Wildest Dreams Page 12

  A bride who was most definitely not the Winter Princess Sjofn of the House of Wilde.

  “My bride,” Drakkar grunted.

  Nillen inclined his head.

  “I assume,” Nillen started, “considering your reported…” he paused, “activities prior to my brothers and sisters’ arrival, she has touched you?”

  “She has,” Drakkar confirmed.

  “May I read?” Nillen asked and Drakkar tilted his chin up in an affirmative.

  Nillen did not come closer but simply lifted his hand, laid it on Drakkar’s chest for a mere moment and then pulled it slightly away. A vaporous, ice blue handprint remained on The Drakkar’s chest even after the elf’s hand had moved away, sparkling, ice blue sinews stretching between The Drakkar and Nillen’s hand as he held it up.

  Drakkar saw that Nillen’s eyes were closed as he took his reading then the connection was broken, the print on his chest fading when Nillen’s hand dropped and his eyes opened.

  Then he smiled.

  “She is indeed the Ice Bride,” he whispered and the elves in the clearing roused, the air filling with anticipation.

  “Explain,” Drakkar ordered curtly.

  “She is not of this world,” Nillen stated, Tyr shifted his bulk and butted his master’s shoulder with his jaw for his horse had long since communicated this same impression, indeed, the night of his wedding as she inexpertly (at first) drove her sleigh at his side.

  The elves standing in the clearing continued to stir but Drakkar said nothing.

  Nillen continued. “The elves have known of the existence of another world, different than ours, in some ways more advanced, in other ways very short-sighted, for many millennia. That world holds very limited magic.”

  Drakkar remained silent.

  Nillen went on to explain. “Humans have twins that live in each world. In fact, nearly every human has a twin save, fortunately for both worlds, those who carry evil. Those with extreme malice in their heart, enough to act on that wickedness freely and without scruple, only have one being in one world. There are others who do not have twins but these, too, are not birthed only due to extreme circumstances. Those who do not hold malice or their mother’s have not endured extreme circumstances in one of the two worlds have two. Although the twin will look like the other, sound like the other, they are not the other but two separate beings.” Nillen paused, Drakkar nodded once and Nillen kept speaking. “You have a twin in that world and Sjofn of the House of Wilde has one. And she conspired to switch places with her twin on the night of her wedding to you.”

  Drakkar’s jaw went tight but he said nothing.

  Nillen carried on. “The Sjofn of this world wished to escape you. The Seoafin of our parallel world came here for much different reasons.”

  “And those are?” Drakkar asked.

  “Primarily… grief,” Nillen answered and Drakkar blinked as his gut grew tight.

  “Grief?”

  Nillen nodded. “Many years ago, she lost her mother and father. They were beloved by her. She has not recovered from this loss, such was the weight it settled on her soul. She became aware of our world and the understanding there were twins to those living in her world.” He paused and his eyes stayed unwavering on his lord. “She wished to see her parents again and took a great risk and paid a great treasure in order to do it.”

  Drakkar felt his gut tighten further as he muttered, “Bloody hell.”

  Nillen lifted his chin. “I’m afraid that although your Ice Bride was clear about her reasons for voyaging to this world, the Sjofn of this world was not forthright with your new bride and shared very limited information prior to your bride’s travel as well as leaving select information for her to understand after. The switch was accomplished just ten minutes to her being forced into the sleigh that would take her to the Dwelling of the Gods. Amongst other things, she had no idea her parents of this world had grown impatient and even angry with her and she had no idea that she was facing imminent marriage to you. Indeed, even now, after reading Sjofn of the House of Wilde’s communications, she holds incomplete information about you.”

  Drakkar glared at the elf as he felt his neck muscles contract before he urged in a tight voice, “Go on.”

  Nillen’s head dipped to the side before straightening. “Your bride is…” another pause, “unusual for a female in this world and even one, it is our understanding, in her home world. Although she was faced nearly instantly with these inauspicious circumstances, she has rallied and while she does wish to spend time with her parents, she has enjoyed her adventure on this world very much so far.”

  That did not surprise The Drakkar. Not after seeing her greet the townsfolk that very day or walking in on her in the pub last night as she cried out in delight, arms straight in the air, smile beaming from her beautiful face while clearly engaged (successfully) in wagering in a game of chance.

  Nillen kept speaking though his voice had grown soft. “You do remember, my lord, that although we understood your reasons for accepting the king’s request, the elves cautioned you strongly against binding yourself to Sjofn of the House of Wilde.”

  Drakkar kept his gaze aimed at the elf but he felt his entire frame get tight.

  He did remember. The elves went beyond cautioning him. Their concerns at this alliance with Princess Sjofn were communicated in a tone that was nearly desperate. Their warnings were dire that such a union would anger Keer, the God of Destiny who had foretold that the Lord of the Elves would marry his Ice Bride, a woman who shared, like The Frey of the Drakkar, elf magic for through her veins coursed traces of elf blood. A woman that Keer, with aid from all the gods, Wohden, Adela, Hermia, Meer and Alabasta had searched for and chosen in order to unite the elf and the dragon to create a child who was a true, rightful heir to the throne a Lunwyn, something which the gods felt crucial though they had not explained why through prayer, Vallee or the elves.

  But, for Drakkar, it was foretold the particular woman destined for him was chosen by the gods as a handsome reward for his endeavors and the weighty responsibility of the commands he held for she also shared Drakkar’s lust for voyaging and his thirst for unending quest.

  All of which would be impossible for Finnie to be if the world of the winter bride waiting for him at his cabin held little magic for she, clearly, wouldn’t either.

  After sifting through this knowledge in his brain, finally, The Drakkar lifted his chin.

  Nillen’s smile beamed from his face before he announced, “The Great Keer and Destiny have prevailed.”

  Drakkar blinked and the elves around the clearing twittered.

  “Explain,” he demanded.

  “Why, my lord, you’ve married your rightful Ice Bride.”

  Drakkar’s eyes narrowed. “I thought you said her world holds little magic.”

  “It does but that doesn’t mean it holds none. She’s of the elves, albeit the elves of her world, she’s still of the elves, our kind there long since gone to their realm deep within the earth, never to return. Princess Sjofn holds her coloring from traits passed down naturally through her parents, although latent in each parent, they have come out in her by pure chance. Your Seoafin holds her coloring because she carries the blood of elves.”

  Drakkar studied Nillen’s happy face and noted, “I see this pleases you.”

  Nillen lifted his chin and replied, “Indeed it does, my lord.”

  Drakkar thought of Finnie but he didn’t need to do so. He already knew she pleased him which was why, although he proceeded cautiously with a woman unknown to him, he continued to proceed. Until now, he hadn’t known if she was a Sjofn of the House of Wilde bewitched (probably, he had thought, by her mother) to be to his liking, if the gods were at work or if a double had been created for fiendish reasons. What he did know was that he was enjoying testing all these theories, therefore, warily, he proceeded to test them.

  Now, he knew he had Sjofn’s beauty in his bed but with Finnie’s grace, Finnie’s humor and F
innie’s fire.

  Yes, this very much pleased him.

  What didn’t please him was that, albeit good news, tonight’s message wasn’t urgent and the elves who approached his cabin had told him it was of grave import.

  This news as it stood could wait to be passed on.

  At the very least, it could have waited for a bloody half hour.

  “I’m uncertain, Nillen,” Drakkar growled, “why I was taken from my bed, and my wife, to hear this news. It is good, is it not? And it will not change.”

  Nillen’s smile died and he shook his head but said, “Yes, my lord, it is good. But I’m afraid, not at present, but in future, it will change.”

  Drakkar crossed his arms on his chest. “How?”

  “Your Ice Bride is not in our world for good, Frey Drakkar, she returns to her world in ten months and two weeks, switching back with Sjofn.”

  The Drakkar’s body again grew tight, so tight, it went statue-still and it felt like the area around his heart squeezed. Hard.

  “She returns?” he said softly, his voice low.

  “Yes, a deal was struck. They were to remain switched for a year then return to their worlds. Sjofn has warned her of you and explained her reasons for your union. She has also warned her not to get with child as she will see to that duty on her return.”

  Duty.

  The Drakkar did not like Sjofn of the House of Wilde and he liked her less and less the more he knew of her including her casting his Finnie into a situation that had to terrify her when she only wanted to voyage to an unknown world in order to spend time with her parents.

  This in particular was a circumstance he was trying not think of for this type of voyage was gravely hazardous as evidenced by her finding herself in the situation she faced practically upon her arrival.

  As a man, he regularly sought such ventures. As a powerful, experienced and skilled man, he bested many perilous situations.

  His Finnie was not a powerful, experienced and skilled man.

  Bloody hell, his wee wife could have been hurt.

  And that didn’t bear thinking about. Not then. Nor did his actions after he’d wed her bear thinking about. He’d think about it later.

  And, much later than that, he’d discuss her behavior with her and the fact she would desist in it immediately.

  Drakkar turned his mind from these thoughts and focused on Nillen.

  “Then I will not let her return,” Drakkar decided and Nillen shook his head.

  “The witch from her world who made the switch is extremely powerful. She holds more magic than most witches on this world, witches able to practice openly and share with and instruct each other. True magic is hidden in that world for reasons I do not understand. But this witch, your Ice Bride’s witch, holds the magic of fifty of our most powerful witches. This switch between worlds does not occur very often, it is extremely rare and the reason why it is rare is that it takes an inordinate amount of magic to perform it thus any witch attempting it will be depleted of all her power once the switch is made, placing herself, I’m sure you understand, Frey Drakkar, at grave risk. If a witch of that world, or this one for that matter, gathers enough magic to perform the switch, they will be drained and it would take decades for them to regain such power. The witch who switched your Ice Bride with Sjofn of the House of Wilde will not face this same weakening. She holds enough magic to make the switch and switch them back with only a small dwindling of power and will be at her full strength again in a year’s time in order to perform the switch again. You could consult a witch, my lord, but it is unlikely any witch in our world could bind your wife here with enough power to subvert the efforts of your bride’s witch to perform the return.”

  “All right,” Drakkar agreed, “I can see this but no witch, no matter how powerful, has magic enough to rival the elves.”

  And this was true. A single elf held more magic than the evil she-God Minerva of Hawkvale and the benevolent Lavinia of Lunwyn, witch servant of Alabasta, Goddess of Wisdom and overseer of the earth combined. The magic of all the elves magic was only rivaled by the gods… and the dragons.

  Slowly, Nillen smiled.

  Then he whispered, “You wish us to bind your Ice Bride to this world?”

  “Immediately,” Drakkar replied without hesitation.

  Nillen’s smile widened.

  Then it faltered.

  “You should know, at this time, your bride does not wish to remain in this world. If we bind her here, she will never go back and you know a spell cast by elves cannot be withdrawn without sacrifice. She has ties there, acquaintances she cares for deeply, dreams she wishes to fulfill, belongings that matter to her. She may not wish this, to be bound to this world, a world where she has no ties and a world that is very different from hers.”

  “Leave that to me,” Drakkar stated.

  Nillen studied Frey Drakkar.

  Then he cautioned, “This is your Destiny and you know it is our duty to fulfill your command but you should also be aware that if you bind your Ice Bride to this world, so she can permanently take her place, you must also relegate Sjofn of the House of Wilde to live her days in the other.”

  “And I should care about this?” Drakkar asked.

  “My lord, it is your due to command us and it is your duty to make such decisions about your Destiny for it is known by all elves straight from Keer that the destinies of Frey Drakkar, Lord of the Elves and his Ice Bride’s intermingle with every citizen of Lunwyn and every elf who resides deep in the earth under our frosted country. That said, these are weighty matters you decide in a heartbeat.”

  “This nation’s only princess fled her country for selfish reasons, thoughtlessly throwing an innocent into an unknown situation and placing her at risk. Already, my bride shines a different light on her people than that of her twin and from what I’ve seen, they bask under her glow. I do not make this weighty decision without consideration, Nillen, and you know I never do.”

  “No,” Nillen replied quietly, “I know you never do. I am simply cautioning you that you may wish to delay, your union with your Ice Bride is new and there may be consequences to your actions.”

  “Leave those to me too,” Drakkar returned.

  Nillen studied his lord. Then he inclined his head. Then he again smiled.

  Then he muttered, “As you command.”

  Drakkar inclined his head briefly then stated, “I expect my command to be executed by the time I join my new bride in our bed.”

  “Of course,” Nillen murmured.

  “My thanks,” Drakkar murmured back then asked, “Do you have more?”

  “No, my lord, Frey Drakkar.”

  Without hesitation, Drakkar turned to Tyr. “Good. I bid you farewell and safe journey back to your realm.”

  Nillen lifted his chin at his lord after he mounted his horse. Then all the elves watched him as he wheeled the steed and set his heels to its flanks, clicking his teeth. The powerful beast shot into the trees and the elves didn’t delay in moving to circle the adela.

  Then they immediately cast the spell that bound the Ice Bride to their lord and his world, at the same time consigning Sjofn of the House of Wilde to the other world everlastingly.

  Once this was accomplished, they moved to the base of the adela, bent low to touch its bark where the tree rose from the earth and with a flash of ice blue ending in the pop of a white spark, they disappeared to their realm.

  * * * * *

  Frey disrobed before he mounted the ladder.

  As he pulled the curtain back and spied the loft, he saw the candles still lit but the fire needed to be fed. He also saw his wife asleep, the long, thick mass of waves of white-blonde hair on the pillow, her shoulder, down her back and even in her face.

  As she did last night, she straddled the bedclothes, something that stirred the blood in his veins. This likely had a great deal to do with the sight of her exposed, shapely leg. And it likely had even more to do with the sight of the curve of her rounde
d, generous arse exposed by the short nightdress that had ridden up, revealing a pair of tight, miniscule underwear, underwear he had felt soaked with her excitement caused merely by the play of his tongue in her sweet mouth and light caresses that rarely even touched skin.

  This made him wonder what deeper tongue play and more intimate caresses would bring forth from his Finnie.

  But becoming as she was slumbering in his bed and as enticing as the stray of his thoughts, Frey determined that he and his new wife would be having a conversation much sooner than the other he intended to have with her and this one would be about leaving the candles burning while she was asleep.

  He moved with practiced ease through the loft, extinguishing the candles and then he fed the fire.

  Then he moved to his wife.

  He’d detangled the bedclothes from her limbs, settled them over their bodies and himself on his back, at the same time pulling her to his side when her head came up.

  She blinked at him sleepily in the firelight.

  “Finnie –” he started to order her to go back to sleep but in a flash, her face brightened, her eyes twinkled with excitement and she exclaimed, “You’re back!”

  “This I am,” Frey agreed to the obvious.

  She shot up to sitting and he barely had time to contract his muscles to brace when she slapped his chest then bent over him, her hand at his chest, her hair framing her face, her eyes dancing, her cheeks pink with excitement and her voice breathless with enthusiasm when she demanded, “Tell me everything that happened!”