A Queen Named Victory

Chapter Twelve

 I caressed the wrapped loaf that Ennie gifted before Grendel used his cursed magical powers to change their memories. I initially envisioned myself in Ennie's life, enjoying a warm meal in good spirits after a busy day with my siblings.

It was a dream far from my reach.

"I take it I'll have to issue an all-female personal guard to keep you safe from your mischievous nature," Grendel said without taking his eyes off his organized parchments displaying detailed maps and critical trading ports marked for reference. I plopped down on a chair beside his desk.

"Or you can disregard your stupid veil rule and let me do as I please. I'm supposed to be safe in your empire now that you have your full powers, aren't I?" He did not bite my bait. "Our marriage will not last for long anyway, so why follow those useless rules?" I added.

"What makes you say that?" Grendel peered from the recent reports listing expected crops for the summer season.

As much as he may not have liked a contract with King Deinoth, he had no choice. Montver's shift from being a war-heavy nation reliant on the bounties of raids to an agricultural kingdom was still too unstable to maintain with his magic alone. He needed fertile crops—which he could not get within the mountain regardless of the spells he crafted to mimic the outside world. He tipped back in his chair, eyeing me for a detailed answer.

I carelessly shrugged.

"I believe some songbirds lace their tales with truth, especially when they think their conversations are safe from prying ears."

He leaned closer to me, then spoke, "Tell me more about those songbirds. I'll wring their necks for singing blasphemous songs in my castle."

"That's unnecessary." I inched farther from him but still lowering the bait. "But I can offer you a solution to your problem with King Deinoth."

" You might win my heart if you keep striking your deals," Grendel warned as he shortened the distance. I held my ground despite almost touching shoulders. Did he always have tiny freckles on his cheeks?

"Drop the act," I muttered after clearing my throat and mind. "This is an exchange of goods. Nothing more."

He twirled a white lock of hair around his finger while he listened to my proposal. The tiny village in Geriset sat atop a hidden gemstone. Miles of fertile soil went untouched due to lacking population and disinterest from outsiders. Farmers perfected their agricultural techniques on a small scale. However, they lacked people to maintain large crops and defend their territory from further skirmishes. Luckily, raiders ignored the tiny inland village surrounded by thick forestry and opted for bigger towns with easier access along the coastline. Strengthening our defenses there—along with integrating Dimikyrian immigrants into the already diminishing settlers—supplied Grendel the food sources he needed to transform Montver into a self-dependent agricultural nation.

Montver would then become invincible.

Their warmongering culture produced mighty citizens from all classes. From wealthy nobles to humble farmers, every Montverian knew hand-to-hand combat. Toddlers played with wooden swords or daggers, and women mastered self-defense before they married. A Montverian stronghold in Geriset created the perfect barrier from potential raiders.

"Geriset and Montver will both be untouchable," I finished in one short breath.

Grendel earnestly considered the strengths of my plans. He must have been familiar with the idea of using the land beyond the mountain. At least, that was the original assumption I told myself to explain his interest in me from the beginning. King Deinoth, the reigning monarch of Tolkniat, mastered agricultural magic. Surprisingly, not all Dimikyrians were the ruthless monsters my people feared. The easterners across the Ckryion sea revered Dimikyrians as fertility spirits who bring abundance and bountiful crops.

"And what about the Frost Fairy kingdom?" he said curiously with a curl still clinging to his finger. A faint haze shimmered near the roots of his hair. Untrained eyes would have missed his illusion. Without thinking, I reached my hand out to break the glimmer. His hand gripped my wrist, pulling me closer to him.

"How can I concentrate when you insist on catching my attention like that?"

"How can I think when you have glimmer magic on your hair?" I countered. He flinched when I pulled a strand of hair from behind his pointed ears.

"Consider that my revenge for using my hair to hold your sword."

Grendel's hair was colorless at the roots and a cloudy pale at the middle to the tip. The hairs still attached to his head varied in intensity. It stayed a constant shade of moss-green during the brief exchange. Our shared moment would not have been as awkward if I had not lost my balance and fell on top of him. His body heat set my skin ablaze. He smelled of burning pinewood with the slightest hints of Saxifraga flowers.

"No, no. That position was quite fine," he said with a smirk while I moved farther from him.

"Oh, fuck off," I grumbled and landed a light slap on his stalky shoulders. "Back to what I was saying before your magic distracted me, the frost fairies will not be a problem."

Geriset barely bordered the peace land set by both nations after their sixty-year war. Technically, Geriset and Dovre both remained under his authority. I waited for a response at the farthest end of the room, away from Grendel's teasing eyes and embrace.

"Correct me if I am wrong, but it seems to me that your siblings are content with their place within the mountain. Are you sure they'd accept being uprooted a second time?"

I feigned confidence when I answered, "I'll cross that bridge when I get there."

Ulf would not have a problem as long as he had a warm meal (preferably roasted pork or chicken) in his belly every evening. On the other hand, Ingrid and my grandmother may be the hardest to convince. I've learned plenty of royal vocabulary to draft a fake decree and play it off as Grendel's order, but that was my least favorable method. For now, I secretly prayed my sister would be the first to yield on the matter.

"I have two more requests," I added.

"More?" Grendel raised an eyebrow and motioned for me to continue my list of desires.

"From this day forward, you will include me in all court processions. I also want full control of my authority concerning marriage approvals and arrangements."

"That's fine." He eagerly leaned on his desk, clasping his hands. "Now, let's discuss what I get in return."

"What, my body?" I taunted with a dismissive wave. What more did he need from me? If anything, he should be satisfied with my information about Geriset on its own.

"No. Well, yes, only if you want to. I will gladly indulge you with my husbandly commitments. But no, that is not exactly what I want in return," Grendel rattled as I watched him in wonder. Why the hell did I fear this man? Is he the same Dimikyr that snatched me from my home?

I stifled my laugh with my hand and said tartly, "Get to the point."

"We must be unified in the presence of any audience. You can hate me as much as you want behind closed doors, but we have a reputation to uphold." He made a valid request.

A united front helped us both, although I was unsure why he needed me when he already held a comfortable position among his people. He did not have to win over the nobles or combat nasty rumors about his marriage. Either way, I agreed to the idea of total unity and occasionally doting on one another in public. Elluis and Birtea were going to choke on their words. I'll make sure of it. Grendel's second request was more confusing than his first.

"Every full moon?" I repeated dramatically.

"Yes."

"Alone, just the two of us? But why?"

"Because I have yet to win your heart."