CHAPTER 157: HOLD IT, COUSIN

[ Skathheim Territories - outer Hall ]

All the freaks were huddled in a miserable pile near the eastern wall, clinging to one another like sheep before slaughter.

No one spoke. No one dared. A clown’s hat trembled on his knees. Someone’s prosthetic leg squeaked softly every few seconds.

Kieran stood apart. So did Velor.

A few feet of space stretched between the two of them as well.But it may as well have been a canyon. Neither looked at the other. Not after what had happened earlier.

The fists,the blood,the screaming and blame games.

Kieran stared ahead. Chest rising. Falling. He was trying to appear calm.

Clearly ’trying’ but failing most of it!!!

There was a storm brewing somewhere deep inside. He was fighting. Fighting hard. Especially with Autumn so near... yet so far... so fragile... and his guilt... it was gnawing at him from the inside... literally eating him up...

And then...Stomp.

A beat passed.

Stomp.

Stomp.

The sound of heavy boots marching down the corridor sent a ripple through the air. The guards were coming.

And so was he... Thorgar Ulfsen!!! The beast! The monster!

The freaks whimpered.

The dwarf muttered a final prayer.

The bearded lady gasped and fainted right onto the lap of the juggler, who was too panicked to even hold her.

THUMP.

THUMP.

THUMP.

Then the doors flew open.

Thorgar’s presence hit like a storm through a dead and dry forest...rustling.

The room dropped to the floor in one synchronized motion...everyone bowed so hard, they practically kissed the stones.

Even Velor and Kieran followed!

Kieran didn’t want to but to not bow in that moment would have meant exposing himself too soon. So he bent... slowly, reluctantly.

And from his lowered stance, he saw them first...the boots.

His heavy, metal plated boots!

They stomped through the gate like they owned the land...of course they did.The entire stretch of it.

Then the steps stopped.

Right in front of Kieran.

The air went quiet.

And then the roar came.

"WHO AMONGST YOU SET THE PLACE ON FIRE?"

The walls trembled.

The torch flames jumped.

A few of the freaks actually squealed.

Kieran raised his head.

And froze.

Everyone else had stepped back.

Even Velor.

So now, it was just Kieran standing...unintentionally...right in front of Thorgar.

Alone. And face to face.

Thorgar stared at him.

Kieran stared back.

For the first time in his life, Kieran felt like he was being stared at by the living myth...a beast carved from wrath of the Gods, bred from stone, held together by fire and rage. Scars lined his face like war paint. His eyes burned with authority...but a part of his left eye, glazed a little white, seemed to stare into another world.

His voice dropped an octave. "Was it you?"

Then without waiting for a reply, he grabbed Kieran by the shoulder.

His grip was fucking strong!

"WAS IT YOU?"

Kieran didn’t flinch.

Didn’t speak.

Didn’t even blink.

The room held its breath again.

Thorgar’s fist curled tighter...until Velor stepped forward from the back.

"My Lord!"

Thorgar turned slightly, growling.

Velor bowed so low his forehead nearly smacked the floor. "Please, please...my cousin here is mute, My Lord. Got no power in his tongue. Not a single word since birth! Not even a ’mama’...nothing.He sometimes grumbles like a wild beast,but that’s it.And sometimes he has trouble hearing as well. "

Thorgar blinked."Mute?And deaf??"

Velor nodded solemnly. "Mute as a rock. A very thick, hairy rock.Deaf sometimes. "

A beat passed.

Thorgar looked back at Kieran.

Who stood there, stone still.

Mute as expected of him.

Expressionless.Except for rage boiling behind his eyes.But guess Thorgar did not notice.He released his grip and stepped back.

"Well then," he said slowly. "That explains the silence. Shame.He looks quite well built. What a waste!Could have made a good soldier out of him! But luck...it doesn’t favour everyone! "

He turned to address the freaks.And smiled.

Ashfksjshh!!! Alpha Thorgar Ulfsen actually smiled. Was it the coming of the end of times???

"I am impressed, freaks!" he bellowed, arms wide. "You did it!"

Several confused gasps followed. One juggler dropped his pins.

Thorgar kept grinning.

"Whatever you did...however stupid and utterly ridiculous...it worked.My Autumn moved."

He beamed.

"Her eyes fluttered open."

There was a celebratory silence.

Then a nervous cough.

Kieran didn’t hear it.All he heard was "my Autumn."

His fists curled.His vision blurred.His breath shortened.

(*** instant shift inside Kieran’s head)

It was sudden.

Like a match striking dry paper.

Kieran lunged.

Fangs bared. Heart wild. Wrath unchecked.

He slammed Thorgar back, cracking him against the wall.One punch. Then two. Then three.

"How dare you touch her?!" he roared, eyes blazing."...call her yours? Go near her...go near what’s MINE?"

Another punch. Blood.

"Her scent’s on you! You filthy scoundrel..."

He drove his elbow into Thorgar’s ribs.He could smell ’too much Autumn’ on him. How close was he to Autumn? What exactly did he do to her?!

Thorgar growled, grabbing his throat...fighting back.

But Kieran roared, "I will kill you! I will tear your spine out and use it to stir the ashes of your legacy!I will skin you alive for laying your dirty paws on her...you bloody..."

( *** Reality snapped back.)

Luckily none of the above transpired in reality. It all boiled inside Kieran’s head

Velor had his arms around Kieran’s middle, hauling him back.

"WOAH WOAH WOAH...easy,cousin easy...breathe, cousin...BREATHE!"

Kieran hadn’t moved.But every vein on his neck throbbed.

His jaw was clenched so tight, you could hear it creak.

Thorgar had turned again, unfazed.Unaware.

In fact, he was grinning again.

The bastard.

He slapped Kieran’s shoulder.

Hard. "You. Mute boy. I like you."

Kieran didn’t move.Didn’t breathe.

Not even a blink because damn his control was slipping.

"You are going to stay right here," Thorgar continued, cheerfully. "Do more silly things. Burn more things. Smash a drum. Maybe juggle a goat."

He leaned closer, eyes twinkling.

"Whatever wakes my darling again.Make her happy...I want her up, smiling and playing around...I hate seeing her like that! You must make my Sweet pea happy, you understand mute boy??!"

Velor nodded furiously. "He will, my lord. Absolutely. He will dance if needed. Naked, even."

Kieran nearly snapped his neck around to glare at him.

But he didn’t.He couldn’t.

Because if he moved... he would lose it.

Right here. Right now.And rip that monster’s head from his body and worry about the consequences later.

Velor’s grip tightened.

His voice dropped just for Kieran, hissing in his ear."Not here. Hold it in, cousin. Just. Hold. It. In."

And Kieran did.

Just barely.