All Comments on 'Ægir’s Bride Ch. 03'

Mixed feelings about this one! Enjoyed the developing dynamic between Kirsty and Mikael, but the whole issue regarding Rachel (Petrine?) and Olaf just made me uncomfortable. A mum's always a mum first, and I think that supercedes all. And if someone deserves a kick up the backside, then that should be the case! She isn't a sub to her sons, and should never be expected to act in such a role. Parents should have the perogative to tell their children when they've been acting like absolute numpties, and you have the case in which someone's health and well-being (both psychological and physical) is at stake.

I, myself, am not a parent (and have no desire to be one), but am grateful to have parents and older relatives who don't shy away from giving you a reality check. I just think Olaf's reaction is one that is wrong, and in any relationship SSC is key, otherwise it can lead to abuse.

I have loved this series from the start but the interaction between Olaf and Rachel felt wrong. I think Kirsty needed someone to be her champion and call the boys out. I agree that doms are human first, but part of being human is accepting when you've made a mistake. And sometimes that means accepting a parent's anger and disappointment. Olaf is asking the impossible in implying she no longer needs to be a mum. I also think the idea of SSC should be core to a relationship. A sub should always have a voice to say no when it's too much, and trust that they will be taken care of, even if they are put in situations far out of their comfort zone. But that is only my opinion, and I know there are lots of ways to have a relationship in the BDSM world. I am excited to read the next chapter and I love how often you are posting new chapters.

I knew going in that Olaf and Petrine would push buttons...and you know what sometimes our buttons need pushing. I am not changing this story line for that reason.

BUT if you wanted to understand WHY then I will post a special Mother's Day blog that will blow your mind at:

https://taranealeauthor.wordpress.com/

It might be a few hours though...as right now I am pretty busy being a Mom and not a writer.

Petrine may be Olaf's sub, but she is not a sub to her sons. She is their Mom - and as their Mom, she should feel free to tell her sons when they have crossed the line. As Mikael himself admitted, he was thinking only of himself in his interaction with Kirsty - and wasn't being responsible for her as he should have been. My 2 cents is Olaf is out of line, and Petrine was right. But that being said, only Kirsty can work out the relationship with her husbands.

A woman isn't just a mother! I can't wait to see what happens between them! Excellent development and PLEASE pretty hardworking pleasing sub writer pleeeeeeeease - DO NOT take the bad boy in Mikael away!!! He is fucking fantastic!

Loved especially that your writing is starting such a good debate.

I see it as Olaf is actually more disappointed in himself than Petrine.

He is now starting to set boundaries again which have been allowed to slip. Whether he sets the right ones or not are debatable, but he is starting. My one question would be was Petrine actually comfortable with being a sub after they abducted her ?

My guess is that she wasn't but went along with it because she had no option. The men slowly relaxed their stance when they realised it. ..that's just my take.

That my dear friend depends upon whether you believe that a brat is a sub...

Remember...this was not the first time she was tempted to run from a punishment...

This story line, folks, goes way deeper.

I am the first Anon who posted. Let me again start by saying that I adore the series, and have read your previous one as well. Also, I would never dream of asking a writer to change their story line, and apologise if it read that way. Especially one who is as talented as you.

I read your blog post, and I think it's wonderful. I just think that the dynamic in the fictional household is a little different. For all intents and purposes, they don't do what is typically expected in most Western households - when they become adults, they move out. They seem to really only have each other, with no real outside friends, or anyone else who can give them a much needed dose of reality. In that isolated bubble they've created, from what consequences can they suffer? It seems, then, that the only person who has the power to keep the brothers in line is Olaf, and he chooses a laissez-faire attitude, and are taking away one of Kirsty's few confidantes with whom she is able to converse about this lifestyle, from someone who has been in her shoes. SSC is always important otherwise consequences do happen, as with what took place with Kirsty.

And, I definitely do not think that the role of a woman is reduced to that of a mother. As an adult woman who is living away from home, I have come to appreciate the developing relationship with my parents. I speak to them daily on the phone, and we have conversations as, you so aptly described, almost equals: a growing one since i was 14/15. They are their own people with likes, dislikes, dreams, and desires. I also realise that every family is different, but they are the only people (when I speak of family, I do not necessarily mean blood relatives, but a constructed family including friends, stepparents, godparents etc... I include here as well) who will give you honest advice out of a place of genuine love and care. That is how I had read Petrine's reaction, including her own questioning of herself and how she could have raised Mikael in such a way that he would have allowed something like this to happen.

When I write these things, I don't mean to be facetious, or questioning your choices as an author. I only mean that these are the reactions and questions elicited from me whilst reading your chapter. Again, I have read all the previous ones, and look forward to the next one!

It was NOT advice that she was giving to her sons...or in this case even Kirsty. She is not being punished for that...but HOW she did it.

She called him an idiot...in front of brothers with whom he already feels somewhat estranged.

And although Kirsty was in and out of it...she belittled all of them...in front of their wife. Advice or even discipline should always be private...as you see Olaf modeling when he kept his voice to a whisper in front of their sons and when he tells them...your mother and I need to 'talk.' She could have and should have learned something from that over the past 40 years or so.

...and she just outed the nature of their relationship to their sons...without discussing it with him...and in anger.

She has shown no respect for her sons, him or even herself.

To reassure you...Olaf loves and adores this woman...he has no desire to 'break' her. But trust me...the worst thing in this world is being truly, deeply and naturally submissive without firm boundaries...to the point that I have forced myself to create my own or I would be a bigger mess than Petrine is.

And I will get to the SSC blog this week...but you may be quite surprised at my views...they are controversial to say the least. Please stay with me...like all HUMAN beings...all RELATIONSHIPS...it is never as simple as SSC...and that is my bottom line problem with that concept. It never goes far enough to protect the sub.

They are not as isolated as you think...the Holding...is a refuge from the world...not their whole world...and trust me most of us wish we could create such a thing...I sure do.

Thank you to Tara and anon for such lucid and thought provoking comments.

What I have learned about the author by reading this story is that she pays utmost attention to detail in as much as she identifies with the way the main players actually feel and their reasoning behind it. I feel sure we will be enlightened as the story progresses as to why Petrine, Olaf and the boys have acted the way they have.

Roll on four.

Best chapter yet! Loved that you focused a bit more on Mikael. It brings more depth to his character and how he ticks. I've enjoyed reading your work so far. Can't wait to read more.

I almost never use my 'veto' power at Lit to delete a comment...except when it is abusive. I know too that sometimes we react strongly because of our own personal pain...and I am sorry not to have placed trigger warnings on this chapter...I will on the next couple until things settle down a bit.

I know that with this chapter I am stepping on toes...but sometimes toes need to be stepped on. It is the only way we as humans and collectively as society change. I do not expect everyone to like or understand it. These are some sacred cows...

1) the Madonna/Whore complex that has and continues to be the bane of my life and why I have never found the right partner

2) senior sexuality...as MasterfulJim will tell you I debated separating out the Olaf/Rachel story line into the Mature category for that very reason. But it is too entwined with their sons and would detract from this story if I did. I also debated copping out...and just eluding to it. But the truth is that as we get older and especially with little blue happy pills we are not losing our right to be sexual. To be kinky.

Everyone is so upset about kneeling...this woman is in good health...yes, she will feel it. But I was for a year a member of the BDSM club where at 4? I was one of the younger members. I have seen a woman who weighed twice what Rachel does and who had health problems kneel...for twice as long as Olaf will have her. It took three big guys to get this woman up...and the smile on her face was not to be believed. Remember folks...what a sub needs may not conform to what we think it should.

3) Consent...SSC...well, I am working on that blog now. But let me remind you of how closely all of them...even Mikael in his rage...was watching her face...looking for signs that she could not take any more. Big boys do not break their toys. Maybe in edits I may cut back on her drop...this is one of the most severe...and it was the forced orgasms more than the tiny bit of pain that did it. But that was a secondary point too...that we forget that pleasure can be as powerful as pain...and drop us just as quick and deep.

In case you missed or did not read down to the last bit....the one person beating himself up most is Mikael...and his dad...

I will say that I have spent more time...explaining this than any other story I have ever written...but that is good...because I love challenging preconceptions...even my own. Let's just keep it respectful please.

And I love engaging with all of you, which is why I have a blog that runs parallel to my writings...

https://taranealeauthor.wordpress.com/

This week we will be hitting all those hot spots some more...and looking at the true nature of submission.

The scenes between Olaf and Rachel were irrational. The idea that a sub must submit to any dom is preposterous and I think, dangerous. Not every dom is worthy of someone's trust and submission. A person's sexual needs and preferences does not automatically make them superior and it definitely doesn't make them right.

What Mikael did was thoughtless and uncaring. He messed up and so did Sven and Bjorn because they left without checking on Kirsty, when they knew that Mikael was too unstable to be responsible for her. All of her sons messed up and Rachel has all the right in the world to reprimand them. She is their mother. She birthed them and raised them. They will always be her children and her responsibility. I don't care how old they are. A mother's job is to tell her children the truth when no one else will. I reject this nonsense about them no longer being her boys and her having no right to correct them. Like another reader, I call bs. They could be a serial killer, the pope or the president and she would still be their mother. There to advise, correct, guide and yes, knock some sense into them when they have none. She earned that right when she brought them into the world. To take away her right to speak to her children as a parent, or even as an equal is stripping away her power. Making her less than she is. It's unacceptable.

To be perfectly honest, Rachel doesn't seem like she missed the submission. Doesn't seem like she needs the submission. She seemed happy as she was. To be forced now to submit to her own children? To apologize for doing her best to ensure the safety and comfort and emotional well-being and sanity of their wife? To say yes sir to Olaf in front of her children? To kneel on the hard floor despite her age? To be punished harshly for caring? It seems absurd and cruel. Not to mention degrading. Why should she show respect to Olaf when he has none for her?

Without Rachel (kind of creeps me out that they gave her a new name), Kirsty may not have had the courage to stay. I appreciated the fact that Rachel was allowed to be smart, strong, fiery and independent yet still submissive because it gave me hope that the boys would not try to strip away everything that Kirsty is. Rachel was a great example that strong women could be submissive too. That was a solace to Kirsty. But not, you seem to be stripping the strength right out of her. Relegating her from a woman to a naughty child who should be seen but not heard.

This is your story. You're going to do whatever you want. But you can't expect readers not to react.

At the very least, this chapter has gotten me to acknowledge that while I'm on board with sexual submission and submission in play, I am not at all okay with submission as a lifestyle. Living like that seems like the worst kind of torture (to and for me). I guess that's why I wish Kirsty could just stay with Bjorn. He allows her to be her and also submissive. He isn't trying to train her personality away.

I do like your story and appreciate you trying to push boundaries. I hope your characters survive.

Thanks for pointing out the hole plot with the names...

In Ægir’s Captive, it mentions that her name was Rachel, but she choose to change it to Petrine, meaning the Rock in line with her new life. I will make certain to mention that again in edits so as not to confuse people.

I still am left shaking my head a bit that no one sees any thing wrong with calling men between twenty-eight and almost forty 'boys.' Or telling them how to run their relationship. I would never disrespect any of my adult children like that. And I love them just as much as she does hers.

Thank you for posting frequently. Thank you for providing some eye opening moments. I rather like that the characters are flawed: in part it's the internal struggles that make them interesting. I'm unfamiliar with BDSM other than some of the stories I've read on Lit and can see the need for trust between the parties. Also think I understand both points of view re: Rachel's situation and appreciate the comments and your replies to sort out the "rules." (I hope you consider pursuing Rachel's story in another series.)

Some of what has been helpful includes: what Olaf is trying to accomplish by reasserting his Dom/Sub relationship; the family dynamics; and how Petrine's relationship with her husbands was some sort of open secret. Sven and Mikael apparently gave it some thought. Aside from many children's disinclination to consider their parents sexuality, does this give the children an advantage to play multiple parents against each other? I can imagine one son going from mother to father, to father, to father to negotiate extra screen time.

Look forward to your next chapters.

Badly done. Poorly thought out and not in line with the characters. Many readers understand. But this was just plain awful.

If you ever do decide to do a Rachel/ Petrine spin-off or origin story type of thing, you've definitely got a reader!

Yes, Mikael was beating himself up over it, but at the same time, he didn't check up on her, and he pushed her beyond her limits, to the point where she had suffered potentially severe consequences. This is especially important as Kirsty, herself, does not know her own limits. With Björn, it was significantly more explicitly stated: he would hold his breath at the same time in which she was denied air; he would check on her throughout etc..; and just seemed overall much more safe. I know part of the point is to demonstrate Mikael's personal demons; but then again Petrine's reactions (after warning them prior, and constantly making them aware of Kirsty's vulnerability, and discomfort) is justified. This is my argument on this point for SSC: to deviate from the rulebook, limits must already be known and set, otherwise it could easily drift back into violence and even noncon. In that kind of relationship where control is placed in the hands of another, trust is necessary, and that includes any and all aspects of their welfare.

I don't think the main issue (at least for me) is pointing out that they are no longer boys, but men. I find it more related to the fact that irrespective, you are still your parents' child, and that should mean something, including respect for their experiences, advice, and opinion. And, in Petrine's case, that her display of panic, anger, and disappointment in a moment of crisis is completely valid and justifiable. As a parent, she should never be seen as having to defer to her partner. She (arguably) may have outed their relationship, but Olaf actually changes the dynamic by bringing it out into the - public isn't the right word, domestic maybe? - realm, wielding his stance in their intimate relationship to do so.

I also agree, I saw the other Anon commenter, and they were out of line. Veto away :D And would just like to say again that I'm looking forward to your WordPress post. Thank you MJ, I too find this very fascinating.

And a Happy Mother's Day to you, Tara :)

I totally agree with the comment before of how awesome it would be to do an origin story with Petrine/Rachel!!! So cool! Amazing chapter by the way!!!

(Revised to be less "abusive." I want to be heard and will keep posting this comment if it's deleted again).

Write your story however you want. Create a fantasy universe as you like with rules as you imagine them, just don't expect those of us out here to accept that in the real world such behavior is in any way true. Rachel's reaction was natural and appropriate.

I vote with those who believe Mom was totally justified in calling out her sons in those particular circumstances as she did. This was a question of safety and an immediate emergent situation. One doesn't calmly, sedately, politely, privately, SUBMISSIVELY communicate information in a critical situation. You take action to remedy harm quickly and with forceful intent to ensure the safety of a person in danger.

Her role in that moment is to act as the only rational person - to PROTECT a person in extreme danger. She is COMPLETELY JUSTIFIED in her criticism of her sons. I really question olaf's intelligence in that his first reaction to the scene is anger at his wife. How is he not immediately just as angry as she is? How is his focus not completely on Kirsty? Not a worthy dom, by that example.

And, really, in the end it's a writing challenge when your characters do not act with the nobility and intelligence that you SAY they have. Action is character. If olaf is meant to be a good dom with experience and intelligence then his action so far is not illustrative of those attributes.

She is their MOTHER. She is NEVER SUBORDINATE TO THEM. They are not her doms; she is not their sub - EVER.

If you want an AU where any woman is always subordinate to any male, then you'll need to establish that more effectively than you have done so to this point.

Rachel is the only refuge for a woman who was kidnapped and only one day earlier consented to stay in her situation. What Mikael did was akin to extreme assault (because he didn't provide the after care, not because of the acts themselves). Yes, no one's perfect -- but in a case of REAL DANGER - THE ONLY APPROPRIATE RESPONSE IS WHAT Rachel did.

And "no one's perfect," Hmmm. That seems only to apply to doms. Subs, when they make a "mistake" that calls out TRUE DANGER are made to suffer extreme punishment. (yeah, that's the fun part - when it's playtime - but not in this instance of dangerous activity). Doms, when they make a serious error that puts someone in a very dangerous, life-threatening situation, are coddled and "oh, no one's perfect, you can't expect them never to make a mistake."

So, next time Rachel sees a dangerous situation she is supposed to take several deep breaths, center herself, find one of the masters, bow her head, quietly ask to speak and only when granted permission to do so (which, you know might not be a given) submissively inform said penis-posessor that a female is in danger. Then, if the female is still alive, she will be rendered assistance. If not, what do they do with the bodies?

I'll concede the kneeling on a hard floor since in your little fantasy universe you can pretend that olaf knows enough about Rachel's physical health to know that she can withstand the kneeling for a particular amount of time in spite of her age. I question the cumulative effect of such activity - it will without question, hasten disability.

I call bullshit - a big, barn full of bullshit on the rest of the scene.

For toning it down a bit. And the only point that I will argue is that...no one has told her to be submissive to her sons. Apologizing when you hurt someone is neither submissive or dominant, just good manners. It is not what she did...but HOW she did it. But I suppose either we shall have to agree to disagree...which is always acceptable...or you may continue to read to see how this one turns out...your choice of course.

And I certainly did not mean to offend you by the deleting the other comment. I use that power very sparingly and I studied your comment for close to half an hour before doing so...because not only do I hear your pain and anger...but as an Alpha-sub like Petrine...one to whom other subs turns for advice and solace...I share. I have thrice stood where Petrine stood in this...and thrice I have stood up...once politely chastised by the DM for interfering in a scene, once listened to but not heard and once told that I deserved no punishment for what I did on my sisters' behalf.

You...but more importantly your pain...have been heard and noted. And I fear we are closer than you imagine.

My problem is the punishment for supposely outing the relationship. Let's get real folks their dads took them to freaking BDSM clubs, it was 't a secret.

Obviously everyone is entitled to their own opinion, and while everyone may not agree with how you write it this is your story Tara and I think I can speak for the majority of your readers when I say that you are a great writer and the fact that this story sparked such a debate is proof of that. I can't wait to read the next story and the one after that and the one after that.... Thank you for updating your story so frequently and I would love to see an update for The Nightwalker's Woman too!

Good Lord, do you know how to get everyones fur up! Nothing like a heated debate.

I am just purely enjoying the way you write and thank you for sharing your creativity.

I was thrown by Olaf's punishing his wife for just being a mother. A natural born sass too. She was just trying to help Kirsty, especially knowing how devastated she was with this life change. But, these people have different ways, which is repeated throughout the story in numerous ways. My interpretation is not that Petrine is a sub to her sons, but that she is expected to treat them with respect as grown men. It sounds as though she got in the habit of topping from the bottom, and he just wants to put an end to that. Starting with tapering off the bossy "i'm in charge" mindset. As for exposing their kinky situation to their sons, I think we need to reign it in a bit. Its out there, its official, but we don't need to expand upon it. If Olaf needs to punish Petrine, thats fine and dandy with me. I am in line to read that chapter. But don't get the boys involved. Make it a separate story, if you will. On a separate note, we all knew that sensitive Mikael was going to come out eventually. But lets not erase his thirst for inflicting pain. Kirsty loved it, so don't abandon it. I know you would never be that stupid, so I will end it there. I am greatly looking forward to Bjorn rectifying the situation. Or will she choose Sven next, and piss him off even more??? If you do that, I will be over the moon. I can't wait!

Am I the only one who is weirded out that Kirsty's ex is marrying his cousin from India? Did I read that wrong or is that the reason she is so upset about her failed relationship?

Sorry...thank you for catching that...I will fix it in edits...SECOND cousin.

And I know in our Western sensibilities that distinction probably does not matter a hill of beans. But in many cultures where honor/duty, dowries and immigration are involved, this remains a very common practice. I suppose I have lived in such a multi-cultural society for so long that I have forgotten the shock value of that one....

On top of ALL those others...

I am thoroughly enjoying this story, I hope you continue to write about this family... I am crazy for the 'bad boy' and thrilled that Kirsty is trying to connect with him. I am not at all into the knife play but as a character he slays me. Have I mentioned that I love your writing ?

Nothing else to say really. Love your stories, but I completely agree with Joodle's comments.

1st and foremost, it’s your story and you have every right to unfold the story as you see fit because it’s your imagination and effort being put to work.

What goes hand in hand with that is how the readers react to your narrative which is where all the different opinions come into play.

As a mother she did the right thing calling him on his bullshit

That all 3 boys were embarrassed is telling because they knew that all 3 of them had fucked up.

Just because he didn’t actually put his dick in her doesn’t mean that it wasn’t a hate fuck. She’s vulnerable and he’s broken- for now.

Rachael/ Petrine didn’t “out” her d/s relationship with her husbands, far from it. You mentioned at one point that their fathers had introduced them to bdsm in clubs. HOW did that work out? Were the fathers fucking around cheating on their wife? We’ve repeatedly been told how clever the sons are it doesn’t take a genius to work out what the parents relationship is. Bjorn knew first hand that she was with all 4 men of their generation just from what was said at school and around the village. Something that the other boys will have picked up on over the years. I don’t understand how this was the worst case of sub drop she’d ever seen, was she into bdsm before she was kidnapping? It was obvious that Rachael/ Petrine didn’t submit easily because you wrote a short line or two about her almost maiming one of Olaf’s brothers.

I was a bit disappointed with Olaf’s reaction, I’d thought that one of the instrumental factors in Kirsty taking a chance on the brothers was because of how ‘normal’ their parents seemed to be, she knew that her new in-laws situation happened in a similar way as her situation. If she’d arrived to find her mother in law on her knees chained to a sink/ bed she would have run like hell to get away. Had it been me they’d have had to cripple me to stop me running. Nope, Rachael read the riot act to her children not to other Dom’s because it was a medical emergency and they deserved every word of it.

As for having her kneel naked for Olaf to wait contritely for punishment, fuck no. It’s as stupid and dangerous as saying no safe words. A long established relationship might never need either party to call the safeword BUT people make mistakes sometimes emotions fuck with control or blur limits/ tolerance. EVERY relationship is subject to change it’s doomed to failure if there’s no room to adapt.

Barring what I see as a weird Americanism for children referring to parents as Sir & Ma’am it’s uncomfortable in the grey area of really fucked up if mum supposedly has to call all her sons Sir. A sub shouldn’t be submissive to all Doms not in my opinion perhaps that’s one of the differences between sub and slave? Perhaps that’s something that comes naturally when there’s a large network of friends in the same lifestyle? However, it’s different when those in d/s relationships start having have children because for all that we should be allowed to live our lives however we see fit the vast majority of us still have to fit into what’s conventionally known as “normal” (aka vanilla) communities. Normal consists of 3 things, 1. What the society around you deems standard. 2. Circumstances in which you've either grown up in or have become used to. 3. It’s not real because there really isn’t any such thing as normal.

My own children are all grown up now and none of them have a clue about mine and my husband’s kinks, it never happened whilst they were living at home.

My girls who are all adults, will always be ‘my girls’, I treat them like adults with respect but included with that is the affectionate knowledge (and terminology) that they will always be my girls. It’s a set of relationships that evolved over time beginning with the traditional parent : child and moving to good friends who also happen to be parent and child.

It’s actually a touch ironic that I’m reading and enjoying this story because I literally despise “breeder” type stories, where a main part of the plot is focused on creating scenarios with fictional children for the reader to get turned on. I admit it’s probably an overreaction because after all we aren’t talking about real children. I’ve never understood the whole “spreading the seed” cliche, producing offspring isn’t a sensible measure of value in a human being. That’s because 90% of the population can do it with ease, the hard part the one worthy of actual respect is how a person raises that child. It’s not the only way to measure the value of a person, not everyone wants to have children and that perfectly fine too. Having children is a responsibility and it should be a joint decision.

Tess (UK)

Agree with Tess below with her comment. Yes I think that the mum and dad's (uncle?!) type of relationship was out quite a few years ago, taking the son's to BDSM clubs, Amsterdam in the Netherlands and Russia (obviously that's out) and introducing them into the lifestyle, I wonder what their dad's got up to?! Also kirsty who is supposed to be English and lived in London, doesn't sound English. If she can say fuck, where are the bloody hells, buggers and twats and twits?!! And Mum, not Mom!! I understand that this is American vikings because no Scandinavians sound like that (and most vikings in the 8th century were Danish (DNA traced on the East Coast of Scotland) and Nords who became Norwegians (DNA traced to the west coast of Scotland, Stornoway on the island of Lewis was a viking port and town, the Orkney islands including Shetland were part of Norway until a Princess married an English Prince around 1470's and the Orkneys was her dowry. Nord DNA also on the east coast of Ireland. Red (ginger!!) hair is not Native to Scotland or Ireland but it's Native genetic trait is in the middle East and alot of the slaves the vikings liked were from there and did most of the rowing) So everyone sounds American, uses American slang and sayings, cute?!! Sorry that word makes me reach for the insulin!! For the mainly American readers on a American website. And it's the authors story even if we disagree with a few bits, well more than a few bits. There's other BDSM stories out on Lit that don't have kidnap, non con, extreme pain, forced impregnation, forced orgasm's but explore D/s relationships and bondage with love and respect. These stories here might not be your cup of tea and if not I highly recommend "Raw" stories for a different view on BDSM. Eile(Scotland)