Page 46 of Song and Sword
“I think that whatever force has been driving the Skraelings south has grown tired of delay,” said Hakon softly. “We need to get the column moving, and fast. I have no wish to find out what this creature is capable of.”
Unfortunately for Hakon, he was about to find out anyway.
The half giant in the boar skins lifted his great spear up to the sky. The grey overcast sky turned even darker, and through the trees, Hakon could see black thunderclouds circle overhead. Short arcs of electrical energy writhed around the spear blade. For a moment, everything seemed to stop, watch, and wait.
Then the creature slammed the butt of the spear into the ground at his feet. Instantly, a burst of white-hot lightning shot into the sky, striking the whirling black clouds. A deafening peal of thunder rolled through the air, and multiple strikes of lightning fell like a cluster of deadly arrows some distance away.
Hakon gasped as his heart lurched. “The column. Sif!” He broke into a run, Gunnar at his heels.
Chapter Ten
Obedience came hard to Sif, especially when her man was in danger, but she was determined to prove to Hakon that her submission was genuine. “Whatever else you are, you’re no oath-breaker,” she muttered to herself as she marched through the forest with the column.
“Troubles?” Baedi’s question broke in on Sif’s thoughts.
Sif regarded her fellow witch. Baedi’s name literally meant “both,” and it was apt, for Baedi possessed the characteristics of both male and female. Sif knew that this had caused controversy among the Ironwood witches, and that hot tempers and ill-chosen words had driven Baedi from the Ironwood for a long time. However, all of that had been before Sif’s arrival, and so the bitterness of that rift had not touched the friendship between Baedi and Sif. Rather, Sif looked upon Baedi as a mentor, and a treasure trove of priceless lore about the art of spellsinging.
“Nothing that you don’t already know,” Sif said finally. “I love Hakon. I have promised myself to himand sworn to obey him. It’s just that…well, Loki’s blood, Baedi, it’s so damned hard sometimes! I can’t decide if I want to kiss him until the world goes away or hit him repeatedly with a very large rock!”
Baedi laughed. “And you think this is unusual? Any relationship is a challenge, Sif. Choosing a path of submitting to your mate is that much harder. If it’s any consolation, I don’t think either you or Hakon had a choice. Dominance and submission are written into your very natures.”
Sif frowned. “How do you mean? And how could you possibly tell such a thing anyway?”
The Elder witch put a hand on Sif’s shoulder and gave her a companionable squeeze. “Sif, I have seen many winters, and with them many, many people trying to learn how to live with each other. Also, lots of time alone in my mountain library, but that’s not the point.” Baedi smiled. “The connection that exists between you and Hakon is real and undeniable. It’s obvious to anyone who sees the two of you together. What is also as clear as purest ice is that despite the fact that you are a young woman of great determination and power, that you have a need to submit to the will of this young man.”
Sif nodded her head slowly, and Baedi continued. “It’s not that you are submissive by nature, Sif. It’s that you’re submissive tohim. There is something about the dynamic between you and Hakon…you resist him, but you want him, you need him to win. You need him to be strong enough to take you in hand. By exercising that strength, Hakon proves to you that he is strong enough to take care of and protect you, and therefore you can let go and be vulnerable with him.”
Sif stared at Baedi as they walked. She could feel, in her heart, the pure rightness of Baedi’s observation. “Great goddesses, Baedi. I think you cast right to the heart of the matter. How in the Nine Worlds did you know?”
Baedi gave a laugh. “When you finally learn to know and accept yourself, you can learn a lot about others. If you pay attention.” The Elder witch suddenly stopped, and looked upwards.
“What is it?” asked Sif.
“I’m not sure,” said Baedi slowly. “It feels like something is gathering.”
Suddenly, there was a deep, subterraneanboom, and the earth beneath them shook as if it had been struck by a massive hammer.
“Sacred Freyja!” gasped Baedi. “Gunhilde, did you feel that?” she called.
The grey-haired witch came running as fast as she was able. “Baedi! Sif! You must ready protections! There is something with the Skraelings that is not of our world!”
A powerful wind blew through the trees, and the sky overhead turned dark with a gathering of thick black clouds. All along the column of witches, there were cries of dismay and people gathered more closely together.
Sif,came Baedi’s voice into the young witch’s head,we must work together very quickly to accomplish something very powerful. Please follow my guidance without question, and let me direct your strength.
I’m ready,replied Sif.
Baedi began a song of weaving, showing Sif where to place the interlocking threads of raw power into a fabric of magical energy. Together, the two of them swiftly raised a dome, crackling with green witchfire that first surrounded the spellsinging pair and then rapidly expanded, spreading through the forest and into the sky until it covered the entire column of witches.
Take a deep breath,warned Baedi,and channel all the power you can from the earth into the sky when I tell you.
Sif breathed in, and it felt as if her feet had developed roots that were tunnelling into the ground, sucking energy from the very soil below. Her eyes widened as she felt the strength of the charge building within her.
Now!
At Baedi’s command, Sif hurled all of the energy and power that she had gathered, sending it through the lattices of the magical dome she had woven with Baedi. The protective dome was supercharged, briefly turning the black-clouded sky as bright as a sunny day. Just as she did so, coruscating spears of lightning thrust down from the clouds, struck the glowing dome, and exploded. The blast knocked the trees flat in a wide radius, and everyone in the column was knocked to the ground, stunned.
Sif opened her eyes and turned her head to look around. The very ground was smoking. She felt as if she had fallen flat on her back from a great height. There was a moan to her right, and as Sif sat up, she saw Baedi getting up on one elbow.
