Chapter 1: Queen Friya
Sunrise, was my favorite time of the morning. As I looked across my land at the bright red sun and blue clouds moving in through the pink sky. I felt immense pride over our full wheat crop this season. Me and father had worked countless hours in this season's crop, the evidence was in the hard calluses formed on my palms. But father always said, "if you have formed hard patches on your palms that means the work was done in full."
The smell of summer swept my nostrils, today was the first market day of the season. I slid off the roof and called out "Father? where are you?" He yelled back poking his hand out of the wheelhouse, "Right here Helina!" Running inside I see the shelves filled with loaves and loaves of bread.
"Father? Is there a reason you are baking double the loaves we need for the market today?" He shuffled the dough around our brick oven, he placed the cooked loaves on more shelves.
"Well, I received some surprising news this morning," I crossed my arms, "The Queen is coming into Riverlilli because they decreed this morning that she is to be wed."
"Wed? Really! How soon after her coronation!" I thought back to early winter into the New Year came to the news of King Edward V's passing. The crown would now pass down to his daughter princess and now Queen Friya.
-
On the day of her crowning coronation, father closed down the forge and farm for the first time since mother passed. It was so exciting getting to travel to Eloryis again and with my father to show me around where he grew up. We visited the old school where I entertained myself with the dames and knights of Eloryis. They all surely now were grown and part of the royal guard or queens ladies, any part of high society I was sure. As we stood outside of the cathedral we waited hours to see the new highness walk out and when she did the whole kingdom cheered. Her golden pearled gown reached miles behind her and the blue jeweled crown sat atop her head. Everyone gossiped about how stunning she looked, they called her "Goddess-like and moonlit," but to me, she looked tired and even grief-stricken. I paid more attention to the sunken eyes of a woman who lacked sleep. I couldn't imagine how much she missed both the queen and king now that they had passed, the nights of restlessness in that empty castle.
-
"Well, I can go whip up some pastries to hand out as well. I will make moms tulip biscuits, those are always most people's favorites, most of all Bodil and the men at the tavern." Father grabbed my hand.
"Thank you, darling," I hugged his side. I could feel his brittle side give underneath my embrace. A shiver went up my spine. I thought to myself, it was the least I could do for that woman I remembered seeing that day.
In the kitchen, I went to pull some of my mother's traditional recipes out. I touched the cards with my fingertips over her handwriting. Even the box still held her smell of fresh roses and flour. I poked my head out to see more smoke starting as father baked my biscuits in with the bread. He was singing an old blacksmiths song he loved. As I worried constantly about his health and age. It was good to hear him sing.
-
Walking into our barn I opened the stall to see my horse laying on the ground still sleeping. "Bodhrán!" I yelled. He stood up quickly and bucked against the sides of his stall. Bodhrán had been my mother's horse for as long as I could remember and truly he was very old. But I still loved him deeply. He was a dark brown all over except his hair, white as snow, and in the center of his face was a white diamond. "Sorry, but today is a big day, and we have to ride into town." He nayed back at me with understanding, his communication made me laugh.
We headed off early, our bread, biscuits, and pastries in Bodhrán's saddle bag. Along with a few spare throwing knives that I had whipped up as an order Bodil asked of me.
-
As we headed into town, through the forest I quickly saw the red sky turn blue. I thought of how the market would be packed with citizens of the kingdom from far and wide. Even a few of the palace staff would come to pick up groceries for the wedding I was sure. Fresh fish, bread, and flowers for their tables. The trees around me started getting sparser and sparser until I arrived at the entrance of Riverlilli. Banners and decorations were being hung up all across town in celebration of her majesty's wedding announcement. The ladies of the town were truly hard at work. As I kept riding I was stopped by a "Good morning Miss. Ashburn" I turned my head as I was unused to hearing my last name being called.
It was Bodil's wife Astrid and their daughter Ambur, "Ah good morning Miss. Moledol and Lady Moledol." I hopped off bodhrán and walked over to them. "How are you on this gorgeous day?"
"We are wonderful, Helina thank you for asking. Just helping the fellow ladies of the town decorate for the queens' arrival tomorrow! you know, Helina we are throwing a ball in her honor and would love for you to attend." The shock in my eyes must have given away how I felt. A ball had not been thrown in decades in Riverlilli, as my mother would throw them at the farm. "I hope that does not offend you Miss I know your mother threw them but I thought with the queen and."
"I think it is a wonderful idea, Astrid, I just wish mother would have been here to experience it." She rubbed my arm gently.
"Oh dear, I know you are busy running the farm and forge but why don't you come? You never leave that place unless it is for market day and I think the town would love to see you there." I glanced over the group of towns ladies gathered in a circle, they were glancing at me up and down and giggling. I assumed they were laughing at my peasant shirt and out-of-traditional leather pants and boots. Which I had gone out hunting and fight training in this morning. "Helina?" I attracted my attention back to her.
"Sorry, yes I will see if I can try to make it." She nodded. As that was my normal response to social events. But this was a ball, one that mother would have wanted me to attend and for the queen as well. I would think about it. But I couldn't help but think about those ladies laughing at me.
-
Arriving under the brick arch of the market, I watched the fishermen gather fish straight out of the river and place them out to sell. Women and daughters pruned away at bouquets of flowers to sell. I rode Bodhrán directly to where me and father always set up. It was not minutes until people started flocking to the bread and pastries. From behind the crowd, I heard a distant familiar yelling. "HELINA? HELINA?"
"Excuse me everyone can you part so my friend may move through?" They all moved aside, still admiring father's crafted bread. Bodil approached with his nephew Kaine, my closest friend and graduated knight. Growing up we were basically inseparable, he was the one to blame for my fascination with the queen's knights. When he got drafted he would write me every day, telling me stories of training and the history of the knights.
Kayne was five years older than me. In my eyes, he was the closest thing to a brother I had. "Oh, my gods and goddesses!" I ran around to Kaine and grabbed his lean frame and squeezed him. "Five months you loon! How I have missed you!" He laughed and tapped my shoulder.
"Hel I cannot breath!" I dropped him. "My gods I see you are still training."
I nodded, "Every day just as you and father taught me, thanks again for the letters." I held up my large muscular arms and pushed his chest. He stumbled backward.
"Oh Bodhrán!" He ran over and embraced my horse in his arms. He petted his mane and I swear I saw Bodhrán smile.
Bodil walked over and shot me a funny glance, "What?" I said. "What is that face?"
"Nothing just you kids, so grown, so ready," I already knew he meant marriage. He had been planning our wedding since we were children, fighting in the woods and sneaking off to Eloryis every moment we could. But he did not know what I knew about Kaine. We knew we could never marry unless it was necessary.
I exhaled and patted bodils shoulder, "Not going to happen old man." Kaine laughed with me and shrugged. "So this order I am guessing it is for," I looked at Kaine and he nodded no. "Bodil who is it for?"
He smiled wide, as he unraveled the intricately detailed throwing knives all seven of them. "they are beautiful Helina! your best work yet! Perfect for His Highness." I dropped the knife I was twirling in between my fingers.
"What?! His Highness! Do you mean the future prince's consort? Future husband to the queen?"
Bodil nodded and laughed, "these will be his wedding gift when he stops by tomorrow night's ball."
"Bodil! Why did you not state that before I made them!" He laughed more, Kaine approached picking up one of the knives.
"Do not worry Hel they are beautiful! Some of your best work!" Sweat started forming on my brow.
"This is why I waited to tell you!"
"Uncle please!" Kaine walked over and placed his hands on my shoulders. "Come now, let me help you pack up and head back to the farm. I'm sure your father would love to see me." He winked at me, and I relaxed.
-
"Something's different?" Kaine stated as his horse and Bodhrán galloped next to one another. I couldn't contain the secret anymore. I had to at least tell him, after all, he had been gone for months now.
"Father handed over the land," his eyes went wide. His horse got off the trail for a moment.
"Your kidding! Hel that is fantastic!" He reached over and padded my shoulder.
"Oh please, that's coming from the new member of the queen's guard." I could tell that set his mood off. "What? What's wrong you should be proud! You know I'm extremely jealous."
"Well you know I only came into town early 'cause the queen and consort will be here tomorrow." I nodded. "The tradition with a queen's ball is for the knight to accompany the women of the kingdom and well. You know how I wrote I met someone?"
"Yes, I remember." The silence grew and kaines olive skin grew red and red. He nervously ran his hands through his black hair, it had grown out significantly since I had seen him last.
"His name is William." Kaine's eyes went wide and he hid his face behind his armored shoulder.
I burst out into laughter, breaking the intense silence finally. "Oh Kaine, why did you not just state that in the beginning? Tell me about him!"
"You do not care? You do not think it a sin?" Tears formed in his eyes.
"Oh by the gods!" I swore. "Brother of mine, I have known since we were wee children. It has always been evident, most of all when you joined the guard." My eyes rolled, he reached across between our horses and grabbed my hand.
"I love you, systir."
"I love you too, bróðir." Our native tongue came back to us quickly but seemed foreign now. As the king outlawed it years ago, faðir, father still spoke it every now and then but would correct himself. I missed the dying language. "But I am still not coming to the ball tonight I simply have too much work." He laughed back.
"Sigurd maned that farm for forty years before you! I think he can handle one night. Plus you have to come as my escort, William will be in attendance!" Exhaling, I knew he would give me no choice.
"Fine. But how in the world will I find something to wear is on you!"