I could hardly believe Astrid was still here with me, given how harrowing things had been for the past few months. At one point, I was certain I was going to lose both her and my father, and on the same night, no less, but she had miraculously pulled through as he slipped away.
Now here she was in my bed, well on her way to recovery, never more beautiful as I handed her a bowl of broth and told her everything she had missed.
The first, perhaps, the most alarming.
“We received word that Norway’s King Hákon fell ill in the Orkney Isles, where he’d been overwintering before attacking again,” I revealed, pouring myself whisky, reflecting on how Astrid had said three souls would pass over when she tended her Norse warriors at the start of our journey north. How right she had been. “And now he has passed away.”
Astrid lowered the spoon she had been lifting to her mouth, shocked. “King Hákon isdead? Truly?”
“Aye.”
“So we no longer need to worry about being invaded again?” she assumed.
“’Twill depend on who Norway appoints their next king.” I sipped my whisky. “Meanwhile, King Alexander intends to resume diplomatic talks with the Norwegians in hopes of seeing them gone from our isles once and for all.”
“And if that does not work?” she asked, even though I suspected she knew the answer.
“Then he will likely mount campaigns to take back the isles by force,” I revealed. “To that end, he has requested thatonce you fully recover, you begin training his warriors to fight as you do.”
“Naturally, that is what he would request,” she said softly, troubled. “And of course I will do as he wishes, praying that they never need to utilize such skills against my former countrymen.”
“I sense he means to go after those who specifically supported King Hákon’s efforts,” I made clear. “And allow those who did not support him and wish to remain in the isles, to do so peacefully.” I gave her hand a little squeeze. “I believe he’s hoping to have your help on that front as well if ‘twould please you.”
“It would.” She nodded, relief flashing in her eyes. “A great deal, actually.”
“I thought it might,” I said, glad to see her finally eating. “King Alexander will likely return in early spring to further discuss things with you. Until then, he has one more request of you, if ‘twould suit you.”
She tilted her head in question. “And what would that be?”
“That you be married to Clan Mackay’s chieftain by then so that his men see a unified force,” I revealed softly. “So that they see you married to one of their own.”
“Did he really?” she said just as softly, her surprised yet loving gaze on my face as she lowered her bowl and swallowed hard, undoubtedly as relieved to hear that as I was. “You are quite certain? Despite how I was supposed to marry your father?”
“Aye.” After setting aside her bowl for a moment lest it tip, I wrapped my fingers with hers. “From what I took of my discussions with the king whilst journeying north, I dinnae think he ever intended to let you marry Da. ‘Twas always only ever going to be Gustav or me.”
“And he chose you in the end,” she deduced softly. “Because the king figured out Gustav was not truly supporting his cause to keep peace on these shores.”
“Aye, that’s right, thanks to you, lass,” I revealed, sharing everything that had happened after she’d passed out in the tavern. “Had those slain and verra much traitorous Scotsmen not been looked at further, King Alexander might never have known.” I shook my head. “We got verra lucky in all this.”
“It seems we did.” She offered me a soft, knowing smile. “Of course, I will see through marrying the Mackay laird if ‘twould please my king.” Tears welled in her eyes. “And as soon as possible, at that.”
“I cannae tell you how happy I am to hear that,” I murmured, wiping away a tear that slipped down her cheek and brushing my lips across hers before giving her the bowl, lest our kiss deepen, and I lose control. Lest I finally give in to my desperate need to feel her soft skin against mine again. “Then best you eat and regain your strength swiftly, aye?”
“Aye,” she agreed and resumed eating, looking at me curiously. “And what of Stewart? Was he as lucky as we were in all this?”
“I would say so, given how much time he spends in your old cottage with Florie these days,” I revealed, unable to help a smile. “Most nights, in fact.”
“Lucky indeed, then,” she exclaimed, meeting my smile.
“Aye, when we first returned, she embraced him heartily before worrying over you for weeks to come,” I said. “Whilst I saw after the clan and spent what time I could spare with you and Da, Stewart did his best to assist me on all fronts whilst looking after Florie.” Shaking my head, I frowned. “’Twas a harrowing time for her, especially, rarely sleeping, but she kept you with us on several occasions when we thought you lost.” I tilted my head and considered it. “And I think Stewart kept hergoing through that, making sure she ate and rested when she could.”
“’Tis good.” Astrid swallowed a bite of stew. “More often than not, the healer forgets to take care of themselves.”
“I wish now that I had seen after you when you cared for Soren,” I said softly, reflecting on all the anger I’d had in my heart at that time. “’Twas poor of me not to, and I am sorry, lass.”
“You need not be,” she said just as softly. “You had no way of knowing or truly understanding at the time. The Norse had just invaded your country, and then you were asked to do so very much for the enemy.” She squeezed my hand in reassurance. “All that is behind us now, though. We have turned a new page, my love, so let us not look backward but forward.” Doing just that, she gazed at me in question, returning to our previous subject. “And mayhap going forward might very well mean a dual wedding?”
“Mayhap,” I murmured, liking the idea a great deal. “I will suggest it to Stewart and see what he says. It could be they dinnae want to marry.”
