Sven saw the giant snake. A giant feathered snake. With wings. "Are ye sure it ain't ah dragon Eir? Looks like ah dragon ta me."
Eir smirked, "As Aye be saying ye majesty, tis a snake god. Donna offend ah god."
Sven snorted, "An have me ears twisted off? Aye may no be the smartest, but even aye ken ta listen."
Eir squinted, "That be ah lad an lassie on his head?"
Sven squinted, they had just left the crushed forest. The shade under the tree made it hard to see. "Aye, ah lad an lassie. Ye think they be snakes?"
"Aye be thinkin, it donna matter, les no offend em." Frigg said with his trademark smile.
Sven rolled his eyes, "Well, Aye donna wanna be eaten, so les no." The bull elk he was riding shuddered, not in fear, but in preparation for battle! "Peace, tis no battle," he soothed patting his mount's neck.
The massive elk was on the cusp of becoming a guardian grade beast. Its antlers had eviscerated bears. The spread alone was over six feet. Dozens of sharp branches promised a painful lesson to anyone foolish enough be gorged. Each step of its massive hooves left sharp prints behind.
"MAJESTY!" Eir roared as a white fire engulfed his king!
"All eyes on me, if you would please." Ashton called as Beloved stepped through her rift to stand on the man's elk.
Sven shuddered when he locked eyes with the lad laying out on the snake god's face. The laddie be a youth, not even a score in age, yet… he couldn't look away. Before he could send a signal to his men something tugged on his belt.
Beloved sat behind the male, the beast elk was so big there was room to spare! She tugged on the belt, looking for straps.
Eir tried to pry his eyes away from the lad, but he couldn't. He could only watch the lassie out of his peripheral vision.
Ashton frowned as he rubbed his jaw, "If you take it, the poor man will cry, what will you do? Take it and hide?"
Beloved pouted, unable to find where the laces were tied. "I like it… I want it… if you distract him, maybe he won't notice."
"Surely he will miss it, sure he'll look, if would be awkward if he choose to dispute it." Ashton reminded as he smiled at the oncoming group. Most were blonde, but the male was strikingly so. His green eyes were wary, but not especially alarmed as Beloved continued to tug at the fur lined belt that covered his entire stomach. Embedded in the fur were more than a dozen beast crystals of all colors. Greens, blues, indigos, violets, and in the very center a white core.
Beloved turned her face, "I wouldn't just steal it… I'd leave something better! Just not as shiny, maybe instead of fur… feathers." Beloved tried following the laces around to the male's front. He was so wide she couldn't reach!
Ashton nodded along, "Oh, then we should barter, be very upfront, what if he doesn't understand, this way no one can claim fraud."
Haven quirked a brow, "He dares?"
Eir swallowed as the lassie started to hunch in on herself. That wasn't his concern though, no, the concern was the giant snake god slithering toward them.
"No need to be sad, no need to fret, they came a long way, none should leave with regret." Ashton reminded as he sat up. Not a moment too late as Haven's body changed, catching him in one arm. The black robe against his fair skin made him look even more intimidating. Perhaps… Ashton would make other colors.
Sven tried to glance at the hands he could feel around his midriff. To no avail, he kept looking at the delicate lad. Sven blinked when a ring of fire appeared before him… the distance between him and the giant snake went from several hundred yards to just a few as his mount continued forward.
Frigg watched as they walked through the ring of fire and were suddenly only a dozen yards from the half human snake god. That was… convenient.
Beloved sighed as she stood up on the beast elk's rear. "Okay! We will barter, okay we will trade, let no one claim theft, no need for reason of a crusade." Beloved jumped, immediately caught in a gust of wind so she landed in her big snake's arm.
Haven kept his eyes on the human, at least until Beloved stood on his arm to kiss his cheek.
"Big snake you're so pretty! Tempting me to kiss! Well, its no hardship so I won't resist!" Beloved announced proudly.
Ashton grinned, "Well, that is one way to greet, so what brings you here? How was the journey?"
Sven realized he could suddenly look wherever he wished. "Aye be Sven, King of Brigade, aye come to pay me respects ta, snake god and…" Sven wasn't sure who the lad or lassie were… but he should probably pay respects. "Ye two… beings ah power."
Eir closed his eyes as he prayed for strength, Sven… wasn't wrong. Still, even kings should bao to gods… not speak to them from horse back. Elk back. They should have dismounted first.
Haven glanced over the men as he coiled his body so the birds could sit more comfortably.
Beloved hopped on to the coils, then on the elk's antlers. "I want your belt, I like how it shines, how about we trade? It should be mine."
Sven stared at the lassie, wanting his family heirloom. The beast cores alone were worth a kingdom. One being from a slain god. "An, what do ye offer?" He frowned, but didn't refuse outright. Partially because the snake god looked like he might eat the lot of them if he did.
Beloved squatted down, holding her head in her hands, "Hmm, your belt is so pretty, it protects you the king, something of equal would be rather hard… Nix, what do you think?"
Ashton hopped out of Haven's arms, landing on the other antler examining them. "I'm thinking we let him decide? He may have use for things we've thrown to the side."
Beloved clapped, "That's a good idea, come follow me, you can then look tell us if you like anything you see!"
Haven watched as Beloved opened a rift into Nix's palace… a human would not survive long enough to look, let alone decide.
Ashton leapt onto the male's head. Leaning over to look at the male, "You'll have an hour to look, an hour inside, there is much to see, but that's all the time we'll provide."
Sven was sure neither was human… a full grown man should weigh more than his smallest shield. "Ken aye bring me men?" It would seem… he didn't have much of a choice.
Ashton leapt down, Beloved followed as the paced back and forth, "You are a king, your will is strong, as good as a follower, a king only is one."
Beloved nodded, "We could let them in, but they would suffer a lot, perhaps from the rift, they can just look on?"
The elk snorted as he shook himself out.
Beloved gasped, "Oh! You are a king, you can go in, do you have something to barter? Two trades is a win." Beloved hopped down to look into the elk's eyes. It was so big it had to lower its head considerably to do so.
Sven watched as she smoothly transitioned into.., chirping at his mount. The lad leapt down to do the same. Both looked so… serious as his elk nodded, shook his head, even pawed at the ground.
Haven leaned against his coils as the birds discussed with the elk beast. It was an impressive specimen, but not a monarch. A king was it… Haven's eyes slid over Beloved with speculation. The mysteries of the world may never cease.
Eir struggled to keep a straight face as the youths chirped at the elk king. So, not snakes. Eir jolted when seven small, black birds in cloaks perched on the elk king's antlers. Usually just approaching the beast was enough have a chunk of flesh gouged out. Yet, even as these birds were sizing up the antlers like hunters after a trophy, the elk didn't seem to mind.
Frigg gave a subtle nod as a giant seven tailed fox waltzed over, tails swaying. Caius, they'd known he was here… though he'd half hoped the snake god would have eaten the cheeky bugger.
"Aiya! Little Snack, they don't seem to like me! My feelings may be hurt!" Caius complained as he trotted right up to the elk. Their last meeting… hadn't been so cordial. Not with Talvi trying to eat him and all.
Ashton tilted his head as the elk snorted at the big fox.
Beloved gave an exaggerated gasp, "Big fox tried to eat you! And all of your kin! Well that is not nice! Yet you both live?"
The elk snorted as he pawed the ground threateningly.
Ashton and Beloved both looked at the big fox with confusion that morphed into disbelief, then they covered their mouths as they looked anywhere but at the fox.
"Oh, you did well! Showed that showy fox what happens when numbers do swell. I'll make you a deal, known to us three, you give me the song, I'll give you a treat." Beloved whispered behind her hand as if no one else could hear her.
The elk nodded repeatedly.
Sven was tempted to see if his elk friend could negotiate on their behalf. He seemed to be doing a well enough job so far. He stiffened up when white flames started to engulf his mount, as they condensed… a rather… bazar melody started to play. It was like… drums, a harp and flute all tried to overlap in a cacophony. There was no coordination between the sounds as the lassie pulled the flames into her hands with obvious delight.
"Nix I have the song, you give the treat, I'll return in a moment, need a moment for me." Beloved called as she leapt through a rift into Nix's palace. Hundreds of shelves with thousands of books, scrolls, parchments, and globes of fire were meticulously organized.
Sven blinked and she was… gone. He tilted his body to look into the ring of fire… a library larger than his entire palace. Her footsteps echoing in the dimly lit corridor. He could only imagine the information such beasts had access to.
Ashton crossed his arms in contemplation… a treat for an elk. He glanced around, then opened a small rift into Ru's palace. The elk may be a herbivore, but he was a fighter. Before anyone could see what he found, he pulled out a small golden walnut.
"This is quite yummy, and useful to boot, do you want to eat now, or back where you roost?" Ashton asked behind his hand as he showed off the walnut.
The elk nodded, then shook his head.
Ashton nodded along, "Here is much better, where I can protect, let us settle the barter with the one you call friend." Ashton agreed glancing back up to the male innocently. "Shall we go see?"
Sven dismounted as the lassie returned, flush with excitement. Red and white, huh, he wondered if the little black ones were their chicks… Suddenly both turned to him with tilted heads. "Oh, Aye, let us go an see."
Beloved blinked as the sun caught the giant white core. She wanted it! Opening a rift she walked into Nix's treasure room. "There are lots of treasures, from which you can pick, swords, spells, even arcane enchantments!" Beloved announced as she changed into a bird then landed on his head.
Sven stilled… it would appear… birds liked to perch on heads. Not that she was heavy or anything, still, what a strange lassie.
Eir blinked as Sven followed the lad into the rift. He almost fell to his knees seeing the glowing treasures… gold, mana crystals, swords, spears, shields… all strewn about as if they were common loot. Not even worthy of having a dedicated place. Any of the treasures should be a family heirloom equal to their kings! Each should have been treated with the utmost care!
Sven felt like he was walking through packed snow. Even breathing was hard. Honestly, even though both birds were chattering away, showing off different treasures, he could barely focus. He only caught the occasional word or phrase.
Beloved leaned over to look at the dazed human… "I don't think he's listening, I think it's too much… don't you have eggs, a protector from clutch?"