Nillen continued. “The elves have known of the existence of another world, different than ours, in some ways more advanced, in other ways very short-sighted, for many millennia. That world holds very limited magic.”
Drakkar remained silent.
Nillen went on to explain. “Humans have twins that live in each world. In fact, nearly every human has a twin save, fortunately for both worlds, those who carry evil. Those with extreme malice in their heart, enough to act on that wickedness freely and without scruple, only have one being in one world. There are others who do not have twins but these, too, are not birthed only due to extreme circumstances. Those who do not hold malice or their mother’s have not endured extreme circumstances in one of the two worlds have two. Although the twin will look like the other, sound like the other, they are not the other but two separate beings.” Nillen paused, Drakkar nodded once and Nillen kept speaking. “You have a twin in that world and Sjofn of the House of Wilde has one. And she conspired to switch places with her twin on the night of her wedding to you.”
Drakkar’s jaw went tight but he said nothing.
Nillen carried on. “The Sjofn of this world wished to escape you. The Seoafin of our parallel world came here for much different reasons.”
“And those are?” Drakkar asked.
“Primarily… grief,” Nillen answered and Drakkar blinked as his gut grew tight.
“Grief?”
Nillen nodded. “Many years ago, she lost her mother and father. They were beloved by her. She has not recovered from this loss, such was the weight it settled on her soul. She became aware of our world and the understanding there were twins to those living in her world.” He paused and his eyes stayed unwavering on his lord. “She wished to see her parents again and took a great risk and paid a great treasure in order to do it.”
Drakkar felt his gut tighten further as he muttered, “Bloody hell.”
Nillen lifted his chin. “I’m afraid that although your Ice Bride was clear about her reasons for voyaging to this world, the Sjofn of this world was not forthright with your new bride and shared very limited information prior to your bride’s travel as well as leaving select information for her to understand after. The switch was accomplished just ten minutes to her being forced into the sleigh that would take her to the Dwelling of the Gods. Amongst other things, she had no idea her parents of this world had grown impatient and even angry with her and she had no idea that she was facing imminent marriage to you. Indeed, even now, after reading Sjofn of the House of Wilde’s communications, she holds incomplete information about you.”
Drakkar glared at the elf as he felt his neck muscles contract before he urged in a tight voice, “Go on.”
Nillen’s head dipped to the side before straightening. “Your bride is…” another pause, “unusual for a female in this world and even one, it is our understanding, in her home world. Although she was faced nearly instantly with these inauspicious circumstances, she has rallied and while she does wish to spend time with her parents, she has enjoyed her adventure on this world very much so far.”
That did not surprise The Drakkar. Not after seeing her greet the townsfolk that very day or walking in on her in the pub last night as she cried out in delight, arms straight in the air, smile beaming from her beautiful face while clearly engaged (successfully) in wagering in a game of chance.
Nillen kept speaking though his voice had grown soft. “You do remember, my lord, that although we understood your reasons for accepting the king’s request, the elves cautioned you strongly against binding yourself to Sjofn of the House of Wilde.”
Drakkar kept his gaze aimed at the elf but he felt his entire frame get tight.
He did remember. The elves went beyond cautioning him. Their concerns at this alliance with Princess Sjofn were communicated in a tone that was nearly desperate. Their warnings were dire that such a union would anger Keer, the God of Destiny who had foretold that the Lord of the Elves would marry his Ice Bride, a woman who shared, like The Frey of the Drakkar, elf magic for through her veins coursed traces of elf blood. A woman that Keer, with aid from all the gods, Wohden, Adela, Hermia, Meer and Alabasta had searched for and chosen in order to unite the elf and the dragon to create a child who was a true, rightful heir to the throne a Lunwyn, something which the gods felt crucial though they had not explained why through prayer, Vallee or the elves.
But, for Drakkar, it was foretold the particular woman destined for him was chosen by the gods as a handsome reward for his endeavors and the weighty responsibility of the commands he held for she also shared Drakkar’s lust for voyaging and his thirst for unending quest.
All of which would be impossible for Finnie to be if the world of the winter bride waiting for him at his cabin held little magic for she, clearly, wouldn’t either.
After sifting through this knowledge in his brain, finally, The Drakkar lifted his chin.
Nillen’s smile beamed from his face before he announced, “The Great Keer and Destiny have prevailed.”
Drakkar blinked and the elves around the clearing twittered.
“Explain,” he demanded.
“Why, my lord, you’ve married your rightful Ice Bride.”
Drakkar’s eyes narrowed. “I thought you said her world holds little magic.”
“It does but that doesn’t mean it holds none. She’s of the elves, albeit the elves of her world, she’s still of the elves, our kind there long since gone to their realm deep within the earth, never to return. Princess Sjofn holds her coloring from traits passed down naturally through her parents, although latent in each parent, they have come out in her by pure chance. Your Seoafin holds her coloring because she carries the blood of elves.”
Drakkar studied Nillen’s happy face and noted, “I see this pleases you.”
Nillen lifted his chin and replied, “Indeed it does, my lord.”
Drakkar thought of Finnie but he didn’t need to do so. He already knew she pleased him which was why, although he proceeded cautiously with a woman unknown to him, he continued to proceed. Until now, he hadn’t known if she was a Sjofn of the House of Wilde bewitched (probably, he had thought, by her mother) to be to his liking, if the gods were at work or if a double had been created for fiendish reasons. What he did know was that he was enjoying testing all these theories, therefore, warily, he proceeded to test them.
Now, he knew he had Sjofn’s beauty in his bed but with Finnie’s grace, Finnie’s humor and Finnie’s fire.