Page 28 of Delinquent Dette
Frikka’s face fell as he pursed his lips. “Because a long time ago, a Drake who wanted me but could not have me, destroyed my nest and turned my six eggs to just five. We had to say goodbye to a pup before they even hatched.”
Luka’s bottom lip poked out as if he were about to cry.
“But times were different. Things weren’t as safe. Dettes lost eggs often. I lost more eggs when our house collapsed years later. And I was angry, so I made a lot of trouble.” Frikka held Luka to him, resting his nose against the little frightened boy’s head. “But we learn. We learn to live, to love, to move on, and do better. I’m still sad.”
Luka sniffed and laid his head to Frikka’s chest. “But you killed all the bad men!”
“I did. I killed many bad Drakes. I killed Drakes that were bad to me and others that were bad to Dettes. It didn’t heal me.” Frikka swayed in place, letting Luka calm himself as much asFrikka calmed, too. “But you know what made me happier than killing?”
Luka shook his head.
“Seeing all the life that came from it. If I hadn’t lost an egg, then I’d have never come to the new world. Hallr would have never found your papa, or nestblossoms, or freed all the Dettes. You would have never been born. Gabriel would never have come back. Sometimes, sad things happen. They do not happen for reasons, but this is the path we walked, and this is where it led us.” Frikka kissed the top of Luka’s head. “But, it makes me happy when you say you’ll do better than the Drakes before you.”
“I’ll do lots better.” Luka cheered up, smiling as Frikka toted him over to play in the fountain.
Sometime later, the doorbell rang again, and Sten stared down the jarl who gazed back at him with something like regret. With him was Torfi Nidhogg, a rather aloof Dette with light-brown hair and green eyes. He held a lot of Frikka’s features, being his Dette father. “We were told to expect you. I apologize for the lack of hospitality, but the notice was short and our plans for the evening are in the next few hours.”
Fjallarr nodded once as Torfi followed him in. Fjallarr didn’t give the home a second glance, only walked the way Sten directed. Fjallarr never was one for small talk or details, so when he spoke, Sten stopped mid-step. “You’ve done well for a Nielsen.”
“Our entire family has. Frikka has done well for himself, too.” Sten gestured with his marked hand, earning a second glance at it. Fjallarr nodded once before pulling the neck of his crisp shirt down, showing off a small mark of his own. He’d mated Torfi. “When did this happen?”
“After your son—my grandson sent us nestblossoms. We need to thank him.” Fjallarr cleared his throat and nudged Torfi, who nodded and offered a smile that made his face far prettier.
“Claiming them as blood?” Sten raised a brow and gestured them through their home.
“I never officially dishonored Frikka. As a völur, I could not dishonor him. The gothar forbade it.” Fjallarr kept a straight face.
Torfi rested a hand on Fjallarr’s shoulder. “I threatened to leave him when he let Frikka leave. I may not be a warm Dette to my pups, but I care for them. I refused to allow him to dishonor Frikka, only allow his name change to his mate’s.”
“I was never his mate. Not until recent.” Sten fought the urge to sneer, but it was so hard.
“When a völur mates, they lose their gift. So you were mates in all but mark, I think. The gods pushed you together, did they not?” Torfi blinked when Sten froze, his heart skipping a beat.
“He told me that… He didn’t say he lost the gift.” Sten’s breath caught. Frikka had seen disaster time and time again, but the madness of seeing it made him what he was. The peace he held without it…
“It must mean there is a new völur. I would hazard to guess one of the Nielsen pups is quite skilled at his wild magic.” Torfi patted Fjallarr’s shoulder.
Cinder…
“It would make sense there is a völur, and there will be gothar. But there is a jarl born, and I wish to see this new jarl.” Fjallarr followed when Sten gestured, pointing them to the backyard. Luka walked the edge of the fountain and glanced up when the two new dragons approached.
“Is that my great grandson? He has fire in his hair.” Fjallarr nodded in approval. Knowing Leo, the fiery little Dette, he’d given all the pups, blond or red hair, their fire.
“He is my son,” Hallr said, stepping up but not blocking the jarl’s way. “And I have said many times, and will say so more—I will allow him to be a pup. He will not grow up withouta childhood. He will not be trained in your camps or sent to your schools. I agreed to the tutors because they need education regardless, but they are not toys. They are not pawns. They are children first.” Hallr bristled as he stood his ground, chin lifted. It’d never occurred to Sten just how much Hallr looked like Fjallarr before. But he did. The two could pass for brothers.
“Let our dragons decide what is what.” Fjallarr unbuttoned his shirt, stripping down to reveal the ceremonial tattoos he bore. He was not a fit Drake by any means, soft around the edges. He shifted the moment he unclothed, stepping forward to present himself before them.
Hallr met the male’s challenge, shifting in a great rush, towering over the jarl.
Even their dragons looked similar. Hallr had pearl flecks down his stomach, as did the jarl. Bicolored, certainly, but not a true jarl’s scales. They were trait carriers.
Frikka shifted in a snap, his dragon slender and tail whiplike. He had always been such a graceful and skinny dragon, but he held speed and fire in his heart and in a spit of fire, Luka shifted, his little dragon form sitting up, chin lifted as regally as a chubby little pup could manage. The posturing showed off his fine cut scales, the tuxedo pearl color of his belly and undertail, down to the webbing of his wings.
You are a true jarl born. It is as they say.Fjallarr’s dragon knelt and bowed his head to the pup.I cede. My place among the Nidhogg is no longer as a leader. The Nielsen clan have their own jarl, now. It is time we unite as one kind again.
I will keep the name of Nielsen. Nielsen is my father and my grandfather.Luka huffed.I won’t disrespect my father.
The name of Nidhogg honors our first kind. It is not something I can claim or keep.Fjallarr snorted as a flick of smoke puffed about in frustration.
