The Mercenary's Valkyrie: Book One

Old Salt

Music is very powerful when partnered with creation. It invokes, explores, redefines and opens your mind to yet new ideas unexplored. It is my greatest contributor in giving me inspiration for that next chapter, that moment of intrigue or piece of character development.

The music above was for this...

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I felt impatient and on edge.

Ever since my last conversation with the immortal my mind had been running. I bounced a leg over my other as I watched sailors return to the camp on the beach with spoils of a hunt. I could not even find it in me to smile knowing the true reason they did it.

The captain had reached an almost acceptable level of drunk so that he could shout out commands to bring the 'booty to land'. By that he meant the weapons. They were stacked by the large box under the shade of palms and surrounded by muscled sailors armed with curved swords and glares.

A gull cried over head and I shook my head as Nox called for a bowman to slay it down. It would take me half a thought and only one arrow but... I did not have half a thought to give.

My eyes stayed on the gold-haired goddess that lay on her back in the sand with her hood drawn low. I had to wonder how she did not swelter in the heat. Even though the sun dipped low and painted us with its warm orange glow, it was still humid. I had wondered many things about her... Who she was as a mortal. What she has done in her years to become what she is now. Did she tire of not ageing? Obeying orders from a god I had not even met—well, in person.

There was a calmness to her despite everything. Despite the fact that she could indeed be killed in this realm. The immortal strength and power of course made that rather difficult. But how many times did she frequent the mortal realm and does she truly hate it? Did she even care? She did not care for me, that much I was certain of. I was a mere distraction from the retched mortal realm for her. She likely had many suitors in Valhalla anyway...

Kaden and John were deep in low conversation about the possible weapon they would each take. It was a game of blades for Kaden. For John, it was the gleaming shield that could make arrows 'dance off his back' whilst allowing him to move with ease due to the shape.

I sighed and dragged my eyes from the demi-god to the fire crackling away.

When would the 'dealings' be done? Another ten slithers? Twenty?

Or do they wait for nightfall to conduct this shady business... I had to admit, I had spent my share of time with criminals of the black markets but these people seemed different. Perhaps it was simply because they dwelled on the seas and had no concrete place to call home other than a piece of wood.

But who was I to critique these men and women for having no base. I had just run from mine. Always running. It was all too familiar, practically muscle memory ever since my first and last true home burned to the ground by disgusting, monstrous heathens—

"What troubles you, mortal?"

I flinched, caught up in my thoughts to suddenly hear her speak. She had propped her head up on a hand and watched me carefully. Her eyes glowed back like a wildcat under the hood.

"Nothing of consequence. Merely thinking of our travel companions." I said nonchalant.

She did not buy it. But she did not call me out on it either. She seemed to think for a moment, choosing her next words carefully.