Jieman and Valkyra

Jieman lay in his tent alone, very troubled by the days events. He had disagreed with certain things his adoptive father, the chief of their tribe, had done in the past- but it was as if some unseen line had been drawn and then crossed that day. As the adoptive son of the chief Jieman had led his fair share of raiding parties and hunts and participated in many atrocities in the name of the honor of their tribe. He had never been sure if he enjoyed the things he was tasked with or not. Certainly the other did, and he knew he didn't revel in the blood lust like they did. The questions and doubts in his heart and mind were never voiced however. He had known his place and the expectations his people had for him his whole life. He was the Chosen One. The only of his mothers children who had ever lived into adulthood without losing himself in debauchery or being killed or even worse- put down- Jieman knew that, like it or not, his duties came first. His mother had once been a powerful woman, feared by all for her allies in the demon world. The more children she bore by them, though, the less serious she was taken. She was now spent, too weak to summon even an imp. Jieman was her pride and joy though, not deformed as some of his half siblings had been, he was tall, strong and handsome. The only hints at his demonic heritage were his dusky red skin and the horns that sprouted out from his temples tapering back to end on the back of his head. Others had been born missing limbs or with mouths full of needle like teeth unable to feed properly. Jieman, the last, was perfect though. Handsome with the dark almost black eyes of his mother he had never had any shortage of women seeking to share his bed, another of his duties he enjoyed as much as he detested, spreading the seed of the Chosen One to all who were strong enough to bear it to fruit. His world had been shaken, and shaken badly though. Some foolish woman had dared to defy the chief. She wasn't just a woman though, he thought to himself. She was like him, human, but more than. Due to his… spreading of the blessing, Jieman had been with his fair share of beautiful women, and he could appreciate beauty as he saw it. He had been taught to treat it as something to be owned and used and discarded when no longer valuable though. He couldn't imagine ever owning or using this creature of light though. The woman was petite, she would barely come up to his chin. He had the feeling that she wasn't’t as delicate as she seemed, though. She was all soft and dangerous. Hard unbreakable steel covered by light and silk. Sitting up in his bed he shook his head, half to clear it and half in disgust. What was this hold the creature had on him? His world had slowly crumbled ever since her arrival that morning. It had dawned cold and clear and bright, nothing out of the ordinary. The business of the village carried on as usual until about mid morning when the strange girl had walked onto their streets. She had walked straight to the chief’s seat in the commons and tossing her pale silvery blonde hair back over her shoulder she had demanded to see the man in charge of the atrocities that had been committed. A bit nonplussed the chief had come out and listened to her case bemusedly. Some of the men had laughed as she finished her declaration. They would stop harassing the country side or else basically. All the village could see was a barely grown girl throwing a tantrum. Jieman saw something different though. Her eyes were the same color as her hair and they stared flatly at the chief, without hesitation, they were cold and flat and gave no ground. He sensed her determination, and her strength. He found her to be the most beautiful creature he had ever seen. His father had of course ordered her chained up for her impudence immediately. She had gone calmly with the men, offering no resistance and calmly submitting to being fastened to the chain in the square. Many of the women and children had come to jeer and throw things at her, but she had born it all with a calmness that bordered on unnatural. Not once had she grown angry or upset. She intrigued him. Her order to abandon their evil ways had struck a chord in his soul. Never before had he felt truly at peace with the things that were done by him or in his tribes name, but now he felt true doubt. It had never been worth it to listen to that small voice though, until now. He doubted he could ever subscribe to her ideals of righteousness and good for goods own sake, but doing good for her sake was something that felt right in a way nothing else ever had.
Valkyra had seen the fiend spawn on the edge of the action all day. It was odd that he didn't join in, most that hailed from that blood line reveled in the torture and pain of others, which was why the tribe’s chieftain here worshiped the demons and pushed the rest of them to as well. They felt the brute strength was all that they needed to survive. Most of the surrounding areas ignored them as barbaric savages, not worth the trouble it would take to stamp them out. Then, however, the tribe had pushed out of their usual territory that had been established may years ago and brought danger everywhere, even to the edges of her own home. Their evil and danger had never truly touched her world. Her home had been idyllic and lovely. The village had been a quiet place, untouched by anything until her mother had given birth to her. At first there had been a scandal, many wondering how such an unremarkable and generally quiet and gentle young woman with no callers had been gotten with child. As the months passed and none stepped up as her father however, many began to believe her story of being visited by a creature of light. When Valkyra was born almost everyone saw the truth however in her almost unearthly beauty in her pale almost glowing skin and bright blue always calm eyes. She never cried or fussed, she was truly an “angelic” child growing up. The whispers of doubt about her parentage never touched her due to her mother’s tireless efforts. Thoughts of her missing father never even entered her head. She never knew strife or trouble, her childhood was bright and happy. As she came of age though, that changed. Her eyes changed from their bright blue to a soft silvery sheen that was almost the exact shade of her hair, not just the pupils either, they were a flat color throughout. As she saw small injustices and demanded retribution however, she lost all of the few friends she had gained. Many around her found her refusal to commit even the smallest transgression, and her swift and merciless reaction to any perceived transgression of others she came in contact with made her very unpopular with those that didn’t hold to her strict standards. Her mother despaired, thinking she had done wrong by her daughter. Valkyra didn’t understand the problem though, bad things were wrong, and if no one would stop others from doing wrong then she would. She nitpicked everyone around her until only her mother could stand to be around her. It was a lonely life but she couldn’t understand why no one would accept her. Then one day the raiders from this tribe had come. She had seen truly evil things that day, and understood the difference between being human and what was actually wrong. Her mother had died in the attack and Valkyra had sworn to herself to bring down all of those who thought they could do evil acts for their own gain at the expense of others lives. Oddly the fighting arts came completely natural to her. She was still a novice in many ways, but generally her innate abilities came through when her lack of skill might have gotten her killed. Now that she had found the chief of these evil men, though, she didn’t know what to do. Her challenge had been made and now she had to wait. She couldn’t hope to survive the fight against a seasoned warrior, especially after having things thrown at her all day. Distracted by her thoughts as she was, she couldn’t help but notice the red skinned lurker. She didn’t understand why, but she was drawn to him in a way she couldn’t explain. Unknown to any but herself she had very poor eyesight. Once she had seen perfectly, but then her eyes had changed- the color that clouded them dulled her vision as well. This stranger though she didn’t have to see, she felt him to the very depths of her soul. Never before had she felt any interest in anyone, man or woman, but now her stomach fluttered at the thought of even talking to this strange being, like her in their differences from the humans, yet so completely opposite in the way it was shown. Valkyra tried to calm herself, showing nothing, even as those in the tribe stoned and mocked her. She just needed to last until the time the chief might be convinced to show his might in single combat against her. The odds of survival were slim to none, but if she could manage to take him with her it might be enough of a difference to give others a chance to bring the others around him down. A runner walked close to her red skinned observer and frowning slightly he withdrew. Valkyra quelled the disappointment in her heart as he left, frustrated at herself for the feelings she couldn’t understand.
Jieman felt an irrational anger at the messenger for drawing him away from watching the beautiful creature and almost wanted to strike him. Scowling terribly he resisted the urge to do him violence and followed the youth to see the chief. His adoptive father was restless in his tent, pacing furiously across the floor. Wondering what on earth had disturbed him so much Jieman leaned casually against an ornate chair sacked from who knew where years before waiting patiently for the chief to reveal his reasons for summoning him. Still pacing, the chief looked up at Jieman “She must die by your hand before sunset.” A bit shocked at this bald statement Jieman blurted out “Why mine?” before he could stop himself. Grunting, the man who raised him scowled furiously at him, stopping in front of him and glaring fiercely. “She is celestial and angelic in nature. I… cannot hope to defeat her without serious injury. Your infernal blood will put you on the same level as her and your superior training will make it no contest.” The admission that he might be defeated seemed to cost the grizzled man a lot. Mind racing Jieman was careful to keep his face blank. “Has mother told you this?” Pacing furiously again the chief wouldn’t meet his eyes this time “Yes. Curse the black witch, apparently your true father and her master wouldn’t see this tribe fall yet and warned her.” Jieman knew this man who had raised him. To be told by a broken woman that he could be broken must have burned his pride like acid. He almost felt sorry for him, but knew he could never show it without dishonoring him more. “You know your duty. Carry it out however you see fit. Just make it happen before nightfall.” He ordered Jieman, waving his hand in clear annoyed dismissal. Almost in a daze Jieman wandered back to his own tent. Were it anyone else he would not have hesitated, no matter how much he knew that it was wrong, but… He couldn’t harm this woman any more than he could cut out his own heart and he didn’t even know her name. Almost against his will he walked slowly out back to the square to resume his reluctant vigil and plan the death of the creature of light.
Valkyra had noted the return of her watcher with a flutter in her stomach she hoped didn’t show on her face. The men of the village had joined in with throwing things at her and everyone had moved on to just throwing stones in the time that he had been gone. She had borne it all without showing any emotion however. She was proud of herself and grimly determined not to show these savages any weakness. Some of them were not so bad, in truth, just misguided. Valkyra knew that and accepted it. Once she killed the true evil, their chief, she was sure that the rest of the village could be shown the right path. There was a slight frown on her watchers face and she sensed a dilemma underneath the surface of his calm appearance. Abruptly he strode to the center of the commons, stopping right in front of her and catching her eyes with his own. They faced off, dark almost black eyes gazing into bright silver gold ones. He spoke suddenly, his voice gravelly and commanding. “Stop. She is mine to deal with now.” Immediately all of the stone throwers dropped what rocks they had and stepped back respectfully. Reaching over without breaking his gaze with the woman on her knees in front of him Jieman grabbed a sword from one of his warriors who had been guarding her. In a softer voice he spoke to her “You should not have come here. The chief will not suffer you to live. I… wish we had met in different circumstances.” He raised the sword slowly, still holding her gaze with his own. Her heart beating almost out of her chest, more at the sensation of gazing into his eyes than the impending threat of death she spoke in a voice that could not be heard by any but the two of them. “You don’t have to do this. You can make this right.” Almost impulsively she reached out and touched his boot, patting it comfortingly, chains rattling as she did. Startled by her touch Jieman grimaced “it’s not that simple little angel. It never has been.” Raising the sword higher he swung, his heart ripping apart as he did. Valkyra bowed her head, waiting for the blow to come, wishing she could have done more. At the last instant the sword changed its course however and instead broke the chains holding her. Not stopping there Jieman turned and continued the swing, killing both of the men who had been guarding her and then turned to face the tribe members still in the square. His sword dripping blood, his eyes were a flat and terrifying black that seemed to suck in all light around him “We will leave now. Any who follow will be killed.” Tossing the sword aside he bent down and scooped the battered woman up. “I will follow you wherever you lead little angel.” He whispered softly into her ear. Turning he strode out of the village.

Months had passed and Valkyra and Jieman’s love had deepened, growing to the point that they almost couldn’t function properly without the other. They had traveled many places, battling evil everywhere they went. Valkyra still hadn’t been able to convince him that good was something to be done for it’s own sake. The tiefling man refused to even try to comprehend it. Doing good because it was what she desired was enough for him. They never returned to his village, though, and as much as she wanted to they never spoke of what he had left for her. They were content just to be together and seek out evil and destroy it.