The Arctic Ch. 02

Eira woke up to the feel of his lips planting kisses along her shoulder.

"Good morning snowflake." His arms tightened their hold, pulling her closer against him.

"It would be a better morning if I had woken anywhere else."

"Where else would you have woken? You are mine now Eira, nobody else's." His voice sounded calm, but Eira had no doubt the measures he would go through to make sure it stayed that way. Nicholas rolled her over so that she faced him. She made a point not to stare directly into his eyes, she was unsure she would be able to hold her facade any longer if she had to look into his eyes.

"Eira, look at me!" She shook her head and he grabbed her face, tilting it so that she had no choice but to look into his gaze or close her eyes. She chose defiantly, to close her eyes.

"Our marriage does not have to be this way Eira, please."

"You cannot rape me and then tell me it is a good morning!" she shouted, pulling his hands down and pushing herself away, almost pushing herself right off the bed.

"I am your husband, it is not within your right to deny me of what is mine!" He growled. He reached for her and she toppled right off the edge of the bed, landing her naked butt right onto the cold stone floor. She scurried backwards,before he could make another grab for her. She pressed her back against the dresser, now noticing the bruises that covered her arms, hips and thighs. Eira risked a glance up at Nicholas who had leaned over but remained frozen there, staring at her. His eyes were just a few shades lighter, his hair a disheveled mess, but his face was an unreadable mask.

"I lost my temper," he confessed after a long moment of silence.

"Are you asking me for forgiveness, or simply stating what has already passed?"

"I doubt you would grant me absolution even if I were to seek it..."

"Do you think you deserve any Nicholas?" He slowly slid off the bed and Eira looked away at the sight of him, listening to him as he started to dress.

"I would earn it, if you would only let me."

"I do not want your apologies, I do not want your love; what I want you have refused to give me."

"You wish to banish us. Why can you not see what I am trying to do? Why can you not look past your grief and see the path before us? The power we have together, we can bring change Eira."

"And what of all the innocent people you and your men have slaughtered?" Nicholas sighed, despite his young age he sounded decades older with just that one sigh.

"I will send in your servant to help you dress, do not take all morning. We are expected somewhere today and I do not wish to be late." Without another word he stormed out of the room, Eira jumping at the sound of the door slamming shut. But once she was alone she felt her shoulders sag in relief as she hugged herself. And that is where Runa discovered her when she arrived. Runa shut the door and rushed to her side, wrapping her arms around Eira and pressing her into her bosom like a mother to a weeping child. Runa was about a decade older, she was short but a very robust woman with a vibrant red hair that she kept hidden beneath a head scarf.

Runa spoke not a word, but her embrace was more than enough. Eira cried until her tears ran dry and she was left with crushing sadness. Finally Runa helped Eira to her feet and wrapped her in some fur from the bed.

"Just you rest, I have water heating for your bath as we speak."

Eira watched wordlessly from the couch while Runa bustled around the room. She hummed an old lullaby, the same one she used to sing when Eira was just a little girl. Eira found herself relaxing as she let the music take her away to a better time, a better place. Eira barely even noticed her bath was ready until Runa shook her out of her daze.

"You only have to say the word Milady." Runa announced as she looked over Eira's body, fully taking in the sight of the bruises and dried blood. Which, despite Nicholas's attempt to clean up, was there none the less. Eira studied her servant, her friend, and she knew without a doubt that Runa would follow through. But could she do that? Could she give the order to murder her husband? Her father had raised her to be a kind and loving person. She didn't want to hurt anyone; but she also knew that holding onto her grief wasn't getting her anywhere either.

"I could never ask that of you Runa, killing Nicholas will not help our people, only make it worse. And if anything happened to you I could never forgive myself.

"Well if you change your mind...now hop in before the water gets cold." And just as quickly as she brought it up, she let it go. Eira sighed heavily as she sank into the tub of hot water. Runa had poured in some of her bath oils, rosemary oil for pain and stress relief, and peppermint oil for sore muscles. the scent tickled her nose but she didn't mind. Runa washed her back while she stared into space. Once finished, Runa gathered some fresh water and rinsed her off before wrapping her up in a towel to dry off. Just as Runa laced her corset Nicholas returned.

"I told you I did not want to be late, why are you not ready yet?"

"I had to wash off your filth," Eira retorted, keeping her back to him.

"Runa, leave us." She glanced at Eira, as though making sure that she was in agreement with that order.

"I am King, not Eira. You will do as I say or you will find yourself in the dungeon." Eira nodded at her and as Runa passed Nicholas she squared her shoulders and looked him square in the eye.

"You best treat her like the Queen you have made her, or you will answer to me." Eira gasped at her bravery, suddenly afraid for her friend. But Nicholas took a moment to take in the sight of the small woman. Runa was eye level with his breast, and was outmatched if it came down to strength alone. He seemed taken back, but he bowed to her.

"I cannot make any promises should Eira decide to become unruly, but I will tell you last night was...unfortunate. You have my word I will do everything in my power to take care of her." Runa nodded, pleased with the answer and left them alone.

"What awful lies are you telling the help sweet wife?"

"I said nothing, she saw the marks you left on my body." He looked away before Eira could tell if it was shame or indifference she saw flicker across his expression.

"Our carriage is waiting, I shall help you finish dressing."

"Runa was perfectly capable of helping me."

"If anyone's hands should be touching your body, it should be mine." He approached, grabbing her dress from the bed. The bath had done wonders for her sore muscles and even though he was mere inches away, she felt calm and relaxed.

"Where are we going today?"

"To the Thing."

"What on Earth is that?"

"A gathering, much like that of the Elders when they gather the council for a meeting. Main difference being that my people allow all who attend one vote, whether they are of noble blood or not." Nicholas pulled the dress down buttoning the back, his fingers lightly grazing the back of her neck, sending shivers down her spine.

"Come sit, I'll braid your hair." She didn't argue, she made her way to her vanity table, glancing at him through the mirror. He brushed her hair, taking it into his hands and began to braid. Now that she was no longer a maiden, it would be improper for others to see her with her hair down.

"You look beautiful Eira." He spoke softly, almost a whisper, as he pinned the last braid. He grabbed her winter cloak from the bed and fastened it around her shoulders.It was elegantly put together of polar bear pelts. It had been her mother's, complete with the golden brooch in the shape of the sun.

"Ready my Queen?" He offered his arm but she rushed past him, not daring to look back. She listened to him catch up, hoping she hadn't incurred his wrath. She could still recall the sting of his hand across her cheek. She had to clench her fists to prevent from touching her face at the memory. Nicholas grabbed her arm and pulled her to a stop and turned her to face him.

"Eira, this will be your last warning. If you continue to act like a child, I will be forced to treat you like one." Eira ripped her arm away and glared at him.

"I may be your wife, but you are disillusioned if you think I will permit you to escort me. I am perfectly capable of walking to the carriage myself." She spun back around and stalked her way outside where the carriage was indeed waiting. Jerrik stood there, holding open the door. When she lifted her foot to step up and climb inside she felt a pair of hands encircle her waist and lift her up and into the carriage as if she weighed nothing at all. She turned around and swat at him, face turning red at the fact he had just had his filthy hands on her.

"We are already running late, sit down." Nicholas barked as he climbed in across from her.

"You sure this is what you want to do?" Jerrik asked. Eira frowned, watching the interactions between the two men.

"We would have gone sooner but it took longer to convince Eira than I anticipated."

"Do not speak about me as though I am not here. What is going on?"

"Nothing for a woman to concern herself with," Jerrik replied. He turned back to his Alpha and nodded.

"Safe travels." He shut the door to the carriage and with a rap against the side, it lurched forward. They traveled for quite sometime in silence, Eira kept her gaze out the window while Nicholas seemed to be content watching her.

Finally, when she could no longer stand it, she glared at him and spoke.

"Have you nothing better to do than to gawk at me?" she demanded.

"What would you rather I be doing to you?" he asked with a lifted eyebrow. Her face flamed in embarrassment.

"Do not flatter yourself Nicholas, if things went my way you would never touch me again." Nicholas leaned forward, close enough that their knees almost touched.

"If you only knew the pleasure these hands could bring you..." he whispered, resting one on her knee.

Eira stared down at his hand, the sight of which caused her heart to race. warmth seemed to spread from his touch, traveling through her body as he leaned even closer.

"Just the sight of you makes me nauseous," she spat. Growling in frustration Nicholas reached forward and pulled her into a kiss. She tried to pull away but his grip was too strong. He pressed his lips gently against hers, pausing, waiting for her to stop resisting. When he made clear she wasn't going to get away until she kissed in back she finally stopped and let him finish. His lips were soft as he kissed her, his tongue tempting hers in a wild dance. Eira felt something within her awaken, and she gasped as he pulled a response from her body. It was several minutes before she realized he'd pulled away and was now leaning back, giving her a satisfied smirk.

"You were saying?" Eira let out an annoyed grunt and leaned back, straightening the skirt of her dress.

"Why are you doing this to me? Why do you insist on torturing me?"

"I told you, even if it takes me a lifetime, I will remind you of the love you once felt for me. Beneath the anger, you still feel something for me."

"Repulsion."

"That's a lie and we both know it. You cannot lie to me Eira, I know you too well." Tears pricked her eyes and she bit the inside of her cheek to try and keep them at bay. He was right, and she hated him for it. Despite everything he'd done, part of her still answered to the call of his presence, still craved his touch.

"I do not want to love you."

"Finally, you speak the truth. Why do you fight how you feel?"

"You killed my father, you killed my people, you forced me into this union with the intention of gaining power. And no amount of love will ever erase what you have done." His face remained blank as he took in her words, rolling them around a bit in his head.

"And I have apologized."

"No amount of apologies will make a difference, it does not change what you have done."

"I can be patient. You cannot hate me forever Eira."

~

The carriage came to a sudden stop, jostling Eira from her slumber. She wiped the drool from the side of her mouth and looked around.

"We have arrived," Nicholas announced, watching her with amusement. Eira glanced out the window and saw a few dozen houses and man made shelters. There were too many people to count. Men, women, children, dressed in furs with multiple weapons strapped to their belts and backs. Nicholas climbed out and assisted Eira to the ground. When she tried to pull her hand away he squeezed tight enough she thought he meant to break it.

"We are married, and you need to act as such. Should anyone sense weakness in our alliance, they will strike. Is that what you want for your people?" She ground her teeth and allowed him to hold her hand.

"Greeting Nicholas, we thought perhaps you had gotten lost," a voice called out.

Eira turned and paled at the sight of the man. He was over a foot taller than Nicholas, his shoulders and arms were thick with muscle. He wore a blue tunic with a beaver fur vest and held several daggers and an axe in his belt. He greeted Nicholas with a fierce hug, both men sizing other up.

"This is the Elf princess?"

"This is Eira, she is Queen now." Tryst looked her up and down, his eyes taking their time as they soaked in the sight of her. Eira squirmed under his gaze, not liking his attention on her. Nicholas cleared his throat, gaining back Tryst's attention. Tryst had dirty blonde hair that was pulled back into a small ponytail, the sides of his head were shorn. His eyes were such a dark shade of blue they almost looked black. The corners of his mouth turned up into a sinister smile and Eira found herself moving closer to Nicholas.

"Welcome to the Thing," he greeted, bowing before her. But she sensed he did so out of mockery instead of actual respect.

"Thank you," she replied politely.

"Has the meeting taken place yet?" Tryst shook his head.

"Word is being sent to the Alpha's, they are gathering as we speak."

"Good, I would like to get my wife settled in first."

"Astrid here can show your wife to your room, we cannot spare another second Nicholas, we have already waited too long." Eira almost jumped, having not seen Astrid before he spoke her name, it was as though he had summoned her from the very air. She was young, just reaching the early stages of womanhood, she wore her long blonde hair was pulled back with a braid that reached past her shoulders. She was dressed similar to everyone else, complete with daggers and an axe in her belt as well as a large broadsword at her back.

Nicholas looked uneasy but nodded.

"Eira, I want you to follow Astrid, do not leave her sight for any reason. I would trust this girl with my life. I will come find you after the meeting." And then he left, following Tryst into the sea of people. Astrid closed the distance between them.

"I am Astrid, second to my father Tryst, Alpha of the Northstar Clan." Eira shook her hand as she'd seen the men do and resisted the urge to wipe the dirt from her hands afterwards.

"Eira, descendant of Sol, Queen of Thirann. Pleased to meet you, might I ask you a question?"

"Make it quick and ask as we walk." She nodded her head and led Eira into the crowd.

"Are you trained to use all those weapons you carry?" Astrid looked confused, her blue eyes filled with amusement.

"Of course, I am a shieldmaiden. Are your women not trained in weaponry?" Eira shook her head, her father had always told her that a woman's place was not on the battlefield.

"Bet you have never worn pants either." Eira shook her head again.

"It is improper for a lady to wear the clothing of men."

"Are you saying I am improper?"

"Not at all, if anything I find myself a bit envious at your freedom." Astrid face softened and she motioned for Eira to follow her. They passed tables covered in jewelry, weapons, strange furs and cloth from other lands. Eira made herself a promise to take a look later after she got settled in. Astrid did not glance back, she seemed confident Eira would follow her to the very end. And Eira would have, if she hadn't gotten distracted by the jewelry and accidently bumped into someone.

"Watch yourself slave," the man spat. He was short but made up for it in muscle.

"I-I am sorry, I did not see you there."

"Pay better attention," he demanded, leaning towards her. She took a step back and pressed up against another man. She felt her cheeks flame as she turned to apologize again. But the man behind her was so tall she had to strain her neck just to look up at him. His large hands seemed to be the size of her head. Eira stuttered as she tried to spit out another

apology.

"I think she did it on purpose, Elven bitch think she's better than us."

"No, it was an accident," she swore. But the tall man didn't seem to care. He grabbed her shoulders and shook her.

"Do not lie, I think we ought to teach this troll bitch a lesson; what do you say Arlen?" The short man asked as he moved closer and Eira caught the scent of him and she was surprised she hadn't noticed it earlier. He smelled like dirt and sweat and something else foul.

"Lay another hand on her and I will cut it off," a voice yelled. Eira almost gave a sigh of relief, despite the fact it was Astrid. She was outmatched, there was no way she could take on both men; she had unsheathed her sword and stared at them challengingly.

"What is she to you?" the tall man goaded.

"She is Queen of Thirann, Nicholas would not be pleased should you harm his wife." The man named Arlen looked Eira over again.

"Should have guessed by the clothes...if he cared so much, why did he leave her in the care of a child?"

Astrid threw her dagger and it embedded itself into the wooden beam mere inches from Arlen's face.

"I may be a child, but I can kill you before you utter another insult. Do you have anything else to say old man?" Arlen, ushered his short friend away from the stand

"Take the Troll, we have better things to do." As soon as the men were out of sight Astrid closed the distance and yanked her knife from the beam, which was a few feet taller than her so she was forced to jump to get a grip.

"Do not fall behind again," Astrid demanded angrily. When they finally reached the room Eira felt tired already.

"Thank you for standing up for me back there."

"I did not do it for your thanks. My Alpha gave me an order, I follow it."

"I am grateful, none the less. May I ask you another question?"

"What?"

"Was it difficult to learn how to throw those knives?" Astrid seemed taken aback by the question then tilted her head in thought.

"My father bore no sons, and my mother is also a shield maiden. They wanted to make sure I could protect myself, he started training me as soon as I could hold a knife. I would imagine a fine lady like yourself would have a hard time however."

"C-C-Could you teach me?" Astrid let out a loud laugh, almost a bark.

"Are you soft in the head? No way would I teach an ELF how to wield throwing knives." Eira made herself comfortable on the small cot, she should have known better than to ask.

"I am sorry I asked. I am settled, you may leave if you wish." Astrid rolled her eyes and left her alone.. It felt strange to be alone after so long of being under guard so long in her own home. Not that she was willing to risk leaving the room anytime soon; not here among Nicholas's own people. She felt tired after the incident earlier at the market. Eira made herself comfortable on the bed and soon fell fast asleep.

~

"Waging war against us is suicide," Nicholas argued as he looked over the maps sprawled out across the table.

"True, but they seem determined to do so none the less. We were hoping you would agree to ride out and eliminate the threat."

"And if they refuse to listen to reason?" Eerikke, the Earl, gave him a look that told him he knew exactly what to do should they refuse. Eerikke was a man of average height, and unlike most of the men in the clans, he kept his greying hair short. He was a little round in the middle but he wasn't quite past his prime.