She cleared her throat and tried to smile through her nerves. “Welcome to Verglas. I am Princess Rakel—sister of King Steinar. I have journeyed here to meet you on his behalf, as well as on behalf of this country. Is your leader, Twink, present?”
“Here, milady.” A stick of a woman stood. Though Rakel guessed she was probably the same age as Inga—the mother of one of Rakel’s ardent admirers, a little girl named Gerta—Twink’s face was lined with grief; her hands were thick with calluses, and everything from her hair to her bones seemed limp and underfed. She tottered for a moment, then folded in a clumsy bow. “Thank you for meeting us,” she said. She had a slight accent that Rakel couldn’t place.
“Torrens,” Phile whispered in her ear.
That’s on the other side of the continent!
Rakel forced her lips into a deeper smile—Phile was forever telling her that smiling made her less severe and a lot more likeable. “Of course. If you will forgive my brisk question, who are you, and what brings you to Verglas?”
Internally, Rakel scowled.Obviously they are fleeing here. Everyone knows that.But Oskar and Steinar insisted she ask the question anyway.
Twink clamped her arms to her side and looked at Rakel with eyes that were old with pain. “We are magic users from Torrens—though not all of us were born there. We heard of Verglas and its King, who is said to be a magic sympathizer. I thought—we thought—we might receive better treatment here.”
Rakel studied the refugees as she listened to Twink speak. Her eyes settled on a little boy who was probably Gerta and Kai’s age. She smiled at him. The little boy paled and hid behind a bony man.
She blinked and worked to keep a frown off her face.It has been some time since I last saw fear directed at me…
“I apologize,” Twink said. “Though we asked for you to come here…we journeyed here without expecting to see you. Whispers said you had fallen into a deep sleep, and no one thought you would ever wake. It was a surprise to learn, when we entered Verglas, that you are awake.”
Rakel relaxed. “Your ignorance is not shocking. I woke only a few months ago.” She hesitated, wondering how to delicately phrase the next question.
Luckily, Phile had no such scruples and willfully plunged into the conversation. “See here, Twink, you haven’t told us anything detailed. Torrens isn’t as bad as Sarthe—they don’t have the gladiator battles—but it does have slaves. That’s what you are, isn’t it? Runaway slaves?”
Twink looked back and forth between Rakel and Phile with some panic.
Rakel frowned at her friend. “Please allow me to belatedly introduce my companion, Phile Silver-Step, the Robber Maiden.”
Behind Rakel, Farrin moved. “Is she right?” he asked.
Twink flinched and took a step backwards. “I-we…” She looked back and forth like a cornered creature. Behind her, the refugees clustered together in fright.
Rakel’s heart twisted for them. “If you are, fear not. Verglas is already home to a number of magic users from the Chosen army who were in a similar situation.” Her voice was gentle and kind as she turned her gaze to Farrin.
Farrin did not relax, but when he met her gaze, he let his eyes soften and leaned closer to her.
Rakel kissed his cheek. Farrin, surprised by the public sign of affection, smiled briefly.
Twink watched the exchange, and tears filled her eyes. “It is true, then? That you have welcomed the troops of those who once attacked you?”
“It is.”
Twink fell to her knees, and the rest of the refugees followed suit. “Then we beg for your help, Snow Queen. We are indeed runaway slaves. We have nothing to our names, but if you let us stay, we will swear loyalty to you for the rest of our lives, and we will fight and die for you.”
Rakel paused for a moment, surprised by the action. Then she knelt in front of Twink and smiled. “That is a circumstance I would like to avoid if at all possible, but I will treasure your loyalty. Welcome to Verglas. May it be a home and a haven.”
Several of the refugees started weeping. Twink’s eyes glazed with tears, and her shoulders shook. “Thank you,” she whispered. “Thank you.”
That night,the Vatn villagers and Rakel’s guards chatted and laughed, swapping war stories and news while serving the refugees food.
The refugees watched with bugged eyes as Frodi—a fire magic user—casually kindled an open fire and spoke with Carl. Knut tried luring the two refugee children out of their shyness with maple snaps (maple-flavored candy), and Phile moved through the party, spreading ease and laughter wherever she went.
Rakel stood in the shadows and watched with an aching heart.The Torrens refugees look terrible. Was it because the journey was difficult, or are things that bad in other countries?She pushed the thought away and let herself dwell upon what had plagued her since receiving the refugees’ vow of loyalty.And why does it seem that every magic user believes their powers can only be used for battles?
Farrin left the fireside to come stand with her. “There is something troubling you.”
She smiled wanly. “A little.”
He was silent and waited for her to continue.
