Greywolf - 'Stealing' Wysper

As we reached the far end of the stone bridge next to the encampment, we were met by a bristling wood of spears, wielded by warriors with overlapping shields. On each shield was painted the image of a white boar snarling in silence. From behind the spearmen, a young man's voice called out, "What is the meaning of this outrage?"

Is he serious? Moving to the edge of the iron spearpoints, I replied, "My name is Greywolf, son of Asena, and I've come to offer challenge for the right to betroth Prince Varsena's guest-daughter, Wysper. Now, get out of my way."

Instead of ordering his spearmen to let us by, he spat out, "I shall do nothing of the sort. That dragon illusion was meant to sow fear, and I will not allow-"

"That illusion was my way of letting you know the Black Dragon clan's here," Hypam called out from behind me. "Since none of your warriors has the least shred of honor, me and my warriors are going to defend Greywolf so he can steal Wysper in the traditional way of our peoples."

"This is a ceremony for the People of the Eternal Sky, and barbarians are not allowed."

Avitohol joined me. "These are warriors of my mother's people, who've participated in our ceremonies before."

I was shivering a little just standing here in the cold wind, but I wasn’t going to give into it as the leader sniffed. "So? I have command here, and I am not letting barbarians past our shields."

Shite, enough is enough. "Why? Are the Black Dragon warriors so fierce that you're afraid you'll wet yourself as they walk by?"

Two gauntleted hands shoved the center shields aside, and a young noble in barely used Artifact armor stalked forward until he was close enough for me to punch. "Just for that, I'm not letting anyone else inside to help you." He stabbed a finger at my face. "There is no way any of us are going to let that old man declare Timur dead. He is the rightful heir and future khan of the People, and the sooner he takes command, the better."

Avitohol's hands clenched into fists. "I'll have you flogged for that. The Great Khan made me his heir, not Timur."

"Go ahead and try," the noble sneered down at him. "You aren't fit to lick Timur's boots."

The noble looked up and his eyes went wide. Glancing back, Hypam still had her bow, but now with an arrow nocked and aimed at the young noble’s face. "Insult my cousin's honor one more time, and you'll be licking the feet of the slave-spirits in the Afterworld."

From behind the shields a woman's voice barked out an order. At once, the spears were pulled back, then raised to an upright position, the middle spearmen moving aside for three women in well made clothing to stalk past. They rounded on the noble, berating him in their language and overriding him every time he tried to defend himself. Finally, he threw up his hands and walked away. The spearmen looked around at each other.

Then they began moving out of our way. Hypam eased off on the bow string and replaced the arrow in her quiver as one of the women… shite, it’s Avitohol's mother, Khojin, strode up to her. Hypam lowered her head so the woman could kiss both her cheeks, then listened meekly to whatever Khojin was telling her in a no nonsense voice.

The other two women turned towards me. "Apologies for the young man's arrogance," the younger one said, "but tempers are running like wild dogs tonight."

No shite. "I'm not the one who insisted we tie our betrothal to Timur's fate."

"We realize that," the older one said. "That is why we want you to turn around and walk away."

I couldn’t believe I was hearing this. "After everything that's happened, you really expect me to do that?" I motioned back towards Avitohol, who was standing with his mother and the all rest of them, watching me. "He's staked his honor, and probably his chance to be khan, on my betrothing Wysper the way the Great Khan wants it. There's no way I'll betray him."

"This is going to tear the People apart," she hissed.

I bent down and placed my face close to hers. "And why exactly should I care? I helped Asena kill the trolls, who were preying on your children if I remember right, and then snuck your raiding party through the Shadowlands into Bukhara." I waved my arms as my voice rose. "Did I ask for Blood Corn, or gold, or for anything else? No, all I wanted, and all I still want, is to be with the woman I've fallen in love with. That's it."

Her face set into hard lines as I lowered my arms and straightened back up. "I'm going fist to fist with the Chosen; alone, if I have to, and when this is over I'll stand with Avitohol. I've seen the horrors Timur's actions unleashed in Bukhara, and in comparison, Avitohol's silk while Timur's soiled linen."

The younger woman looked embarrassed, but the older one drew back like a snake ready to bite. "If you are so eager to fight the Chosen alone, I shall make it so... and never forget what you did this night." She turned around and stalked off, the younger one giving me a worried look before hurrying after her.

"Kula's wife wouldn't know silk from sow's ear.” I glanced down as Khojin strode up beside me. "If Timur takes over as Khan of khans, you and Wysper marry Hypam and have place with Black Dragons."

My eyes went wide. "Marry? But-"

"It'll be fun," Hypam said, laughing at my expression. She puts a calloused hand on my shoulder and propelled me forward. "Don't worry, we'll get you past the Chosen. They’ll be more concerned about taking us on than worrying about you, so all will be well."

"But Avitohol's mother-"

"Is planning ahead, that's all. Give the ritual challenge to Kula, and when he responds, we'll enter the circle." She made a fist. "Luck and honor."

I made a fist back as the other warriors, including Titan, Castor, and Avitohol, did the same. Then I turned around and strode out into the enormous circle, trying to look more confidant than I felt as I glanced back one last time. Titan was already organizing the group, while a lot of women in the crowd were pushing their way forward, probably to get a better view.

Let's just hope it's not to watch me get pounded into a dog's dinner. Wysper, wearing the long, white tunic that matched my trousers, was standing alone on a low mound behind the hundred warriors of the Chosen, her arms crossed across her chest for warmth,. The warriors were all standing in the identical pose of Kula, who stood a couple horse-lengths in front of them with both arms folded across his armored chest. As I approached, he bellowed, "Who dares enter this place without permission of the Khan of khans?"

I came to a halt several horse-lengths away. "I am Greywolf, son of Asena the Wolf-mother, and I've come to claim Wysper, of the clan Iceni from the Isle of Britannia. Who dares stand in my way?"

He lifted his craggy face. "I am Kula, son of-" He broke off with a startled expression on his face, while the Chosen unfolded their arms and began muttering in low voices. A few of them started pointing at something behind me and I turned around.

Oh, shite. Women were streaming out of the crowd and mobbing my defenders, not trying to hurt them, but clinging to their arms and legs like leeches. Even Titan, who was trying to shake the women off without hurting anyone, couldn't seem to break free. I had completely lost sight of Avitohol.

Then screams began from behind me and I whirled around. In the light of the torches held by the crowd, standing beyond the mound, a hulking figure seven foot tall slammed its way through them towards the front, people scrambling to get out of its way as it went past. It roared in a familiar voice and terror grabbed me by the throat. Asena was here.

I took off running straight towards the Chosen. Kula began yelling something at me as I passed him by, the warriors in front of me looking puzzled as I ran at them faster. Shite, I've got to time this just right... A grey gate formed in front of a warrior, who reared back as I raced straight into the Grey...

The Chosen became dark grey shadow-statues I was running through as a voice behind me shrieked, "You cannot escape me, Shadow-walker. I will feast upon your heart. The feast!"

I kept running through the warrior shadow-statues full out, up the mound and past Wysper, who was in the process of turning around with a look of horror on her face as if she knew what was coming. Asena had broken free of the crowd and was running towards Wysper.

I raced straight towards my mother as a gate formed, higher than normal, and getting close I leapt into the air. I curled my body into a ball as I shot through the gate.

Color returned to the world as my body hit Asena's chest like a stone from a catapult. She staggered and fell as I bounced off her, smacking against the hard ground and rolling until I came to rest at the base of the mound. The wind had been knocked out of me and wasn't coming back anytime soon. Get up, idiot! Asena shook her head like a baffled wolf, but I knew she’d be on her feet at any moment.

Gentle hands grasped my shoulders, and I whipped my head up at Wysper, who knelt down beside me. "Greywolf, are you hurt?"

"Run," I managed to croak. "Wysper, get out of here; Asena will kill you."

"Dreaming or awake, I can never outrun her." How could someone look so sad and determined at the same time? Idiot, you've got to stand up. Asena climbed to her feet. What's Wysper doing? Wysper let me go and stood up, then walked towards Asena with her arms outstretched as if ready to embrace a friend. You've got to get up and stop her, it can't end like this.

As Wysper approached Asena, she began to sing in the tongue of the ancient Celts, which Asena and papa used to speak in before he left.

"In exile lives the Oldenblood,

Banished now from Heaven's land

The realm no mortal ever trod,

Nor now will fierce Celestial stand.

"Hail, Mother-wolf! Dark as death,

Thy claws black diamonds, countless maimed

Twin pits thy eyes, thy steam-hot breath,

Untamed, untamed, untamed."

Asena stopped in front of Wysper, staring... then dropped to her knees as the song continued.

"Hail Wolf-mother, heed my call,

And lead me to the shadowed place

The Underworld of Hel's cold hall

As cold my hands, my lips, my face.

"Yet fierce Asena, hear my plea,

To grant one boon, one final task

One night of love before you free

My soul! Just this, I ask."

Asena's sides were heaving as she bowed her head. She can't be crying, can she? I think she is. Wysper slowly walked towards Asena with open arms. "Wolf-mother, if you will spare me, as your priestess I can help your son give you the mana your body needs to live, so you will not have to suffer the pangs of its lack."

Asena rubbed her eyes with the black, leathery palms of her hands. "Priestess?"

Wysper nodded. "Titan explained to me how you were cast out of the heavens, then cursed, and how the Shadow-walker Ghostdog gave you a son who could supply most of your needs. If you spare me, I can supply the rest."

She drew herself up. "However, if you still wish to take my life, it is yours. All I ask is one night with Greywolf, one night," Wysper rubbing at her eyes as well, "with someone who loves me for myself, and not because of the growth ripped out of my belly time and again."

"No." I staggered to my feet as my breath came back. "Not just one night, but every night for the rest of your life, if you want." Asena glared at me and I met her eyes straight on. "If you kill Wysper, you'll never see me again."

Asena's eyes narrowed. "Greywolf-"

"I can't live like this," I screamed at her. "Not anymore." Asena and Wysper were both staring at me as I stabbed my finger at Asena's face. "Maybe you think you're protecting me from getting hurt or something, and if she's dead then I'll get over her. Well, guess what: that's not going to happen." Staring at Asena, I droppped my arm to my side as I shook my head. "If you kill her, I'll mourn Wysper until the day I die, even if it means ending up like you... which I probably will. The woman without eyes told me that I'm you, with whatever changes papa put in, but a pure Oldenblood regardless." I sighed. "At least let me have a few good memories before I begin drinking myself to death." Asena stared at me like I'd become a stranger.

Then she threw back her head and howled. Wysper scrambled away as Asena's howl became a keen filled with anger and despair. Wysper came into my arms and I pulled us away from Asena, who was now ripping up the ground as the terrible sound continued.

Shite, I've never seen her this bad. Spearmen were running towards us as the Great Khan and his guards reached the unarmed Chosen. The Black Dragon warriors were racing towards us as well, with Castor and Titan several horse-lengths ahead of them and pulling away.

I drew Wysper farther away as Asena stopped ripping up the ground and roared up at the sky, "Ghostdog, why did you do this to me, why? Why couldn't you just let me die?"

"Actually," a familiar male voice drawled on a breeze out of the Shadowlands, "it's because I'm quite fond of you."

My jaw dropped. "Papa?"