Freya

Twelve

It was a clear, crisp day when Ewen and Freya left for the eastern castle. With them went Ewen's most trusted men and an additional group of soldiers as well as Freya's personal maid. The decision had been made the night before to maintain the facade of a normal outing and to avoid too much attention being placed on Freya, but the group was strategically positioned to protect her and the men in Ewens inner circle had additional concealed weapons.

As the group rode slowly out of the main courtyard to begin their long journey east, Ewen was relieved to notice that the heavy coat concealed Freya's body and hid any early signs of her pregnancy. The icy wind brought a hint of pink to her cheeks too which covered the pallor of her usual complexion. Although she was ill less, Freya still struggled with the morning sickness.

It was a long trip and Ewen tried hard not to glance behind him too often to check on Freya. He knew that she needed to endure the ride and he needed to maintain the pretence of normality between them. The last section of the ride, in that narrow section where her late uncle had tried to ambush him was the hardest. Ewen sent men ahead to scout the trail and separated the group for protection. Even so, it was only as the group with Freya in it cleared the narrow ravine and began the final ascent up to the castle that Ewen began to feel some sense of relief. Ahead of them loomed the dark castle, Freya's childhood home. Ewen wondered how she felt seeing it again. The last time she had seen it was on her way to becoming his wife.

At the top of the main steps waited Ewens cousin Rufus. He greeted Ewen in the customary way, before turning his attention to Freya. Ewen noticed that Freya struggled slightly to dismount from her horse and he had to restrain himself from moving forward to help her. Instead her groomsman stepped forward to assist her. Noticing that she had drawn attention to herself, Freya smiled and tried to lighten the mood.

'It is clear my Lord,' she stated softly,' I have spent too much time in embroidery and too little in the saddle recently.'

Rufus was amused and stepped forward to assist his Queen. Following Ewen into the Great Hall, Freya was struck by the abundance of memories that greeted her. Seventeen years of her life had been spent in this castle and it was not an easy thing to return there.

'King Augustus should arrive within the hour,' Rufus explained to Freya. 'Perhaps you would like some time to freshen up before his arrival?'

Freya assented and was led to the royal chamber. Ewen hoped that she would be able to rest a little before the arrival of Augustus. There would be little time once Augustus arrived for any opportunity to relax.

Too soon, the party of Augustus arrived at the main gate. Standing at the top of the main stairs, Ewen stood waiting for him. Next to him stood Freya. As the heir to the Eastern Kingdom, she could not rule on her own but it was through her that Ewen claimed the throne and it was for that reason they stood next to each other.

Augustus rode in on his massive warhorse and began the customary greetings. Freya was struck by his difference physically to Ewen. Although both men were tall, Augustus had pale skin, blue eyes and red hair in contrast to Ewens dark hair and tanned skin. There was something about Augustus that disturbed Freya. Some level of treachery that was hidden. She realised then what had concerned Ewen so much about the meeting. And why Ewen was so convinced that the attack on her father had been orchestrated by Augustus.

It was at the formal dinner later that evening that Freya had a better sense of the real man that Augustus was.

Freya's personal maid had spent much time finding a dress that could be loosened slightly around the bottom of the corset. Ewen watched her carefully as she entered the Great Hall and was gratified that Freya looked better. There was a slight hint of pink in her cheeks.

It was only sitting at the dinner that she struggled with one of the toasts, the mead catching her throat and causing her to gag slightly. Although it was hardly noticeable, Ewen saw with dread that Augustus had noticed Freya's slip.

'Are you ill my Lady?' he enquired loudly.

The silence that followed was sudden and deafening.

Freya put down her glass and smiled indulgently at Augustus.

'I am touched that you are concerned for my health,' She replied softly into the silence.

'It is not ill-health that made me choke a little on my mead but rather the seventeen years of memories that sitting in this Great Hall brings back to me.'

'Ah,' said Augustus.

He sat back deliberately in his chair and looked piercingly at Freya.

'Your father was a most unpleasant man,' he continued evenly.

'In that I must agree with you,' Freya responded equally evenly.

Augustus laughed loudly with amusement. Raising his glass, he toasted Freya.

'To a Queen with wit,' he said loudly.

Ewen saw Freya return the toast and drink the mead in her glass without hesitation.

'To a King who brings peace,' She responded evenly.

The atmosphere in the hall became festive and it was a while before Ewen could reasonable excuse himself and Freya from the festivities. Even then Augustus had to issue a comment.

'I forget that you are still in the first six months of your marriage,' he remarked to Ewen.

'Somehow I had expected you to have bred an heir by now.'

Ewen smiled thinly as he completed the customary departure. Taking Freya's arm he left the Great Hall and the festivities behind him.

Freya managed until they reached the royal chambers. Once there, her maid had the bucket ready as she retched repeatedly and vomited the day away. Finally when it was over and her maid had washed her face and removed her dress, Ewen lay in the big bed with Freya. Gently he rubbed her back and tried to relieve the pain from her sore body. It had been too much for one day he knew but he also knew with equal certainty that it had been unavoidable.

Drawing Freya close Ewen held her as she drifted off to sleep. It took him much longer to fall asleep but he was glad he could be there for her when she needed him.