Chapter 23 Freija #2
That and talk to Ragnhild about altering Halvar’s plans ever so slightly because right now too many people knew of them and the fewer who did, the safer I would be.
There were two places in the region where I might easily find Ragnhild. The first was the cottage of their healer on the southern hillside, and the other was the Forest Fae training area, deep within the eastern woods.
I traipsed toward the latter while the sun’s rays, partially blocked by our mountains, still peeked over the horizon.
Having left Mikkel, Hans, and his guard a few paces behind, I’d claimed I needed a moment of privacy to relieve myself.
If Halvar had been here he would have followed and only averted his gaze while I emptied my bladder.
The man barely left my side these days, and while I didn’t mind it, not one bit, I was thankful he’d had meetings scheduled with some of his commanders this afternoon and had sent Mikkel in his place.
The sound of other soldiers met my ear: faint thwacks and whizzing noises followed by thunks.
I breached the tree line opposite a red cabin with tiny square windows.
On the far side of it were several bales of hay propping up targets for archers, but directly in front of me were a group of ten sparring Forest Fae.
The men and women wore green wool jackets, with gray trousers and brown leather boots, and their wood swords and fighting sticks cracked against each other as the fighters came together.
While those blades looked unassuming and like child’s play.
I knew better. Forest Fae sharpened those with their magic until they could cleave through deer and often dipped the ends in deadly poisons.
It was one of many reasons why the Forest Fae and their royals should never be underestimated.
One such royal caught my gaze, her eyes widening before she let out a sharp whistle. “All right. Get some rest before we start our next drills.”
The fighters dispersed, heading across the field as Ragnhild approached me by the tree line.
“Greetings to you on this fine afternoon,” she said with a wave to the dimming sky.
“You’re training your own cadre?” I asked.
She shrugged and brushed a stray hair off her forehead, tucking it back into her braid. “My parents thought it might be of use, and I don’t disagree with them. Not after recent events.”
“You understood my cryptic letter, then?” I’d sent her one after the interrogation with the kidnapper, but hadn’t heard back.
She nodded and leaned in closer, whispering, “I can’t believe someone was able to sneak into the mountain.”
“You do it all the time.”
She snorted. “I don’t sneak. I waltz right past your guards and tell them to… shove their swords in unlit places.”
A chuckle burst from me and I eventually caught my breath enough to say, “More has transpired.”
Her smile fell, and I caught her up with everything that had happened—from the unwelcome gift to the council meeting and travel plans.
“What are you doing out here”—she peered over my shoulder, searching for something—“without your grumbly shadow?”
“He doesn’t know I’m here.”
Her eyes widened. “Oh, I’m sure he will love that.”
“Stop teasing us—”
“Us?”
Damn.
She set her hands on her waist and popped her hip. “Freija, have you been carrying on with one very big, very handsome general when you’re supposed to be courting Hans?”
“The less you know, the better.”
“I disagree with that statement.”
“Can we get to the reason why I’m here? Quickly? I left the trio of men back there claiming I needed to relieve myself.”
“No, I think we need to address this Halvar business.”
I looked behind her and tilted my chin to her cadre. “There are far too many people about.”
She peered over her shoulder. All of her soldiers mingled by the tiny red cabin, drinking from flasks and waterskins. Turning back to me and shaking her head, she said, “Tell me this, did he kiss you?”
I bit my lip.
Her eyelids retracted further. “More?”
Damn this woman. If she weren’t my best friend I’d be annoyed with how she always tested my patience. Thankfully, she made me laugh more often than that, though.
“I kissed him,” I admitted on a whisper.
She gasped. “Freija Eriksdatter, you naughty woman.”
“I know. I couldn’t help it.”
“Oh, I’m sure.”
“Stop teasing and focus.” I didn’t have time for this.
She crossed her arms and popped her hip. “Fine. What brings you to the forest?”
“This trip south. Would your friend Vigdis still be amenable to visitors?”
“Of course.”
“Good.” That was part one out of the way. Now, hopefully she could assist me with the more precarious part two. “I need to make some alterations to Halvar’s plan.”
Her eyebrows shot to her hairline and she sucked in a breath.
“I know, I know, but I can’t trust everyone in the mountain right now—”
“Including Halvar?”
I shook my head and brushed my hands together. “Him I can trust. It’s everyone else who knows our plans that… well, it feels like there are too many loose ends.”
“Don’t like those”—she grimaced and shook her head—“never have. Never will.”
I couldn’t have agreed more. “So, I was wondering if we could alter his travel plans of departing shortly after Father’s birthday with the backup ones you mentioned at the waterfall?”
A wicked grin slowly took form on my best friend. “I knew this day would come,” she said.
“You did?”
She nodded. “I can put a plan in place, but I will need a few days to get things in order. This will be farther than you’ve ever traveled before and I need to talk to Mads. Is that all right?”
I nodded. Whatever help she could provide would be appreciated.
“Is there a way you could distract Halvar and his soldiers? Maybe tell them at the very last minute?”
“There’s the ball for Father’s birthday.
I could slip away during that and request that he follow before making our way out of the mountain that night?
” Not that I’d need to make such a request of Halvar.
Wherever I went these days, he followed—today being the only exception so he could handle military matters.
“Perfect. And that’s early next week, right?”
I hummed in the affirmative.
She patted my shoulders. “Leave it to me.”
“Where exactly are we going?”
“The less you know, the better,” she replied, repeating my earlier statement.
I hoped to the ancestors we could pull this off as I had an awful feeling that things were only going to get worse for me and my safety if I stayed in the mountain much longer.