38. A Choice #2
Ignoring Torsten’s look of surprise, Anara summarized the rest of their travels, from burning Larissa’s parents to fighting off Kafteinn Calder and the draugr , although she managed to omit the truth about Aeron’s identity.
Darien willed his face to go blank, apart from the tight, unyielding line of his mouth that he could not relax.
It wasn’t time to mention Calder, not yet.
When Anara finished, her voice was hoarse and scratchy.
Silence settled in the absence of her story.
King Torsten pressed the pads of his fingers under his chin. He had closed his eyes some time ago as he listened to their tale. As he opened them, his brows lowered in bewilderment. “If I didn’t know your integrity,” he said at last, “I wouldn’t believe it.”
“I may be able to offer some illumination.” Speaker Skaei commanded their attention.
“Before the Great Hrun , Queen Stjarna suffered from visions. She traveled the nations searching for an interpreter. Perhaps guided by the Norn, she found us. Her dreams were plagued by Yggdrasil , but the tree was on fire. We couldn’t decipher its meaning anymore than she could, but we told her of those who could. ” Skaei’s voice died off.
“Well, out with it,” Torsten demanded.
But Skaei’s eyes remained fixated on Larissa. “First, I must determine who sits before us. Are you truly Princess Lovisa of Perle?”
“I’ve already told you my story.” Irritation crept into Larissa’s voice. Didn’t they understand every minute they wasted kept them from rescuing Halla? “I was her before.”
“You were, but not are?”
Larissa stiffened. “I don’t have to justify myself to you. I just want to know how we’re going to rescue Halla.”
“Halla?” Torsten asked.
“Yes, Halla, my sister; the one Anara told you was taken by thraell. ”
“Oh yes.” He leaned away from the table. “Your adoptive sister. Halvor, you have experience with the slave industry. What are the possibilities?”
Although his head was turned respectfully toward the king, Halvor held Larissa’s stare. “If they keep to their pattern, she will be sold within the next few weeks. Likely to one of the aristocratic families—they prefer young girls.”
Larissa’s intestines twisted when Halvor hesitated. “And if they don’t keep to their pattern, Halvor? Tell me.”
Halvor sighed. “Young girls often bypass the auction blocks in the cities. The thraell seem to be particularly fond of them. I’ve heard they collect the young girls from all four commonwealths to take directly to Diamant. Rumor says the Empress will pay highly for them.”
Larissa gripped the edge of the table, fighting the way the room spun. “We need to leave as soon as possible, before they take her out of the city.”
Torsten pressed his fingers together once more. “What are the risks?”
“A stealth mission to retrieve Halla from one of the aristocratic families would result in covers blown and lives lost.” Halvor’s sympathetic look did nothing to ease Larissa’s panic as he continued, “That’s if she is sold at a normal auction block and not held for later transfer, which would be infinitely more difficult. ”
King Torsten shook his head. “A high price to pay for one child.”
“Faeir,” Darien protested. “Halla is more than just a child, and Larissa is asking you to do this for her.”
“ Yes, but what is Larissa willing to give?” King Torsten mulled over the name.
Larissa leaned forward, her ring smacking against the table. “Anything.”
“There is another option, my lord,” Halvor said.
“Yes?”
“Advance on the city. With the Princess’ return, we can inspire the people to take back their commonwealth. Kings and Queens know at least a third of our forces are refugees from Perle. Give them a chance to reclaim their homes and rescue Halla in the process.”
“There is more to lose with that plan,” King Torsten pointed out.
“And more to gain. This is what we’ve been waiting for. As we speak, the Empress is devising a way to force us out of hiding. We should make our move before she can make hers.”
Larissa forced herself to remain still, even as her body screamed at her to flee. She’d never intended to start a war, but if that was what it took to get Halla back, then a war it would be.
Torsten stirred from thought. “The Vienám is growing complacent in its fear. I’m grateful for the safety we found within these mountains, but our people are losing perspective.
This valley is not sustainable. Even now we are a drain on the Jotnar resources, as Speaker Skaei reminded me only last week.
Every day, we smuggle more people from the commonwealths; we grow in number and yet not in strength.
My people need a spark, something that will make them fight for their homes, their families, their land. Halvor is correct.”
Larissa held her breath. Was Torsten agreeing to the plan?
He shifted his hard eyes toward her, and for a moment, they look nothing like Darien’s. “You could be the hope they need. The return of their lost Princess. If you were to lead the way—metaphorically speaking, of course—you could turn the tide.”
“No pressure,” Anara muttered.
Larissa ignored the churning in her stomach. “If I agree to be her , will you save Halla?”
“I give you my word.”
“A moment, King Torsten.” Speaker Skaei held one delicate finger in the air. “Do not put your faith in the seed sown in the field before it takes root. We have yet to determine if this is indeed the Princess you speak of.”
“What are you talking about?” Darien snapped, his tone as sharp as Larissa had ever heard it. “Look at her; if you met Queen Stjarna like you say, then you should be able to see the resemblance. Even if you can’t, my father recognized her, and Anara and I vouch for her. What more do you want?”
“Peace, Prince. I’m not arguing she was the Princess once, but it is as she herself said, she was the Princess.
” Skaei cocked her head to the side, her peering eyes dissecting Larissa where she sat.
“King Torsten, correct me if I am wrong, but you require the current Princess of Perle. You don’t want to present a false figurehead to your people only to have her crumble before them. ”
Torsten tapped his fingers. “The Speaker has a point. You claim to be the lost Princess, and yet you won’t even say her name. So, Larissa , are you or are you not the Crown Princess of Perle?”
Just say yes , Lovisa urged her.
Just say yes, and they’ll rescue Halla , her own mind cried.
“Yes,” she blurted. “I’m Lovisa.”
But the slump in Darien’s shoulders and the droop of Anara’s head only mirrored the disappointment in Torsten’s face at Larissa’s unconvincing declaration.
The Speaker shook her head. “There is a block in your mind—one of your own making. You refuse to accept your past, you dismiss who you are, and because of that you are unable to remember. Our own history is hard, but if we ignore the past, we destroy our future.”
“Then how do I break this block?” How do I save Halla?
The Speaker reached across the table, taking Larissa’s hand in her own and turning the pearl ring on her finger until the rune caught the light. “Use the runes of the gods to open your mind. It might take time, but only once you remember can you be the Princess the Vienám needs you to be.”
King Torsten rose to his feet. “Unfortunately, time is not something we have an abundance of. I can see you all drooping from exhaustion. You three will be shown to your rooms. Rest and think things through.”
He pulled out Larissa’s chair, his hand guiding her to her feet.
Calluses decorated his palms, scratching against the calluses on her own hands.
“I’ll need your answer by dawn. If you’re still the Princess I once knew, the Princess with the supposed power to end the Empress’ reign, I will make the announcement of your arrival to the entire Vienám.
We will march on Perle, take back the commonwealth, and rescue your sister. ”
“That’s not much time to break the block in her mind,” Anara said. “What if she can’t do it?” Anara rose, ignoring Darien’s offered hand. “Will you leave Halla to her fate? Like you abandoned your own son?”
The muscles in Torsten’s forearms spasmed, but his words were deadly soft. “If Princess Lovisa is truly gone, the Norn have already sealed all of our fates.” He turned toward his son. “Darien, stay behind. We should talk.”
Larissa felt Darien’s eyes dart in her direction. He set his jaw. “I have to help Larissa.”
Torsten’s eyes tightened. “I see. Then I’ll see you all tomorrow.”
Larissa didn’t miss the resentment residing beneath the king’s expression, and from the look on Darien’s face, neither did he.