Wildest Dreams

by Kristen Ashley

  It couldn’t be real.

  “Are you a dream?” I whispered and his lips tipped up.

  “No,” he answered.

  “A ghost?” I was still whispering.

  “No, my wee one.”

  My wee one.

  My wee one.

  My heart squeezed.

  “You’re alive,” I breathed.

  “Yes,” he stated the obvious for there he was, tall, broad, strong, powerful, beautiful and best of all… breathing.

  “You’re alive,” I repeated on a whisper, my nose stinging, my eyes blinking against the wet because I didn’t want him hazy, I wanted him clear, I wanted to see him clear.

  “Yes,” he repeated.

  “Alive,” I breathed.

  His handsome head tilted slightly to the side, his heavy brows drew together and he asked, “Are you still frozen by the elfin magic, my Finnie, is that why you don’t come to me?”

  I stared at him.

  Then I sprang from my feet, jumping into his arms and they closed around me, strong, safe, tight and definitely, definitely real.

  I held on tight to his shoulders, shoved my face in his neck and burst out crying.

  “They… they… the… the… they,” I stammered into his neck, my arms convulsing, trying to hold him closer, “they told me you were dead.”

  “I am not,” Frey’s voice rumbled and his arms squeezed.

  I jerked my head back and glared at him before I shrieked, “Where have you been?”

  He looked down at me and one of his hands came to my face, his thumb gliding through the wetness that was still coming and he said gently, “I was injured, gravely, close to death. I convinced my men to leave me to my passing and see to business, something we had all agreed, should such occur, we would do. The elves sensed my injuries and the extent of them luckily before the adela burned and, as I had arranged with them prior, they sought Kell and brought him to me. Kell had the adela branch, we used it and he and I both went to the elfin realm where they healed me.”

  I blinked and then stared.

  Then I asked, “What?”

  Frey’s eyes went soft and slightly amused at my blink and he explained, “The adelas are gone but the magic of that bough and the reason it is so important is that it can be used by The Frey to move to the elfin realm and to bring the elves to our realm, say, should something happen to the adelas or he needs them urgently and cannot get to a tree.”

  “Wow,” I whispered and he grinned. “So they healed you?” I asked quietly.

  “Their magic is strong but my injuries were severe so it took some time but yes, my wee Finnie, they healed me.”

  “They healed you?” I repeated.

  “Yes, my love.”

  “Like, good as new?”

  He grinned and answered gently, “I’m clearly not a babe so, no, but fit as when you last saw me.”

  I closed my eyes at the memory, my head jerking at the power of it and Frey’s hand at my cheek moved to cup my jaw and his arm gave me a squeeze before I heard him amend on a murmur, “Or moments before the moment you last saw me.”

  I kept my eyes closed and dropped my forehead to his chest. “I thought you were dead.”

  “I’m sorry, my love, there was nothing I could do about that. I was in no state and Kell nor the elves could move between realms without me.” Frey whispered into my hair but I shook my head as my body started shaking with new tears and I repeated, “I thought you were dead.”

  “Finnie,” he muttered as I held him tighter, my body pressing into his like I wanted him to absorb me.

  “I said things –” I started, my voice hoarse, my throat clogged with tears.

  “We will not discuss this now,” he said quietly but firmly. “I wronged you, my love, but I will explain –”

  My head shot back and I whispered fervently, “You did but it was me… me who said unforgiveable things and –”

  I stopped when his thumb came to my lips and pressed as his face got close.

  “It is for me to forgive or not to forgive and you said no less than I deserved,” he stated, again soft but firm. “But I have an enemy to vanquish, Apollo and my men are standing behind you getting more and more impatient by the second having ceased being touched by lovers reunited about five minutes ago and now wishing my ear. So, we will discuss it later.”

  I stared in his beautiful, beautiful olive green eyes with their thick, lush lashes.

  Then I whispered, “Okay.”

  He grinned.

  My eyes dropped to his mouth.

  God, I loved his grin. I loved his eyes. I loved the feel of his arms around me.

  And I loved him.

  Therefore, I blurted, “I love you, Frey Drakkar.”

  He closed his eyes, dropped his forehead to mine and whispered, “And I you, Finnie Drakkar.”

  I closed my eyes too and sighed, my body relaxing into my husband’s.

  But my husband’s body didn’t relax against mine. His head tilted, his lips found mine, they opened, mine reciprocated and he kissed me. He took his time, he did it right and it was the best kiss I ever had.

  Save one.

  The one he gave me at our wedding.

  That would always be at the top of the list.

  Even if, with this one, cool-as-shit dragons were watching.

  Chapter Thirty-Two

  The Aftermath

  One and a half weeks later…

  Mother and I stood, both of us wearing black suede cloaks, black leather gloves, our hair free around our shoulders, our crowns in place, our booted feet on the rocky shore and we watched the boat with its square sail patterned in red and gold diamonds catching the wind, making it drift into the Winter Sea.

  It was lined in red and gold silk and in its middle, on a platform, my father’s remains were shrouded in dark red and surrounded by flickering candles protected from the wind by red tinted glass.

  Just behind me to my left Frey stood so close I felt his chest brush my shoulder even through the cloak.

  A vast gathering of silent Lunwynians stood behind the three of us, along the sweeping hill that met the icy sea, its glaciers drifting in the distance.

  I stared at the boat and kept my shoulders straight, my head high and endured the burn in my chest as the boat and its precious cargo floated out to sea.

  Then Frey raised his fisted hand and lowered it.

  Thirty seconds later we heard the flap of powerful, huge, leathery wings.

  Ten seconds after that we saw the approach of two dragons, one on each side.

  Ten seconds after that, they bent their necks and, in unison, they spewed a stream of fire that struck the boat, incinerating it in the blink of an eye as they soared past each other so close their wings brushed.

  Mother’s hand reached out, her fingers curling around mine and they clenched tight but other than that, she didn’t move.

  Neither did I, except to curl mine around hers.

  Then the dragons flew off into the distance as my mother, my husband, myself and my father’s subjects stared at the tranquil waves and peacefully drifting glaciers of the Winter Sea.

  Many moments later, I heard my mother whisper to the wind in a voice filled with sorrow, “Good-bye, my beloved.”

  I pressed my lips together, locked my body and when the tear came, there was only one.

  And it was silent.

  Even so, my husband shifted closer.

  * * * * *

  Four days later…

  We moved through the forest slowly, the snow gone with the thaw, wet, green turf in its place, the trees blossoming all around and we stopped at the small, ice marble pyre behind which were two seated dragons, their spiked tails swaying lazily, their wings tucked in, their long, slender, forked tongues drifting.

  And on the pyre, swathed in brilliant, glimmering, ice blue silk, only her pretty face exposed to the brilliant sun, was Alyssa.

  Frey held my hand and stood by me, Aurora moving in at my
other side, Bess next to her and Esther next to her. Skylar gently pushed between Mother and I then leaned heavily against my side so I slid my arm around his shoulders. Jocelyn moved in at Frey’s other side and at her side, his gait slow, his hand that was not curled in Jocelyn’s curled around a cane, was Thad. Frey’s men and Alyssa’s family and friends moved to their places and stopped.

  When they did, Frey did not hesitate to touch the twirly tip of the long, glittering branch he held to the earth. At its end, a miniature elf sprung from the turf, she touched the branch and instantly grew to my height. Without delay she gave Frey his salute then her glowing ice blue eyes touched on me then slid over the crowd.

  Then she walked to the pyre and around it, standing on the dragons’ side. We watched as she looked down at Alyssa, her head tilted, her mouth went soft then she lifted her hands in prayer position to her lips for only a moment before she opened them so her pinkies were pressed together and then she dropped both slightly forward.

  And when she dropped them, a flash of ice blue covered Alyssa’s body and at once a shock of bright, white sparks rose clear to the sky and Alyssa’s body disappeared.

  Frey raised his fist and lowered it, the dragons straightened their long necks, aiming their mouths to the heavens and there they sent a stream of fire.

  I turned and pressed my face in my husband’s chest as my fingers curled into his wool.

  His arms moved around me and went tight.

  * * * * *

  Two days later…

  In the State Dining Room, Rimée Keep, Snowdon.

  “Are you mad?” Eirik Drakkar spat at his son from his seat mid-table flanked by his two other sons, the ones who were not married to me.

  Before Frey could reply, Olwen Lazarus did. “I see the wisdom of this.”

  Eirik’s furious gaze shot to the man and he hissed, “You would, she’s your bloody sister.”

  “This is highly unusual,” Walter Sinclair muttered.

  “It isn’t unusual,” Eirik snapped. “It’s absurd!”

  “I find nothing absurd about it,” Apollo Ulfr drawled. He was leaned casually back in his chair and his green eyes were leveled on Eirik Drakkar. “Frey’s suggestion is clearly sound.”

  “Clearly… clear… clear…” Eirik spluttered then pounded a fist on the table. “Clearly sound?” he shouted. “A woman has never ruled Lunwyn!”

  “If any woman could, it would be Aurora,” Norfolk Ravenscroft pointed out.

  “And you would say that,” Eirik returned hotly. “She’s your cousin, you are close. You’d have her ear.”

  “You’d have her ear too, Eirik, if you weren’t a horse’s ass,” Apollo put in smoothly and, seated to Frey’s right where he sat at the head of the table, Mother to his left, I pressed my lips together to stifle my laugh.

  Eirik glared at Apollo then stated sharply, “May I remind you that Lunwyn is just reunited, we have just been at war, half the heads of half the Houses from both sides of Lunwyn were gods damned incinerated by my son,” he jerked a finger at Frey, “the other half are imprisoned waiting trial for treason and, if you lot have anything to say about it, which you unfortunately do, they will hang. Now is not the time to audition womanly rule.”

  “It’s hardly an audition considering I asked you all here in hopes of receiving your assent but I will state at this point that I don’t actually require it,” Frey put in. “Until my princess births a son and he is of age to accept his responsibilities to his crown, Aurora of the House of Wilde will rule this land and she does it with my backing which I’m certain I don’t need to remind you includes my dragons and the elves. If, in the meantime, she were to be unable to command her throne, we will reconvene.”

  “Then, my son, I’m afraid you court further action like we saw while you slept with the elves,” Eirik threatened with narrowed, flashing eyes and I lost my humor and glared at the odious man who saw no action at all but had no problem hanging around in his tent while he ordered men to battle, some of them meeting their deaths while his grievously injured son was healed by the elves.

  Jerk.

  “Then, my sire, I’m afraid, if you threaten treason, I will be forced to remove you as the head of the House of Drakkar, transfer that privilege to my brother Calder, your second born, and wish you well with your retirement,” Frey returned.

  And just like that, my flare of temper disintegrated and I was pressing my lips together again as I watched Eirik actually bounce in fury in his seat then he crashed both his fists on the table and stammered an incensed, “I… you… you cannot… you can’t do that!”

  “I’m afraid I can. I am the true head of the House of Drakkar and, as is well known, if I do not wish to assume this role then it is my due to transfer it to who I see fit. As I didn’t give a gods damn who ran our House, I didn’t take my due. Now, I give a damn so I’ll take my due.” Eirik opened and closed his mouth like a fish as Frey’s eyes moved to Calder. “Do you wish this responsibility, brother?”

  “By all means,” Calder muttered to Frey then he turned his head to his father. “If you would, I will ask you and Mother to make haste in your move to the dower house. Melba has long been telling me she thought new curtains would be lovely in the drawing room.” Eirik blinked at his son while Calder finished, “And the study.”

  I couldn’t help it, a snort escaped and my eyes shot to Aurora who I saw gazing impassively at the sheen on the dining room table but when she felt my eyes, hers lifted to mine and I saw them twinkling.

  “This is outrageous!” Eirik shrieked and I looked back at him.

  “No, this is done,” Frey declared, standing and extending a hand to me. “Gentlemen,” he dipped his chin to the table then turned to Mother as my fingers curled around his and I rose. “My queen,” he murmured.

  “Drakkar,” she murmured back.

  Frey moved me away from the table then flicked a hand at the chair he’d vacated, eyes still on his queen.

  “Your seat,” he whispered, her lips tipped up slightly then she rose gracefully, glided to the head and sat, her eyes moving to the men around the table and Frey moving me from the room.

  When we were in the hall and out of earshot, I leaned into my husband and squeezed his hand, whispering, “Well done, my handsome husband.”

  “Mm,” he murmured, eyes straight ahead. “I’m glad you think so, my wee wife, but this means no adventure for you for a time. We have word Baldur returns and I will need to stay close to show my support to our new leader.”

  I pointed my eyes straight ahead too and muttered, “I’m sure I’ll find something I can do.”

  I felt Frey’s eyes on me, kept mine aimed at the hall then I heard Frey sigh.

  “Indeed, you will and this terrifies me,” he muttered back and that was when I allowed myself to giggle.

  So I did and I did it loud.

  * * * * *

  That evening…

  Late.

  My body pressed to and straddling my husband’s long, muscular frame, I kissed his throat as I felt his hands move up the skin of my back then I lifted my head and looked down at him.

  “I don’t believe I’m going to say this,” I told him. “But I think I like your brothers.”

  His arms wrapped around me as he muttered, “It wasn’t only me who sat at my Grandmother Eugenie’s knee when I was wee.”

  I smiled at him and slid a hand up to curl around his neck. “I take it Franka didn’t spend a lot of time with your Grandmother.”

  “Franka was busy stealing her handmaids’ hair pins and ear bobs, concealing them amongst her other handmaids’ possessions, whispering in the right ears and then watching as false accusations were thrown, unbeknownst to the accuser they were false, and then watching tempers flare. She had little time for Granny’s knee.”

  I could believe this.

  Frey’s arms gave me a squeeze and I watched his face grow serious.

  Then he stated gently, “My wife does not sleep soundly.”


  I felt my face go soft even as the pads of my fingers dug into the skin of his neck.

  He would notice, Frey would. He would notice and worry.

  God, I loved this man.

  “Baby,” I whispered.

  “Tell me,” Frey whispered back.

  My hand slid up and my thumb slid out to stroke his jaw as, stalling, I asked, “About what?”

  “About what keeps you from a sound sleep,” he answered patiently, knowing I was stalling.

  I studied his beloved face.

  We hadn’t talked about this. Any of it. There wasn’t time. Much was happening, we were travelling everywhere, I had a lot on my mind and I had Frey back, all was well, I didn’t want to relive it, any of it and Frey had let this be.

  But now I saw he was biding his time.

  “What parts do you want to know?” I queried.

  “All of them,” he replied.

  I held his eyes. Then I sighed.

  Then I whispered, “I thought you were dead.”

  “I know,” he whispered back.

  I kept whispering. “I thought I said terrible, ugly words to you before you died.”

  He kept whispering too when he repeated, “I know.”

  “Frey,” I breathed, not really wanting to go on.

  “Finnie,” he gave me a squeeze, not wanting me to keep it bottled in.

  I looked at the pillow beside his head then my eyes went back to his.

  “I took lives,” I said softly.

  “You did, wee one, and I am glad of it for if you hadn’t you might not be lying, naked, astride me.”

  This was true.

  “I…” I faltered then confessed the worst of it, “after I killed Phobin I not only rubbed Broderick’s nose in it, I rubbed his nose in his defeat.”

  Frey grinned at me.

  Yes, grinned.

  Then he burst out laughing, pressing his head back into the pillows and everything before he rolled me so he was on top.

  And after he did this he was still laughing.

  “Frey!” I snapped, his laughter died to chuckles and he focused on me.

  “I wish I was there to see that,” he said through his dying mirth.