Destined

"Simply A Better Version..."

"Góða nótt!" Thordis whished us a good night, walking to the door, nodding farewell to Gaisgeil, Ronan and Conor who stayed behind, as our hosts left the longhouse one by one. 

At the doorstep Thordis caressed my cheek. Sofðu rótt", she whispered in my ear, "sleep well". Thordis was a very motherly woman, unfortunately she and Arnar weren't blessed with children. I hugged her goodbye. 

I learned quite a few words in their language, as we talked all night about their history and their life here in Desa. 

She and Auður told me a lot about their culture. Auður was an older woman, the storyteller of their people. She showed me old books they kept like a treasure. Auður was a living history book. She explained how they survived the "wave" on ships, with most women, men and children dying on their way from their flooded island to the mainland. 

The Islendigur were very hospitable: we drank, ate, they entertained us with music and exciting stories about their heroes. We laughed a lot - Ronan drank a lot - and now we would sleep in beds with a warm fire and full bellies. Better than to freeze our asses off somewhere in the forests or caves.

I closed the door behind the two women with a smile on my lips. When I returned to the table,  Gaisgeil swallowed his last bit of bread listening to Ronan's ramblings.

Conor watched me expectantly. I sat beside him, ready to find out, what was bothering him.

He had a thoughtful expression on his face. "You know, Callida, I wanted to escort you on your quest to take care of you, to guard you and protect you. But also, because I wanted to reach to Bertaèyn myself. My uncle told us a lot of stories, so I wanted to see the place myself."

He watched me with excitement. "But now, I know, what pushes you forward."

I knitted my eyebrows, glancing at Gaisgeil who listened but didn't show any special interest in our conversation.

"You do?", I wondered. Conor nodded.

"Who wouldn't after what we heard today."

His eyes had a spark I couldn't make out. "I knew the Islendigur, their folk isn't a mystery to us. But I never had direct contact with any of them. So I couldn't grasp them with my hybrid senses."  

" And now?", I demanded curiously. 

"Now...now I KNOW, that they aren't like the Daonnachd. They are...", his face morphed into an apologizing  expression, "they are like a better version of you Daonnachd."

Gaisgeil gave me a penetrating look, before he pretended not to listen to us. He lowered his eyes and talked to Ronan as if he didn't give a damn.

He surely had his reasons to feign that he wasn't interested in our conversation but I wanted to know more of Conor's thoughts. 

"Could you explain what you mean by a 'better version' of us Daonnachd, Conor? In what ways are they better?" 

Conor narrowed his eyes, searching for the right words. "They are definitely not like us creatures. They don't have animalistic instincts, they don't morph into another being, they don't have primal strength. They are humans...BUT they have better senses, they are bigger and stronger like every Daonnachd I have ever seen."

"And", Conor scratched his cheeks in embarassement, "huh....they look better than Daonnachd, their features are more beautiful. I mean, have you seen their faces and bodies? Simply a better version..."

I thought about his words. He was right, no playing around. They WERE better humans, if you meassured the value of a living being by strength, height and senses.

But WHY were they "better"? If they were improved versions of humans, how did they evolve? And why didn't we Daonnachd? I felt it in my veins; we got closer to the truth, piece by piece.

"I want to know, what happened in our past. Why are we so different from each other? Why do we live the way we do? I know, there must have been some kind of catastrophy in our past. My uncle always talked about the 'wave' but I wasn't very interested about his stories", Conor continued his reflections.

His eyes searched mine with a burning intensity. "That changed now."

He took my hand in his. I saw Gaisgeil stiffen at that gesture but he didn't say a word. It cost him a lot of willpower not to interfere, seeing his clenched jaw.

"I'll help you Callida. We'll reach Bertaèyn and if they have the answers you seek, we'll find them."

I squeezed his hand in gratitude, yawning with heavy eyes.

"Sorry, I am done, I'll go to sleep. Gaisgeil, will you stay?"

Immediately he stood up, stretching his shoulders. "Good night, tomorrow we leave at dawn, you guys go to sleep too", he muttered.

He took my hand and guided me to the bigger bed in one corner that was made of mattresses, furs, woolen blankets and pillows. This was way better than a cold cave...

Groaning I jumped onto the fluffy bed, kuddling two pilows. This was heaven. I moaned in total harmony with the world.

Gaisgeil groaned. "Mo ghaoil, stop moaning, I want to drag you outside and ravish you against a tree."

My eyeballs popped out of their sockets. "You ..you are...." I was speechless. In alarm I sneaked a peek to Ronan and Conor. Did they hear? Hopefully not ...

Gaisgeil undressed his leather jacket and laid down next to me. He spooned me, pulling me really close. 

"Sleep, mo ghaoil, tomorrow will be tough."

"Why", I whispered, content with the way he held me in a possessive grip.

He sighed. "We'll cross the land of the Immaniter."

"My eyebrows furrowed. "And? Are they dangerous? More dangerous than you?", I teased him.

He kissed by neck. "Callida, I AM more dangerous... but they are ... special."

His careful voice piqued my interest.

"What? Is the big bad Lord of Desa afraid?", I provoked him.

He only pressed harder against my back, stroking my breast. I moaned.

Huffing, Gaisgeil let me go, turning around to lay his head on the pillow. I rolled up to him because I sensed his caution.

"Tell me, what is bothering you?", I asked.

He coughed, clearly uneasy. "Please, don't judge me. I was an easily aroused adolescent boy when I first visited the Immaniter with my father."

I rested my head on his chest. "Yes?", I urged him to keep on explaining.

He cleared his throat. "Long story short, the wife of their leader advanced me sexually, I fucked her, my father held her husband back from killing me."

I was lost for words. "Uh...Callida?" After I didn't reply, Gaisgeil pushed me a little bit.

"You sly little dog", I whispered humorously.

"Funny you take it lightly. Well, he didn't. He swore to take revenge on me. They are vicious, Callida... and they are cannibals."

I gulped my fear down. "What happened to this wife?"

Gaisgeil remained silent. I knitted my eyebrows.

"Gaisgeil?"

Still, he hesitated with the answer. "Do you really want to know?"

I nodded. 

"He killed her and ate her."