Page 7 of Her Ivory Flame

“Alyra Adair,princessof the Valkyrie at your service.”

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The next morning was harder for her than she anticipated. She got little sleep between the anxiety from leaving and the nightmare she was subjected to almost every night. Last night seemed worse than usual, which seemed odd with Silas there.

She watched the sun rise through the trees outside her window as she lay in bed, Silas's arm draped around her waist in quiet, platonic comfort. It wasn't the first time they had sought solace in each other's presence, but cuddling had always beenthe extent of it.

She took a deep breath and pulled herself out of his arms and started towards her small dresser to pack what little belongings she had. Hearing Silas stir, she looked over her shoulder to find him propped up on his elbow staring at her.

“I know this is hard for you,” he whispered softly.

“The world thinks I’m dead, and I liked it that way. Now when I return, my life will be buried in political battles and grotesque courting attempts to gain control of my kingdom. Neither are things which I want to be a part of, but it seems I have no choice if I want there to be a life after this war.” She shut her last drawer and picked up her now half full bag of clothes and moved towards her cedar chest.

“The political stuff is going to be hard, I won’t lie to you about how bad things are going to be with Emris so on edge. The courting though, you can make it very clear you are uninterested if that is how you feel.” Silas spoke as he moved to stand next to the bed. “Your mother ruled your kingdom alone for a long time, I don’t see a reason you couldn’t.”

“Well, it will be easy since I’m the only one left.” She shrugged.

Her father had passed away a few decades before the war on a trip to the capital to sign the peace treaty between Emris and the Valkyrie. She was told the Inn he was staying in burned down and no one survived.

It shattered her family, her mother completely lost for years until Mavros started to become a threat. After that, her people became her priority, even over her own daughter.

“I’m sure we can figure something out once you get your powers back.” He walked past her and smirked before placing a soft kiss on the side of her head. “One step at a time.”

He walked out of the room, his bag of clothes still out by the front door and she let out another long breath while placing the last of her armor in the bag.

Victor and Elias’s faces crossed her mind once more and she knew they were the driving force behind her decision. She tried not to make friends for this very reason, but there were more people like them throughout the world that needed protecting. If she was the only way to do that, then she needed to at least try.

Silas was digging through his things by the front door and she knew they needed to leave quickly. Stripping her cotton clothes off, she replaced them with her leather bodysuit and started to add her thicker leather protective plates on her vulnerable areas. She had shoulder pads and gauntlets that covered her forearm and the top of her hands.

Her legs were adorned with leather straps that wrapped around her thighs, with two blades for each leg secured to the side of them.

Lastly, she had a corset she buckled around herself and put on her leather cloak for the finishing touch. If they were traveling, shewanted to be ready in case there was an attack or any trouble found them.

Silas came around the corner and stood in the doorway just as she was strapping Ljós to her hip next to her bearded axe, his eyes scanning her from head to toe.

“Wow.” His eyes widened a little. “You look ready to fight if needed.”

“That’s the point.” She smirked.

“Should I even ask how many daggers you have on you?”

“No, I’ll let that be a surprise if it comes to needing them.” She grabbed her bag and she walked by him playfully shoving his shoulder.

“Always so mysterious, my lady.” He chuckled and turned to follow her.

She stopped in the kitchen and grabbed some dried meat out of her cabinet to bring along with them for the trip. It was a four days’ ride, and that was if the Hydra wasn’t flooded from the spring rainstorms.

“I'll go get the horses ready,” Silas sounded behind her and she heard him go through the door a few seconds later.

Taking a really long deep breath, she glanced around at the little house she had called home all this time. In reality, she would never come back here no matter how badly she wanted to. From now on, she was going to be in the spotlight in the political agenda, but she could still wish.

Placing her bag on her shoulder she walked out of the house and gently closed the door behind her for the last time.

Her eyes found Silas stuffing the last of his belongings into the saddlebag on the large black horse, the grey mare next to him already saddled for her.

She walked across the small yard and secured her bag on the back of the mare, mounting up in the saddle a short time later. It had been a long time since she had ridden a horse, but she would get used to it after a short time.

Her hooded cloak was secured around her neck, sword strapped to her side under it as she adjusted herself in the saddle. If they were lucky, she would get to the castle unseen and undisturbed. If word got out that she was alive before they reached the capital, they would have a lot of damage control to deal with.