Chapter 20
Freydis
Once again, I'm alone in my room. I sat down by the window, feeling strange and empty as I thought about Ragnar. He'll be gone soon, leaving for the North tomorrow morning.
Suddenly, I stood up from the bed. If this is going to be his last night here, then I should at least pay him a visit in the dungeon.
...
I pull the hood of my cloak around my neck, careful not to make a sound as I make my way down the staircase leading to the dungeon.
The sound of drunken voices from the guards grows louder as I near the dungeon.
"By the gods, this mead is strong," one of the guards says, and I hide behind a pillar.
"Who needs to guard the Northman anyway?" he asks. "He's going nowhere."
They stagger away, and once they're gone, I approach the wooden door. I step inside, holding my breath.
Down the row of cells, a torch burns on the wall, casting shadows across the stone floor. I walk quickly, glancing at each cell to see if he's there.
And then I see him.
Ragnar.
He's locked in the last cell, his back against the cold wall. Dirt marks his face, and his hair looks tangled.
"Ragnar," I whisper.
His eyes open, and he turns to look at me.
"Are you alright? Did they tend to your wounds?" I ask, noticing the wounds on his face have healed.
"No."
"I'm so sorry. Tis not—"
"You shouldn't be here," he cuts in.
"I had to see you before you... leave," I stutter. "I'll try to talk to Father about your departure."
"Freyja, don't," he says, standing and walking toward the bars. He squeezes my hands. "That should be the least of your concerns right now. Your guardsman—"
"What are you doing here, Princess?" a voice interrupts. I turn my head to see two guards standing there.
"I needed to speak with him before he leaves."
"Your father forbade you from seeing him," one of the men says, approaching me.
I turn to see Ragnar walk back into the dark cell and sit down on the floor.
"You should go to your room, Freyja," he whispers.
I slowly nod and walk toward the guards.
...
That morning, when I wake up, I receive a message from Siggy that Ragnar is still in his cell. I take a deep, calming breath. Perhaps I'll talk to the King about letting Ragnar stay a few more days.
"You should wear this," Siggy says, handing me a black garment.
I frown slightly. "For what?"
"Do you not know what is happening today?" she asks.
I shake my head. "What's happening?"
She frowns. "They're taking him to the grove."
"Who?" I rose from the chair, taking the gown from Siggy.
"Ake. They're going to take his life there, so the warriors say."
My eyes widen.
"You didn't know?"
I'm speechless. Why would they take Ake's life? For what reason?
"He got bitten by a Hound two nights ago. They kept him in the dungeon, hoping the gods would heal him, but nothing happened. Now, the King has arranged for him to be taken to the grove, where he'll be—"
Before Siggy finishes, I turn and run out of my room. I trip and fall in the corridor, hitting my knee on the floor. Pain shoots through my right knee. A moan escapes my lips as I struggle to my feet. I lift my gown and see my knee covered in blood. A nail has sunk into it. I curse under my breath, my hands trembling as I slowly pull it out.
I stagger out of the house and see a crowd of people. They're all here to witness the execution of the guard who turned into a Hound. Everyone is moving in the same direction, in a hurry.
I groan; my knee hurts terribly, and it's bleeding.
I bit my lip as I staggered forward.
"It's the King's guard."
"I heard he's fully turned into a Hound and will be killed soon."
"Soon enough. Soon enough he'll be dead."
"Poor man. It's not his time yet," a woman says.
"Fool," an old man spits. "He's no poor man. He's now a beast, the creature killing our people. He deserves to die."
I continue down the path toward the sacred grove, deep in the woods, surrounded by men and women. I don't care that I'm bleeding heavily and in pain.
I look ahead and see a man.
He's very tall.
I look closer, and my eyes widen—it's Ragnar.
He turns to face me, and I walk toward him.
Everyone is occupied with Ake. No one notices me.
"What are you doing here?"
"I wanted to see you one last time before I leave," he says.
I'm suddenly glad he's standing so close I can feel his body warmth. His hand reaches for my face, brushing my cheek.
"Take care of yourself," he murmurs, leaning closer. I close my eyes, welcoming his lips.
Ragnar kisses me. I don't care that anyone might be watching.
I kiss him back. He pulls away, stepping back, and before I know it, he disappears into the crowd.
But then a man sees me, his eyes widen, and he steps aside.
"Make way for the Princess!" he yells, and others turn, creating space for me. I walk past them to the front of the gathering.
And there I see Ake.
But he's no longer himself.
He's now a beast with yellow eyes, growling at the people. Chains are tied around his neck and body. Blood drips from his mouth, and his teeth are bared.
The King and Queen stand behind him. Next to them are Vegard and his son.
I fall to my knees, losing the strength to stand.
"This was not his fate," the Queen began. "He was once one of our finest guards—Ake, loyal and brave. He protected the Princess since she was ten."
Tears welled in my eyes.
"He was a warrior of the gods. But now..." her eyes lowered to him, "now he has become a Hound—bitten and turned by the beasts tormenting our people. This morning, he broke his chains and killed five men."
Gasps fill the air. Some murmur that he should be killed. Others beg the Queen for mercy.
"Do not let your memories blind you to the truth. He's a monster now. What lives inside him is no longer Ake. It is the curse."
"The gods have judged him. He is to be killed here," she says, stepping back. "They'll cleanse his spirit before he passes to the afterlife. It is not punishment—it is mercy."
"Please!" his mother cries, falling to her knees. "Spare my son!"
Before she can cross the line to the other side, two guards hold her back.
"I begged the gods all night to spare him from this curse, but they did not answer. So we must do what we must."
My fingers clench into fists. I lower my head.
Please, Freyja. Free him from this curse. Don't let them kill him.
But nothing happened. I didn't see the beast leaving Ake. Just then, guards tightens the chains around him.
"No!" I cry, rising to my feet. I stagger forward, but before I know it, I'm on the ground, two guards holding me down.
Tears stream down my face, blinding my vision.
I scream as the priestess begins her incantations, speaking in the old tongue. I feel a strange pull in the air as though it's growing stronger and heavier.
The priestess walks in circles, touching Ake's head. He stops growling, and his body begins to change. The fur on his skin falls away. Bones crack, and his eyes shrink.
Within minutes, Ake is no longer a beast—he is himself again.
I recognize the runes the priestess uses. This will last only a moment. If not killed, he will turn into a Hound again.
My lips tremble as I beg.
Please, Freyja. Please.
His eyes soften when he sees me, but it's only for a moment. The guards slip the chain around his neck.
Then they begin to choke him.
I watch, tears blurring my vision, as his face reddens. He doesn't struggle—as if he's already accepted his fate. But once his lungs begin to fail, his body jerks violently.
I watch my guardsman die.
I watch Ake—the man I grew up with—die.
My hands ball into fists. I stay rooted in place. I take a breath, trying to calm myself.
Then, all of a sudden, he falls to the ground. One of the guards kneels beside Ake and places a sword in his hand. The sword will protect him in the afterlife.
The guards release me. I rush to Ake, brushing his hair. His face is red, his eyes wide open. Foam seeps from the corner of his mouth.
One by one, the people begin to leave. His mother crawls toward her son, crying as she pulls him into her arms.