Other than watering the horses for a few minutes, we don’t stop. We ride toward the castle, on alert for an ambush that never comes.
It’s too quiet.
It takes us two days instead of three, but with a few miles away, Emeline clucks her tongue and tugs on the reins. Her horse comes to a halt, and mine follows suit as I wonder why we have stopped. She dismounts and walks away.
I assume she needs space.
I know better than to crowd her, so once I dismount, I lead both horses to the stream.
Emeline keeps her back turned, arms folded, and she’s deep in thought. I wonder if her sixth sense has kicked in and she knows what Loki said. Emotions are high as things are up in the air.
I hate that this is how it ends, but I don’t regret a minute because if my death is Emeline’s freedom, then I embrace what comes.
“Our love has been nothing but a tragedy. How can two people who love one another so much constantly have the world against them? Perhaps the universe speaks, and we don’t listen.”
I understand her frustration, but we agreed that there is no other choice.
“Emeline, look at me.”
But she keeps her back turned.
My heart breaks knowing that our last moments on this earth are ones filled with sadness and regret.
“Love does not make sense. It’s not fair. And most times, all it does is hurt. But I do not regret a single thing because I had your love, and we have experienced so much. We have survived, hugrekki.
“Our love has survived. And it will withstand the test of time. Our love will be spoken about for generations to come because there is no other story of the Saxon princess who sacrificed everything for her beloved Viking.”
Emeline’s shoulders shudder, hinting that she is crying.
“Please do not cry because it is over…smile because we lived.”
I walk over to her, but a snap around my wrists has me turning over my shoulder to see Ulf standing behind me, chain in hand. He has snapped manacles around me, binding my wrists together.
Before I have a chance to ask what he’s doing, he punches me in the face.
“Have you gone mad?” I cry, shaking the fog from my brain.
He doesn’t reply and tosses the chain around my throat and leads me toward the closest tree.
I dig my fingers under the restraint, but it’s too late.
I’m not going anywhere.
He fastens me to the tree trunk, and because my hands are restrained, I am rendered helpless. Emeline walks over, her face heavy with sorrow.
“What have you done?” I ask her, attempting to break free.
“I’m not going to sit back and allow you to sacrifice yourself. Loki told me many moons ago that you leave us over and over again, until one day you will never return. Your heart is heavy, but you do this to save me.
“I never really understood what he meant, but now, I do.”
“Emeline, if this is the will of the gods, then so be it.”
She purses her lips. “Oh, fuck the gods.”
Both Ulf and I gasp, because speaking such disrespect does not go unpunished.
“I do not accept that. I only just got you back, and I will fight every god to keep you here.”
