"Thank you, little Kyrja." My older sister smirked as she yanked the plate of food out of my hands, shoving me backwards meanly as she did. I fell on my rump and glared at those around me who snickered and smiled at my discomfort, promising trouble if they continued. After all, I was a daughter of the Queen of the Valkyries! I stood up slowly, glaring at my sister Hildy, but she was too busy eating MY dinner to notice my expression. I knew better than to fight with her as she was much stronger than I, so I sighed softly and went to get another dish of food from the kitchen hall.
Still muttering under my breath, I scooped a big lump of peas onto the dish along with the mutton and turned, feeling the rumbling in my stomach intensify at the delicious smells that assaulted my nose. But before I could get out of the log cabin that housed our cooking pits and ovens, I nearly bumped into old Freyja. The woman startled me so that I nearly dropped my plate, but managed to hold on carefully despite it all. Her milky, cataract-filled eyes stared up at me and I cringed as her hand, which was gnarled and held almost translucent skin, touched mine. Unlike the other women of the village, I never teased the old crone; instead I made her plates and cups with the red clay that I harvested from a nearby mud quarry. It was my passion and so it was not a tremendous issue to make her something nice.
Life in the village of the Valkyrie was simple. Mother, the Queen Hausta, told me that it was because there were no men. Men made wars, caused trouble, and were unable to keep themselves out of mischief especially if a female was involved. We all had grown up despising the weakness of the males of our species and so as Valkyries, we never dealt with them if at all possible. If a stray male would come into a trap, getting too close to our village, we would use them for breeding, (if they had good strength and intelligence) and then blind them and send them away. Or destroy them. It was our way.
It was afternoon, the next day when one of our scouting parties ambushed a group of men who had strayed too far from their normal trade routes. We were unaware that a storm had deviated them from their path, but I am not sure if any reason would have mattered, valid or no. I was watching my sister spar with a guardswoman when the call was sent out that we had a prisoner arriving, and everyone literally dropped their spears and swords to go get a glimpse of what the scout party had brought home with them. Overflowing with curiosity, I followed the group of warriors as the four scouts approached on their wolven mounts. Tied behind one of the far riders was a lone figure struggling to keep up with the small party. I glanced over to the cage in the center of the village and saw two guardians already had the gate open and ready for him as they came closer.
When the man, for that was what he was, drew closer, he intrigued me from the start. He was very tall, for a man, as Valkyrie's usually towered over men of the villages of the west. His hair upon his head and sprouting under his chin was dark, opposite to our fair hair that ranged from whitish yellow to brownish straw coloring like my own. A large cut ringed his forehead like a crown and I realized he had not gone down with a fight, which indicated spirit. I found myself gawking as they brought him near and listened to the Valks around me as they gossiped about him.
"Oh, my, he is a tall one!"
"He will make a great baby!"
"I want to feel him between my legs; I am already wetting myself." A strong warrioress told this, and I knew she had a good shot at him. As expected, my mother, Queen Njala, exited our house and studied the man as the closest warrioress pushed him to his knees. He glared up at my mother with defiance and I groaned, knowing he would be something the women would fight for and over.
"A man has been brought into our midst, my sisters." I admired my mother's smooth but commanding voice as she spoke to us all, loud enough to be heard by everyone. "It has been a while since we have been graced with such a prize." My sister pushed her way in between the group of women closest to the scouts and grasped the man by his top hairs roughly.
"He is mine, mother. I lay claim upon him as the firstborn." This declaration by Hildy caused much dissension especially with two of the scouts who had found the man.
"Nay, we found him, we should have priority, my queen!" The first scout spoke with anger in her voice and I could see the desire to push my sister. I secretly cheered her on.
"Sisters, please." My mother lifted her hands and motioned for her daughter to attend to her side, which my sister complied with, reluctantly releasing the man's hair and going to the older woman. "You know how we must settle this. We shall hold a competition in five sunrises. The strongest, bravest, fastest shall claim him as their prize." The women around me began to whoop and holler, making gambling bets and boasting of their prowess and skill. I sighed softly. I wished to have him, but how? I was weaker than half of the women. I had no chance. When my eyes landed upon the bent-over figure of Freyja, I had to look again as she grinned a knowing smile at me as she slowly made her way to her lone hut off away from the rest.
Long after they pushed the male into the cage, and the others had finally gotten their fill of gawking at him, I remained, unable to remove myself. I hid behind the edge of one of the huts nearby and studied him covertly as he sat in the dust of the center, well away from the prodding and poking hands that would have come his way. The two guards, once they had also had their fill of staring at the man and jeering at him lewdly, stood on the other side of the cage, talking to each other. Probably trying to plan strategies and determine what their spawn of the man would look like.
"Might as well come out." The man spoke with his head slightly turned my way so that he was staring with one mahogany eye in my direction. I turned my head to see if he was speaking to another, but it was just me. I approached slowly, uncertain of myself, and squatted just out of arm's reach beside the cage, continuing to stare at him. He was pretty; I could not think of another term for the man as he turned to where he was facing me. We sat on the opposite sides of the bars and stared for a while at each other, silently.
"I do not suppose you would let me free?" His voice was self-defeating and he did not seem to even notice when I shook my head negatively. "Dandy." He sighed, rubbing a finger in circles in the dirt as he waited his day to finish. I felt a flash of pity for him for being trapped in a village of crazed Valkyries like a prized pet.
"What are you? I mean what do you do?" I asked, unable to stifle my curiosity.
"I am a smith by trade." His reply was gruff, and I understood the frustration. After we sat with an uncomfortable silence, I felt the need to break it.
"I am sorry you were captured." I was not certain of what else to say. Anything I would have asked would have probably made him feel bad for himself. He did not reply and I wanted to make the air a little less tense between us.
"Tell me, would you," His brown eyes locked on my own blue ones and I was unable to move. "What is to happen to me?" With no will to stare away from his powerful gaze, I answered.
