Chapter 74
North lay in her bed, wide awake.
“Will you marry me?”
“Yes.”
Those words played over and over again in her mind. The repercussions of her answer fully hit when, the next day, the palace was bustling with preparations.
Apparently when Vali had asked, he had meant right away.
It made sense—they were on the cusp of war, and anything that gave them a leg up couldn’t wait.
Still, she hadn’t had time to get used to the idea since she was still reeling from the discovery that Munin was not her true mate. She’d never thought it possible to tamper with a bond, so she hadn’t questioned it.
Based on what she’d heard about the nature of bonds, it had been real. She had felt the presence of his soul, deep in hers. While they hadn’t been able to speak mind to mind, that wasn’t out of the ordinary.
Some bonds were stronger than others, and each pair was different. North had assumed that because she was infinitely more powerful than Munin, his mind couldn’t hold hers. She’d held out hope though. Sometimes, the more physical a couple was, the stronger the bond became over time.
It made sense now why he never pushed for it, why he had not tried to persuade her to bed more. She’d thought it was romantic—him wanting to build the tension between them, only talking of pleasure but rarely indulging.
And she hadn’t minded.
Out of all her siblings, North was the least experienced when it came to sex, despite being the eldest. Not that she hadn’t had any sex. It was just never something she considered a necessity in her life.
She knew she was an oddity, and often felt out of place when it came to the Fae—a notoriously raunchy bunch. The sex she’d had was good, but by no means was she sitting around their dining room table listening to her siblings’ exploits thinking that any of it was true.
Once, she’d confided in Easta, worried that what she had with Munin was out of the norm. As a Fae male, he should want his mate—need her desperately. Easta assured her that it would come with time.
She was shy in bed, and perhaps he was as well. With the right partner, she would discover things about herself, about her power that she never thought possible. So North had looked forward to their mating, towards that life-altering connection with her mate.
But she had no mate. It had all been a lie.
All she had now was an arranged marriage and a lifetime of what would probably be friendly sex, designed to create heirs.
She liked Vali—he was kind and funny, gentle and pleasing to look at. But he was an Elven, a more passive race despite their more natural instincts.
North sank lower in her bed and lay in her self-pity a moment longer. She did not need passion to be happy, she told herself. Passion was overrated.
A good match, a realm-saving alliance for her people, was more important than her sex life.
She took a deep breath and rose from her bed, turning to avoid seeing the white gown her maids had delivered yesterday.
Her wedding dress.
Not the one she had saved for her marriage to Munin, but an Elven one.
She couldn’t be picky—she had fled from her realm. The wedding was happening quickly. There hadn’t been time to have a gown designed and made according to Idavoll custom.
The dress was a symbol of everything she had to give up for this alliance.
When it came to her role as heir to Idavoll, there was very little she wouldn’t do for her people. And she could think of worse things to do than Vali. In fact, when she thought of him, a smile tugged at her lips.
He had been more than attentive since the proposal, making sure she was comfortable and trying to get to know her. Maybe he was equally as nervous as her, and that was why he spent so much time with her.
When she was in the bath, she half expected her husband-to-be to come marching in, but no knock came at her door.
Only when she was in her robe, her maids twisting and pulling at her damp hair, were her thoughts interrupted by a knock. But it was not Vali who entered her chambers—it was Bo, the youngest of the Elven princes.
The three brothers still mourned the loss of their mother and brother. North recognized the grief in Bo’s eyes, though he tried to hide it with a beaming smile. Some scars ran too deep. She knew the feeling—she missed Souther every day, missed her parents.
Munin.
“Hey, sister,” Bo said in greeting.
“Sister?” North asked, feigning a wince.
“Here in Alfheim, we believe that when a pair marries, their families become one.”
“Interesting.”
Bo leaned closer. “I think it helps prevent inbreeding,” he whispered loudly.
North laughed and shoved him away.
“I don’t have a lot of time, I’m supposed to be in the garden helping Henny arrange all the flowers,” he said proudly.
North supposed as the youngest, he was happy to be involved in whatever his siblings allowed.
West was the same way.
“Vali asked me to give you this.” Bo presented her with a box wrapped beautifully in blue spun silk, topped with a ribbon made of daisies.
“He would’ve brought it himself, but he knew mother would be yelling at him from Valhalla if he were to see you before the ceremony.
” A sad smile played at the edges of the young Elven’s face.
“Thank you, Bo,” she said, laying a hand on his arm and taking the gift from him. Her eyes stung at the way he was trying to remain strong.
“Right, well, I should go. See you soon, sister!” he exclaimed, the sorrow vanishing from his face. He left as quickly as he’d come.
North hugged the gift to her body and waited until the maids had finished her hair and her face.
After dismissing them, she placed the beautiful box on the desk and slid the daisies off carefully, so as not to wreck them.
When she unwrapped the silk with trembling hands, her heart racing in anticipation, a letter fluttered out.
My Queen,
Happy wedding day, reluctant bride. I hope this letter finds you and not an empty room.
I fear that you have run off with one of my more tempting brothers or escaped on your own with your vast strength to keep you company.
If this letter does find you, I wish you to know two things.
First, I am very happy you have stayed. Though this was sudden and not at all what either of us pictured for our weddings, I am honoured to be your husband, your partner in crown.
Second, I am sorry that because of the quick timeframe, we have not been able to carry out many of your Fae traditions.
I can only imagine that you may not feel yourself in an Elven gown.
To try to rectify that, I hope this gift offers you some semblance of home and familiarity.
If I am incorrect in my assumptions, please feel no obligation to wear it. I will not be offended.
Your reluctant husband,
That did not come out right. Without seeing my face, you cannot know that I meant it with humour. Apologies.
Forever your servant, not a joke,
V
North read the letter three times. With each pass, her smile grew wider. No, she did not need passion.
She placed the letter in her drawer for safekeeping.
Her excitement grew when she lifted the lid to find a layer of tissue. Discarding the wrapping, she lifted the gauzy fabric, layers of greens and blues dotted with colourful embroidered florals and greenery. The train was a thick garden of wildflowers that thinned out as it rose towards the waist.
It was stunning, and though she had no one to speak to, she was speechless.
He had gifted her an overlay skirt to cover the Elven gown. Her people didn’t wear white to their weddings, but colours and symbols to represent their magic. Vali had assumed correctly.
North faced the ceiling to prevent the tears from falling down her face.
She did not need passion but was grateful to have kindness.
Holding the fabric close to her heart, she breathed in deeply. She felt steadier, more sure of her decision.
Her maids were summoned and they fitted the dress onto her thin frame, but she waved them away when they tried to take the overskirt from her. She fastened it herself, placing it just above her hips and tying the closure shut. It fit perfectly.
The contrast of the colourful skirt to the long-sleeved, white Elven top was quite stunning. Though the neckline plunged deeper than she would have liked, the skirt distracted from the amount of skin she was not used to showing.
North took a deep breath and prepared herself. A knock came at the door and Bo was waiting there to escort her.
It was time to get married.