Chapter 5
Chapter Five
There were no congratulations. No celebratory applause or cheers.
The ceremony simply ended with the exchanging of the rings and Father Bened pronouncing them man and wife before God.
Not that Eadlyn had expected more. This was, after all, a transaction, not a celebration.
One that now left her standing awkwardly beside her new husband outside the pavilion, where they had followed his father and the rest of the men.
The jarl turned to them and settled his attention on her. “Are you packed, Princess? My men have finished with our camp.”
Eadlyn forced herself not to shrink, since he hadn’t spoken harshly. “Yes. If my maid has finished, I should be ready.”
“Will she be accompanying you?”
“No, I will go alone.”
Saying it aloud sent a chill down her spine. The jarl—her father-in-law, she realized with a jolt—raised his brows. Likely they’d assumed she would bring at least one person to serve her.
“And do you have a stout horse for the journey?”
“Yes.” Her gelding, Hiroc, was no gangly creature.
“Good. We’ll leave as soon as you’re ready.”
Though he phrased it as a courtesy, Eadlyn doubted he would appreciate delay.
She inclined her head. “I’ll retrieve my things.”
She flicked her gaze to Aevar, uncertain whether she needed his blessing to leave.
Was she a partner now? Or property? Would she need to seek his permission for anything she did?
But he made no move to stop her or follow, so she turned and walked away, the rain-soaked grass squishing beneath her feet as she headed back to her tent.
Alone for a breath of a moment, she lifted her eyes toward the gray sky, not even sure what prayer to offer.
Her thoughts jumbled too much for her to form words.
She looked down at her left hand, where the ring shone dully in the dim light.
It was done. The agonizing, the waiting, the planning.
Over. There was no going back now. Maybe the finality left her numb, but she prayed it lasted long enough to survive the goodbyes.
She ducked into her tent, where Mildred waited.
“Your things are all packed, my lady.”
“Thank you, Milly. You’ve served me so well. I’ve asked Oswin to see if you might stay on at the palace.”
“It’s been my honor, my lady. You’ve always been very kind.”
The girl curtsied, and Eadlyn nodded, her throat swelling as she turned to her two travel bags.
She crossed to the bed and opened one, sliding her hand inside, not to double-check Mildred’s work, but to assure herself a particular treasure was still there.
Her fingers found the familiar leather cover, and she drew it out enough to glimpse the old parchment pages inside.
Biblical manuscripts, her most cherished possession. She’d found them hidden away in the palace library years ago, once belonging to her great-grandmother. That they’d survived her father’s scorn for faith was a miracle. Had he known she possessed them, he might’ve destroyed them out of spite.
Father Bened had objected, of course, when she asked Edward for permission to take them to Nordra, but her brother had granted it without hesitation. It would have devastated her to leave them behind. She needed the strength they had provided all these years, now more than ever.
She tucked the bundle between the folds of her dresses and secured the ties. The numbness she’d hoped to keep wrapped around her heart was already beginning to fade, and pain crept in. Leaving this tent was harder than the wedding vows.
Steeling herself, she stepped outside. Galen stood there waiting with a stocky dun horse.
“I brought Hiroc for you.”
The pain in her chest dug deeper at the subdued tone of his voice. She fought to keep it from summoning tears. “Thank you.”
He took her bags and attached them to the saddle in silence. Eadlyn ran her hand down Hiroc’s warm, rain-damp face, smoothing his dark forelock. She glanced toward the Nords near the pavilion, then at her brother and Oswin, standing apart from them.
When Galen finished, his eyes met hers in an exchange that nearly broke her.
Other than God, this man had been the most steadfast thing in her life, and right now, that strength seemed shaken.
When she left, part of his life’s purpose would leave with her.
She had to turn away otherwise she would lose the composure she fought so hard to gain.
Gripping Hiroc’s reins, she began walking toward the others, savoring the comforting, protective shadow of Galen’s presence as he walked alongside her one last time.
He’d given her a sense of safety and security when her world had been dark and lonely.
Now she had to let that go and trust God to face the unknown.
They joined the gathering, and Jarl Runar stepped forward to speak with Edward.
“We’ll begin cutting timber. I expect a shipment of grain to arrive soon.”
Edward met his gaze with resolve. “It will.”
It steadied Eadlyn to see him standing tall, speaking like a king.
Satisfied, Runar mounted his horse, and most of his men followed.
Eadlyn turned to Oswin first.
“You’ve done your people proud, Your Highness,” he said. “All of Essix will be grateful.”
“Thank you, Oswin. For everything.”
He nodded solemnly, and she turned to Edward. Her voice caught. So many words unspoken. But maybe they didn’t need saying.
She placed her hands on his shoulders. “You’ll be a great king, Edward. I know you will. Just seek God.”
He swallowed hard. “I will.”
And oh, how she prayed he truly would. She wrapped her arms around his neck and drew him into a tight embrace.
“I will miss you so much, but I will write to you. I hope you will do the same.”
Edward’s arms squeezed around her. “Of course.”
She did not want to relinquish her hold, but after a long moment, she loosened her arms and they parted.
Actually saying goodbye was too hard, so she turned to Galen.
It had been easy to stay strong with Edward.
Instinct. Something she had always done.
But with Galen, it was the opposite. He was the one who stood strong.
So, when she met his solemn gaze again, her resolve faltered.
She’d never hugged him before. It wouldn’t have been seemly back in Kenwich for the princess to hug a guard, but here she cast propriety aside.
In one step, she put her arms around him, resting her face against the cold chain mail cowl that hung around his neck.
Chain links jingled as he placed his own mail-encased arms around her.
“Thank you,” were the only words she managed.
She gritted her teeth, but despite her fierce struggle to fight them, a couple of tears dribbled down her cheeks as the pain overwhelmed her.
She clung to his armored jerkin while it passed through her in a breath-snatching wave before forcing herself to let go.
Galen gripped her arms before releasing her and met her eyes. “Remember what I told you.”
She nodded, though they both knew she couldn’t accept his offer.
Not if she wanted peace for her people. Swiping at her cheeks, she took a shaky step back and looked between him and Edward.
They were the only family she had. Just the two of them—her protector and her brother.
This may be the last time she ever saw them, and for one suffocating, heart-thrashing moment, her entire being screamed for her to run.
To beg her brother to annul the marriage, to seek Galen’s steadfast protection, and to go back home to Kenwich.
It ripped like claws through her chest, seeking release, but she choked it down.
In front of her was her family. Behind her were strangers.
Strangers she must leave with if she were to save Essix.
Tears blurred her vision as she forced herself to turn away from her family.
Only a couple of paces behind her, she found Aevar waiting with Hiroc.
She blinked him into focus and found understanding on his face.
He knew the pain she suffered for this alliance, and in that she found some comfort.
She stepped toward him, and he kept Hiroc steady and even held her stirrup for her as she mounted.
She straightened her skirt and cloak and took up the reins, catching his eye once more before he turned to his own horse, a tall pale gray.
Without a word, Jarl Runar urged his horse toward the river, the men falling in behind him.
Clutching the reins, Eadlyn cast one last look at Edward and Galen, committing them to memory.
In a final acceptance of her fate, she touched her heels to Hiroc’s sides and rode forward, into the unknown, with Aevar at her side.