FREYA
Bubbling excitement was gradually taking over the tight fear in Freyaâs chest as the moment got closer. Her friends helped her stay calm.
âThe dress is tighter around the torso than it had been, but nothing uncomfortable I hope?â Kestrel asked while checking the stitches.
âNo, I hadnât even noticed a difference. It feels the same to me,â Freya answered. But it did feel a bit different. Perhaps the addition of so much extra meat to her diet was filling her out.
âThe dress is lovely. Iâve never seen anything like it in my life,â Amaya said, looking at Kestrel with admiration.
Kestrel blushed furiously. âThank you. Itâs really important to get this right. Especially when working with Ragaâs armor,â Kestrel stopped talking at her last sentence as if the words were harmful.
And perhaps months ago the fact would have hurt. It might have burned Freya to know she was wearing Ragaâs armor while joining with the Vargar. Yet now, all she felt was pride. It filled her chest when she looked down and saw the polished metal around her midsection.
âWhere did you get her armor?â Freya asked. âI thought we left it behind in the move.â
âSomeone gave it to me for your dress.â She lowered her voice. âLook, I donât know if I was supposed to take out the knife, but I left it in. Here, itâs hidden. I thought, I donât know what I was thinking. But I thought you might need it.â
Freya could see what Kestrel was trying not to say. That she had thought Freya would need a knife to protect herself from the Vargar. More specifically, from her new mate. At least she had the sense to look embarrassed about it now.
âThank you,â Freya said. She put her fingers on the knife. She didnât expect to need it. Not against her new people, at least. But it helped her feel connected to her sister.
And there was the sound of someone rapping their fingers against the material of the tentâs entrance. All four women passed a glance between them.
It was time.
âThe last person to wear this was a Valkyrie who fought for her people,â she told Kestrel. âI also wear it to protect my people.â Freya ran her fingers gingerly over Ragaâs armor. âAnd I will be the one who wins this war.â With that she stepped out of the tent.
***
Outside the tent, the frigid air of the afternoon blew down from above. It wasnât strong enough to blow a strand of hair out of place, but it felt good. Some of the fire had made its way into Freyaâs body. Although she had already found herself in Cainâs arms, after this day, all the world would know that she belonged to him, just in the same way that he belonged to her.
He made her happy in a way nobody ever had.
Freyaâs steps quickened to get around the clusters of tents separating her from the party of Adaryn officials and Vargar who were all awaiting her arrival.
But when she saw her father waiting, Freya stopped in her tracks.
At the start of a makeshift aisle, her father stood in all the fine Adaryn regalia of a nobleman. Freya could see the sorrow he was attempting to hide.
There wasnât any time to think about why her traitor of a father looked sad now. Heâd seemed happy to hand her over to the wolves he had considered mounters. You didnât get to give your last living daughter to a beast willingly and then look at her with sadness.
Perhaps Lonan was sorry he had to be here.
Freya only stiffened her shoulders and raised her head higher as she walked closer to him. Her heart ached at the sight of him. Her mother was nowhere in sight, as to be expected with her condition.
The long tables that had been used nightly for feasting in the camp had been separated into separate sides, split down the middle with a narrow aisle.
To the right were all the Vargar warriors. At the left were all of the Adaryn nobles who had made the trip.
Freya was disappointed in her kind. Their party was small. This ceremony was important for their shared history. The fear they harbored of the Vargar was still too strong for them to feel comfortable.
The end of the aisle had the Hawke Aurelian and Vistra Fargrim standing side by side. It was part of her peopleâs ways that the ceremony was witnessed and administrated by the rulers of both sides. Freya couldnât help but grit her teeth at the sight of the Adaryn king, but it also relieved her to know that Aurik Aurelian was nowhere in sight.
It was bad enough for her that King Aurelian was here flaunting his own gilded wings. Freya still harbored some resentment toward those who had so easily plotted to raise up her family name only so they had a noble girl to give away. Would they at least let her father keep his noble title, or would they take it away the moment he did something they didnât like?
Itâs not like the Vargar would hear about it, if they took his title away. The Vargar didnât really care about titles. Their people chose to follow their leaders because they wanted to, not because their leaders made them.
It didnât matter to Cain that Freya had been born into a family of no title. Sheâd told him everything.
The wolf-mother on the right side was the picture of fierce beauty, opposite the poised and shimmering king. Her deep-red hair had been set in row upon row of intricate braids and weaved with thin strands of black lace. It matched the near pitch black she was adorned in from head to toe.
But what caught Freyaâs eye was Cain standing tall and proud as he waited for her.
Cain Fargrim was dressed immaculately in deep-black layers, accented by a thick black coat of furs around his shoulders. The sight of his dangerous red eyes devouring Freya took her breath away. She was rocked on her feet at the feeling overwhelming her.
Freya was in love with Cain.
Lonan took Freyaâs elbow in his hand and began to lead her down that thin path to her future. She was barely aware of her father. She would leave her past hurts behind and let the future with Cain be at the forefront of her mind with each step closer.
Each step took her closer to the most spectacular man she would ever know.
No matter how much fear the Adaryn nobles to her right held in her eyes while looking at the heir to the Vargar throne, Freya didnât care. Being afraid of the Vargar was for the birds.
At the end of the aisle, Freya nearly shook her fatherâs hand free of her arm so she could step into the awaiting arms of Cain.
It wasnât tradition for the couple to embrace. But the two couldnât stop themselves from finding warmth and comfort in each other in any moment they possibly could.
Cain had such a deep adoration in his eyes as he looked down and admired the petite Adaryn woman standing before him.
She could see that he recognized she was wearing her sisterâs armor.
They broke their embrace to begin the ceremony. Talking about this moment and actually experiencing this event were so different. Freya was so nervous and excited, and she knew Cain was, too.
King Aurelian removed several strands of silks and woven rope from a podium between him and Vistra. With the strands in hand he motioned for Freya and Cain to join their hands.
âThese ropes signify the love, strength, loyalty, and future peace that we will be moving forward into. With bright days ahead of us, we have to place all of our hope for the future on these two standing before us. Cain Fargrim and Freya Mourning will be the pioneers of two races ending a terrible past and bringing forth serenity and peace that we need to build up brighter days to come. With all the power in me, I now officiate this alliance.â The king poured a flagon of water over the tied-together hands, followed by a handful of soft earth. âMay the Adaryn and Vargar finally know peace.â His hollow voice rang out over the crowd.
Vistra stepped forward to take his place. âI would like to introduce you to Cain and Freya Fargrim. Our future!â And as she raised her voice to shout to the crowd, the entire party in attendance of this event rose from their seats and cheered.
Both Adaryn and Vargar rose tall to cheer and shout in their excitement for this historic moment.
But their noise drowned away for Freya as she was swept up in Cainâs arms. He lifted her up with ease, letting the ropes connecting them fall away so he could hold her with all his might. They both put all of their emotion into the passionate kiss that followed. Even if a kiss wasnât a part of the ceremony, Freya didnât care.
All the Adaryn once cheering stood in near shock to see Freya delight in the arms of the massive wolf man. She had no doubt rumor had spread from the last Adaryn visit. Let them stare at her. Freya was glad to be with Cain. She didnât care if the nobles were offended.
âCain, I love you,â she said, letting the words tumble past her lips with wild abandon.
Cain took Freyaâs mouth in a world-dominating kiss.
âOh, by the moon, Freya I love you too,â Cain growled into Freyaâs ear as he kissed his way around her neck and chin.
She only giggled in response as he carried her back in the direction of their tent. Soon, they would be going home.