Chapter 29 Freija
Freija
Several days later, Vigdis and I had formed a lovely little routine. Our mornings started with my research, then we had lunch and some time in the garden, and we ended the day with supper by the fire. I hadn’t felt this relaxed and unencumbered since… well, ever.
I perched in my spot at the table, scouring Vigdis’s records with a cup of herbal tea.
Pointing to a star-shaped bloom, I said, “This one is most curious. Such an unusual coloring, too.”
“That’s a fine plant. Remind me to give you some seeds for it when you depart.”
“What if I never want to leave?” The words were out of my mouth before I understood what I was saying.
And yet, it was true. After only a handful of days here on the coast with Vigdis, I didn’t want to go home.
I wanted to learn more about the plants and flowers that brought me and the world so much joy, the ones the Forest Fae swore to protect and that clung to the fjell.
Vigdis chuckled as she plucked a dead leaf from the bundle she was arranging on the other side of the table. “I highly doubt the King and Queen would be happy about that. Nor would that guardian of yours.”
She was right. They wouldn’t. Especially the latter.
I pointed to the bunch of little purple blooms that she was busy with. “What is this?”
“Ah, this is a fae-developed plant, Archavia. It provides headache relief to the user when consumed as a tincture.”
“So, it might dull the ache?”
Vigdis nodded and handed it to me for inspection. “For a time.”
I brushed the tip of my finger across the twine holding the bundle together. Maybe this could help my maid, Alva? She often fought back headaches, and I hated to see her in pain.
“Are there any adverse side effects?”
“None that would be deemed worthy of concern.”
“What do you mean by that?”
She chuckled. “It’s slightly indecent subject matter, especially for a—”
“Forget my title, Vigdis.”
She brushed her hands across the front of her apron and let out a funny little snort. “The main side effect is a greater need to urinate.”
I pressed my fingers to my lips and stifled a laugh of my own. “Well, that shouldn’t be too harmful.”
“No, but if you desperately need to relieve yourself at an inconvenient time…”
Ah, yes, that would be rather unfortunate indeed. But it might be worth a try as the teas didn’t seem to be helping Alva. “May I have a few seeds and cuttings when I leave? There is someone I think could find this helpful.”
“Of course, my dear.” She scurried over to her kitchen bench in a cloud of herbaceous aromas and fetched a sachet of something I couldn’t name. “It’s a bit like heather with its growth and needs.”
“Duly noted. Thank you so much.”
She waved her hand at me like it was no matter.
“I did also want to discuss with you any creative ideas that the Fjell might implement to tackle potential food shortages.”
“Ah, yes.” She swept back to the table and took a seat. “We’ve already discussed the deer and fishing numbers down here, but should move on to crops.”
“We don’t have much space to cultivate with the influx of humans around, at least not without masquerading as them and becoming one with their community which would take time.” Plus, as they aged and we didn’t, those farmers would have to move on to other locations. It was a complicated process.
She leaned back in her chair. “Have you any caves or rooms near the mountain’s surface?”
I narrowed my eyes at her. What was she thinking? Growing inside? “There may be a few spaces, but we might be able to carve out more or make them larger.”
“Would you be able to get some sunlight into those areas?”
Setting down my pen, I let the idea simmer like the soup on her stove. If we could create small enough fractures and fill them with light quartz or another stone, we could bring in some rays. Why hadn’t I thought of this? “It may be feasible.”
“That may be your best option. It’s not ideal, nor perfect—”
“But would be excellent and good work.”
She smiled like a teacher proud of their student, eyes crinkling at the corners. “Exactly.”
We set to writing down her ideas and modifying them based on our mountain’s limitations and our Fjell Fae powers.
In order to create greater yields in future, we would likely need to forge an alliance with the Forest Fae and have some enter now and then to assist with the crops, but the more and more we worked through the problem, the greater the plan became.
By picking the right plants—thanks to a list provided by Vigdis which included some fae-developed species—we could create garden boxes within the mountain near light sources that could thrive and supplement our food stores. It was brilliant.
My pen moved faster and faster as excitement and hope bubbled up within me. By the time dinner was consumed and the sun was setting, I was practically humming with joy and couldn’t stop reading and altering my report for the Council.
With Vigdis sitting by the fire with a cup of tea, I settled in for the evening, books splayed open across the table, and transferred cultivation and crop ideas into my project notes. A knock sounded at the door and Halvar poked his head inside.
“Evening,” I said with a smile.
“I’m taking Vigi and Finn down to the village for a drink after their work putting together those rain barrels today. Would you care to join us?”
He was asking me for a drink? I glanced at my work then back at him.
“Would it be all right if I stayed? I want to finish this up tonight if possible, but don’t want to stop you from all going.
” Even when they’d ventured into town to get supplies for the cottage, one of them had stayed behind to guard.
Halvar pursed his lips. “Do you have that dagger I gave you?”
I patted my hip. “I never go anywhere without it.”
“Good.” His lips quirked up at one corner. “Considering how quiet it has been, I feel all right to leave you for an hour or two, but if something happens, I need you both to come running to the alehouse for us. The one by the church.”
“Of course,” I said with a nod. “You three have fun.”
“You too, Your Highness.” And with that he closed the door, leaving me to my work.