CHAPTER 8: "Gehenna"

EXT. FOREST- SCANDINAVIA (Outside of Kattegat)- DUSK

Mara walks through the forest and sings a soft melodic Viking tune- the very same tune that Harald would sing with his brother.

Harald follows the sound of the melody- like a sailor to a siren's call.

Mara leads him to her hut which lies just outside the city.

Harald smiles when he sees Mara- following her inside the small house.

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INT. SEERS HUT- KATTEGAT

HARALD

I am glad to see you, volva.

MARA

And I you my King.

She smiles coyly towards him.

MARA

Come- sit by the fire and make yourself comfortable.

Harald nods and follows her command- taking a seat down on various throws which line the interior of the hut.

HARALD

So, tell me beautiful seer- did you miss me?

MARA

(Laughs)

Surprisingly...yes. Although, I kept myself entertained enough.

HARALD

I am glad to hear it.

MARA

I'm sure you are...

Mara makes her way over to a small table with various bottles of unopened drinks sitting atop it.

MARA

Would you like a drink King Harald?

HARALD

Of course, I would love one.

She pours him a glass and hands it over to him.

MARA

Skol.

HARALD

Skol.

(He takes a drink.)

Are you not drinking lovely lady?

MARA

No, I'm afraid I prefer other...libations. But- please, do enjoy yourself my King.

Harald eyes Mara as she saunters seductively across the small distance of the hovel- watching as she slowly traces her fingertips along various edges of furniture.

HARALD

(Smirks)

So, like you prophesized I have returned to you dear lady. I believe you said I might be awaiting a gift of some sort?

MARA

(Chuckles)

Indeed, I did.

HARALD

And, well?

Mara closes the distance between herself and Harald; and takes a seat opposite to him.

MARA

Well, Harald...allow me to offer you my gift of sight first.

HARALD

(Laughs)

Not exactly the gift I was expecting I will admit.

MARA

Those gifts come later.

(She winks)

Harald smiles widely- his eyes darkened with lust.

MARA

Now, what is it dear King that you most wish to know?

Harald is silent for a moment- considering the question he was to ask of the seer.

A beat.

HARALD

Why couldn't I let Bjorn die?

MARA

Because you were not fated to...

HARALD

(Scoffs)

I stared down at my fate- I could have had all that I desired and yet I let my fate- my destiny fall right through my fingers.

MARA

That was not your destiny dear King...

HARALD

Then what is my destiny seer? Will I ever love again? Will I be King of all Norway like I desire?

MARA

You will be a King of dreams...but dreams are all they shall appear to be...you are forever fated to love, and lust, and yearn for all that is denied you...for all that will be denied you. You desire much Viking...but desire is all you will ever know...for fulfillment- fulfillment is not your fate...

Harald's brows furrow.

HARALD

I don't believe you witch.

MARA

(Chuckles)

You don't have to...I'm merely telling you what I see, as I see it.

HARALD

(Spits and scoffs)

You aren't a messenger of the all-father but a deceiver- a whore of Loki...aren't you?

MARA

(Laughs)

Men become so unhinged when they do not receive the words they wish to hear. I said you will not get what you desire in this human lifetime...tis true...but it is also a grey sort of truth...things are rarely black and white...and fate exists in shades of grey between choice and free will...

HARALD

(Sighs)

You speak in riddles bitch. Speak plain.

MARA

(Pouts mockingly, strokes his face, then playfully slaps at it)

Awh, do not anger or fret my handsome friend...you may not be a sovereign in the way that you most desire or expect...but that does not mean that all your dreams are for naught...you will reign over...something...you will know power, and you will know love...

(Laughs)

You will even love for an eternity if your heart and mind remains' open to it...

Mara smiles cryptically at Harald.

HARALD

That answers nothing woman. Do the Gods favor me or not?

MARA

(Smirks- showing the briefest peek of her fangs.)

Some do...

HARALD

And what do I need to do to curry favor with the others?

MARA

The others are irrelevant...seek to increase favor and standing with those whose eye you've already caught.

She turns and makes her way to crawl towards Harald- her face looking otherworldly in the light of the moon and her eyes looking a bit crazed. In a flash- she's in his face and Harald's breath hitches.

HARALD

And ho-how do I do that?

MARA

Simple, prove your worth to them...serve them.

She eyes him up and down, maintaining a predatory gaze- her mad eyes glistening and searching; vibrating all over him as if reading his very essence.

HARALD

(Whispers)

What are you?

She leans in and whispers hot and breathily into his ear.

MARA

(Smiles- wolfishly)

I am your God...

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INT. SEERS HUT- KATTEGAT- SEVERAL DAYS LATER

Mara had taken a particular fancy to Harald and had kept him tied up and bound in her hut for many a night.

She paces around him- a finger to her lips trying to decide what to do with the man.

AMBROGIO

You were always terrible at charming them...still are I see...

Mara sighs and rolls her eyes at her invisible sire.

MARA

Enough from you.

Harald looks to Mara- confused, as she addresses the invisible entity.

AMBROGIO

What do you even plan on doing with him?

MARA

I've taken rather a liking to this one in particular...I see many great and uncertain things in both our futures...

AMBROGIO

(Scowls)

You're never uncertain.

MARA

I know which is what makes this oh so exciting...

Harald looks at her talking to no one and struggles against his bonds.

Mara approaches the struggling man and shushes him comfortingly- taking a position where she is now sat straddling his lap.

MARA

Shush, my love...this will be over soon enough...

She brings a small dagger up to the man and cuts her hand- then wipes her bloodied hand down onto his face. She leans in close to the man- close enough to kiss him and removes his gag.

Harald breathes in heavily.

HARALD

(Raspy)

What do you want from me?

Mara smiles, her eyes glinting as she looks up and down at his frightened and uncertain face.

MARA

Worship me.

She says to him- as she begins to slowly lick her own blood from his face.

HARALD

Why would I do that? Why would I turn my back on the Gods?

MARA

(Smirks) 

Because, dear Harald...I can give you more than they can...

She starts to kiss him softly at first- then increases the passion of her kiss, pressing more deeply into it. Harald moans in response opening his mouth to allow her tongue entry.

AMBROGIO

This is a bad idea Pythia...

Mara disengages from Harald and whips around- growling at the invisible entity.

MARA

(Snarls)

Do not call me that!

Harald struggles more against his bonds, seemingly coming to his senses and out of the daze from their shared kiss.

MARA

Shush...it is alright...

HARALD

Who do you speak to woman?

MARA

No one. Just a dead man who can't seem to mind his own business...

She glares at her invisible sire.

HARALD

You see the dead?

MARA

(Cackles)

Either that or I have gone mad.

Harald chuckles nervously.

MARA

(Sighs)

Look- look at what you've done, you scared the human Ambrogio...he thinks I'm crazy.

AMBROGIO

It wouldn't be far from the truth now would it?

MARA

Pffsh, you know nothing- that is why you are dead.

AMBROGIO

(Growls)

I am dead because of your betrayal- you, ungrateful child...because you killed me- you killed your sire!

Mara rolls her eyes. She flicks her hand out behind her in a gesture to seemingly try and banish the entity.

MARA

Be gone sire.

The entity seeming vanishes from sight and Mara turns her attentions back to a restrained Harald.

Harald swallows hard- Mara smirks and leans down to give him a quick chaste kiss on the lips.

She smiles at Harald her fangs now on full display. His eyes widen from fear or from lust it is uncertain.

MARA

Now, my King...where were we?

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INT. SEERS HUT- KATTEGAT- (CONTINUOUS)

Fire illuminates the naked and entwining forms of Harald and Mara.

Limbs twisting- their bodies glisten with sweat, rocking back and forth in a dark dance of passion.

MARA

Do you accept my gift?

She says, between quickened breaths.

HARALD

Yes, my queen.

He replies between kisses laid upon her naked body.

He thrusts deeply into her once again and she moans into his neck, clinging tightly and desperately onto his back- digging her nails deeper and deeper into his skin.

MARA

You will be my thrall?

HARALD

I will be your king.

He growls and flips her so that she is now on her back and he is towering above her.

Mara laughs sinisterly. Harald thrusts again, hard and deep- seeking to punish her. Mara cries out in pleasure- laughing bemusedly through her ecstasy with every forceful thrust.

HARALD

You think this amusing woman?

He says- driving into her violently.

MARA

(Moaning)

Yes, yes, I do.

She rises up to him- challenging him; her eyes twisted with madness and darkened with lust.

Harald's face breaks into a sadistic grin of his own- and he continues his violent battering of the woman's sex below him.

HARALD

(Breathing heavily)

It's not every day that one is blessed with fucking a God.

MARA

(Laughs)

It is not every day one becomes a god.

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Together- they soon reach the peak of their orgasm.

Harald spills his seed deeply into Mara- growling loudly and animalistically as he does so.

She growls back pleasurably in response- and flips him, so she is now on top and in control.

She bites down onto his neck- sending them both even further over the edge. She drinks of him deeply- and continues to ride him.

She licks her lips- tasting him and dragging the blood down over her mouth and over her naked body. She then bites into her own wrist- her blood pooling forth; and presses it to Harald's lips, forcing him to drink. He drinks her in, maddened with lust. They both moan deeply and loudly- while continuing to ride the waves of their climax.

She rips her wrist from his mouth and attacks his lips- pulling him into a kiss. Their tongues twist, push, and pull- battling one another for dominance.

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Soon- they lie together beneath the furs, covered in blood, and in one another's arms.

HARALD

Am I a draugr now?

MARA

(Laughs and smiles)

Something like that.

HARALD

I do not feel different.

He says- holding Mara tightly and closely in his arms.

MARA

You won't at first...but soon you will feel yourself dying.

HARALD

Will it be painful?

MARA

Yes, the most painful thing you will ever have to endure...

HARALD

What will happen...take me through it...

MARA

Your body will begin to die, shrivel up, and rot from the inside out...you will purge for hours- expelling all of your humanity in the process...blood, organs, everything will be gone.

HARALD

And what will remain?

MARA

Your soul, at least some part of it...and life everlasting...you will walk the grounds of Midgard forever...you will never know death or time...and if you should decide it one day you may walk your path alone...

HARALD

Why would I want to do that?

MARA

(Laughs)

Because eternity is a long time to be by someone's side...

Harald leans down to kiss Mara.

HARALD

You are my queen...

He kisses her eyes.

HARALD

You are my Goddess...

He kisses her nose.

HARALD

You are my eternity...

And- finally, he kisses her lips.

Mara melts into Harald's kiss- and their hands begin to search one another's body once more.

She sucks on his lower lip- dragging it outwards with her teeth and nipping at it softly. He unleashes a low guttural moan and goes to completely devour her mouth with his own.

That night they continue to make love until at last- Harald's humanity fades and slips away.