Exton

That afternoon Raina makes her way to the cabin, Snake wrapped around her arm, both enjoying the warmth of the sun. Wolf and Lobo appear from the woods and give her a rambunctious escort. As she approaches the cabin she sees Erik and Tannr step off the front deck. She waves and they smile as she joins them.

“Where's Star?” Raina asks after greetings have been exchanged.

Erik inclines his head towards the cabin. “In the baby's room. Checking everything for the thousandth time...”

Raina laughs. “I think thats normal towards the end. I'm sure she thinks of little else these days. Well.. that and how much she loves you...”

Tannr chuckles now too, “And loves you a lot from what I overhear....”

As Erik looks down Tannr tilts his head towards a window...”They left one open...”

After a few minutes of bantering back and forth Raina asks, “Seriously... how is she doing? She looked completely worn out at the tavern....”

Erik nods, “She is sleeping a lot more, and eating less... but Rowan says all that is normal. She wants to do an ultrasound to see exactly how big the baby is and get a better idea of when Star is due, but you know Star...”

Raina nods her head, “Stubborn little thing... I can try to talk to her, but honestly I think I would have better luck talking to a post.”

Letting out a long sigh Erik says, “I know... and I'm afraid if I really put my foot down on this she is going to be so hurt. She trusts me and Rowan to take care of her and thats that as far as she's concerned.” Another sigh and Erik continues, “And since you are both here and we are alone theres something else I have been thinking of....”

Raina and Tannr exchange a glance, worried that whatever Erik has to say will be something serious.

“Do either of you know why we are so long lived? We age so slowly... I mean I know others do too. Star is much older than she appears... But our parents were human, werent they? Is there something I dont know? And my son... will my son be like this too?” Erik looks to his brother and sister, not really expecting an answer.

Raina hesitates, then shrugs. “I quit thinking about it. I honestly dont know, dont have any good ideas so it seemed a waste of time since I cant figure it out.”

Tannr looks stunned and his gaze keeps going back and forth between his brother and sister. “You mean you really dont know?”

“Know what?” Raina and Erik say together.

“Oh crap. You really dont know....” Tannr runs a hand through his hair, pushing it back, his mind racing.

“Tannr! Know about what?? Raina is fast losing patience.

“The curse...”

“Curse? What curse?”

“The one your mother.....”

“My mother? What the Hel are you talking about?”

Erik silently watches the exchange between his siblings. Seeing that Raina is about to throttle her younger brother, Erik puts a hand on her shoulder and gives it a squeeze.

“Breathe sister...” and Erik looks to Tannr. “Is this going to take awhile?” at Tannrs nod, Erik reaches for the door knob, “Then lets go inside where its warm...”

When everyone was seated, coffee in hand, Star emerges from the area of the new addition. She greets Raina with a smile and a hug. Looking at the somber faces she asks, “Is something wrong?”

Erik pulls her close, “No princess, nothings wrong. Tannr is going to tell us something about our family that Raina and I have not heard yet.”

Star nods, “All right. Can I stay or do you want me to go away while you talk?”

Everyone at the table tells her to stay so she gets a glass of juice to sip on before returning to her family. Erik pulls her into his lap, then turns to Tannr. “You were saying....?”

Tannr clears his throat. “Well... damn... I cant believe you guys never heard this. I dont know why father told me and not you... Anyway... You remember Rainas mother?”

Erik nods, “Vaguely. She was Oriental and hated our country with a passion.” He looks to Raina, “Sorry, but she did.”

“I know she did.” Raina answers quietly. She didnt have a lot of memories of her mother. Raina was young when she died. She remembered the stories she would tell and the fall of thick, straight black hair. Black as Tannr's Raven. And she was always cold, and liked to be near the fire.

“Father said that just before she died, she cursed everyone in the house..” Tannr is not wanting to hurt his sister but cant see any way around it.

“I thought she died in childbirth, and father didnt care because it was another girl..” Raina tries to keep the bitterness from her voice but cant completely.

Tannr reaches across the table and squeezes Rainas hand. “I'm just the messenger. And you guys asked...”

“You're right. Sorry. Please continue..”

Nodding, Tannr leans back. “Father said that Minghan hated it in Iceland, hated him, hated almost everyone and everything except Raina. She wanted to fight as she was trained to do and he wouldnt let her. He told me that in hindsight maybe he should have, maybe she would have adjusted to things. But he was afraid that if she got hold of one of her swords she would have run him through without a second thought. Not that anyone could blame her. She fought fiercely when her village was invaded, killing one of fathers men. He said she fought like a demon and never surrendered, even after he raped her. When they got back to our village and Minghan realized she was pregnant she seemed to try to fit in. But she never really did, and when she realized that she wouldnt be allowed to raise her daughter the way she wanted she just seemed to give up. The other women were afraid of her, afraid some evil spirit had taken over her soul. When it was time for her to deliver her second child, the other women didnt want to help her. Father put his foot down and his other wives finally did what was needed. But she had contracted some fever and was very ill. The women sent for father when they realized Minghan was dying. Right as he walked in the baby girl was delivered. She never even took a breath. And it was all Minghan could take. She died cursing father in a mixture of our tongue and hers. It took father several weeks to puzzle it out.”

“What was it?” Raina asks.

“She used some of her language and that was what father couldnt figure out at first. In our country we say something like cursing your entire line from here to eternity. In Minghans country they say something along the lines of cursing a house, meaning your entire family. Apparently our gods took her words and curse literally..” Tannr pauses and his audience leans forward.

“Remember that day Erik? Raina was in the kitchen with one of fathers sisters. I imagine they were trying to keep you busy. Fathers wives stepped outside to get some air when he showed up. His sister had to leave Raina to deliver the baby because the others wouldnt come back in. You and I went in to see what father was doing. So at this time there is the three of us, father, his sister and Minghan. We were the only ones in the house at this time. In short, right before she died she said, “I curse this house and your warrior offspring, they will never know your Valhalla..." Father had the house burnt to the ground as soon as he realized. She inadvertently cursed Raina, not believing that you would ever become anything other than a Vikings wife. Father escapes the curse, she never mentioned him specifically. The baby died so its just us.. Since we cant get to Valhalla we are stuck here...”

Raina leans back slowly, letting it sink in. 'Cursed? Cursed by my own mother?”