Chapter Twenty-Seven

Conjecture

 

Two weeks later...

Frey Drakkar stood between to Max and Thad and watched Gunner putting Finnie and Sky through their paces, Finnie atop her new mount Caspia.

Drakkar had presented his wife with her horse two days after they arrived in Snowdon. It was a dapple gray; its dapples an extraordinary shade that bordered on lilac and when he saw her, Drakkar knew she was Finnie’s. He was correct. Finnie had been entranced the moment she met her, named her within a second and fell in love with her the second after. As for Drakkar, he’d become entranced the moment his wife did and he made note to bestow gifts upon her far more often.

Now, every day, as with her archery and knife work, she and Sky spent an hour or more with Gunner learning what Finnie termed, “Raider Horse Maneuvers”. And at that very moment she was bent over Caspia’s neck, snaking her gray at a gallop closely around obstacles Gun had set out after which she (and Sky) encountered a fence that they had to jump. Once they achieved that, they were to rein their mounts around sharply, re-jump the fence and snake again through the obstacles, this time snatching pennants from the top (Finnie’s, blue; Sky’s, black) only to end having to jump another fence.

His bride, Drakkar noted, was taking to her Raider Horse Maneuvers far quicker than she had archery or daggers and he knew why. Firstly, she had experience on a mount. Secondly, she was fearless. The speed, the maneuvering, her position in the saddle nor the jumps fazed her. She faced it all unblinking and drove herself to excel. Horsemanship was part skill, part finesse and part daring and she had the latter of those in abundance.

That said, she was beginning to excel at archery, having achieved three more direct bulls-eyes. Therefore, Annar had advanced her to stalking young, male servants who volunteered to wear padded cloaks and tripled wool caps and were set to skulking through a local forest where Finnie would, if she found them, shoot at them with arrows that had no points but instead pads wadded with cotton. Her volunteers, Annar reported, enjoyed this tremendously, looking on it as a game even when Finnie’s arrow found its unharmed target. This was because, Annar told him, Finnie made it a game.

She was, also according to Annar, excelling at that too.

Although proud of his wife, Drakkar couldn’t contain a sense of amused disquiet that she seemed so determined to gather all the skills required of a Raider.

It would be good when she fell pregnant with his child. This, he hoped, would turn her mind from adventuring with him and his men, something he was getting the not so vague sense she was intent on doing, to caring for herself and their child.

Drakkar watched as Finnie re-jumped the fence and wound through the seven obstacles, missing only two pennants as Sky followed her much slower while missing five of his and one of the ones he’d gained, he dropped.

“Finnie takes to this Frey,” Max muttered, his eyes on Finnie who had jumped the last fence and reined Caspia in to trot over to where Sky was atop his mount, shoulders slumped having given up in his dejection therefore he pulled back on his horse and did not make the final jump. “Gun will have to increase her challenge soon,” Max finished.

“He will,” Thad concurred. “But Sky is nowhere near equaling her and she’ll not advance until Sky can advance with her.”

Drakkar watched as Gun cantered to his wife and the boy and both started speaking with Sky who was obviously dissatisfied with his performance.

Thad was right, there was no hope of Finnie leaving Sky behind which Drakkar thought was good. She needed to slow. They were leaving for Kellshorn on the morrow but would likely stay there no longer than they had Snowdon. The summer thaw had already begun and the resulting waters favored by the well-to-do throughout the Northlands would be bottled. And every year at the thaw, all of Drakkar’s ships were loaded to capacity with Lunwyn water and then set sail to Middleland, Bellebryn, Hawkvale and Fleuridia where they sold for ridiculous prices and were, by far, his most lucrative payload regardless of the fact they were simply water.

Therefore, he would need to be in Sudvic to assist Kell managing this as well as discuss with his captains what their cargo holds would be filled with on their return. He and Finnie would then board The Finnie for Fleuridia and he didn’t want Finnie’s head filled with new adventures and training for them when their course was set simply to unload water on Fleuridia.

He wanted Finnie’s head filled with what she’d name their child and how they would be raising him.

And as his bride trained to become the Raider Drakkar was never going to permit her to be, Drakkar was putting a fair amount of effort into siring the child which would slow her down.

He heard hoof beats in the snow behind him, turned to see Oleg heading their way and tensed.

Outside the execution, their time in Snowdon had been good. Finnie enjoyed the city even more than Bellebryn or Hawkvale and when she wasn’t with him, training or tutoring Sky, she was holed up with her girls giggling or she was in the city with her mother shopping, eating in restaurants and partaking in copious pastry sampling at cafés. He had, unfortunately, been called to duty to see two plays with her, one which he fell asleep during only to have Finnie prod him very hard in the ribs waking him in time to hear her burst out laughing which caused the patrons close to the royal box to glare at them which made Drakkar laugh and Finnie laugh more.

His talk with Hernod Grieg had garnered no more than what Quincy and Balthazar had learned and he’d unfortunately had no time to get creative. Grieg was adamant he was the man behind the plot and his desire, he said, was to unite Lunwyn and Middleland as they should never have been separated by Atticus and Baldur’s father, King Halldor.

Drakkar could not argue with this though, obviously, he would never consider assassination which was a coward’s play not to mention, in the present circumstances, that target was his wife. And he knew there was a not small faction of Lunwynians and Middlelandians who agreed that Lunwyn should never have been split. Those in Middleland were not fond of Baldur as their king and those in Lunwyn were displeased with losing the land granted to Baldur. Not to mention citizens of both countries had been parted from family members who were forced to live in different borders by Halldor’s decision which was arguably fair to his sons but not-so-arguably unfair to his people. And even though Atticus and Baldur had assumed their thrones at very young ages, the decades passing had not changed these sentiments.

Atticus had made two attempts through his reign to affect some kind of compromise with Baldur in an effort to settle this ongoing dissatisfaction. Both attempts were offers to build an alliance between nations including providing all in both countries with dual citizenship and uniting their taxes, treasuries and currency, but Baldur would not hear of it. This was likely because his taxes were high, they were expected in gold, silver or copper but his treasury printed currency he expected his citizens to use on anything not tax-related. He printed this at vast amounts beyond what was held in his country’s coffers making the printed tender mostly useless but Baldur extortionately wealthy.

His people were, with reason, restless and if Atticus, or King Ludlum of Hawkvale and his son Prince Noctorno who ruled Bellebryn were different kinds of rulers, this would make Middleland ripe for invasion.

Unfortunately, they were not.

With this, Drakkar knew there was unrest but Finnie being a target of that made little sense and in fact seemed counterproductive unless Baldur or the leader of a House wishing to take the throne as his own was really behind the plot. Further Grieg was ruled by coin, not patriotism, and would not be moved to act in a manner that courted, and indeed had ended in his execution unless there was something exceptional in it for him.

However, whatever that was he’d gone to his noose without sharing it.

Therefore, Drakkar did not feel Finnie was safe yet.

Quincy and Balthazar agreed with Drakkar and Quincy remained behind to continue to dig locally because both were suspicious of Grieg’s quick trial and his being scheduled to hang with Viola and Enger. Enger and Viola were both only pawns whereas Grieg was clearly a player and more time should have been allowed to glean information from the man.

Drakkar had learned this push had not been instigated by Atticus but pressed by his father, the head of the Houses of Drakkar (with the excuse that Finnie was a Drakkar and they wanted immediate retribution) and backed by the Houses of Lazarus and Ravenscroft (who also both claimed Finnie as their own for their blood, they thought, flowed in her veins and this was true with Sjofn as Aurora was of both Houses). But it was also pressed by Apollo, the young head of the House of Ulfr and Drakkar’s cousin for Ulfr was his grandmother Eugenie’s House. Apollo’s reasoning was that he felt Baldur was clearly behind the plot and their act of reprisal should be swift in order to deter future attempts on Finnie’s life.

This was not surprising. Drakkar knew Apollo well, liked and respected him and he knew his cousin returned these sentiments. But he also knew his cousin was most assuredly not a man to cross and for Lunwyn, and his cousin, Apollo would demand vengeance and would be immensely displeased and not afraid to show it in ways no one wished to court should his demand go unheeded. Considering the power, influence and wealth of the House of Ulfr was only rivaled by the House of Wilde and Drakkar’s personal wealth and influence, Atticus bowed to Apollo, and the pressures of the further familial Houses of Lazarus, Ravenscroft and Drakkar.

It was annoying but it was understandable and Quincy, so far, had not uncovered any nefarious reasons behind Grieg’s swift dispatch.

Balthazar had not remained behind but gone forth to see if further information could be gathered to refute Grieg’s claims that he was the mastermind. However, the three messages he’d sent Drakkar since his and Finnie’s return to Lunwyn had shared that Balthazar’s endeavors had not yet borne fruit.

And now, taking in Oleg’s expression as he reined in his horse next to their grouping Drakkar did not think it boded well. Oleg had few expressions and this one was not one of the even fewer good ones.

Oleg did not hesitate to share his news and announced on a grunt, “Valeria and Franka Drakkar are at the Keep awaiting you to attend them.”

Instantly, Drakkar’s mouth got tight. He’d been informed his mother had arrived at her mansion in Snowdon two days earlier. He did not visit her and she did not send official word she was in the city. He was hoping she was there to shop. Now he knew she was awaiting Franka as this was the first word he’d received that his cousin was close and it was highly likely she’d just arrived.

He nodded, jerked his chin to Thad and Max, walked to Tyr and mounted. He raised his hand to Finnie who was watching his movements and she waved in return, her smile for him sunny even though he knew she was distracted and he knew this because she almost immediately tilted her head back to Skylar after she waved. Then he and Oleg galloped into Snowdon, through the city and to the Keep. He dismounted at the fountain, tossed Tyr’s reins to a waiting boy and walked swiftly up the ice marble steps and into the castle.

A servant girl was hovering and approached him the moment he entered.

“Queen Aurora is entertaining the Ladies Drakkar in the state drawing room,” she informed him and Frey nodded.

Aurora had intervened and Drakkar found, as he had been discovering more and more every day the last two weeks as he watched her with his wife, that he quite liked his mother-in-law.

He moved away from the girl and walked to the state drawing room, an official room that was elegant but large, cold and never used when it was simply family.

A statement. Aurora didn’t like the surprise visit and was not afraid to let that be known. She was also happy for Finnie to show allegiance to the Drakkars by encouraging her to wear their House red but she was not happy with how Finnie was treated by his father and mother at the Gales and her stamping this visit as official and not familial was her way of showing that.

Yes, he was definitely coming to like his mother-in-law.

He opened the door and walked through it to see both his mother and cousin outfitted resplendently, Franka’s layering of jewels bordering on ostentatious, his mother’s well passed that. Aurora, her clothing stylish and refined, her manner graceful, next to the displays of the two other women still looked a pauper.

All of the women’s heads turned to him the moment he arrived, Valeria’s face lighting with faux delight, Franka’s lips curling for reasons unknown and Aurora’s expression benign but unreadable.

“Son!” Valeria exclaimed while standing and Drakkar closed the door and walked fully into the room.

“Let’s dispense with the artificial sincerity,” he stated without delay, “and instead let us get to why you both are here.”

Darkness instantly swept his mother’s features and Drakkar found that much easier to bear for it was nearly all he’d known of her when he was a child.

“Really, Frey,” Valeria snapped, “minstrels are singing and mothers are setting their daughters to bed with stories of The Handsome Drakkar and his deep adoration for his Beautiful Winter Bride. It’s been months since I’ve seen you and your lovely wife and you do not allow your mother a moment to bask in the glow of her son’s extreme happiness?”

Drakkar stopped, crossed his arms on his chest and leveled his gaze on his mother. “Prior to the Gales, and, of course, your attendance at my wedding at which we did not converse, I had not seen you for over a year and when I did, it was in passing. You made no overtures to me for years prior to that and the only one I made to you since I was thirteen was inviting you to my marriage ceremony and it wasn’t me who did that but Queen Aurora’s secretary. You’re not here to bask in the glow of anything. So, let’s dispense with this farce and tell me why you actually are here.”

Valeria glared at her son and then she sat back down.

“Well, for me, though you didn’t ask, dear cousin, I’m looking after my throat,” Franka put in at this point and Drakkar’s eyes went to her as he steeled himself against showing a reaction to her announcement.

“You have news,” he stated blandly.

“Indeed,” she inclined her head and leaned forward to the table that held a coffee service, china and a bowl of candies. Controlled and calculated, as was her way, Franka took her time selecting a white candy-coated almond and popped it in her mouth, chewed and swallowed under Drakkar’s impatient stare before she spoke again. “Baldur is away to the Southlands with thirty thousand men.”

Drakkar noted that Aurora didn’t move a muscle at this extraordinary news though she could not know it for he knew Atticus told her everything and the king also told him everything. Drakkar didn’t move a muscle either except to raise his brows.

“This interests me because…?” he prompted.

“You may…” she paused, studying him closely, “or may not know that Baldur had a plaything. A delightful specimen called Circe.” At these words, Drakkar continued to regard her impassively but fought against clenching his teeth. “A powerful sorceress but unfortunately for the lovely Circe, Baldur had found a nearly equally powerful witch to bind her powers so she could not use them to harm him or to escape him. Unfortunately for the revolting Baldur, he wasn’t shrewd enough to bind her to him so she could not find others to assist her to escape him. And this she did some months ago.”

“I was called here for you to tell me tales of King Baldur?” Drakkar asked skeptically.

“No,” Franka answered, “you were called here because Circe has been sighted and Baldur is off to collect her.”

Again, Drakkar raised his brows instead of clenching his teeth.

He had not spent a great deal of time with the sorceress Circe but the time he had, he liked her. Baldur had callously mistreated her for years, imprisoned her, used her in a variety of repugnant ways and through all that, by what had to be a miracle, she’d somehow retained her dignity even as four earlier escape attempts were thwarted and Baldur punished her for each in ways it didn’t bear thinking of.

It was not good news she had been sighted and worse news that her sighting had reached Baldur’s ears.

Drakkar had a feeling he would not be taking his bride to his lodge in Kellshorn or loading The Finnie’s cargo holds with Lunwynian water and onward to Fleuridia but instead sailing directly to the Southlands.

But at this point, he had to learn more without letting on he cared.

Therefore, he said with feigned resignation, “Again, Franka, I’m uncertain why you’re imparting this information on me.”

“The lovely but unlucky Circe has clearly had a misadventure since her escape and it has led to her being included in the Korwahk Wife Hunt,” Franka replied.

Drakkar stared indifferently at his cousin.

But he thought, Bloody hell.

The Korwahk Wife Hunt was well-known and, although it had been happening for centuries in Korwahk, it was considered a savage ritual outside the Southlands. Local women hunted by the Korwahk warriors felt honored to be chosen for this hunt. But those women not of the Southlands who were scouted, kidnapped and included in the hunt most definitely did not feel the same. As they wouldn’t, considering participation in the hunt meant they were paraded in front of the warriors, let loose then hunted and “claimed” as wives, in other words, the moment they were captured, they were raped.

After what Circe had already endured, Drakkar was dismayed to hear she’d now endured this.

Franka continued, “And, word is, she caught the eye of their king. He’s claimed her and made her his queen. The word is, after doing so, he declared great pride at her courageous nature and immense satisfaction with her astonishing beauty.”

At that, Drakkar relaxed.

He had been to the Southlands – to trade not to raid. He knew a number of Korwahk merchants and had met several Korwahk Horde warriors. He did not know Lahn, the king of Korwahk, but he knew much of him. Although Circe would likely find adjusting to her new life an ordeal, it was not unheard of, in fact, it was frequent for women even outside the Southlands to adjust to their lives with their warriors, so far as enjoying them and considering themselves Korwahk. King Lahn was greatly admired by his people, known to have honor and any bride he chose would undoubtedly be equally admired. Not to mention, he had great wealth which it was known warriors showered on their brides and if his people felt him honorable, and he had declared satisfaction with her, Drakkar hoped he would behave as such with his new bride.

And, lastly, there was absolutely no chance Baldur would succeed in retrieving his sorceress. The Korwahk Horde of warriors was renowned for their protection of their people, their nation, its vast wealth but most especially of their wives. King Lahn being, if word was true, by far the mightiest of a celebrated horde of exceptionally skilled and strong warriors, he would make short work of Baldur if he even tried.

“Franka, I’m losing patience,” Drakkar warned.

She examined him a moment, he knew she read nothing and finally continued, “This makes Middleland vulnerable.”

“Yes,” Drakkar agreed. “Any ruler foolish enough to leave his land and take thirty thousand of his soldiers with him on a personal errand that has no hope of succeeding would leave that land vulnerable. What I’d like to understand is why you think I’d care?”

“Because,” she replied instantly, “leaving his land doesn’t only make it vulnerable to others, such as Ludlum and Noctorno who may still be smarting after Baldur’s invasions of years ago regardless that Noctorno has resecured the lands Baldur wrested from them. But because his leaving his land makes it vulnerable to those inside Middleland who may be weary of Baldur’s rule and preparing to do something about it.”

Aurora entered the conversation at this point with, “Staunch Lunwynians in Middleland moving to reunite our two countries?”

Valeria looked to her queen and answered for Franka. “No, my queen, staunch Middlelandians moving to reunite our two countries.”

It was at that that Drakkar’s body grew tight and he demanded, “Explain.”

His mother looked to him. “Who would, my son, outside Baldur, gain the most from your new bride being dead?”

Drakkar held her eyes.

Broderick.

Bloody, bloody hell.

Broderick.

Drakkar moved his gaze to Aurora and when he did he saw her eyes on him and her mouth was tight.

“It is rather unfortunate,” Franka noted while sitting back against the couch, “that Prince Broderick and his lover have recently discovered they’ve been robbed of something they held quite dear. It has come to my attention that the young Phobin is most annoyed he’s lost this cherished article and everyone knows when Phobin is displeased, Broderick is.”

Bloody, bloody hell.

“Broderick holds great affection for his cousin, he would never –” Aurora started but Valeria interrupted her.

“Affection gets lost when land, power and coin are in the balance.” His mother spoke the truth as she definitely understood it then looked to her son. “Everyone knows Baldur got the short end of the stick when King Halldor split Lunwyn. Regardless of our ice, the bounty lies within Lunwyn’s borders and Middleland is but a bunch of rock and sparse vegetation, none of which is useful except that which butts Hawkvale. It is so desolate, even when the land was Lunwyn, the elves refused to tread there.”

“Yes,” Drakkar agreed. “But that which butts Hawkvale is exceptionally fertile and the rock you disdain, if forged, makes arrowheads coveted even in the Southlands. And under that rock is an abundance of coal which, if mined for the country and not to line Baldur’s coffers, would make the nation rich. Broderick isn’t greedy and reckless as his father is and could easily capitalize on these to bring prosperity to his people rather than increase his personal treasury. If he were to do this, he wouldn’t need Lunwyn.”

“Perhaps you should petition to be his advisor, dear Frey, rather than Phobin,” Franka suggested on a distastefully catty curve of her lips making her implication clear.

And with that, Drakkar was done and therefore demanded, “Let us dispense with this play and talk straight. Do you know that Broderick is plotting against Seoafin?”

Franka shook her head but responded, “I know that Hernod Grieg, prior to his recent untimely demise, traded exclusively with Middleland. I know he was there almost more than he was here though I don’t know who he consorted with when he was but one can guess. And I know that his final words were ‘Unite Lunwyn’ which could have been called true or could have been a final attempt to cast suspicion off those who truly are behind the schemes to do away with the princess who will birth our future king.”

“So you’re piecing this together through conjecture?” Drakkar asked and Franka shook her head again.

“The story of Circe and Baldur’s departure is true. The information that a valuable asset held by Phobin was purloined is also true as is the fact they are both angry about it. The rest, indeed, my dear cousin,” she inclined her head, “is, as you say, conjecture.”

He studied his cousin then his mother.

It was conjecture but good conjecture and important information. If Broderick were to wish to move on his father, now would be the time. And if he would wish to gain momentum for this campaign, and earn the loyalty of those who wished to see Middleland reunited with Lunwyn, time would be of the essence. Without Finnie, Lunwyn would eventually fall in Broderick’s hands and that would be far sooner if he only needed to await the death of Atticus, not both brothers if he were to move on his father’s throne now. It would only be a matter of course, and one which would be supported by many in both countries, enough for them to be moved to pick up arms, for Broderick to move against Atticus, securing both thrones, reuniting Lunwyn and with Finnie out of the way, doing so without direct competition for rule. Hell, half of the Houses of Lunwyn would bear arms to unite it again with Middleland.

Bloody hell.

Not to mention, Phobin might not be clever but Broderick was no fool. He would piece together Drakkar and his men being in Middleland at the time the adela bough was stolen and this would only add fuel to their fire.

Bloody hell.

He pulled in a breath in an effort to prepare to say something he meant but didn’t wish to say and let it out, muttering, “Although conjecture, I am grateful for your time and the information you shared.”

Valeria’s brows went up and without hesitation she enquired, “Grateful enough that, upon return from delivering Lunwyn’s waters through the Northlands, you’d share the profits of a galleon? Say…” she hesitated, “half?”

Drakkar stared at his mother. Then he asked back, “So, you’re here for coin and not your concern about your daughter-in-law, a woman your firstborn son has come to care for deeply who also happens to be your Winter Princess and the future mother to your king?”

“Well, Frey, if you put it like that it sounds positively dire,” Franka murmured through a small smile.

“I apologize. I didn’t mean it to sound dire. I meant it to sound disbelieving and snide,” Drakkar replied and Franka’s smile got bigger so she pulled in her lips and bit them to hide it, an effort that didn’t succeed just as she intended.

His mother’s already hard eyes grew harder. “I see, my son, you do not change.”

“I am a Drakkar,” he retorted. “This cannot be a surprise, especially considering the fact that you have exposed you have not changed as well as you expect payment at all much less the amount you do for aiding my efforts to do something as crucial, not only for our country but to my happiness, as keeping my wife alive.”

Valeria opened her mouth to speak but Aurora got there before her. “I see there are family issues here that are unlikely, even with a great deal of discourse, to be resolved at that present time.” Drakkar and Valeria looked to their queen as she went on. “Drakkar has expressed his gratitude verbally. I would like to express mine too and you will both receive a gift selected personally by your queen delivered to Valeria’s home on the morrow. You can rest assured, although not the worth of half the profits of a galleon filled with Lunwynian waters, you will not be disappointed as my gift will indicate just how grateful I feel that, for whatever reasons, you have come forward to aid my daughter, my country’s princess and the mother of our future king.”

Both women, with nothing for it, shut their mouths and inclined their heads to Aurora.

Yes, it was now certain. Drakkar quite liked his mother-in-law.

“Now,” Aurora began while standing, forcing both women to stand too, “my daughter soon will be home. She and Frey leave on the morrow and she and I have plans this afternoon to go skating in Ulfr Park. I’m keen to spend as much time with her as I can before I again lose her and Frey to their adventures so…” she trailed off, extending her hand to the door and Valeria and Franka took the hint and started moving that way.

Drakkar stayed where he was as Aurora guided them to and through the door then deposited them in a hovering servant’s hands with murmured words of farewell that he was not about to offer before moving back into the room, closing the door and coming directly to him.

And he knew he had her trust when she dropped her mask long enough to snap, “I am sorry if you find this offensive, my new son, but your family is repugnant.”

Drakkar bit back laughter before he replied, “I don’t, Aurora, find that the least offensive for it is unfortunately true.”

Her eyes held his, he saw hers light as her lips twitched then she regained control of her features and spoke on.

“Franka knows of the adela branch,” she noted.

“This is not surprising. As I told you and Atticus, The Finnie was detected, Baldur forced a confrontation and Broderick clearly put two and two together but either he, or more likely Phobin, was not smart enough to keep his mouth shut about it.”

Aurora nodded then she said softly, “I see their point, though it is stolen from Lunwyn and known to be sought after so they had to know, if they didn’t guard it closely, it would be detected and returned to its rightful land.” Her eyes on him grew intense. “But, Drakkar, I’ve known Broderick since he was born. He has far more of his mother in him than he does his father. He adores Finnie. He always has. I can’t imagine, even for power and coin –”

Drakkar cut her off. “He was soft with her during our conversation with him and her father and this appeared genuine.” Aurora nodded but Drakkar went on. “He was soft with her, Aurora, but I noted as did a number of my men that Phobin couldn’t take his eyes off her and we both know he was not admiring her beauty.” Aurora eyes flashed quickly before she nodded again. “And Phobin, it is told, has Broderick spellbound. He shows Prince Broderick one face, others an entirely different one.”

Aurora nodded again and whispered, “We should look into Phobin.”

Drakkar returned her nod and replied, “I will send a message to Balthazar.” Then he noted, “However, we may not need to concern ourselves with this. If Ludlum and especially Noctorno hear that Middleland is vulnerable –”

Aurora interrupted him. “Word from Bellebryn is that Noctorno has reconciled with his wife.”

Drakkar couldn’t stop his blink at this news for he knew Tor, very well, they were friends, he held him in high regard and Drakkar knew Tor detested his wife regardless of the fact she was destined for him, it was written in the sky at each of their births by the She-God of their land. They’d been married for some time, Drakkar was even at their wedding, and Tor’s wife was exceptionally beautiful but visibly cold and nothing about her manner would be something that attracted Tor. They had spent just enough time together to consummate the union and lived separate lives since with Tor not keen to change that.

“We were, as you may not have known,” Aurora continued, “scheduled to journey to Hawkvale for Prince Noctorno’s brother’s wedding but we had to cancel due to the situation with Finnie and then the imminent executions. We have heard since that, for reasons I do not know, that wedding has been postponed but in the meantime, Noctorno has reconciled with his wife and installed her in his castle in Bellebryn.”

“Interesting,” Drakkar muttered.

“Indeed,” Aurora replied. “And it is known he is actively working on siring an heir to Bellebryn and Hawkvale.”

Drakkar grinned and Aurora’s lips again twitched.

Then Drakkar’s grin faded and he asked, “Is it known if he is happy?”

She shook her head but said, “It is known that Princess Cora is much changed and she is the talk of Bellebryn and Hawkvale, enough for that talk to make it here. They are calling her Cora, the Gracious.”

Drakkar found that difficult to believe. She had been known as Cora, the Exquisite for her beauty. During his brief meeting with her at her wedding to his friend, however, she was far from gracious.

“So, I suppose the answer to your question is, yes,” Aurora carried on. “It is said he is greatly taken with her… finally.”

Drakkar nodded.

Aurora kept speaking. “It is also known that you are actively working on siring an heir.”

Drakkar’s grin came back but Aurora simply regarded him closely.

“Is there aught to report with that?” she asked.

“Not yet but soon, my queen, I hope Finnie and I will have good news.”

Her eyes softened and her lips tipped up before she shared on a whisper, “I watch her with your boy, Skylar. She will make a good mother, my new son.”

“Yes,” Drakkar stated, “she will.”

She lifted a hand and touched his arm lightly before dropping it and saying softly, “I await your good news.”

“And I look forward to imparting it,” Drakkar returned softly and at that, the door flew open and Finnie rushed in, cheeks flushed, eyes bright, smile firm on her face.

She skidded to a halt several steps in, shared her smile with both of them then her eyes fixed on her mother and she cried, “Let’s… go… skating!”

Bloody hell, his bride hadn’t even taken off her cloak from riding obstacles on her new horse and she was ready to go off on her next escapade.

He studied her bright eyes and pink cheeks, thinking, By the gods, I love this woman.

Then he crossed his arms on his chest and stated, “Before you’re off to break your ankle, wife, your husband will take a kiss.”

She moved to him swiftly, replying, “I’m not going to break my ankle, Frey.”

“Sprain it then,” he returned as she made it to him, curled her fingers around his forearm and leaned her body into his.

“Not that either,” she retorted.

“Gods, don’t give yourself delirium by falling on your head,” he implored and she giggled and got up on her toes.

“I’ll not be doing that either. I’m a good skater,” she informed him.

“And you’ve done this before?” he asked.

“Yes, twice, with my parents when I was young,” she answered.

“You’re not young anymore, Finnie,” he pointed out.

“Well, I’m not gray, blind, crippled and doddering, either,” she shot back and he grinned.

Then he murmured, “Kiss,” and bent his head to hers to assist her. She accepted his offer, pressing her mouth to his and opening hers before they touched tongues and when they did, Drakkar not only tasted her, he felt the beauty of her taste right down to his blood.

He lifted his head and whispered, “Have fun, wee one.”

She smiled up at him and whispered back, “I will, handsome husband. I always do.”

Yes, that was his wee Finnie, she always did.

Then she squeezed his arm, turned to her mother, wrapped her hands around her mother’s arm and guided her out of the room, their heads bent together.

Frey looked to Gunner, Max and Thad as they stood just outside the door and jerked his chin to them. They nodded and followed Finnie and Aurora.

Then he pulled in a deep breath, let it out and went to find Ruben who would procure a trusted messenger and send off to Balthazar with this latest news and further instruction.