37. The Nightmare Prince
Chapter 37
I was convinced Skadi’s maid despised me.
Her eyes dug into my skull from where she stood across the hall during the feast, still appalled we abandoned the room together, in different clothes than when we arrived.
Dull. That is what consisted of an elven feast. It was not the same as the vows where fae folk infiltrated the Natthaven palace with boisterous drums and lyres and raucous behavior.
For what felt like endless clock tolls, we ate dish after dish with countless spoons and forks that I undoubtedly mishandled more than once.
By the time some sort of blood plum sweet ice arrived, I felt like I would need to let out seams on all my tunics and trousers, and could not recall a single topic of conversation offered up by the haughty noblemen who ignored both me and Skadi and spoke only to Eldirard.
Until Skadi squeezed my thigh. “Lord Cathal asked you a question.”
“Oh.” Across the table a narrow-faced man looked my way. His eyes were seafoam green and as bright as Skadi’s, but his nose was so thin, I wasn’t certain he could truly breathe through it. “Forgive me. What did you say?”
“I asked what your duties were as a prince of your realms. I assume fae royals have specific duties.”
“True, and I’m not fae.” I returned him a snide grin to match his own. “Fae and alver royals do have specific duties. Mine fall to the armory of the alver clans.”
“I didn’t know that,” Skadi whispered.
I squeezed her hand, nodding. “I tend to our smiths and weapon trade with other kingdoms. Earth fae warriors are called Rave, and once a turn I visit Rave camps and trainings across the realms to see to the needs of armies through elixirs or alver crops.”
“Quite a journey,” the nobleman said. “Fae realms are expansive, are they not?”
“They are, but we are bonded clans. I was raised alongside every royal house, visiting neighboring kingdoms often. Most of us have family connections throughout the realms, so I am glad to have another excuse to visit. I plan to invite Skadi on the next one this harvest.” I cast her a look. “If you want to join, of course.”
“I would.” Her smile widened and my fiery wife drifted her palm higher on my thigh, merely to torment me.
“Good. You’re much lovelier than most of the company.”
Eldirard frowned. Perhaps he was not approving of me being so brazen with his granddaughter in the sight of others. Truth be told, I wasn’t certain I knew how to stop.
“You would take your wife?” Cathal asked with a bite of disgust.
“Of course.” I pushed a bit of the sweet ice around with one of the delicate spoons. “Skadi’s voice would be welcome and respected among all the clans.”
Eldirard grunted. “Skadinia was provided a regal education on matters suited for her duties. Surely she can find something more useful to do while you are on your journeys than cavorting about warrior camps, listening to chatter on things she does not understand.”
Skadi’s shoulders slouched. I covered her hand on my leg and squeezed her fingers.
There was a retort on my tongue, sharp as broken glass, but it was the first damn night. For Skadi’s sake, I could keep the peace. At least until morning. “I’ll leave that decision to her, sire.”
Once more the nobles and the king lost interest in my words and turned back to their conversations about elven clans and plans to potentially move the fading isle deeper into the far seas. Seemed Bloodsinger’s nearness unsettled them.
All at once, I choked on a bite of sweet ice when Skadi’s hand slid dangerously high on my thigh, her fingers running along the seam of my trousers.
“All right, Prince Jonas?” Eldirard asked.
I pounded a fist to my chest, and held up a hand, nodding.
Skadi shifted in her seat, digging into her own sweet, with a pompous smile on her beautiful lips.
Gods, she would pay for that later.
Somewhere deep in the palace a bell tolled the late hour. Sweaty, naked, and tangled up in Skadi’s limbs, I stared at the eaves overhead. Each beam was carved in beautiful symbols of stars and moons and frosted peaks.
“Skadi,” I whispered.
“Hmm.”
“What interests you?”
She lifted her head off my chest. “What do you mean?”
I tucked one of my arms behind my head, my other hand running up and down the length of her spine. “What we spoke about tonight. Duties, tasks, what sort of things interest you? I was tasked with the armory because I love the Rave. Sander handles trade and textiles because he loves balancing numbers and probably enjoys skimming a few things off the top.”
She chuckled and nestled against my heart again. “I don’t know. I learned to fight because I was expected to defend myself, but all my lessons were on etiquette, stitching, or languages. They were designed to teach me to be a docile, pious queen to my husband, Jonas.”
“Would you want to have a duty in Klockglas?”
Skadi twisted to meet my stare. “You want my involvement?”
“I want you to fill your days how you wish, Fire.”
Skadi didn’t speak for a long pause, fingers tracing each of my tattooed symbols. “You’ve mentioned the great fae battles when you were young. Both your men and women take to the battlefield, so I assume some littles lost their mothers and fathers. That is my interest.”
Skadi spoke as though her voice were nothing more than a whisper in a storm.
I laughed and pressed a kiss to the top of her head. “What are you saying? You’re being bashful about something, and although I do love when your face flushes, I’m a little lost in this.”
“Orphans, lost littles. I have an interest in seeing they’re fed, clothed, warm, and possibly have a few fae tales to read when they wish to escape to another land. I tried to encourage ideas here, but Grandfather and the nobles insisted such littles were fed in Grynstad young houses. I don’t think they are cared for, though. I think the littles are sent to work throughout the light elven lands for the pay of a cot and some bread to eat.”
She cleared her throat. “Rumors of those houses were why I ran after my mother and father died. The royal guard came for me, but I was terrified of those places. I want to do better for other littles; I know what it is to be alone in the world.”
Unable to speak for a moment, I used one knuckle to tilt her face, giving me access to take those lips. I kissed her, soft and gentle, but her eyes were glassy with need when I pulled back.
“You are soft inside, Fire.”
“Not a monster?”
“Be monstrous, be gentle, and be kind. I want you every way.” I kissed her cheek, grinning. “You’ll want to speak with Von.”
Her brow arched. “Why?”
“He works with the Night Folk First Knight and his wife to see that littles who were orphaned during wars as infants, or those littles who lose their folk to disease, are clothed and fed with warm beds to sleep. What else would you want to see done?”
Skadi rolled over me and propped her chin onto the tops of her hands. “When I was brought to this palace as a girl, I could only read a few words. I would want to help with all their needs, but find tutors, perhaps. Possibly books for them, apprenticeships as they grew, so they could learn a skill. Think it’s too ambitious?”
I brushed the hair off her brow. “No, Fire. I think you can do whatever you set out to do. Your voice matters to us—to me—I look forward to hearing more of it.”
“You are continually unexpected, Jonas Eriksson.”
“Good. I hope you never grow tired of me being the same each day.” I kissed her sweetly, but sobered. “Do you remember your mother and father at all?”
“Yes.” Her jaw pulsed. “They died when I was six turns, but I remember their faces. My mother had pale hair, more golden than mine, and sea blue eyes. My father always carried me on his shoulders, insisting I could touch the stars if I reached high enough.”
“Do you mind me asking how they died?”
Skadi’s face fell. “They were simply dead one morning. We were treetop folk—the elven who live out in the wood, so I knew well enough how to trust the trees of Natthaven. I kept to the wood until King Eldirard found me two turns later using my mists to scavenge some food.”
She cracked a few knuckles. Talk of her fallen parents bothered her.
I pressed a kiss to the slope of her neck. “I am sorry you lost them. It sounds like they loved you a great deal.”
“I like to think they would’ve loved you.”
“Of course they would’ve,” I said. “What isn’t there to love?”
“Who knows? Easiest thing I’ve ever done.” Skadi laughed and kissed me.
I kept an easy expression, but my blood rushed to my head. I didn’t think she realized what she said, but it struck me, a bolt through the chest with a truth I still didn’t know how to explain: I was in love with my wife, and I had a bit of hope she felt the same.