System Break

I turned my head side to side stretching my neck. It wasn't sore, nor stiff, I just wanted to remember how it felt while still attached to my body. We were about to enter the Staggan Clan fort and deliver news. News which may prove problematic to my health.

Reyas linked her hand onto my arm near the elbow. From the frowning stares we received it was not a welcome sight. But fuck me, I wasn't going to be a chicken shit and remove her hand. Fuck them.

We passed the leatherworker and entered the main hall. Reyas lead me to a chair and sat me down before approaching her father. The other chieftains were nowhere to be seen they were back at their own forts.

Ulfgrim waved me over after greeting his daughter.

He grinned. "You met the shaman and you live."

I tilted my head to the side and smiled. "Yes, but you might not like his reading."

His eyes widened. "Really? Tell me daughter. What did the shaman say."

She recited it word for word and Ulfgrim's countenance turned from jovial to stern. "Hmm. He warns us of you Benzhi but not the tree-folk. I know you're strange but you're not one of them?"

"Not truly," I said and waved my hand. "It is not a problem you can negotiate with Ailen or another in the future. If I'm not involved, then it will not be an issue."

Ulfgrim shook his head. "No, we'll decide. His warning was to be wary and I'm already wary. He also said you are powerful. From the mouth of Skanvord that is confirmed. He said you were perceptive and dangerous."

Ulfgrim laughed. "Oh, if he were so glowing with his words about me."

"Father," Reyas said ominously. "You should sit for the next part of our news."

"Really? That bad huh?"

She nodded.

She looked towards the fire then out the large window with of a view of the high mountains. "For a long time, I have known I would have to leave or be forever crippled."

A darkness crept over his face as soon as she began but he held his tongue.

She walked towards the large window without looking him or me in the eye. I sat and bore the glare from Ulfgrim.

Her gaze was not upon the mountains, it was on her future. "I resisted all attempts to marry because in my heart I knew my path diverged from the clan. I didn't know how, or where, but I've known since I was young. Before you form your opinion - know that I consulted the shaman on the matter. He told me he has known me since I was a baby, which is true. He also told me to be bold and to be free."

She turned back to face her father and pointed at me. "I will leave with Benzhi and have chosen him as my mate."

Ulfgrim's eyes darkened and sunk. He looked at the ground and was silent for what seemed an eternity. "I was afraid this might happen," he said sadly. "When I saw the way you looked at him. His strength and freedom. I was afraid he would take you from me."

His eyes glistened. He glared at me. "I want to hate you for taking her, but I love her. I want her to be happy. I swear to the gods if you don't cherish her. If you let any ill befall her, I will not rest until I have my revenge upon you."

I wrapped my fingers around themselves and held them up. "We are one." I thought it wise not to mention Gisael to him. "I will love her more than myself. I will die for her."

He nodded reluctantly. He wiped his eyes and then smiled weakly. "We will have a wedding tomorrow?"

My mouth hung open waiting for a fly to make its home.

He laughed.

It felt like a marriage at crossbow point.

"No father," she said. "We're leaving. I am forsaking all rights and claims as a member of the Staggan Clan and forming a new bond."

"But," he stammered.

I looked at her and she shook her head. "If we marry, they will use it against us. You'll not be able to swear the oaths they will ask."

"I'm chieftain," Ulfgrim said. "I have authority not the council."

Reyas shook her head. "The shaman was clear what I needed to do. If you love me, you will give me away. Then I'll truly be free."

"But you'll be bonded to him?"

"I …,"

She cut me off with a glance. "We will be bound to each other. And I know what I'm getting into."

An image of Gisael flashed through my mind and I wasn't so sure she was.

He got up and paced in front of the fire. She came and stood by my side with a possessive hand on my shoulder.

He paced, thought, and glanced at us. "I need to give you a betrothal present. Both of you. Something … worthy. Something you will cherish and think of me." He continued to pace.

She leaned over and whispered. "Be wary, he's cunning he seeks to bind us to him."

I shrugged.

He stopped pacing and said, "I know." He pointed at us. "Kill an epic beast and bring me its hide. I will have the master leatherworkers from the three clans make you the best leathers in memory. Yes. Yes," he said nodding to himself.

"Sounds good to me." I looked up at her and she smiled.

"We'll have to kill something worthy."

"A troll?"

She shook her head. "No. Bigger."

I gulped. She was fucking crazy.

He kissed his daughter. "You should leave tonight. I will deal with the fallout as the news spreads."

She nodded. In a small society like this news would spread like wildfire as soon as one person got wind of it.

I stood as he approached and clasped my hand. "We'll be allies. This new clan of yours and mine. Promise me this at least."

I nodded. "Nothing has changed. Well other than your daughter leaving with me."

He chuckled sadly and she punched my arm playfully.

He looked at her. "Be happy, be strong and you're welcome back anytime if you have a change of heart." He hugged her and held her for the longest time.

"Before you go, we must discuss the city men. If they come back in numbers, we will want your aide."

I nodded.

"We can hold up in the mountains and they will just die trying to get to us, but if we have to clear them out of the hills again, I will send a message."

"I gave them plenty of reason not to come back."

She laughed. "He scared the living daylights out of them father. You should have seen their faces. They thought him a demon."

Ulfgrim looked me up and down. "If they do not know tree-folk they would think him otherworldly. And even if they did, they expect the people to be small in stature."

He gripped my arm. "I can see why the shaman knew you were different. It's obvious to me now." My muscles were twice the size of Ailen's. I looked like a Svartalfar on steroids.

He hugged us both. "Go now. Before the sun gets any lower."

Reyas picked up her pack and checked her weapons. She then nodded to me and smiled. "We go."

"We go," I agreed.

Her hand reached for my arm and we left the way we came. The Staggan clan would see us leave together with their mistrusting stares.

If anyone tried to follow us, they were no match for our pace. We engaged our qi and climbed down the mountain like wild goats.

I'm not sure why, but I felt stronger with her by my side. We were bonded in a special way. Gisael was a part of the people, her clan, but Reyas had left everything for me.