ERIKI gave a nod to Birgir and he understood, standing up. Tova looked up from the map with alarm. “Are you leaving?” she asked, a quiver in her voice.Birgir looked at me with a warning look. “Yes, little one. It’s time to sleep. I will see you again tomorrow. If you are feeling up to it, I know Bo would like to see you. I will take you to the stables and ride with you if you would like.”She bit her lip and nodded. “Yes, my Keeper. I would like that.” I approved of the formal way she addressed him. He leaned forward and kissed her on the forehead, giving me a warning look that irritated me. I knew what he was wanting, but she was mine. I would do as I saw fit.Tova stood at the table, watching Birgir leave the room. We could hear the antechamber door shut and I reached out to touch Tova’s arm. She jumped but quickly composed herself.“It is time for bed,” I said. She demurred, looking down, but following me to the bedchamber.The servants had been in, draining the b
TOVAWhen Erik rolled off me, I don’t know what I expected. Certainly, no cuddling. That was something Liv and my other attendants whispered about, talking about how considerate their lovers were and how the cuddling afterwards was their favorite part. My instructors had spoken about sex as a duty, something that we completed and then went on our way, usually back to our own bedrooms. Erik laying next to me and staring at me was a little unnerving and I didn’t know what to do or where to look.I was exhausted from my long day and soon dozed off to sleep with him still stroking my face. Sometime in the middle of the night I felt him roll me over to my stomach and gently rub some cream onto my back. I kept quiet and pretended to sleep through it. I wasn’t sure of the proper response, and honestly, it shocked me. That was something an attendant would do, not a stuffy lover. Though, after tonight, I’m not sure stuffy would describe Erik’s lovemaking. I could feel that he was res
TOVAWe rode out to the bluffs. I rode hard, pleased at how much easier it was to ride Bo in britches than it was in a cumbersome dress. Slightly less cumbersome were the tunics I favored, but even then the excessive material bunched up or was caught on branches. I pulled up at my favorite spot and Birgir cantered next to me on Troi. The two steeds nuzzled each other and Birgir watched with a little bit of exasperation. “You need to get on with it,” he chided Bo, smacking him on the flank. I looked at him questioningly. “He and Troi keep flirting. It’s been a while since we’ve had a Sleipnir colt born and I need the big ox to quit sniffing around and mate already!” He gave an outraged look to Bo who seemed nonplussed. I laughed at the beast’s expression. “Perhaps he is not interested in mating,” I suggested. Birgir shook his head. “He mates with the ordinary horses in the stables. He’s just messing around with Troi.” He grunted with exasperation and then slid off Troi’s
TOVAI looked at the king with shock in my eyes. He smiled at me and licked his lips. “I told you that you would be punished if I had to ask twice.” He looked excited at the prospect and that scared me. I immediately untied the sash at my waist and began unbuttoning the shirt.“You didn’t ask twice, Sire,” I pointed out, somewhat breathlessly. He gave me a sly grin“You are correct, Tova. My mistake. I will be careful not to accidently remind you in the future. I think punishing you will be very. . .” he paused and took a strand of my hair that had come loose from the braid and tucked it behind my ear. “. . . fun. I think we would both enjoy it.”I shuddered, not sure what he was talking about. I can’t imagine any scenario I would enjoy a punishment. I have been whipped many times in the past, the last whipping I almost didn’t survive. Punishments sounded horrid.I continued to undress, pulling off the shirt and the undershirt underneath, then untying the ribbon at my wai
ERIKI reached over and stroked the side of Tova’s face. She had a funny look.“What are you thinking about?” I asked, surprising myself. Never in my life had I ever asked that question of anyone. I am King. I do not care what anyone else thinks. But with Tova, I’m finding that I do.She smiled and blushed. “I’m thinking what an odd pair we make.”I was confused. “Explain.”She shrugged and reached out to touch my cheek. “You’re tall, broad, and your hair is the perfect combination of blonde and red. You are muscular,” she used her finger to reach under the blankets, gently tracing my abdominal muscles, “and you are lean.” Her fingers danced over my hips. I groaned and rolled to my back, my member making a tent in the sheets. I couldn’t believe her touch was doing that to me.She continued. “I am dark, round and soft. I am not firm like you are, here.” She grasped my rod and squeezed gently. My self-control broke and I rolled over on top of her again, spreading her leg
ERIKI heard the antechamber door open and close, and I knew it was Birgir. He was the only one who would be brave enough to defy the guards and my orders. He was also smart enough to only do it when he knew it wouldn’t be an issue. Like now.He walked into the office carrying a paper wrapped parcel. He gave me a half bow and then handed Tova the package. “Thank you, Keeper,” she murmured. He bowed to her and she started tugging on the strings.“What is it?” I asked. I wasn’t sure how I felt about Tova receiving gifts from others.“It’s from Brunhild. She was making one of your illegitimates an outfit when I made the request for Tova’s clothing to her. She altered the boy’s clothing and had it fitted for Tova.” He looked at Tova who was opening the package with glee. “I have seen it and I liked it enough to tell her to make several more. Then I ran into Abot who told me that Tova is joining the march and that he was ordered to make sure she had clothing.” He shrugged. “B
ERIK The servants set up a large table in my anteroom and pulled chairs around for all. The generals started filing in and taking their seats, passing around the bowls of stew meats and potatoes. I ignored Tova and she ignored me. I was pretty sure I could trust my generals but I didn’t want to take the chance and so we played the charade. She did well. “We will be leaving in two days,” I began. “We can not allow King Triz’s act of treason to go unpunished.” “What are your plans for his kingdom, sire?” asked one of my generals. I looked at him sharply. Loki was one of my least favorites of the generals. He always seemed to be looking for a way to self-promote. “What do you suggest?” I asked him. “Beyond hanging Triz and his traitorous family publicly, I haven’t thought about it.” I was curious how he was going to turn this into benefitting himself. “Well, I believe that someone should lead the country. You would have to be very careful about who you choose, of course.
TOVAI stood in front of Erik, unsure of what was going to happen. He was gently running his finger up and down my arm while looking at my naked body. I had goosepimples from just that touch and I could feel myself getting wet. I know Erik noticed because he smirked a little.He patted his lap. “Lay over the top of me,” he said, softly. I looked at his lap and then awkwardly lay across it, my waist over one of his legs. He tugged at me a little, lowering my head and my feet so that my rear was directly over his leg. I could feel his rod poking into my stomach, and I realized that he, too, was aroused.I heard the sharp intake of his breath and felt one of his hands on my back, holding me in place. His other hand rubbed my bottom in a circular motion. I was starting to relax; it felt nice. Then it stopped and a stinging slap was smacked on to me. I jumped and gasped.“No, Tova,” he said, gently. “When I am spanking you, you are not allowed to move or to make a noise. If yo
TOVALater that night Erik was helping me take off my ornate dress. I had my back to him, my hair lifted up and he was untying the lacing.“Why do they tie these so tightly when you’re obviously with child? Of course you won’t have a waist,” Erik complained, picking at the knots. I shrugged.“Fashion, I guess,” I replied. He finally got the knot untied and spun me around, lifting the heavy dress off from me. I gave a sigh of relief and collapsed on the couch. He sat beside me and lifted my feet into his lap, idly rubbing them.“She will tame the Lion,” Erik mused. “You know who the Lion is, right?”I sighed again. “Yes. And I hope HE isn’t who that prophesy is about.”“The king of the Minot Realm does have a fearsome reputation,” Erik acknowledged. “But so did I.”“She is only six,” I commented. “That’s the same age I was when Birgir came and got me from my parents. I’m not letting Greta go if he comes knocking.”Erik nodded. “I agree. I will fight to keep Greta here unti
TEN YEARS LATERTOVAI was on my knees in the nursery trying to finish braiding six-year-old Greta’s curly red hair. It was normally a mess and I normally let it be a mess, but today was the day she was going to get her prophesy. Her brother, Leif, had gotten his years ago and the seers were finally back in the area. It was a tradition that all the children of the realm participated in. Even Erik had gotten a prophesy at one time.I clumsily climbed to my feet, again big with child. The midwives were convinced I was carrying twins this time. I had another easy birth when I birthed Greta and I was hoping this pregnancy would not be any different. “My lady, can I help?” One of the maids came forward to help me with Greta’s hair. I smiled at her. “Please try, Berta. I can not do a thing with it.” I handed over the brush and ribbons and then looked for my son. I found Leif sitting in the rocking chair near the window, reading a book. I smiled at him. At age ten he looked
TOVAI woke up in the middle of the night with a start, unsure what had woken me. I felt achy all over and decided to take a bath in the morning. I would ask the medicine man for some herbs to put into the water to soothe my muscles.I rolled over and snuggled into Erik. He rolled slightly in his sleep, pressing further into me. I dozed back to sleep when I woke again. This time I knew what had caused it.I carefully rolled away, hoping not to wake Erik. I felt a horrific pressure in my low back and sharp pains were shooting down my leg. I got up and carefully put on a dressing gown over my hugely swollen body, tying the straps in the front. I began pacing up and down the room, hoping to alleviate some of the pressure in my low back. I was in labor.I knew from my lessons with the midwives that the baby could take hours, or even days to come. I wasn’t prepared for this amount of pain, though. The pressure made me feel like my body was going to drop out of my bottom and the
ERIKI rode Troi into the stable at a run. It had been a long time since she got to go out and ride hard like that. Tova was too large and too far along in her pregnancy to ride, but she still came down to the stable to pet and talk to Bo. He wouldn’t allow anyone else to ride him, including me, so he had to stay when I went out with Troi. I gave the reins to one of the stable boys and then went into Bo’s stall, patting him. “She’s doing okay, boy,” I murmured to him. “It’s just too cold for her to come down and see you.” The new year had come in with a bang, the snow falling enough to cover the first story windows in the castle. After the snow came the winds, biting and freezing everything into a glossy, slippery mess. Tova was large with child and clumsy, so venturing outside wasn’t a good idea. She was going stir-crazy inside the castle. She recently began rearranging the baby’s room for the third time.I dropped a handful of oats into Bo’s feed bucket and carefully made
TOVAThe days of the celebration passed. It took a week for the castle to become back to normal. Our guests spent a day or two recovering from the merriment of the day before heading back to their lives. Birgir and Ulka stayed a few more days, working out some of the details of their new acquisition. “I’m too old to have kids,” Ulka said, abruptly one night at dinner. Erik choked on his soup and Birgir had to pound him on his back. I started laughing and couldn’t stop.“What on earth brought on this conversation?” Erik asked, horrified. “What are we going to do about an heir?” Ulka said. “Birgir and I aren’t exactly young. We probably have fifteen to twenty good years left to rule, but what will be do after that?”I tipped my head to the side. “Exactly how old are you, my lady?” I asked, curious. Erik gave a shout of laughter. “Good luck getting that information from her. It’s a closely guarded secret.” I threw my wadded up napkin at his head and he ducked. Birgir grinn
TOVAI thought my knees would buckle under me but Erik’s steadying hand on my elbow and waist helped. One by one the kings and queens stood. The king of Skaldik stepped forward and dropped to his knee.“Kings and Queens of the Four Kingdoms. I, King Olgir, pledge my alliance to each and every one of you. I pledge to work together, to contribute to the well-being of all of our people.”The remaining kings and queens stomped their feet, pounding out their acceptance. And one by one, each of the royalty took to their knee and made the same pledge.Then it was my turn. I wasn’t sure if Erik had intended on participating, but I knew I needed to. I dropped to my knee and bowed to them.“Kings and Queens of the Four Kingdoms. I, High Queen Tova, pledge my alliance to each and every one of you. I pledge that we will work together and contribute to the well being of all people, regardless of where they dwell.”Erik fell to his knee beside me and repeated the oath. We stood together a
TOVAI stood in front of the crowd, nervous. I looked out, shocked at how many people were there. Every flat surface that could be used as a table and every stool, step and chair had been brought from the castle and were filled. Furs from the beds were placed on the ground with cushions for those who arrived too late to find a seat. As far as I could see there was a sea of people, and they were all looking at me.I cleared my throat and began speaking. I spoke loud, partly to control the shaking in my voice, and partly because I wanted all to hear what I had to say.“Men and Women of Oremgoth. I am speaking to you now as a sister from Nidavelle and as your High Queen. Hear my words.Oremgoth is a realm that is made up of four specific kingdoms. Because of location, each of these kingdoms has a specific gift that is from nature, herself.”I turned to the king of Skaldik and inclined my head before turning back to the people. “Skaldik is to the north. Their people are hardwork
ERIKI stood on the podium in the pavilion and looked out on to the field. More people than expected had shown up to the ceremony and that pleased me. Some of the guests didn’t look too pleased and some looked uncomfortable, but my mother was down there doing her best to stop the muttering.The muttering was happening because Tova insisted on mixing the perceived social ranks. Peasants were seated at the table with noblemen. Children from all classes ran around together, playing games and enjoying each other’s company. And those who did not send a response saying that they would be attending, regardless of status, were seated on furs and cushions that were placed out last minute. I knew that the only reason no one had left in a huff is because they were curious about what was going on. I stepped out and raised my hand, garnering the attention of everyone. The hum of conversations slowed and then finally stopped, the only noise made from the servants clanking silver together in
TOVAI was happy to see that the servants had filled my bath with lightly scented water. I climbed in and let the warm water relax my body before quickly washing and coating my hair with oils. I climbed out, wrapping myself in my robe and wandering back to the bedroom where my chambermaid had laid out my gown for the evening.Instead of the chambermaid, Erik was sitting on the couch, shirtless. I looked at him and breathed in, hard. I knew the look in his eyes.“Come here,” he said, widening his legs. I stepped forward until I was standing within arm’s reach of him. “Take off the robe,” he said, eyes smoldering. I obediently untied the sash and let the robe drop to my feet. He hissed his approval through his teeth when he saw my body, still glistening with the oils I had used. He lowered his head and started sucking on my nipple and I threw my head back and moaned. “You know we only have a few minutes,” Erik whispered, his mouth full of my breast. “No, we don’t. Take your