Teams of sentries lined up in the dojo, armed to the teeth and prepared for a fight despite not expecting one. Wolves stood alongside them; our allies in both the revelation we were about to make and in our protection. Gunner briefed them on security while Will briefed Conn, Fenn, and me on what to expect from our latest press conference. All around us, tension mounted, until the atmosphere became heavy with apprehension.
“The press are due to arrive an hour after you,” Will advised. “It gives our people time to disperse through the woods to patrol your perimeter. We have teams of sentries and wolves mounting our defence, although both will remain hidden unless you need them. It’s unfortunate that the succubi are busy regrouping after Tiw’s attack, so we won’t have any help from them tonight, but we should have enough guards. Anyway, we’ve all worked together before and know the area; we’ll be more coherent this way.
“As for the press, the invited reporters have all spoken favourably of us in recent weeks, and were influenced by our last press conference. You managed to sway their opinions before, you can make them believe you now. You ready to do this?”
I laughed, straightening my much-loathed but Katie-approved dress as I shook my head.
“I don’t think I’ll ever be ready to tell the world I’m a reincarnated goddess, but hell, it has to be better than saying ‘hey, yeah, I did kill thousands of people, but I was a slave so please forgive me’. They’re going to think we’re mad... again. But hopefully we’ll manage to reason with them.”
“Could be worse. My line is ‘so yeah, you were right, I murdered him, but mythology said I had to. Please forgive me... It’s not exactly a great defence,” Fenn said, his tone light but his frown revealing the depth of his concern.
“Thankfully, the mortals don’t have jurisdiction with regard to my death, and as I’m currently alive, it’s not like anyone can press charges.” Conn replied with a shrug, heaving leather clad shoulders.
Katie had chosen to stick with the designer biker chic for him, albeit accessorised with Saxon sword and braided hair. His wolves and ravens were joining us too, and they more than made up for the absence of Saxon tunic and helm. Personally, I would’ve liked to see him dressed as I remembered him in the past, but Katie said she didn’t want to go too ‘Odin’ with his clothing and risk him looking as though he were attending a costume party.
If only she’d shown the same reserve while dressing me...
Alright; my look wasn’t ‘costume party’ either, but my outfit was more flamboyant. It deserved a catwalk model, not me. The sleeveless Alexander McQueen bodice was appliqued in a flora and foliage design which screamed fertility goddess, just as my stylist had planned. My skirt was floor length, not entirely practical, and sheer from mid thigh down, with matching floral applique trailing down and around the copious cascade of fabric. Between that and my bare shoulders and arms, I felt exposed. Too exposed, with my scars on display and my body barely hidden.
Despite Leof’s openly appreciative gaze, and Abrođen’s more reserved yet covetous glances, I still hated it. All the same, earlier, as I’d stared at myself in the mirror, I hadn’t been able to deny that the look was very ‘Freyja’. It told a story of blooming life and the courtship dances of spring, while my scars and tattoo spoke of battles lost and won.
The Saxon blade at my hip added enough warrior flare to give me my customary, dangerous edge, as suited my war goddess persona. In addition, my hair was braided and beaded, with the sides fastened back by two delicate wing shaped slides which Katie had used to emulate the winged headdress often seen in illustrations of Norse gods. Leather bracers shielded my forearms, while the laces left enough skin on display to reveal the swirling patterns and names which illuminated my arms whenever I used my magic. Stood in the woods, with magic swirling around me, I would look every bit the noble yet wild sorceress which I needed the press to accept.
