Queenguard, p.11
Queenguard, page 11
Revna dips her toes in the water, she turns and her plump ass is in my face. I can’t help myself as I reach up to cup her in my hands as she eases herself down. She lays her back across my chest, relaxing against me. Both of us fit comfortably together, our naked bodies close as we soak.
She rests her head against my shoulder.
We are quiet.
Like our bodies understand that this is what we need. This closeness, without words. The bond between us is a connection that only the pair of us can understand. I wrap my arms around her, and my hands brush her breasts, but I keep them to myself.
“I want to tell you the truth, Revna,” I say. It is past time that she understood, that I let her in. It is what she has been asking all along, “I know that I am responsible for this distance between us and—”
“You are not solely to blame,” she says gently, she rests her arms above mine, holding onto me, “Think about it, Gunnar. You and I were strangers, and then we became the very people responsible for continuing Agoir,” she laughed, “I imagine we are allowed to make mistakes.”
“When you put it that way,” I say, relieved. Maybe I have been too hard on myself. Trying too hard to live up to an expectation that did not exist. I hold her close.
“You are the one who found me, Gunnar,” she says, simply, “It was always you.”
I hold her close.
The words I have longed to hear but did not know how to ask.
“I understand what Frigg feels like now. That has never faltered. Not once,” she explains, “If it were to be anyone else, I know I would have felt it.”
I am starting to accept this.
That it was always me.
“Ever since I was young, the people of Agoir searched for you. We performed ritual after ritual. Our priestesses went on spiritual quests to gain answers. I was determined to bring you back. And to bring you back I had to be strong, ruthless. I could not let you slip away from us. I have done horrible things to find you, Revna,” I admit, “You saw what I did in Gaia. But, that was only a fraction of—”
“I understand,” she says softly, quieting me. Her fingers gently stroke me, “I will tell you until you believe it. I understand, Gunnar. I am with you now. With the people of Agoir.”
“…Revna,” she is so forgiving.
She sits up, the water falls out of the tub as she moves. I notice the mark of Frigg on her back. Revna faces me. The one on her front shimmers. Her shoulders are exposed in the tub, her dark hair mostly pulled out of her face, although a few loose wet strands stick to her pale skin.
“Promise me you will spend every night with me until it is time,” she wraps her arms around me, her breasts pressing against me. Her body is so light in the water. I want her.
“I promise.”
“I will keep you safe, Gunnar. Just as you will bring home a victory,” she speaks with such certainty. I see the passion in her eyes. The dedication.
“I would not have allowed myself to fall for you if I knew I could die,” the words come as a surprise to me.
“So you’ve fallen for me?” she smiles.
“Revna.”
“Gunnar.”
“…Yes. I have,” I answer truthfully.
She smiles, “You are mine, remember? And I am the Daughter of Frigg. We will be victorious, whether you believe it or not,” she says, determined, her words surprise me with how optimistic she is, “We are in this together.”
When I look into her eyes, I see such strength inside of her. A kind of understanding that I am beginning to recognize. The true strength of Frigg Revna is the daughter of the goddess of the household, motherhood, and love, “We will grow strong together,” she promises me, “We will stand united and save Agoir.”
I believe her.
“Yes, we will.”
She looks at me with such trust, such hope.
I exhale, and my doubts fall away. I was the one who found Revna. I am the one who will protect her, and save Agoir. I am not an impostor.
I lean close to her. She kisses me, and I sink into her, giving myself over to her fully.
“Gunnar,” she whispers, her arms around my neck, “Do you want me now?”
I laugh, “You do feel me, right?” My cock rests against her stomach, my erection obvious from the moment she sat on my lap, “It has been too long.”
She pulls away, looking as sweet as ever, “I want to hear you say it.”
“I want you.”
She grins and lifts her body above me. Revna guides my cock towards her entrance and slowly swallows me up. She whimpers lightly, “You are mine,” she reminds me, “And I get to have you when I want from now on.”
“Yes,” I say, my voice more of a growl, my excitement growing.
She’s so hot inside, squeezing me, the soft walls of her cunt drowning me in pleasure only she has shown me before. She moves herself, the water spills out of the tub until it’s low enough for her to bounce on my cock without making any more of a mess. Not that it matters. My large hands reach for her ass as I move with her.
She closes her eyes. Her face was so serene.
“Ah…ah…,” she breaths, “You feel…so amazing…,” she moans, “I missed you, so much,” she moans, she holds me, her lips close to my ear as she steadily fucks me, “I want…to hear how much you like this,” she commands.
“You—are incredible,” I choke out.
“What was that?” she teased.
“You feel amazing—it’s hard…to think,” I tell her, my mind slowly melting along with my cock. Her insides are so perfectly warm, the way I fit so snugly inside of her, it’s an overwhelmingly blissful sensation.
She moans, “Yes—! More!”
“You’re incredible, Revna—,” I say, “All I’ve done is think of you. Is think of being with you and—ughhmm!” I hold myself back, preventing myself from cumming. She needs this. She needs me to be there for her.
She leans away from me, presenting her body, “Suck,” she commands.
My mouth hungrily finds her breast, my mouth sucking her nipple as my hand gropes her other, teasing her nipples as she likes. She deserves all of the pleasure I can give her. I roll my tongue around her taught nipple, my mind gets hazy with complete lust. She thrusts into me, and I match her, finding the perfect rhythm—our bodies have always been able to find what we need from each other.
I look up at her and the blissful expression on her face. I gently nibble on her nub, she moans, her fingers run through my hair, “More,” she tells me.
I pull my face away from her, holding my hands on her small waist. Her nipple is a deep pink from where my mouth used to be. Her breasts shake delightfully in my face and I watch her writhe in satisfied pleasure, using my cock for what she needs. Fuck. It’s hard to keep myself back, but I must.
Revna keeps her hands on my shoulders to steady herself, “Ahh—ahh—Ahh!” she squeezes me.
She cums.
I moan, my orgasm following shortly behind hers.
Together. As it should be.
I spurt my seed inside of her, wave after wave, filling her up. Revna moans loudly and I growl into her shoulder. Her body shakes on top of mine as we’re connected in this delicious state of ecstasy.
She holds me, and I hold her as we catch our breath. Why did I wait this long to accept her affection? Her gentleness? I have been a foolish man to allow her to nearly slip from my grasp, thanks to my arrogance.
Revna kisses me passionately. I return it hungrily.
She laughs. I do too.
Both of us lay in the afterglow.
“Did you decide to change the rules just for this?” she teases.
I kiss her, “This is certainly a boon.”
I stand up from the tub and lift her easily. She is so light in my arms.
I walk our dripping bodies into our bedroom, breathing in the smell of home. Not much of it changed. It was already the most lived-in place of the longhouse before I left with the furs and ornamental shields on display.
We both slide into the bed and cuddle underneath the furs, her back against my chest, my body curling around her like we were made to fit together like this.
“I’m so glad your back,” she whispers.
I hold her close. I will never leave again.
Chapter Nine
This is what happiness feels like. Waking up beside Gunnar, seeing him off to train. Pampering him when he returns, teasing him until I know he is at his limit. I know he is not used to being cared for how I want to, bathing him daily, feeding him until he is full, making sure he has enough rest. It is all the care I would have wanted for myself as a warrior.
It is how I know to express what I feel about him.
King Leif was not pleased with Gunnar’s decision to disband formal training until the season ended. Gunnar made an argument that the King could not ignore—he was allowed to live in the comfort of his Hall, able to share in the love of his wife. Gunnar believed all warriors deserved the same, and openly shared his opinion, something the other fighters agreed with. It was difficult for Leif to deny that his son was the one on the front guard, that he understood what their army needed. Reluctantly, he agreed under the condition that should anyone show up late for training, their privilege would be immediately revoked. A fair enough compromise.
Gunnar declared the barracks a place for warriors to stay if they wished, but all others were allowed to live at home among their families. The declaration was met with enthusiasm—turns out, most of the warriors hated the outdated practice. It was an excellent way for the warriors to be all the more enthusiastic about following Gunnar’s leadership.
Both of us worked hard, together.
The water wives and I continued our training. Daily we sparred and prepared defenses around the main encampment. I planned crates of supplies to be scattered and hidden among the town in case the battle did reach the shores of Agoir. I only hope we will never have to use it.
The Agoirian warriors all grew. Gunnar especially. His body was already massive, but as the days wore on, his muscles grew more pronounced, and his eyes would randomly flash that blue glow that we both shared. All of the warriors with Agoirian blood were becoming vessels for the power I gave them.
I found myself admiring Gunnar more with every passing day.
Gunnar is a natural leader, as much as he denies it. He genuinely listens to everyone. Is thoughtful. A gentle warrior. It is his dedication that is his greatest strength.
It is nearly dawn. My fingers run through his thick hair. I notice a few strands of grey. I nuzzle my face against his head, breathing him in. We smell the same, now. His body is so warm. I press my naked body against his broad back.
He shifts.
“Good morning, Jarl,” I whisper to him. I kiss his ear.
“Mmm…,” he rolls onto his back, and turns to me, “Good morning, Revna.”
His sleepy expression is so tender. I kiss him.
“I hope I didn’t tire you out too much last night,” I tease him.
He laughs, I notice the wrinkle in his eyes. “It’s thanks to you I can keep up,” he strokes my dark hair from my face. His eyes are so beautiful.
I lean against him, our naked bodies intertwined with one another.
“What are you thinking?” he asks me softly.
“I look forward to when this is not temporary,” I admit, “I hate that I cannot fight by your side.”
I lay against him. He holds me, his hand strokes my back as I smooth my fingers against the skin of his chest.
“I would love to see you fight.”
“We will spar when this is over,” I promise him.
He holds me closely, “…this is the happiest I have been in my life, Revna.”
“Me too.”
I kiss his chest.
For the first time, I am fully myself. I am where I am supposed to be. We lay together until the first light of dawn breaks. I know that our peace is already over. We both have much to prepare for.
I get up.
Gunnar slides out of bed. Both of us turn away from each other to dress. We both know from experience how difficult it is to stop when the pair of us touch. We have allowed ourselves the chance to indulge in our physical desires at every opportunity since he came home.
I dress in my fighting gear. Leather armor instead of metal. Easier to move around. On the islands, metal was a rare resource. I volunteered to melt down my armor to create proper weapons for the more skilled water wives, anything to ensure our victory.
Gunnar finishes dressing. We both leave the house together, our routine becoming muscle memory.
“I will see you this evening,” I grin, “I have an excellent idea for your meal tonight.”
“I look forward to it,” he leans down to kiss me, “I’ll always return to you.”
We part ways.
I walk over to the temple to meet Mary.
Mary is outside, wearing the same leather armor as Agoir.
Each piece of leather has been inscribed with the ancient runes of Frigg, each blessed by the priestesses. It was thanks to their knowledge that my power was able to be infused into the armor to protect the water wives, and to increase the protection of those with Agoirian blood. The priestesses were all able to harness my growing power, taking every opportunity to enchant weapons and other armor that the warriors would leave behind and pick up later.
My presence is like a super bloom. The way the earth sprouts with life after a rain. All of the pieces have been there, they only needed me.
Mary and I move behind the temple to the smaller training grounds where some of the other women already spar with one another. All of us were becoming true warriors, worthy of Agoir. The Holtians will show their full force, so we must do the same.
“Ready to spar?” she asks happily, her hair is braided in a low bun, so it is out of her face.
“Yes, I need it,” I say holding up a pair of battle axes. I decided on a new weapon, one that is common among the people of Agoir. Axes rather than swords.
Something about the weapon feels much better in my hands than a sword. A connection to the weapon I never learned I had. Holtians are swordsmen, the only weapon I was allowed to pick up. I now understand why it took me so long to master those skills—the sword was not a weapon meant for my hands.
The techniques for the axe are different. With my new abilities, it did not take me long to understand the technique for myself. The blessing of Frigg is a boon without limits. Not only does it make me and the people around me stronger, but with every day, our abilities grow. They adapt. Like a garden beginning to overflow and spring into its form. A power that cannot be controlled, only cultivated.
On the training grounds, Mary and I fight, blocking attacks, searching for openings. Her technique is better than I expect—she has picked up quickly, and I know she has been working on her own. Mary uses her sprite-like movements to attempt to trip me up. She is faster than me, or—I have gotten slower. I make up for my lack of speed by using the terrain to my advantage, causing Mary to lose her footing, or by leaning into her attacks, surprising her with the change of direction.
With my newfound strength, I have to hold myself back. I have broken and chipped enough practice equipment to know I cannot fight at full strength against the water wives. My attacks are real, and I feel they could cause damage to someone as strong as Gunnar.
I know I can be strong enough to make sure our people survive. I will, even if I become the last line of defense—a thought that frightens me.
We break from sparring, both of us sweaty from our joust.
We walk towards one of the fresh buckets of water and drink freely from it with a ladle.
“Ulf told me that once the battle is over, he wants to get married,” she says suddenly. Her eyes are filled with life as she smiles brightly.
“What!?” I say, happily surprised.
She nods, “Yes. After we met, we couldn’t stop speaking. He calls me his little sprout, and—,” she holds her hand to her chest, “It feels so right when I’m with him.”
I wrap my arms around her in a big hug, “Oh Mary, I’m so happy for you. We’ll have to make sure you have the most beautiful gown, and I’m sure I can get permission to use the temple.”
“Revna…”
“You’re my oldest and closest friend, Mary. I’m so happy for you.”
We hug for a while, “Thank you so much,” she pulls away, “You know. None of this would have happened to us if we stayed in Gaia, I probably would have been married off to one of those old men my father always tried to set me up with…” she notes, a hint of sadness in her voice, “In a strange way, I am glad we were taken here.”
“I know the feeling,” I agree.
“You and Gunnar are the gem of the village,” she notes, a smug smile on her face, “Seems as though you tamed him.”
“It’s not as simple as that,” I answer, not denying the fact that I have absolutely tamed him in the best way possible, “But, we have an understanding now. It is easy with him.”
“…Are you worried? About what will happen?”
I look around. The pair of us are alone. I nod.
“I’m afraid,” Mary continues, “I want Ulf to come back to me. And I’m so worried that he’ll throw his life away.”
“It is not throwing his life away—”
“How could you think that way?” she asked, “Not all of us have the blessing of a goddess, Revna. We can all see it works better on Gunnar than it does anyone else.”
“My powers still work on everyone—”
“If only you could protect Ulf like Gunnar. If only I could protect Ulf like you.”
I am quiet. I have not considered what all of this must feel like for people like Marry. Like Ulf and Hilda. How, for some reason, my power manifests stronger in others, but not all. I do not know enough about my abilities to understand why.
“I’m sorry, I—,” Mary apologizes quickly, “I’m afraid. I am grateful for the blessing of the goddess. We all can feel the difference, but the Holtians outnumber us. They have been preparing for longer than we have. We know what they are capable of, the two of us have seen it.” She smiles sadly to herself, “I was born in Gaia. Born a Holtian, but I feel so much more passionate about defending Agoir to the death than I ever felt about our old home. I want so badly for all of us to be over. To live in peace.”
