Chapter 9 - A Proposition
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A Proposition
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"Oh," Sten said softly into the resulting silence once Rask had finished his story. "You still love him, don't you?"
"Hjarta Rask's mate," Rask replied, confused. "Rask always love Hjarta."
"Do bergsr?r mate for life, then?"
"No? Hjarta died many years ago. Still Rask's mate, still part of Song, but… Rask not dead. Should have much time left. Maybe take new mate someday, if find right… person."
He glanced over at Sten to see how he might react to that, but the human was staring at his own hands, clenched tightly together in his lap.
"You know, my granddad used to talk about a skull of some enormous misthing that was found when he was a boy.
A pair of friends stumbled across it one spring, dragging it back to the village to show everyone," Sten said quietly, before wrenching his eyes up to meet Rask's.
"We never knew what'd happened to it. Or about Hjarta, about the fight.
About any of it, actually. In our legends and songs about the Bless'd Refugees, or Baldor's Great Arc through which they fled…
the stories all go very differently than yours.
Even conflict with each other, sometimes. "
Rask nodded. "Rack think humans like conflict."
Sten barked a laugh, mangled and sour.
"Does seem that way, doesn't it? Even between those two friends from granddad's story," Sten said.
"Apparently they got to arguing over who should get credit for discovering it so much that the entire village just about turned the both of them out.
The thaneskassor had to step in, declare it village property on behalf of his lord.
Now you walk through the skull and jaws on your way into the pub.
The two families still don't speak to each other either, even though the friends themselves passed away long before I was born.
Has to be the same one Hjarta fought though, right? "
"Yes," Rask confirmed. "Only one in all Rask's time."
"Must've been a big, ugly thing," Sten mused as Rask leaned forward to sing the volcanic stones to warmth again, heating the cooling sauna back up.
"I always found it terrifying as a kid. Gave me nightmares, thinking about how it must've meant Misthings even attacked each other; flying around out there beyond the warded Jarl's Halls where we all have to hide.
What would we have done if the remains of one had come crashing through the roof?
Kept me up loads of nights, worrying about it. "
"Thurs attacking thurs very common," Rask explained once the stones had gotten the message, sitting back. "Territory, anger, maybe in heat. But quick — loser submits, leaves. Thurs no need fight, not to death. Enough food for all."
"But most humans are tucked away safe behind the wards of their Jarl's Halls, aren't they?"
Rask looked at him curiously, wondering at the note in Sten's voice, as if he'd never heard any of this before. "Humans only snack. Thurs eat fear. Jarl's Halls make for tasty smorgasbord of fearful humans. Thurs enjoy big feast, come back next year, find humans more terrified than last."
"They won't hurt Messy though, right, or the Mist?" Sten asked worriedly. "All the stories say they leave animals like her alone."
"Animals scare or frighten, but not fearful, not dread," Rask tried to explain. "Messy not stay up at night thinking of ways scary thing could get worse."
"True enough," Sten replied, chewing his lip before casting a glance up at Rask.
"Will you be able to look after her until I come back in the Spring?
Sorry to ask after the fact. I would've come to you first had I planned it, but like I said: they just kind of surprised me with her.
I'll bring you something up with me to make it worth your time, I swear. "
Rask blinked at him, both charmed by the thought of Sten returning as he was amused that Sten didn't think his presence would already be gift enough.
"Sten Welcome on Rask's mountain'," Rask reminded him, growing uncertain if the human understood all that entailed. "Sten's dog, too; if Messy behaves like good guest. All can hear in the Song: she and Sten both under bergsr?'s protection. Rask keep her safe until Sten return."
"Oh," Sten murmured, looking shocked. "I didn't know. Um, thank you. That's… I don't even know what to say."
Rask merely flicked his fingers in reply, trying not to think about it. Such entanglements were dangerous, all these blessings and bindings Rask kept offering Sten without the surety of a Bargain to balance them. Often without the human even knowing, in fact.
But what else could he do, especially when it made Sten smile up at Rask so? It was well worth the cost and then some; the bergsr? decided.
"Y'know, all the stories tell of the Mist going after people," Sten mused. "Humans, ljósálfari, orkná, d'vergern… we all have ways of coping when the Mist comes, right? But the stories never mention what bergsr?r do over Mistide. Or vaettir, I guess."
Rask stretched out on the bench, enjoying the way the heat was soaking into sinew and bone until his entire body felt loose with it. "Mist not hurt bergsr?r, and bergsr?r do not fear thurs," he answered simply. "Thurs find Rask's kind boring."
"Oh, well… You're not boring to me," Sten whispered, wearing an idle expression now as he stretched out too, evidently enjoying the sauna's renewed heat just as much as —
Rask yanked his hand sharply out of the way as Sten's fingers bumped into him, giving the human space. Obviously, Sten hadn't expected the bergsr? to be there, or…
"What wrong Sten's face?"
Sten cracked out a harsh laugh, covering said face with his hands as if scrubbing something off.
"Sorry," Sten mumbled as his eyes skittered away, refusing to meet Rask's. "I forgot."
"Forgot what?" Rask prodded, curious now.
Sten shot him a sideways look. "That you're so different from me. Older, and… everything," he added, making a vague gesture at the much larger bergsr?.
Rask glanced at him in surprise.
The little human shrugged. "You're easy to talk to."
"Sten easy talk to, too," Rask admitted.
"And…you're still alright with my being here?”
"Rask invited Sten," Rask reminded him.
"It's just… if Hjarta died because he was trying to protect us and everything, and we didn't even know… I need to tell the village. Maybe we can put up a-a fountain, or a sign, or — "
"Hjarta would like Sten," Rask decided. "Even if Sten stupid."
"Hey!"
"Hjarta not fight thurs to get a sign. Hjarta just… being Hjarta; brave and kind, like Sten."
"But that's even more reason, don't you think? Because it was selfless."
"Sten want to honor Hjarta?" Rask asked him. "Help others, joke lots, and take long walks to gather flowers in the meadow."
Humming, Sten glanced up at Rask. "And… he wouldn't mind me being here?" he asked,
Rask shook his head. "Hjarta would say, Rask too long alone. Good have Sten as friend."
Sten's laugh was a warm and bubbling sound. "So we are friends then?"
"Depends," Rask said. "Sten bring Rask br?nnvin?"
Sten grinned. "Didn't haul up the three big bottles in my pack for my own health. Need some help drinking it?"
"Rask grateful for Sten's assistance, yes," Rask answered, returning the smile.
"So, what Sten forget?" Rask pressed, sensing it was something important to the little human — and therefore, the bergsr? was surprised to find, important to Rask too.
But Sten just gave a half-shrug. "That we don't get everything we want," he said cryptically, his stone-grey eyes peeking up at Rask through his lashes in a most puzzling way.
Rask frowned. "Sten Rask's guest. Want food, drink, sleep? Only say; Rask happy to provide for Sten."
Very, very happy. Rask had no doubt the little human would never return to the bergsr?'s mountain if he understood how much satisfaction merely his being here brought Rask, talking together so easily like this.
It sent a flicker of warmth through Rask's chest he hadn't realized he'd missed, having someone to provide for. To care for.
He rose to do just that, mind already working out what he had in the pantry, when Sten's hand landed heavily on Rask's forearm to stop him.
"No, it's…"
Sten drew in a deep breath, then seemed to come to a decision, his attention slanting up at the bergsr? watching him so intently now.
"Am I really that ugly to you?" Sten asked in a small voice after a moment, glancing away.
The question took Rask wholly by surprise.
"Yes," he said without thinking, before hastily adding, "but Sten funny, and sweet, and clever, and brave. So what if Sten not handsome like Rask? It fine, as long as Sten promise not scare Rask's goats."
Sten's startled laughter was more genuine this time, free and light. Rask much preferred it over the other, and was disappointed to hear it fade all too soon.
"Ah," Sten replied quietly, his shoulders falling. "Well, at least you're honest."
Rask swallowed, and looked away.
"No," Rask admitted before he could stop himself. "If Rask honest, Rask give Sten gifts. Give Sten lots of gifts. Not — "
"Rask? Rask, look at me," Sten demanded softly, urging him with the hand still on Rask's forearm. "Please."
And when Sten pleaded with him like that? Rask was helpless to do anything else.
"You've mentioned gifts before," Sten murmured, his eyes intensely bright as he searched Rask's face. "Is that how bergsr?r court each other?"
Rask nodded tentatively, frustration filling him he'd let it slip; that he'd ruined it all so easily.
"And…you’d want to give me these gifts? To, uh — to court me?"
Rask sighed. "…Yes."
Truth was, he had been, and for awhile now, too.
Thankfully, Sten still seemed unaware of the bergsr?'s blessings hanging about him, resonating Protection and Friendship up and down Rask's mountain; his promise to teach Sten a brilliantly binding cord.
But it couldn't last. Another visit, perhaps two?
Soon Sten would learn enough of the Song to notice the similar themes running through both their melodies.
He'd no doubt have questions — if he didn't work the rest out for himself, of course. The little human was clever like that; annoying and intriguing Rask equally in turn.
"What if a human wanted to court a bergsr??" Sten said slowly, as if working it out himself. "Would you want him to bring you gifts too?"
Oh?
Rask's gaze snapped to Sten's face, only to find him watching the bergsr? with a shocking intensity.
Oh.
Something trilled in Rask's chest, as he considered the little human anew.
Rask stroked a finger under Sten’s chin, tipping the human’s head up until he was looking the bergsr? in the eye. He leaned forward, carefully pressing a kiss to the human's tiny lips, being mindful that he did not injure Sten with his tusks.
"Sten already gift," Rask murmured when he finally pulled away.
The little human was breathing harder, a glow spreading across his cheeks. Sten looked up at him wonderingly, his pupils dilated.
Rask had to admit, it certainly wasn't the worst sight he'd ever seen.
"Oh," Sten breathed, reaching up to cup Rask's jaw.
His whole body followed quickly, twisting as he slung a knee gingerly over Rask's leg. Wonder rising in his chest, Rask reached for Sten's hips as he moved; steadying the tiny human as he perched on the bergsr?'s thigh.
"This not part of Bargain," the bergsr? warned as Sten's mouth drew perilously close to his own. "Rask offered teach Sten if visit, nothing more."
"Of course," Sten agreed. "It's a completely separate one."
Rask stiffened. "Rask offered no third Bargain."
He couldn't. The two they shared were bad enough, and further compounded by all the blessings and bindings for Sten that Rask had already woven into the Song. But three? That would mark the human in ways Rask was sure Sten could never, ever want if he knew…
"I know that too," Sten murmured, demanding all of Rask's attention by the simple method of running his finger up the edge of Rask's jaw. "Haven't decided yet if I will either. I've been making this up as I go along. Do you wish me to stop?"
"…No," Rask answered him. "Rask not ugly to Sten?"
"No." Sten smiled softly. "Not to me."
Grey eyes flicking to Rask's own, Sten reached out; hand hovering just a breath from Rask's face. For his part, Rask held still, uncertain but… intrigued all the same as to what the human could want.
"Can I?" Sten whispered.
At Rask's soft grunt of assent, slowly Sten trailed a tentative finger along the bergsr?'s right horn where it curled away from his brow, stopping just as it swept back over Rask's hair.
Eyes flicking quickly over the bergsr?'s face, it seemed Sten grew bolder then, as he curiously explored the curve of Rask's left tusk, the slope, the pointed tip.
For his part, Rask held very, very still. He did not tell Sten this was something only a mate did, or a particularly favored partner. He was as uncertain as to the human's daring, as he was if he wanted it to end.
How curious. What if…?
Rask gave into the urge, dipping his head just enough to suck that finger into his mouth, eyes locked on Sten's face so he couldn't miss the human's expression when Rask sucked —
"Gods. You have to tell me if we should stop, Rask," Sten said softly. "You have to tell me now. Because unless you say otherwise? Then oh — I intend to give you all manner of gifts."