Falling For The Gods

The Secret Is Out

                Brandt –

Truth be told I don’t think I’ve ever seen a more beautiful woman in my entire life. Her beautiful gown was a violent red with gold embroidering and sapphire gems giving it the perfect contrast. Her hair was slightly pulled back and she had put flowers in her hair to cover the pins the servants left visible. I was slightly starstruck as I tried to call out her name, but the only words I could get out were “my wife.”

We entered the immaculately decorated dining hall arm in arm, everyone had turned to stare at her. I felt my protective nature kick in as I pulled her more securely to my side. I could feel her body tremble as the whispers in the hall began to grow. We took our place at the head table next to Father, as we sat I whispered to him.

“Do something, if she continues to shake like this, I will lose my mind.”

“Have patience my son, this isn’t any easy conversation to have with our people” he whispered back.

“Speak now!” I could feel the growl build in my throat.

Father took it as a warning and began to stand.

“Now that my son and his new wife have joined, I have an announcement to make about the peace of our world.” The crowded hushed and stared at the old man. “An ancient monolith had spoken of union to grant our world peace with the Tera people. We would marry our God to their woman to insure the people of both worlds were equally taken into consideration. With this new union Tera has agreed to never use their weapons against our people again. So please treat our new member of the royal family with respect.” After he finished talking, he looked around the room and the people of the banquet all bowed in respect to his words. I turned to Isla.

“You will no longer be in danger now and may wander freely” I told her in a hushed voice. She slowly lifted her eyes towards mine and I could see how bright they shone.

“I-I can’t go…outside?” she asked.

“Yes, my dear” I replied as I brought her hand up to my lips. She smelled divine, like a blooming meadow in the middle of spring. I rested my lips against her soft skin and instantly felt her tense up. “Was this too much? Did I take her ques wrong, I knew she would never be interested in me.” I let her hand drop and turned back to the table.

“What’s wrong?” she asked.

“Just acting like a married couple, it’s what the people expect right.” I could hear my voice becoming cold with her. She was beautiful tonight and I almost let myself think she could ever want me, for once in my life I could end up with the most beautiful girl in the world. I was wrong though. I through my hand up for another mead beer.

                Isla –

I could feel Brandt getting colder with me, with every passing minute. “What did I do to deserve this treatment, was it really just for the people and nothing more?”. The entire dinner I could see Brandt out of the corner of my eye continuing to throw his hand up for more mead. I couldn’t believe I was such a horror to be with that he had to resort to getting wasted.

After the formality of dinner was over, I quickly took my leave and ran to find Astrid. The dinning hall was huge and full of people, I kept getting crowded by people wanting to know if I was really from Tera and how life was like. After my people had put so much pain into their lives I was surprised that they were so warm and welcoming towards me. Finally I had caught a glimpse of Astrid and rushed to her.

“Astrid!” I called out.

“Oh, Isla. There you are, I have been looking for you, but so many people are here tonight!” she said with a smile. I instantly found comfort in the large hall.

“Did you hear the good news yet?” she asked.

“I don’t think so, or if I did hear it I wasn’t aware it was good news.”

“Lord Ivar came early to spend time with the royal family before the banquet! I’ll look for him to introduce you two.”

“No you don’t – “

“Lord Ivar! Over here!” she shouted and waved her arms. Being so much shorter than everyone else I couldn’t see who she was waving to.

Then a large figure came pushing through the crowd. Lord Ivar, he was tall and muscularly built like Brandt, only he had short blonde hair and striking blue eyes. He also was in this military apparel, but unlike Brandt’s red and chained uniform, his was a soft green. “I wonder if all the Gods here are as handsome like Brandt and Ivar.”

Ivar broke the silence by taking my hand and bowing his head to me.

“Lady Isla, the pleasure of finally meeting you is all mine” he said with a smirk. “I’ve heard tales that you are truly the most beautiful girl on this planet.” He kissed my hand. “I see that they were not exaggerated.”

“Oh, thank you Lord Ivar.” I quickly snatched my hand back. I know his demeanor was perfectly acceptable, yet something about him was a little off. He looked at me with almost a sadness in his eyes.

“Asmund! I’ll be right over!” Astrid shouted across the room. “Asmund is waving me over. Isla will you be ok with Ivar” she said as she put her hand on my shoulder. I nodded and she scampered off with a grin on her face. I watched the spot she finally disappeared at for longer than I should have, until I felt Ivar’s heavy hand rest on my shoulder. I turned towards him and met his eyes with mine. He had outstretched his arm to me “Let’s go outside for a break, how does that sound?” I nodded and wrapped my arm around his.

He moved gracefully through the crowd and out the door to the garden. He finally paused and released my arm when we reached the edge.

“I’m sorry for my cold demeanor in the banquet tonight, so many eyes on me makes me nervous. As a Lord I am expected to have the most eloquent of manners, but sometimes its hard” he said with a half chuckle. I could tell he was just as uncomfortable as I was in that musty banquet. I put my hand on his arm.

“It’s ok, I understand how you feel.”

We looked out over the garden. I had noticed it had died a little, the once lush green bushes were starting the fall over and even if it was the middle of spring the flowers were starting to lose their petals. I sighed in sadness.

“What’s wrong?” Ivar asked.

“It’s just, the garden is dying. I’ve been out here watering and caring for it every day, but I feel like I just wasted my time” I said with a shy laugh. I could feel Ivar staring at me. “What is it Ivar?”

“It’s just I’ve never met someone who cares for nature the way you seem to” he said, “Do you know what I’m to God of?” I rubbed my arm in shame.

“N-no, to be honest I don’t know what anyone here is the God of.” Saying those words out loud made me feel incredibly silly. This is my new home and I’m married to a royal God and yet I have no clue how their society works.

“Not even your husband?” he asked.

“No.” I shot back.

“Well I’ll start by introducing myself, I’m Ivar the God of basically nature. I control the fertility of the soil and the reproduction of the plant species here. If you’d like while I’m in town I can look after this garden.”

I looked up at him with a huge smile on my face, I’m sure I looked ridiculous.

“You know I still question one thing” he said with a smirk.

“What is it?” I asked.

                Brandt –

Asmund and Astrid came trudging over. I could tell they had been bickering.

“What is this I hear about you ordering so much mead you could drown a horse, and in front of your wife.” Astrid said as she gritted her teeth at me.

“Ugh, I’m not even close to drunk. I could tell Isla was uncomfortable and I needed a few drinks to calm myself.” I said in retaliation.

“So, I assume sense your so calm now you’ve been spending the whole banquet with her.” I looked up to see Astrid’s arms crossed, but quickly darted them back towards my glass of mead.

“I just get so awkward around her.” I shrugged.

“Oh now your awkward around a woman, as if you haven’t been playing women your whole life” she said. She knew my games too well. Only this time I don’t think it is a game, or if it is I am most definitely not winning.

“And she caught him with Mel the other night!” Asmund piped in from behind Astrid. I dared not look up because I could feel Astrid’s eyes on me, burning a hole through my flesh. I sank into my shoulders in shame.

“You were with WHO!” She screamed at me. I looked around at the layer of people who were now staring at us.

“Swear I will never again” I said as a shot my hands up in innocence. I looked around a little harder and slowly lowered my hands. “Hey, where is she?”

“Who?” fumed Astrid.

“Isla” I could hear the worry in my own voice as my eyes paced the room.`

“I saw her and Ivar go towards the garden” Asmund said as he pointed towards the door. I dropped my glass and started to frantically push passed people. Ivar has always hated me. Ivar and I were the opposite when it came to Gods, he was peace and love and I was, well I’m me. He’s always looking for a new knife to shove in my back, but I never thought he’d go after someone I cared for. “Please don’t let him hurt her”. I broke out of the door to the banquet and saw them standing near the edge. I sighed in relief that he hadn’t done anything dumb. I approached a little closer and started listening to their conversation.

“Well I’ll start by introducing myself, I’m Ivar the God of basically nature. I control the fertility of the soil and the reproduction of the plant species here. If you’d like while I’m in town I can look after this garden.”

I could see Isla smile at him from here, I hadn’t realized how much she loved this garden. It had been my mothers garden, but ever sense her death its been slowly dwindling away. Mother would have been proud I married someone so devoted to the earth like she was. The thought of Isla loving this garden made a smile grow onto my face.

“You know I still question one thing” I heard Ivar say.

“What is it?” She was so innocent, I found myself falling for her sweet voice every time she spoke. I melted into the pillar I was leaning against.

“How is a sweet young woman like yourself married to the God of War.” Ivar’s voice belittled me from a far.

“Oh s**t”