Page 54

The humid air of the small receiving room where Herrick’s parents held the biweekly people’s court was causing beads of sweat to roll down his back.

He had always felt it was essential to attend these meetings with his parents, because while being the General in this kingdom came with many responsibilities, attending the people’s court was not usually one of them.

Herrick had found that he felt closer to the people in his kingdom when he could be involved in solving the problems they brought to their King and Queen.

Usually, these tasks did not make him impatient, but that changed when he brought Maude to Veter.

Herrick had never been one to shirk his duties in the name of self-satisfaction, but with her, he wanted to run away and become unimportant.

Thoughts of her spread through Herrick like a bolt of lightning to his senses, and he had to smother it immediately if he was to be aware of what problems the people of Veter were dealing with.

Shaking Maude from his mind again, Herrick focused on the neighbors arguing over who had flooded the one farmer's crops.

“You seem preoccupied today, my love,” his mother said without looking at him.

“I didn’t sleep well,” he replied.

The statement was true enough. After his night spent at Maude’s side at The Broken Axe, which ended with the two of them alone in the hall again, Herrick had found sleep to be elusive .

“I see. So, it has nothing to do with the fact that you and your brother spent most of the day in Veter, returning only in the darkest hours of the night?” his mother asked, one eyebrow raised as she turned to face him.

“Of course not; we were only rounding in the city to learn about any problems that arose while we were gone,” Herrick said smoothly.

“Of course,” his mother half smiled, shaking her head slightly.

She faced forward again and reached out to her right, grasping his father’s hand.

The King and Queen of Veter always appeared at the people’s court together, but as the Queen was the Heir of Rivers before she married, the people sought her assistance the most. As a child, Herrick had always foolishly thought it was brave of his father to step back and allow the Queen to handle the problems. Over time, he grew to understand that it was not allowance that guided his father but respect and love for his partner.

They had been partners first and lovers second in life when they ruled.

Their affections bloomed from a mutual understanding of their responsibilities and love for their kingdom.

Before Herrick had crossed paths with Maude, that sort of relationship was all he had hoped for one day. Mutual understanding and trust that would hopefully grow into more.

But Maude had brought wildfire and heat; she had ignited unrest in his soul that forever altered him.

“Now that we have spoken with all the families displaced from the Kingdom of Flame, we should be just about done for the day,” his father said quietly.

Herrick nodded and prepared to order his soldiers to help file the people of Veter out of the receiving room when a couple ushering a small child at their side made their way to stand in front of the Queen.

His mother noticed their small procession and waved them forward with a warm smile.

“Come, my friends. Tell us what we can assist with.”

“Thank you, Your Majesty. We were unsure of what to do and we ask that you guide us toward the right path,” the woman holding the child's hand said quickly.

Her voice shook with fear. The husband, who had the same brunette hair as the child’s, had wrapped his arm around her shoulders tightly.

“We offer our guidance and friendship,” the King nodded. “Tell us your names.”

“I am called Iona, my husband is Mikel, and this is our son, Bjorn,” Iona began, her voice timid. “My family has always been gifted with earth galder , Your Majesties, as we are farmers from the outskirts of Veter.”

Iona looked at her husband before continuing. He gave a small nod to her and then looked up toward the King and Queen sitting on the dais.

“My family has never been gifted with galder ,” Mikel began. “When we had Bjorn, we had hoped he would show signs of earth galder , like his mother. We have been unsuccessful in our many attempts to have children until the goddess Freya blessed us with Bjorn, you see.”

“The gods have been good to your family, it seems. Bjorn looks to be a strong and healthy boy,” his mother said, a small smile gracing her lips.

“He is our joy, Your Majesty,” Iona said quickly. “But this past new moon…”

Iona trailed off and looked at her husband again.

“This past new moon, the gods seemed to have awoken Bjorn’s galder ,” Mikel finished for his wife.

“We had been burning a sacrifice to Freyr so that he may bring a plentiful harvest this month for the Betrothal Ball. Bjorn had been playing in the clearing close to the sacrifice we had burnt and had cried out in frustration at his toy breaking. ”

“When we went to him, we saw that he had burnt through the play bow and arrows we had gotten for him. We feared he had gotten too close to the sacrifice, but as we looked closer, we saw that he still had fire burning in his palms,” Iona said, the words rushing out of her like water falling over a cliff.

The receiving room was silent as the couple recounted what Herrick had felt was impossible. Before his mother and father could speak, Herrick asked the family, “Are you saying that your son, Bjorn, has fire galder ?”

The couple was quiet, tears staining Iona’s face.

“Yes,” Mikel whispered. “We don’t know where this could have manifested. We asked our families, and they have confirmed that there have never been any fire wielders in our families.”

Iona crouched to Bjorn and whispered a few words to the child.

More solemn than a child his age should be, Bjorn stepped forward and held out his palms. After a few short seconds, a small flame began to burn in the center of his palms. Herrick straightened as he recognized the similar energy coming from the child that enveloped Maude when she burned.

“How is this possible?” The King asked sharply.

“We do not know, Your Majesty. He shows no signs of earth galder , only the flames,” Mikel answered.

Bjorn stepped back into his mother’s embrace, burying his face into her skirts.

Herrick looked to his mother, who had been uncharacteristically silent.

He found it odd that just as his mother had warned him of bloodline mixing being forbidden by the treaty, a family brings news of their son’s fire galder popping up out of seemingly nowhere.

The Queen stood and motioned for spectators to leave the receiving room. Herrick ordered soldiers to stand posted at the entrances, allowing no one in. His mother descended off the dais and moved to grasp Iona’s hand .

“Do not allow this event to plague this moment of joy for your family. Bjorn may have fire galder in a family of farmers, but he is your son, and it should be celebrated that the gods have gifted him his galder ,” his mother said gently.

“I will consult our seers in the temples and ask if they are inclined to understand Bjorn’s fate planned by the Allfather, but you and your family need not worry about breaking any treaty laws.

Bjorn’s fire was the will of the Allfather. ”

The Queen walked with the family and escorted them to the doors, where she instructed a soldier to lead them home. The Queen crouched down and whispered more assurances and congratulations to Bjorn, who seemed relieved at his showing being over.

Once the family departed, his mother turned back to where Herrick and his father stood and let out a huge breath.

“Well, it seems that there has been some infidelity amongst our farmers,” she sighed, her eyes rolling as she made her way to the hidden exit behind the dais.

Herrick felt disbelief wash through him.

“Mother, you can’t possibly believe that they were lying,” Herrick said to her as they all made their way into the main hall of the palace.

“ Galder doesn’t just show up in family lines strong with a certain element, Herrick,” she said.

They were walking up the stairs to the fourth floor, where his mother had appointments with the Royal Seamstress for Hakon’s Betrothal Ball.

Herrick was reluctant to follow her any further so he could avoid the seamstress’s claws, but he needed to understand why his mother was brushing this news off.

“And you think that Iona was unfaithful to her husband with a fire wielder.” Herrick’s incredulity was heavy in his voice .

“Her husband had mentioned they had been unsuccessful in having children for many years; it is not a stretch to believe Iona took matters into her own hands,” his father added.

“So, what you said to her about going to the seers in the temple was a lie?” Herrick asked, disgust at his parents' disregard growing as the conversation continued.

“No, I plan to go to the seers and ask that they confirm Iona’s adultery,” his mother responded.

The Queen moved to turn toward her wing of the palace on the fourth floor before she paused and faced Herrick.

“I do not intend to share the woman’s secrets with her family; I only want to confirm that the reason the child has fire galder is that his true father is not Mikel.

Bjorn only has fire galder , thank the gods, but should he develop an affinity for earth galder as well, then we will have to intervene as the treaty demands. ”

His mother at least had the good graces to appear guilty as she spoke the hateful words.

“Station soldiers near the family’s farm and order them to report back on any changes in the boy's abilities,” she told Herrick, a Queen ordering her General.

Herrick forced himself to place his fist over his heart and bow low to his mother before saying, “Your Majesty.”