[ act iv - peace for those that earned it ] CHAPTER THIRTY-SEVEN ( a new reign begins )
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TORSTEN SAT IN A CHAIR IN FRONT OF ALTHEA, HIS head tilted back toward her as the knife slowly scraped against his throat. Hair falling from his face. She carefully continued to shave his face for him, her small hands steady and quick. Wiping the excess hair on the blade off on a cloth.
This was the first time she had done this for anyone in a long time. She remembered how scared and nervous she was the first time she did this. The first time she had done this was for Gunnar. When he no longer wanted a beard. He had asked her to shave it for him.
She figured he was tired of cutting himself when he would shave it. Althea breathed in deeply, her hand starting to tremble slightly at the memory of her first husband. Her eyes filling with tears, she only stopped for a moment to steady herself and rid her mind of the memory.
Her eyes closed as she breathed in deeply before she opened them and continued. She would be lying if she did not sometimes think about Gunnar. Even when she was with Torsten, Gunnar was always there. In the back of her mind, but that was where he must stay.
Althea loved Torsten, as she had loved Gunnar but his death took a toll on her. Torsten knew that, everyone knew that. They say you never forget your first love, the way it felt so right and the fact you felt like the world was at your fingertips. That you could do anything with them by your side.
But they do not talk about the pain of losing that person. Of them being murdered by the hands of someone who was crazy. All because your love had something that that other person could never have. Hair continued to fall from Torsten's face. His eyes were closed and he listened to the hustle and bustle of the outside world.
Althea's mind wandered, many times she had wished she could go back and do things differently with Gunnar. Maybe then he would still be alive, would still be by her side. To change it so that he would be there to see his son. But if Gunnar had lived she would not be here right now, with two new children who she would die for.
She knew the Gods worked in mysterious ways and that she was destined for something. The Seer had told her as much. She was told that Gunnar's death would happen, even though the Seer had not specified. But knowing that, Althea would always feel guilty. Guilty of not being able to save him and protect him like she promised.
But now things were different, she had a new husband. One she did not promise to protect because she knew if she could not protect her first husband then how could she protect the second. 'Three great loves' was what the Seer told her. He did not say how the second would leave or if he would perish, or even say when. Althea knew her time with Torsten was going to be short and that is what she was afraid of.
Losing yet another person she did not have enough time with. Althea could only hope and pray that Torsten would be there to see their children to their coming of age ceremony. Which was 12 or 13 winters away. And a lot could happen then.
