The Valkyrie War, Part 1

The Valkyrie War, Beginnings

I’ve spent a great deal of time wandering these lands… I’ve gathered many talents, and served many lords. I was never a warrior, nor was I fit to be a scholar. I’ve become what is known as a Mediator, for my strength lies in my ability to forge nations bonds and reduce grisly wars to rumbling wind bled rumors… At least, that is what I used to think. This war with the Dalorian Nation and the Valkyrie, however… We would all change forever.

My name is Sill Evarrus. I come from a fairly wealthy family, but I never sought riches. I roamed the world to meet those whom needed a helping hand- Never would I believe how few people can stand on their own legs. I have worked for many lords, lieges, and otherwise wealthy men and women… But this latest contract takes the cake. The Dalorian King has decreed a land grab, and it’s brushed into Valkyrie lands- Magical, incredibly well trained women who thrive on battle prowess. King Dalis Grawsis called for me specifically, due to my impressive track records- I have quelled a total of four major wars, and three minor ones- It may be a bit big-headed, but I am a bit famous for these accomplishments.


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“Ah, finally, you have arrived!” King Dalis Grawsis, his voice booming, as I enter his audience chambers. I bow lightly, as he waves his hand kindly, “None of that, Great Sill Evarrus. Asking you to bow before me would sully the greater deeds you have done within the world, and possibly spark foolish notions with my less than brilliant cousins, who are prone to rumors. Wouldn’t want to think I disrespected he whom saved their hides, eh?” The King smiles, as I nod.

“Indeed, some of them are quite… gullible. Not to rush you, but could you kindly bring me up to speed on the current situation?” I glance to the king’s side, and a lovely woman sits here, long blonde hair, with beautiful, full blue eyes. She smiles gently at me, which gives me more hope for this kingdom, of which I have heard much of; Not all good, warring, and the like. However, her eyes betray those rumors and statements so quickly.

“Captain, the plans.” The King beckons his head knight, as he quickly walks to his side, presenting a large scroll, as a heavy table is picked and moved to the King by lesser knights, as he quickly spreads the parchment. “Sill, take a good, hard look at our territory.” He motions to a great expanse of land, which only borders one thing- A Valkyrie village. “As you can very well see, the Valkyrie and we have kept moderate dispositions towards one another- However, with my growing capitol, and their lack of willingness to depart with even but an acre… We have reached a painful impasse. I humbly ask that you seek their Matriarch, and talk some form of sense into her- A deal must be made. I will, of course, make everything worth your while- And to prove so, I have had my finest blacksmith produce a weapon of the most fine steel and ores we could find. I pray you accept it.”

Soon enough, the Captain moves to my side, presenting me with a brilliantly adorned scabbard, housing a glistening silver and gold handle. I stare for a moment, as the King nods, the Captain bending to one knee, and offering the blade up towards me. To refuse such a gift would be seen as rude, and could possibly sully my name, though I have never dared to travel with a weapon- Mediators are to be respected, not feared. I slowly accept the blade, and draw it from the scabbard- A glistening light blue blade resides within, a perfectly balanced rapier in every way. A light silver tassel dangles from the bottom of the handle, garnishing the blade with near perfection. “It is beautiful… Are you sure, my liege?” I quickly stare at the King, as he nods with a light smile.

“I am sending you to converse with Valkyrie, Sill. To not carry a weapon in their presence is to say you are nothing worth their time. I have made ready a horse and escort, though I will not be joining you just yet. Were they to gather the wrong ideas, and attack… I cannot risk it.” I nod, as the Captain kneels to me once more.

“My Lord Sill, this way.” I find myself taken aback, as I have never been called a Lord before. I do as asked, for it is why I am here, and follow the Captain to another high ranking female knight, who mounts a warhorse, the Captain doing the same. She quickly addresses me.
“My Lord, have you ridden a Warhorse before?” I am reluctant to agree, as Warhorses are quite a bit larger than regular horses are. I nod bitterly, and attempt to mount the massive steed- I fail at first, due to the new blade within my hands, as I quickly tie it to my belt, and once more try, mounting successfully.

“I am ready, I think.” I gird myself, as a slightly queasy feeling enters my gut, as it always does. I straighten my wind worn white shirt, and adjust my slacks, as well as my traveler’s cloak. The Captain and his knight rush ahead of me, as the warhorse I ride is ready to follow, my feet giving the command, as it bucks forward, and catches up with a run.

Nearly an hour of travel time finds us outside the castle, and dangerously close to Valkyrie bow range, as I am made aware of. “Lord Sill, should they open fire, dismount the steed, and allow it to die for you.” A gruesome thought, as I surely think the Valkyrie are not that hostile, as I simply nod. We close further, as I spot three women, dressed in battle garb of light silks, point in our direction. “Lord Sill, I wish you the luck of the stars, but this is as far as we will go. Please, do not fail the King.”

“If I came to fail, good knight, I would not have come at all.” He nods, as they back out of arrow range with my steed, allowing me to approach on my own. I approach slowly, but sternly, as the women advance closer to me as well- I get a less than assuring vibe from them, as I spot half a dozen more, armed with bows appear from a thicket further along these fields, where trees meet plains. I stand my ground, and allow them to approach me the rest of the way, making my hands noticeable, that I mean no harmful intent.

A woman wearing a feathered headdress moves ahead of the others, whom both draw silver blades. This pack leader addresses me calmly, with a soothing, yet stern voice. “What do you come to us for, traveler? You are not bearing the crest of Dalora, but you ride in on their steed. Why?”

I nod, and relax a bit, as it helps me do my job, “I’ve simply come as a diplomatic mediator, my lady.” As I call to her, she frowns in anger.

“Do not address me as a common woman in your streets, foolish man. You will address me for what I am- Valkyrie.” Her guards move up, blades still drawn, and held expertly.

I nod, “Understood, Valkyrie. I would like to speak with your Matriarch, should that be allowed… The King has sent me to barter with you all for land in which to expand his capitol, and he does not wish to anger any of you, nor place mistrust within himself for selfish gain.” I give a light bow.

One of the Valkyrie guards chuckle a bit, as the leader shakes her head. “We will have no negotiations with a man who has never known battle. If you wish to pass to see her, we would need to test your mettle with that blade you strap to your side. Fail, and you die. Succeed and survive, and I will take you to see her.” I bite my lip- I have dabbled in battle more than once, self-defense as needed, but never against someone who looked so skilled…

I nod, and think hard, weighing my chances. This is probably my only chance, as I doubt they would allow me a second audience chance would I pass the first. “I accept, Valkyrie. Name your terms.” The leader raises her hand, as her guards back off- Not what I was hoping for. I would have been much better off fighting her guards than her, as there has to be a reason she is considered a leader.

“Disarm me, and I will allow you to pass!” She raises her hand, as a streak of light appears in her hands, a pristine lance summoned with magic. I cringe, jumping back, and drawing the blade swiftly- I loosen the cloak on my neck, and raise it to my face, pulled so I can swing it to block her view as needed… She moves forward at a run, prepared to swiftly end my life, her eyes golden with fury, silvery golden hair whipping into the air behind her- A spell is on them, as I have to break my eyes away, and quickly parry her spear, as it slides against the Rapier. It grinds metal to metal, as she stomps her left foot forward, and brings the back of her lance to my face.

I bend back, nearly falling, as the lance handle brushes my nose painfully, her deceitful magic working once more, as I catch a glimpse of her face- I slow, and hit the ground, but quickly throw the cloak at hers, now using it to stop myself from spotting her face- I roll the wrong way, maybe by instinct or randomness, but I am glad I do- She slams the lance where my neck would have been would I have rolled the right way, the tip sinking into the earth. I get up, though I have to let go of my cloak to do so quick enough to not be skewered. I shake my head, taking a deep breath, “Using magic to fight? Seems underhanded.”

She gives me a dirty look, which I only half notice for my own safety. “How did you break free? No matter- You have no tricks left up your sleeve, without this cloak to stop my sight of your free hand. Flee, if you dare.” I shake my head.

“I have a reputation to uphold, I cannot do that.” I raise the blade, as the Valkyrie’s eyes radiate with magic, and she rushes towards me with incredible speed- More than I can react to- She slams the lance deep into my right shoulder, lifting and throwing me over her back, slamming her lance into the ground, piercing the wound deeper and sticking me to the ground. I grit my teeth- Not the worst thing I have felt, but definitely not a great feeling.

“Your reputation ends now, then.” She draws a long dagger, inscribed with white runes, as she pins my left arm swiftly, and props her body on mine- If I weren’t about to die, I would say it was very suggestive… She drives the blade towards my heart, as a bright flash ignites from my left hand- Held or not, the Valkyrie leader is now ten feet away, her dagger resting on my chest, as I grasp it- Now is not the time to ask questions, as I desperately try to move the lance which skewers me to the grounds. Unbearable pain prevents me from doing so, but at least I could possibly defend myself with this dagger? Maybe… Throw it? Searing pain and a bit of blood loss are catching up to me.

I hear a shout from behind, as the hooves of warhorse can be heard. “For the King! Protect Lord Sill!” The Captain and his knight rush forward, as I half turn to tell them to retreat- They have not seen the archers. A hale of arrows, quick and decisive, skewer them both, as one plunges into my left knee, misguided by the winds- Or on purpose, it is hard to see. I see the Captain slam the ground, an arrow between his eyes, as his blood soaks the grasses- The female knight seems to retreat back to the castle, but I can hear her panting and pain from here… Silence for a few moments, as the Valkyrie leader walks to me, my vision going blurry from pain. I can’t help but look at her face, so beautiful, alluring… She reaches down, and snatches the dagger from me without much effort, staring at it with some form of wonder, as she motions to her guards, before uttering some form of magic- A strange dust fills my lungs, and I find sleep, sweet, painless sleep…


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“Wake up. Wake up!” I am slapped, hard, several times, as my vision blurs into existence. I am chained to a straw bed, a large shackle of magic holding me somehow. The first face I see, however, is the Valkyrie Leaders, and quickly turn my head, as someone else is here with her.

“So, he broke free of your charms, and even put up a mild fight? You say he brandished a blast of magic as well? That would explain his near dormant sleep. Awoken from a sleep from deep within… Vinnah! I charge you with taking care of this… man… He will be your charge.” Vinnah, the Leader from before recoils, and stands with rage.

“You jest.” Anger burns in her voice, as the Matriarch shakes her head, pointing to me… I catch a glimpse of an older Valkyrie, as she gives me a half smile.

“He is our guest… We protect the land, and we protect magic. You caused his awakening and pierced his body- He is your charge until we decide what to do with him. However, it is known he is working for King Grawsis of Dalora… He has claimed open war with us, as he gathers his forces. If you must vent your frustrations, Vinnah, we only agree to keep our hostage alive until we can deduce his magical force. Do what you will to unleash it, but do not kill him. Am I understood?” Vinnah bows, as the Matriarch leaves.

I gather some form of strength, leaning upright, mainly to try and speak; “I am just a mediato-“ Her fist is slammed into my face, as I recoil, and roll to the side, in great pain. Vinnah growls in disgust, and grasps the seemingly bandaged wound where I was impaled- She grips is harshly, as I scream in pain, eyes blacking out for seconds, pain throbbing even after she releases me.

“Do not dare speak to me of your goals, were you but a human, I would not have been charged with your pathetic existence! I dare hope that your magic is forbidden, that I may drive my blade deep into your heart!” She spits on me, and stomps on my left knee- A wave of pain so strong pulses through me, that I simply wish for death at this point. I collapse, what little strength I used to hold myself up faded and gone. I sleep, though I do not know for how long.


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I wake, slowly, a smell delighting my senses, up until the pain returns as I draw faster breath. I whimper weakly, only to see that Vinnah is glaring down over me, obviously contemplating to strike me again, or what would possibly cause the most pain. She stirs something in a pot, what I swore I smelt… Though, with nothing but pain girding my senses, I have lost it. “Do not sleep, male. I am to feed you, so you will survive. Sleep, and I will wake you with pain greater than what you have felt so far, that I promise.” I do not care for either of those options, so I do my best to appear awake, breathing shallow to avoid excess pain. Soon enough, she draws a stew from the pot, and sets it aside- She grabs my blood-stained shirt, and lifts me to a sitting position, and grabs the bowl. She attempts to hand me the bowl, which I would love to take, if I could get my left hand to work- I glance down, and find it still attached, but simply refusing to move, as I barely get the arm itself to budge. “But of course, too weak to feed yourself.” Her voice sounds so soothing, but I know that isn’t what she is exactly trying to say.

“I can’t move… my left arm…” I eke out a sentence, as she growls, sitting beside me. She takes a spoon of the stew, and forcibly shoves it into my mouth- I choke for a second, the stew incredibly hot, but manage to chew and swallow what little remained in my mouth.

“If you wanted to keep your left arm in good condition, you shouldn’t have tried to fire magic from it with a body that has never used it before. Or did you know that would happen? Were you simply waiting to cause one of my kind grief? Surely you knew what would happen, you dirty bastard.” A second spoonful shoved into my mouth, as I keep it all in.

“I had no idea…” I speak after swallowing, as Vinnah backhands me swiftly, nearly knocking me down once more.

“Lies! Magic runs within families, it would have not been kept from you even as a child- I am sure you have manifested magic before this, as well! For such a powerful burst to come from you… Desperate or not, no untrained child of magic could save themselves without already having used magic a good deal!” She pulls my hair, sitting me up, as she spoons more stew into my mouth. I wish to say I have no idea what she is talking about, but I fear for how badly I already look… I could do with a few less scars from this, should I survive.

“You could just… let me go…” Vinnah seems to ponder this for a second, before serving more stew with a partial grumped sigh.

“Wouldn’t that be nice? Not a chance, male. You are to be kept here, until our sage returns to analyze your magic- Should it be of the darker, forbidden kind- I will greatly enjoy ending your life. I will make it more painful than anything you could imagine.” Serving me with a smile this time, I continue to fear for my life, but at the same time, I have little to live for in this place.

“And if it’s the… fluffy, loving kind?” I have another spoonful shoved into my mouth, as Vinnah gives me a lovely little smile- I am unsure if it is the magic of her charms, or natural… But it is a smile.

“Why, then I will have the only thing I have wanted since you appeared taken from me, male. I would be greatly disappointed.” Her smile lingers, as I think of something smart to say; I have been told that were I being roasted by an ogre, I would make light of it.

“Funny, the only thing that came to mind when I saw you was how pretty you were. I guess a pretty face can hide a ferocious beast too…” Vinnah raises her hand to slap me, but stops herself. She instead grabs her dagger, and gently slides it up my chest, cutting the shirt away, and drawing a line of blood.

“Funny, I don’t remember being told you needed a tongue to live. But I know for a fact you need one to talk.” I shake my head, and decide now is a good time to keep my mouth shut. Vinnah waits for a moment, and smiles gently, whispering in my ear, “That’s what I thought. Remember that next time you think you are worth any of my time, or deserve to speak to me, because I will not hesitate, male.” She replaces her dagger, and force feeds me the rest of the stew. I keep my mouth shut, as she feeds herself next. “Go to sleep male. I will not heal your wounds, as I would rather watch you gasp in pain while you sleep. Enjoy that hell for me, as you are mine.” I nod, funny enough, and partially shrug, as I half collapse to the hay I laid on. It itches, but I have no means to scratch it. My shoulder burns, and it won’t stop… My knee, god my knee aches. I have been tortured before, but never would I have thought it would be by a woman so sweet looking, so succulent, that I would feel the worst of pains. I stare at her for a while, wondering what she would be like were she a kinder woman, one willing to enjoy a warm night with me, as I try to stymie the pains and hate around me.