Mist & Moonlight

Chapter 20 | Into the Wild

The fire crackled softly in the clearing, casting flickering shadows across the darkened forest as Erik and Freydis settled down for the night. The stars glittered like scattered jewels above them, a vast and endless sky stretching beyond the treetops. The air was cool, but not cold, and the gentle rustle of leaves whispered in the breeze. It was peaceful in a way neither of them had known for far too long.

Freydis leaned against Erik, her head resting on his chest as they sat close by the fire, the warmth of his body and the crackling flames keeping the night's chill at bay. He wrapped an arm around her, pulling her closer, his fingers lightly tracing over her arm. The tension they had carried for so long, the constant worry and fear, seemed to melt away with each breath.

"It feels strange," Freydis murmured, breaking the quiet between them. Her eyes were fixed on the fire, the orange glow reflecting in their depths. "To be free from Jarl Arlick."

Erik pressed a kiss to the top of her head, his breath warm against her hair. "It does," he agreed softly. "Like we're finally able to breathe again."

They had been traveling for days, the journey back to Kattegat long and winding through forests and hills, but for the first time, they weren't looking over their shoulders. Jarl Arlick was dead. The danger that had once threatened to consume them had been extinguished. Out here, beneath the stars, with only each other, they had something they had fought so hard to reclaim: their freedom.

Freydis tilted her head up to look at Erik, her eyes softening as they met his. "I don't think I ever realized how heavy it all was until now," she whispered. "Being under Arlick's control, feeling like every moment I was waiting for something terrible to happen."

Erik's expression darkened slightly, but he nodded. He cupped her cheek, his thumb brushing gently against her skin. "But now we're free. No more chains, no more looking over our shoulders. Just us."

She smiled at his words, her heart swelling with the warmth of them. "Just us," she echoed. It felt so simple, so right—something she had longed for but feared would never come. Yet here they were, alive, together, and finally on the road towards home.

Freydis shifted, turning fully into Erik's embrace, and he tightened his hold on her, his lips finding hers in a soft, lingering kiss. The world seemed to fall away, the fire's crackle and the rustling trees fading into the background as their kiss deepened, full of the promise of the future they had fought so hard to claim. Erik's hand slid into her hair, and Freydis's fingers curled into the fabric of his tunic as she pressed closer, losing herself in the sensation of his touch, the warmth of his skin, and the steady, sure beat of his heart beneath her palm.

When they finally broke apart, their foreheads rested against one another, both of them breathing heavily but smiling. "This," Freydis whispered, her voice full of quiet wonder. "This is what I fought for. You."

Erik's lips brushed against her forehead, a smile tugging at his lips. "I'd fight a thousand battles if it meant having this—having you."

Freydis's heart swelled, and she leaned into him, her head resting against his shoulder as she let out a long, contented sigh. "No more battles for you," she teased.

Erik tightened his arm around her, his hand resting on her waist, fingers tracing small circles against her side.

The stars above seemed to twinkle brighter, as if the gods themselves were watching over them, bearing witness to the love and freedom they had earned. For the first time in a long time, Freydis felt at peace, her heart light and full of hope.

They lay down beside the fire, nestled together beneath the fur blankets they had brought, the night sky their only ceiling. Erik pulled her close, wrapping her in his arms, and Freydis snuggled into his chest, feeling the steady rise and fall of his breath, the warmth of his body anchoring her in the quiet wilderness.

"Do you ever think about what comes next?" Freydis asked, her voice barely above a whisper.

Erik's hand brushed through her hair as he thought for a moment. "Sometimes," he admitted. "But not in the way I used to. I'm not afraid of the future anymore. My future is with you."

Freydis smiled at his words, her eyes closing as she let herself drift in the comfort of his arms. "Together," she whispered, the word carrying with it all the promise and hope she had held on to through their trials. They were free now, and they had each other. That was all that mattered.

The fire crackled softly as the stars above twinkled in their endless dance. Freydis and Erik lay in each other's arms, their hearts full of love and the quiet joy of knowing they had escaped the shadow of Jarl Arlick. Out here, under the vast sky, they had nothing but each other, their freedom, and the promise of a new life waiting for them in Kattegat.

As sleep began to pull her under, Freydis pressed a final kiss to Erik's chest and whispered, "I love you."

Erik's lips pressed gently to the top of her head. "I love you too, Freydis."

And with that, they drifted into peaceful sleep, wrapped in the warmth of their love and the freedom they had fought so hard to claim.