“With your new bride in tow?” Fiske asks, arching a brow.
“If I must,” I grunt.
He shakes his head just as Hagen shouts again, this time calling out my name. Lifting my head, I look over my brother’s shoulder and see him standing there, my wife in his grasp, her eyes closed and her body limp in his arms.
“She will not wake.”
Swiftly walking past Fiske, I jerk my chin at Hagen. “Put her in my bed,” I shout as I make my way toward my room.
I ignore the looks of Sylvi and Oili who witnessed me having her taken from that exact bed, naked, just hours ago. I feel as though I am not mentally stable when it comes to Liv. She makes my head feel foggy.
Selfishly, I want to keep her with me always. As the konungr of my people, I cannot afford to be selfish and this woman holds powers. The prophecy states that she will be the most powerful person when it is fulfilled with her sisters at her side.
I don’t know what any of the prophecy means, for me, for her, and especially for my people and my land. I cannot afford to put my entire country in danger. If that means that I must not only bind her to me, but also keep her away from everyone and locked away, then that is what I’ll do.
Opening my bedroom door, I stand to the side while Hagen carries her over to the furs and gently sets her down. “Water and wine, now,” Runa demands.
Turning my head, I yell out Runa’s order. Sylvi is already in front of me with a tray, before I can even get the last word of my demand out. Dipping my chin, I step to the side and allow her entrance.
“Is she okay?” she asks, after setting the tray down on a small table near the bedside.
“I don’t know,” I mutter.
“You’ll tell me why you did what you did this morning?” she asks, though it’s not much of a question as it is a gentle demand.
Sylvi knows that she cannot demand anything of me, but I realize that she would like to know what is happening around her own home.
“Liv was sent to me by the gods. She holds magic that she cannot control. I must admit, it is not something that I am comfortable with having around my people and especially my family.”
Sylvi shakes her head, lifting her gaze to meet my own. “Aaric,” she says, her voice sounding disappointed. “She is your wife. This is not right, for you to have done what you did. How will the people see this? She was dragged from your bed naked and screaming the day after you wed. Nobody will respect her.”
I close my eyes, slowly. Sylvi is of course correct in the words that she speaks, however it does not matter. Not only has it already been done, but it was for good reason and maybe a bit because I panicked. Liv simply cannot control herself.
I hear a caw and lift my gaze to my window. There sits a Gnu, the sparrow hawk. I watch as it tilts his head to the side, the blood-red beast of a bird watches over Liv. It does not move, his intent beady eyes only for my bride.
“Aaric,” Sylvi whispers.
I grunt, lifting my hand and waving it slightly. The gods watch over my woman, most importantly, Ostus’ spirit animal watches over her. The God of Weather sent his spirit animal to watch over her and that sends a chill throughout my entire body.
“The gods watch over her,” I rasp.
“You will treat your bride better?” Sylvi asks.
Pressing my lips together, my eyes flick to the side. She’s watching me, her lips curved up into a grin. I shake my head once. “I will do whatever needs to be done to protect you and our people, nothing more and nothing less.”
“My heart aches for you, Aaric. For you are a brave warrior and a good man. You should have the bride of your heart’s choice,” she says.
Without another word, she turns from me and walks away. When she’s completely out of the room, only then does my gaze shift back to my wife. “I do have the bride of my heart’s choice,” I whisper to myself.
Silently, I watch as Runa and the seeress stay at Liv’s side to attend her. Gunnar and Hagen quietly lean against the wall of my bedroom, watching and waiting, along with the damned Gnu.
“You know…” Gunnar begins.
“Do I want to know?” I ask.
He chuckles. “Possibly not. However, I am going to tell you anyway.”
I snort. “This I do know about you, frændi.”
There’s a moment of silence before Gunnar begins to speak. “Your dróttning’s powers could be very useful. A woman who can control the seas when we travel on raids? When we’re in enemy waters? Think about that, Aaric.”
“She will be with child soon.”
“Will she?” Hagen asks. “You do not want anything to do with her, correct?”
“I’ll have the völva see to it,” I snap.
Runa turns her head, her eyes narrowing on me. “You will not, my Konungr,” she grinds out.
Arching a brow, I cross my arms over my chest and tilt my head to the side. “I believe as your konungr, that you will do what I command, will you not?”
She sighs, pushing off of the bed as she turns to face me. “Normally, you would be correct, but not in this case,” she says.
“Why is this?” I demand.
“You know why, but I will explain it anyway. Liv was sent by the gods, from another world. I do not know how her body would react to that kind of magic. I do not know what that would do to the prophecy. You two must be in love for this prophecy to be fulfilled.”
“I do not believe love could happen between us, not ever, as I can never trust her.”
Runa shakes her head a couple of times, then looks back over her shoulder before she brings her attention back to meet my own. Her eyes are dark, they’re glittering and dancing and I take a step back, unsure of what she is about to do or say.
“You will never have love if you do not open yourself, Aaric. I cannot place a spell on either of you to trust and fall in love with one another. I cannot go against the fates and the gods, not ever.”
Liv moans, which ends our conversation. I rush to her side, but I do not sit down. The seeress is rubbing a cool wet cloth across her forehead. The Gnu squawks, then hops around so that its back is to me before his wings expand and he flies away.
“That was a spirit animal,” Hagen needlessly points out.
“I know,” I grunt.
“She truly was sent and is watched over by the gods,” he rasps.
“I know,” I snap.
“Aaric,” Liv’s sweet voice says.
Leaning down slightly, I reach for her hand, clasping it in mine and being careful not to grip her too tightly. I watch as her eyes flutter open, the green orbs focus on me and then her lip curls in what appears to be disgust.
“Get the fuck away from me please,” she says, her voice sounding sweet, but the words are sour.
Without a word, I drop her hand, turn my back to her and walk away. I order Hagen to stay at her side, but Gunnar follows me. Fiske is no longer waiting for me, and for that I am glad.
“I need spirits,” I bark, not looking back at Gunnar. He chuckles, then together we walk to the öl bær.
LIV
Looking around, my gaze flicks from Runa, Hillevi, then to Hagen who is glowering at me from his place against the wall. I don’t know what happened, but I feel like complete shit. Then, there’s the fact that I woke up with Aaric looking far too beautiful and concerned and that pissed me off. He has no right—none.