Brenna’s face brightened. ‘That would be wonderful.’
Skadi returned her smile, but it felt tight and hollow. She prayed they would make it to the summer. Nothing was certain and she felt as if the Norns of fate were weaving her future to the beat of every hammered nail in Agnar’s new longship.
* * *
Another month passed.
No grain arrived from King Erik and the traders who visited became more infrequent as the winter smothered the land in snow and ice.
Until, one day, their greatest fear was spotted on the horizon, far earlier than they had expected. King Sven’s fleet had arrived, and in greater number than before.
It was close to Yule, but they’d decided against a midwinter celebration, as they could not feast when Thrudheim’s future and supplies were so uncertain.
A gloomy sense of foreboding had gathered around Thrudheim and it was almost with a sense of relief that their enemy revealed himself. The grain stores, despite rationing, would only last so long, especially without traders arriving regularly.
‘I am grateful for Sven’s impatience,’ said Agnar lightly, reflecting her own grim thoughts.
Skadi frowned at the dots on the horizon, her fur cloak wrapped tightly around her head and ears to keep out the chill. They stood on one of the wooden jetties from which the fleet of Thrudheim was ready to set sail. They had fewer ships than Sven, but every warrior was ready to fight for their home, whether it was the land of their birth, or if they’d arrived recently with Agnar, it didn’t matter. They would fight together.
‘Why would he attack us now and in the middle of winter! Surely he must realise the danger of doing so?’ she asked, worrying that they had missed some important detail in their preparations.
Agnar scowled at the distant ships, as they lowered their anchor stones into the mouth of their harbour. ‘He thinks to frighten us, to block our trade and starve us into submission. He doesn’t believe we will come out to fight him and, if we do, he believes he will win anyway.’
His words were confirmed when they received the first request to surrender and open their gates. Thrudheim responded by requesting a huge payment of taxes—as King Sven was squatting in their harbour without permission.
A sudden thought struck her and she smiled. ‘He doesn’t realise about the food from the flatlands or our other trade. He thinks we rely solely on selling him our ore. Heimdall was never interested in what trades and decisions I made for Thrudheim, only in raiding—and Oddmund went with him a lot of the time. Sven probably doesn’t even realise about my other income as I never bothered to sell to him.’
Agnar nodded. ‘That seems likely. Thinking back to Oddmund’s dealings with Sven, he could only send messages between the ore and grain. His communications would have been limited…’ He paused and caught her eye. ‘Heimdall wasn’t deliberately deceiving you with Sven… Yes, he married you under Sven’s orders, but I believe he thought he was doing the best for Thrudheim, it was probably why he ignored Sven’s requests to marry Astra. He couldn’t face betraying you for a second time.’
Skadi looked out at the ships.
Would she lose Agnar to the sea as well?
She sighed, ‘Heimdall wasn’t all bad. I am as much to blame as he was. I was desperate and lonely, but I never admitted it… Stupid, really.’
Agnar took her hand in his. ‘No, you did everything you could to protect your land and people. I never appreciated how daunting that must have been for you… I am truly sorry for that.’
A shout from a nearby guard drew their attention and they looked to the mountain. A beacon was lit, followed shortly after by another, and another. Until the entire ring of beacons that circled the island blazed to life. Skadi smiled. She had placed an effigy in every beacon, an offering to the gods in the hope that they would hear her prayers and protect Thrudheim’s battle for independence. She’d even soaked Rán’s effigy in oil to ensure it burned.
‘It is time to go.’ Agnar’s green eyes sparkled with excitement and her heart flooded with pride and affection.
They embraced each other, one final hug before he faced battle and left her. Agnar cupped her face in his hands and pressed a kiss against her lips. ‘I love you, my Queen,’ he said and it was as if he had said it a hundred times before because it came so easily from him.
‘What?’ she asked, half-afraid she had misheard him.
‘Has it not been obvious from the start?’ He chuckled and glanced away for a moment, his traitorous eyes going to theSeaQueen, which was almost ready to set sail. When they returned to her, he brushed a thumb against her cheek, and continued, ‘I have loved you for twenty years. I have loved you since I was a boy and first saw you put salt on bread and honey. I have loved you all through the years you were married to Heimdall—a man who never deserved you. I have loved you through loss and ambition. It is true that I always wanted power, but only so that I could be worthy of you, couldsaveyou from Sven. So that I could one day right the wrongs done to both of us and reclaim you as my—’
She frowned, interrupting him bad temperedly. ‘I thought I was nothing more than a puppet queen, blinded by pride and lust?’
He stroked a finger down her cheek. ‘You were and have always beenmy Queen. I had no right to judge you—this land is your birthright, not mine. My purpose is to love and serve you. Once I realised that, I fell in love with you all over again.’ He straightened his spine and declared, ‘I have decided to be happy. To let go of the past and love you.’
She knew she could not let him go now. Not without first telling him her true feelings.
‘I love you, too,’ she said, swallowing the nervousness of her confession and feeling as if her words were inadequate compared to his. ‘But only since…’ She paused, trying to think of the moment. ‘Probably the night of the thunderstorm?’
He laughed loudly, and she grabbed his cloak to get his attention and pull him close. ‘Please… Whatever you do…come back,’ she begged, her heart breaking at the mere thought that he might not.
He pulled a little away from her, a confused look upon his face.
