart. He kissed theouroborosabove her left breast, sending a surge ofseiðrthrough their unbreakable bond.“Now, tell me more.”
She wiped her tears and tossed her blonde hair over a shoulder, determined to enjoy every precious, fleeting moment with him. Taking a deep breath of the salty air blowing through the open window, she smiled and continued her tale.
“You met my white winged horse when Freyja claimed me at the Sólhjarta Tournament.” She sat beside him, tracing patternsin his chest hair as he laid upon the bed, brawny arms tucked behind his head. “Himingdrápa is more than just a steed to me—he is my companion, my guide in the skies…he carries me into battle when I select the slain.”
Brynhildr smiled at the man she loved with every beat of her fierce Valkyrie heart. “But I also have a golden falcon named Gyllin. She is blood bound to me—and therefore, to you, since you and I sealed our blood oath inseiðrand starlight.” She leaned down to nuzzle the dark blond hair on his inked chest, deeply inhaling his Sea Wolf scent, locking it inside her soul to bring back with her toFólkvangr. Raising her head, she gazed into his feral lupine eyes. “Falcons bear our messages to Midgard,” she whispered, kissing theouroboroswhich blazed above his thumping heart. “Odin has his ravens, but Freyja has falcons. And if ever a golden falcon should come to you…you’ll know it’s Gyllin, bearing a message from me.”
He nodded and smiled. Love, lust, and longing blazed in his hungry gaze. He took her hand, opened her fingers, and kissed the inside of her palm. “You must leave at dawn,” he whispered, pulling her into his arms and laying her down on the soft furs. “Our last joining was urgent and rushed,” he murmured, drawing her lips into his own. “This time, I want to make it last.”
As her Sea Wolf’s warm lips worshipped her body once again, Brynhildr surrendered to bliss.
In the morning, just before dawn, she and Sigurd made love a third time, desperation and despair mingling with ecstasy.
She reluctantly rose from his warm bed. Her heart heavy as lead, she donned her golden corslet and amber leather armor, wrapping the blanket over her head while he quickly dressed and secured his wolfskin cloak.
Hand in hand, they slipped down the dark hallway and out of the fortress.
Skögul and Kára awaited on the clifftop, Himingdrápa nickering to her between their winged horses.
“Find the dwarf and reforge yourfaðir’ssword to slay the dragon and claim the hoard of treasure. With the winged helm, the golden brynja, and Agnar’s aid, you can sail to Sweden to defeat King Lyngvi and reclaim your Volsung lands.” Tears streaking her wind-whipped cheeks, she kissed his bearded lips and shared his halting breath. “I am yours, Sigurd Sea Wolf. I shall watch you every day through the Mirrored Sea…and long for you with every beat of my Sun Falcon Valkyrie heart.”
Tearing herself from his loving arms, she dashed across the clifftop meadow.
Leapt into the saddle, flanked by her Laguz Triad sisters.
