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 Posted: Thu Apr 26, 2012 10:56 am
 Although Lena had enjoyed their time away from the pride - and especially away from her sister, Runa - she was thrilled to be back home. The pale brown lioness fussed around in her den, making sure everything was just so. Thorgrim would be back soon, and she wanted to impress him with just how nicely she had cleaned everything up. The old den seemed a bit cramped compared with their freedom at the outpost, but it was much larger than she remembered without Runa's presence. Lena ran her paws over the fresh mat of reeds on the floor, smiling to herself as she smoothed it out. It wasn't nice to think poorly of your own sister, but after spending so long in Runa's shadow, as Thorgrim's saltwife, it was lovely having her proud warrior all to herself. Finishing with the reeds, she turned and began to carefully straighten their things out. Thorgrim would have to accumulate some new trophies to decorate the walls with. Maybe in the meantime she could haggle with one of those craft-lionesses for some decorations ... deep in thought, Lena was unaware of Thorgrim approaching.
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Posted: Thu Apr 26, 2012 11:14 am
 Thorgrim paused a fair distance away from the den as he allowed himself a long moment to merely watch his wife. Lena, while not as loud or outspoken as her sister Runa, was a sweet breath of fresh air compared to all of the rabble that he was forced to deal with on a daily basis since their return from the outpost. Lena was everything a wife should be; content to keep their den clean and tidy, to cater to her husband the way any good wife should. Though he would never allow himself to publicly show affection in any sort of brash or foppish manner, while alone in their den Thorgrim did not show any such apprehension. This did not mean he wooed her with flowery prose - it meant only that he was not ashamed to praise his wife like any decent husband should. Stepping loudly so that she became aware of his presence, Thorgrim gave an appreciative glance about the den. "Wife."
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Posted: Thu Apr 26, 2012 11:35 am
Lena's ears perked up when Thorgrim spoke. With one last quick look around to make sure nothing was out of place, she turned and smiled at her big fierce Captain. Her husband now, and not that witch Runa's. The thought made her smile grow a bit.
"Husband." She gestured to the den. "I've been cleaning while you were gone. I think someone's cubs have been running around in here. There were broken pots everywhere." She frowned, annoyed at the thought of a female so irresponsible as to let her cubs run wild and play with things that weren't theirs. Probably a reaver female that had left her cubs in the care of a lazy thrall. "I even saw some hyena prints in here. I don't know what the pride has been doing these days."
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Posted: Thu Apr 26, 2012 11:39 am
Thorgrim snorted loudly, ears pinning back in annoyance.
"This pride has grown lazy and lax while we have been gone." His voice lowered to a gruff whisper as he moved deeper into the safety of the den. These things were not to be rashly spoken of - Thorgrim was not a stupid, foolish lion.
"It is Aesir's fault, Lena. Female Reavers going on Vikings instead of remaining at home, watching the younglings." Carefully spoken, barely above a whisper. "These are not the ways that things should be done; things are spiraling out of control."
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Posted: Thu Apr 26, 2012 11:46 am
Lena nodded as Thorgrim spoke. She agreed with him (of course she agreed with him, wasn't that her job as his wife?), but above that, she was simply pleased that he was speaking to her of such important matters. Lena didn't often think of herself as clever, but Thorgrim discussing things with her made her feel quite wise.
"Of course, Thorgrim. It's terrible, females going out viking." She shook her head and shivered delicately at the thought. She had no idea what would possess a female to go out fighting big brutish nasty foreign lions. Why, a female could get her poor skin torn up fighting, or worse. On top of that, it was well known (but rarely spoken of amongst the more genteel wives) that males did indelicate things on vikings. It was purely awful to think of a female enjoying such ... pastimes. Lena shivered again. "I don't know why the males are allowing it. They're supposed to protect the females," she said fretfully, moving a step closer to Thorgrim as though she herself was in need of his protection.
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Posted: Thu Apr 26, 2012 12:02 pm
Thorgrim did not usually speak of these matters with his wife, but at the moment Lena was the only member of the pride he trusted to keep quiet - in part because he trusted her, but mostly because it was her duty as his wife to keep their discussions private. He never could have trusted Runa in these matters.
"Enough of this topic. There is another that needs discussing. That thrall of yours, Lena. Her lisping is harsh on my ears." He narrowed his eyes slightly at his wife.
"I was thinking to give her to Gaved." He fell silent, though if she looked close enough she might see the way his eyes brightened in anticipation. Would it rile her? Thorgrim seemed to hope so.
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Posted: Thu Apr 26, 2012 4:17 pm
Lena nodded dutifully when Thorgrim put an end to the discussion. She found the subject of female reavers highly distressing and would have been happy to fret about it some more, but Thorgrim would undoubtedly grow bored of her yammer. He was a lion of action, after all!
Her heart fell slightly when Thorgrim mentioned the thrall. She knew that the grey lioness irritated Thorgrim, but she didn't quite know why. The lioness was slow and perhaps not very bright, but Lena knew she had a good heart. And Gaved? Gaved was Thorgrim's son and Lena's nephew, but she privately thought the lion was an oaf and a brute with far too much of Runa in him.
"Gaved?" She repeated unhappily. Lena didn't want to argue with her husband, but she didn't like his plan one bit. "Gaved won't treat her kindly. She's..." Lena paused, searching for a word that would sum up all of Stygg's good points and soften Thorgrim's heart. "...loyal," Lena finally finished, a bit lamely.
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Posted: Sun Apr 29, 2012 9:51 am
Thorgrim narrowed his eyes as he peered down at his wife. Gaved was his favored son, always had been, and as such deserved some sort of recognition for his strength and pride. What better gift than a loyal slave to call his own?
His voice was a low hiss when next he spoke.
"She is a fool, and lazy at that. Let her become Gaved's problem. Perhaps he'll find a use for her -- unless, wife, you wish to argue with your husband?" Of course she wouldn't. She never did. Lena was everything that her sister was not - and at times, admittedly, Thorgrim wished that perhaps she would show him a spark. As of yet, she hadn't, despite his best attempts.
"I will speak with him tonight about it. Thralls are not meant to be given kindness, Lena. They are Thralls for a reason, hmm?"
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Posted: Sun Apr 29, 2012 10:08 am
Gaved had never quite dared run roughshod over Lena as he had Gunnar and Lena's lost daughter Pia, but she knew full well that her nephew had a mean streak. She was proud of him in a way--he was family, after all, and no one could deny that he was strong and brave--but Lena wouldn't have trusted him with mouse, much less an injured lioness like poor Stygg.
"I wouldn't argue with you, husband," Lena said hastily. Of course she wouldn't dare argue with Thorgrim. She didn't doubt that the imposing lion would cuff her if she argued with him. She swallowed, trying to think of something to say that would convince Thorgrim to let her keep Stygg. Lena wanted to protest that Gaved would hurt Stygg, but she knew Thorgrim wouldn't care. Why should he care if his favorite son hurt a worthless Thrall?
"I was just hoping to keep her for the help. It's good to have some help looking after our den, with Runa gone." Not that Runa had ever helped her do anything whatsoever, but that was woman's business and likely nothing Thorgrim would have noticed.
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Posted: Mon Apr 30, 2012 7:33 am
Thorgrim's eyes narrowed at mention of Runa, his jaw tightening to match. An insufferable b***h, she'd been, but Gods above how she ignited a fire in his gut. Thorgrim would never, ever admit to such a thing; not after she'd remained in the pride instead of following him like any good wife should. It did not matter - at least, the large lion would not admit that it mattered. He had a decent, simpering wife in Lena save for moments such as this.
Thorgrim grunted in displeasure.
"She will tend to you and your... help during the day; and should Gaved have ...need of her throughout the evening hours, as any strong and mindful Reaver might..." Thorgrim trailed off. His tone was rough and harsh, though he was careful not to lift his voice at his wife, "I would let him use Stygg for such needs. Such an idiot is likely barren and would not disgrace this bloodline."
A foolish notion for all intents and purposes, but a notion Thorgrim believed.
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Posted: Tue May 01, 2012 10:04 am
Gaved use Stygg for his ... needs?
Lena was appalled.
Lena was born into the Myrsky Syntynyt to an old bloodline, raised knowing and believing in the tenets of the pride, but she still felt deeply uncomfortable about the way males tended to relieve their tension on vikings. Lena herself had certainly never been on a viking, and never would have dreamed of asking about one, but she had her suspicions that such interactions were not always entirely voluntary on the part of the female.
The thought of her Thorgrim possibly consorting with strange females was awful enough for her to block it out of her mind. Lena had tried to raise her own son Gunnar to be a strong and bold reaver, but she knew her son had a kind heart and had difficulty imagining him hurting a female.
Gaved though? Lena thought her nephew probably enjoyed hurting females, and she didn't doubt that he would hurt Stygg. At the least, he would be as indifferent to Stygg's unhappiness as Thorgrim was.
Lena had told Stygg that she would protect her, but if Thorgrim really was insisting on giving Stygg away, there wasn't much she could do. Lena felt purely wretched, but she nodded dutifully to her mate. "Thank you, Thorgrim. Stygg will be a help to me." And have an opportunity to get away from Gaved, at least for a few hours a day. "How..." Lena swallowed her question, not really wanting to know why Thorgrim thought Stygg was barren. That conjured up all sorts of unpleasant mental images, although Lena was fairly certain that Thorgrim despised Stygg and had never lusted after her. "I suppose she might be barren, lionesses that have suffered injuries and lived rough lives often are."
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Posted: Tue May 01, 2012 11:13 am
"At least she is well-kept and not as crazy as some of the other Thralls and Freeborn that run amok," Thorgrim groused, "and unlike Gunnar, Gaved does not tolerate insolence from those of lesser rank." The large, brutish lion threw himself down on a pile of furs with a loud groan. Indeed, it was good to be home, but the work was just now starting. Thankfully Njal had been receptive to his concerns; it was good that Lena was here to keep his wife from meddling, though Akatta was a dutiful wife as any wife should be.
"I wish they would both wed, Lena," he continued grumbling, "wed and with proper families of their own. Proper wives who keep proper dens, with proper legitimate grandcubs for me to be proud of."
He yawned fiercely, patting the furs beside him with a bold look in his wife's direction. She likely knew what it meant; he was old, but he would not mind more sons and daughters with Lena.
"Enough speaking. Come, Lena."
It had begun. Plans set in motion. Life would be good again; Thorgrim would see to it.
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Although Lena had enjoyed their time away from the pride - and especially away from her sister, Runa - she was thrilled to be back home. The pale brown lioness fussed around in her den, making sure everything was just so. Thorgrim would be back soon, and she wanted to impress him with just how nicely she had cleaned everything up. The old den seemed a bit cramped compared with their freedom at the outpost, but it was much larger than she remembered without Runa's presence.
