Disclaimer: I own nothing related to the Snow-Walker trilogy.
Wide eyes and dropped jaws met her statement. Eric blinked, a hopeful gleam beginning to grow in those blue eyes. "Jessa, you don't mean…"
She smiled, "A marriage between you and a Jessa Horolfsdaughter will take place in front of all of Hlathir, completing the treaty signed with Jarl Wulfgar. However, this wedding will be as it should be, with two people who actually love each other."
"But for me to take your place, would such a thing work?"
"I don't see why not," Jessa said, growing excited. She finally found a way out! Technically, she wouldn't be breaking any of her promises either. A marriage in name is still a marriage of sorts, so Wulfgar and Kari would be appeased. It was the perfect solution! Until they find out that is, a small voice in the back of her head quipped, but Jessa quickly shook it away.
"No one here would know the difference, and by the time anyone who could recognize me arrives it will be too late. I'll have to give you some coaching on proper behavior so any rumors that reach the Jarlsrealm won't sound out of place, but really this will be all too simple to pull off. Tomorrow, instead of me, it will be you who is introduced to Hlathir as their new queen."
Eric whooped and picking Ingrid up by the waist, spun her around in a circle, laughing. "To think my dear, we can finally be together and you wanted to throw our savior out in the rain!
"Don't go placing me on such a high pedestal now," Jessa smirked. "I do have my conditions."
The couple stopped their merriment to look at her, apprehension replacing their smiles. Eric boldly took Ingrid's hand, "You can have as much gold as you want, Lady Jessa. You cannot put a price on the happiness being with Ingrid will give me."
Jessa snorted, they were as lovesick for each other as Wulfgar and Signi, she didn't know if she found it nauseating or endearing. Tracing the grains in the table in front of her idly she thought about the consequences their plan would have. If a Jessa Horolfsdaughter married Jarl Eric of Hlathir, a Jessa Horolfsdaughter could not be seen anywhere else. She would not be able to leave.
Again, she would be trapped but this time without the reprieve of seeing her friends' faces. In fact, it would likely be a very long time before she saw any of her friends again. Before, when she had been making her rushed journey to Hlathir, she didn't let herself focus on that fact. At first because there had been no time for spare thoughts, and then when there was she had already accepted her fate. But now, with such an opportunity in front of her, she began to think over her options. Could she go back?
Kari's determined face flashed before her eyes and a fresh wave of heart break came over her. No. She could never go back. Her path had already been forged, just because it was flawed did not mean she would diverge. Freedom may continue to elude her but she still had a purpose.
"Not gold, Jarl Eric, my conditions are not so superficial I'm afraid. There was the matter of training your men and the approaching war Hlathir is about to see with Vikings. Ingrid may have my identity, but I demand I be given the leave to protect my reputation as a warrior. Also, when the truth does come to light, which knowing my friends it most definitely will, I will need protection for what can be seen as treason. What I request is sanctuary in Hlathir, where I will be allowed to live freely and fight in your war band."
Eric stared at her, "Even now, you will stay and fight with us to protect Hlathir? You give too much, Lady Jessa. Your conditions will be easily and gratefully met."
"I think you are underestimating the potential wrath at being tricked you will have to face from my friends. Skapti will surely write a scathing poem about you."
"Let him do his worst! Neither rhyme nor metaphor will shame me!" He dramatically drew his sword and stood in a mock pose of valiancy. "We will test which is sharper, his tongue or my blade!"
Jessa laughed at his childish antics, "I've seen your sword skills, Jarl Eric. Skapti would win."
The man pouted and she had to smile at how ridiculous it looked on an over six foot tall warrior still covered in armor and mud. Ingrid must have thought the same for she wet a cloth quickly and began to scold him as she cleaned his face dotingly.
"I have told you a thousand times not to wear your filthy armor inside, and would it have been so hard to wash your face? Imagine sitting here all this time covered in mud- and in front of a guest!"
"Why would she mind, it's her fault it's there anyways!"
"I swear you are just like a child," the blonde woman turned to Jessa with an apologetic smile. "I have heard of the skald Skapti, do you think he will come to the wedding?"
Jessa frowned. If he did he would not come alone and that definitely was something to be avoided. "While I'm certain Skapti would want to come, I'm not sure waiting until he could arrive is such a wise decision."
"Lady Jessa is right, we cannot wait. The sooner we hold the wedding, the better. Unfortunately, that means no poem, leaving our wager untested," he added petulantly.
"I was not aware you are a fan of poetry, my Lord," a strange, deep voice sounded behind them. Grabbing a hold of her daggers as she turned, Jessa faced the doorway where a figure shrouded in a traveling cloak was standing like a shadow.
"Morten, there you are!" Eric grabbed the newcomer in a bear hug, "Glad to see you made it back in one piece! Jessa, this is my friend Morten, he's a studious fellow who insists on travelling to distant lands, but finally he is home. And just in time too!"
"Yes, well I heard you took my advice about the treaty with Wulfgar and wouldn't dream of missing your marriage." The man turned to Jessa and offered a hand, "It is a pleasure, my Lady. I have heard much about you. "
He was tan like Eric, which she attributed to the warm weather and sunlight of this region. The similarities between the two friends ended there, however. Morten was small and slight, with barely any muscle to be seen. His eyes were colder, filled with sharp calculation, than the Jarl's and to her growing disgust, were aimed lower than her own face.
"How interesting the crafting of northern silver is compared to our own."
Jessa released her hold on her dagger and anger, realizing the man was merely observing her necklace. Still, those watchful eyes unnerved her and she took a step back.
Eric grasped Morten's forearm excitedly, "Lady Jessa has created a brilliant plan! Ingrid will take her place in the marriage, and she will stay and fight as a friend to Hlathir!"
Shrewd dark eyes observed her once more, "I can see how that is a… advantageous…plan, indeed. May I inquire, however, as to whom she will be if your beloved takes her name? And how to explain why it is not the more renowned Lady Jessa that will be fighting?"
Frowning, Jessa realized their plan still needed some refinement. "We will have to work out some of the finer details later, but for now we will say that I am a friend from the war band who accompanied her lady so she would not be alone in a strange land. As for a name, feel free to pick any you feel fitting, it does not matter to me. I know who I am."
"Anke," Ingrid supplied gently, smiling at Jessa. "You will be Anke, the gracious."
Jessa had just finished the braid in her hair and enclosed the end in a decorated clasp when a small knock sounded on her door. "Enter."
Ingrid's fair head popped around the corner, "Are you ready?"
"Just about," Jessa said, welcoming the girl inside. The past couple of days had passed in a quick blur. After Ingrid and she were introduced to a packed hall where Eric made the announcement that the wedding would be in three days, there had been a flurry of activity. Excited servants rushed to and fro preparing for the festivities as she was given tours of Hlathir and familiarized with the training regime of the war band. At night she would give lessons for Ingrid that included her known mannerisms, and a quick summary of knowledge a Lady from the Jarlsrealm should hold. And now was the night where it would all come out to play. It almost seemed surreal.
Smoothing down the folds of her dress she considered the silver material. It was a fine dress, meant for a wedding.
… It matched his eyes…
Jessa gasped at the sudden thought and quickly averted her eyes from the color. It seemed like a lifetime since she left Thrasirshall, since she left him. Still, it seemed she could not completely escape his hold on her.
A quick motion caught the corner of her eye as Ingrid suddenly threw herself at the shocked brunette, her arms wrapping around in a tight hug as Jessa stumbled about for balance. "W-what?!"
"Thank you, for doing all of this. I still don't know why or how you figured it out-"
"The way I figured it out is why I'm doing this," Jessa sighed. At Ingrid's questioning look she elaborated with a bitter smile, "Let's just say I know the look of a hopeless love all too well."
A knock at the door interrupted the girl's request for more information, and Jessa avoided the topic by pushing her towards the waiting escorts. "Enough talk, you have a husband waiting for you."
Fingers absently played with the stone hanging off her neck as she watched Ingrid greet the citizens with a brilliant smile. Hlathir was extremely lively for such a late hour, celebrating the newlyweds in full force. Eric had one arm slung across her shoulders proudly, his eyes surveying the noisy hall with glee. They look like a dream, Jessa noted. The looks of love and happiness they shared so bright it almost seemed otherworldly, and although the loud festivities made her nostalgic of ones spent in her own home, she could not bring herself to regret coming to Hlathir. The chain curled around a slender finger, the action making the crystal spin gently.
"My, my…what a pretty necklace you have there, Anke."
Jessa cringed as the man interrupted her ponderings, leaning closer to her as he conspiratorially drew out her new name. He might be Eric's trusted friend, but when concerning Morten, her intuition told her to put up her guard and fast. She always trusted her gut feelings; she would have been buried a long time ago if she didn't. Besides, he seemed to have an unnatural fixation on her talisman.
"It was a gift," she replied shortly, hoping he would catch her tone and leave it at that.
"Oh, was it?" He rested his chin on his hand, studying her with a sly smile, making Jessa frown. It would seem her hopes were for naught. "A gift from a very 'special' friend, I presume?"
She raised an eyebrow and he chuckled before giving her a knowing wink. "I've… dabbled... in the arts myself. It was all too easy to sense the powerful magic your talisman possesses."
"It is a simple protection charm, that's all."
"Of course! I knew the snow-walker prince wouldn't send his friend all this way without some aid."
Jessa opened her mouth to correct the man, but the way his eyes glinted at the mention of Kari stopped her. She could spot a scheming rat a mile away, and the one in front of her was cooking up something big. Something that concerned Kari…she narrowed her eyes defensively.
"I am curious, I admit, at the nature of the charm however. Blame it on a scholar's mind, I love to pick things apart and study them." His beady eyes shifted to her talisman and his fingers twitched. "It would be a great honor to be able to see the work of someone so powerful as the snow-walker prince."
So that's his aim, she mused. He wants to try and learn about Kari's power… what could he possibly learn, though? How to duplicate the spells? He did say he's tried his hand at magic… A hand breached her peripheral vision, forcing Jessa to put her protectiveness of her friend at the back of her mind as panic flooded through her at the reminder that he was after her talisman. She had no idea what would happen if Morten succeeded in removing her talisman even for just a second, but was positive it would not be in her favor.
She slapped the advancing hand away. "I'm afraid I can't allow that, I'm not supposed to remove it you see."
"It would only be for a moment-"
"I said no," she bit out in warning.
"Both you and our precious necklace will be safe, I assure-"
"Perhaps you did not hear me, sir, I said-"
"Oh, come now, Jessa," he hissed lowly. "Just for a second, you can even watch."
"Look here you sniveling little-" Her threat ended in a shocked gasp as his hand shot out suddenly and in a motion to fast for her to stop, grabbed a hold of the chain and yanked it off her neck.
Jessa paled as a familiar chill started to fill the air. Oh, no…
The windows rattled violently and the garlands of wildflowers shook, sending flurries of petals around the room as an icy wind rushed through the hall. Startled, the crowd looked at the closed doors in confusion and murmurs increased with the growing wind, everyone watching in wonder as snow began to fall in the room, cups of wine frosting over as tables were covered in white.
"JESSA!"
The amount of intensity forced into that single word knocked the breath out of her and her eyes widened in fear. No…this can't be…
"Jessa! Finally, I found you! Jessa, I am so-"
Kari's voice rang out sharply through the minds of everyone in the hall, the projection so strong it silenced all sounds of the boisterous crowd. Everyone looked around in awed confusion at the new development, many grasping their temples, shocked at the forced intrusion.
Using the confusion that left everyone, including Morten, frozen in their seats, Jessa stole back her talisman and threw it over her neck. Kari's voice cut off as soon as it touched her flesh but the silence remained as everyone sat in the now chilled air, staring at their frosted cups with wide-eyes. Then the words registered and one man looked at Ingrid with fear. "My lady?"
Ingrid was clutching Eric's hands tight, her knuckles prominent and white, and she sent a panicked look towards Jessa. Thinking fast she grabbed her wine and raised it in a toast, praying no one noticed how it shook. "It appears my lady's dear friend, Kari Ragnarsson, wished to send his congratulations as well. I apologize on his behalf for the shock, he is known to over-compensate at times."
The girl caught on and spread her arms over the remnants of frost. "When I told him how I would miss the snow of the North, I never imagined he would think to send some here!"
The crowded hall broke into laughter, the good mood returning with fervor. Sighing in relief, Jessa rubbed her head where a sharp pain was forming. That was too close… and now he had a sense of her location, he knew he could reach her! Just how much was he able to sense, she wondered. The connection hadn't been long but his presence was so strong that she had no doubt he had been able to glean all the information he wanted. She needed air…
Standing shakily, she nearly fell as her headache intensified at the motion. Tan fingers wrapped around her shoulder, stabilizing her.
"So that's the power of the snow-walker…incredible," Morten whispered in awe. "I understand now, truly fascinating that 'little charm' he gave you."
Jessa glared at him through narrowed eyes, this was all his doing. Knocking away his hand she growled, "I would be very careful if I were you."
A stabbing pain jolted through her as bright lights exploded behind her eyes, making her knees crumple slightly. Morten grabbed her by the arms, steadying her once more. Leaning forward, his hot breath burning on her ear, he whispered, "It seems it is you who should be careful, my Lady. You're in a weakened state and judging by how your glass is still half full, it's not from the wine."
Pushing away from him, she ignored the smug laughter that followed her as she made her way outside.
Warm sea mist sprayed gently up onto her as she sat at the cliff's edge, watching the early sun begin to rise. The light broke through the darkness of the night sky slowly, the purples, pinks, and oranges spreading in splotches. Closing her eyes against the sight, Jessa relished the feel of the wind tickling her hair, distracting her from the massive headache that had taken place.
He had found her.
"JESSA!"
Even now, she could hear his voice vividly in her mind, sounding over and over, desperate to be heard. Grasping her talisman tight she steeled herself against the growing ache in her heart that begged she throw it into the ocean just so she could feel his presence again and relieve the hurt she had heard in his words.
He has no right, she growled. No right barging into my mind, sounding betrayed, when he was the one who told me to leave. She sighed, and rubbed her temples. That wasn't exactly true though… and no matter how much she wanted to stay angry because it would be so much easier, she just couldn't. Not against Kari.
Her fingers strayed to her necklace once more. What if she took it off, only for a minute? Just to say good-bye, to tell him why she left …and for him to stop looking for her. Wouldn't that be better, to gain some closure? Doesn't she want to hear him again, see him again? She grasped the chain.
"Well that was something, huh?"
Eric's voice broke her out of her daze and she quickly dropped her necklace, breathing heavily. What was that? It felt similar to compulsion, this sudden, strange urge to remove her protection. But that was impossible… The shamanka's words of advice came back to her. The talisman was only as strong as her will, it drew upon her for its power. She had to be stronger.
Jessa jumped to her feet, gritting her teeth as spots swam across her vision momentarily, before turning to her companion. "I apologize for what happened earlier."
He waved it off, "No harm was done, in fact, many are enjoying playing with the snow that stayed. Your friend did sound upset, however."
"Did he?"
"You know, there was talk about how close you were to the snow-walker." Eric sheepishly scratched the back of his neck, "I'm prepared for an angry poet, but a jealous sorcerer-"
"There is no need to be concerned," Jessa cut him off, trying not to blush at the idea of Kari being jealous. "Kari was the one who suggested I marry."
They stood there in silence, watching the horizon, each lost in their own thoughts. Jessa tried desperately to steady her breaths as each became more ragged and harder to come by than the last. The stabbing pain in her head was constant now, making her dizzy with the intensity.
Eric stretched his arms up and behind his head with a mighty yawn, "I've always loved the sunrises in Hlathir. It might be different than what you are accustomed to, but I hope you can find it a happy home, Jessa."
"…m-my home is g-grey eyes..." she heard herself reply faintly.
"What was that?"
Her words registered through the blinding pain and she quickly amended, "Skies, I said my home had grey skies."
Jessa's vision was dimming rapidly along with her ability to breathe, and she steeled herself for the fall she knew she was about to take. Frantic cries of her name followed her into the darkness, and the last thing she knew was the feel of arms gripping her tight and bright eyes staring down at her.
Kari?