Chapter 12 – Vale
VALE
Ipacked the last of my belongings and, latching the bag shut, my gaze caught on the line of snowflakes running the length of my left fourth finger. I rubbed the line with my thumb.
We had shown many people the marks and had marveled at them ourselves for hours, and yet, I still barely dared to believe that they were real. My soulmate had been in front of me for weeks.
In dreams of turns past, or as I walked the countryside with soldiers, I’d often thought that if I was among the lucky few to find my fated mate, I’d know in an instant. Perhaps that Pórr, the dead god of storms and thunder, would reawaken and strike me down with a bolt.
Never would I have thought I’d wed a female, fall in love with her, and be willing to give up everything I was before I recognized she was mine and that I was hers. That we were two parts of one soul, our fates destined and woven together by the stars.
My gaze turned to Neve, standing at the door to our room and still speaking with a bleary-eyed Ronaldo and a smiling Lei, who stopped by to bid us farewell.
My heart warmed. I should have paid more attention to my inklings about Neve, but it did not matter now.
We were bound forever, even when we entered the starry halls of the afterworld.
I no longer doubted I should be with Neve, and would do my best to live up to the great fate the stars had gifted to me.
“Hello there,” Neve said, alerting me that someone else was stopping by.
A small voice came from the hallway. “I apologize for my interruption. I have a package for the prince and you, Princess Neve.”
My mate stepped aside. “Could you give it to Vale while I finish my goodbyes? He’s packing up.”
A human we’d led to Dergia entered our room. She was around Filip’s age and reedy, malnourished in a way that made her brown eyes appear too large in her gaunt face. Although she had put on weight in the days since I’d seen her, the girl still had a long way to go before she was healthy.
“Hello.” I’d only spoken to this girl twice and didn’t know what she could be bringing us.
She curtsied, bobbing erratically with the motion. “I’m working in the royal household until I come of age to have my very own cottage. I’ve been at the forge since dawn, and Master Kolmot just finished these for you.” She held out a leather package tied up with a thick string.
“From the forge?” My throat tightened. The royal family had mentioned that they’d gift us zuprian steel daggers, but after our first meal together, nothing further had been said. It seemed, though, that the Fellhelms hadn’t forgotten.
“Do be careful,” the girl said as I took the package. “They’re sheathed but sharp, and the smith warned me that they might slip out.”
“Thank you. Are the dwarves treating you well?”
“They are, Prince Vale. I sleep in a room with others who are around my age. I feel safe and so far, I enjoy what I’m doing. This world is so fantastical.”
“Do you think you could be happy here?
“It’s not what I’d imagined my life to be, nothing like where I come from, but I know it’s better than being a blood slave. The dwarves are kind, and soon enough, I’ll be able to get a job outside the palace. Until then, I get to save coin and learn how things work around here.”
I knew next to nothing of the human world, and little more regarding the magical beings that lived with humans. From what I knew, though, our realms were quite different. I only hoped that this girl’s desires came true, and she could make the best of this life.
“Good luck to you then.” I bowed my head, and she performed another clumsy curtsey before scurrying off.
“That was sweet.” Neve swept over the instant the girl was gone. Lei and Ronaldo had left too, and we were alone.
“I hope she’ll be happy here. That they all are.”
“Ronaldo and Lei told me that most of the humans have already found jobs, and some have their own stone cottages too. Those who were ill or injured are remaining in the castle until they’re well, but positions are lined up for them.
Ronaldo and Lei plan to work in the mines for a while until they find work that suits them better. ”
“It truly worked out,” I murmured. There had been many doubts as we traveled, but this outcome was better than expected.
“It did.” She glanced at the package in my hands, and fanned herself. We were already dressed in furs for the journey. The furs, combined with the fire blazing in the hearth, made the room warmer than we liked. “I overheard the girl. So those are the daggers?”
I nodded. “Perhaps we find Anna and Caelo and open it together? They each have one too.”
“Excellent idea! They’ll already be preparing the horses, and I want to get out of this room. It’s sweltering.” She held up a finger. “But before we meet them in the yard, I have one thing I want to do.”
“What’s that?”
“The night I seduced you,” she winked, “I saw a Drassil tree in the garden. I forgot all about it until now. Anyway, it was looking like it needed a magical infusion. I’ve touched them before, but I could try?”
“No.”
She straightened. “Why not?”
“The Drassils are all connected, my love.” I took her hand.
“It’s not likely, but my father could learn where we are if you infused one with your power.
More importantly, he could learn of Dergia.
I’m sorry to say, but their tree will have to continue to rely on magic being infused into the network elsewhere. ”
Her shoulders fell. “I didn’t think of that.”
“One day, you’ll be able to help,” I assured her.
“One day.” She sighed.
I scooped up our small satchels, before looping her arm through mine. Together, we made our way to the main entrance of the castle.
As expected, Anna and Caelo were already there, beneath the dawn-soaked enchanted sky, preparing our horses for the journey.
Judging by the full saddlebags, the royal house had provided us with much food and water, a kindness I would not forget.
Just as I wouldn’t forget my time in the Kingdom of Dergia.
“Prince Vale, Princess Neve.” A dwarf appeared and bowed. “We were already preparing Prince Thordur’s and Princess Bavirra’s horses and tried to assist Sir Caelo and Lady Anna, but they would not allow it.”
“Don’t fret,” Neve said. “It’s not a reflection on your work ethic. Caelo likes to be thorough.”
Among friends, Caelo knew how to let loose and have fun, but when he slipped into his Clawsguard duties, he liked to be in complete control. And now that he considered both me and Neve under his watch, he’d be extra cautious.
“Thank you, Princess Neve.” The dwarf looked at her shyly, clearly relieved not to be found lacking. “I’ll continue preparations.”
He left, and we veered toward our friends before anyone else could appear. Caelo saw us first. He, like Anna, Neve, and myself, looked much rested and well fed after our time beneath the mountain.
“Is it odd that I’m looking forward to getting back in the saddle?” Caelo asked. “To feel the wind on my cheeks again?”
“It’s very strange, not that I’d expect anything different from you Winterborn lot,” Anna retorted playfully. “You’re all a touch crazy about the cold.”
I laughed. “Strange or not, I agree.”
“Honestly, though, why can’t your kind stand a little warmth?” Anna pulled her own fur cloak tight around her.
“We’re born of ice and frost. Some of us more so than others.” I drew Neve closer, remembering the day winter had exploded from her, turning her blue.
Anna’s gaze steered to her friend. “Well, I guess all good things must end. We’re mostly packed, just waiting for—”
“A handsome prince?” Thordur’s voice boomed from behind.
I turned to find the king, queen, Prince Thordur, and Princess Bavirra marching outside.
The siblings were dressed warmly too, for they planned to see us through the maze tunnels beneath the mountains and down a pass before pointing out a town with a coinary.
I exhaled, pleased at the small send off.
We’d already said goodbye to many of the humans and the other Fellhelm siblings.
“And a cunning princess,” Neve added with a grin.
She and Bavirra had become fast friends these past days.
“You get both for another day or so.” Bavirra winked as she went to her horse and began checking the stirrups. “Longer if we run into trouble.”
“Stars, I hope we don’t run into those giant ice spiders.” Neve shuddered.
We’d been told that the creatures, along with many others, sometimes found their way into the mine tunnels that dwarves used to travel through the mountains.
“Tell me true,” Neve continued, “what’s the likelihood of that?”
“I’ve only heard the ice spider alarm sound twice,” the queen assured Neve. “The path you’re taking has soldiers stationed along the way to sound alarms and fight off the beasts, so it’s very rare that they venture down those tunnels. I think you’ll be fine.”
Prince Thordur nodded down at my hands. “I see you got the daggers.”
I lifted the leather package, bowing to the king and queen in thanks. “I have yet to open and distribute them.”
“Well, go on,” Caelo said, eyes gleaming. For a knight to own one weapon made of zuprian steel was unusual. Once he chose his dagger, my best friend would own both a sword—a recent nameday gift from me—and a dagger.
I untied the leather string and opened the flaps to reveal the sheathed daggers.
Picking one up, I marveled at the sheath and the mountains drawn along the length.
The craftsfae decorated the bronze and bone hilt with small hammers and snowflakes.
Personalized for us—fae of the wider Winter’s Realm who had seen the innermost secrets of the dwarves.
The others looked much the same, though the patterns differed, so we could tell them apart.
“The same range that houses this very kingdom,” Thordur stated. “The middle mountain, the tallest, of course, is the heart of Dergia.”
“Astonishing craftsmanship.” I unsheathed the blade. My breath caught, taking in the wavy lines of the zuprian steel. The dagger was stunning in every regard.
“We hope you like them,” Thordur commented.
“Like them? I bleeding love mine,” Caelo said.
“And which is yours?” I teased and held the package out to him, offering him the first choice.
“This one.” He plucked one off the wrappings, eyes alight. “Thank you, King Tholin and Queen Deseana.”
The royals smiled at him, and after giving her own thanks, I offered the next choice of blade to Anna. Neve plucked up the third dagger, and I took the last, slipping it through my sword belt.
“I’ll treasure this blade, always,” I said to the royals as I bowed.
King Tholin stepped forward. “I have something else for Princess Neve. Might I present it in private?”
The others, save for the Queen of Dergia, left and continued preparations. I remained with my mate, which the king did not question. He raised a hand and a servant who had to have been waiting at the gate came running our way, a wrapped item in hand.
The servant presented the item, and King Tholin unwrapped it to reveal a small, silver mirror with a short handle glinted in the light of nearby torches.
“This,” King Tholin passed the mirror to Neve, “is a special piece. Dwarven kings once used mirrors like these to communicate with each other, but since the four kingdoms are no longer, I have acquired two extra mirrors. I’d like to present you with this mirror.”
Neve’s violet eyes widened.
“You need only speak my name into it, and my mirror will activate. Unless I hear otherwise from you, I will keep it nearby.”
“Thank you, King Tholin, but I’m not sure I can accept such a valuable item steeped in the history of your people.”
“You can, and you should,” the king replied. “For if you’re in danger, you’ll need a way to get in touch, will you not?”
His question shook me to my core. My mate had not yet claimed her birthright publicly.
Nor had I pushed her to do so. She struggled with the idea—with the repercussions.
With the loss of what could have been her first days of true freedom, a life where no one expected much of you, balanced against helping all those of the realm.
And war, for once word spread that a trueborn Falk was alive and wished to challenge the king, blood would stain the snow of the realm.
That blood would be noble and commonborn alike, though it was often the commoners who suffered most when high houses fought.
As Neve was nothing if not a fae of the people, she hesitated, which I suspected only caused her more pain because she understood that her hesitation was in turn causing all of Winter’s Realm to—the lands and the people—to suffer.
Neve cleared her throat. “I fear asking too much of you, especially after all this kindness.”
The king’s eyes crinkled at the corners.
“I knew upon meeting you that you were different from other rulers. They would not have cared for humans as you do, as we do. The way you were loyal to them, is the same way we dwarves will be loyal to you, and you should never underestimate dwarven loyalty, Princess Neve. It’s stronger than the bones of the earth and stretches beyond the soil and rock of this realm. ”
My mate sniffed. “I’ve not spent a lot of time with your people, but I do understand that much. Still, you are quite far from the places I may eventually be fighting.”
The king took her free hand in his, softly, like a father figure, and stared my mate in the eyes. “I will employ any means necessary to help an ally.”
There was that word again, straight from the king’s lips. Ally. He’d not spoken the word since we’d supped the first night, but the king had not forgotten that he wanted more than friendship.
My mate stared at the mirror, a work of art, like so much in this kingdom.
Seconds passed like turns and still no one in our quartet spoke, though I felt the king’s gaze on Neve and thought the queen—unusually quiet through this all—might be watching me with equal interest. Did she believe I would intervene?
To try to sway Neve one way or the other?
I’d never. This was her battle to overcome, and while I’d not make a choice for her, I’d support whatever she decided.
An exhale parted those sweet lips as Neve looked up at the King of Dergia.
“I’m honored by the gesture of friendship, King Tholin. Just as House Falk is honored to call House Fellhelm an ally.”