Wildest Dreams

Chapter Eleven

The Measure of a Man

I leaned forward, grinning, and pulled the pile of coin to me. Then I settled myself back in my husband’s lap, grabbed my horn of ale and took a big drink.

“I’m certain our Winter Princess deals from the bottom of the deck,” Laurel grumbled then his eyes shot around me to Frey who was one-handing the cards, his long fingers expertly sorting them into a pile while his other arm stayed wrapped around me and Laurel clarified hurriedly, “No offense, Drakkar.”

“Why would I be offended when it is clear my bride cheats?” Frey noted and I whipped my head around to glare at him.

We were in town, currently at the pub, having come into town for Frey to send a messenger off to my parents to tell them we would be heading back and would return to Fyngaard in less than three days time.

He’d also taken me around so I could visit with the people I’d come to know, let them know we were leaving and give them my good-byes. This kind of sucked because good-byes always kind of sucked. But also, since I liked them, they liked me, they were surprised we were going, disappointed I was going and told me they would be glad when we returned, it sucked more because I didn’t know if I would.

Then we’d gone to the pub, eaten a dinner of bowls of thick, rich, tasty beef stroganoff that had an abundance of flavorful, succulent mushrooms and was served on a bed of herbed noodles that was not only delicious but also I was happy I didn’t have to slave away at an iron, wood-burning stove in order to put in front of us.

And now we were drinking ale with Laurel, Ulysses, Frederick and two of Frey’s huge, well-built men, Thaddeus and Ruben. All of these men had wandered in while Frey and I were enjoying an after dinner ale and all of whom had been invited to join us at our table.

Thaddeus was younger than Frey, my guess, by at least five years, maybe more (not that I knew how old Frey was, I figured that was something the other Sjofn would know and I hadn’t figured out how to cleverly ascertain this information without out and out asking). Thaddeus was slightly less tall than Frey and Ruben and powerfully built but he didn’t have the bulk of either man. He had blond hair, blue eyes and was really cute in a boy next door kinda gone wrong sort of way. Ruben was Frey’s age, maybe slightly younger, or perhaps slightly older, I couldn’t really tell (Frey’s natural air of authority was putting me off, he seemed older but looked younger) and he was a mountain of chocolate muscle with friendly, black eyes and an easy grin.

And, to fit us all around the table, considering Frey, Thaddeus and Ruben would have trouble just the three of them fitting their big bulk and long legs around a table, necessitated me sitting in my husband’s lap.

Or, at least, this was what Frey told me.

I did not quibble because I didn’t mind. I was working on my fourth horn of ale, the beer in that world was strong and flavorful, Frey was right when he said I fit in his lap (I did, perfectly), it was comfortable, his body was warm against mine and I was having the time of my life, playing cards, gabbing and gaming with my friends and my husband’s.

Until, of course, right then.

“I do not cheat!” I snapped.

“Wife, you’ve taken the last three hands, lost one and took the two before,” Frey spoke the truth; I’d been having totally awesome luck all night. “I should point out, my wee one, that if you’re going to cheat, you shouldn’t make it so obvious by winning every hand. People will suspect,” he finished helpfully.

“I am not cheating,” I returned heatedly.

And, really, I wasn’t! I didn’t even know how.

Frey grinned, obviously not only oblivious to cold and heat but also oblivious to heat directed at him from me.

“She deals from the bottom of the deck, I, too, am certain,” Thaddeus put in, his tone teasing, his eyes, I saw when mine shot to him, smiling. “I have not seen it, but I’ve lost enough coin to her I know it to be true.”

“Well, I haven’t dealt every hand, have I, Thaddeus?” I asked.

“Perhaps she hides cards in her cleavage?” Ruben suggested, brows raised, eyes twinkling.

That did it.

Clearly, I was being ganged up on.

I gave Ruben a squinty look then called loudly, “Lindy!” and craned my neck to find my friend.

“Yes, Princess Finnie,” Lindy called back from somewhere behind Frey.

I twisted my torso to him but peered around his frame and shouted at Lindy, “Six horns of beer here, fill them to the rim. I’ll be making a point by dumping them over heads once they get here and I want to be certain my point is well made!”

I yelled this across the room and Lindy grinned at me then shook her head and put some horns on the table she was at giving the appearance she thought I was kidding when I was not.

“I didn’t say you were cheating, your grace,” Frederick pointed out and I turned back around.

“Nor did I,” Ulysses stated, smiling at me.

“Okay, well, this is true so you two can drink your horns when they come,” I allowed.

“Obliged,” Frederick muttered, grinning at Frey.

Then I felt Frey’s lips at my ear where I heard him whisper, “Pour a horn of ale over my head, wee wife, I’ll be forced to go back to the springs and it won’t be me who’ll be soaping it off.”

When he was done, I turned my head, caught his eye and asked, “Are you trying to talk me out of pouring ale on you, husband?” Then I leaned in close and shared on a grin, “Because if you are, you’re failing.”

He smiled, it was lazy and heated and I felt it in a variety of places, all of them good.

I smiled back.

Then, noting my short-lived pique was way over, Frey unwrapped his arm from around me and leaned toward the table to shuffle the cards. I took another sip of ale and caught Thaddeus’s eyes on me, or, from what it seemed, me and Frey. When he noticed my gaze, I smiled at him even though he looked pensive in his study of us. When he saw my smile, his thoughtful look disappeared, he resumed his usual cheerful one and he lifted his chin slightly to me and winked.

I had long since decided that Thaddeus was a good guy. So was Ruben. They were funny and their gentle ribbing was cute, in a brotherly way and I’d never had a brother so I liked it. In fact, I liked them. And I was glad to know them before I got on a ship with them. It would be good to know more than Frey when I started that part of my adventure.

Once he’d dealt the cards, Frey sat back with his new hand and I set my horn on the table and reached out to collect mine.

I twisted my body so Frey nor Ruben, who sat on my other side, could see mine as I turned the cards to face me, fanning them out in one hand and lifting the other to arrange them as I needed. I’d moved two cards before what I had in my hand registered.

Then I stared at it.

We were playing tuble and in my hand I had a two of diamonds, a three of stars, a four of moons, a five of daggers, a sorceress card and a ghost card, the highest hand you could be dealt. It was akin to a royal flush and like a royal flush, virtually impossible to be dealt one on the first round of cards.

I looked at my hand then I looked at my husband’s profile to see his attention seemed devoted to his own but I knew he was completely and totally full of it.

I also knew he was one hell of a cheat.

Therefore, I burst out laughing, slapped the cards on the table and fell forward so my forehead was on my cards. I kept laughing so hard my body was shaking with it and I added my fist banging on the table for good measure.

“How much ale has she had?” I heard Thaddeus mutter and I shot up straight and turned over my hand for all to see then twisted to my husband.

“You,” I poked him in the chest, “are the cheat!” I declared, still giggling into Frey’s smiling face.

It was then, Frey informed me, “You should probably know, my wee Finnie, that Ruben, Thaddeus, Frederick and Ulysses have been dealing you excessively good hands on purpose. The only one not essentially giving you his coin is Laurel.”

My eyes got wide and I swung around to look at the men at the table.

“No,” I whispered, Thaddeus winked at me again, Ruben grinned slowly and Frederick and Ulysses were smiling flat out.

“Why didn’t anyone tell me?” Laurel asked, pushing slightly back in his chair and looking around at the men, his expression disgruntled at being left out.

“Because you’re unskilled at stacking a deck, Laurel.” Ulysses pointed out. “The last time you tried, Gerard broke your arm.”

“Yes, well, that was cheating to win coin for me, this is different and our Winter Princess obviously would never notice,” Laurel returned.

“She’d notice when you dropped the cards on the floor or pulled them out of your cuff, just like everyone notices when you drop the cards on the floor or pull them out of your cuff,” Frederick stated then looked at me. “He’s very bad at trickery, your grace.”

Laurel’s torso shot back in clear affront, his mouth opening to deliver his retort but I got there before him.

“I should hope so and you all should be ashamed,” I declared only to see slow blinks and eyebrow raises all around, all filled with mild shock, even Laurel.

I thought this was strange until Frey’s mouth came to my ear where he said quietly, “It’s the measure of a man, Finnie, how good he cheats. No game is played without trickery. It is the man who can best cheat who wins not only the game but the respect of his opponents. Many complain during the game of being swindled while they themselves are swindling. Others keep aloof and let the cards speak for themselves. And if you’re bad enough and get caught, you may catch something else, like a challenger’s ire. It’s all part of the game.” Then he paused a moment before saying, “I’m sure you know that.”

My body jolted slightly and I whispered my lie, “Of course, I was just trying to be funny.”

“Of course,” Frey mumbled, sounding like he was suffocating a chuckle and his mouth went away from my ear.

I took in the table seeing all the men were still looking at me and I shifted my rear in Frey’s lap as I hurried to cover what was clearly a gaffe. “Obviously, you don’t know that princesses, being princesses, and thus royal, are taught to be fair and trustworthy in all endeavors,” I lied through my teeth. “Therefore I’ve never been taught to cheat. It would reflect badly on the House of Wilde.” I smiled at the group even as I felt and heard Frey lose his fight against his chuckle, something I chose to ignore. “So now you’ll need to teach me.”

“Excellent,” Ruben muttered, grinning at Frey.

“You need look no further than the man at your back, my princess,” Thaddeus stated and my eyes went to him. “Frey has the quickest fingers I’ve seen. You married the master card sharp. I’ve played many a game of tuble or meerkin with Frey and never won a single hand he dealt nor could I ever make out how he does it, bottom dealing, false shuffles, stacking –”

Ruben cut him off to say, “How about all of those and add culling, center deal, second dealing and slight of hand.”

“The Drakkar can’t do them all,” Laurel breathed, his eyes huge. “Not without detection. No one can.”

“By the gods, he can,” Ruben told Laurel, tipping his head to Frey. “Though I’ve never seen it, I know it to be true.”

“If you’ve never seen it, how do you know it to be true?” Thaddeus asked Ruben.

“Because I have never lost a hand to him and I am a far better cheat than you,” Ruben returned, bragging shamelessly about cheating.

“Then why did I walk away with the entire contents of your purse two nights ago?” Thaddeus shot back.

“Because when you’ve had much ale, you never give up, you keep at it no matter how drawn your purse, you won’t let a man leave a table until yours is gone or his is gone and I had a wench waiting for me whose company I preferred to yours. It was either risk standing from the table and you pulling your blade, and I didn’t feel like drawing your blood or dragging your carcass home and dressing your wound, or let you have my purse so I could get to my warm, soft bed and my warmer, softer wench,” Ruben replied.

Oh dear, I wasn’t sure but those seemed like fighting words to me.

Thaddeus’s eyes narrowed and his body got visibly tight. “That is simply not bloody true.”

Ho boy. There it was. They were definitely fighting words.

“If it’s not, then why did I win back my purse and half of yours last night?” Ruben returned what I thought was a fair point.

Thaddeus’s mouth got tight and he granted the point but changed the direction of the burgeoning argument. “Even full in my cups, you could never draw my blood.”

Ruben sat back, a bright, white smile on his face, he leveled his gaze on his friend and challenged, “Care to consume a bottle of whisky and test that belief?”

“Wench! Whisky!” Thaddeus accepted instantly, shouting yet not taking his eyes from Ruben.

Laurel, Frederick and Ulysses inched their chairs back from the table.

I didn’t move a muscle and stared in fascination.

Frey threw his cards face down on the table and muttered, “I think this is my cue to get my bride home.”

Then he stood, lifting me up with him and setting me on my feet. When I was standing, I turned to him and laid my hand lightly on his abs, my neck bent way back to catch his eyes.

At my touch, he bent his neck way down and he gave me his gaze then I whispered, “Shouldn’t you do something about that?” Then I jerked my head at the macho Raider stare down still in process at the table.

Frey answered immediately. “Thad could drink two bottles of whisky while still consuming ale and not be full in his cups. If Ruben waits for Thad to get arsed, it will be a long night. And if Ruben has the patience for Thad to fall full in his cups and Thad’s fool enough to challenge, his blade work will indeed be shoddy and Ruben will have his blood.” My eyes got big and Frey kept talking. “Don’t worry, wee one, Ruben will be certain to stick him so he makes his point but doesn’t do damage because he knows we set sail in two weeks and he doesn’t want to court a knife fight with me, which is what he’ll get if he sticks one of my men badly enough to lay him up prior to a voyage.”

I blinked up at him but said no words.

Frey leaned in so his face was close to mine. “This will not happen, Finnie. And it won’t happen because that warm, soft wench is still in Ruben’s bed waiting for him. There is no chance he’ll sit around here waiting for Thad to get tossed. We won’t be halfway home before he’ll be at his cottage just down the street, joining his woman.”

I knew this was true mainly because of the confident way Frey relayed this information. It was clear he knew his men, he read the situation and there was no cause for alarm.

“All righty then,” I whispered and he grinned.

Then he lifted a hand to the side of my neck and gave me a squeeze before he urged softly, “Bid farewell to your friends and let us get away home.”

I nodded, suddenly liking the idea (very much) of “getting away home” with my husband. That meant making out (or better) so I accepted the cloak Frey threw over my shoulders and fastened it at my neck as I moved to Ulysses, Frederick and Laurel to give them all hugs and cheek kisses, thanking them for teaching me tuble and spending time with me.

“Until you return, your grace,” Frederick said on a squeeze during our hug.

“It was a pleasure, Winter Princess,” Laurel muttered, holding onto my upper arms and smiling at me.

“Honored to do it and will be honored when we do it again, Princess Finnie,” Ulysses murmured in my ear while proving his arms were indeed very strong for he squeezed the breath right out of me.

When I pulled away, I smiled into his eyes and wondered if I’d be back this way before I went home. Then I looked through the three of them and hoped I would. I didn’t know them well, just like everyone I’d said farewell to that day in the village, but everything I knew I liked so it would be cool to know more.

Frey came around the table and claimed me and I called good-byes and see-you-laters to Thaddeus and Ruben as I yanked on my gloves. Thaddeus grunted his good-bye, still clearly peeved. Ruben smiled at me and gave a good-bye flick of his hand, still not peeved at all.

I wrapped the fingers of both my hands around Frey’s bicep (or kinda did, they didn’t get anywhere near going all the way around) and leaned into him as he led us out of the pub and down the snow covered ground toward where Tyr was waiting.

“So,” I started, “do you really know how to bottom deal, stack the deck, false shuffle and all of that?”

“Yes,” Frey answered and my head snapped back to look up at him.

“Really?” I asked.

He looked down at me and grinned. “Yes.”

“Will you teach me?”

Without hesitation, he repeated, “Yes.”

“Awesome,” I breathed, his grin became a smile through which he chuckled and then he disengaged my hands from his arm when he moved it to slide around my shoulders and pull me to his body.

I slid both my arms around his middle and walked semi-sideways as I pressed my cheek to his chest.

It had been a good day, a good night and it had been six good weeks (mostly).

And it kept getting better.

I sighed as Tyr came into view wondering how much better tonight might get (and hoping it got a whole lot better) then my step stuttered when I felt Frey’s body suddenly get tight at my side.

Then, in a flash, he flung me away from him. I went flying and landed against Tyr who had shifted quickly to the side in a way that it seemed like he was breaking my fall.

But even as I reeled, I saw it.

I saw.

I saw.

Lightning fast, Frey’s hand went to his knife on his belt, his knees bent and his arm swung overhanded, launching the knife down the walk.

And I saw that knife lodge right in a man’s throat.

I stared at the man as he fell backward, hands lifting to his neck, blood spurting from the knife and rushing down to stain his sweater but I sensed more movement, looked back and saw Frey had his other knife out, a man was approaching him, blade drawn. Frey’s hand snaked out and wrapped around the man’s wrist that was holding the knife. Frey whirled him and yanked him back against his body and, without hesitation, on another hideous gush of blood, Frey sliced open his throat.

Saliva filled my mouth as the air hollowed out of my lungs and I pressed back hard against Tyr.

Then I heard running footsteps and saw another flying knife as Thad went down to a knee and released one in what appeared to be my direction. My heard jerked around to see a man who had been rounding Tyr and nearing me drop to his knees, Thad’s knife in the side of his neck.

Then I whirled immediately the other way as I heard scuffling feet and I saw Ruben had hold of yet another man, one arm wrapped around the man’s chest, pinning him to Ruben, Ruben holding his own knife close to the man’s throat. The man in Ruben’s hold was pressing back to get away from the knife and grunting with the effort even as his feet shuffled underneath him but only his toes were touching the snow because Ruben held him off the ground.

I stood frozen, every inch of me, including my mind and my lungs… but not my heart.

My heart was hammering painfully in my chest.

Tyr was pressing his bulk against my back which was a good because if he didn’t, there was a good chance I would pass out.

“We saw them follow you out of the pub,” Thad explained, striding forward casually and bending over to yank the knife out of the not quite dead man lying in the snow not three feet away from me. And when he did, the man’s body jerked as he made a horrid gurgling noise and a new flood of blood poured out of the wound.

Another surge of saliva filled my mouth at the sight but Thad completely ignored him as he straightened and turned to Frey.

“They’ve had eyes on you and Princess Finnie all night,” Ruben put in.

“Felt them, saw them, not skilled, unwise but interesting,” Frey muttered distractedly then jerked his chin at Ruben. “Find out what he knows and I’ll want to know everything he says the minute you break him.” Ruben grinned in a very scary way that told an equally frightening tale about the new activities he’d be engaged in that night, activities he appeared to be anticipating with great relish but Frey was already looking to Thad. “Go to the constable, explain. Go to the men, I want four at the cabin on patrol outside. All night. Do it now but not in that order. Finnie and I are away home. Tell the men we leave for Fyngaard at dawn, we’ll need a guard. And send someone to the king.”

Thad nodded, turned and disappeared in the shadows.

Ruben was already yanking the still struggling man away and he too disappeared in the shadows.

I stood still frozen but my head swiveled woodenly to the side as Frey walked calmly to the dead man to collect his knife, putting his boot to the base of his neck to do so.

He sheathed it after wiping the blood off by stabbing it twice into the snow.

I swallowed back a sudden surge of vomit and my head got light.

Tyr whinnied and suddenly I was caught in Frey’s strong arm. He mounted his steed at the same time dragging me with him. Then I stared blankly ahead of me as Frey touched his heels to Tyr’s flanks and we took off at a full gallop.

Frey held me close with his arm around me, his torso pressed into my back so we were both leaning over Tyr as we cleared the town and the darkness of the forest which was shot by the bright gray of moonlight on snow surrounded us.

My husband just killed two men.

Right in front of me.

And one of his men killed a man.

Right beside me.

And they didn’t pause, check for pulses, call police or anything.

And they were good at killing. Very good. Remarkably skilled. Unbelievably. They wasted no time, they didn’t hesitate, they didn’t blink and they didn’t even get winded or break a sweat.

They’d done it before. Often.

I started trembling but not with the cold that bit at my cheeks and ears.

It was fear. Pure fear the like I’d never felt in my life.

I closed my eyes tight and my trembling tore through me deeper, turning to shakes.

Frey felt it.

“Wee Finnie, it’s all right,” Frey whispered in my ear, “you’re safe, my winter bride.”

I opened my eyes for two reasons. One, because I saw the remembered and probably never to be forgotten vision of the man’s body jump and his blood flood when Thad unceremoniously yanked his knife out of his neck and two, because I didn’t feel safe.

Not at all.

What I did feel safe was saying that Frey definitely had enemies. Four men had come at him.

Four.

And he’d dispatched them without a thought and left them dead or dying in the snow of a sweet, quiet, winter village that had two awesome waterwheels and he did this without a second glance.

Oh God.

At a gallop and using Frey’s shortcut, we were home in five minutes. Frey took Tyr right to the door, dismounted the minute Tyr came to a stop and hauled me off the horse. He held my hand as he guided me to and through the front door but used my hand to position my back against the wall right at its side.

“Stay here, wee one,” he muttered then I watched blankly as he moved about the room, the bathroom space, he climbed to the loft and down again then moved through the kitchen, out through the backdoor then back through the kitchen.

Then he came to me.

I automatically tipped my head back when he got close and I stood there stupidly as his big hand curled around the side of my neck and his mouth came to my forehead for a light touch.

Then his eyes caught mine.

“I need to stall Tyr and my men will be here soon. I’ll need to speak with them when they arrive. Feed the fires, wee one, I’ll meet you in our bed.”

Then before I could open my mouth to make a noise, he was gone.

I stood against the wall staring into the room. Then I lifted my hands and saw they were shaking, even in the weak light of the dying fires I saw them shaking.

Shaking so bad it was out-of-control.

I closed my eyes tight for a moment before I opened them and wandered to the fire, stoking and feeding it then putting the grate to and turning to the other one. Once finished with the second one, I fed a few logs to the kitchen stove then I took off my boots and, still clothed, I climbed to the loft and fed the fire up there too. Then I lay down on the bed, over the covers, back to the railing and pulled a pillow to my chest and held it tight.

Faster than I would have expected, I heard the front door open and close meaning Frey had come back and my body tensed.

I didn’t know what to do, what to think.

This world might have elves, animals that could talk to you and trees that had glitter bark but it also had men who could take a life without hesitation and without even the barest hint of remorse.

And my husband was one of them.

Thinking of the Frey who had been mine for the last three days, my only thought was, how could that be?

Thinking of the Frey I had first met when I came to this world, I knew the answer.

I felt his presence hit the loft then I felt it hit the bed.

Then I heard his voice come at me softly, “Finnie, you’ve not changed.”

And that was when I felt his light touch pulling my hair off my shoulder.

So that was when I moved, swiftly rolling away from him and gaining my knees, I shuffled back to the end of the bed, pillow still held tight to my chest.

“I don’t… don’t…” I shook my head, “I don’t think I want you touching me, Frey.”

He was on his knees too, but settled back on his heels, and his eyes were on me.

He studied me for a moment before, still speaking softly, he asked, “What’s this, wee one?”

I didn’t delay in replying. “You killed two men tonight.”

He moved as if to come toward me and I shuffled back another foot, my feet clearing the edge of the bed and he stopped so I did too.

“Finnie –”

“You didn’t blink,” I cut him off. “You didn’t… you didn’t…” I shook my head and my throat clogged so I swallowed and whispered, “You didn’t even blink.”

“Wife –”

“No,” I shook my head again, then closed my eyes tight and looked away before opening them and looking back, “No. I… I don’t know what you’ve done to get enemies like that but I can guess, considering you killed them without hesitation and then rode away while their warm blood still melted the snow, and, I can’t say… I can’t even think… I don’t know… I don’t know but I don’t think I want anything to do with a life like that.”

“Finnie, come here,” he ordered, extending an arm to me.

“No,” I shook my head, “no way, Frey. I’m sorry but no freaking way.”

“Finnie, come here,” he repeated and I shook my head. He dropped his hand but held my eyes and said gently, “My winter bride, those weren’t my enemies.”

“And whose were they?” I fired back. “Thad’s?”

“No,” he replied carefully, “yours.”

My mouth dropped open and I felt my eyes get wide.

Then I breathed, “What?”

“Come here,” he ordered quietly.

I stayed still and unmoving.

“Love, come here.”

“They’re… they’re…” I stared in his face, “they’re mine?”

Oh God. If that was true, Sjofn totally left a lot out of her note. A lot.

“Fin –” he started but that was when I lost it.

And I lost it by throwing down the pillow and shrieking, “What did I do to make enemies who would come at me with knives?”

I barely got out the last word when Frey moved, his arm darting out, fingers wrapping around my wrist, he yanked me so I fell forward then he shifted, whipping an arm around my waist and one down my legs to haul them out in front of me, my bottom swung out, I landed in his lap and his arms were around me before I could even twitch.

I twisted to face him, my head tipping back and I whispered, “Frey, I –”

“You have been sharing my bed for five nights now, that’s what you’ve been doing, my Winter Princess,” Frey finished for me and I blinked up at him. “And your uncle and, perhaps, spies from dozens of different Houses would know this.”

I blinked again and whispered with confusion, “My uncle?”

“As far as he knows, and now I know he is watching, though he nor any of the others have approached the cabin, I would know this but even if they have, they cannot see through walls, but as far as they know what we’ve been doing in this bed could conceive a child. And he, nor any of them, wishes us to conceive a child. I was afraid someone would attempt something like this and if it is as I suspect and it is your uncle who has done this then he has, as usual, made his play and shown his hand without delay.”

I stared at Frey.

Then it hit me.

My Uncle Baldur, who stood to inherit Lunwyn upon my father’s death, wanted me dead before I could birth a child to succeed the throne.

Oh my God.

“Oh my God,” I whispered.

“I see you have some understanding of this,” Frey muttered and I focused on his face to see his eyes alert and very focused on mine.

“He’s not a good man,” I guessed.

“No, Finnie, you speak kind but you do not speak true. He is instead the worst type of man, no honor, filled with greed; he is selfish, grasping, avaricious and underhanded.”

Sjofn had written, My uncle is not like my father or grandfather and it is imperative that our beautiful land not pass into his hands…

I turned my face away and whispered, “Oh my God.”

“Look at me, my wee one,” Frey demanded gently and my eyes returned to his. “Those were assassins. Not good ones. It is my guess your uncle wishes you dead and tonight he declared his intent to see to that. Even if it is not him, obviously, someone else wishes this so.”

“Oh God.” I was still whispering and I was again trembling, it was again violently and, try as I might, (and I was trying) I couldn’t seem to stop it.

Frey gathered me closer and when he’d achieved that, he held on tight.

“Listen to me, Finnie, concentrate on me,” he urged and I nodded, staring in his eyes as he kept holding me tight. “I will not allow you to be harmed, my men won’t and your father’s men won’t.” His arms gave me a tight squeeze. “You will not be harmed, love. I’ll not allow it. If it is your uncle, I don’t know why he announced his intentions in this way for those men were not skilled. But I will find out and we will deal with this, your father and I. In the meantime, you will never be harmed; you will not even be touched. I promise you that.” I kept staring at him and said nothing so he whispered, “Do you believe me?”

“I’ve never seen a man die, Frey,” I whispered back and he closed his eyes.

Then he opened them and said softly, “Yes you have, Finnie. Remember when our engagement was announced? An attempt was made on your life then. You dispatched the assassin yourself at the steps of your Winter Palace.” His arms gave me a squeeze. “Remember?”

I stared into his green-brown eyes, stunned at this news, news Sjofn should have shared with me, all of this news Sjofn should have totally fucking shared with me way the fuck before we even made our deal but even as this freaked me out, scared me to death and pissed me right the fuck off, I found it in myself to answer quietly, “Oh yeah, right. It was… unpleasant so I blocked it out.”

He nodded before saying, “Because of that, my wee one, I’m sorry you saw that tonight. If it were to happen again, my men and I will do our best to shield you from seeing it so you experience no further…” his eyes held mine before he finished, “unpleasantness.”

“That would be good,” I replied softly.

His lips tipped up slightly before they moved in to kiss my forehead.

When he moved back, I asked, “Is that how you knew this was going to happen, I mean, if an attempt was made before?”

He shook his head but said, “I do not know how your uncle’s mind works and do not wish to know. What I do know is that I would not put anything passed him. Though, that said, I will admit to being surprised if he has made this decision or anyone has done so if it is not Baldur. When the last assassin was dispatched, an assassin neither my men nor your father’s could successfully trace back to your uncle, or anyone, your uncle declared outrage at this action and we had to pretend we believed his indignation on behalf of his niece. But both your father and I publicly promised retribution should another attempt be made and we both vowed to ride in war against anyone if their motives were political should they actually succeed.”

I felt my body tense and I breathed, “Succeed?”

His arms gave me a squeeze. “This will not happen, Finnie.”

“But, what if it –”

Another squeeze then, “It will not happen, my love.”

“I know, but what if –”

His face dipped close to mine and his voice was quiet but low and fierce when he said, “It will not for you will never be far from my side. It is a measure of a man, my wife, how he cheats in cards. And it is a measure of a man, any man, be he married to a pub wench or a princess, how he cares for his bride. I am a Drakkar, my measure is different than any man’s and there are many facets to that but one of them explains why I turn away without a thought from those whose lifeblood seeps into the snow, those who moved with intent to harm my bride and I won’t think of them, ever. I will only turn my mind to how I can best care for my bride and that now includes undermining any threat that may loom for you and I vow to you, my princess, if it means my own life, this will not happen.”

I stared into his eyes. Then I whispered, “Okay,” because really, what else could I do? He sounded pretty freaking serious.

His eyes shifted from serious to soft and then they smiled.

Then he repeated, “Okay.”

I sucked in an unsteady breath.

Then I said, “Though, um… just to say, if you’re going to vow to keep me safe I’d kinda like you to vow to keep you safe too.” His soft eyes started to warm and I rushed on, “You know, because… well, who’ll chop the wood and lug it into the house if you’re assassinated or something?”

The soft warmth of his eyes took on another smile and he muttered, “My wife does not like carrying wood.”

“It isn’t my favorite chore,” I admitted. “My time is better spent baking pies.”

The smile reached his mouth before he murmured, “Then I best stay around to do it.”

“I’d appreciate that.”

He moved his head and brushed his nose against mine.

Then he whispered, “Then I’ll vow to keep me safe too…” he paused, “so I can be around to chop wood.”

“And lug it in the house,” I added.

“And lug it in the house,” he agreed.

I stared into his eyes, so beautiful, so close and felt his arms, so strong, so tight, and felt his body, so big, so powerful, all of it making me feel so… very… safe and the trembling stopped.

Then I slid my face to the side and tucked it in his neck as I slid my arms around his body and held on tight.

I felt Frey tip his head so his lips where at my ear when he asked, “Are you all right now, my wee Finnie?”

“No, not really but give me a minute and I’ll get there.”

He kissed my neck.

That made me feel better.

Then he held me and I held on until I felt totally better. Or, at least, better enough to change into my nightgown.

Then I whispered, “I’m good now Frey. I need to go change for bed.”

“All right, Finnie,” he agreed, his arms loosening, “hurry.”

I pulled away, looked at him, gave him a small smile then leaned in to give him a quick lip touch.

Then I moved away and hurried.

I was back in bed, held tight to my husband’s side, cradling his thigh in less than five minutes.

It took me a lot longer to find sleep.

But eventually I did it.

* * * * *

“Frey?” I called.

“I’m here,” he whispered, his arm around my back giving me a squeeze, “you’re trembling again, wife.”

“Bad dream.”

He rolled into me and both his strong arms went around me.

“Hold on,” he ordered gently and my arm already around him tightened.

He held me and I tried to find sleep.

I couldn’t so I called, “Frey?”

“I’m here.”

I hesitated.

Then I said so quietly, I wondered if he heard me, “You were so good at it.”

He heard me, his arms got tighter but he said nothing.

“You’ve had lots of practice, haven’t you?” I asked.

“Sleep, wife,” he said on a squeeze.

Yep, he had lots of practice killing people.

Ho boy.

“Just tell me one thing,” I said softly. “Were they bad guys?”

He didn’t say anything for a moment then I heard his head shift on the pillow and with his lips against the top of my hair, he whispered, “Most of them.”

Oh God.

“No enemy is all bad, Finnie,” he told me gently. “They’re just the enemy.”

I nodded my head on the pillow for this was undoubtedly true.

Frey kept talking. “But the men tonight were paid to kill a newlywed man and his wife,” his arms gave me a squeeze, “I lose no sleep for them and you shouldn’t either.”

“But you were awake,” I pointed out.

“Yes, I was, because my wee wife trembles against me in her sleep,” he informed me.

God, that was sweet.

“Sorry, Frey,” I whispered.

“Do not be sorry, be drowsy,” he ordered.

I smiled and pressed closer to my husband.

Then I whispered, “Thanks for saving my life.”

He didn’t answer.

He just gave me another tight squeeze.