Chapter 24
Valkyries and the Amazon Women from Wonder Woman Lore may have been one and the same. There were several distinctions. They were bald, or with military styled haircuts. They were warriors first, and they weren’t going to be brought down by ‘hair pulling.’ Some wore wigs, and apparently the wigs were employed in a fighting style- someone grabs the wig, it comes off, and that surprise was used to the Valkyries’ advantaged. They did not wear the wigs to appease the expectation of men or make themselves feel good about their femininity; if they wore a wig at all, it was simply a ploy to placate other women into complacency.
These Valkyries were physically aggressive; their word ‘playful.’ Though they could populate the pages of any self-respecting, male serving, hard core anime- they were not the Earth’s ideal, stereotypical male oriented sex goddesses. They were playful in a confident way that also denoted their intelligence. They chose their partners. They chose the where, the when, and the how. They knew themselves. They did not fake orgasms. They could care less if the man was satisfied, which was a result of knowing their bodies first. It was their knowledge, their unwavering dedication to do what worked for them with the expectation that their partners would comply with their wants, which made them seem on the whole unreasonable- from the perspective of a culture that emphasized male pleasure first. They were not dainty. They were not snowflakes. They were champions.
The Valkyries weren’t there a month and Orton’s normal lament of not being able to have sex had flipped to there was no where he could go to avoid being molested. Both Shen and Loxy were amused. Loxy reminded Shen of a book he had read, ‘The Pleasure Gap: American Women and the Unfinished Sexual Revolution,’ by Katherine Rowland and how the Valkyries here modeled as the ideal, confident, non-traumatized woman. They were women that had been afforded the opportunity to explore sexuality from a non-economic, socially contrived artifact- women who could explore sexuality without body shame or fear. They arrived at their place of knowing at their own rate, likely- Shen and Loxy were speculating on this point- by a culture that had sexological body-workers, or sexual guides who facilitated self-knowledge through a somatic approach to sexual understanding. Someone who would take the time, options for hands on or not, by allowing a person to say ‘no,’ and honoring that, while at the same time exploring the ‘why’ about the no, while also exploring where the individual’s ‘yes’ lie.
The concept of a sexual guide, or a sexual surrogate, also brought into their conversations the ethic quandary. There was a vast need in origin for surrogates and guides, and the need for hands on approach to teaching- but the origin world was so heavily regulated, necessarily so because of the high potential for abuse, that any sort of work that approached this knowledge was taboo. “I wonder if this is also an aspect of how the male has dominated sex,” Shen said. Even the movement of clothing could be a stimulant. Any visual cue that triggered a reaction, and there were lots of involuntary reaction throughout a man’s day, coupled with clothing that restricted or inspired direction, things just escalated in such a way that men either had to suppress or follow through. “Men just naturally fall to feeling on themselves because their equipment is so exposed, and so they figure out pretty fast what to do, and there is an assumption that all people can do this on their own.”
“I wouldn’t be surprised,” Loxy said. “The reasons for origin’s situation is definitely more complicated than it needs to be, but one only needs to look at all the cultures through anthropological lens to realize there are many ways to address this.”
“Sexual healing,” Shen said. “Like what we have done, you has a Dakini practitioner.”
“We could practice here, I suppose, as the women were not victimized or damaged by the social constraint women are placed on our origin world, Then again, we have evidence the role as flipped; engaging a male would be seen as claiming property,” Loxy said. “What is a world like where the men are property and have no rights? Oh, the power plays that would ensue, men puffing up to impress. Well, here we are.”
“Does it seem to you as if everywhere we go, we’re learning about sex?” Shen asked.
“You’re not healed yet, either,” Loxy said.
“Because I refused to sleep in the barracks as a kid?” Shen asked.
“No. I honor that. Jon, I honor your ability to say no. I also appreciate you didn’t go to war over that point, as you recognized this is not origin. I do wonder if there was a way to have communicated that and remained a part of the society,” Loxy said. “You were alone for a long time.”
“How can I be alone when I have you?” Shen asked. Loxy hugged him by causing his clothing to restrict.
Shen went for a walk beyond the castle wall. The Valkyries did not want him going alone and was redirected back inside. His wives were in agreement with their decision. Arne did not want him walking alone.
“I am never alone,” Shen reminded them.
“You can pace the inner walls then,” Jerica said.
Shen frowned. “Okay, I need to be alone to experience the company of trees.”
“You can take an escort of Valkyries,” Jerica said.
“We can be invisible to you,” one of the potential guards said. Her name was Imly.
“I will go with you,” Arne said. “But not invisible. I could use a walk with trees myself.”
“And I,” Orton said. “Please.”
“There has been no evidence of aggression,” Shen said. “I think I can go for a walk to visit my trees and my friend ghosts.”
“It takes a while for people to mobilize for war,” Imly said. “And even when they are ready, they will bid their time in order to keep the advantage of surprise. They are no doubt employing Seers to discover patterns.”
“And our psychic spies are watching them. Who cares?” Shen said.
“We care,” Ásdís said. “You can comply with our expectations, or go to your room.”
“So much for being a grown ass man,” Shen mumbled.
“What was that?” Jerica asked.
“I am not a child,” Shen said.
“Then act like it,” Jerica said.
So the walk was arranged through compromise. The price of living with folks, Loxy said in his private ear. ‘Yeah,’ Shen said. ‘I should have just been content living with you and the ghosts.’ ‘Are you kidding, I had you jumping through all sorts of hoops.’ ‘I like those hoops.’
Arne hit his arm. He had learned the signs. “You go to be alone, and yet you continue to converse with ghosts.”
“She is part of my process,” Shen said.
Arne nodded. He, too, had a process and inner dialogue. Aslog had noted the change in him. One of the biggest changes was that he no longer had a drive to explore the physical world and be gone- the inner worlds had become his preferred paths for wandering. He was home, physically, but still gone. Shen taught them ways to be more present with each other, and gentle ways to call him back that did not result in a startled response. Another difference was he resisted the Valkyries. He was content with life with Aslog and his inner world; his ‘no’ came with authority and the Valkyries honored that. Orton’s ‘no’ was not from a place of honor, but from fear. He feared being rejected for all time if he protested too much.
“How do you escape it?” Orton asked, Arne.
“I am clear,” Arne said.
“That’s not helpful. And you?” Orton asked Shen.
“You can’t rape the willing. They come at me at like that, they get fucked,” Shen said.
“Your wives tolerate it?” Orton asked.
“I suspect they have come to some kind of arrangement,” Shen said. He paused for a moment and communed with a tree. He leaned against the tree, touching his forehead against it. The exchange was unnecessarily private, an update on the creatures of the forest.
Their walk of the forest, outside the gates, was usually their only time to recharge- men time, reasonably alone. Uffe and Erico had returned to their homes, likely because their wives had insisted. Shangri-La had more of a commune feel, not precisely hippies; more like a Kibbutz in Israel. It had a democratic feel, people came to a circle and made decisions together. The castle was busy with people, with Avatars, and ghosts. Outside the castle, the Irk had been scarce, likely having had numbers dwindled after the harsh winter. Irks had crossed paths on occasion with Valkyries, scouting the forest- and out of deference to Shen’s request, none were killed. Assuming numbers were down, he wanted them to have a chance to repopulate. If the present company was at risk of encountering Irks, the escort would intercept and direct them away from the men.
The Valkyries found many reasons to come talk to Shen on his walks, and the presence of Irks was one of them. Like the Tamorians, the Valkyries traveled in three’s. Unlike the Tamorians, there was a fourth that walked with them in spirit, watching from ‘Third Sight’ which was their term for ‘Remote Viewing.’ Sometimes the forth was visibly present, like a ghost.
Shen came out of the tree, took a moment to orientate. Arne was there, and Orton, quietly waiting. He was aware of the tree spirit, and the invisible fourth.
“Where were we?” Shen asked.
“We were talking about sex and arrangements,” Arne said.
“I wish I was healthy as you,” Orton said.
“Oh, fuck you. I am not healthy. I am still operating from an outdated, economic paradigm,” Shen said.
“I don’t understand,” Orton said.
“I come from a world where men are catered to- to the degree they could care less if the partner is satisfied. Typically, the more self-sufficient the man is, the more likely he is to be self serving in all domains. I was not that guy. I had to work to get partners, and work to satisfy partners, and consequently I became hyper-sensitive to their needs, meaning an unhealthy balance where I would neglect self. Unhealthy balance always leads to decline in quality of the relationship. I would eventually lament not being appreciated and when someone left, I found myself frequently annoyed they hooked up with someone less sensitive to their needs because I believed I was doing more for them. And I was. But I wasn’t taking care of myself. Their next partner would be more into themselves and that relationship will like be unstainable for her, too.”
“Women don’t like clingy or needy,” Arne echoed.
“Fuck you,” Orton said.
Shen touched Orton’s arm. “He was talking about me, brother, not you. There is that, Arne. I was certainly that in my twenties. But the opposite of that is also not a suitable partner. I am more the opposite of clingy with the Valkyries. I still likely to accommodate any request, but mostly- I am just accepting a fuck. Unlike my world, if the Valkyries take advantage of any generosity, it is not because they are malevolently manipulative, but because they make an assumption that all people, even men, will take care of their own needs. They don’t even recognize there is economic exchange going on. They’re just engaging in fun. There is love in their playfulness.
“Orton, in the perfect world, men and women are equally confident, and in that confidence they negotiate how to serve each other- but that ideal can only come from a place where people are equal in most domains. The ideal relationship comes from balance…”
There was a noise like thunder, but there was no evidence of rain. At this depth in the forest, it could be raining above the forest, and take hours before the water began to filter through the canopy. Their escort was suddenly in the clearing with them. “We need to return,” Imly said.
Shen tuned into TL. She was there- with explanation. “There was an attack, Jon. A missile.”
“Seriously?” Shen asked. “You intercepted?”
“No,” TL said. “Someone else did.”
Ghosts arrived in the clearing, blocking all the perceived paths out of the clearing. The Valkyries took up point around the men. Each planted their staffs, illuminating them as if that would shield them against the ghosts if they were hostile. Arne placed his hand on the hilt of a sword.
“What?” Shen asked him. “You’re going to draw on ghosts?”
“Why is the sky blue?” Orton asked.
Shen blinked- aware of the blueness around them. He had been ‘here’ before, when he had confronted the Irk and first used magic. This was when he was holding the orb Oa had given him. The trees stood out from the background of each other and sky, framing a surreal blue- it was not sky, but more like sustained lightening. “State your business,” Imly said.
One of the ghosts came forwards. She was the girl with the cell phone. “Mother wants to speak with you.” She was looking at Shen.
“Your mother?” Shen asked.
She held out the cell phone. Imly went to intercept the object but the ghost stepped back. Shen came forwards and Imly blocked him.
“They’re ghosts,” Shen said. “How can they harm me?”
“You’re not as smart as I imagined you to be,” Imly said.
“I don’t have a response to that,” Shen said. “But, mother is calling. I should probably take this.”
Imly looked to her companions for consensus. She let go of Shen’s arm and nodded. Shen stepped the girl. The ghost girl came towards him. She handed the cell phone to him. It felt real in his hands. Part of his brain wanted to know if he was really holding it and part of his brain was telling him it didn’t matter. He sorted the screen. It said ‘mother.’ He touched a button, putting the call on speaker phone.
“Take me off speaker phone,” Mother said.
“Um, no. I want my companions to hear,” Shen said.
There was silence for a moment. The girl crossed her arms, as if conveying ‘how dare you talk to mother like that.’ “Jon-Shen. I want you to go to Sinter.”
“It’s good to want things,” Shen said, quoting a movie. TL in his ear said not funny, contextually.
“You will go to Sinter,” Mother said.
“Not likely,” Shen said.
“You will go to Sinter, and you will end this,” Mother said.
“Again, not likely,” Shen said.
“This is not a request. You will go to Sinter. You will prophesy against their ways and bring them back into alignment with mine,” Mother said.
There was more in there to unpack than he had expected. “Who do you think I am, Jonah? Not going to Nineveh, Mother. For starters, they don’t want me there.”
“You will go,” Mother said. “That is all.”
The call ended. The girl came and collected the phone. She and the other apparitions disappeared. The sky around the trees became black. The glow of the canopy far above was hardly even a lukewarm log with the fire hidden inside it. Staff lights were prominent, and didn’t penetrate as far as the eye would have liked. The Forest’s Night could be intimidating without second sight. They quietly assessed each other.
“You’re not really considering it, are you?” Imly asked.
“Mother did seem rather insistent on the matter,” Shen said.
“Where is Nineveh?” Orton asked.
“Another world, another time,” Shen said. He began walking.
“This way,” Imly said.
“West Midelay is this way,” Shen said.
“Home is this way,” Imly said.
“She is right, brother,” Arne said. “We go home, we discuss this vision with family.”
Shen weighed it. “Probably not a good idea to keep mother waiting.”
“You didn’t even ask her for her name,” one of Imly’s companion asked.
Shen bit on a thumb nail. “I didn’t.” On the face of it, he seemed to agree it was odd. “I always forget to ask the good question during ghost encounters.”
“Like where do they get their clothes?” Orton asked.
Shen looked at him. “You want naked ghosts?”
“Yes,” Orton said.
“You can’t handle us, and you want ghosts?” Imly asked.
“Oh, this could be fun,” Shen said. “But I feel compelled to go this way.”
“You will remain with us until family counsels, or I will sleep you and carry you back,” Imly said.
“She’d do it, too,” Orton said.
“Okay,” Shen said. He went with the group.
The group sat in the great hall. There were many on the circle, many more around the circle. Shen was at the 12 o’clock position, lotus posture, holding a baby. TL was appropriately looking at whoever was speaking, following the conversation- yet, was also holding a private conversation with Shen. A storm of a debate raged around them, varying in intensity from rain to full out thunderous wind. All babies were held. Toddlers were free to roam. Some babies were nursing.
‘You’re in a good mood,’ TL said.
‘Yeah, why not?’ Shen asked.
‘How far back do you track it?’ TL asked.
Shen concentrated. He became puzzled. “I don’t know. I haven’t been tallying.”
His smiled deepened. ‘I have actually been happy for a while.’ He frowned. ‘I don’t understand it. It’s not earned. I haven’t done anything.’
‘Oh, you’ve done a lot,’ TL said.
‘Such as?’ Shen asked.
‘You’ve been living your life,’ TL said. ‘You created a community.’
‘You had as much to do with that as I, if not more,’ Shen said.
‘Have you ever considered what the number one thing all abusers have in common?’ TL said. The question brought Shen’s eyes to her’s- what a weird way to begin a proposition. Her eyes met his on all planes, physical, mental, and emotional. Her comment seemed out of place. He didn’t see a connection with anything they were doing. It didn’t mean there wasn’t a connection, as AI personality could make some wildly obscure connections and line them up logically, but he didn’t even see a leaping point. His inner mind was silent as he waited for the connection to arrive. When he didn’t answer, TL filled the in the blank. ‘They isolate people. You want to control someone, you isolate them from others. You control who they interact with, what they see and hear, what they read. People who were abused tend to isolate themselves from others. People who are depressed tend to isolate. People who are sick, physically or mentally, they get isolated. People who are bullied get isolated- first by the people harassing them, second by the immediate group who are not wanting to associate with the perceived ‘weakness’ that resulted in the bullying, and then lastly by the person being bullied- themselves- believing they are unworthy. You created a community. You let people in. You allow for a freedom of discourse. Everyone here has a voice.’
‘I let ghost in,’ Shen said.
‘Ghosts are people,’ TL said.
‘I let Irks in,’ Shen said.
‘Animals are people,’ TL said. “Any act of acceptance is love. You let people in. You let love in. We have created a place where people can come and love and grow and discover their own boundaries. There are good people here. That’s a reflection of you.’
Shen looked at the baby. He perceived a connection, made a face at the baby.
Baby mirrored. ‘And now I am being called away.’
TL gave him a hug. ‘Are you worried?’
‘I should be,’ Shen agreed. ‘Every time God spoke to someone in the Bible, something bad happened to them.’ ‘He was a tough employer,’ TL said.
‘Maybe mother will be easier,’ Shen offered.
“Based on your relationship with your mother?’ TL asked.
‘Probably shouldn’t go there,’ Shen said.
‘How about the archetypal mother?’ TL asked.
‘I was told not to fool with her,’ Shen said.
‘How about the song ‘Mother,’ by Police,’ TL asked.
“Oh, that would be synchronicity,’ Shen said, laughing out loud. ‘That would bother me.’ Now the song was in his head and he gave a cross look to TL. ‘You know I hate that song. It reminds me of that one, ‘they’re coming to take me away’ by Napoleon XIV…’
The debate was interrupted. Jerica hit the back of his head. “Are you paying attention?”
“Ow. Yes,” Shen said. Everyone was looking at him. “No. Sort of. Not so much. I think Arne and Orton want to take ships and take Sinter by force. The Valkyries seem in alignment with that. Dragon clan wants to storm Sinter from sky. You, and the wives, are clearly bias, as you want me to remain here…”
“Mother has spoken. If she wanted us to go to war, that would have been clear in the directive,” Ili said. Ili, who had surrendered her positioned of village seer to the next called, had retired to Shangri-La. She had been listening to the debate. She had been trying to hold her tongue, as she was not an authority here. She was the oldest in the community and by default an authority here. She held her youngest granddaughter, Arne and Aslog newest clan member.
“He isn’t going to just walk to Sinter,” Imly said.
“No. He will have to go through normal channels,” Ili said. “He will go to West Midelay and request passage.”
“They’ll kill him on sight,” Jerica said.
“They cannot. He is protected by Mother,” Ili said.
“Forever?” Ciara asked.
“Until he has accomplished mother’s task,” Ásdís said.
“And what is that?” Þuríður asked.
“Go to Sinter,” Shen said.
“And then what?” Jerica asked.
“Prophesy against them,” Shen said. “Then come home.”
“They will fucking kill you,” Jerica said.
“We take Sinter by force with Dragons and ships,” Ashly said.
“That wasn’t the directive,” Ili said.
“It wasn’t not the directive,” Ashly said. “Go to Sinter and let it rain ash. That’s prophesy enough for me.”
“They intended for us to be ash,” Imly said, referring to the missile strike. People understood the death from tech.
“And someone intervened,” TL said. “Something intervened,” Calypso said. She was present in the town hall meeting. So was Rock. He was online so much anymore, thanks to the demands of the Valkyries, he had lighted full sentience.
“Mother?” Shen asked.
“Who is mother?” TL asked.
“May I?” Ili asked.
Arne looked at her. “Wow. I don’t think I’ve ever heard you ask to speak…”
Aslog glared at him. “What?”
Ili touched Arne fondly, not offended. “I am merely a guest here.”
“Technically, you’re first wife,” Jerica said.
There was laughter. Shen said “yeah, we’re Harold and Maude,’ to which TL laughed, a genuine, surprised caught in your through laughed, followed by snorting. TL recovered. “Second,” TL said. “I am first.”
“We should have a competition,” Shen said.
“In your fucking dreams,” Jerica said.
“I am in,” Imly said.
“I’d compete for that,” Ili said.
“You don’t have to compete,” Rock said. “He and I’d give it up for you.”
“I love you, too,” Ili said.
“Ili, tell us about mother,” TL said.
Ili nodded, collected herself and her deepest thoughts- it was a collection of sacredness, reverence- her face relaxed and the wrinkles seemed to go away as she accessed something deep in her- it if she was engaging in a ritual even though the only movement was to hug her granddaughter. By the time Ili spoke, all the children in the room had grown attentive- the transformation and energy in the room was that palpable.
“Her name is Moa…”
“Mother of All,” Shen said.
The fact that he had interrupted Ili had drawn the silent wrath of several of his wives, and some in the outer circles. Ili was not offended. TL and Shen shared silent revelation, as Moa had been an encounter in one of their past travels.
“She has many names. I am particularly fond of Eloah. She is the One that became many, yet remains One,” Ili said. “She is the guiding light that directs all activities. She is the darkness from which we are borne. She is the first One. She is the last One. She is every One in between. Few hear her voice, but her heart light touches us all. We go where she calls. We are returned to her when we are complete.”
“Are we ever complete?” Þuríður asked.
Ili chuckled. “Completion in incompletion. Perfection in imperfection. In truth, there is no darkness. All is light. Close your eyes- you are not seeing darkness, you are seeing the light that permeates you’re entire being. It is the light that permeates all reality. It is the one ocean. It is the one heartbeat we all hear. The heartbeat we return to when our hearts quiet.”
Shen tried to grapple with darkness was light with eyes closed. TL translated-
‘you see with your brain, not your eyes. Your brain is always on. Imagine a television screen, power on, but no signal- that black is not true black, not off, it’s a dark light…’In truth, Shen had never been in the dark- he had just failed to see.
“Eloah, singular form of God. Feminine. In the beginning, Elohim created us,”
Shen said. “They created us like them, male and female.”
“The first people,” Ili said.
“Am I going to die?” Shen asked.
“Yes,” Ili said.
“You don’t know that,” Jerica said.
“That is part of the contract for this world,” Ili said.
“No,” Jerica said.
Shen touched Jerica’s knee. He looked at the floor. He looked at the baby. He finally came up to eye level. “It was never my intention to stay here, in this world. I am invested. If going to Sinter ends hostilities and allows for us to be peaceful together, then that is what I will do.”
“No,” Jerica said.
“Mother has called, I am going,” Shen said. “That is it.”
“That is not it! You have obligations here,” Jerica said. “To more than one. You are needed.”
“You love me,” Shen said.
“Yes,” Jerica said.
He put an arm around her and pulled her into him. She put her head on his shoulder. “I love you, too,” Shen said.
“Then don’t go,” Jerica said.
“Every one of you here would give your life for the other, for your children, for your family,” Shen said.
“We would give ourselves for you,” Jerica said.
“I believe you,” Shen said.
“So, allow me to do the same for you, for my children, for my families, for my village,” Shen said.
“I am afraid,” Jerica said.
“That’s normal,” Shen said. “So am I.”
“Then don’t go…”
“It’s decided,” Arne said. “Shen is an adult. He has been called and he is answering that call. We will walk with him to Midelay in the morning.”
“And deliver him to his fate?!” Jerica asked.
“He will go to his fate or his fate will come to him,” Ili said. “Allow a man to walk.”
Jerica stood up. She took the baby from Shen. “If you love me, you will stay.”
“I wish you wouldn’t bind me so,” Shen said.
Jerica left the circle. No one spoke as she left the hall.
“Sister Wives, please join her,” Shen requested. The others got up, each touched him, and departed to be with their sister. When they were gone, Shen continued speaking.
“This is not going to be easier by morning. I am going to leave now.”
“You should wait for morning,” one of the Valkyries said.
“Day or night, the Forest’s Dark is my road. I will meet their Light before the day’s light,” Shen said.
“You will not go alone,” Imly said.
“Oh, he will not,” Arne assured her.
“Night Sisters, we walk!” Imly announced.
Shen took TL’s hand.
“I’ll go with you as far as I can,” TL assured him.