Olivia and Rye had just made love for the umpteenth time. And she was stretched out naked laying on an equally naked Rye as they lay crosswise on the bed. His hands stroked her back and the upper part of her ass cheeks and then he suddenly said, “Hey baby, it’s 10 o’clock and I have to say I’m gettin’ pretty hungry, and if I don’t get some grub soon I’m not gonna be any use to you at all!”

Olivia raised her head and said, “It’s 10 already? Yeah, now that you mention it I’m starving!”

She moved off of him then and as she got off the bed he swatted her ass playfully as she walked into the bathroom.

As she stood there brushing her teeth, Rye entered and then walked over and turned the shower on as he stepped in and having not adjusted the water temperature quite enough, yelled,“Damn! How about a burned wiener for breakfast babe?” She laughed but asked if he was okay.

He yelled, “Yeah, It’s just burnt on the head a little!” She really laughed then as she said, “Oh no! The head is the best part!” And they both laughed then.

He continued his shower as Olivia fussed at the mirror at a newfound blemish. He stepped out a couple of minutes later then as she handed him a towel. As Olivia turned the shower back on making sure she waited a minute and the water was the right temperature, she then got inside the shower stall, as Rye dried himself off and then tackled the drying of his hair.

A few minutes later, he walked into the bedroom and then got dressed, and right after, his cell phone rang. He grabbed it from the dresser and then propped himself on the bed, saying, “Hi sweetie!” as he saw Ava’s name on the display. “Yeah I know, your ol’ man misses you too, but I’ll see you tonight as I’m planning on stopping by straight from the airport.”

When Olivia came out twenty minutes later she found him sitting there as if he were lost in thought but when he saw her naked he smiled.

Seeing his steady look, she grabbed her underwear, and then a pair of capris with a thin knit long sleeved shirt. She dressed quickly then as her stomach growled. She said, “I’m gonna miss you babe when you leave this afternoon. I hate goodbyes,” she said, as her face looked morose.

Rye said, “Actually I’ve been thinking about that. Why don’t you come with me?”

She paused from brushing her long hair and turned around and said, “Really? Oh sweetie!” She put down her brush and came over to the bed as he pulled her on top of his lap. “I hate goodbyes too,” he said just before he kissed her.

******

Bon and Alexis had finally gotten dressed too and went down to the kitchen to forage for some of Marie’s great breakfast. They walked in and found Olivia and Rye sitting there eating a wonderful brunch spread that Marie had just finished making.

Since none of them had showed up for breakfast, Marie explained, except Ronnie, she waited until she heard the floor creaking from upstairs. The four of them laughed and Bon said, “Thanks Marie, you’re a life saver!”

“Yeah,” Rye said stuffing his face with a bit of a Western omelet.

Most of the island was taken up by the spread. She had made french toast, omelets, sausage, bacon, croissants and buttermilk biscuits, with sliced melons and strawberries with whipped cream.

Everyone helped their plates and filled their mugs with coffee and then took them outside to the terrace then. They all sat at a large umbrella table and started eating.

As Marie set down several glasses of juice from a tray, Alexis said, “You said Ronnie showed up for breakfast, Marie, where is she now?”

Marie said, “She said she was going over to her house to get a few things, ma’am, but I think she’s back as I saw her friends car in the driveway a little bit ago.”

As they ate Alexis wondered where Ronnie and Dane were. Oh well, she thought. She felt sure they would show up sooner or later.

******

Dane held her tightly as Ronnie sobs finally lessened little by little and then she raised her head from his shoulder. He stared at her beautiful face her eyelashes wet with tears, and placing his hands on the sides of her head said, “What is it Ronnie? Who’s upset you this way?”

She told him then about going to her house and finding Jimmy and Toni there. She said, “Toni said that he told her he’d never loved me,” as her voice quavered.

“And what did Jimmy say?” Dane asked.

“Nothing,” Ronnie said, “But he didn’t deny it and that’s when I left,” she said.

“Oh Dane, I can’t believe that he never loved me. How could he lie and mislead me that way? We were together for two years! I thought we were going to be married and I so wanted to have his child,” she said as her eyes spilled over again.

Dane feeling his heart wrench then felt anger build. He wanted to find Jimmy Angelo and punch his fucking lights out for being such a stupid wimp and for hurting her this way. Trying to control himself he couldn’t think of the right words and instead pulled her close as his lips came down on hers. He kissed her softly and then as their tongues met, gently he slipped it inside her mouth, and soon the kiss became passionate as their tongues danced with one another. He stroked her back and started moving downwards to her ass then. She broke away from him at that point and stepped back a little as they stared at each other, both of them breathing quickly.

Ronnie wanted him and Dane wanted her just as badly. But they both sensed that this was not the right moment.

Ronnie said, “You know, I’m heading over to the South Coast of Maine today. I have to take some pictures for the paper I work for. And well...I was wondering since we had a lunch date, why don’t you come with me? It’s very beautiful along the South Coast and I could combine business with pleasure then. That is if you have no other plans.”

Dane said, “Actually my schedule is clear today and yours is the best invitation I’ve had in a long time! I’d love to join you.” He smiled at her.

She smiled then too and Dane felt suddenly deliriously happy looking at her. She said, “Well I’m all ready I just need to let Marie know where I’ll be. Should we take your car or mine?”

He said it didn’t matter so she said they could take his then and then that way she would be free to take pictures along the way. They went inside the house then and headed for the kitchen.

Marie was there and told Ronnie that the other four were having breakfast out on the terrace, so she went and quickly rinsed her face and then her and Dane went outside.

Rye said upon seeing them, “Hey guys, what’s up?” Have you guys eaten?” he asked in between bites.

“Actually all I had was a croissant this morning,” Ronnie said, “and gosh that really looks good.”

Dane said he’d had a muffin as today was Fran’s day off so Alexis told him to help himself.

Ronnie and Dane went back inside and came out a couple of minutes later with their plates loaded and then sat down with the others to eat. Ronnie sat next to Alexis and as she started eating a bit of her omelet, Alexis whispered to her, “Are you okay Ron?” She knew her friend well and had seen that she had been crying. Ronnie whispered back, “I’m alright now, I’ll tell you about it later, okay?”

Then as Rye started telling them this new joke he’d gotten from the Internet the night before and as he delivered the punchline they all laughed like crazy. They sat there then chatting and enjoying one another’s company continuing to eat their breakfast.

Kronos’ Estate,

Titania

On the morrow of the preceding day, Eos returned to Kronos’ estate ready for their journey to the past. He offered a bit of breakfast but she opted for a cup of moonbeam tea instead, and not long after, ready they both went into his study.

He walked over to the video block they had viewed the previous day, and after he pressed some buttons, a video came on the screen of a village. They saw men, women and children coming and going. Kronos said, “This is The Viking Chief, Leif Eriksson’s settlement.”

It was a large village built near a river. Pressing a button Kronos fine tuned it to the coordinates given to him by Scout and the video scrambled briefly and then as they watched a man emerged suddenly from a large building. He was carrying a long sword and he began walking towards another building down the street.

Just then a girl exited from one of the houses across the street and started to cross and Eos recognized her as Tasha as she looked almost identical to her daughter.

The two walked towards the other and as they drew abreast of each other they stopped briefly and Kronos zoomed in and with a neat trick split the screen as it showed her face and his. It was easy to see for deities such as them, the look of excitement on both of the mortals faces. The man’s reflected intense desire and the woman’s face wore a look of a combination of excitement and curiosity as well. They greeted one another and then each of them continued on heading in separate ways.

Kronos pressed a button and the exact coordinates showed up on the left bottom corner of the block. He then pressed a final button causing the screen to go blank and he and Eos turned and entered the door at the end of the room which led to the portal room.

As they mounted the stairs and stood a second later before the portal, Kronos said, “Remember, the entire process will take no more than an hour.”

The plan as Eos well knew was that they would amalgamate inside of the mortals themselves. Kronos of course would meld with Bjorn and Eos would meld with Tasha. They would gather each of the mortals thoughts, hopes and dreams as well as their memories of the past and then finished they would return to Titania to log the results.

“Are you ready Goddess?” Kronos asked removing his cape.

“Almost,” she said and then instantly changed into the attire of one of the old village women with white hair and shapeless shift.

Kronos then changed into that of a warrior. He wore the belt and a codpiece as well as the leather neck and chest piece which strapped under his ribs and around him. In his hand he held a long polished sword. His hair was blond like the Scandinavians.

Eos said, ” You look very definitely like a Viking Kronos. You know it is reported that in that time most Vikings were blond as blond hair was considered ideal to them and if they weren’t they bleached their hair with soaps.”

Kronos said, “This is true, however among the data that Scout produced regarding Bjorn Bontykir it said that he was one of the few of them who did not do this preferring his natural hair shade of brown. More of the data revealed that when Bjorn had first joined the clan he was ridiculed by some of the other warriors when they found out he had no intentions of bleaching his hair. But when they saw his skill with the sword, the laughter disappeared never to return again. He now is the most respected of their clan other than Leif, their Captain,” Kronos told her.

He then reached towards a set of buttons on the side of the portal and keyed in the coordinates. Then without hesitation the both of them stepped through the portal and as the misty colors swirled and shimmered they disappeared.

Season: Summer, 1000 AD

Somewhere on the Island of Greenland

Tasha Dardenne’ prepared for the dance that evening in a small room in the Great Hall. She had been trained in the art the past year as she had been caught by the river’s edge by one of the brothers of her master, Leif Eriksson shortly after they’d arrived in Greenland. She had went to wash some of her clothing and hearing the music from a nearby mandolin, she’d started dancing and whirling, her arms overhead, her skirt flying. The brother had reported to Leif what he had found and she was taken then and trained for the next year. She was now nineteen years old and had been freed from slavery by her new employer who was Leif himself. However she was still under his command and her reward for her skill in the art, he had told her, was that she could choose her own husband if she wished. Tasha had not found many other men in their clan who she had even considered, all except one. One man in particular excited her. He was their leader’s most trusted warrior, Bjorn Bontykir. But he was still grieving having lost his young wife who had died in childbirth a little over a year ago. She thought back on her life and how she had come to end up living the last nineteen years in this place far from her home....

******

Misha Dardenne’ had been living in Belgium in the year 981 A.D. She was pregnant with her and her husband’s first child due in a couple of months.

One day there was an attack on their village by rogue raiders and her husband was killed. She was then captured and taken across the waters to England, where she was traded to Rollo the Viking who was a notorious slave trader.

After a short period of time Misha, along with the rest of Rollo’s clan, and newborn baby Tasha in arms, left on one of his giant galleon ships traveling to Denmark. It was there she worked as a servant in the clan for the next 18 years.

Rollo and his clan were fairly good to their slaves seeing that they had plenty to eat, clothing to wear and even provided them schooling and little Tasha soon learned the Nordic language.

When Misha however, began to notice that her daughter was suddenly looking very beautiful one day, she decided to hide her looks in the hopes it would keep her from being raped by some of the less than civilized warriors. She bound her daughter’s breasts every day and kept her hair twisted up secured at the top of her head with a large comb. She made sure to have Tasha wear rather loose baggy dresses which did not hug her waist being tired loosely with a rope belt. At the last resort she had her wear a hooded cape around her whenever she was near the rowdy drunken warriors.

Tasha continued on with her life until the day of her 18th birthday, when her Mother was suddenly killed. Another clan led by Erik the Red and his son Leif Eriksson raided their village as they were arch enemies of Rollo’s clan. Many people died, mostly clansmen as the slaves were considered valuable commodities and Tasha was then taken by Eric and his son’s men. Her Mother had been killed but not from one of the Viking’s but due to a freak accident with a runaway horse.

As her Mother laid on the ground outside their hut, Tasha, crying over her dead body, was suddenly grabbed by a long haired Viking warrior with a body built like Hercules and a face like Adonis. He picked her up, placing her over his shoulder and took her away to Erik’s ship.

He placed her down in the slave quarters with the rest of the slaves and as he sat her down he chained her ankle to one of the iron legs of the bench. She watched him silently and suddenly he looked up into her eyes. He had the most amazing blue eyes she thought and a most startlingly handsome face.... A face she strangely had longed to caress.

After that she didn’t have much contact with him, but she was always on the lookout for him, always figuring ways of approaching him when his little band of adoring women were not following him around.

Now as Tasha continued adding a little of berry juice to her lips to make them red, she wondered if Bjorn would be at the festival tonight.

******

Bjorn Bontykir strode from the Great Hall walking towards the Smithy’s hut. He needed to have his sword sharpened as he would be leaving in the morning with Leif and the other warriors. They were going on a new expedition to lands unknown.

As Bjorn headed that way the dancer Tasha stepped out of her house and walked his way. He glanced at her quickly, thinking he was so glad that Leif had outlawed the formerly dull and shapeless garments she once wore. She now wore a dress which exposed the tops of her beautiful bosom, her hair tumbling down her shoulders and back. As they passed within three feet of one another she stopped briefly as did he and they stared each at each other. She said, “Good morrow Bjorn.”

“Good morrow my beauty,” he replied as he saw a flush creep into her beautiful face. He watched her as suddenly looking a bit disconcerted she smiled briefly and walked on. Bjorn continued onward as well thinking about her, remembering how she had come to live with the clan.

It was when they had raided the enemy’s camp in Denmark almost two years ago. He had found her weeping over her dead mother laying outside their home. He had taken her to the ship then and placed her in the slave’s section of the long boat.

It was there he discovered something, that the girl had obviously tried to keep hidden.

As he chained her ankle to the iron leg of the bench she sat upon, his eyes had risen and had met her own. He’d stared back at her for a moment thinking he’d never seen a woman who had eyes like hers. They were violet blue, rimmed in dark lashes still wet from her tears. Her hair and the lower part of her face were hidden behind a shawl she had wrapped over her head and he reached up and pulled the shawl away. Her rosy red lips trembled and he saw that her hair was twisted and then piled on top of her head and Bjorn reached out and tugged the comb out as her dark hair came tumbling down around her shoulders and arms.

He had a quick intake of breath as he stared at her for she was without a doubt the most beautiful woman he had ever seen. His eyes then moved down to her body but she was wearing a shapeless dark colored gown hiding her curves. He wondered what she would look like naked.

“What is your name?” He asked in a soft husky voice. She trembled slightly and said, “Tasha, Sir.”

“How old are you Tasha?” he asked then. “I’m eighteen today Sir,” she replied softly and then looked down.

When she had looked back up he was heading for the door. But when he reached it he turned and looked at her once more, his eyes staring at her face and then dropping to her breasts, as he felt heat in his loins. Then he turned and left the room.

After that they didn’t speak to each other for a good deal of time but Bjorn watched her quite often being very careful to not let her see him.

It had been only six months since his wife had died and she was the first woman that had produced a quickening below his belt. He knew it was still too early to be with a woman. Usually the custom was to wait at least a year before a warrior could take a woman for his own.

A month later after the raid in Denmark a new expedition came about led by Erik the Red and Leif who had taken over as Captain. Along with all his warriors, most of his slaves and their children, they set out on the journey and ended up in Greenland where they had settled eventually.

Here was where their Captain had given the girl Tasha her freedom and then had her trained, one of his female slaves had reported, in the art of the dance.

He had watched Tasha dance several times since learning of this, but only with the other dancers and he longed to see her dance alone. He also burned to be with her intimately, yet he knew the opportunity had yet to present itself.

Now it was one year later and as he headed into the Smithy he knew that he would be making his move with the wench soon. Gossip from his slaves said she alone would be dancing for the first time tonight and he looked forward to it with great anticipation.

******

Eos and Kronos appeared at a spot in the woods that were behind the Viking’s village. Kronos told her he would send her a telepathic message as soon as he had gotten enough data and if she also felt she had received enough on her end they would meet back in the woods. Then they bid each other farewell as Kronos headed for the village. Eos waited a few minutes and she too then headed for the village, her destination being Tasha’s small house which was near the Great hall.

Once Kronos reached the village he headed directly for the Smithy. He entered the doorway to find Bjorn with his back facing him, talking to the proprietor as the man sharpened his sword. As the blacksmith looked up, Kronos, waving his hand, stopped time briefly and then said the words of the ritual as his strands then wafted over to Bjorn and entered his body. The clothing Kronos had been wearing dropped to the floor and disappeared. One second later time started again.

Eos went to the small house she had seen from the video block and saw children playing as the villagers went about their daily business. She went behind the house and found there was no back door nor were their windows. Going back to the front she went up to the door and knocked and after a minute Tasha opened the door. “Greetings Tasha,” Eos said. “I am the Mother of Connor and I bring you a message.” Eos could hardly believe that she was staring at her daughter in a previous lifetime.

Tasha bid her come in then, and the old women entered. “I am afraid I don’t know who Connor is,” Tasha said her face perplexed and feeling a little ashamed as well.

Eos rapidly uttered the words of the ritual and Tasha sank to her knees, her head going back as Eos in a matter of thirty seconds amalgamated into the young woman’s body.

When Tasha came to her senses she looked around, wondering where the old woman had gone. She was confused as she definitely remembered an old woman who said she was the Mother of Connor, being in her household. Had she fallen asleep she wondered?

Just then a sharp knock came on her door. She opened it to find one of the Captain’s slaves standing there. He bowed to her as Tasha was above him having been freed.

He said, “The festival is beginning shortly in the Great Hall’s main chamber. My Master sent me to bring you in preparations for the dance,” he said bowing again.

Tasha then turned and grabbed a shawl and her dancing garments when she’d placed in a knapsack and followed the slave as they headed down across the street to the Great Hall. The sun was setting and very soon it would be dark. She could hear the sounds of men’s laughter and the clanking of tin cups that held elderberry wine no doubt. Tasha was nervous. This was the first time she would be dancing alone. But she was also excited as she thought of Bjorn being there and watching her dance.

As Tasha finished with her lips and cheeks, she made her way out of the small room. She entered the doorway and walked down the long corridor which led to the great hall itself as the strains of the music began.

Entering the room she saw that the warriors all sat on the far side around a long table, laden with meats, food and drink.

She was dressed in a gown the color of red wine, with a fitted bodice in front behind a girdle of beads and baubles which laced part of the way up her bosom exposing the tops of her breasts. The dress had a main panel both in front and back and when she danced would expose both of her long shapely legs. She wore bracelets on her wrist and several necklaces made from various beading. She was barefoot but had ankle ornaments that had loops of cords attached to round discs of metal on top of each foot, attached and held in place by chains leading to toe rings and her toes were painted with various symbols. Her dark lustrous hair fell to her waist and as she posed for the beginning of the dance the musicians played their instruments, the lyre and the flute and the men kept time by pounding on the wooden tables providing percussion..

As the men saw her they roared, clapping and cheering and as she began to dance she wondered where Bjorn was. She hadn’t seen him at the table. As she spun around she saw him. He was standing against a wall, alone, several feet away and she saw that he was watching her.

She danced just for him then. Whirling and leaping, her arms graceful her legs long and inviting. Spinning she twirled around as the men pounded louder and faster and she twirled and leapt getting closer to Bjorn and as the dance ended she collapsed in a heap at his feet head down.

The men cheered and clapped and then she stood up. She was a foot away from him and he was staring at her, as his chest rose and fell quickly. With a quick movement he pulled her close then and his mouth came down on hers so forcefully her lips parted. His tongue entered her mouth and she felt her legs grow weak and she would have fallen if he had not been holding her so tightly. He kissed her passionately and she moaned in his mouth as her body burned up. She could feel something hard pressing into her belly and although Tasha was a virgin, she knew instinctively that it was his member.

She ached between her legs as his kiss went on, the men yelling and screaming, pounding the table and then it ended and he released her.

They each stood there both of them breathing hard for a few seconds and then he said, his voice soft and husky, “Come to me Tasha tonight at midnight.” He walked away then and over to the table with the other men. She watched as he sat down and picked up a tin as his friend poured him some wine out of a skin.

Bjorn looked up then and saw her still staring at him and suddenly her eyes went down and then she turned and quickly ran down the long hall. She could feel his eyes burning into her back the entire way until she’d finally left the room.

Not long after the dance, Kronos left Bjorn’s body. The moment his threads wafted from Bjorn, Kronos stopped time and then the rest of his life threads appeared and coalesced into the image he had taken before of the Viking. Leaving the hall he went to Tasha’s home and walked through the front door.

Tasha was frozen, still as a statue, and had been in the act of undressing, her gown around her ankles standing there in her undergarments. When Eos saw him she said the ritual words reversing them, as her threads left her host and then she too coalesced into the body of the old woman.

They left and headed for the spot the portal had delivered them to as the portal was still there, invisible to all except them. Just before they stepped through Kronos waved his hand and time started again once more.

Sunday, July 15th

Cape Neddick, Maine

After the six of them finished their breakfast Ronnie and Dane left on their trip to the beaches of Maine and then Rye said, looking at Bon and Alexis, that he had something to tell them.

He said, “Olivia is coming with me to L.A.”

Alexis was really surprised to hear that and looked at her sister. “It’s true,” Olivia said with a happy and excited look on her face. “We talked about it this morning and well, we don’t want to be apart from one another right now.” She reached over and kissed Rye softly on the mouth.

“So you are moving in together?” Alexis asked her sister.

“Technically no,” Olivia said, “I mean I will be staying with him for awhile, but Rye is planning on coming back in a couple of weeks so I’ll be coming back then too.”

Alexis wondered how she felt about that. She had just gotten her sister back and she had been here what three days? And now she was off to California. They hadn’t even had much time to do anything together, but then watching her twin and the way her and Rye were looking at each other she sort of understood it. And after all she and Bon were getting close too, so she said, “Well I’ll miss you but I do understand why you’d want to go, so when are you guys leaving?”

“Actually,” Rye said, “Our plane leaves in about two hours, so we need to get packed.”

Alexis and Bon stood up then and Bon said that he and Alexis would take them to the airport and see them off.

An hour and a half later, they’d arrived at the Portland Airport and once they found their gate Alexis hugged her sister and told her to call her the next day and Olivia promised she would. Then Alexis hugged Rye saying, “I’m going to miss you!” Rye blushed and said, “I’ll miss you too lady, but I’ll be back buggin’ the hell out of Bon in about two weeks, I promise!”

He kissed her on the cheek then as Bon gave Olivia a brief hug and then hugged his best friend telling Rye to call him once he got into L.A. The pair then boarded as Alexis and Bon exited the building and got back inside of the limo as the driver headed back home...

Kronos’ Study,

Titania, the Realm

Eos and Kronos sat in his prophecy room and were recording the data into his data storage unit. After doing so they discussed their impressions of the couple they had merged with.

Kronos told her Bjorn’s feelings about Tasha saying that he wanted to make Tasha his own. He also told her about Bjorn’s young wife dying and additional facts relating to his history.

Eos told him all about the history of Tasha, and how she came to be with Leif Eriksson’s clan and also told him of her strong attraction to Bjorn. She was also a virgin, Eos told him. “I find that ironic that at 19 my daughter in another life was a virgin just as she was in our own time line.”

“Well I think we have enough information to proceed forward,” Kronos told her. “Now all we have to do is visit Thalia and take her back to Bjorn’s time and let her see him for herself. ”

“Kronos,” Eos said with a rather serious look on her face. “If we do, we cannot let her amalgamate with Tasha.”

“Why?” Kronos asked. “What are you afraid of?”

“I’m afraid that if she amalgamates and if she forms an attachment to Bjorn, she may not want to return to finish the mission.”

Kronos was quiet for a minute, then said, ’I understand your concern, Eos, but I do not think that will happen.”

“Why not?” Eos asked, certain he would have a good answer.

“Because she must stay with the mission assuring it’s success to be able to then join Bjorn in his time. If she does not stay with the mission and per chance the mission should fail then she will, regardless of where she is at the time, immediately be transferred back to Alexandria her host to stay with her until Alexandria dies,” he finished.

Eos said, seeing the logic, “Yes I had forgotten momentarily that each mission has consequences built into it if the mission should fail. But even so, in a failed mission once a deity’s host dies, the deity then returns to the Realm and can be considered eventually for future missions, even though it is a long time that they must wait,” she mused.

“Yes and Thalia is impetuous and not very patient,” Kronos said. “I really don’t think we should fret too much over this. I think it will all work out in the end.”

“What are we going to tell Thalia exactly, regarding Bjorn?” Eos asked him as she rose and he walked her over to the door.

“I am not quite certain,” Kronos replied. “But I will be, by tonight, rest assured,” he told her as they left the room.