Fantasyland 01 Wildest Dreams (57 page)

Frey and I followed and then we were in a
massive, elegant sitting room decorated in whites, creams and the
palest of pale yellows. There was a fireplace with an elaborately
carved exterior that was so big that I could lie inside with arms
stretched over my head and toes pointed and my fingertips nor toes
would touch the walls and I could surely stand in it without my
head brushing the top. An enormous fire roared there as well as
three space heaters having been dotted around the room, these made
of iron, like the ones in Frey’s cabin on
The Finnie
, except they were enameled in cream, they were
bigger and they were far more ornate. Between the heaters and the
fireplace the entire room was cozy warm.

People entered with us and Mother and
Father’s cloaks were taken by servants and Jocelyn and Bess had
followed me to take my wool cloak, hat and gloves. The gentleman
who took Atticus’s cloak waited beside Frey as he unstrapped the
one he didn’t need to ward off the chill and handed it to the
man.

“Coffee, please, and cakes,” Mother ordered,
her servant nodded then she went on, “Close the door as you
leave.”

I looked from a grinning Jocelyn and Bess
who heard this, their smiles faltered and then they started to back
out of the room and turned my eyes to Atticus and Aurora who both
appeared tense. Then I looked up at Frey who I felt had tensed at
my side. Then I felt his hand in the small of my back propelling me
toward the two sweep-lined, graceful sofas upholstered in pale
yellow damask that faced each other but ran perpendicular to the
fireplace and were separated by a low, gleaming eggshell lacquered
oval table.

“Is something amiss?” Frey asked quietly
after we heard the doors close.

“Please, sit,” Father muttered and I looked
back up to Frey who was studying my father.

Then he guided me to a sofa and we sat close
together, Frey’s arm around my shoulders pulling me even closer and
tucking me to his side. I leaned into him as he sat back and
crossed one booted ankle on the other knee and Mother and Father
sank into the sofa opposite us. But even close to my husband’s
solid warmth, my parents’ behavior was beginning to freak me
out.

“You’re anxious, Atticus,” Frey stated the
obvious, “and your unease is causing the same in my bride. Tell us
what’s happening.”

“You made haste from Sudvic,” Father replied
strangely and Frey nodded.

“Indeed,” he confirmed. “We docked just late
yesterday afternoon and rode swiftly, spending the night in
Dalehavre and leaving early. Finnie was keen to see her
parents.”

Father’s eyes moved to me so he could give
me a warm smile before they went back to Frey, the warmth fled and
he studied him a moment before he said, “We received word only this
morning from the messenger you sent ahead that you were to arrive
in Snowdon imminently. As you have actually arrived, I can see our
return messenger did not meet you.”

Frey’s body got tighter when he returned,
“We took the forest trails; they’re swifter.”

This was true. Frey, I was getting, didn’t
bother with roads. He was not a man to waste time that didn’t need
to be wasted and, unless there were sleighs involved, he always
took the more direct routes. And our journey didn’t involve
sleighs. Frey and my belongings would follow and likely not arrive
for hours if not take until the next morning. Though, Kell had
charge of the sleighs so, I figured, that man on land, anything
went.

“This is unfortunate,” Aurora murmured.

I felt Frey’s impatience mount and my
anxiety increased.

“Perhaps we can dispense with the mystery
and you can explain why,” Frey suggested in his way where it was
clear his suggestion was not a suggestion, as such.

Father looked Frey directly in the eyes and
he did it in a way where I could tell he was avoiding mine which,
obviously, made my anxiety increase even more.

Then he announced, “The executions commence
at nightfall.”

I blinked and Frey’s body went solid.

Then he muttered, “Bloody hell.”

“Executions?” I whispered and felt Aurora’s
eyes on me so I looked at her.

“The traitors, my dear,” she said softly.
“Berg Enger, Hernod Greig and Viola Milstrom. In your absence, they
were tried, found guilty and are sentenced to hang this eve.”

Oh
shit.

“Our messenger rode out to warn you this was
imminent and suggest you delay your arrival for a few days,” she
went on. “It is unfortunate he did not succeed in this task.”

Unfortunate was not exactly the word I’d
use. Still, I wasn’t quite certain why this was such dire news. Of
course, executions were dire news seeing as they were executions
but considering I wasn’t scheduled for the noose, I was a little
concerned why they were being so careful with me.

“You rode through the city, I assume?”
Atticus asked and to this, Frey grunted, “Of course,” which caused
Father to pull in a breath and let it out in his own curse of,
“Bloody hell.”

“What?” I asked but no one seemed to want to
answer, even Frey which I did not take as good. Mother and Father
were avoiding my eyes and when I glanced up at Frey I saw his jaw
was tight like he was clenching his teeth. So I repeated,
“What?”

Father finally looked at me and his face
went soft before he lowered the boom. “It is our responsibility, my
daughter, as sovereigns, to attend the executions of traitors to
the crown.”

It was my turn to suck in breath and go
solid as I stared at the king.

One could say this was not, in any way, the
next adventure I had hoped for. Shopping with Mother in a new city,
yes. Attending a play in one of the acclaimed theaters Snowdon had
that Frey told me about, certainly. Taking Gunner up on his offer
to teach me advanced maneuvers on a horse, definitely. And skating
on that pond in that park was one I’d just added.

Witnessing an execution, uh…
no.

“They conspired against the crown,” Mother
put in gently and my horrified eyes slid to her, “we wear those
crowns, Finnie, and every breath we take is a breath taken for
Lunwyn. They collaborated against you which means they collaborated
against their country. The crown survived and it is our duty to sit
and watch as a symbol of their failure and the strength of Lunwyn
as they hang.”

Oh God. I did not like this.

“If you had been away with your husband,
this would have been excuse for you not to attend,” Father stated
at this point, his eyes on Frey. “But you are now here and, as you
rode through the city, it is without doubt that news is spreading
like fire. With the people knowing Finnie is here, she will be
expected to attend, indeed, many will assume that she’s here just
in order to do so.”

Frey’s arm squeezed my shoulders as he
muttered, “Gods damn it.”

“There is more you must know,” Aurora said
quietly, Frey and I both got still again and the door opened, a
servant bustling forward with an ornate, silver coffee service,
exquisite china and a plate of beautifully decorated, delicious
looking petite fours which I would have tucked into without delay
at any other time but, obviously, not after I’d received the news
that I’d have to watch three people hung from their necks until
dead.

We all waited for the coffee and cakes to be
arranged on the table and the servant to move out of the room and
shut the door before Aurora leaned forward and started pouring at
the same time talking.

“In your absence, especially considering
that absence was just after a heinous plot unfolded that caused a
woman to lose her life rather gruesomely, and that woman was
supposed to be Finnie, talk has been sweeping all of Lunwyn.”

“What talk?” Frey asked and Aurora lifted
her eyes to him as she handed him a cup and saucer.

“You and Finnie,” she answered, went back to
pouring but said no more.

“Aurora,” Frey growled, clearly not happy to
need to prompt her.

She sighed then replied, “As you know,
Drakkar, it started with your wedding kiss then you dragging Finnie
away only to disappear for weeks. Then, your reappearance for the
Gales and your behavior there.” Her eyes moved to me as she started
listing examples. “Finnie greeting you with such open enthusiasm
after the hunt.” Her eyes moved back to Frey. “Your closeness at
the Gales. And you disappearing again after the attempt was made on
Finnie’s life, a clear indication you care deeply for her and will
not hesitate to ensure her safety. All of this, every moment you
both were together with an audience, was noted avidly and then
passed on to any ear that would hear it even more avidly.”

“It is not unheard of for such gossip to
spread about the royals,” Frey noted. “Indeed, it’s commonplace for
such talk.”

“You are correct,” she nodded and handed my
cup to me after pouring in a splash of milk. “But considering the
dramatics of assassination attempts and your forthrightness about
your regard for one another, this talk has become extreme.”

“Extreme how?” I asked and Mother handed
Atticus his coffee then turned back to pouring and answering.

“Minstrels sing of you, storytellers weave
tales, it is not just the talk that is sweeping the land. This is
all building to extremes, creating legend.”

Ho boy.

“I do not understand why this would cause
you both alarm,” Frey remarked. “This, too, is not unusual.”

Mother sat back with her coffee and Father
took it from there.

“You are correct, Drakkar,” he stated. “But
you are The Frey, The Drakkar and therefore revered. Your union
with Finnie heralds continued peace and prosperity for Lunwyn and
was already anticipated greatly. The fact that your match appears a
splendid one founded in deep affection has served in a short time
to romanticize your story to extremes. And…” he paused and held
Frey’s eyes, “it makes those who would conspire against you and
Finnie, not so much Lunwyn, but instead a love match that is
already, even after only a few short months of you being wed,
nearing legend, it makes them individuals that inspire more than
disgust and anger but extreme loathing.”

“The inns are full,” Aurora put in and I
looked to her. “Those citizens with empty rooms have let them out
and it is reported there is a large camp that has formed around the
gallows just outside Snowdon filled with people who have travelled
far but who could not find accommodation within the city.”

“Bloody hell,” Frey growled, taking his arm
from around me, his ankle from his knee and leaning forward to set
his cup and saucer down with a clatter.

“I don’t get it,” I said quietly and Father
looked to me.

“Executions are public, daughter,” he
replied just as quietly.

I stared at him as I got it.

“Ho boy,” I whispered.

“
Indeed,” Aurora stated, lifted her cup and
took a sip, her eyes on me over the rim. Then she dropped her hand
and kept hold of my gaze. “Your father has called in extra guard.
There are concerns that things will get out of hand. And, my dear,
you will be on display to a great number of people.” She hesitated
then went on gently as
she
lowered the boom. “It is estimated to be
thousands.”

Great.

Just great.

“Finnie won’t go,” Frey stated and both
Aurora and Atticus looked at him.

“I’m sorry, Drakkar, but she must go,”
Atticus replied.

Frey shook his head and returned, “Make an
announcement that she’s indisposed.”

“Unfortunately, when royal duty calls,
indisposed is not an excuse. She’s not missing a state breakfast or
a royal hunt but an execution of traitors,” Atticus said quietly,
his eyes came to me and he continued to speak quietly. “I’m sorry,
Finnie, but as princess of this land, future mother of the king and
the target of these plots, now that people know you’re here, you
will be expected to attend. There is no way around it. It is a show
of the strength of the crown.” As I held his gaze and held my
breath, he continued, “We had hoped to waylay you but since this
has not happened, it is your duty to attend.” He pulled in breath
and finished, “I’m so sorry, my daughter.”

I sat back, looked at the fire, took a sip
of my coffee and tried to pull my shit together.

Okay, well, I was princess now and maybe
forever. This was the gig. It was a shitty gig, but it was the gig.
Apparently being princess wasn’t all about beautiful palaces,
fantastic castles, shopping, archery lessons, wearing awesome
crowns and kickass underwear and being married to a hot guy who
named his ship after you. Apparently there were drawbacks.

And this was a big one.

Hells bells.

Aurora spoke and my eyes went to her as she
did. “You will need to be strong, my dear. If she were here, Sjofn
would not blink. You will need to look on, show strength and no
reaction.” She paused then her eyes got soft before she finished,
“It does not take long and we will soon be away.”

“Right,” I whispered, Frey’s arm again slid
around my shoulders and he pulled me into his side.

Then he somewhat changed the subject.

“Explain why Grieg is amongst today’s
condemned,” Frey demanded and I knew who Hernod Grieg was and Berg
Enger. Frey had filled me in.

Atticus’s eyes moved between Frey and me
swiftly, clearly catching on that Frey had shared before he asked,
“The messenger did not reach you in Hawkvale?” At Frey’s shaking
head, Father went on, “And, at your return, you did not received a
briefing?”

Frey kept shaking his head. “Ruben arrived
in Hawkvale with the news Grieg had been incarcerated and was being
interrogated but not tried and condemned. And, as I explained, we
made haste to Snowdon for Finnie wished to see you, news of this
did not reach us prior to our leaving The Vale and no one
met
The
Finnie
with a
report.”