Origin of The Wolf Faced
The air was nasty, and bitter cold as Brida and Bjorn hauled the elk over their shoulders. The thawing winter snow still clung to the pines, and the ocean was still. Now that spring was coming it was time for hunting to begin. The siblings were returning from a three day journey across the island. Brida’s blonde hair was caked in blood and dirt, and Bjorn broke his leg running after a boar. Konrig’s spiked wooden walls could be seen on the horizon.
“So how’s it been?” Bjorn asked, adjusting his helm.
“How’s what been?”
“Settling for the foreigner--I mean with.”
Brida smacked the back of his head, “I didn’t exactly settle. He’s more of a man than you’ll ever be Jorny.”
“You know I hate that name.”
“And I hate you questioning my decisions but here we are,” she said, throwing out her arm.
“Someone has to.”
Brida’s blue eyes flared up, “I’m sick of this! I thought it would be over and done with after father gave his blessing!”
“What about his snake friend? Does that not seem concerning?”
“If you want to spread rumors then we can let a Holmgang decide who is right!”
“You would give me the chance to kill your husband?”
“It won’t be him you fight.”
The usual disarray of orders assaulted the air as the siblings walked into town. The piss along the roads, coal burning, goats with questionable health roaming the streets, and rotting meat. They both sighed as they entered the Great Hall. Brida’s father,Skulvar, and her husband, Vel-, were waiting by the fire as she threw her elk onto the table.
“I fear to imagine what you two were discussing,” Brida said, pulling Veli in and kissing him.
Being blunt as ever Skulvar growled, “War.”
“War, but we’ve just had a war,” Brida mocked.
Veli smirked, “We can’t trust Titus to keep his word and leave us alone. We need to be ready should he get another burst of faith.”
Bjorn laughed, “Of course we’re ready. We have you as our secret weapon right Riderson? I mean that is why our father gave you his blessing after all.”
Veli stood silent, but Brida did not. She drew her sword and shoved Bjorn into the wall! Skulvar quickly jumped in and pulled the two apart.
“Enough!” He yelled. “Bjorn, leave now!” The King scratched his braided beard as he shook his head. “I think it's best for you two to return Alton. We will continue our discussion later Veli.”
The braizers crackled and a wet lump of snow thumped onto the roof.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Veli wrapped himself around Brida as she undid her hair. The night was silent and cold, but she was warm.
She smiled and nuzzled his head, “I’m sorry about Bjorn.”
“He doesn’t trust me; that’s okay,” He said, kissing her shoulder.
She turned around to face Veli, “It’s not okay. You’re family now and he needs to understand that.”
“That’s not what bothers him. He is heir to the Isles; he doesn’t like a foreign lord getting close to his seat.”
“Thats stupid,” Brida sighed, stroking Veli’s long, raven black hair. “Let's not go back to Konrig for a while. Maybe forever.”
“We can’t just ignore your father. Not unless you want to be a widow.”
“Let’s focus on Alton. It’s not ignoring him. It’s our duty. We are barely here because we’re always doing something for him.” Brida smiled then, and leaned in. “Tonight Veli.”
The man’s emerald eyes grew wide. “Tonight, do you mean it?”
She kissed him and pressed up against him, “Tonight.”
The two began giggling, and rolling around tearing each other's clothes off. Veli threw Brida down on the bed. As he threw back his hair an ear piercing screech broke the night’s silence. Smoke began to fill the room and the air began to get hot! They put their pants on, took their swords, and ran out of the house, and they were filled with horror. Their roof was ablaze, as were many others. A bloody torso lay in the grass, and the screech was heard again. The arsonist was in the sky. It was scaled, small, and the color of dirt. It circled around the longhouse and let out a stream of fire!
Veli rotated his arm in the air and the ocean began to rise! It brokes the wooden planks of the docks, and tipped over the boats. He waved his hand in the air and the water dispersed onto the fires. He punched for the beast and a torrent of water blasted the monster into the ground!
It began writhing and screeching. It was so loud that their ears began to bleed. The monster jumped back into the air and began taking off for the mountains.
Veli and Brida took off into the night after it. Running around the trees, and up & down hills for five miles until it lead them to a frozen lake. Veli grinded to a halt, and shot his arms above his head; the water broke from the ice and engulfed the monster!
It crawled back onto the land, shivering. It opened its maw to breath fire but nothing came out.
Brida grabbed the back of its head and held her sword to its neck. “Just like our wedding.”
Veli lowered her blade, “That was a Cockatrice. This is a Wyvern.”
“So what Veli? It has to die! It’s not like it's an actual Dragon.”
“I know, but you can’t cut its throat. The scales are too strong,” he said, plunging his sword into the Wyvern’s gut! “Belly is the weak spot.”
The monster let out one last belt and fell to the ground--its blood spilling into the lake. Veli took a breath and stepped back. Brida approached and grabbed his arm, “We can still make this like our wedding.”
Veli grinned, “Well we’re already halfway there since we forgot our tops.”
The two kissed and there under the stars they showed their love, and conceived their first child.