hallmark

Oooo but he had the girl good and enthralled in the story, and he was pleased she was enjoying it. He chuckled softly at her retort, but nodded in agreement at her following observation. It was a long and vivid tale, and it was all true. At least as far as he knew.

He dropped back into the cadence of a storyteller, voice growing solemn and stoic.

“There was a great storm, a flash flood sweeping into the Valhallan lands. One of those lost was the oldest standing beta, Aislyn. She drowned in her den, and her daughter, Liberty, was barely spared, her mother’s last moments spent rescuing her only child.”

He cast his memories back over what he’d been told. Liberty had made a full explanation at that meeting, and both Erani and Surreal had been present for it.

“Liberty was barely a yearling, but in her grief, she wandered, and ran into the new King of Glaciem. Isardis Armada. He was an Albino, egotistical and prideful. The girl, in an attempt to wash away her grief, flirted with the King, tempted him. She came to her senses belatedly, but had already given her name and Valhalla’s name to the Ice King. She fled home, but the king pursued, coming upon Valhallan borders and … requesting,” His tone implied demanding was more the tone as his lip curled slightly, “That Chrysanthe hand Liberty over to him. Naturally, Chrysanthe refused..”

His eyes darkened as he spoke on, “The King, not one to be refused something he desired, made his intention to challenge for the girl known, to occur in a set time. Chrysanthe came out victorious, but war was looming, the challenge having devolved into fights, and Chrysanthe’s mate having been taken by Argent, Isardis’ … y’know, it was never clear whether she was his mate or just a high-ranking wolf. He was known for having litters with multiple women. Further fighting would have ensued, but Erani stepped in and prevented the conflict between her brother and Isardis’ son Taurig, who was one of kinder heart and more honorable integrity.”

He fell silent for a beat, running through the events that had been passed down. “Taurig would eventually leave Glaciem, before war truly broke out between Valhalla and Glaciem, claiming Tortuga, which had disbanded. Isardis publicly disowned and maimed his own son for claiming a pack that Taurig might well have allied with his father. Instead, he gained a new mother. Erani.” His lips twitched in a faint smile.

The mirth was quelled by solemnity once more as he went on. “War preparations ensued, Syrinx having made a return once more with his and Eos’ children. Chrysanthe instated him as second Alpha, and you can guess how that went. Orders and militant ideals thrown hither and yon. But in times of war, training was important. And Azalea, daughter to Collision, gave herself over to Glaciem in order to retrieve Gideon. I think if she knew what would happen to her in her time there… She might have thought twice. And then it hit. The young and old were shepherded to Seracia, who had loaned several of their warriors to assist in the defense of Valhalla. Tortuga as well supplied warriors and healers—Viridiane and Io Sovari among them.”

His voice burned with distaste and quiet fury as he continued onward with the story. “Isardis marched upon Valhallan borders, he and his Argent murdering a man who wasn’t even a member of the pack. Just there and the wrong time and place, to be slaughtered on the border. With Glaciem marched members of a pack called Lentajin, if I recall the name right. Battle broke out. Prisoners were taken on both sides. Cormalin from Valhalla, Bronze and Themisto from Seracia. Satis and Impra, two of Isardis’ daughters, were taken by Valhalla. Chrysanthe lost an eye in the battle against Argent. And Glaciem lost a wolf to death. I believe he made the mistake of calling Collision’s daughter a whore, or something to that effect, within earshot of the father himself.”

He heaved a sigh. “Despite the hard-fought battle, Valhalla lost the siege, and lost Liberty in the process, to Glaciem. The pack wasn’t disbanded, luckily. Perhaps he had plans. Azalea had escaped Glaciem, but not without lasting marks. She would come to birth two sons, boys she did not willingly conceive… sons of Isardis.”

His voice was grim. It was a hard, dark time in Valhallan history, a hard blow to a pack that had not been the antagonists to start the war.

Life would return to a fragile norm, Chrysanthe calling a meeting soon after the battle to announced that Valhalla would be moving to an Island. The move was made, yet Erani, struck ill, was forced to remain at home in the den she had called home since her pregnancy with her first and only litter. The rest of the pack lived reasonably comfortably on Nephilim Island. It would seem that life would return to normal, that the trouble was over.”

His tone implied that more strife was still to come to Valhalla of Old. It was heavy and sad, an underlying current of anger vibrating in his words.

“A yearling of Glaciem, named Artemis, challenged for Valhalla. And Chrysanthe lost the fight. Valhalla fell. A Valhallan by the name of Seraphine in turn, at the same challenge, challenged Isardis for Glaciem, but failed. Artemis released the Valhallans… all but two. Azalea’s sons, Kismet and Soren.”

His eyes were flinty sapphire, before they softened and he stated softly with some irony, “If Isardis thought Valhalla finished with his pawn’s victory, he was sorely mistaken. Erani stepped up, and reformed Valhalla on the shores of Nephilim Isle. The pack flocked to her, and within hours of falling, Valhalla was reborn again, a phoenix from the ashes.”

His eyes twinkled slightly as he glanced at Lia, a crooked smile on his features as though he might again break from the story to ask if he was doing alright.

Instead he went on, voice regaining a sense of hope and strength. “Erani returned Valhalla to their proper home, as Artemis had not claimed them, and Valhalla began to thrive again. Families were made, children born, alliance made. And, in time… Erani ended the war. It came in a moment of chance encounters. Glaciem’s Queen had been injured exploring Hell’s River, and Erani traded her healing for Peace and the return of Azalea’s sons. The trade went through, and Glaciem never caused trouble with Valhalla again. Rumor says Isardis was not happy with his Queen’s choice, but it seems he had become bored with harassing Valhalla… I suppose it was because he had Liberty.”

A note of disgust touched his voice at the last word. “It seems that the girl, now a woman, had decided she liked it quite a lot in Glaciem. After all Valhalla had gone through in her defense, she threw it all away. We’ve no information on what her story was in the end.”

He shook his head, dismissing Liberty as if she were no longer worth mentioning.

“Valhalla was strong, healthy, flourishing. Life had truly taken a turn for the better.” His lips quirked in a slight, smiling grimace as he sighed. “Of course, it never stays that way. The continent as a whole was struck with a vicious plague. Tears of blood, hallucinations and fever… horrible. Healers from all over Boreas searched for a cure. Erani’s own daughter Surreal had contracted it, as well as several others in Valhalla.”

His eyes fell away. “Several died before the cure was at last found. Viridiana Sovari brought it to the other packs, and in the next few days, turned right around and Challenged Erani for Valhalla. The Queen was old, and while she fought valiantly, she fell under the younger woman’s strength. It seemed, for a very long time, that Valhalla was indeed, done for good.”

His eyes flicked up to study Lia as he fell silent, watching to see what kinds of connections or observations she’d make.

Walk ---- "Speak" ---- "Hear" ---- Think