man's solution for everything, isn't it? Jump her and then she'll be pliant, right?”
“ Emma, you have a low opinion of men and gods. She had to choose the god by the attractiveness of his feet, but gave the gods a condition to marry. They had to manage to make her laugh or she wouldn't wed. That lady had the wisdom of a giant in her blood and she chose well. In the sorrow of losing her father she thought it would be impossible for anyone to get her to laugh, and if a soul can make you laugh in the throes of grief then he will always fill your world with smiles. She was fussy, and refused to have sexual relations with the god assigned to her. She could not love a man who was given to her instead of the love of her father. She left him so she could know real love and have a complete relationship, and she refused to settle for anything but the best, Odin. We know she wouldn't have aligned herself with a mate who didn't make her happy. She valued happiness above all else.”
Silence falls heavily between us, thick with unspoken suggestion and implication.
“Em,” he murmurs, holding my hand again and softly caressing it with his thumb, “Odin wasn't all bad. He atoned to Skaði in other ways too. He took her deceased father's eyes and made them stars in the sky, so Þjazi'd always look down on her and light up her dark hours. Odin loved her because she was fierce and honest. She stayed true to herself even if it meant she had to stand alone against all of the gods. What's not to love in a woman that courageous and wise?”
“ I hear you. You don't have to keep telling me it's okay to be alone and a freak in a world that doesn't fit me.”
He huffs at me, sagging against the couch dramatically, the hold on my hand tightening, “Emma, listen to your heart woman! The Sami were considered her people. To this day they are nomads. They do not adhere to pressure to build cities and fit in, they don't care, they are happy and they are free. And they live in the one place which was known as the land of the eternal sun. The land of the midnight sun is where her people wander, it was the stuff of legends, it's heritage to be proud of.”
“Then why do we have such dark hair?” I challenge.
“ Because we are Raven. We are the only sect with dark hair because she is also the commander of eternal night. We see into each other's souls, Em. We cannot hurt the vulnerable because our hearts beat blood thick with compassion.”
“ Then why am I such a loser if we're so magnificent?”
“ If by loser you mean lost, then consider yourself found. You could never be a loser in wise eyes, you are a treasure in need of sanctuary to become a fierce woman like she was.”
“ You're a hopeless idealist.”
Setting the mandolin away from where he can knock it, he stands, offering me his hand, “I'll walk you to bed. I refuse to argue with you until you are brave enough to see yourself without the lenses of a humanity which are purely rooted in keeping each other downtrodden and less than.”
I want to argue but don't have the strength. I am sapped.
He smiles, knowingly, “Need me to carry you?”
Lord above. Surely I can walk on my own two feet.
I shake my head, determined to shuffle with him the three caverns over to the room he said I can use tonight.
“Where will you sleep?” I ask, idly considering the conundrum he's been thrust into.
“ It's not your job to take care of me, it's mine to take care of you.”
Dawdling into his room I flop onto the bed, dead tired. He walks around, snuffing candles until all is dark but his glowing eye.
“If you need me, just call.”
“ Hrumph,” I nod, fighting heavy eyelids.
Cradled in comfort, it makes me smile when I'm lifted, my Chuck's hitting the floor in dull slaps, and a thick duvet is pulled up to my chin.
It reminds me of when I was very young and daddy would tuck me in.
It's such a tender gesture that my heart swells.
My next inhalation delivers oblivion,
“ Emma, you have a low opinion of men and gods. She had to choose the god by the attractiveness of his feet, but gave the gods a condition to marry. They had to manage to make her laugh or she wouldn't wed. That lady had the wisdom of a giant in her blood and she chose well. In the sorrow of losing her father she thought it would be impossible for anyone to get her to laugh, and if a soul can make you laugh in the throes of grief then he will always fill your world with smiles. She was fussy, and refused to have sexual relations with the god assigned to her. She could not love a man who was given to her instead of the love of her father. She left him so she could know real love and have a complete relationship, and she refused to settle for anything but the best, Odin. We know she wouldn't have aligned herself with a mate who didn't make her happy. She valued happiness above all else.”
Silence falls heavily between us, thick with unspoken suggestion and implication.
“Em,” he murmurs, holding my hand again and softly caressing it with his thumb, “Odin wasn't all bad. He atoned to Skaði in other ways too. He took her deceased father's eyes and made them stars in the sky, so Þjazi'd always look down on her and light up her dark hours. Odin loved her because she was fierce and honest. She stayed true to herself even if it meant she had to stand alone against all of the gods. What's not to love in a woman that courageous and wise?”
“ I hear you. You don't have to keep telling me it's okay to be alone and a freak in a world that doesn't fit me.”
He huffs at me, sagging against the couch dramatically, the hold on my hand tightening, “Emma, listen to your heart woman! The Sami were considered her people. To this day they are nomads. They do not adhere to pressure to build cities and fit in, they don't care, they are happy and they are free. And they live in the one place which was known as the land of the eternal sun. The land of the midnight sun is where her people wander, it was the stuff of legends, it's heritage to be proud of.”
“Then why do we have such dark hair?” I challenge.
“ Because we are Raven. We are the only sect with dark hair because she is also the commander of eternal night. We see into each other's souls, Em. We cannot hurt the vulnerable because our hearts beat blood thick with compassion.”
“ Then why am I such a loser if we're so magnificent?”
“ If by loser you mean lost, then consider yourself found. You could never be a loser in wise eyes, you are a treasure in need of sanctuary to become a fierce woman like she was.”
“ You're a hopeless idealist.”
Setting the mandolin away from where he can knock it, he stands, offering me his hand, “I'll walk you to bed. I refuse to argue with you until you are brave enough to see yourself without the lenses of a humanity which are purely rooted in keeping each other downtrodden and less than.”
I want to argue but don't have the strength. I am sapped.
He smiles, knowingly, “Need me to carry you?”
Lord above. Surely I can walk on my own two feet.
I shake my head, determined to shuffle with him the three caverns over to the room he said I can use tonight.
“Where will you sleep?” I ask, idly considering the conundrum he's been thrust into.
“ It's not your job to take care of me, it's mine to take care of you.”
Dawdling into his room I flop onto the bed, dead tired. He walks around, snuffing candles until all is dark but his glowing eye.
“If you need me, just call.”
“ Hrumph,” I nod, fighting heavy eyelids.
Cradled in comfort, it makes me smile when I'm lifted, my Chuck's hitting the floor in dull slaps, and a thick duvet is pulled up to my chin.
It reminds me of when I was very young and daddy would tuck me in.
It's such a tender gesture that my heart swells.
My next inhalation delivers oblivion,
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