Prize Ch. 01

"Thank you, little Kyrja." My older sister smirked as she yanked the plate of food out of my hands, shoving me backwards meanly as she did. I fell on my rump and glared at those around me who snickered and smiled at my discomfort, promising trouble if they continued. After all, I was a daughter of the Queen of the Valkyries! I stood up slowly, glaring at my sister Hildy, but she was too busy eating MY dinner to notice my expression. I knew better than to fight with her as she was much stronger than I, so I sighed softly and went to get another dish of food from the kitchen hall.

Still muttering under my breath, I scooped a big lump of peas onto the dish along with the mutton and turned, feeling the rumbling in my stomach intensify at the delicious smells that assaulted my nose. But before I could get out of the log cabin that housed our cooking pits and ovens, I nearly bumped into old Freyja. The woman startled me so that I nearly dropped my plate, but managed to hold on carefully despite it all. Her milky, cataract-filled eyes stared up at me and I cringed as her hand, which was gnarled and held almost translucent skin, touched mine. Unlike the other women of the village, I never teased the old crone; instead I made her plates and cups with the red clay that I harvested from a nearby mud quarry. It was my passion and so it was not a tremendous issue to make her something nice.

Life in the village of the Valkyrie was simple. Mother, the Queen Hausta, told me that it was because there were no men. Men made wars, caused trouble, and were unable to keep themselves out of mischief especially if a female was involved. We all had grown up despising the weakness of the males of our species and so as Valkyries, we never dealt with them if at all possible. If a stray male would come into a trap, getting too close to our village, we would use them for breeding, (if they had good strength and intelligence) and then blind them and send them away. Or destroy them. It was our way.

It was afternoon, the next day when one of our scouting parties ambushed a group of men who had strayed too far from their normal trade routes. We were unaware that a storm had deviated them from their path, but I am not sure if any reason would have mattered, valid or no. I was watching my sister spar with a guardswoman when the call was sent out that we had a prisoner arriving, and everyone literally dropped their spears and swords to go get a glimpse of what the scout party had brought home with them. Overflowing with curiosity, I followed the group of warriors as the four scouts approached on their wolven mounts. Tied behind one of the far riders was a lone figure struggling to keep up with the small party. I glanced over to the cage in the center of the village and saw two guardians already had the gate open and ready for him as they came closer.

When the man, for that was what he was, drew closer, he intrigued me from the start. He was very tall, for a man, as Valkyrie's usually towered over men of the villages of the west. His hair upon his head and sprouting under his chin was dark, opposite to our fair hair that ranged from whitish yellow to brownish straw coloring like my own. A large cut ringed his forehead like a crown and I realized he had not gone down with a fight, which indicated spirit. I found myself gawking as they brought him near and listened to the Valks around me as they gossiped about him.

"Oh, my, he is a tall one!"

"He will make a great baby!"

"I want to feel him between my legs; I am already wetting myself." A strong warrioress told this, and I knew she had a good shot at him. As expected, my mother, Queen Njala, exited our house and studied the man as the closest warrioress pushed him to his knees. He glared up at my mother with defiance and I groaned, knowing he would be something the women would fight for and over.

"A man has been brought into our midst, my sisters." I admired my mother's smooth but commanding voice as she spoke to us all, loud enough to be heard by everyone. "It has been a while since we have been graced with such a prize." My sister pushed her way in between the group of women closest to the scouts and grasped the man by his top hairs roughly.

"He is mine, mother. I lay claim upon him as the firstborn." This declaration by Hildy caused much dissension especially with two of the scouts who had found the man.

"Nay, we found him, we should have priority, my queen!" The first scout spoke with anger in her voice and I could see the desire to push my sister. I secretly cheered her on.

"Sisters, please." My mother lifted her hands and motioned for her daughter to attend to her side, which my sister complied with, reluctantly releasing the man's hair and going to the older woman. "You know how we must settle this. We shall hold a competition in five sunrises. The strongest, bravest, fastest shall claim him as their prize." The women around me began to whoop and holler, making gambling bets and boasting of their prowess and skill. I sighed softly. I wished to have him, but how? I was weaker than half of the women. I had no chance. When my eyes landed upon the bent-over figure of Freyja, I had to look again as she grinned a knowing smile at me as she slowly made her way to her lone hut off away from the rest.

Long after they pushed the male into the cage, and the others had finally gotten their fill of gawking at him, I remained, unable to remove myself. I hid behind the edge of one of the huts nearby and studied him covertly as he sat in the dust of the center, well away from the prodding and poking hands that would have come his way. The two guards, once they had also had their fill of staring at the man and jeering at him lewdly, stood on the other side of the cage, talking to each other. Probably trying to plan strategies and determine what their spawn of the man would look like.

"Might as well come out." The man spoke with his head slightly turned my way so that he was staring with one mahogany eye in my direction. I turned my head to see if he was speaking to another, but it was just me. I approached slowly, uncertain of myself, and squatted just out of arm's reach beside the cage, continuing to stare at him. He was pretty; I could not think of another term for the man as he turned to where he was facing me. We sat on the opposite sides of the bars and stared for a while at each other, silently.

"I do not suppose you would let me free?" His voice was self-defeating and he did not seem to even notice when I shook my head negatively. "Dandy." He sighed, rubbing a finger in circles in the dirt as he waited his day to finish. I felt a flash of pity for him for being trapped in a village of crazed Valkyries like a prized pet.

"What are you? I mean what do you do?" I asked, unable to stifle my curiosity.

"I am a smith by trade." His reply was gruff, and I understood the frustration. After we sat with an uncomfortable silence, I felt the need to break it.

"I am sorry you were captured." I was not certain of what else to say. Anything I would have asked would have probably made him feel bad for himself. He did not reply and I wanted to make the air a little less tense between us.

"Tell me, would you," His brown eyes locked on my own blue ones and I was unable to move. "What is to happen to me?" With no will to stare away from his powerful gaze, I answered.

"You will be a prize for a contest with all able-bodied and eager women. There will be three contests held and whoever wins two out of three will win the rights to mate with you."

I wrapped my arms around my legs and rocked, wondering what it would be like to be with a man. Some of the women chose women partners to live and cherish, but I could never find myself interested in touching any females in that way. My body longed for the touch of a man.

"And so I will become a breeding bull? After they have enough of my seed, then what?"

I had been afraid he would ask that and bit my lip.

"Depends upon who wins you. Sometimes we blind the man and sometimes we kill him." I studied my feet as I replied, unhappy with having to break him the bad information.

"Marvelous." He muttered before going silent. It was at that point one of the guards had spotted me and looked as if she were coming my way, so I hopped up, gave the man one last look and ran to my part of the cabin I shared with my sister and mother.

But I found myself drawn back the next afternoon. I peered around the corner of the hut as before, not for hiding from the man, but to make certain the guards were not near. Once it seemed safe enough, I made my way back to the same spot as before. The man was lying on his side, staring at something with his back to me. But once he heard me approach, he sat up and turned my way, one eyebrow raised in surprise at my return.

"You are back I see." He mumbled, but not in a negative way. Once again, he began to swirl patterns in the dirt and I pulled my treasure from behind my back.

"I wanted to show you what I did." I told him in a small voice; fearful of his mocking or teasing as I held out the small clay cup I had so lovingly spent hours making. It was by far my favorite and I was proud of it, keeping it hidden away in a hole covered by a rock in the back of the cabin.

He scooted close enough to where he could reach through the bars and touch it and held out a hand to me, indicating his interest. Nervously, I pushed it through the bars and handed it to the man, watching him as if I were a hawk watching a mouse. He turned it over and over, studying the patterns I had made with colored dye and touching the rim. Glancing at me, he caught my eye and said, "It is beautiful. You have quite some skill." He carefully handed it back to me through the bars and I smiled at his warm praise. No one but Freyja ever had told me anything positive about my cups and plates, the village used them to eat from and drink from without a word to me.

"T-thank you." I replied timidly and as I reached for the cup, our thumb and fingers brushed against each other, sending tingling sensations up my hand. But the cup never quite made it back to my hand. Before I could completely grasp the edge, another hand swept it up from me and I turned in shock to see Hildy holding it now, glaring down at me.

"What is my little sister doing? Are you playing with the prize?" She snarled and did not give me a chance to stand to my feet, instead pushed me so that I fell backwards into the cage bars. I felt the man's hand steady me, holding me so that I did not hurt myself and help me up until I was standing, facing my sister and her companion, Sheba.

"You should not talk to the animals, Kyrja. They may bite." Hildy laughed as she spoke and then snapped, "Stay away from my prize; understand?" There was no mistaking the threat in her voice. I cried out softly as she shattered my cup in her hand, dropping any of the remaining pieces to the dirt ground and stomping on them with her leather booted foot. I fought to keep the tears at bay at least until I had ran home, throwing myself upon my pallet with an overflow of pain that welled from within from the cup that lived now in my memory as well as the realization there was no way I could ever take the man from her. And the worst part was that she would treat him cruelly, keeping him tied up like a fattened hog prepared for slaughter. I shuddered, grateful I was not in the man's position.

The very next day, I promised myself I would not go to the man's cage. I told myself this all day long. I would not risk having Hildy see me, and so I did not. But on the fourth day, I returned, unable to help myself. I was as wary as a rabbit in the open field, eyes darting to and fro as I gathered close enough to speak softly to the man.

"I am sorry, male, for what is about to happen to you. You do not deserve it." I told him, voice ripe with honesty. He had been lying upon his back and at my voice sat up, crawling to where he could speak to me. His hands clenched around the bamboo bars and he peered through at me.

"Then free me, Kyrja." His eyes blazed with emotion and I knew I could not, despite believing the man did not deserve such a fate as to be stuck with my sister.

"I cannot!" I cried out to him softly, reaching to the bar to put a finger lightly upon his hand. He was swift and would have caught my wrist had I not been faster. I glared at him with mistrust in my eye but he just continued to look at me until finally he spoke.

"I was going to hold your hand. Not harm you. I swear it." His shoulders rolled into a shrug of defeat. Pity swelled in me and I reached through the bar, but was not close enough to touch him. When I pulled back, his eye caught the motion and he slipped his hand around mine and held it loosely. We sat like this for a while until I grew nervous of being caught.

But before I stood, I asked him, "How did you know my name?" Cocking my head, I waited, but could have grimaced at his reply.

"Your sister had mentioned it." Of course! I had forgotten she had called me by my name. And now he knew I was a daughter of the Queen. The pressure that put upon me to free him was troublesome as I knew I would get punished for letting him loose, but not as badly as the others of my village.

"I am sorry." I repeated, sighing in disappointment at my weakness.

"My name is Willhulm." I nodded as he gave me his name. It was nice to know the name of my sister's new plaything after tomorrow. I gave the man, Willhulm, one last sad look before leaving. More than for my own needs, I wanted to free him. But how?

As I walked through the village, not going in any particular direction, knowing tomorrow was the big tourney and by tomorrow night, Willhulm would be bedded by my sister, I found myself upon the path that led to old Freyja's hut and ended up knocking upon her bamboo door lightly. I heard her soft voice bid me to enter and I found her brewing a small teapot on her hearthfire.

"You would desire to have the male, Kyrja?" Her directness of the question shocked me and all I could do was nod. The old woman took her time in reaching up on a shelf and removing a tiny pot, one of those I had made for her, full of some powdery substance.

She funneled four pinches into a small rabbit skin pouch and ambled over to put the soft bag inside of my hand, closing my fingers over it slowly.

"Drink two pinches before the tourney tomorrow and you will be given strength and speed and stamina. You will win your prize, Kyrja." I gasped at the magic powder now in my possession. I looked at Freyja with gratitude. She was doing this for me?

"You can add two pinches before you take him later to your bed and it will help you then too with the stamina." She cackled madly and I blinked at her blankly. "Do not worry, you will understand once you win him." As she patted my hand, the one holding the pouch, she motioned to the door, but I was hesitant.

"My sister would never let me attempt to take part in the Tourney. She will do everything in her power to stop me or hurt me." I told her, heart heavy, eyes downcast. I reached to return her back the pouch, disappointed and frustrated, but she pushed my hand back and went to her shelf that was full of knickknacks, herbs, and pottery. Reaching in the back, she pulled out what appeared to be a mask. It held plumes of multi-colored feathers and was very pretty to the eye. She handed it to me.

"Wear this, young princess, and earn your prize." I nodded, letting her wrap the mask in leathers to hide it and thanked her wholeheartedly. As I left, heart lifting at the thought of me winning, I could not help but wonder why the old crone had helped me.

When the sun began to rise the next morning, I was a bundle of nerves. I was alone, my sister and mother already gone in preparation for the tourney, so I dressed in the plain brown competition leather of a cropped top and loincloth, pulling on the boots I had scavenged from the equipment hut as well. Once I put the twin pinches of powder in a cup of water, drinking down the bitter tasting concoction, I closed my eyes and began to feel the power flowing through my veins. I felt my muscles contract, my heart began to race. It was working! Once I put on the mask, I felt as if I truly would win. But it was time to attempt that win. Making certain no one was near the entrance of our cabin, I exited swiftly and made my way to the area where the first part of the Tourney would begin. Five deep pits had been dug into the earth, with bamboo poles sharpened to a deadly point below. A thin ramp was put atop of them, and anyone falling without conceding would surely die. In my hand was placed a bamboo pole and pushed to the thin ramp to face my challenger. There were ten total fighting over the five pits. The winners of those would fight five more Valkyries and the winners would slowly be narrowed to one. I gulped, fearful of slipping as I nearly did once just stepping to face my competitor, we begun the fight. I groaned as I knew the one facing me was a tough fighter. But I stiffened my back, knowing I would win with the magic powder inside of me.

"You are a little thing." My competitor snorted, holding her pole out in challenge. I glared back, full of confidence from the magic.

"The larger the Valk is, the harder they fall to me." With my words of defiance, she charged me and I easily counteracted her, parrying a few times. With my strength as my advantage and my swiftness, I easily knocked her pole out of her hand and held mine to her throat until she conceded. I had won! But as I stepped off of the pit, I heard cries of horror and ran to the next pit over, to see my sister smiling down into the pit's depths. Her competitor had fallen. I had no doubt she had done it on purpose and I had to stifle a growl. She saw my glare, but was unaware of who I was and laughed at me.

"You! Fancy peacock face. You are next." She motioned to the pit and I shook from anger and just a little fear.

My next competitor was not my sister, thankfully, and was more of a challenge than my first. Several times she nearly swept my feet, but thanks to the powder I was light and lifted easy. When she swept a fourth time, she lost her footing and began to fall. Fortunately, she was able to grasp the ramp with one hand, hanging precariously from it. I could tell the sweat from the competition was making her slip soon so I thrust myself to my belly and grasped her hand with both of mine until finally she had been pulled up. Embarrassed in defeat, the girl pushed past me and I caught the eye of my sister.

"Weak fool. I shall not offer the same." Her words were a threat and I knew I would have my hands full with her as she had beat the other girl. It was time for us to compete to see who would come out victor of the first challenge.

I gripped my pole tightly, glad the powder was giving me the confidence to not sweat as much as my sister and we parried a few times before she began a vicious onslaught. It was all I could do to keep from losing my balance. But in her eagerness to defeat me and overexertion she tired herself and that was her undoing. It was almost not a fair fight and I pushed her feet, knocking her in her ribs, and placed the tip of my pole at her throat, waiting.

"Kill me!" She snarled, embarrassed and angry. But I shook my head, waiting for mother to announce me victorious, which she did. No one wished me well, disappointed in their own failures or companion's failures as no one knew me and so, alone, I made my way to the next challenge -- a race.

Once the race had begun, I paced myself, ignoring the throng of women as they darted past me, my sister included. I knew better. They would burn themselves out and so I ran at a steady pace, enjoying the scenery and taking my time as I ran. As time went by, those who burned themselves out quickly started to slow, some stopping, and I took it as my cue to speed up a little. After more and more began to fall back, I began to pick up the pace quite a bit until I could see the three forerunners. As I was on the tail of my sister and two others, I saw Hildy step-hop, sending a large loose branch toward one of the women running beside her. The branch fell under the girl's feet, causing her to lose her balance and trip, and I nearly trampled her, dodging at the last moment, grateful again to the powder for giving me the strength to do so.