The men that hammered away on a large sized cabin, who were bundled up in thick coats and fur lined hats, were the first to notice the two who entered the camp. Ever since their beloved prince and his mate, Rowan, were taking from their beds all those months ago, they were always on their toes and ready to take up defense at a moment's notice. "Oi!" Cori shouted, sticking out his chin to the two mounted intruders. The Roriks jerked their heads, quickly drawing their swords from their sheaths.
Rowan immediately froze while Bjorn only continued his slow pace and smiled. "Don't you nitwits know that it is a crime to threaten your prince? I should have your heads for that," he teased, dismounting his horse. Rowan chuckled to herself and followed suit, her boots crunching into the snow as she landed.
The Roriks on the roof sucked in a breath as they squinted their eyes at the two people who were making their way towards them, but as they neared, the men were able to slowly recognize them.
"It can't be..." Bjorn heard one of them say under his breath. Then, in a flash, the men scrambled down makeshift ladders-some even jumping straight of the roof onto the ground-before rushing over to greet their prince.
They slammed into him, knocking Bjorn to the ground. Rowan raised her eyes brows and laughed softly at the sight as it made her happy to see just how loved and cherished he was by his Brothers. Seeing them reminded her slightly of Bjorn's reunion with his father which slightly saddened her, and she quickly pushed the memory from her mind.
Bjorn laughed as the nine engulfed him jubilantly, some with tears in their eyes. As they helped him up, each one hugging him tightly. "It is so good to see you," Zolan who was Rowan's dear friend Arabella's mate said, patting him firmly on the arm. The tip of his nose was bright red as well as the either eight men's, indicating that they had been outside for a while.
Bjorn smiled and gave a slight nod of his head. The men then turned to Rowan, "And it's good to see you too, Lady Rowan. The other Gladeswomen haven't been the same since you've been gone, I can't wait to see their faces when you walk inside."
Rowan's smile faltered slightly but she nodded. "Inside?"
Zolan nodded his head, "Aye. After we finished with the stables we decided to build a large building for when we eat and such," he said before turning around and pointing at a short but wide wooden cabin. It had a few stone chimneys which billowed with smoke.
One of the men laughed whom Rowan recognized as a maned name Olaf, "That's a nice way to out it Zolan," he said, laughing again, "its original purpose was for eating, yes, but after a few days of completing it it quickly became a tavern. We've even taken it upon ourselves to name it the Venetian Lodge!" he said, throwing his head back and bellowing out one last laugh.
Rowan and Bjorn chuckled to themselves, shaking their heads. Typical.
"Come," Olaf said as he draped his arms around the two's shoulders, leading them to the wooden structure. A stale smell from his armpit filled Rowan's nose and she tried her best to control her nausea. She understood that the men had probably been working hard for many hours but her nose was rather sensitive considering her pregnancy and she tried to subtly lean away from him. "I believe dinner is just about to be served," he said as they neared the door. From only a few feet away she could both hear the loud conversations others were having as well as tell that it was considerably warmer and she began to imagine how it must be like inside.
For a moment the urge to knock on the door overcame her before she remembered that it wasn't necessary. With one last look at Bjorn, she waited for Olaf to place his hand on the door, pushing it open.
The first thing the two noticed was how packed it was inside. The Gladeswoman sat on their mates laps at tables, perched as if they were birds. Some were in deep conversations with their table mates while others giggled as their men whispered sweet nothings in their ear. Rowan skimmed the sea of heads, searching for her white haired cousin, finally spotting her a few tables away. There were two large fire places on each side of the room, both roaring as heavy logs burned in the hearths.
It was very cozy to say the least.
Hardly anyone had paid attention to them as they first stepped through the arch way, for they assumed it was just the men who were working that decided to take a break.
It wasn't until Fallstan looked up as he chatted with Ubbe that he did a double take. "My God, can it be?" he asked himself out loud. Ubbe looked at his redheaded friend confused before following his gaze which focused on the two young royals. His mouth fell slightly open as he recognized their faces.
Falkstan quickly stood up and all but ran to meet them, gaining much attention. When he was close enough he grasped Bjorn's shoulders and slammed him into his chest, hugging him as a bear would. "I thought I'd never see you again, lad," he said, his deep voice cracking near the end. Bjorn remained silent at a loss of words and squeezed him back.
Within a matter of moments, many began to come to the same realization as Falkstan and Ubbe had and in a rush everyone left their seats in a hurry to greet their lost friends.
They were swarmed and claustrophobia began to slowly fill the two as they became overwhelmed with the amount of people tugging on them in hopes that they would be next to welcome them back. Many shouted out their names as reprieve washed over them that their prince and princess had returned safely, but it wasn't until a voice that Rowan had heard many times in her dreams sounded before she got ahold of herself, shoving the overcrowding feeling down until it no longer bothered her.
"Rowan?" Darsa asked, pushing herself through the crowds.
Rowan jerked her head to the right to see her cousin's tear filled eyes. Rowan grinned and quickly examined Darsa over. Her lips quivered slightly as she stood frozen and she had cut her hair to where it reached just above her shoulders which surprised her. But, as he looked down, she noticed the most shocking thing about her that was different was the medium sized bump under her tunic.
As her eyes met with her cousin's once more, she wondered what she should say to her but the only thing she could manage to utter was a feeble "Hello cousin." Darsa cracked a smile and the two women closed in the steps between them and embraced one another.
"It's so good to see you," Rowan said in a soft shaky breath. When she felt a strange dampness in her cheek, she pulled away to see that Darsa had been silently crying.
Rowan smiled again and wiped her face with her shoulder. She was just about to say something when Darsa cut her off, "Oh be quiet you. Never seen a girl cry tears of joy before?" Rowan shook her head and the two fell into a fit of laughter.
Someone cleared their voice and Rowan looked to where it came from to find Tursa, whose belly was also swollen. Tursa bowed formally, causing Rowan to laugh before pulling her into a gentle hug.
"It's good to have you back my lady," Tursa said, finally feeling at peace. "I'll let you two catch up," she said, referring to Darsa and Rowan before politely walking away. As they did, Horan managed to weave his way over to Bjorn who all but tackled him to the ground out of excitement.
"Is it really you!?" Horan asked, squeezing his shoulders once they got back to their feet. Bjorn laughed and nodded, quickly wiping away a stray tear that had fallen. He had done his best to keep his emotions under control, but Horan was different. Out of all the men he left behind, it was his best friend whole he missed the most.
"Aye, it's really me," Bjorn said softly, pulling him into another hug. "It's good to be back."
The next hour was filled with Bjorn and Rowan greeting everyone and ensuring them many times that they were okay and "really there" as some thought they were dreaming. Afterwards, the two were carted away to a table in the corner and forced to sit down as dinner was ready. Joining them was Horan, Darsa, Falkstan and Tursa.
"So, I'm glad to see the two of you are alive and fairing quite well. Tell me, what happened? After we discovered you two had been taken...well, it wasn't good," Falkstan asked as Arabella and Pruella placed their dinner in front of them. Rowan and Bjorn both shared a look before she motioned with her head for him to tell the story.
Sighing, he took a bite of his roasted venison, "Well, I guess the best place to start is the beginning," he said, then started with the night Kacper and his men taking them from their tent. He then went on to their abuse as they journeyed to the fortress and how Rowan killed Caneo that night in the woods. Next came Blanche and her ploy of using the two to force the Glade and Rork to join her cause, then the torture that ensued once they refused. Everyone at the table grew tense as anger filled their bones. It wasn't until they learned when Leif and the other Gladeswomen halted Rowan's execution and saved them that they began to relax.
He went on in detail up until the point where the battle started a few days ago, not sure how he should break the news of those who had fallen which included their king.
"So I take it we came out victorious?" Tursa asked, rubbing Falkstan's back absentmindedly.
Rowan bit her lip and spoke up, "Yes, we were, but at great costs."
The table grew silent as her words began to sink in. "Who?" Horan asked, his heart already beginning to break.
Bjorn sighed and ran a hand through his tousled curls, "I think its best if we tell everyone at once."
Falkstan nodded uneasily and stood up, "Quiet everyone quiet," he said. In a matter of moments the stray conversations died down as all of their focus was on the tall redheaded Rorik. "Young Bjorn and Lady Rowan are to tell us of some news." When he finished, he looked down to Bjorn and nodded once, giving him the floor.
Bjorn stood up, followed by Rowan and he cleared his throat. He began to tell them a shorter version of the account he had spoken moments before. But then came the battle and a lump grew in his throat. "We were greatly outnumbered but I knew our skill outmatched theirs tenfold. I knew it was only a matter of time until our victory was declared. What I didn't think about was those that we would lose along the way..." he said, trailing off.
He looked down to Rowan who was still sitting in her chair, her eyes boring into his. She gave him a ghost of a smile for encouragement and he pressed on. "Both sides suffered many loses as every battle does, but I feel like our hearts are more broken. Some of those loses included both our king and queen. My father fought bravely before he met his demise as did Rowan's mother, Queen Lana."
The room filled with sharp gasps, soon followed by soft sobs and angry low mutters of revenge.
"I know that revenge is what many seek, but after the battle, both sides retreated back to the High Palace as we were to elect new High Kings and Queens. Ultimately, it was settled that we shall no longer have such rulers and that we will govern ourselves and will strive to live in peace as one."
There were murmurs and low conversations as people talked to their mates and friends about what Bjorn had just said, all sounding positive and supportive of the decision.
"Who else did not survive? From the Glade I mean," Pruella called out as she clung to Zolan's neck.
"And from Rorik," Falkstan asked, frowning.
Bjorn turned to Rowan who then stood, knowing that it was her place to break the news. "Including Queen Lana, we lost a total of forty-seven Sisters," she said, before going over the list of women who had perished in her head. With each name she called out came a new sadness, especially if one of the relatives or close friends was in the room. When Drekka learned of her older sister's Kestrel's death, she broke down and had to be carried out by her mate.
After Rowan finished, it was Bjorn's turn to announce Rorik's deaths. As he did he felt grief strike him all over again, tearing open the fresh wounds that had just begun to heal. When he said Hvitserk's name, his eyes immediately flew to Horan's. Horan's head sunk down and he quickly left the large cabin, no doubt to grieve on his own. Darsa called out after him and quickly left as well in hopes to offer him solace.
Once Bjorn announced the last name he sighed. "We as Roriks used to relish in war and the adrenaline rush it was to take someone's life," he said, shaking his head, "It is known that with war comes death, only a fool would believe otherwise. It is up to us to make a difference and teach our children about love instead of hate. I vow to never take another life needlessly or at all if I can. With a new age on the horizon I do not believe that there will be much wars to fight as we have proven that both men and women can live together in peace."
Many shouted and clapped, showing their support for his notions.
Bjorn smiled softly and looked to his right, picking up a tankard. Even though he hated drinking, he thought that tonight for the sake of those that were lost that he could make an exception. Raising the tankard high he spoke, "So tonight, let's drink to our lost friends, brothers, uncles and fathers and honor their memories."
"Aye!" All the men raised their heavy metal tankards high as well before bringing them down, tapping the table, and then gulping down its contents.
Someone began to play a fiddle and the tension and sadness in the room slipped away, quickly being replaced with joy as they began to recall tales of those that had lost their lives. Soon Darsa was able to retrieve Horan and brought him back to the round wooden table. His eyes were puffy and his cheeks were still damp, but he was smiling nonetheless.
Rowan felt herself relax as she sat next to Bjorn, holding his hand under their table. As he retold many of the talks of his shenanigans with Horan, Garreth and Jaciper, many of the Roriks that had gathered threw their heads back with laughter.
After a while, Rowan decided to make her rounds and visit with her Sisters and reminisce as well. After an hour had passed, she felt herself growing tired and bid them goodnight.
"Goodnight cousin, it's," Darsa started, "It's really good to have you back."
Rowan smiled and gave her a quick hug. "Is our tent still up?" she asked as she wondered where they would sleep.
Darsa shook her head, "Aye, it is. We cleaned it up for you and made your bed after we discovered you were gone. I started the fire for you when I left earlier so it should be nice and warm. I also had a few men unload your hourses and put your stuff inside."
Rowan smiled, "That is very kind of you to think of us." She turned her head, searching for her ravened haired Rorik, spotting him grasping his sides as he laughed. "I better put him to bed as well. I'll see you in the morning," she said, then waved goodbye.
She walked over and gently rubbed his head, "Come on you, its time for bed."
Bjorn looked up confused before breaking out into a wide grin. "Hello beautiful."
Some of the men whistled and Rowan blushed slightly. Horan helped Bjorn from his chair and slung one arm over his shoulder. "To your tent I presume?" he asked, chuckling.
Rowan smiled and nodded, "Yes if you don't mind."
Horan gave her a drunken salute and the three of them left the cabin and made their way to their tent.
"I can walk myself you know. I'm not that drunk," Bjorn said, taking his arm back and stumbling slightly.
Horan laughed and raised up his hands defensively, "Suit yourself. Goodnight guys, I'll see you in the morning."
Once he was a few yards away, Bjorn turned and took Rowan's hand in his. "Let's get some rest, love."
Rowan chuckled to herself then led the rest of the way to their tent. As she pushed the heavy canvas flaps out of her way she noticed how strange it felt to her to be returning to the confines of their pergola as she once hated having to share it with Bjorn. She smiled to herself as she now welcomed the idea and realized that she wanted nothing more than to curl into bed with him.
She noticed a calming warm glow that was casted over the maroon walls as she stepped inside and was thankful for Darsa's kindness as the inside was at a comfortable temperature. Nothing had really changed in the room except that a chair was missing at their small table. It took her a moment to remember that it was broken in the scuffle with Kacpers men. Had it only been four months since that night? It felt like it had been ages.
"I've missed this place," Bjorn said as he sat on the edge of their bed. He fiddled with his boots, struggling to take them off.
"Me too," Rowan replied softly. She watched in amusement as he fidgeted with his laces and cursed under his breath when he realized that he couldn't do it. "Here, let me help," she said, laughing lightly to herself.
Bjorn smirked, "I can do it myself."
This caused Rowan to roll her eyes as she grasped his boot in her hands. "Sure, and I can hear a flea jump from animal to animal."
Bjorn chuckled and watched as Rowan's nimble fingers made work of his leather strings. Within moments both were of and she began changing him from his clothes into something more comfortable. As she did so, he hummed a tune under his breath and shut his eyes.
"Okay, time for bed. I'll fetch you some water from the creek if you like?" she asked as she began to change out of her clothes as well.
Bjorn shook his head and continued humming his tune. She shrugged and slipped on her long night shirt and a pair of wool tights to keep warm.
"Come here," Bjorn said in a sweet tone.
Rowan raised an eyebrown, unsure if this was the drunken version of her Rorik speaking or the sober one. With a small sigh, she obeyed and walked over to him. "Yes?"
Bjorn smiled kindly at her before returning his gaze back to her lower abdomen. Leaning forward, he placed both hands on her waist and kissed her stomach. The notion filled Rowan with a new sense of emotions, one that she had never felt before and her eyes began to sting.
"I'll love you whatever you are little one. Just take it easy on your mother, she gets sick a lot these days," he whispered, before placing another kiss on her womb.
Rowan smiled and caressed the side of Bjorn's face. "I love you."
Bjorn flashed a grin and pulled her down into the bed, causing her to fall on top of him. "I love you too," he said, kissing her softly.
The two climbed into bed and she placed her head on his chest, thinking about both the past and the future at the same time. It tickled her as she thought about how much they had changed since the first night of her arrival. "You're not going to make me sleep on the floor again are you?" she teased. The memory left her feeling bitter sweet, as that Rowan was innocent whose biggest worries were getting long with her pestering mate and trying to get comfortable on the hard ground. She then wondered what that version of herself would think of the one she was now.
Bjorn chuckled, his eyes closed as he balanced the fine line of consciousness and sleep. "I did do that, didn't I?" he asked rhetorically. "I was quite the arse I suppose."
Rowan giggled and nestled closer to his body, "Aye, you were. You still have to teach me how to read as well."
Bjorn nodded slowly, "We can start our lessons again tomorrow, love."
Rowan closed her eyes, "Good," she said quietly. She listened to him fall asleep as his breathing slowed down to a steady pace that relaxed her. She breathed his scent in deeply and thought about what their future would hold for them and their unborn child.
After a few moments, she realized that whatever the outcome was that it wouldn't matter as long as she had him by her side.