“How did you know that?” She spits.
Thrain turns on her, swiftly and furious. “I have little birds everywhere, sweetheart. Get used to it!”
She does not cower, refusing to give him satisfaction. All she yearns for is to return to her Sigvid, to feel his arms around her body and know he is safe and alive.
“Let me make this perfectly plain to you. That,” Thrain points to her stomach, “belongs to me now. If Sigvid pumps you with enough seed that something catches, and you carry his welp, know this: I will beat you senseless. I will beat the child’s life out of your womb.” Thrain brushes his fingertips along her jawline.”
“I know last we spoke, I threatened the life of that crazy servant girlwho my brother thinks he can raise into a proper woman. Be advised her life is still in grave danger should you cross me, Avina. But I know my brother is careful, and his damned Drengr will protect Steinbjorn’s wretched protege. In her place, until the Solstice, I have another life on the line: my mother.”
“You’re a monster!” She spits.
Thrain backhands her so roughly that she collapses to the ground. Ceowald makes no move to reach out or help his only child.
“What man wouldn’t do everything to become King of Treland? Do you think she’s the first family member I have sacrificed to get here? You are a naive, pitiful child. Frida is moving into my house for the remainder of the season, as agreed upon with my brother. But, if you tell him you are anything but agreeable to this match, I will start the killings with Mother. She is far too fond of you anyway.”
“Why? Why do you care how your brother perceives the match? Why allow me to maintain a connection with Sigvid at all?” She demands, pushing herself to her feet as angry tears brim in her eyes. She will fight Thrain before allowing him to take her from Sigvid. She can not understand Thrain’s desperate need for the match to appear unified.
Thrain catches her chin, pulling her until his hot breath accosts her like a heavy cloud. “Because he commands the fucking army. And he has two hundred weapons pledged loyalty to him. And because, for some unholy reason, he cares for you.” He scoffs as if affection for her is a far-fetched concept. “Enough of this! I would wager that he would take me to war over you. Have no doubt I will have him slain before axes cross.”
Sigvid would go to war for me?
Her knees tremble at the thought of him in full battle armor charging the front to save her from Thrain's custody. Her mind hums and the world teeters under her feet.
Sigvid would go to war for me…
Rendel used to berate her for her unflattering appearance and tell her she was not worthy of being a Queen. Her father barely acknowledged her existence. No one seemed to notice Avina unless they needed to use her bloodline.
Everyone, that is, except Sigvid Thordsson.
Sigvid would go to war for me…
He cares for her enough to risk his life to keep her safe and protect her from harm.
Thrain releases his grasp rather roughly. “Get out of my sight.”
Avina does not need them to tell her twice, so she flees his home. She heads for the safety of the bustling Toftlund streets.
Since the announced engagement, Sigvid spent much of his days training new Drengr. He kept his promise to Thora and included the young girl in his practice. While she has grown close to Avina during her stay, she is now clipped and distant. It would seem Sigvid’s dour demeanor extended to his neice as well.
Sobs wreak her body as she trudges through the muddy streets. After some distance, she collapses into an alley atop a crate.
If I tell Sigvid the truth about the engagement, Thrain will kill him. If I keep this from him, then he will hate me forever. Salt needs him to be Prince Sigvid more than I need him to be my warrior.
She sits silently until the sun reaches the sky's peak, shining down through the darkened alleyway. When her mind can no longer process any more options for handling Thrain and her father, she clutches the edges of the crate, staring unblinkingly at the dirty ground.
Returning to Blackwood means confronting an empty, unwelcome inn. Grim stays in the same wing as Thora, even if he is often away. Frida is in the process of moving to Thrain’s house, leaving Avina entirely alone.
Considering her situation with Thrain, she wants nothing more than to bury herself in a hole and hide. Almost identical to the feelings that haunted her younger self in the Sapphire Palace. Only now, there is no future to look toward. No knight in shining armor to break down the doors of Thrain’s home and steal her away. Not unless she wants the knight to suffer a terrible fate.
She resigns to abandoning her solitude for the city streets. She muses as she passes the colorful storefronts promoting a range of products, from exotic fruits and vegetables of the islands to luxurious Pradacian gowns.
The Toftlund Meadery does halt her steps.
Between she, Frida, and Sigvid, much of the Blackwood supply of mead and wine depleted significantly. Also, she is confidentFrida left with several bottles, leaving Blackwood empty for the winter. Had Thrain not complicated matters between them, Sigvid would have likely offered to purchase more for Avina.
She jingles the leather pouch of coins he gave her a week ago to buy items in town. It is an honest mistake that she didn’t return the excessive. She decides her need to be intoxicated and forget about her lonely, miserable existence far outweighed the might of Sigvid being angry over a few coins.
After donning her hood, she pushes through the doors of the meadery to find it shoulder to shoulder. Staying in the back, she fiddles with her pack of gold, wondering if she can purchase more than one bottle.
