by D. R. Grady
Ari’s brothers and their wives both arrived, and if Felicity was correct, Raene showed signs of impending motherhood. This timing was probably about right, if Queen Raene and Vidar the Loyal had waited a couple of years before they secured the kingdom’s next monarch.
Amazing that only twenty-eight months ago, no Aasguard had ever conceived of marrying. Much less contemplated a career other than protection services. They had guarded other’s treasures and persons for millennia.
But one small queen had changed the course of their lives when she named Vidar the Loyal as her husband instead of choosing one of the circling warriors who vied for her attention. [Seeking: Warrior King - The Seeking Series - Book 1] She had lost her mother and been expected to name a husband on the same day. Too much for anyone, much less a woman who had only seen twenty-five summers. Despite all that pressure, Raene had proved herself worthy of her station.
She had chosen wisely even in days of utter turmoil and selected the Aasguard warrior in the land for her king. And forever changed the course and lives of every Aasguard warrior.
Felicity was both grateful to her and resentful. Because while Vidar and Raene had married, and shortly after Vidar and Ari’s oldest brother Lajos had married Raene’s best friend Stefana, both women had still been human. The ramifications had not been brutal upon their nuptials.
Only after Ari, Vidar and Lajos’s Aasguard sister had joined her life with a fellow Aasguard had the consequences reared their ugly head. No one had been able to confirm that the joining of two Aasguards had opened the portal between them and the nasty desampus. But Felicity had fought with her fellow Aasguards during that battle and had feared their victory.
It continuously remained in the back of her mind that she and Rykert could also open a portal to an even worse world than that of desampus. She could not, in good conscience, join her life with Rykert if such an action brought about the destruction of others.
A niggle of doubt taunted her. Whether this was actually the reason for her hesitation or if something deeper caused her qualms she couldn’t ascertain.
Seeing Rykert laugh with the two married kings, men who had been Aasguard warriors longer than she, who now lived much different lives, made her wish for things that might never be hers. These men thrived in their new challenges and had been given opportunities that their colleagues who had chosen to pass on had missed. These two warriors enjoyed life in a way that none of them ever had.
A most welcome change.
Now they used all their skills. They enjoyed the long lives they’d been given and had joined their lives to those who loved them.
Felicity had no desire to be a queen. She had no desire to run a kingdom.
Her gaze strayed back to Rykert. What exactly she wished to do she did not know.
And therein lay another problem.
At this very moment both of them were homeless and unemployed. She and Rykert had agreed to attend the opening of this school, but she did not feel compelled to remain to teach the students trickling in. Queen Stefana’s brother, Lukas, had technically been the first student of the school, but he had already undergone much of the textbook learning and possessed the warrior skills needed to become an Aasguard warrior in the same manner as his sister and Raene.
He had already become an Aasguard warrior, before ever spending time here at this school. He had joined his sister and Raene in becoming Ari and Kellen’s first students before the school had been built.
One unforeseen consequence of human women marrying Aasguard warriors is that they themselves had become Aasguard warriors. The transition had been so stealthy that none of them recognized what was happening at first. Eventually the women’s improved abilities had shown themselves and Ari insisted upon testing them.
Now both queens were full Aasguard warriors in their own right. They had, as all Aasguard warriors before them, spent the required time training to become better warriors. The difference is they would never protect persons or treasures. Both were monarchs tasked with running their nations.
“We will figure this out.” Rykert’s whispered vow into her ear made her shiver.
She raised her eyes to his and his resolve emitted from the blue depths.
He meant what he vowed and his promise helped to firm her spine and to believe that they could join their lives. Someday. Somehow…
‡‡
Rykert had never thought much about fate before. In all his years of living he hadn’t paid attention to it because his life had been ho-hum and the same. Fate happened to people who had not chosen to become Aasguard.
Now, as he peered at Felicity who was clearly his other half, he wondered if his long years of ignoring it had caused fate to slap him. Here she was, the one woman for him, but her warrior instincts kept insisting they hold off on their pairing. A very nasty, tasteless trick. He did concede in the far reaches of his mind that this could be coincidence.
Felicity’s soft laughter warmed his heart, as did the way she leaned into him, even though she engaged in conversation with the two queens in their midst. One usually interacted with royalty only within a professional capacity. Aasguards worked for them, but did not socialize with monarchs.
And therein lay another problem with their people.
They had spent centuries upon centuries guarding treasuries and royalty, but never communed much with their own kind. They had eschewed having lives of their own.
It boggled the mind at the shortsightedness of this practice.
Who did that? Who limited their lives to mere work?
No wonder so many of their kind had chosen to enter the next life. To move on from the drudgery that was their world here. They had nothing to live for. Nothing that brought them joy.
The only silver lining was that many of them lost emotions. Not entirely lost them but their emotions muted over the long years. At least then they didn’t pine for what could have been. Still, their lives’ emptiness made him shake his head.
Felicity caught sight of this gesture from the corner of her eye and she stepped closer with an arched eyebrow.
“Just reflecting on how empty our lives as Aasguards have been.”
“It is no mystery why so many have passed on. They must have been seeking something better. Something worth their time.” Sorrow encompassed Felicity’s similar take on their late colleagues.
“If only…” Perhaps ridiculous to say that, yet fitting.
“Yes. Now we have opportunity to tell those still living how much more they can do and be.” Felicity earnestly gripped his arm. “Rykert, we could travel the land to find other Aasguards and tell them about all the opportunities open to them now.”
Excitement shot through him, but whether the emotion was hers or his, he didn’t know.
Vidar stirred beside them. “An excellent idea. You could take a census of who is still living.”
“We have need of that.” Lajos, his older brother, joined the conversation.
“Now that we have a school, we can hopefully increase our numbers but we do not have a factual account of our current numbers.” Felicity nibbled on her lower lip.
This snagged his attention. Through force of will only did he tear his gaze from her lips. She had reasons for putting a halt to their relationship and until they explored those reasons, he needed to restrain himself.
Only… he wished he had not already tasted of those lips. Now he wanted so much more.
“It would be excellent to set a program of sorts in place as well.” Lajos readjusted his sword.
“What are you thinking?” Felicity did not seem to be as bothered by him as he was by her. That seemed unfair.
She darted him a look. One that shrieked, “pay attention.”
He hid a smile. Apparently she exerted energy to keep her mind on the matters at hand. Something he should be doing.
“I have not arrived at the planning stages yet,” Lajos admitted.
“Most of us have adopted the practice of carrying a crysta
l. If Rykert and I seek out our fellow Aasguards, we should be able to encourage them to obtain their own crystal.” Felicity tapped her sword handle. “Once we all have crystals, we could initiate some sort of communication method.”
“Those of us who trained close together already keep in contact.” Thoughts swirled through his mind. Possibilities bounced off each other.
“I keep in contact with several who trained around the same time as me, but I also keep in contact with any female Aasguards I meet over the years.” Felicity inputted this information. “And I know Ari does the same.”
“I have a few friends I have remained in contact with. It is much easier with the crystal technology. But I know at least two of them have moved on.” Vidar gazed into the vast horizon surrounding the school.
A moment of silence met this solemn statement. They could all count a friend or two who had chosen the next life.
“Do any of you have a mentor who still breaths?” Rykert braced himself for this response.
All of them shook their heads.
He knew.
They knew.
None of the earliest Aasguards still walked. At least in his travels he had yet to meet one. Even their dragons had chosen to go on.
Felicity peered at him in inquiry. “None of them were weary in body, correct?”
“Correct. As far as I know, we do not age as humans do.”
“We simply reach a place where we cannot bear the tedium and decide to take our chances in the next life.” Lajos spoke softly.
“None of those I knew had bodily issues. But they all expressed fatigue of the soul.” Vidar added this snippet but it wasn’t new information.
“I wish so badly they could have seen this age.” Felicity tossed her long braid over her shoulder. “The Age of Aasguard is upon us. They could have partaken in it with us.”
Rykert had to touch her. He curled a hand into the small of her back. “I remember my mentor stating that it was time to move on when you longed to run every person through with your sword.”
Vidar snorted. “Yes. When you wish to rid the world of all those around you, my mentor also expressed it was then time to depart.”
“I do hope he was joking?” Felicity tipped her head up to him.
His heart expanded at the loveliness of her violet colored eyes. “I believe so. Partly.”
“Those I knew stated that you just know.” Lajos slicked a hand over his hair.
They stood solemnly staring out at the impressive horizon, all of them longing for those who had reached that point. Before this new age dawned.
CHAPTER THREE
When she awoke two mornings later, Felicity opened her eyes to a new day and a new realization.
She rolled over in the comfy bed in the Aasguard wing of the school. The clock showed the dawn had yet to arrive. Shoving aside the covers, she exited the bed and quickly remade it. Then padded into the bathroom to start the day.
It it took little time to strap her sword around her hips and pack the few belongings she owned. Maeze would be in the dragon area, and other than the small pack Felicity carried, Maeze was all she would not leave without.
Actually, she would be fine if she left without the pack. But it would make her life a tad challenging. Leaving without her dragon would occur only if one of them died.
She left the bedroom and strode down the gently lit hall to the kitchens. There she should find a beverage and a muffin to see her through the rigorous training session every single Aasguard performed through rain or shine.
A crack of thunder echoed. Speaking of rain, it appeared they would be training through the storm. Aasguard warriors did not train with their swords during storms. They worked on their combat skills and keeping their bodies in peak condition.
Only a fool would wield a large bar of metal in a lightning storm. They did ride their dragons with the swords, but mostly out of necessity. Often an Aasguard and dragon found a safer place than the sky during such a storm. They rested until the lightning part passed. Then they took to the skies again during travel.
She paused at a window as a truly spectacular lightning show broadcast the storm. Rykert joined her. He stood too close, not crowding her, but less than a step away. Felicity’s heart rate increased, as did her respiration.
Sensations she didn’t normally have to contend with.
His sunshine and leather scent made her draw in a deeper breath. No other man’s scent had the power to make her long to keep breathing deeply. Only this one.
He bent to drop a kiss on her neck. Right at the spot under her ear. “Good morning.”
She shivered. And turned stern eyes on him. “What are you doing?”
“Greeting you this fine morning.” Thunder crashed for several long notes outside the window.
Her eyebrows both rose. His lips twitched. “It is a fine morning.”
“We are going to get wet.” Not that any of them minded.
His shrug said it all. They did not care about the weather conditions, except for lightning. Even a blizzard failed to faze them. They could find their way without difficulty.
Dragons had extra senses that enabled them to navigate through such conditions and Aasguard warriors were nearly as adept. Weather conditions simply were—they barely noticed them.
“You did not greet me yet this morning.” Minor rebuke resounded in his tone.
“Good morning.” Her droll response made his smile fully bloom.
“You are lovely, mate.” And his lips crashed onto hers. While he took her by surprise she fully participated in the kiss because the man blanked her brain and made her forget all about why they should refrain.
Reason fled into the storm and she didn’t miss it.
Voices from farther up the hall splintered the moment. Felicity had to blink several times to return to reality. She did not wish to return. Rykert muttered something dire under his breath as he glanced toward the people heading toward them before he reluctantly released her.
She had herself composed by the time Vidar, Stefana, and Lajos joined them. All of them likely intent on training. “Where is Raene?”
The three exchanged looks before Vidar pointed toward their rooms. “She is not planning to participate today.”
Felicity’s eyebrows rose. Ah, was I right? Is Raene in the family way? She did not comment because Vidar and Raene had their reasons for keeping their impending heir a secret if they were doing so. Raene could be experiencing complications or they might be silent due to security reasons.
That final thought brought her up in shock. What if they kept Raene’s child quiet because no one had any idea what an Aasguard’s pregnancy looked like? This errant notion clapped a proverbial hand over her mouth.
They might not feel the need to share because Raene would be the first of their kind to ever give birth. She had passed from human to Aasguard at least a year ago. She had been a full Aasguard long enough that she and Vidar were both Aasguard when this child had been conceived. This little one was their kinds’ first foray into birthing a child.
She would never press for information and even understood their trepidation at sharing their exciting news. If Raene was in fact with child, she had no business training in this storm. The lightning strikes blasted farther away now but they remained a present danger. Storms shifted all the time.
“I am happy to train with Raene inside.” Felicity had no idea where that had come from but she did also not regret offering.
Vidar and Lajos exchanged glances. “Ari has also offered. You could speak with Raene and see what she prefers.”
“I shall speak with her.” She glanced at Rykert who joined the other three to head to the training field. Most likely Kellen and Ari were en route.
She went the opposite way to find Raene. Felicity wondered how Raene’s body would withstand the changing and nurturing of pregnancy. Then she thought about the size difference between Raene and Vidar.
Really, what had the petite, human Raene bee
n thinking in choosing a man so much larger than herself? Of course, she had based her decision to marry him on the fact that she respected him, unlike many of the other warriors in her land. Her choice had come down to the man she believed she could remain married to a few years later.
An excellent decision on Raene’s part.
Now Felicity made strides down the hallways until she reached the rooms Vidar and Raene shared. A knock later and Raene opened the door.
“Hello Felicity. What can I do for you?”
“I just passed Vidar, Stefana, and Lajos in the hall. They are heading to the training field. I came to offer my services.” Felicity stood still and waited for Raene to ponder her request.
Raene nodded even as she moved to the side. “Come in.” She shut the door before waving Felicity toward the comfortable chairs by the fireplace. “You must have picked up something different about me?” Raene’s tone gave nothing away.
Felicity saw no need to prevaricate. “You are with child.”
“I am with two children.”
“Oh.” Felicity’s eyes widened. “That is significant.”
“I am the first of our kind to be with child and then we discovered there are two of them.” Raene rubbed a hand over the small swell of her abdomen.
“Yes, that is going to change things.” Felicity thought on the subject. “You need to continue training.”
Raene’s nod was slow. “I believe that as well, but no one else has done this, so I am uncertain where to start. How much is too much, how little is too little?”
Felicity gnawed on her lip. “I expect we can modify the exercises to suit your changing body. How far along are you?”
“I am at five months now.”
“Five months with two. That puts you at closer to seven months really, but you are barely showing.” Felicity inspected Raene’s small abdominal swell.
“After becoming Aasguard, obviously my body changed. I am taller, which I very much wanted, but my body is far more muscular than it was. I believe those muscles are disguising my body’s condition.” Raene’s hand rounded her barely protruding midsection.