How It Was Going to Be

Noc

 

It took three of Frey’s guys to pull Noc off the man.

Even accomplishing this, he still struggled against their hold, knowing every blow he’d dealt didn’t make him feel better, but that didn’t mean he didn’t get gratification each time his fist landed in the asshole’s flesh.

“I understand your anger, Noc, but this is not helping,” Frey said from close.

“It defies belief you’d allow that…that…man to lay his hands on me.”

At Franka’s father’s words, Noc went still.

His entire body.

But not his mouth.

“It defies belief you took that fuckin’ whip to your daughter since she was fuckin’ five without anyone stopping you,” he spat, feeling no joy as he watched Franka’s father swipe blood from his mouth seeing as Noc’s repeated blows to his face where the whip had caught earlier tore that wound long and wide.

He felt no joy mostly because he also felt the job was not even close to done.

It took a while for the vibe in the room to hit him, but when it did he jerked away from Frey’s boys and turned his attention to the man himself.

Frey’s face was carved from stone, his eyes directed at his uncle, and they were blazing with hellfire.

“Since she was five?” he whispered, his tone heavy with disbelief and disgust, not to mention rage.

Noc shifted his attention back to the older man when he replied, “It’s none of your concern, nephew, what I do with my children.”

“It’s bloody law in Lunwyn that corporal punishment of minors does not go beyond a simple spanking or a paddle,” Frey shot back.

“She’s now an adult,” the man retorted.

“Which does not negate the crime of child cruelty, but adds the crime of assault,” Frey declared.

“I’m a member of a House, your House, may I remind you,” Franka’s father returned.

“You’re a monster,” Noc clipped.

The man turned his gaze to Noc. “And you’re a peasant who I’ve not given leave to speak to me.”

Noc opened his mouth but Frey got there before him.

“Are you unfamiliar with the Prince of Hawkvale?” he asked.

“I know of these secrets,” the asshole fired back, a sneer twisting his lips, “and this is not the heir to the throne of Hawkvale.” He indicated Noc with his arm. “This man is nothing.”

“This man saved you from slavery at the hands of Minerva and her minions,” Frey retorted. “This man has the ear of the Queen. The Princess. And The Drakkar. This man is twin to the heir of Hawkvale. This man is far from nothing.”

“You can pretty him up as much as you like, nephew, but his manner, his speech. He may look like a prince of our world, but he’s far from that. He’s simply common,” Franka’s father returned.

“Cease speaking,” Frey ordered.

“You are who you are, Frey, but I’m your uncle, your elder, and you never have leave to speak to me in that manner,” Franka’s father retorted.

“Cease…” Frey leaned forward and thundered, “speaking.”

“I—”

That was all the asshole got out before Frey was across the room with his hand wrapped around the guy’s throat, his feet lifted two feet from the ground, and he was slammed into a shelving unit so hard, all the bottles swayed and four crashed to the ground.

“I said…cease speaking,” Frey repeated through clenched teeth.

Franka’s father opened and closed his mouth like he was fighting for air at the same time he clawed at Frey’s arm at his throat.

“You better hope Valentine returns with Anneka, reporting Kristian and his family are safe, healthy and whole, or I swear to the gods, uncle, I’ll press for you to fucking swing,” Frey warned.

Franka’s father made a gurgling noise and Frey dropped him to the ground where he crumpled, landing on a hand and his knees.

Frey turned immediately from him to one of the men standing close to Noc.

“Thad, go to Finnie. Franka’s maid woke her along with me and no doubt she’s still awake seeing as she wasn’t keen on not accompanying me to the kitchens. Ask her to go to Noc’s room, attend Franka as the physician sees to her and ask her to stay there,” he ordered.

Thad nodded and took off.

Frey looked to one of the other men close to Noc and demanded, “Lund, fetch the constable. Nils Drakkar is being arrested tonight for child cruelty and assault.”

Lund didn’t nod. He smiled a humorless smile and then he left the room.

“Arrested?” Nils Drakkar asked in a choked voice, still on his knees, only his head was tipped back to look at his nephew.

“You’ve been committing crimes for decades, uncle. You’ll stand trial for those crimes and pay the penance,” Frey announced.

Nils pushed himself to his feet, declaring, “That’s absurd.”

“It’s the law,” Frey returned.

The older man’s back shot straight. “I’m a Drakkar!”

“You’re a gods damned useless piece of shite,” Frey bit out, turning again fully to his uncle. “I still cannot grasp what I saw when I walked into this room. I don’t even want to. How could you mark your child that way? It’s unfathomable to do to a son. But it’s unconscionable to do it to a daughter.”

Nils tossed his head. “You know Franka. She earned many punishments.”

“And her punishment was tearing open her flesh?” Frey asked with incredulity.

“As her father, it’s my decision what her punishment would be.”

“And that decision you made will land you in a cell,” Frey fired back. “And if I have anything to do with it, and in case you haven’t grasped this, uncle, I have a great deal to do with everything, you’ll stay in that cell until your dying day.”

Nils expression filled with disdain as he snapped, “You cannot mean that.”

“Look at my face,” Frey demanded, “and tell me if I do or I do not.”

Nils obviously looked at Frey’s face because his paled.

Even so, he fought his corner. “I cannot believe you stand in defense of her after she committed treason.”

“Excellent,” Frey weirdly replied, crossing his arms on his chest in a way it looked like he was settling in. “Let’s talk about that. How, precisely, did you know of that?”

The older man lifted his chin.

“Anneka and I keep informed about our children,” Nils informed him.

“Not surprisingly you do this likely with spies, paid sneaks and unlawful magic, because I’ve noted that for years neither of your children have had anything to do with you,” Frey retorted. “Now I know why.”

“I’ll remind you, nephew, she came to this buttery of her own accord,” Nils shared.

It was time for Noc to butt in and he did just that.

“She came to this buttery to protect her brother.”

Nils’s eyes went to Noc. “Weakness. The both of them. My bloody son, I’ve no idea how he makes it through a night, petrified of his own shadow. And her. My daughter. Twisting herself in knots to hide her brother’s affliction from me and her mother, like we wouldn’t notice it and lament it. Putting herself in line for his punishments because the boy faints and cries and begs, and she can’t bear it. Even going so far as misbehaving, courting our ire, so we’ll turn our attention to her. It’s obscene. A flaw in her character.”

“And I’m sure you punished her for that too,” Frey said in a quiet, dangerous voice.

“Of course I did,” Nils snapped. “She’s a Drakkar. She was taught to know better. And that boy…” He sniffed before he declared, “My son should have ascended to Head of the House. You didn’t want it and neither of your soft-hearted brothers deserved it. Instead, my son attached himself to a sniveling woman who pushed out a worthless child, causing his mother and myself inexpressible shame.”

Noc watched as Frey held his uncle’s eyes, and he did this for a long time before he turned away and dropped his head. Lifting his hand to the back of his neck, he wrapped it there and squeezed.

He released his neck, his hand falling, his gaze coming to Noc’s.

“How is she?” he asked.

“In pain, but still uppity as all hell and worried sick about her brother,” Noc answered.

Frey nodded.

“The other Heads of the Houses will not stand for my incarceration,” Nils declared.

Frey turned back to him. “This is a delusion. When they hear of what you’ve done, they’ll stand in line to condemn you. But even if what you believe were to be the case, I would not care.”

“You hold great power, nephew, but you do not rule this land,” Nils fired back, his face twisted.

“You are correct,” Frey agreed. “But my mother-in-law does and it was me who seated her on that throne.”

Nils drew in a long, loud breath through his nose.

“Bloody hell,” Frey muttered, looking to the ceiling. “I can’t stand to be in his presence much longer. Where’s that bloody witch?”

“You called?”

Both Noc and Frey turned toward the feminine drawl, and they did this just in time to see the green smoke start to dissipate and Valentine lift her hand in an indifferent gesture. This movement caused the handsome but frightened-looking woman she’d brought with her to tumble back. She slammed into Nils Drakkar, taking them both into the shelves where more bottles fell and smashed on the ground.

“Pity, waste of good liquor,” Valentine noted casually.

“Kristian and his family?” Frey asked.

Valentine looked to him. “Frightened, but no harm had been done. Though I arrived just in time.”

“She’s a witch,” Frey informed Valentine.

“She was a witch,” Valentine returned. “I’ve stripped her of her powers.”

“What?” Nils whispered.

Noc looked to him. He was now holding his wife in a protective embrace Noc didn’t think the man had in him.

“It’s true, my love,” his wife said in a trembling voice. “My magic, she took it.” Her gaze wandered fearfully to Valentine. “Her power is…I’ve never felt anything like it.”

“This is…it is…it’s,” Nils sputtered, “unspeakable.” He speared Valentine with his eyes. “Return it immediately.”

“If you don’t cease speaking to me in this manner, you odious man, you’ll find yourself without a tongue,” Valentine retorted.

“Who do you think you are?” Nils demanded, pulling his wife behind him and taking a step toward Valentine.

When he did, the witch lifted her hand and snapped.

Nils stopped immediately. Both his hands shooting to his mouth, his eyes getting huge, his facing losing all color, he staggered back and Noc watched as his eyes got even more huge and he rolled his jaw around in a bizarre way that was also creepy as fuck.

“Valentine,” Frey sighed.

“I’ll give it back,” she promised, but finished with, “eventually.”

Noc stared at her. “You took his tongue?”

She tipped her head to the side. “I didn’t fancy how he was using it.”

“Bloody hell,” Frey muttered.

Frey’s last man in the room, a guy named Ruben, chuckled.

“I assume you have plans for these two cretins that I’ll approve of?” Valentine asked Frey.

“I’m uncertain you’ll approve of them but I can assure you they’ll be punished,” Frey answered.

She shifted only her eyes Nils and Anneka’s way. “Punished seems a tame word in this instance.”

“They’re going to be inhabiting a cell for the rest of their days,” Frey shared. “Does that suffice?”

“You can’t be serious.” Anneka’s words sounded forced out.

Frey looked to his aunt. “I can’t?”

She took in his face and shrunk away.

“I suppose that’ll do,” Valentine murmured.

Having turned fully to them, she was eyeing them like she would eye a pesky rodent she intended to trap by breaking its back and then dispose of.

“I’m done here,” Frey stated and looked to Ruben. “Keep an eye on them until Lund gets back with the constable.”

“Right, Frey,” Ruben answered.

He turned to Valentine. “Give him back his tongue.”

She gave him a small smile. “Can’t I keep it?”

“Give it back, Valentine.”

“Just for a little while,” she coaxed.

“Valentine, there’s Franka to see to,” Frey reminded her.

That took the witch’s attention. She lifted her hand, snapped, and Nils instantly whispered a relieved yet horrified, “By the gods.”

Frey wasted no time sweeping an arm out for Valentine to precede him, something she did. He glanced at Noc. Noc lifted his chin. Frey moved and Noc followed him.

They were through the kitchens and heading to the main stairs when Frey spoke.

“I’ve known her since she was a little girl. But you were right.”

Noc stopped. Valentine stopped. And they both found that Frey had stopped.

His attention was to Noc.

“There’s great substance to anyone who would endure what she did, doing it for decades to protect her brother,” Frey continued.

Noc said nothing.

Valentine also remained silent.

“Kristian is not as Nils described him,” Frey went on. “But his wit is not as sharp as his sister’s. And his will definitely not as strong. I cannot imagine how he would cope even with the threat of the lash, much less feeling the bite of it. But Franka, what I saw, I don’t even know how she remained standing.”

“She remained standing so her brother would not fall,” Noc pointed out.

Frey shook his head. “I would never think she had this in her.”

“The two people who, from birth, were meant to love her, look after her, protect her, but for Franka they were those two fuckwads,” Noc jerked his head in the direction they came, “it’s no surprise she did everything she could to make certain no one got close. This guy, the one who died, had to be something to tear off the mask she’d been wearing for so long it’s a wonder it didn’t fuse with her skin.”

“I see this now,” Frey said softly, and it didn’t take a cop who could read people to read he was kicking his own ass for not seeing any of this earlier.

“Man, she was a master,” Noc told him something he knew. “Twice, I’ve been around her, and she’s always trying that shit with me even though she knows I see right through it. Don’t beat yourself up. You were feeling for her exactly what she wanted you to feel.”

Frey continued to look into Noc’s eyes as he nodded.

“You two should feel free to stand here in the hallway of a palace in the middle of the night and dissect how Franka Drakkar’s childhood traumas have affected the woman she’s become,” Valentine drawled. “I, however, am going to go see to the woman herself.”

With that, no other way to put it, she flounced away, but elegantly, as Noc was noticing was the only way that woman did anything.

Noc and Frey started moving after her a whole lot slower. Noc wanted to go a fuckuva lot faster but he felt Frey’s mood, so he kept his strides in line with the other man’s.

“Looking back,” Frey started reflectively as they began to walk up the stairs, “outside, of course, what she did for her lover, and that’s explainable considering he’s the only person she’s allowed to see behind her mask, she never did aught truly amiss, except be catty and forcefully unlikeable. She even came forward with helpful information when Finnie and I were having our troubles when my wee one came to me.”

“Frey, brother, you can knock yourself out trying to find the signs you missed that’d lead you to her true character,” Noc replied. “But that secret was a secret well kept. You didn’t know what was happening to her so you couldn’t do a damned thing about it. Just count yourself lucky you know now.”

“Yes,” Frey muttered. “Difficult to do. But wise.”

When they made the top of the stairs, Noc started to move faster and thankfully Frey came out of his thoughts and moved with him.

They’d barely cleared the door before Finnie was at her husband.

“Frey—” she began.

“Not now, my wee wife,” Frey said gently, his arm going around her waist but his eyes went to Franka. “I’ll explain all later.”

Noc just went to Franka.

She was out. Her eyes closed. Her breaths even. Her beautiful face peaceful. And he saw strips of gauze with some kind of milky gunk laid across her back.

He lifted his gaze to a man who was bending over a leather case sitting on one of the chairs by the fire.

“How is she?” he asked.

The man raised his head and caught Noc’s gaze.

“Mutilated,” he bit out and turned his attention to Frey. “I hope, sir, that whoever perpetrated this outrage has been detained.”

“He has,” Frey told him.

“What’s this stuff on her back?” Noc asked, and the guy who was obviously the doctor looked back to him.

“Willow salt,” he stated. “I’ve left a jar and clean dressings,” he went on.

He dipped his chin to a variety of shit that was sitting on the table beside the chair.

Then he closed his case with a pissed-off snap and lifted it, ordering, “In the morning, if you can get her to eat, do so. But I’ve also left some willow tea to assist with the pain. It needs to be seeped until it’s dark. And the dressings need to be changed as well. On the morrow, mix these jars.” He pointed to the jars on table. “As the bleeding will be staunched, willow salt will no longer be needed. Simply mix the lavender oil with the honey salve and the willow paste.” He glanced at Franka. “There’s nothing to be done with stitches, considering the extensive scar tissue she already has. But even if that were not the case, there’s little skin left to stitch. But the salve will be soothing and hasten healing.”

He started marching to the door but stopped and looked up at Frey.

“I’ll return late morning to check on her,” he announced.

“That would be appreciated,” Frey replied.

The doctor gave Frey a short nod, didn’t look at anybody and stomped out the door.

“Can you do more, Valentine?” Finnie asked, she and Frey moving closer to the bed where Valentine was standing opposite it from Noc.

“I’m not a healer, my goddess of love,” she stated, her gaze directed at Franka. She looked to Finnie. “I know some, but they would not be able to do much more than the doctor did. Even if we brought her to our world, outside of managing the pain, I’m not even certain a cosmetic surgeon could find results. Unfortunately, the damage has long been done.”

Finnie looked up at Frey. “The elves?”

Frey nodded. “I’ll call to Nillen.”

“I caution you, my chéries, do not act in haste without Franka’s input. Your kindness might not be considered the same to her,” Valentine warned.

“I mean no offense, Valentine, but that’s daft,” Frey returned, jerking his head toward the bed. “I know her state has far from escaped you.”

“There are many of us who find strength and even honor in our scars, those within,” she dipped her head to Franka, “and those without.”

“Begging all your pardons,” a timid voice came at them and Noc turned his head in its direction to see that the girl who had woken him to tell him Franka was in danger was coming out of the shadows by the windows and toward the bed, “but Lady Franka should continue to rest and I fear, the lights on, conversation happening…” she trailed off but they all got her gist.

“I’m staying,” Noc said, turning to the lamp by the bed and twisting it so the flame within died. “You all go.”

“I can stay with my lady,” the girl offered.

“You have a name, honey?” he asked.

“Josette.”

“Right, Josette, you’ll need to have it together to take care of her when she’s up. So you should probably get some shuteye.”

She bit her lip, looked to Franka, made her decision and nodded.

But she didn’t leave. She started moving around, turning out the lamps.

Frey, Finnie and Valentine did move to leave.

“You need anything, you call,” Finnie said as she paused at the door. “We’re three rooms down, other side.”

“Right, babe. Thanks,” Noc muttered, gave her a smile, gave Frey a look and they moved out.

Valentine didn’t say anything. She just smiled that small, weird smile of hers that he didn’t know if it was cute, smirky or sexy, but taking it in it was all three.

Noc went to the fire, threw a couple of logs on and settled in a chair.

“Goodnight, Lord Noctorno,” Josette said quietly as she made her way to the side door.

“I’m not a lord, Josette, and everyone calls me Noc.”

She made a shy, self-conscious noise, avoided his eyes and disappeared behind the door.

The room was dark, except for the fire.

But thank fuck, the chair was comfortable.

So Noc stretched out, stared at the fire, didn’t think he’d get a wink of sleep, but was unconscious in minutes.

 

* * * * *

Franka

 

I barely woke before I heard Josette’s hushed, “I think she’s awake.”

I opened my eyes and tilted them up to see Noc and Josette standing by the bed, Josette looking anxious, Noc looking gentle.

Bloody hell.

“Yep, she’s awake,” Noc murmured and started grinning. “How you doin’, Frannie?”

I began to push up to my forearms, surprised that the pain in my back was dull rather than sharp, doing this snapping, “I’ll be excellent, when you cease calling me this crude name.”

Noc’s grin got bigger but he did it bending closer.

“Move another inch, sugarlips, and I’ll sit on you.”

I was groggy from the sleeping draught but I was also Franka Drakkar.

Therefore I was relatively certain the glare I sent his way was scorching.

Apparently I was wrong, for the glare had no effect except to make him stop grinning and start smiling.

He had excellent teeth.

Oh, but the goddess Adele did not like me.

Our eyes locked in a battle of wills I was physically incapable of winning, though mentally I could best him (perhaps), but movement made the dull pain sharpen and thus I decided (for my own sake, of course) to settle back down to my front.

Noc nodded like he was pleased and straightened, turning to Josette. “Can you make her some of that tea?”

“Right away,” Josette whispered and scurried away.

“Kristian?” I said my brother’s name as a question.

Noc looked back down at me. “Your brother’s good, babe. His wife, kid, they’re all good. Valentine got to them in time.”

Thank the goddess.

“My father?” I asked.

“Your dad and mom are both currently sitting in a jail somewhere, on a variety of charges.”

That was…

It was…

I couldn’t even decide what it was before Noc continued speaking.

“And Valentine stripped your mother of her magic. Frey’s pissed, babe. I mean seriously. They’re not gonna hurt you anymore. They’re not gonna hurt your brother anymore. They’re not gonna hurt anyone anymore.”

My mother was stripped of her magic?

I couldn’t help it, I felt my mouth curve into a gleeful, malicious smile.

“I know,” Noc stated, and I focused again on him for I had no idea why he said this. “Wish you’d been there, sweetheart. Valentine magicked out your dad’s tongue at one point so he’d shut the fuck up. If I wasn’t so pissed, I would have bust a gut laughing.”

I couldn’t fight my eyes going wide.

“She magicked out his tongue?”

“You shoulda seen his face, Frannie. It was creepy as all get out, but still, I’ll never forget it…in a good way.”

I thought of the other punishments that my father had given me, hundreds of them, perhaps thousands, none of which involved a whip. But they did involve the verbal lashings of his tongue.

Yes, I too wish I’d been there.

“She gave it back but only ’cause Frey made her,” Noc shared.

In speaking, he regained my attention and I made an immediate decision.

Kristian well. My parents neutralized.

Onward.

“You need to leave,” I declared.

His brows drew together a moment before his expression showed clearly that comprehension had dawned.

Sadly, comprehension might have dawned but he didn’t leave.

He crouched by the bed and offered in a soft voice, “You need me to carry you to the other room so you can have a bit of privacy?”

Dear goddess.

He thought I needed a chamber pot.

But…

What was happening to my face?

Dear goddess!

The heat I felt in my cheeks could be nothing other than me blushing.

I didn’t blush. I’d never blushed. Not even when I’d set about seducing my first lover at age sixteen.

I needed to be quit of this man as soon as possible.

“No…I…do…not,” I bit out.

“Sure?” he asked kindly.

“I need you to leave, Noctorno,” I used his full name in an effort to irritate, something that worked if the flare in his eyes was any indication, “so Josette can prepare me. We’re away to Kristian’s this morning.”

Another drawing of his brows before he asked, “What?”

“After my toilette, Josette and I are to my sleigh so we can begin our journey to my brother’s home.”

His eyes got bigger as his mouth inquired peculiarly, “Are you high?”

“No,” I answered his ridiculous question unnecessarily, “Indeed, I’m low. As you can see since I’m lying abed.”

For a second he just stared at me.

Then he threw his head back and burst into loud, deep, beautiful laughter.

I wanted to throw something at him.

Unfortunately, in my current position, this was not an option open to me.

“I fail to see what’s amusing,” I noted.

He controlled his mirth only to mutter, “I’ll explain it later.” He went on more distinctly, “Frannie, you’re not goin’ to your brother’s today. Or tomorrow. Or until you’re fit. Then, maybe Valentine will spirit you there, or whatever the fuck that’s called. But for the foreseeable future, your ass is in that bed and you’re resting so you can heal.”

Well!

Who did he think he was, telling me what I would or would not do?

“As you’ve determined,” I began, “this is not the first time I’ve been in this condition so I do believe that I know best what I’m capable of and…”

I stopped speaking because he came slightly out of his crouch so he could put his face into my face and he was no longer looking mirthful.

He was looking angry.

Very angry.

“That was when you had no one lookin’ out for you but that’s not the case anymore. So this is how it’s gonna be,” he announced.

He then, to my shock, irritation and outrage, announced how it was going to be.

Like he had the right to tell me how it was going to be!

“First, like I said, you’re gonna hang tight, rest and heal. Second, once you start feelin’ better, then we’ll discuss what’s gonna happen after that. And the last is the most important, baby, so listen up. You’re gonna take care not to remind me your mom and dad are such motherfucking assholes because I got a few solid shots to his face last night but I let Frey’s boys pull me off before I did the damage I intended to do. You keep remindin’ me, I’m gonna find those two monsters and do somethin’ that’ll mean my time here won’t be about discovering a parallel universe but memorizing every inch of a jail cell.”

There were a large number of things to discuss regarding his announcement. So many, on the fly, I couldn’t decide a priority so I said the first that came to mind.

“You struck my father?” I asked.

“Repeatedly,” Noc answered. “But not repeatedly enough.”

Oh my.

Warmth was filling my belly.

I decided to focus on the second thing that needed to be discussed and not on that feeling.

“I think it’s important to note that I barely know you, thus you’re nothing to me. Although I appreciate your efforts last night, you have no say in what I do or where I go. And even if I were to wish to stay in the Winter Palace for a day or two in an effort to be in better condition to make the journey I fully intend to make, that will be my decision and what happens after that will not be discussed with you.”

“Think that, babe,” he said, moving out of my face and back into his crouch by the bed, “but we’ll see, and I’ll just say what we’ll be seein’ is your ass is not leaving that bed.”

“I can’t believe I need to remind you that I’m hardly welcome to remain at the palace,” I pointed out.

“Figure that’s changed, Frannie.”

I ignored him calling me that dreadful name and said in a scoffing voice, “You would think wrong.”

“Babe, had to have a chat with Frey last night, he was kickin’ his own ass, thinkin’ shit about you that wasn’t the way it was. But more, the man is so far not about what went down with you last night, what you and your brother been dealin’ with for years, probably thought if he read it right, he coulda done something about it.”

“That’s preposterous,” I retorted.

“That’s the thinking of a good guy who’s loyal to his men, loves his wife beyond measure and feels the same about the kid they made.” Noc smiled a gentle smile. “Know you’re not used to that kinda shit, but stick with me, sugarlips, you’ll learn.”

I felt a skip in my heart at this offer. At his smile. At his words and knowing they likely not only described Frey Drakkar, but also Noctorno Hawthorne of the other world (when he had a woman to love that was).

I decided to end this conversation at once.

“I’ve no desire to discuss this further with you, Noctorno—”

He interrupted me with, “Noc.”

I disregarded his interruption and carried on, “But I’ve asked you to leave. Please do so that I can go about my business.”

“Frannie, baby, you are not gettin’ this,” he stated, leaning into me, but thankfully not so close his face was in mine this time. “I’m not goin’ anywhere. If I gotta go somewhere, someone else will be here to make sure you don’t go anywhere. You are resting. You are healing. And that’s just the way it’s gonna be.”

“Perhaps I’ll pull the cord, ask a servant to request that Queen Aurora attend me and we’ll see what she has to say about your plans for me.”

He directly straightened and reached to the cord, tugging it.

I stared at his actions and continued staring when he cast his gaze down at me.

“Yeah, good call. We’ll request Aurora shows and see what she has to say,” he agreed.

Hmm.

He seemed more certain than I about the outcome of said engagement.

Truthfully, without Josette’s help (or his) I actually could go nowhere and do nothing. Not simply because I was in pain, and movement without assistance I knew would be agony (even with assistance, it would be agony), but also because I was naked.

Not that I had any qualms with that, just that it was me who made the decision about who saw me and he’d seen enough without my making that decision already.

In other words, I was stuck.

And this was maddening.

Therefore I did the only thing I could.

I glared at him again.

He grinned at me again.

The gall!

“Now we got that straight, you sure you don’t want me to carry you to the other room?” he asked.

In truth, at that juncture I could have used the chamber pot.

Of course, this was not what I shared.

I said, “Absolutely not.”

“Gonna be right here, you need me,” he stated.

“To my everlasting distress,” I murmured, right then doing the only other thing I could do, pathetic as it was.

I turned my head away from him.

He did not let that happen unnoted.

Oh no.

He chuckled.

Insufferably rude.

I ignored that and stared at heavy curtains that hid the dull wood that covered the blasted-out windows.

The good news was, my parents incarcerated, my mother’s magic stripped so she couldn’t use it to foil any efforts of castigation or to rain further misfortune on my brother and me, Lunwyn was safe for me again.

And Kristian.

The bad news was, my back was a mess, my secret had been revealed (both of them!), and I seemed to be at the mercy of a dictatorial member of an other-world city guard, of all outlandishness.

I could not allow this to concern me.

I would ignore him in the short term and deal with whatever befell me in the long term.

Because I had no choice.

And such was my life.

Drat.

 

* * * * *

 

“You can hardly hold me at the Palace against my will,” I asserted.

“I can’t?” Queen Aurora asked with a raised brow.

It was undignified in the extreme that I was lying abed, staring up at my queen, having any conversation, much less this one.

Even so, one could say there was a single answer to her question.

She could.

“This is not to be born,” I groused.

Yes!

Me!

Franka Drakkar reduced to grousing.

The mortification of it all!

She glanced to my back and I could not merit (but there it was, right in her expression) the slight softening of her features before she looked again at me.

“A week, I think,” she murmured pensively. “And then we’ll see what the physician says.”

“With respect, your grace, I’m aware of what I’m capable of in this condition or any,” I stated, avoiding Noc’s eyes.

A Noc, I will note, who was leaning negligently against the wall beyond the nightstand, arms crossed on his chest, foot crossed at the ankle, regarding this like it was an enthralling melodrama.

“I can imagine even you, Franka, would admit that a physician is far more capable of making that judgment than you,” Queen Aurora replied.

I could not argue that.

Therefore, I didn’t.

“You’ve consumed your willow tea?” she asked, like a strict but concerned nanny.

Yes.

The queen speaking to me like a strict but concerned nanny.

Me!

“I have, my queen,” I muttered.

“Excellent. I believe I’ll give you the day. Tomorrow is the wedding, the perfect time for you to rest and mend uninterrupted. The eve after that, I’ll dine with you. Myself and Finnie, and, of course, The Drakkar.”

I wanted to dine with the queen, her other-world daughter and her son-in-law, a cousin who hated me, like I wanted someone to stick knitting needles in my eyes.

But did one refuse a queen?

No.

One did not.

“It would be my most fervent wish, your grace,” I replied, my voice betraying it was what it was, absolutely the opposite.

“And Noc as well, I’m sure,” Queen Aurora went on.

I ground my teeth and glanced to Noc.

He was again grinning.

“I’ll be there,” he assured.

“Lovely, I’ll check in on you later. Rest, Franka,” the queen ordered.

“As you wish, my queen.” I had no choice but to agree.

With a short nod, she turned, and with no further ado, swept out of the room.

I frowned at the door.

Noc pushed away from the wall and moved to fill the space the queen had been occupying by my bed.

“I’m thinkin’ that’s that,” he noted, his lips still curled up.

“As I’ve been ordered to rest by our sovereign, perhaps you’ll leave me so I can do just that,” I suggested tetchily.

He shrugged. “Sure.”

“My gratitude,” I bit out.

“Be back to have lunch with you, though.”

Really.

I might have lived a life of malice and intrigue, but surely all I’d done hadn’t earned me this.

“I can’t wait,” I gritted.

“Bet you can’t,” he murmured, his voice shaking with mirth.

I lifted my brows. “You were leaving?”

“Right,” he replied, but did not move.

“The sooner you do that, the sooner I can rest and mend,” I prompted.

“Fuck, don’t know if you’re more cute than you are funny or the other way around.”

“Just so you’re aware, I take neither as a compliment,” I shared.

He burst out laughing, the sound filling the room and warming it better than the biggest, most blazing fire could achieve.

I decided my best course of action from that point was silence.

When his hilarity calmed, he decreed, “Right now, funnier than you are cute. But just barely.”

I simply stared up at him blankly.

His expression changed to serious. “You’re in pain, you say. Josette or someone will be close. We’ll get you more of that tea.”

I remained silent.

“Doc’s comin’ later,” he told me.

I tipped my head the best I could as it was resting on my arms.

“You good, sweetheart?” he asked gently.

I was not.

“Fine,” I bit out.

That got another curl of his lips.

“Right then, Frannie. See you later.”

Stop calling me that appalling name! my mind screamed.

My mouth said nothing.

I should have said something. I should have even screamed my thoughts at him.

But since I didn’t, he was open to shift closer and bend so near he was able to brush his lips at my temple at the same time he swept the hair from my neck.

“Rest good,” he whispered in my ear.

I fought new warmth in my belly, tilted my eyes to catch his as he moved away and attempted yet again to scorch him with a glare.

It glanced off him as his lips quirked, he turned and I watched his arse in another, more faded-blue pair of his attractive other-world trousers.

When he disappeared beyond the door, I tilted my eyes so far to the side, I could see the ceiling.

“If I promise to be the soul of charitability and kindness, will you release me of my torment?” I asked the gods, any of them, I didn’t care which one was listening.

“What’s that, Lady Franka?” Josette called.

“Nothing,” I muttered, foiled at every turn, including the fact I knew my maid was sitting by the fire in one of the armchairs in my room, mending some of my clothing, thus she would hear I was reduced to verbally begging the gods for a reprieve.

Oh, but it was so much easier when no one cared a whit. It’d only been hours when they did and I already knew that as a certainty.

I sighed.

I stared at the pillow.

I considered making more promises to the gods (but silently).

My mind wandered to Noc’s arse in his trousers.

And thus, unbeknownst to me, I fell asleep with a curl on my lips.

 

* * * * *

 

I woke suddenly, feeling strange.

I saw vague firelight glinting on my pillow but the room was lit by naught else.

It was night.

I’d been sleeping.

Now I was awake.

Awake and I could see the shadow of a large man sitting in a chair by my bed.

Disoriented but feeling alarm course through me at this realization, my back raged with pain as I abruptly pushed up to my forearms.

“Calm, Franka,” Frey’s voice came to me quietly. “It’s only me.”

I tried to put a whip in my voice, but I was drowsy and confused so it came only as a minor bite when I asked, “And what, pray, are you doing sitting by my bed in the middle of the night?”

“It’s barely eight in the evening.”

Blast my father and his abuses. I’d drifted off after my (delicious, amazingly so considering what it was) broth, bread and wine.

“I presumed you’d wake and then we could talk,” Frey continued.

“I do hope you understand I’m really in no mood,” I replied.

He leaned toward me, putting his elbows on his knees, and ignored my assertion completely.

“I was wrong about you,” he told me softly.

“You were not,” I returned briskly. “I am precisely who you thought I was.”

“You realize the game is over?” he inquired.

“I realize nothing of the sort, considering there was no game,” I retorted. “I am Franka Drakkar now. I was Franka Drakkar a week ago, two months ago, ten years ago. Nothing has changed.”

“Everything’s changed.”

I could take no more.

“Frey, my darling cousin,” I started on a drawl, “it seems I’ve procured one stubborn, annoying male in my life for the foreseeable future. I’d very much appreciate it if you didn’t double that number for I don’t even want the one I already have.”

He again ignored me, something both the stubborn, annoying males in my life were clearly very adept at doing.

“I was under the impression your father was dead.”

Ah yes, my father’s “death.”

A juvenile piece of conniving, that. Unnecessarily dramatic. Although at the time I did find the lack of grief expressed by the Houses at his “demise” rather humorous.

That said, it did allow my dearest papa to achieve success in a variety of nefarious machinations, one of which was continuing to rain abuse down on his two children with great alacrity and no accountability.

I shrugged one shoulder minutely and held my gaze aimed to his face, but dipped my voice lower as I shared, “You know we Drakkars like our schemes, Frey.”

I saw his head bow in a nod.

Therefore I went on.

“Schemes are far easier to achieve if perpetrated by a ghost.”

This was met with silence and I waited with ill-patience as my cousin digested the nugget I’d granted.

He’d clearly done so when he spoke his next.

“I wish you’d told me.”

That was not relayed in a quiet voice. Or a soft one.

It was gentle and it was melancholy.

And, damn all the gods, I felt it touch my heart.

As I was adept at doing, I triumphed over the weakness of such a feeling.

“And how would that conversation have gone, Frey?” I asked. “Perhaps the first time you accused me of treason, I should have played that card by playing on your sympathies. ‘Oh, but Frey, I’d never do that, not because I’m a Drakkar and it’d be foolish beyond reason. But because, poor little me, my father is fond of a lash and has been since I was wee.’”

“Derision is no longer a weapon you need to use, Franka,” he shared.

“It’s served me well much of my life. I’ve honed my talent with it quite keenly, so if it’s all the same to you, I think I’ll keep it,” I rejoined.

I could not make his face out well in the shadows and firelight, but he didn’t seem to be getting annoyed.

If my eyes didn’t deceive me, it seemed he was smiling.

“As you wish, cousin,” he murmured. “Understanding what lies beneath the mask, it will surely cease to be irritating and prove quite enjoyable.”

Things seemed to continue to get worse.

“I can call the elves, Franka,” he said low. “Ask them to see to your back.”

The elves of our realm had healing powers beyond comprehension, as evidenced by the fact they’d brought a dead Lavinia back to life. It was lore the dead person needed to be freshly dead for this to prove a successful, rather than a highly disturbing endeavor (and thus the elves no longer did such a thing). Luckily, Lavinia was only in that sad state for a few hours.

And Frey had command of the elves.

But I thought not.

“My back will heal,” I declared.

“It will, but they can—”

“They’re mine,” I bit out. “I earned them in a way you can’t comprehend and I’m keeping them, Frey. And with respect, that’s the end of that discussion.”

He was silent for a moment and I felt his contemplation.

But fortunately, he let that subject go.

“Do you need anything before I return to Finnie and send Noc back to you?” he queried.

“I need you not to send Noc back to me,” I answered.

There was a timbre to his voice that betrayed his amusement when he returned, “Yes, I see this is going to prove quite enjoyable.”

I fought gnashing my teeth.

Frey stood.

“Rest well, Franka. I’ll poke my head in after the wedding tomorrow. See how you’re faring.”

“I await this visit with bated breath, cousin,” I murmured sardonically.

“Yes,” he whispered. “Most amusing.”

I did not look but I feared he stood, grinning down at me for a long moment (because he stood by my bed for a long moment) before he finally bid me goodnight and took his leave.

There it was.

Proof.

The gods had forsaken me.

I understood that from a wee girl but it seemed since then I’d held on to a vein of hope.

That hope was dashed.

My cousin Frey liked me and found me amusing.

Him and others besides.

I was a disgrace to my House.

Blast.