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- - -
That itch at the back of Thor's mind never went away, not even as Circe's delicate fingers brushed along the base of his cock. It was a soft delight, her touch. It grew stronger when she wrapped her fingers around him.
His manhood stabbed upwards like a pillar - or an idol. Circe's hand drifted up and down slowly, reverently. Each stroke fattened him further, making him pulse against her palm with need.
"When I first laid eyes on this… it was no wonder why you were dubbed 'mighty'." Circe whispered, never taking her eyes off the cock in her hand.
"Indomitable on the battlefield… and off of it." Thor breathed out.
"But I held my own against you well enough, no?"
"You must have. You woke up before me."
Her strokes came quicker now, a pleasure upon his length. Thor was tempted to just sit back and enjoy the woman's hospitality. The itch, the needling, did not cease.
"Not many women can say the same?"
"A few." Thor admitted. "The rare sort."
Thor had only meant to reminisce, but his words seemed to please Circe. She put her warm body flush to his, humming into his ear, rich and sweet. She gripped tighter upon his cock as she dragged her hand all the way back up his length, until her fingers were teasing at the edge of the crown.
"Keep flirting with me like that and I'll have to keep you here." Circe purred. She let her lips drag along his neck. Her breath poured out hot over his skin. Her tongue and teeth followed, playful swipes and nips. His cock was swollen solid in her hand now, leaking from the slit.
The pleasure was deep and thick. Heat boiling in his gut and in his balls. Yet Thor could not focus. His attention was split. Part of him… part of him was far away. But where?
Pushing past the lovely sensation of Circe's stroking hand, Thor managed to sharpen his gaze. He let his eyes drift across the chamber. This time he took in the details. The carved pillars, the braziers cast in bronze, the hanging curtains of silk. And beyond, he could see green trees… in the distance, a sheer cliffside… he could see the ocean… rolling waves, calm and soothing… the sun and stars both shining in a clear, blue sky…
Thor sat up, blinking. It was not a trick of the eyes. The itch at the back of his head was stronger now and spreading.
"I do not recognize this realm." He murmured. He turned to Circe, who had slowed her strokes just barely. "Where are we?"
The woman offered a disarming smile.
"Far enough away that your king father cannot bother us."
Thor let out a deep guffaw.
"Little chance of that to begin with. The Allfather…" Thor suddenly felt a tightness in his chest. Feelings of shame. He remembered then why he was so far from home. "He cast me out. I am an exile."
It was only then that he truly realized just how empty this palace was. No servants, no other guests - Thor rarely retired to bed with just one wench. Even beyond the windows of the chamber, it was uncanny. No boats on the water, no birds in the sky. Not a single other living soul beside Circe and himself.
The itch had become an ache, blooming through his skull. Thor winced as he sat up fully, his cock softening even against Circe's efforts.
"What's wrong?" She asked. "Is my touch not soothing?"
Thor took her by the wrist and gently pushed her aside. He wasn't supposed to be here. He was supposed to be somewhere else. Doing something… something important…
"Where are we?" He asked.
"In my bedchamber." Circe answered innocently.
Thor held off the scowl that crept upon his features.
"How did I get here?" He asked in a firmer voice.
Circe's expression flickered. Unsure, insulted, worried, all at once.
"You came by some days back. Exploring the realms, you said-"
"I smell something burning." He was standing now. The scent was stronger now, thick in the air. He could faintly taste copper.
"It's the braziers." He heard Circe say.
"No. I smell smoke. Ash. Death." He had been in a battle, Thor realized. Or maybe… I am still in one… "I'm not supposed to be here."
"Don't be ridiculous." Circe rose to stand with him. "You're not speaking sense. Perhaps this will put you at ease."
She undid the clasps of her gown, tugging the silk away from her body. Her nudity was splendid, alluring even… but as she drew closer, Thor backed away.
Confusion broke way for anger. Thor remembered now. He remembered her face. The face of beauty and strength and love. He remembered why he had been fighting.
"Where am I?" He growled. "Where is Diana?"
Circe stared at him for a long moment… then her expression turned sour like spoiled milk. The world around them melted away. And through the rest of his body, Thor once again felt pain.
- - -
The wrath of Ares burned through Diana's heart. The vision of Circe stoked hatred in her gut. She held her swordpoint to the woman's throat, wanting so desperately to run her through. It was worry that stayed her hand - Thor still lay upon Circe's lap, unconscious and vulnerable.
"Witch!" Diana shouted. "If you do not release him, I swear by Mother Hera I will-"
"You will what?" Circe spat. "Amazons are nothing to me. You are but little girls waving sticks."
A sharp gasp ripped through the air. Thor lurched upwards, his enormous frame of muscle moving so quickly and so forcefully that Circe had to fling herself away. The man's eyes were wide, looking crazed as they darted about. Sweat dribbled from his brow - he looked exhausted, battle-worn with dirt and grime smeared across his face.
All Diana could feel was relief. Her lover was awake and free!
"Diana!" He cried. He turned his head about, seeking her, not even sparing his shattered battle-axe Jarnbjorn a second look. Only when his eyes fell upon her did some tension leave his body. "Diana. What happened? Where… Where is Ares?"
Diana flung herself at him, taking joy in the warmth of his body, the firmness beneath her fingers.
Still alive. Still with me.
"Ares has gone. No one knows where." She spoke into his ear. Her gaze fell upon Circe, glaring as the woman staggered back to her feet. "That witch tried to claim your mind."
"She tried to claim more than that." Thor groused. He drew from her arms, turning to face the sorceress in question.
Out of the corner of her eye, Diana saw Nubia circle around to Circe's open flank. The witch was surrounded now.
"You dare defy me?" She hissed, slowly crawling up from her hands and knees.
"There's nowhere to run, Circe. Surrender and you will be treated with mercy." Nubia had found a shield and spear, holding them both at the ready.
"That's more than she deserves." Diana bit out. She gripped her sword so tightly, the skin of her palm began to sting. "How many are dead today because of her?"
"Hold your tongue, Princess. And sheath your blade. Amazons do not seek bloodshed." Nubia commanded.
It took effort to still the flames of anger burning within, but Diana obeyed in the end. She sheathed her sword, even as the images of the dead seared into her mind.
Circe, of course, found it amusing. The woman's cackling was odious to the ears.
"How quaint." She mocked. "Hippolyta still believes in peace?"
"It is a noble calling. Better than whatever has poisoned your heart, Circe." Nubia crept closer.
"Let us see if she still feels the same this time tomorrow." Circe laughed again, this time quieter. Diana didn't like that. She felt a hook deep in her gut, twisting and ripping.
"What do you mean by that?" Diana demanded. In the blink of an eye, she was in the woman's face - a hair's breadth from taking the sorceress by the throat. "Tell me, witch!"
"She's trying to provoke you, Diana." Came Thor's deep, rough voice. Despite everything, he sounded calm.
"Am I?" Circe spat. "You will find out for yourselves soon enough. Goodbye, Princess. We will meet again."
Diana reacted quickly, reaching to grab her…
…Only for Circe to shoot up from the ground, throwing Diana onto her back. The witch was now floating some space off the ground, her purple hair spread into wild, ghostly tendrils. She looked down at the three of them with a venomous sneer.
Diana braced for an attack, the powerful, ancient magic Nubia had warned her about… but no attack came. Instead, Circe's entire body darkened, skin and clothing both, turning into a form of thick, black smoke. It held the figure of a woman for only a moment before starting to dissipate into the air. Quick as lightning, Diana slashed out with her sword. The blade swiped through the remnants of the smoke cloud, hitting nothing. Circe was gone.
"I will end that woman." Diana quietly seethed.
Across from her, Nubia finally relaxed, rising from her battle stance.
"Be calm, Princess. There is nothing that can be done about her now." Nubia rested her spear on her shoulder as she approached. Maybe it was the battle, but Diana could see the woman's eyes had softened some as she regarded her and Thor. "The village still burns. Those people need our help. And I still need to bring you home."
- - -
Devastation. That was the only word that could describe the scars left behind by Ares.
For the first time in years, Nubia felt hatred in her heart. To see the sacred island of Delos defiled by that brute who called himself a god… The blood of Zeus be damned, she would go to the ends of the Earth to see Ares answer for this monstrous act.
The docks were all but destroyed and most of the boats now rested at the bottom of the bay, including the Varangian dromon. It was luck alone that spared the Amazons' longship.
The village took the worst of Ares' fury. Near all the homes and shops of the village were gone, reduced to rubble and ash. Even now at the cusp of sundown, the ruins still smoldered. The smell was heavy in the air… along with the stench of death.
Twenty-two dead in total. Most of the fallen were Varangians or fishermen who tried to fight alongside them. Three of them were Amazons from Nubia's own party. Melia, who was flung into the trunk of a tree and broke her neck, as well as Euboea and Nione, lovers who died together when Ares drove his smoking sword into the Earth.
They could only mourn their sisters in silence. The living still needed their attention. So many more injured than the dead, Amazon, villager, and Varangian alike. Every hour they pulled more wounded from the rubble. Small blessing in the tragedy. New perspectives as well.
Nubia observed from the beach as the raider captain, Thor, delivered arms full of filthy, bruised, living children into the arms of weeping parents. At first she feared for the young ones, expecting rough, careless treatment from the man - as expected from a barbarian. But Thor was gentle. Tender, even.
"Not the brute we thought he was." Someone spoke up beside her. Aella. Nubia hadn't noticed her approach.
"No." Nubia agreed with a sigh. "Yet some of his ways are unquestionably barbaric. The way Diana described their first encounter… It is hard to believe how much she has come to care for him."
"The Princess knows him better than we do." Aella countered. "And we cannot deny his courage."
Her focus went back to the blond warrior. Quietly, she regarded his solid, muscled frame. He was very tall, she finally noticed. He loomed over the villagers as well as some Amazons - more than a head taller than most others on the island.
That was the man who sought to battle the God of War all on his own.
Nubia sniffed and crossed her arms. How well did that turn out for him?
"Was it courage we saw today, or foolishness?"
"With men, they go hand in hand. Or so it has been said." Aella wore a faint smile then. After a moment, Nubia shared it. It was fleeting. Grim thoughts swirled in her head.
"The Varangians took many losses. More than we did." She said after a long silence.
"Almost a dozen of theirs, dead. And half as many injured. A third of their party." Aella sounded regretful. Nubia took note - it was an enormous shift from that very morning.
Yet these were strange times.
"A week ago they landed on these shores ready to plunder and pillage these people. Today, they laid down their lives for them. I do not understand these men." Nubia confessed.
"Nor I, captain."
A large mass was coming over the hill to the beach. Thor, again. Just as before, he was carrying survivors from the village ruins. One in each arm, two more slung over his massive shoulders. He moved with ease, like they weighed nothing to him. Again, he set them down gently upon the sand. With care.
Nubia studied the man's face next. Strong lines made up his visage, stark and striking. Yet not entirely unpleasant to look at. From afar, she read worry etched into those chiseled features. More than worry. Regret. Sorrow. Guilt.
The Amazon captain turned to her second.
"We leave at first light. You and a dozen others will remain here with the wounded while they recover."
"As you command."
"Help these people rebuild, Aella." Nubia let loose a long, tired breath. "Once this matter with the Princess is resolved, I will return for you and the others."
Nubia took in the devastation once more. Dozens and dozens of people were spread across the beach. What little shelter there was was repurposed from the surviving scraps left from the Varangian camp. Another surprise to see - the would-be raiders were sharing their food and drink. They couldn't have had much, but they were offering it to the villagers all the same.
Through the commotion, Nubia spotted Thor again. Once more the man was marching towards the village. And marching at his side was the Princess Diana.
- - -
"I'm sorry about your men."
"Don't be. They died bravely on the field of battle. For those who follow the old ways, there is nothing more noble." Thor spoke with conviction but Diana saw pain in his eyes. Even in the dark of night, she could see it. "Right now, those men are feasting with heroes in the honored halls of Valhalla. They survived dozens of battles and were felled only by your God of War. Norsemen will toast to their name for generations to come."
He did not look at her. That told Diana more than his words. The two kept on together down the beach, side by side under the stars. Just the two of them. There were watchful eyes, of course - sentinels who were no doubt sent by Nubia's command - but they kept their distance. Diana was grateful for the privacy.
"I'm sorry about your Amazons." Thor broke the silence. "Did you know them?"
"Nione, Euboea, Melia. All Amazons know all Amazons, Thor. We are raised to be close as sisters because we are sisters. We share in the bond of womanhood." Diana reached out, slipping her arm around Thor's. Finally, he looked at her. "And we do not fear death. Only a wasted life. My sisters died defending the helpless. The gods could make them live that moment again a thousand times over and they would make the same choice every time."
"They were fierce warriors and fearless. The Valkyries would be proud to have them." Thor slowed to a stop. Diana slowed with him. He looked away from her again, putting his eyes on the moon above. Diana could feel the tension in his arm. He was bracing for something. The words Diana herself dreaded to speak.
"I leave with Nubia tomorrow. I must go home, Thor. I have defied my mother for too long."
Thor made a sound as he shucked his arm free. A grunt of frustration, disgust, regret, anger, all at once.
"I will go with you." He insisted, turning quickly. He looked her straight in the eyes and Diana could see the sincerity, the passion that burned within him. It made her heart tighten in her chest. "Let me stand and speak in your defense."
"I would love that." Diana admitted. She touched his chest. To show affection? To keep distance? Diana was not sure. "You know I would. But…"
"Your sisters do not trust me." Thor finished for her. They were not the words she wanted to say… but Thor was not wrong. They both eyed the sentinels watching them from afar. Dark shapes against the moonlit sky, spears in hand. Ready to fight another god if necessary.
"They are wary. You are a man." Diana answered with a frown.
"And to the other Amazons that makes me dangerous."
"You are no ordinary man, Thor. You are a god. You saw what Ares did today, the destruction he wrought. Since man first walked the Earth, war has been his legacy." A lesson taught to her since she was little, repeated over and over and over. A lesson she saw come to life before her eyes. Yet the words felt like venom in her mouth. Venom she was spitting in Thor's face. Her heart ached again, looking up into his blue eyes. "And now it is my legacy as well."
Thor recoiled, scowling.
"That is a lie."
"Many of my sisters blame you, but I know the blame is mine. You heard what Ares said. He came because of me. Because I dishonored Olympus. These people lost their homes, their lives-"
Big, strong hands took her by the shoulders.
Her words died in Thor's mouth. The bristles of his beard tickled her face. Tickled her for a long, long moment, until he finally pulled away.
"I will not hear you blame yourself for this. I will not." He said forcefully. "Not a Princess so noble and brave and worthy as you."
"Worthy…" Diana repeated. The word felt wrong upon her tongue. "I lied to my queen, my own mother. I put my friends at risk. I convinced them to join me because I couldn't sail her on my own. How many innocents died today because I just had to visit the Temple of Apollo?"
"How many were saved because you were here?" Thor shot back. "My men and I would have landed on these shores all the same. We did not raid the village because you were here to stop us… because you valued these people more than yourself. If you want to blame anyone, Princess… you blame me."
"No." Diana's response was quick and harsh. She pushed out of Thor's arms, feeling her blood going hot.
"No? I was the trespasser. The invader. I heard Ares just as you did, Diana. I dishonored Olympus, not you."
Diana waved her arms furiously. She would not listen to another word of this.
"Ares didn't attack to reclaim the honor of Olympus. Honor means nothing to Ares." Diana snapped. "He came here to destroy because destruction is his nature. He will take any excuse to inflict war."
By the end of it, Diana was fuming. Thor said nothing for a time, simply looking at her. For a moment, it struck her how ridiculous she must have looked - cheeks hot, wild strands hanging over her face. Before she could start to blush, Thor gave a simple shrug.
"So we blame Ares then. Much simpler."
He spoke casually. Flippantly. And now he was wearing the tiniest, faintest of grins. Diana could only stare… until a laugh rose up in her throat. She had to admire the simplicity Thor offered.
"I… suppose we can." Diana agreed. Just saying the words brought some relief. Already she could feel some of the tension melting away. For his part, Thor was pleased to see her relax. Warmth poured back into her heart as she shared his smile. "Thank you. And Thor?"
She had him by the front of his shirt before he could react, tugging him down to crash their lips together again. This time she controlled the pace. This kiss was longer, deeper - and Diana made sure her appreciation could not be missed. She didn't give a damn if Nubia's sentinels were watching. She teased his lower lip between her teeth as they broke apart. The hunger in his eyes was especially gratifying.
"Don't ever again frighten me like you did today." She whispered against his mouth.
"Of course, Princess."
Satisfied, Diana stepped back. No matter how good Thor's body felt against hers… she put her focus on the stars above. Despite everything, the heavens had blessed her with good fortune. Thor still lived.
"I'm sorry about your axe." She said after a silence.
Thor let out a deep sigh.
"Jarnbjorn saw a thousand battles. I wanted it to see a thousand more. But all weapons chip and break eventually. Even those forged for the hands of gods."
"Perhaps it can be fixed?" Diana offered tentatively. Though it only seemed to amuse the man.
"Do you know any Dwarven blacksmiths?"
Diana wrinkled her nose. For a moment she thought she might have misheard him.
"Dwarves?"
"I suppose not." Thor gave a low chuckle. "Jarnbjorn was forged with great skill. It will take great skill to mend it."
"Surely there are blacksmiths on Themyscira who could…" Diana trailed off as something caught her eye.
High up, higher than even the clouds, was light. Not the moon or the stars. It was brighter. And it was moving. A streak of flame, Diana realized. And with that realization came a sick, heavy dread.
"Great Hera."
Rising cries of shock from down the beach told her the others could see it too. Nubia's sentinels were no longer watching her. They too were horrified by the terrible warning arcing across the starry sky.
"What is it?" Thor asked, tense again.
The shouts from the camp had grown louder. The Amazons, Diana's sisters… They were panicking.
"That's the Arrow of Artemis." Diana told him. "Themyscira is calling for help!"
She never took her eyes off the streak of fire. It shot across the stars, burning, burning, burning…