Page 5 of Her World In His Hands

“What you know as Earth, we call Midgard. Don’t worry, I’ll set everything to rights.” In an instant fire spluttered into life, and beside it the log basket refilled. The almost empty barrel of salted herrings bulged anew, and a fresh loaf of bread appeared on the table, filling the room with the comforting aroma of freshly baked bread. “I shall return on the morrow and we shall swim, together.”

She began to reply, but he was gone.

Making good his promise,Njord was there the following day and led her to the shallow shores. “Ready to become a mermaid?” he asked.

She nodded eagerly. He leant down and ran his palms firmly over her flanks and calves, turning her flesh scaly as she morphed into a mermaid under his caressing touch. Releasing her body, he took her hand tugging her downward into the icy blue depths. Together they swam among the shoals of brightly silvered fish, then as they entered the mouth of the ocean, a school of porpoises joined them. Njord placed her hand on the dorsal fin of one and he swam beside them as the creature dipped and weaved through the water. Sassa laughed, stroking the side of the animal with her free hand.

After the school left them, he turned back into the fjord, Sassa swam beside him.

A prickling under his skin alerted him to an ancient presence and he felt the rise of the immense being beneath them. He signalled for Sassa to halt. She too sensed something and pointed downward. A dark ominous shape loomed up from the depths and moved toward her, but Sassa showed no fear, only recognition.

He sensed the delight the aquatic behemoth felt at finding her here in its domain. Despite the creatures intimidating size, she reached out, winding her arms about the thick column of its neck. He watched indulgently as the two swam together, the tenderness between them moved him deeply. Not for the first time he wondered about her heritage, could Sassa have the blood of an immortal from an ancestral predecessor?

After a while he felt his powers weakening. He couldn’t retain her mermaid form much longer. As a human she would be unable to withstand the glacial cold of the arctic melt of these northern waters. It was time to return her to the shore, but she defied him and swum away to hide beneath the waves in amongst the many rocky outcrops. Frantically he searched, knowing that if he didn’t find her soon, she would either drown or die of exposure. Panic gnawed his guts as his powers dwindled and his attempts to hold her in her aquatic form weakened. Njord couldn’t bear the thought of losing her and fought to maintain his grip on his diminishing powers while he grew ever more frantic searching for her among the rocks and waving sea fauna. Finally, he discovered her, unconscious, laid out upon the gritty sand floor. Short of oxygen she was obviously long past caring about playing hide and seek. He lifted her head and pressed his mouth to hers sharing his breath with her. She must not die; this woman had brought light into his world. Tense, he watched to see if filling her lungs had worked. Thankfully she stirred and his heart stuttered. With sudden clarity he knew he’d fallen for this beautiful mortal. He wanted more than an affair with her, he wanted her body and soul.

Groggily Sassa came awaketo find herself curled against Njord’s chest, warm and safe she kept her eyes closed simply enjoying the comfort. Stretching languidly, she luxuriated in the welcome heat which seemed to have seeped deep into her very bones. Finally opening her eyes, she blinked into the darkness which shrouded them. There was no fear in her heart since she was with Njord and they both appeared to be bathing in liquid warmth. Her shoulders were supported by Njord and her head rested on the surface of the water resting between his spread knees. There was a slightly unpleasant odour which smelled like sulpha. “Where are we?” she asked dreamily.

“Inside a hot spring beneath the ground. I had to get you warm fast before you died of hypothermia due to the icy water.” His tone sounded terse.

Struggling to sit up, she appreciated his help as he positioned her so that her back rested against his chest and she perched on his knee.

“What happened?” she asked befuddled. Tension seemed to emanate from him.

“You disobeyed me and put your life in danger,” he replied. “I could not keep you in your mermaid form any longer. My power to do so weakens after an hour. Your naughtiness could have cost you your life, and that is unacceptable, Sassa. There will be consequences for that little stunt.”

“I’m sure there won’t be, I feel absolutely fine,” she assured him, and twisting she planted a soft kiss on the side of his mouth.

He did not respond to her gentle overture. “I promise you there will be.”

His reply puzzled her. “Are you predicting the future?”

“I am.”

“I am the volva not you!” she teased attempting to bring levity into the situation.

He withdrew a flagon of water and insisted she drink. Handing it back to him she wrinkled her nose.

“It smells odd down here.”

“We’re very near the entrance to the underworld; we cannot linger much longer. It’s time to go.”

Before she could even reply, she found herself back inside her house. It disconcerted her the way he moved her so fast from place to place.

Njord stood before her, his massive arms folded as he regarded her solemnly.

“Earlier you seemed confused about the consequences of disobeying my commands; let me enlighten you. I do not make unnecessary demands, when I order you to do something it will be for a very good reason, and you will obey me. If like today you do not, then I shall take you over my knee and spank you until you have learnt your lesson.”

The scolding made her feel vulnerable; she was suddenly conscious of her nudity and flushed with embarrassment. “But I didn’t know … ” she countered.

“So now you do, and shortly I’ll ensure you’ll remember the next time you think to make light of one my orders. Come here.”

Hesitating, she stepped back. “I want you to leave now.”

His brow furrowed. “I don’t think so. Come here.”

“You’re scaring me!”

“Good. You nearly died out in the sea today through sheer stupidity. How do you think I’d have felt if I’d failed to save you and you’d died?”

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