Sigurd and Astrid
Freya was dozing, when a roaring of icy Nordic wind rushed through the lobby of the hotel. A hole appeared and Sigurd stumbled out of it, one hand cradling a precious burden to his chest, bleeding gashes showing on his skin through the ragged remnants of his clothes. One leg of his pants were gone and three deep scratches showed how it had left him. His armour was dented and bloody, and in one place, pitted and still smoking from whatever he had got in it. A cut above his eye seeped red and his nose had been broken...again. Both of his eyes would be black on the morning and his lips was split at the corners. He looked like a man who had been to hell and back. Which was an accurate assessment. He stumbled and the hole closed behind him. Freya watched.
"You have returned, warrior."
"Ja."
"Then I will release it." Freya made a negligent gesture and Astrid choked in a breath. Sigurd knelt by her side and lifted her head. Angel ran down the stairs with a crossbow. "Hold it, hairgel boy." Freya flung up a hand. "You ain't interfering here. The Powers That Be have no control on us or ours. Keep your nose out of it." Angel rebounded off the barrier she put up and snarled in frustration.
"Her eter min elskling, dette," Sigurd whispered as he cut into the golden, faintly glowing apple he held in his hand, ignoring Angel. Three others fell to the ground softly beside him, and the scent of an European spring filled the room. Apple blossom. He fed the slices of apple into her mouth and the hole in her stomach gradually healed over and disappeared.
"Hva har De gjort, min kjærlighet?" Astrid asked between bites.
"Jeg kjøpt De et eple." He smiled. She nodded and carefully ate the apple as he fed it to her, right down to the core of it.
"Who are the other ones for?" Freya asked. Sigurd looked at her with mild irritation.
"Your husband speaks in riddles. I must give them to..." he looked upwards as he cradled the recovering yet still naked Astrid in his lap, "the two in twain, the angel and the wolf. The lover and the fighter, who together share a soul. The artist and the berserker, who together fight for all." He tilted his head, and recited again, "the lover of the wolf, the singer of the storm, terrible and beautiful in her white hot fury as the spears of the sky fall around and through her. Woe betide if one eats and all do not. Woe betide the love of the soul if the soul is split by death. Woe betide this earth if love is left behind to mourn. Woe betide if the sun is seperated from the night, for two halves make a whole. The moon watches the sun in the day and the black of night hides the darkest wounded soul. Bloodrinker beloved of the day will walk forver at the side of the sun. As life is to death so is death to life. Endings and beginnings are not what they seem." Sigurd frowned. "Sometimes I *truly* loathe your husband."
Gwen
Gwen looked to Angel.
"Officially... not understanding. All that meant, huh?"
Angel frowned. "Riddles were never my strong point."
"So what exactly is your strong point?"
"Bite me."
"No thanks, I'm not the vampire. Hi... ok, I don't understand, what does this mean?"
Wesley walked into the hotel. "It's a set of instructions, and a prophecy. Hello Angel, hello Gwen."
Gwen waved. "Hey Wes." She turned to Astrid and Sigurd. "So, what does this mean?"
Sigurd and Astrid
"Ask her." Sigurd nodded at Freya, who clapped her hands and giggled.
"Oh, do you really think I'm going to?"
"Aesir."
"Mortal." She drew herself up snootily with a regal stare.
"Flighty woman."
"Numbskull."
"Butterfly." The corner of his mouth twitched upwards.
"Ooh! Mange infested heap of furs!"
"Out of date fashion victim."
"GAH! Who have you been talking to?"
"Americans."
"Uekte," Freya spat.
Sigurd riased an eyebrow. "Ja, your point?" Freya stamped her foot and disappeared in a flash of lights and a shower of apple blossoms. The cats that had been clustered around her feet fled out the door in a skitter of paws. "Ha, I won."
"You don't get tired of that, mitt hjerte?" Astrid smiled weakly at Sigurd.
"Ingen. We haf been doing that since...oh, the 1800's, Christian Calender?" Sigurd shrugged. "Ve find it amusink. But the answer to your question would be no. I must admit, it is one of the more...hard? Troublesome? Knotted?"
"Cryptic?" Astrid suggested.
"Ja, cryptic." He nodded. "Cryptic instructions I have recieved in mine service to the Aesir. I blame Fre. Obstinate farmer..."
"Hi, everybody, You won't believe the wonderul dress I found down in the shopping district in a boutique..." Cordelia walked briskly through the door, then did a double take. "Why is there a naked winged woman on our floor?" Astrid did a full body blush and her wings fluttered.
Gwen
Wesley was scribbling notes down from the prophecy he'd just caught the tail end of.
Angel looked at Cordy. "Cordelia, that would be Astrid. And look away... actually, do you have any clothes that would fit her?"
Gwen giggled. "Shouldn't we be telling you to look away Angel? So... let's clear something up... what does the prophecy mean? Wes? Any thoughts? Come on guys, a fast game's a good game."
Cordy stared at Gwen. "What does that mean?"
Gwen shrugged. "I'm not sure, I've always just wanted to use that saying."
Sigurd and Astrid
Sigurd patted Astrid's shoulder, before kissing her. "I missed you."
"I was kind of possessed at the time. Oh, Forbann!" She swore angrily. "My sword! And my bow! Godscurse it!" She growled. Sigurd chuckled.
"That's mitt beautiful Valkyrie."
"Help me up," Sigurd helped Astrid to her feet. "I need a shower." She looked down at her liberally bloodstreaked torso with distaste, then she turned her head. "What happened to you?!"
Sigurd shrugged nonchalantly. "Freya's pets play rough. It vas a quest, mitt hjerte. You get hurt on quest. But it was worth it." Astrid leant against him, eyes closing tiredly. "I have you back." He looked back up. "The instructions will be for who I am intended to give the apples to."
"And what's so special about these apples?" Cordelia asked.
"They are the apples of Freya. They make the eater...immortal to all the ills flesh is heir too. You can imagine what most people would do to get them." Astrid shook her head, ignoring her unclothed state.
Gwen
Gwen looked confused.
"So... who gets the apples? I got lost somewhere around the... well somwhere around when this all began. And immortal? Cool."
Sigurd and Astrid
"That is the puzzle, ja?" Sigurd grinned. "The two in halves, the berserker and the angel. And the lover of the wolf. I need to find them-"
"We will find them," Astrid interrupted smoothly.
"Ja, we." He kissed her mouth. "Mange takk, Valkyrie. And then we will give them the apples. And until I get the dwarves to make you new weapons. They are not going to be pleased."
Astrid winced. "You don't think they would take demon possession by something dark and strong enough to suck the magick from a godling of Egypt as an excuse?" Sigurd burst out laughing. "Thought not."
"So...you two are what exactly?" Wesley asked.
"Servants of the Aesir. I be Krigerr-Llys. She be Valkyrie."
"He's human, I'm half mutant, half alien. My grandmother was a believer in the Old Ways. I read the Runes as well. Odin taught me."
"How very interesting..." Welsy mumured. And then Gunn walked in through the door.
"Yo, people. English, my man.. Angel, Cordy, Gwen..." He did a double take that lingered on Astrid's...very visible attributes. Sigurd bared his teeth and stepped slightly in front of Astrid who cloaked herself in her wings a bit more firmly. "Extremely naked broad...and glowering man..." He blinked.
Fred
Fred slowly crept out from the curtains she was hiding behind. "Pretty lady, she sparkles," she declared.
Astrid and Sigurd
Astrid blushed again. Sigurd shrugged off the tattered remains of his fur cloak and put it around her shoulders. "Mange takk, Sigurd." She arranged it so it hung free over her wings. "I think you said something about clothing?" She looked at Cordelia.
"Yeah, sure I can find something to fit...though you're a bit taller then I am."
"Better then nothing, I would be sure." Astrid followed Cordelia up the stairs. sigurd bent and retrieved the three apples. They gleamed in his hand.
"Freyr, De ergringsav forvirring Aesir..." He studied them for a moment. "Do you have a doktor? I do not wish to have to lose a limb from gangrene."
"Yes, of course...and then you can tell me the prophesy again." Sigurd followed Wesley.
"We have a prophecy? Again?" Gunn looked at Angel, who nodded.
Gwen
"Not meaning to sound rude... ok, maybe I am, just a little, but does this prophecy have anything to do with me? Coz if not, I have elsewhere to be... you know, stealing things." Gwen folded her arms and sighed.
Angel looked over at her. "I guess you are free to go. Do you rerally have to be stealing?"
"Thief... it's what I do, remember? Anyway, I do recall how we first met, what with you looking to steal something."
"Maybe you should wait around to see what the prophecy is and see if it does involve you," Angel thought out loud.
"Fine. But I will be grumbling."
Astrid and Sigurd
"Soul split in twain..." Astrid was wearing some of Cordy's clothes...which were a bit small, especially in the bust. "Tvillinger, min kjærlighet?"
"Ja, kanskje." Sigurd wound a bandage around his leg. "Vhat puzzles meg is da channeler of the sky spears. Astrid, what is word?" He looked at her.
"Lightning." She tapped her fingers thoughtfully along the banister. "The berserker is the wolf and the fighter. Night, so maybe black in heart, soul, magick inclination..."
"Or he just has black hair."
"Sun beloved by moon...and a blooddrinker, so vampire."
"Could be some other demon," Wesley interjected. "But yes, the most possible translation would be a vampire."
"But what vampire loves the sun?" Astrid shrugged, the feathers in her wings rippling like sun on water.
Gwen
"Lightning... that could mean anything." Wesley paused. "A vampire that loves the sun... possibly one with a charm? Angel?"
Angel shrugged. "A Gem of Amarra perhaps?"
"Ah, of couse. But who would have one of those? The wolf and the fighter?" Wesley frowned. "A werewolf perhaps?"
"Logan? Although, he's not exactly a werewolf," Gwen offered.
"Oz?" Wesley looked confused.
Sigurd and Astrid
Sigurd yawned. "Not werewolf. *Wolf*. If the wolf was connected to the moon, maybe. But I think not werewolf. Vhat is wolf? Wolf is pack. Is strong. Is loyal. Is survivor. We are looking for a man with these traits. And possibly black hair."
"And it would not be Logan. He is not half of another's soul." Astrid rubbed her forehead. "I dink it is twins we be looking for."
"Ja. Soul in halves. And vhen a twin dies, the other soon follows beacuse half of their soul has already gone to the underworld. Which would make sense vhen you dink about de propehcy. What twin would take an apple if their other half did not?"
Gwen
"Twins?" Gwen looked up. "Oh, Mordred and Vortigern? Mordred, he's wolf!" She clapped. "Well, two points for the thief, while the Watcher is yet to score."
Wesley gave her an exasperated look. "You're not helping."
"On the contrary... I am helping a lot." Gwen stuck her tongue out and settled herself on a couch.
Sigurd and Astrid
Astrid chuckled. "You are a smart one, ja?"
"She is the one with a smart mouth, yeah," Angel said. Sigurd laughed at his dry tone.
"You, I could like. Astrid, mitt hjerte, er De bifaller?"
"Ja, Sigurd. Seg ikke bekymr slik. So, we have two names. Who is the other one then to whom I must give an apple? And who is the blooddrinker?"
"Could you recite the descriptive passages for me again?" Wesley asked. Sigurd nodded.
"I must give them to the two in twain, the angel and the wolf. The lover and the fighter, who together share a soul. The artist and the berserker, who together fight for all." He tilted his head, and recited again, "the lover of the wolf, the singer of the storm, terrible and beautiful in her white hot fury as the spears of the sky fall around and through her."
Gwen
"Blood drinker... that could possibly be Spike. Considering I only really know two vampires..." Gwen trailed off.
"The lover of the wolf... Gwen?" Wesley said.
"Wesley?"
"No... I mean... could it be you?" Wesley asked, exasperated.
"No... I'm, yes, his lover... but nothing special. And there are prophecies about me."
"Are you sure? Because it does certainly seem like it."
"Wesley... I think you're interpreting it wrong. Maybe... maybe Mordred will get a lover in the future, who is... an apple eater."
"Gwen, I think you seem to be missing the bigger picture."
"Wesley... kiss my ass."
Sigurd and Astrid
"We will let you think on it," Sigurd said diplomatically. "Astrid."
"Ja, a safehouse. Don't worry, the Aesir have many plans for things of this nature." Astrid sighed and rubbed her eyes. "Swear to Odin, a bed is calling my name."
"Ja. We will come by in the morning to see if you have found anything different."
"And uh..." Astrid looked embarassed. "Say sorry to the boy. Or I will say sorry when we come back."
"Det var ikke Deres feil," Sigurd said.
"Det var min feil. Jeg har-"
"Lytter til meg. Det var ikke Deres feil." She looked unconvinced, and Sigurd sighed. "Det var ikke Deres feil, sta kvinne."
"What the hell are they saying?" Gunn asked Wesley quietly.
"They're speaking an ancient form of Norwegian...they're arguing, I can tell you that much," Wesley mumured back.
"I can read bodylanguage."
"Jeg er sta? *Jeg* er sta?! Hvem var det som sagt ikke bekymrer seg, dragen sover? Drog inn i hulen mens Jeg er stillet ordspråk, ingen la oss vent og sjekk. Og da fått vi våre sungne øyenbryn! De vet hvordan lang det tok meg få lukten av røyk ut av mine vinger? Gjør De?" Astrid poked Sigurd hard in the chest.
"Something about a dragon, and smoke..." Welsey said almost under his breath.
"She sounds like Cordy when some demon gets ick on her coat and later she goes after Angel. Hell, he's acting like Angel when Cordy goes after him because something got on her coat." Cordy glared at Gunn.
Gwen
"Well, colour me confused," Gwen stated, crossing her arms again.
"Gwen... do stop being a hinderance," Wesley sighed.
"Wesley... do shut up."
Sigurd and Astrid
"De er ikke også gammel for meg dreie rundt mitt kne," Sigurd rumbled.
"Jeg ser De prøver." They glared at each other, toe to toe.
"Om det er måten vil som De ha det..." Astrid backed away, then ran, opening her wings and leaping into the air. Sigurd caught her easily, and she hung over his shoulder, kicking and screaming Nordic curses. He held her pinned with one hand, her wings beating around his ears.
"Ah well, that's quite graphic..." Wesley polished his glasses as she started to curse in Troll.
"Ja, she has a dirty mouth." Sigurd beamed proudly. Astrid offered comments on his ancestry. "Oppfør seg," he said mock sternly and slapped her ass with his palm. She yelped. "If she really wanted to get away she would. Good night." He strode out the door with Astrid over his shoulder.
"Jeg drar drepe De langsomt og vondt," she hissed venomously, even as she smiled behind her veil of golden hair. "See you in the morning," she called out to the members of Angel Investigations. "We will discuss business then."
"If I did that to a chick, you'd be hearing the screams of sexual harrassment for miles. What the *hell* was with that?" Gunn asked.
Gwen
"Well it kind of depends who's ass you were slapping," Gwen giggled. "But not mine. Cordy maybe?"
"You keep your hands away from my body and we'll get along quite nicely." Cordy yawned.
"Alright, well, I'm gonna stay here tonight, is that alright with you, Angel?" Gwen asked.
"Yeah, go ahead."
Gwen waved and headed upstairs.