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Vhalla passed it over. She had never expected to keep it, but something strange tingled across her fingers as Vhalla gave it up. It was physically difficult to see it in the other woman’s hands.
Soft music, a Southern sound, played from one of the rooms off the main lobby. Vhalla looked uncertainly at the shut doors and opulent parlors. A man cleared his throat from behind the front desk.
Ugh I’m so afraid to know whats happening
Vhalla’s blood turned to ice in her veins. Elecia, in a loose sleeping tunic and nothing else, stood barefoot and groggy eyed. She yawned as she came closer. “Vhalla? What are you doing here?”
Of course
She seemed exhausted and worn thin. Somehow even her hair seemed less fluffy than normal.
“Hello, Vhalla.” He seemed as happy to see her as she was him.
Lmao
“Elecia?” Aldrik seemed to forget the other woman was even with him the night before. “Were you even going to tell me?” Vhalla’s lower lip quivered, and she swore she would not lose it, she wouldn’t cry in front of him. “What does Elecia have to do with this?” Confusion eased his shoulders.
Aldrik please even if you did nothing you know how it looked
Still holding her face, Aldrik sighed softly and leaned forward to press his forehead against hers, their noses barely touching. “Say it again . . .” Vhalla closed her eyes. “I love you, Aldrik.”
“Did you mean what you said? Or was it just a moment?”
My sweet boy is so insecure
“When?” His lips barely moved. “When did I admit it? Only after the sandstorm. When did it happen? Long before that.”
“What would you like? I will get you anything you desire.”
“Because I want you near me. I don’t want you to leave.” His directness pierced her and she felt her heart begin to pick up the same speed as earlier.
“I love you,” he repeated, a determined fire lighting his eyes. “It is one of the worst things I could ever do,” Aldrik confessed. “I swear to the Mother, I have tried not to damn you with it. But you’re a rather persistent, beautiful presence in my life.
“I kicked the crown prince out of his bed.” She rolled onto her back with laughter. “Oh, that is a story I wish I could share with someone.” Aldrik grabbed the blankets and threw them over her face. “You’re annoying in the morning,” he said with a hint of amusement.
Lmao
“Tonight?” She hadn’t thought of it. “Yes, my parrot.” He grinned at her scowl.
“Good morning, Vhalla,” Prince Baldair called.
Hahahaha
“You look rather foolish shouting at empty rooms,” Aldrik drawled.
HAHAHA
“If you want to make the widely accepted appropriate decision, then leave now, have mercy and end this before you entice me further. Because I promise, this will never be easy—for either of us—and I refuse to love you halfway.”
“Take care, lest I have to burn the Crossroads to the ground in a rage.” Vhalla laughed softly, very well realizing that it may not entirely be a jest. She grinned up at him playfully. “Take care yourself, lest I have to blow the Crossroads away in a rage.”
“Don’t you ‘good morning’ me.” He peered at her. “You were out all night! We were worried!”
Mom and dad
“Vhalla Yarl,” the lord said slowly, his voice was among the deepest she’d ever heard. “I have been looking forward to meeting you.”
“Well, I don’t know if I am free from chains.” Vhalla could not stop the dry remark from escaping.
“Yes, my lord, though it was all rather strange and lucky.” “There is no such thing as luck, Vhalla.” She prompted him to continue with an inquisitive stare. “The Mother has given us a line to follow until the end of our days. It is filled with meetings and partings, none of which are chance.” He paused before adding, “At least, this is what I choose to believe.”
“To not even be Awoken and form a Bond.” Lord Ophain ran a hand across his chin. “You are a curious creature indeed. I am truly excited for your demonstration tomorrow.”
“The Crystal Caverns have long been a mysterious enigma,” Lord Ophain continued, ignoring his temperamental nephew. “Some claim it to be the gate to the dark realm that the Father built to keep our world separate. Others theorize it’s solidification of raw magic from when the Gods created life. No matter what you choose to believe, there is something about the properties of the stones that can be found there which can alter a sorcerer’s natural abilities.”
“Because Windwalkers are the only ones, of all sorcerers or Commons, who cannot be tainted by the crystals.”
“Vhalla, I need her in so many ways, Mother help me,” Aldrik groaned. “I need her as my redemption, I need her kindness, I need her forgiveness, I need her smiles, I need her humanity, I need her ignorance, I need her innocence, and, yes . . . Mother Sun, yes, I need her as a man.”
“You love her.” It was not a question, but Aldrik answered it anyway. “More than I ever thought possible.”
Ugh i love him sm
“It is a true shame that the seat of power was not kept in the West. Our people would be all too eager to accept a woman like her as their princess.”
She felt Aldrik’s terror, his uncertainty, his youthful hopefulness, the ever-encroaching end of his innocence, and she felt herself at the point of weeping.
Any who are able to read those words will know that the Lady Vhalla Yarl is considered a Duchess of the West by Order of Lord Ophain Ci’Dan.”
All, save for one; a mustached major, whom Vhalla had never so much had laid eyes on before the demonstration, regarded her with thinly veiled contempt.
Larel leaned forward and pressed her forehead against Vhalla’s for a brief moment.
I love their friendship
her friend’s eyes as they drifted to Vhalla, blood bubbling through her gaping mouth. Vhalla screamed.
Nooo please this is not good omg
Her throat was raw from screaming, but Vhalla’s ears could barely make out any sound. She leaned forward, pressing her face into Larel’s still warm shoulder, gripping onto the shade of her friend. It was too much.
PLEASE PLEASE I CANNOT NOT WITHOUT LAREL PLEASE
Vhalla could see the face of the Emperor. It was deathly still and the malice in his eyes at the sight of her in Aldrik’s arms was palpable, but the prince said nothing.
Someone needs to kill this psychopathic mf
“Let them say something,” Aldrik ground out through a clenched jaw. “Let one person say something and give me a reason to burn it all.”
“You don’t let her out of your sight. You protect her with everything you have. You see her healed and well. Do this for me and I will never ask a single thing of you again.” Aldrik’s voice was raw as it forced through tears he wasn’t letting fall.
“What do you know?” Vhalla spat bitterly. “You know nothing about your brother, nothing about me. You’ve never even tried to know. You were too busy with your misplaced warnings. So just be quiet for once.”
FACTS BABE
“If you are going to be with him, then you will find the strength to wear that mantle. You don’t get it both ways, Vhalla Yarl,” Elecia said fiercely. “He’s risking everything for you tonight, so you better be ready to do the same. Because if you hurt him, I swear I will kill you.”
“Don’t leave me alone, please.” Vhalla bowed her head again. Larel, she wanted Larel. She wanted to feel safe and warm and unconditionally loved. She wanted Larel.
:'(
“She told me I saved her, that I was the prince from all the stories who saves the helpless girl.” Aldrik chuckled; sorrow waged a war against self-loathing in the darkness of his eyes. “I always told her she was foolish, and I never told her how much I needed those words. I never even thanked her for them. How silly she was thinking that I saved her when she was the one saving me.”
Bro i. Fkin g crying
“But here you are, bruised and sliced open by an attempt on your life. There is no reason other than just . . . luck that you were not also in a pool of blood next to her. Don’t you know I saw that?”
The quivers were small at first, and started in his shoulders before finding their way to his hands despite his fighting. She heard it, that breath, the one his tears were let loose upon. Vhalla heard the strange, choked noise rise from his throat as he finally gave into his own overwhelming grief.
She reached out her arms and pulled him to her without hesitation, pressing his face against her chest to hide him. She knew in all his stubbornness he was likely shamed for simply showing his grief.
As his tears began to heave his chest, she found her own pain refueled by his. She held him tightly, stroking his hair, wanting to offer him all the comfort he would never demand himself.
“You’ll be with me then, my Vhalla, my lady, my love.” Aldrik pressed his lips firmly against hers, silencing any further objections.
The Emperor regarded her with thinly veiled contempt.
I hate him so much
