Chapter 40

Noora

Noora slept through the whole evening, occasionally waking when Tyra and Princess Aileen-Akamu visited her with a mug smelling like honey and lavender, filling her bedroom with a cosy atmosphere. The healers looked after the stitches on her calf, changed the bandage on her injured arm, and provided her with a cream that would enhance the healing of her split lip. Noora wanted to refuse, knowing that her body would heal quicker than a mortal’s body with or without cream. However, the healers insisted that she followed the healing process that she was provided with. She did in fact rub a bit of her wonder cream on her scratches, why suffer?

The sun was now sinking on the horizon and bathing the chamber in golden light. She was itching to get off the bed and follow her suspicions regarding the guilty one of manipulating her skates.

A soft knock sounded against her door, making Spike raise his head from where he was resting at the foot of her bed. The wolf’s form had improved greatly since lounging all day in the palace. Noora could imagine how well-fed Nikolai kept the little monster. “Come in.” Her voice still sounded rough.

The door to the chamber opened and in stepped Raphael, a wooden tray in his hand which emanated a scent so heavenly it made her stomach growl. Noora adjusted her stance on the bed as she curiously tried to make out the contents of her dinner. A juicy piece of bread, lying under a layer of butter and herbs was placed beside a large bowl that smelled like it was filled with stew. “I'm bringing you your dinner,” Raphael said as he gently put the tray onto her covered legs, avoiding her bad calf.

Noora raised her brow but did not comment on the fact that Nikolai was the one to promise her dinner. Frankly, she did not care who brought her dinner as long as she could eat. Grabbing her spoon, with manners the matron would have spanked her for, she started to shovel the stew into her mouth. She groaned in delight as she bit into a juicy piece of meat, before catching a broccoli swimming in the soup and downing it in one bite.

“I bear more gifts,” said Raphael, and Noora ignored his disapproving look at her eating habits. He left the room, but only for a moment, returning with two long sticks made out of wood. The carving was intricate and utterly ridiculous taking into account that they were just crutches. A few topaz crystals were embedded in the shoulder rests and Noora would have burst out laughing if her mouth were not full of bread and she feared Raphael might scream at her if she laughed at the crutches.

“They are specifically designed for your height so there should not be any problem, still I would like to make sure that they fit perfectly, or else I will take them back to the inventors.”

“You are aware that my magical healing abilities are above average and I will probably need the crutches only for a few days.”

The guard shrugged. “I only follow orders, I don’t make them.”

Noora sighed and put the half-filled tray onto the nightstand before swinging her legs over the side of the bed. Raphael moved forward in case to help her, though she quickly swatted at his hands so she had some space. Her left arm was still burning like Hel, though she still pushed the one crutch under her armpit, the second following quickly.

“Do you need–” With a groan, she hoisted herself up into a standing position and for a moment her vision went black. Clenching her teeth she willed her eyes to focus and she managed to stand.

Raphael nodded. “Now take a few steps, carefully.”

“I’m not a child.”

She took a few steps past the guard, her legs still felt wobbly and the stitches in her calf tugged at her skin. Nonetheless, she kept on walking until she made a whole round around the chamber. Turning, a grin split her lips and she felt euphoric at having managed to walk, even if just for a bit.

“The height seems to be fine.”

“Fine?” Noora asked. “I can bloody walk again. I feared I would be stuck in bed all week long and could not participate in the next task.” Spike let out an excited bark.

“Even after your injuries you are still determined to participate?”

Noora threw him a confused look. “Why would I not want to? I almost lost a leg and an arm during this ridiculous trial, if I don’t win the prize gold, I can throw myself into a dragon’s den again.”

Something flickered across his face. “How are your injuries healing?”

“Fine. You can tell the princeling that I will be ready for the task in four days.” She walked past him with her new shiny crutches and Raphael let out a grunt. After a moment she realised he was laughing. She turned to glare at him. “What?”

“His Majesty has ordered for the last task to be delayed by a week, so I presume you will have more than enough time to heal.”

“A week? Why?”

The guard raised a brow and Noora quickly turned away from him, placing the crutches against the side of her nightstand before she sat down on the mattress again. Despite her fast healing, the walking still drained her. She grabbed a piece of buttery bread and started to stuff her face again. Raphael made a disgusted sound.

“Why are you still here?” She bit off another piece.

Raphael’s cheeks grew slowly crimson-coloured, his eyes roaming the room. “I am of the impression that you deserve an apology,” he said through clenched teeth.

Self-righteous Raphael. She kept on chewing, showing no mercy for his embarrassment. He should grovel. The way he went at her in the infirmary was pathetic but she never turned down some good apologies from men.

“Sometimes I can be rash, especially regarding the king, however, I now realise that your little spar with him was not intended to harm him.”

“You think so.”

He nodded. “Nikolai can be notoriously daunting which leads him into a lot of trouble. Which can entrap him in precarious situations. It is no one’s fault but his own.”

He looked at her expectantly.

“I don’t believe I have heard an earnest apology yet.”

Raphael clenched his chaw and bit through his teeth, “I sincerely apologise for having snapped at you. I…underestimated you and have been suspicious without any regard.”

Noora leaned back in the bed, taking the bowl of stew with her. “Funny, how everyone suddenly comes groveling just when you have beheaded an ancient dragon.”

Her lips twitched lightly, satisfaction coursing through her at the annoyed look on Raphael’s face. The guard nodded goodbye and turned to leave but she was not finished with the conversation. She still needed to follow her agenda for the day and those crutches were her exact starting point.

“He does not reciprocate your feelings and he never will, you are aware of that right?”

Raphael whirled around in horror. “Whatever are you talking about?”

“I think we both know. You are too intelligent to pretend you don’t know what I’m talking about, Raphael.”

Spike cocked his head in confusion at them both. Noora watched Raphale’s hands clench into fists at his sides, his knuckles protruding against his skin in a starkly white manner.

“He is my king and therefore I am willing to give my life for him; that is a completely normal bond we share.”

Noora nodded around a mouthful of meat and boiled carrots.

“It is, as long as the bond does not extend as far as wanting to share a bed with him.”

Raphael spluttered, though he did not seem to find any words. Noora eased up on him, just a tiny bit, she did not want to scare him off. “I am only telling you this because apparently Nikolai is utterly blind as is everyone else in the palace. You are not bad looking, a respected royal guard, the second hand of the king, there should be someone out there interested in you.”

“The guards of the palace are not allowed to carry any romantic relationships as it could cause a conflict of interest. It does not matter anyway, love like that is frowned upon in the kingdom.”

Noora nodded, putting the empty bowl back on its tray.

“Then leave.”

“I cannot just up and leave.”

“Why not?”

He shuddered. “You are the only one who knows why not.”

She nodded again. How cursed love could be sometimes. Raphael straightened up again. His shoulders squared with determination and the light of the sun caught the hazel of his eyes. Despite his antics to hide, Noora could see right through him.

“I do believe you mentioned your observations because you want to use them as a wager.”

Noora glanced up at him contemplating her request. She knew she should feel bad for using this information against him, but in two weeks’ time, she would see him and this kingdom never again. Raphael was too stoic to warm up to and her injuries were painful enough to put her in a bad mood.

“Raphael, are the guards trained in swimming?”

“Of course we are, we have any combat skills we need to survive anything residing in Oy Frossen,“ he said. He seemed like he could not follow her thought process.

“That’s fantastic because a friend of mine needs help and you are the perfect man for that task.”

Nikolai

The amber colour swished in the crystal tumbler as Nikolai poured himself another two fingers, the glass clinking as he put it back on his office’s desk. Papers and contracts were strewn above the place a few wet from the liquid he spilled earlier. His head was already pounding like someone was taking a hammer repeatedly against his skull. His hair was disheveled, he was lying half on his settee as he watched his mother trail in front of his window, her hands clasped on the small of her back. Her black hair was as silky as ever, women her age slowly started to show a few grey hairs but not his perfect mother. For all he knew she was probably ripping them out of her scalp every morning to make sure she maintained her perfect outer appearance.

“This will be a bloody aftermath,” she mumbled, though Nikolai knew the words weren’t directed at him. He let her mutter on, a picture of Noora lying in her bed, beaten and bruised forming before his eyes. He needed to delay the third trial for her to heal properly, if she would heal properly. No. She would. If not by the care of the palace healers, her magic would make sure her calf would knit itself together again, her broken arm and ribs weaving themself back to health.

“This should not have happened. It makes us look careless and like we do not know our own kingdom. We should have held the second trial in the palace as I mentioned. The architects could have built an appropriate parkour on the palace grounds.”

“And what? Let them build a deathly parkour in a matter of days only to tear it down afterward? That would be a waste of gold, gold that we need for other things.”

His mother whirled around, her jade eyes throwing daggers at him. “Do not patronise me, Kai.”

He raised his brows. “I am not. Just making sure you have your information right.” He took a sip of his glass.

“Then we could have come up with something else. Anything would have been better than this disaster!”

“Disaster? I might call it a success. The crowd was going mad when Noora dropped the head of the dragon. Even Koa-Ailani was impressed and I judge that it says a lot.”

“The opinion of a Sosye hunter is worth nothing because they are worth nothing, Kai. You know that better than most, we only have the chief sitting in the jury to satisfy the clans and make sure that there will be no uproar until you marry Princess Aileen-Akamu of the Southern Kingdom.”

Nausea appeared at her words and Nikolai sighed, staring at the ceiling. The liquor was numbing his worries rapidly and though he knew his mother was going ballistic, her eyes flaring with the tenth fires of hell, he could just not care.

“Your ways of thinking, mother, are outdated and obscene. You might consider changing them since the world has been changing around you with every second that rushes past us.”

“There is no honour in changing things that have always been right.”

Nikolai let out a small unamused laugh. “Do you even hear yourself talking?”

Her hair swished around her face as she turned to look at him again. “Sosye hunters are as bad as witches, with their rituals and inhumane powers. No one should have powers like that.”

Nikolai frowned and slightly inclined his place on the settee.

“Their power does not come without a sacrifice, you know that.”

She laughed cynically.

“A little drop of blood, how much of a sacrifice can that be? There is no one keeping them in check other than the witch hunters and the common hatred that is embedded in human nature.”

“Is that not enough? Despite your musings, Noora had a life that was mostly tinted in darkness; a little glory is what she deserves.”

His mother shook her head, turning her back on him. She picked up a few papers strewn across his desk.

“Your crush on her has to seize, Kai. The witch personifies everything against us.”

Annoyance was starting to form in his chest, his mind hazy from the liquor. He could not hold his tongue anymore against his mother’s ridiculous spewing.

“And what does she personify?”

She turned.

“She stands for rebellion. Why do you think she is taking part in this? She wants to show the people how mighty her lineage is and how easy it would be to overthrow the crown. Bringing that head of the dragon towards the crowd was an act of rebellion.”

“That is utterly ridiculous. She brought the head because she was mad at me. It was my fault I did not believe her when she told me there was a monster residing in the mountains.”

His mother stopped her pacing. “What do you mean beforehand? Nikolai, did you help her before the trial?”

He shrunk in his seat, his eyes following the swishing of the liquor inside his glass. “Of course not, I saw her by accident before she headed to the task. I did not spew a word, she was the one who was raving about monsters and mountains.”

“Do not lie to me. How would she know about the mountains? We only told the contestant about the landscape right before the task.”

Nikolai threw his hands up, exasperated by this ridiculous questioning, he felt like he just committed a crime, which was laughable.

“I did help her, just a bit–”

His mother sounded like she was growling as she interrupted him.“You are the kingdom’s downfall Nikolai Emil Gyldenlove. A ruler is supposed to have his kingdom at interest not a filthy–”

“Careful, Mother, what you are about to say might be damning.” He looked her straight in the eye, how could she know what interests he had? Everything he did was always for his kingdom, without any exception. Or else he would not stay in this damned palace and marry a girl who was practically perfect but bored him to sleep. A slow grin spread across her red lips.

“Their ways are barbaric. We do not want to impersonate a barbaric handling in Oy Frossen. If Noora wins this tournament it could give the subjects the wrong impression. The people already find her sympathetic, which is bad enough. I will not condone her behaviour and use this as a revenge act.”

Nikolai groaned.

His mother was not usually dense, though she could be blinded by power. The only thing Noora wanted, he was sure of that, was the gold to leave the kingdom. There was no hidden agenda or some master plan behind her taking part in the tournament.

His mother was still raging.

“The Gyldenlove family is known for their proper upbringing and ancient traditions which are close to excellence.”

“How would you know, you aren’t one.”

For a moment it was silent in the chamber. Then his mother charged at him and he barely could sit up before she slapped him across his face. His head flew to the side at the impact, his nostrils flaring as he slowly looked up at her. His glass tumbled to the ground as he got up and crowded her, her glare not failing to pierce his skin. “I am more Gyldenlove than any of my children will be since I am the one who has worked for this crown more than anyone.”

“Worked? Do you call seducing a man and entrapping him into a loveless marriage work? You may fool the subjects of this kingdom, but we all know how you and Father treated each other.”

She raised her hand again but this time he was quicker. His hand caught her wrist, exerting enough pressure until she grimaced in pain. “One time you caught me but never ever raise your hand against me, again .” His voice dipped low as he glared at her, crowding the queen until she was slipping over the bottom of her gown.

“How dare you talk to me like that, I am your mother.” She sounded offended, however he knew it was only an act.

“You might be my blood but lately there has been no proof in anything that you are my mother.”

Her lips parted, though she was interrupted by a heavy knock. She cleared her throat, smoothing out nonexistent wrinkles while Nikolai rolled his eyes and threw himself back onto the settee.

“You may enter,” her voice called.

The door swung open with a creek and a sound appeared, wood hitting the ground repeatedly until the person was inside the office. At Noora’s presence, the king sat up from his leisurely position. He only saw her this morning and yet she looked a lot better than she did when she woke up. Still, the skin under her eyes was an ugly lilac, her cheeks sunken in, more than usual, and her lip crusted with blood. The new scar that ran down her face was oddly entrancing to him. Her form was shaking as if she could not hold herself long enough on the crutches before she collapsed.

“Your Majesty.” Noora made antics to bow which drew Nikolai fully from the settee.

“There is no need for that.”

His mother threw him a dirty glare, though she consented. Noora gave a thankful nod, her eyes scanning the area just for a split second.

“I am here since I wanted to talk to you about the last trial.”

“Yes, that does not surprise me, child. The healers confirmed your injuries and though the tasks in the tournament are challenging, they should not be life-threatening.”

Noora raised her brows at that but his mother kept going.

“I have offered Kekoa compensation and I will provide you one too, for your efforts. Though we shall not reach for the stars, let’s say 20,000 Gulls.”

“Kekoa, what happened to him?” Noora asked, ignoring the second part of his mother’s offer.

“That is of no importance now, do you accept the offer?”

Noora stared at her, lips slightly parted and Nikolai imagined he looked much the same since he did not imagine his mother offering anyone gold. As far as he knew his mother wasn’t even allowed to formulate an offer like that, this was his tournament, his contestants he needed to look after.

“Are you…trying to buy me?” Noora shifted on her crutches. His mother broke out into shrill laughter making him reach for his glass only to come up empty. It was still lying on the ground, the liquid had spilled onto the colourful designed carpet.

“Do not be silly. The crown does not need to buy anyone, this is merely for your well-being.”

“My well-being is intact, thanks—”

“But I can see that it is not, sweetheart.” His mother’s voice dripped with venom as she interrupted Noora. Noora steeled herself again, shifting on the crutches and the king sighed. “Sit down, would you? You’re giving me a headache with your fidgeting.”

Noora seemed surprised when she turned to look at him as if she didn’t even notice his presence in the room. He clenched his jaw tighter, gesturing to the place on the settee beside him and he could practically see her calculate all the wrongdoings that would come from it. Her aching limbs seemed more urgent than her pride as she sat down beside him. A grimace pulled at her lips.

“What happened to Kekoa?” she repeated. Before his mother could come up with another silly answer Nikolai made due. “He consumed a dollop of wolfsbane as he was travelling through the forest which made him go mad.”

“Well, that explains his behaviour.”

Nikolai sat up properly. “What did he do?”

“That is not important—” Nikolai held up his hand to shush his mother and gestured for Noora to go on.

“He started to attack me out of nowhere, I was not even in his path, it seemed like he tracked me down—which is not a surprise taking his Sosye heritage into account. I knew something was different when he started to talk about killing me.”

His mother raised her eyebrows. “You just reminded us of his heritage, how would him wanting to kill you, be unusual for him?”

“For one, if Kekoa ever wanted to kill me he would make a spectacle out of it. A quiet killing with no witnesses, no glory, and cheers is not his style. And two, despite my and Kekoa’s…misunderstandings, he wanted to win the tournament and humiliate me in the end in honesty. He craves attention and for Hel’s sake his Chief is sitting on the stands of the jury, it would be cowardly to kill me in the forest. He looked strange too like he was… poisoned.”

His mother let out a laugh, making them both look at her. “Don’t be ridiculous, do you feel better that way? Blaming his hatred for you on poison?”

Nikolai injected, “Mother—”

“No, Kai. This girl is spewing lies to make us look bad.”

“How would this make you look bad? He got poisoned and the earlier you catch the perpetrator the sooner we can proceed with the tournament.”

“It is not your decision to make, little girl,” his mother snarled at Noora. The witch stood abruptly, forgetting that she needed the crutches, though Nikolai was quickly at her side, balancing her out with a hand on her back. His mother’s eyes took both their forms in.

“It would be in your interest to find the one who poisoned Kekoa since he is not the only one who received injustice. My skates were falling off during my travel over the lake—”

“A coincidence.”

“Both skates?” Noora shook her head. “Maybe it would be counted as a coincidence but there was something else the contestants were not warned about. When I plunged into the hole in the lake something started to attack me.”

Nikolai went rigid beside her.

“It was a Margygr, it was chained to the lake ground right where the hole was located so it was a deliberate attack. First the wolves and now a sea creature, that has to stop.”

“You are not in the position to make any demands. I had no idea of this sea creature until just now,” his mother growled. Nikolai looked at his mother trying to determine if she was lying or not.

“I know the crown has little regard for nature, I do not expect much else, but trapping animals into these trials is inhumane. A dragon had to die because of this.” Noora was starting to shake in anger.

“You killed him, not me.”

“Because he attacked me and Soren! If I hadn’t cut his head off, we would still be trapped inside that mountain and you’d have to explain to your subjects why two of your precious contestants won’t come back.”

They started to raise their voices and Nikolai felt like he needed to de-escalate the situation.

“Why don’t you sit down, Noora? We will find a solution—”

She swatted at him aggressively until he let go of her. “I do not want to sit down. I came here to help you find the one who has been sabotaging the tournament because I know who it was.”

“Really?” His mother raised a sharp brow as if she could not wait to hear what she had to say. “Then go on and enlighten us, wise girl.”

Noora took a few steps towards the queen, Nikolai following her like a guard dog.

“It was you.”

There was silence in the room before his mother broke out into laughter again. Noora looked at her confused and Nikolai cringed. “Noora, why would my mother manipulate the tournament that was planned by the crown?”

“Because she hates me, hated me from the moment my name got announced in town.”

“And why would I then attack not only you but Kekoa as well?” His mother questioned. She looked amused by Noora’s antics. Well, better than being angry and wanting to chop her head off.

“I know that you despise Sosye as much as witches, Your Majesty, Pika said he was chased in the forest too. The only one who got spared was Soren and I don’t account this to his overly good skills but the fact that he is the only one who origins from Oy Frossen.”

Now his mother looked angry. The moment she started to walk towards Noora, a determined look on her face, Nikolai slid in between the two women.

“I think we all need to take a step back before someone gets hurt.”

“You need to stop drinking so much,” Noora snapped and he glared at her. Did she not notice that her life was in danger right now? “As important as it is to find the perpetrator, I would put my hand into fire saying that my mother is not guilty,” he continued.

“You believe her? The sea creature told me itself it was chained by the crown—”

“And where is your little friend right now, take us to her so she can tell us herself,” his mother bit back.

Noora hesitated.

“You would not understand it anyway, she talks in a different language than mortals do.”

Euphemia scoffed.

“How would that prove anything, if we cannot understand it? That seems convenient.”

“And what about your hands?” Nikolai followed Noora’s gaze to notice indeed that his mother’s hands were covered in black.

“Why do you keep trying to rub the oil off as if you were guilty of something? You could’ve used the oil to get the blades of my skates or rather loosen them.”

This was his mother’s breaking point, he could see something flake away in her eyes, as if an ember came to life, determined to burn down the world until there was nothing left. Before she could act on it he stepped in.

“Enough.” Noora looked up at him in surprise. “I will escort you back to your room, Noora.” He grabbed her crutches ignoring her glare and gently pushed her out of the room. He felt his mother burn a hole into his back, however, he decided to ignore her. The day brought enough fights and despite how much he despised his mother sometimes, he knew she was not the one who was guilty of this accusation.

Noora remained silent as he escorted her back through the palace, the dull impact of her crutches against the marble a steady companion. He sneaked a look at her from the side, marvelling about how glasslike her skin seemed to look. Her white hair was pulled back into a braid, a few flowers were stuck inside, his guess was Tyra visited her sometime during the day. She still grimaced with every step she took, but at least she was capable of walking again.

“What?” she snapped at him without sparing him a look. He continued to stare at her until she turned her head. “I hurt too much to fight again, Kai.”

His lips twitched gently as she used his nickname, whenever she did, he felt like she was more at ease, not the hard, cold mask she needed to wear when playing the protector. The Queen of Ice he preferred to call her, he was sure she could freeze down a whole kingdom just with that gaze of hers.

“We will find whoever manipulated the trials, I promise you.”

“So, you don’t believe me.”

He grimaced and shook his head. They reached the door that led to their chamber, though both hovered in front of it. Quiet laughter was heard from the inside, mixed with happy rumbling from Spike.

“I do believe that you think you are right, though you are wrong.”

“Which translates into you don’t believe me.”

Nikolai let out a quiet laugh.

“And now you are laughing at me.” She glanced away, small little lines forming on her forehead, telling him that she was annoyed.

“I am not laughing at you. I am just relieved that you seem to be all right. I take your thoughts very seriously, Noora. Do not underestimate me.”

She looked back at him, meeting his gaze. “I don’t, believe me.”

“Then believe me when I tell you that I will find whoever did this to y—whoever poisoned Kekoa.” He cleared his throat awkwardly.

“Well, I better make haste.”

Another sound of laughter came through the door and Nikolai looked at it. “Seems like someone is waiting for you.”

He turned without looking at her again and bounded through the corridor. He shook his head to clear himself, racing down the steps towards the entrance of the palace. His steps faltered when he saw Raphael leave through the main entrance, a rope thrown over his shoulder, his body clad in gear. Where was he going? Nikolai waited for him to come back after a few seconds, but he stayed gone and after a moment of hesitation, the king bounded after him.

It seemed like he was going to find out.