Mist & Moonlight

Chapter 12 | A Silent Ally

Freydis crept silently through the darkened hall of the longhouse, her steps measured to avoid the creaking floorboards. The flickering glow of the hearth barely reached the shadows where she moved, hugging the wall to conceal herself from any prying eyes. She was almost to her chamber when a hand shot out, gripping her wrist with a strength that made her gasp.

"Where have you been?" Jarl Arlick's voice was a low growl, his fingers biting into her skin as he dragged her closer. His dark eyes glinted with suspicion, and the lines of his face hardened in the dim light.

Freydis winced, her heart racing as she tried to wrench free from his grasp. "I—"

"She was with me," came a voice from the other end of the hall. Freydis turned to see Princess Sigrid emerging from the shadows, her expression calm and unperturbed. The young princess approached with an air of authority, her pale blue gown whispering against the floor. "I asked her to deliver a message to the royal messenger on my behalf. It was urgent."

Arlick's brow furrowed as he turned his gaze to Sigrid, his grip on Freydis loosening only slightly. "And you couldn't send one of the servants?"

Sigrid raised her chin, meeting his scrutiny without flinching. "No. This required discretion, and I trusted Freydis to ensure it was handled with the utmost care. Or do you doubt my judgment, my lord?"

The challenge in her tone was unmistakable, and it took only a moment for Jarl Arlick to release Freydis's wrist, though his displeasure was evident in the curl of his lip. "Next time, princess, let me know when you have my pregnant wife running errands in the middle of the night," he said, his tone cold. He gave Freydis one last hard look before turning and retreating to his quarters.

Freydis rubbed her wrist, the skin reddened and throbbing where he had held her. She waited until the sound of his footsteps faded before turning to Sigrid. "Why did you do that?" she whispered, her voice edged with wariness.

Sigrid gave a small shrug, though there was a heaviness in her gaze that belied the casualness of the gesture. "Because you needed help," she said quietly. "And if someone had helped my mother when she needed it, she might still be alive."

Freydis's breath caught at the words, the simple truth of them cutting through her defenses. In the months she had lived in Ekkila she had heard whispers of the mystery surrounding the death of Sigrid's mother, the late queen. Whispers of illness, or even poison, but no one spoke openly of it.

"I—I don't know what to say," Freydis managed, her throat tight with a sudden wave of gratitude and shame. She had not expected kindness from the princess, who had every reason to despise her as Jarl Arlick's future wife.

"You don't have to say anything," Sigrid replied, her voice soft. "Just...be careful. If Arlick suspects you're hiding something, it won't matter what I say."

Freydis nodded, swallowing hard. "Thank you, Sigrid. Truly." She hesitated, then added, "If you ever need anything from me—"

"I'll keep that in mind," Sigrid interrupted, a faint smile touching her lips. "For now, go. Rest. The night is still long."

Freydis gave a quick nod and slipped away to her chamber, her wrist still aching but her spirit lighter. She would owe Sigrid a debt, one she would not forget. The princess had offered her a lifeline when no one else would have dared, and that made her more than an ally. It made her a friend, whether Freydis had expected it or not.