The wind from the fjord was sharp and cold, whipping Freydis's cloak around her as she stood at the cliff's edge. Below, the ships waited, sails furled, ready to take Erik and Leif to war. The sky above was the pale gray of a winter morning, heavy with unspoken words.
Freydis watched Erik secure his sword at his belt, her heart aching with the knowledge that he was leaving again. This time, the goodbye felt heavier—because she knew what waited for him beyond the horizon. And she knew, deep down, that he might not return.
"I thought we'd have more time," Freydis whispered, her arms wrapping around herself.
"So did I." Erik's voice was low, rough with regret. He took a step closer to her, brushing a strand of windblown hair from her face. His hand lingered on her cheek, warm against her cold skin. "But Leif needs me. Kattegat needs us."
"And what about us?" Freydis whispered, tears burning in her eyes. "What if... what if this is the last time?"
Erik leaned his forehead against hers, his breath steady and warm. "It won't be the last time. I swear it."
She closed her eyes, her heart twisting painfully. "You can't promise that."
"I can." He pulled back just enough to look into her eyes, his gaze fierce with determination. "Because I have to come back. We still have to get married."
A tear slipped down her cheek, and she gave a soft laugh, full of relief and hope she hadn't realized she was holding inside. Freydis smiled through her tears, leaning into him. "Then you'd better come back to me. Because I won't marry anyone else."
Erik grinned, a rare, genuine smile that made her heart feel lighter despite the storm ahead. "I will. No matter what it takes."
He kissed her then, deep and unhurried, as if he wanted to carry the taste of her with him across the sea. Freydis melted into the kiss, wishing she could hold onto this moment forever, but knowing she couldn't.
When they finally pulled apart, Erik rested his hand over hers, pressing it gently against her belly. "Stay strong for me. For us."
Freydis nodded, her tears mixing with the cold wind on her cheeks. "I will. But you have to come back, Erik. We have a wedding to plan."
He kissed her forehead, his lips lingering as if to seal the promise between them. "I will come back, Freydis. I swear it."
With one last look, Erik stepped back, his hand slipping from hers. The wind carried the sounds of the warriors calling out below, and the ships swayed with the tide, waiting to set sail.
Freydis stood on the cliff as Erik made his way down the path toward the ships, her heart torn between fear and hope. She placed her hand protectively over her belly, grounding herself in the promise of the life they would build together.
As the sails unfurled and the ships began to pull away from the shore, she whispered into the wind, her words a prayer to the gods.
"Bring him back to me."
She stayed on the cliff until the last ship disappeared into the mist, the promise of their future still burning bright in her heart.
She clung to his promise that when Erik returned, they wouldn't just rebuild Kattegat. They would begin a new life—together. As husband and wife.
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Mist & Moonlight
Fiction Historique*The Threads of Fate Saga- Book 3* Freydis, now married to Jarl Arlick in a strategic alliance to protect her father's reign, carries Erik's child, a secret that could unravel everything she has sacrificed for her people. Erik, determined to stay by...
