[act ii - burn the kingdoms down ] CHAPTER SEVENTEEN ( farewell to a husband )
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ONLY MONTHS AGO THEY WERE JOINED FOREVER AND NOW Althea stood at the bow of the boat, her husband's body lay in the middle. Surrounded by flowers, furs and his most prized possessions. He was dressed in his finest clothes, clothes fit for a king. Althea had not slept since he was killed. The rain slowly started to fall from the sky. The droplets small and scattered.
She just could not bring herself to sleep, she had studied every inch of his face, taking it all in. For one day she knew she would forget. One day she would forget the sound of his voice, the way his body felt against hers. The way he smelt was already fading from her grasp. But what she still did not know was that the gods would not let her forget.
Althea's eyes filled with tears as she placed the sword he had given her on their wedding day next to him. Her heart beat rapidly in her chest, wanting to break again. She placed one last kiss on his forehead before she stood up. Closing her eyes as her tears fell. No matter how hard she prayed to the gods she knew there was nothing she could do to bring him back. He was gone, he was drinking ale from curved horns in the great hall of Valhalla. Where he would wait for Althea to join him.
Her face had lost all color, she was almost as pale as her dead husband. Dark circles had appeared under her eyes and she had barely eaten. The day she lost Gunnar was the day she lost a part of herself. Everyone she had ever loved was gone, the only one who seemed to stay was Maximus. Her father, mother, and now husband were gone.
After today Althea decided to finally put all this behind her. She was done, pillaging and raiding, fighting for a cause that was not hers. They were supposed to leave today and now here she was standing at her husband's funeral. Her brows furrowed as she wondered how in the gods name was she supposed to raise a child without its father.
Althea placed a hand on her belly as she breathed in deeply. Her tears fell freely. The pain in her heart was a pain she had never truly felt. Yes, she had lost her mother but Althea never knew her. Her father just never returned so there was still a chance - a small chance but a chance nonetheless that he was still alive.
A hand was placed on Althea's shoulder, a small squeeze was given. Revna put everything she wished she could say in that squeeze. Revna wanted Althea to know that she was there for her no matter the time of day. When Althea said nothing Revna left to finish preparing to leave. A new life awaited her, while another withered away.
"Princess.." Maximus started but stopped himself. "We will leave when you are ready." Maximus said as he too walked away, his heart breaking at the loss of his friend and Prince.
Althea did not know how long she stood there but there she stayed knowing people had left long ago. She started at the man that lay in front of her. Just last night he was alive and well but now he was gone. Her mind could only replay the events that happened last night, a living nightmare. The sound of bones breaking was all that echoed in her ears. Althea shuddered as the sound kept repeating itself.
