by Kristen Reed
Shame gnawed at Muirigan’s heart at the thought of needing to borrow a stranger’s gown because of her mundane clothing. Nevertheless, she silently admitted that she would be more embarrassed if she showed up to dine with the most powerful family in Villriket wearing one of her sad garments.
“Thank you, Your Highness,” she replied.
“A servant will bring breakfast to your room at seven o’clock each morning unless you specify that you’d like your meal at another time. Supper is served at seven in the evening. The queen and Liesel also have lunch together each afternoon unless they plan some other outing. You will have an allowance of one hundred and fifty krones a week for your own personal spending, and—”
“One hundred and fifty krones?” Muirigan gasped.
“Yes, the allowance is also part of your reward,” he confirmed. “Do you want more?”
“No! Of course not. It’s plenty.”
“Well, if you ever need a larger amount for a special purchase, the royal treasurer, Lord Gabriel, will approve the extra funds.”
Muirigan nodded slowly, amazed that she would have so much money at her disposal. It wasn’t long ago in her mind that she couldn’t fathom having a measly five øre in the palm of her hand. Now, a prince was handing her more money than she could earn in half a year on a weekly basis!
While she couldn’t conceive the amount of money the royal family possessed, she did know that her late father hadn’t been worth more than 6,000 krones a year. Thanks to Halvard, she would be worth more than her father simply because she saved his life. It was as if everything she lost was being showered on her, and it was all because of one unanticipated act of heroism. With her new income, she wouldn’t be too poor to earn an open-minded viscount’s or baron’s attention. If she was lucky, she could eventually attract a husband.
Don’t be ridiculous, she chided. You should be grateful if a baronet or an honorable merchant condescends to speak with you.
“Thank you, Your Highness. I doubt I’ll use even a tenth of it.”
“I’m sure Lord Gabriel will appreciate that,” he smirked, coming to a stop outside of a bedroom. “This is your room. It overlooks the lake, and you’ll have a—”
“It’s perfect!”
Muirigan clasped her hands together and fought the urge to jump up and down when she spied the sparkling lake. It wasn’t the ocean view she adored at the inn, but every worry flew out of her mind the second she saw her unobstructed view of the water. By her estimation, she could walk to the lake in less than half an hour if the mood struck her.
“There’s also a private bath …” he continued.
Halfway through his description of the room, Halvard grasped that his unexpected savior cared far more about the view than her new, luxurious amenities. Beholding her unbidden glee, the prince had an inkling that his new guest would have been quite content with the lowliest quarters available if they faced the water. While he should have found her love of the sea and its smaller counterparts odd, he couldn’t drum up a single ounce of judgment. After all, he developed a similar appreciation for the water after spending much of the past year traveling by sea.
Even though it nearly killed him.
“You said that Mr. Hansen wasn’t your father,” Halvard said, attempting to recapture her attention.
“No, he isn’t.”
“How did you come to work for him then?”
“I met him in town when I was unemployed.”
“Why aren’t your parents providing for you?”
Muirigan pursed her lips for a moment as she tried to discern how best to answer his question.
“They passed away several years ago,” she said.
A familiar pang piercing his heart, Halvard looked away for a beat.
“I’m an orphan as well. My parents were murdered.”
“I’m sorry for your loss. I can’t imagine having to contend with something so horrible.”
“Yes, but I certainly didn’t handle it well. I couldn’t think about it without rage consuming me until recently,” the prince revealed. “It took a demotion and distance from my family for me to realize how depraved and detestable I was.”
The maid bit her tongue rather than commenting on or asking about his past sins. Over the years many of Halvard’s former soldiers stayed at the inn, so tales of his legendary temper and sharp tongue reached her ears on a regular basis. He barked orders and insults at anyone who opposed him or was slow to follow his commands, and nothing pleasant ever eased from his lips. The Halvard she knew as a teenager had been the complete opposite, and though the man before her resembled the young prince she once adored, he was still different. The wonder and innocence she once saw in his blue eyes had been replaced by sobering sadness and regret … two emotions that relentlessly reemerged and haunted her since her seaside heroics.
“I doubt anyone is righteous enough to endure what you and His Majesty did without being angry. My parents didn’t suffer a violent fate, but I was furious with God for years after they died.”
A wave of emotion hit Muirigan as she recalled hearing first of her father’s accident and then of her mother’s suicide. Nothing in the world could have prepared her for their unforeseen deaths. Soon after the funeral, she learned that her mother squandered their fortune in her grief. Debtors descended upon her like vultures and seized all of her possessions … including her family’s estate. With nowhere to go and only a few krones to her name, she spent a year begging in the city.
Worse still were the times Muirigan resorted to selling herself to strange men when a lack of generosity left her starving and shivering in the streets. Though many women vied for the richer men’s attention, she loathed letting the kind of men she once admired and thought of as honorable and righteous use her. One particular nobleman waxed nostalgic about how much she reminded him of her mother and reminisced about how he dreamt of marrying her before her father proposed. Muirigan would have vomited if there’d been any food in her rumbling stomach.
Why are you even here? a critical voice taunted. You don’t belong in Halvard’s home any more than a fish belongs on dry land. You should flee the instant he leaves you alone and never look back.
“Sonja?”
Muirigan returned to the present and saw Halvard staring at her with his eyebrows knitted together in concern. Upon capturing her attention, the prince’s gaze softened, and she became aware of the wetness on her cheeks. Muirigan turned away to wipe her face, inwardly berating herself for showing weakness in the prince’s presence.
“Are you all right?” he implored.
“I’m sorry, Your Highness. I’m clearly keeping you from your day. You have plenty of more important matters to tend to.”
Though Muirigan gave Halvard an opportunity to end the surprisingly emotional moment, the prince couldn’t quite bring himself to leave. Despite his disquiet, he had neither the words to assuage her nor the boldness to embrace her even though witnessing her distress tugged on his heart. Frustration grew in his soul as he realized that he couldn’t do anything within the constraints of propriety to comfort the distraught maid. For the first time in years, the same prince who earned the nickname Halvard the Hound for his merciless leadership and savagery on the battlefield felt utterly powerless.
He hated it.
“I shall see you at supper this evening,” he finally said, bowing slightly before retreating down the hallway.
As Muirigan watched her former friend stride away, longing filled her heart instead of the relief that she hoped for. While she regretted giving Halvard a glimpse of her pain, she could still recall the way he comforted her after her parents’ deaths. Illogical as it was, she still longed to hide in the safety of his arms again. Alas, there was no solace to be found that afternoon, so the maid slipped into her room and prayed that God would give her the consolation she desperately needed.
Hoping to avoid the royals, Muirigan stayed in her room for the entire afternoon
. After opening the window to let in a bit of fresh air, she reclined on the beautiful green and gold bedding to rest her eyes for a moment only to fall into a deep sleep. She hadn’t slumbered on something so lush since she lived at her parents’ estate, and her body practically sighed when she lowered herself on the bed. Thankfully, she awakened shortly after six and used that hour to prepare for supper.
First, Muirigan donned the gold silk gown trimmed with ivory lace that an unseen servant had placed in her room while she slept. The pointed bodice emphasized the fashionably oversized pleats, which wrapped all the way around the skirt. The dress fit the maid’s athletic body well enough despite not being made for her. Hours spent swimming and walking to and from the beach had given her a trim figure, so she still looked thin despite not owning a proper corset. Her only complaint about the dress was its tightness across her muscled shoulders. Thankfully, the lace wrap it came with covered her upper body and décolleté enough that no one would ever notice.
Freshening up her hair proved a little difficult thanks to the awkward fit around her shoulders, but Muirigan still managed to pull her hair back in a bun. The simple style lacked the curls and combs that many wealthy women adorned their hair with, but it was the only style she could manage without a curling iron or beautiful accessories. As a finishing touch, Muirigan pinched her tanned cheeks to give them a little rosiness.
Taking a step back and assessing herself in her full-length mirror, a sigh eased from Muirigan’s lips. Though the incomparably gorgeous dress outshone every gown she’d worn since her youth, she could only see her flaws. Sweeping her green eyes from head to toe, the normal criticisms arose in her mind. She was too tall to be petite, too muscular to be delicate, and too dark to be praised for the porcelain complexion most noblewomen strove for.
I look ridiculous, she concluded, tears springing to her eyes again. Why did I come here?
Muirigan jumped when a sharp knock sounded at the door. Blinking away the evidence of her self-loathing, she answered the door and greeted the castle staff member, who had been sent to show her to dinner. Trailing behind the man with her trembling hands clasped in front of her, Muirigan prayed for strength with every step she took. Her basest instincts yelled at her to flee, but she knew deep in her heart that God wanted her to remain in the palace.
Upon entering the State Dining Room, Muirigan’s stomach lurched with anxiety. Halvard and his brother, King Viggo, rose from their seats when she stepped in, and whispers unworthiness tickled her ears. Resisting the urge to bolt once more, she sat down in the seat that a servant pulled out beside Halvard and across from Liesel. The Countess of Vakrevet gave Muirigan a genuine smile, and she relaxed a bit upon remembering that the royal family she dined with practiced acceptance far better than most. Queen Ingrid herself even beamed at Muirigan with joy in her hazel eyes as she entered.
Once the maid took her seat, the two men did the same, and Halvard promptly introduced everyone.
“This is Sonja Voigt, the woman who saved my life. Sonja, I’d like to introduce you to my brother, King Viggo, and his wife, Queen Ingrid. I believe you and Liesel have already met.”
“It’s such a pleasure to meet you,” Ingrid jumped in. “You’re even lovelier than we heard!”
Muirigan’s cheeks reddened and she glanced down at her place setting for a moment.
“Thank you, Your Majesty.”
“I know my brother invited you to court to show his gratitude, but we owe you more than we could ever pay,” Viggo added. “We are all grateful for what you did for our family.”
Ingrid turned her attention to Halvard to ease Muirigan’s discomfort.
“How are you feeling today, Halvard?”
“Much better, and how is my little niece or nephew faring?”
The radiant queen grinned and her hand immediately flew to her belly, which had grown enough that she couldn’t scoot her chair under the table anymore. At the mention of his wife’s wonderful condition, Viggo turned his eyes to Ingrid and smiled at her as if she was the most beautiful woman in the world.
“Happy and healthy as far as I know. The doctor thinks I’m having a girl because of how I’m carrying.”
“A girl with your fair hair and the king’s blue eyes would be quite a sight to see,” Liesel complimented.
“More importantly, let’s hope she inherits your temper and not ours,” Halvard joked.
“Yes, let’s pray she does,” Viggo chuckled as the staff served the first course.
Much to Muirigan’s delight, she was able to eat beside Halvard silently as the conversation continued, smiling and quietly chuckling at the royal family’s revelry. In spite of the questions and laughter his rousing tales about pirates, royalty, and strange lands inspired, Muirigan still detected some tension between him and the other dignified diners. Even with the claims and early evidence of Halvard’s transformation, the Lund family still had months or even years of healing to go before the wounds of the past were fully mended. Yet their love for one another was evident in the gentleness and deference they showed one another.
Once everyone finished their dessert, Viggo helped Ingrid to her feet and they exited the room with Liesel. Halvard too rose from his seat, and Muirigan hesitantly took the hand he offered. A shiver ran through the two as their skin touched, but she ignored the fluttering in her stomach and flashed him a bashful smile while she stood. Rather than letting her wander the halls of the vast palace by herself, the prince placed her hand in the crook of his arm and walked her to her bedroom.
“You’re awfully quiet,” he said.
“I’m sorry, Your Highness. I’m …” Muirigan’s voice trailed off as she searched for the words to account for her silence without voicing her true reservations. “I’m just nervous.”
“Well, you and I have that in common. I wronged my brother countless times, and I insulted his wife with language that shouldn’t pass through any gentleman’s lips let alone a prince’s.”
“But they’ve clearly forgiven you.”
“Yes, and I thank God for that every time they’re gentle with me,” he said. “Why are you nervous?”
Muirigan bit her bottom lip and turned her eyes on the corridor ahead.
“I don’t belong here,” she said. “I’m a servant. My place is in the shadows not at the king’s table.”
“You sound like Liesel. She struggled with the same insecurities after moving to Villriket. The countess and I have never been close, but I think you could benefit from her friendship,” Halvard encouraged. “I’ll make sure Ingrid invites you to lunch with her and Liesel tomorrow.”
“Thank you, Your Highness.”
“It’s my pleasure,” he smiled. “And if it’s any consolation, Sonja, no one would ever think that you don’t belong here. You look more like a princess than a maid.”
Muirigan glanced away and cursed herself for inheriting her mother’s penchant for blushing at the drop of at hat. Fortunately, they came to a stop outside of her room seconds later, so she was spared the awkwardness of coming up with a reply to Halvard’s unanticipated compliment.
“I appreciate you walking me to my room, Your Highness. I hope you sleep well tonight.”
She reached for her door, but halted upon hearing the prince’s voice.
“Do you have any plans for tomorrow?”
“No, I don’t.”
“May I take you on an outing after you finish lunch?”
He can’t be serious, Muirigan thought.
“Three others will be accompanying us,” he added upon seeing the confusion on her face.
“All right …”
“Meet me on the palace steps at three o’clock. We will be spending the afternoon outside, so I’ll make sure you have everything a lady requires.”
“Thank you, Your Highness.”
With a hurried curtsy, Muirigan fled to the comforting solitude of her room. As soon as she closed the door behind her, she shed her beautiful gown until only her old chemise
and borrowed petticoat remained. Muirigan leaned over and clutched the footboard of her bed, her small chest heaving as the full weight of her anxiety crushed her spirit.
Why did Halvard invite her to join him the next day? Surely a place at court and an allowance were sufficient rewards. Did he truly pity her so much that he felt obligated to drag her to a social outing with more people whose corsets she wasn’t fit to lace? Supper proved less taxing that she expected since the royals were preoccupied with getting reacquainted, but what would the next day hold? Would the courtiers ignore her or would they smile at her through clenched teeth and merely tolerate her presence?
In her youth, Muirigan picked up on the taut smiles that lords and ladies wore as they interacted with lowborn spouses and courtiers immersed in scandal. The thought of enduring their counterfeit tolerance was unbearable.
I’ll be a laughing stock. Everyone will grin and speak with me as if I’m their dearest friend and rip me to shreds as soon as they’re free of me, she feared. Then, they’ll mock Halvard for letting his gratitude get so out of hand. He’ll be humiliated, and it will be all my fau—
Muirigan lost her balance and almost stumbled face first into her bed when a bird’s booming call disrupted her self-deprecating thoughts. The maid turned to her left and beheld a seagull perched on her windowsill. The large bird cocked its head as it stared down its orange and black beak at her. Perplexed by the bird’s sudden appearance, Muirigan hesitantly crept over to her window, which she clearly forgot to shut before supper.
Once she reached the gull, Muirigan reached out and ran her hands over its smoky gray and white plumage. Her affectionate gesture earned a joyful purr that sounded more appropriate for the Hansens’ cat than a coastal bird. A smile spread across Muirigan’s face and she lifted her eyes from her unexpected visitor to the moonlit lake. The seagull was as out of place in her room as she was at court. She didn’t belong in the pristine palace with nobility and royalty, but God sent her there just like he sent the bird to her windowsill. She needed to rely on God’s guidance to navigate the days ahead because the unrelenting fears overrunning her mind were not a reliable compass.