As we were saying our goodbyes, Aeric gifted me a dagger. When I asked him why he felt I needed the weapon, he seemed just as puzzled.
"Evil has been growing in Logi and you need something that will protect you. I can't explain it, but this dagger presented itself to me and it feels…right to give it to you," Aeric explained as he cradled my face in his palms, lowering his forehead to rest against mine. "I don't know when I'll see you again, and if that is our fate, then I'll send you away with any protection I can offer."
The only thing happening in my chest at that moment was my heart shredding to pieces while screaming Don't Go!
I rested a hand on my abdomen, over the life that had taken root inside of me that belonged to me and Aeric alone. I was out of time; I needed to leave now and infiltrate the court, so Helvig believed this child was his. I had never planned for this to happen and had never imagined I'd need to work on such a tight schedule.
And the worst part of it all was that Aeric had no idea.
I'd left a letter for him in his room; he'd find it when I was already too far away for him to chase after me. This is the way it has to be— this was always to be my fate.
Maude blinked as the image of the tear-stained journal page vanished.
"My mother must have used the dagger when she was pregnant with me," she breathed. "And then when she discovered which blade it was, she gave it to me, but she never got the chance to explain any of it."
"That would explain why she has such a hold on you," Herrick mused as he stepped away to pace. "It also explains why she interfered with your fate. The Allfather must have seen this when he had Hildr pull thedagazrune, giving you a fighting chance at beating her control."
She tried to let that information sit with her, but her head was spinning with all the revelations. How would reanimation help her fight off Hela? If it meant she had to die to beat her, Maude wanted to find another way to stop this possession. She needed her sister— Bryn would be level-headed enough to find a way.
Searching for her leather vest, Maude gathered her weapons before pulling on her cloak. Herrick, dressing in a spare General's uniform, started buckling numerous blades onto his person.
"I need to talk to Bryn," she said as she tied thedalkr Helato her leg gingerly. "She always knows what to do."
A knock came at the metal post holding the tent flap open. "As flattered as I am, sis, I have no idea what to do in this situation."
Bryn entered the tent, her worried eyes tracing over Maude quickly before relaxing slightly. She nodded her greeting to Herrick, who returned it before he strapped his two-handed axe onto his back.
"We have bigger problems, though," Bryn continued; she walked over to the map on the table, moving the figures representing Helvig's army further into the forest. "Father's armies have already started to move. It looks like the information you got from the sergeant was accurate. At this rate, they'll be here by dawn."
"Fuck," Herrick replied as he ran his hand through his sleep-mussed hair before setting his palms on the surface of the map. "How are our numbers looking right now?"
Maude crossed her arms over her chest and surveyed the map; she was of little use in this discussion. She did not have the mind for strategy, not the way Bryn and Herrick did.
"The soldiers are preparing; I spread the word of the impending attack when you brought Maude here earlier," Bryn explained seriously. She'd slipped back into her role as Lieutenant General easily, just with a different army. "They have orders to gather information on the front lines just behind the spiked fences before dawn."
"I should promote you to Lieutenant General of Rivers, Bryn," Herrick muttered. "Svend sure as shit isn't doing the job."
"I don't think that will go over too well with the Queen and King, but I appreciate the sentiment," Bryn said slyly, her lips tipping up in the corner.
It warmed Maude's chest that her sister and Herrick were getting along. In a lot of ways, they were entirely too similar, but she tried not to dwell on that.
As the sun finally set and the moon rose high over them, they continued planning for the fight that was getting closer with every tick of the clock. Hakon joined them at one point, Dahlia close behind him, explaining that she had been working with the healers in the army to prepare for the injured tomorrow.
The hours started to wear on as the sky began to lighten. Hakon excused himself to dress for battle— something he was adamant Herrick not argue with him about— and Dahlia excused herself to check in on the Elven soldiers who would be joining the battle. Eventually, only Bryn, Herrick, and Maude were left discussing every possible fallout that could happen come sunrise.
"I just don't see how—"
Bryn was cut off by a tall, lanky form bursting through the tent opening in a hurry. The man's uniform looked like he'd been wearing them for days— crumpled and disheveled— but his eyes were wide and wild as he searched for someone. When they finally landed on Herrick, he relaxed but only barely before shooting forward.
The stranger never reached him, though, because Bryn had withdrawn her axe and scooped it under his ankle to trip him, sending him sprawling on the ground before Herrick.
Maude withdrew theleifranddalkr Hela, but Herrick held his arm out to stop her from advancing on the man.
"This is Svend, my Lieutenant General," he sighed, picking up the man from under his arms. "By the gods, man, what's happened to you?"
When Svend finally found purchase under his feet, he swayed a few times before fully righting himself. He looked like he hadn't slept in days, the dark circles under his gaunt face the most noticeable feature.
"Forgive me, Herrick," Svend huffed out, his breath coming in rapid pants. "It's all my fault."
