Page 19 of Made

No one at court would’ve guessed that the queen had gone through the motions of refereeing her people with half her attention engaged. Since they were accustomed to seeing Ilmr without a hint of emotion, her job was easy. All she had to do was keep her facial features in a perpetual state of neutral. But all the while she was fantasizingabout what the night might bring, she was half-listening to Wednesday’s seemingly endless gripes.

By the time the last docket item had been heard, she was sure it had been the longest day in the history of days. The instant it was concluded she felt a burst of energy. She made her way to her quarters all the while suppressing an urge to run. Containing her enthusiasm was hard, but she’d had a fae’s lifetime of practice at never allowing her regal image to slip. She walked with grace and intention. Head high. Shoulders back. But the moment one of the ladies-in-waiting who’d been accompanying her opened the door to her quarters, Ilmr dismissed the entire entourage, closed the door behind her, and ran laughing into Vidar’s arms like she was brand new. He caught her up and spun around like she was a child.

And her spirit blossomed to a fullness she hadn’t known was possible.

When Vidar stopped spinning, she found herself in the great room of a hunting lodge fit for a god. The space was breathtaking. High ceilings made of sienna-hued timber, walls made of glass designed for full appreciation of the snowy landscapes, enormous fireplaces with roaring fires, and fur throws on plush-looking furniture. And, like Ilmr, Vidar had a pair of wolves; only his were bigger, with pale gray fur, and hypnotic ice-blue irises.

One of them jumped up and put his paws on her shoulders so that she was looking eye-to-eye with a divine pet. She wasn’t the least afraid. It takes a lot to hurt an ordinary fae and is almost impossible to harm a queen.

“Hello,” she smiled into the wolf’s eyes. He rewarded her with a doggie grin.

“Hah! He approves,” Vidar said. “Get down,” he told the wolf, who obeyed instantly. “His manners are atrociousbecause I rarely have guests. Come to think of it, he may not have ever seen a guest in his lifetime.”

“I’ll consider it an honor to be the first then. What’s his name?” she asked.

“Haakon.”

“And what about the other one? His mate?”

“Oda. She’s more reserved. And has a preference for males. But don’t worry. She’ll not harm a guest of mine.” Vidar had hoped Ilmr would appreciate the design and environment of his home in a way befitting a Scandinavian queen, and, judging by the way she looked around, he could tell that she did. “So. This is home when I’m not loitering at your court.”

“You can loiter at my court anytime.” She laughed softly. “As to this. It’s… better than any palace I’ve ever seen.”

The pride in his smile was undeniable. “Spoken like a true daughter of the north,” he said. “Dinner is ready when you are.”

“I’m really, really, really hungry.” She paused and cocked her head. “I think I had lunch, but can’t be sure I ate today.”

“You had lunch. But Wednesday Whine is hard work.”

He led her into an adjacent room suitable for a couple dining in an intimate way. The fireplace was almost as big as the sidewall into which it was set. The table featured a vase of dark red roses and fresh fruits cut into bite sized pieces. It was obvious that neither of those things were local. She supposed he had the ability to source anything he wanted. It was evident that living on the tundra wasn’t a hardship for Vidar.

He motioned for her to sit and poured a glass of the same kind of wine she kept in her quarters. When Ilmr realized he’d noticed and remembered what wine she preferred, she felt herself falling for him even more.

She sat and took a sip from the heavy crystal stem in front of her. “You noticed I have a penchant for Malbec.”

“It doesn’t surprise me it’s your drink of choice. Dark. Intense. Multilayered. And guaranteed to have something unexpected with each encounter.”

Ilmr laughed. “You’re as romantic as a poet. You think I’m dark?”

Vidar poured himself a glass thinking it’s more intimate to share the same drink. Because of his height and massive size, when he leaned toward her, he was close enough to kiss. “There are many things you keep hidden well. That’s one of them.” He sat back. “What would you like for dinner?”

“Tuscan bean soup pureed. Thin slices of roast turkey. I like it dry, almost overdone. Peppered green beans. And lots of mocha almond ice cream for dessert. With chocolate syrup on top if you have it,” she added.

She thought it was a joke because she hadn’t seen any indication of the support staff he’d require to maintain a residence like this in such stark wilderness. The window cleaning and wood cutting alone… Unless it wasallbeing accomplished with magic. And the energy output for that would be off the charts. Unless deities could accomplish such things without personal depletion.

She was about to say something like, “But I’ll be happy with whatever you have,” when she felt a little shift of energy in the room. A small porcelain tureen, embellished with blue Celtic knot patterns sat in front of her with asteaming portion of Tuscan bean soup. Visually it appeared to be pureed precisely the way she liked.

It had been easy to forget that Vidar was a demigod because of the way he catered to Ilmr’s needs and hung on her every word and gesture. She’d never once felt his superiority. Until now.

“You just, ah, conjured this up?” she asked.

She saw his confidence slip. A odd thing for someone of his stature. “I did, but I can make it myself if you prefer. Or bring in a chef?”

“Oh no! Of course not. I just find it amazing because, you know, I could do it, but if I did, that would have to suffice as my accomplishment for the evening.”

It was Vidar’s turn to cock his head. “You mean you can create what you want, but then you’d be out of juice?”

Ilmr laughed. “Out of juice,” she repeated. “Well put. That’s exactly right.” She glanced at the soup. “And no. Please do dinner as you would for any guest and I’ll try to not appear too awestruck.”

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