Freyja's Fire - Chapter 5 - A'mara Books

5

(Fenjaday, cont.)

Seagull Public House

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Aurelia’s cheeks burned as they left the pub. Gemina hung back. “I’m a grown woman, brother!” Aurelia complained loudly outside. “If I want a man, I will have one!”

“You have a realm to think about!” Adrick scolded, looking at her harshly.

“You’re the Crown Prince!”

“And if something happens to me? Before Aron is grown? Then it’s you it falls to!”

“Does no one think to ask me what I want?!” Aurelia argued, even though she knew it was hopeless.

“I should take you back to Castel Velantia! You aren’t grown up enough to be let outside the castle walls!”

“Maybe that’s why I’m the way I am! Maybe I’ve been sheltered too much! Because no one wants to know that I’ve grown up. No one wants to know that I can buy my own drinks and take a man to bed!”

“Aurelia!” Gemina chimed in. “Is that what you really want? Do you want to live like a prostitute? Do you want to have some stranger’s baby? Most of the women who work there have a baby every two years regardless of what they do. And none of them know the fathers of their babies! Is that what you want?!”

Aurelia looked down at her feet. She felt the shame. “No,” she said, feeling her cheeks still burning.

“Me neither,” Adrick agreed, holding her close. “No matter what, you’re still my little sister. I only want the best for you! As soon as Stella is around again, I’ll ask her to search again for suitable partners for the two of you. I refuse to believe that there is no one!” His hand stroked her back as Aurelia’s hot tears fell against her brother’s chest. “I’d like to meet the man who is destined for you, Aurelia. He’s going to have a lot to handle!” He lifted her chin and wiped a tear off her cheek. He kissed her forehead. “We need to get back before Katja has half the guards looking for us.”

“How did you know where Gemina and I were?”

“Katja saw you peek in earlier.”

“I didn’t mean to see.. that!” Aurelia protested.

He shrugged. “It happens, Sis. I remember accidentally catching a glimpse of Mom and Dad going at it once. I was far more embarrassed than they were! They explained to me that there was no need to be ashamed in the creative power of a man and a woman who love each other.”

They started walking again.

“You should really stop gambling with them though, Aurelia,” Adrick censured. “You have an unfair advantage!”

Aurelia grinned. Few people could beat her at Wolff. Not when she was trying, anyway.

“Someone will beat you one day, my sister. I hope you don’t gamble too much away when he does.”

“Or she!”

“How many women have you fleeced in the pub?” Adrick asked.

“None.” She laughed.

“I’m serious!” he added. “I’m not always going to be at the door to keep people from hurting you.”

“I know, Adrick. I should be more careful.”

“It’s not in your nature to be careful. That’s why I think someone’s going to need to teach you some more self-defense. I will look for an instructor for you as soon as we get back to Castel Velantia.”

“Thanks, Brother,” Aurelia replied.

“But if you scare me again, I will take you to see Father!”

“Yes, Adrick.”

“Go to bed this time. And stay there until morning!”

“Yes, Adrick.”

Aurelia went into the tent she shared with Gemina.

“Don’t do that again!” Gemina scolded. “I didn’t know if Adrick was going to get there fast enough to save you from being raped!”

“You knew he was coming?”

“I felt him as he came into Erion. Weren’t you scared when that guy grabbed you?”

“A bit,” Aurelia admitted. “I didn’t like his attitude.”

“His attitude! He was going to rape you!”

“Gemina. Aren’t you just as scared of going to your grave still a virgin?”

“I’m more afraid of giving myself to someone who doesn’t deserve me.”

“Even if you never love?”

“I always love.”

“You know what I meant, Gemina!”

“And you told me you had standards! Go to sleep, Aurelia.”

♥

Sister Klara tossed on her roll mat. She didn’t think it was the discomfort of the ground beneath, either. Something was wrong. Grateful for the full moons, she slipped out of the tent she shared with Sister Naemi.

The light of the blue and red moons was energizing, but that wasn’t the reason she was wide awake either. She felt herself drawn towards the shore, but not where they had picnicked earlier in the day.

Instead, she walked along the shoreline.

A moment later, she wasn’t alone. “Where are you going, Sister Klara?” Sister Naemi asked.

“Not sure. Something about the shore.”

“But not the one near our tent?”

“No.”

The sisters walked on.

“What do you think of Princess Aurelia?” Sister Klara asked.

“She has always been a bit coarse,” Sister Naemi replied. “At least from everything I’ve ever heard about her. Why?”

“I just wondered.”

“Because she was sharp with you earlier?”

“I can’t help but wonder about the prophesy,” Sister Klara said.

“We have to trust that the gods know what they’re doing. Two years ago, it didn’t look like Adrick would ever marry, yet here he is with their second child on the way!”

“’Tis true. Maybe...”

The rest of what Sister Klara was going to say was lost as the reached the other side of the forested jetty. She drew a sharp breath as she looked down towards the rocky beach below.

On the jagged rocks, a large, three-masted carrack listed just off the beach. A ragged hole gaped, but the water was shallow enough to keep the ship firmly in place after the earlier breezes.

Sister Klara realized she was holding her breath.

“There are people on board!” Sister Naemi suddenly said.

Sister Klara scanned her eyes across the moonlit deck which sloped slightly towards them. “They’re dead. All dead!”

“Not all. There are some who are alive. But the ship is plagued. It brings death.”

“We must tell Prince Adrick, since we know he’s here!” Sister Klara exclaimed.

“The ship must be burned,” Sister Naemi argued. “We cannot help the poor souls on board now.”

“I’m going for the Prince!” Sister Klara insisted.

“Many will die!”

“We must save the ones we can! You can help me or you can go home, Sister Naemi! With innocent deaths on your conscience.”

“Innocent deaths. That’s exactly why I fear. I fear...”