Page 1 of Tears of the Wolf
Brynn
Marriage was the second fastest way to get rid of a woman, and the king was quite eager to get rid of Brynn. At least, that was the way it felt. Perhaps she should be grateful her uncle was making this simple. If he had merely wanted her gone, he could have had her murdered and been done with it.
But for King Aelgar to marry her off to the husband of his choosing, he first had to deal with Brynn’s current one.
Brynn sat quietly while her maidservant braided her hair and layered strands of carnelian beads around her neck. She tried not to feel anything, her thoughts hovering above the dark chasm of grief in her chest like a seabird over the deep.
All around her, the room was alive with activity. Lady Eadburh, Brynn’s aunt by marriage, oversaw the maids. She directed them this way and that, calling out commands like a shepherdess whistling to her dogs. Brynn had been invited to Eadburh’s chambers to get ready. It was a kind gesture, butBrynn didn’t think she would ever be ready for what she was about to do.
“Are you sure about this, Lady Brynn?” the maid asked quietly, her hands shaking as she secured Brynn’s mantle with a silver brooch.
“It will be alright, Esa.” Brynn’s words seemed to belong to someone else. Brynn had lost nearly everything that mattered to her, but she still had Esa to consider.
Eadburh’s shouting tones dropped suddenly, her voice softening.
Brynn looked up to see her aunt crouched down before a small boy, only recently learned to walk on his own. A nursemaid hovered at his back and Eadburh gestured quickly to the woman, trying to get them both out of the room, away from Brynn.
“Aeldred, Mama will come to see you later,” Eadburh assured the child. “Be a good lad and go with Hilda for now.” Eadburh knelt and kissed the boy’s head, and he smiled up at her.
Brynn stared at them, that chasm in her chest threatening to drag her down again. The boy was herded out by his nursemaid and Brynn couldn’t look away.
Aeldred was not that much older than Brynn’s own son had been. Like her son, Aeldred had the bright red hair that favored the men in their family. Eadburh had kept Aeldred away from her these past months, trying to be considerate. Brynn wasn’t sure if she was grateful or not. It hurt to see the child, but somehow it hurt to be hidden from him, too.
Eadburh approached Brynn, a sad smile on her face, hands held nervously before her. “Lady Brynn, how are you?”
Eadburh was a pale woman who always wore her hair covered modestly. People called her severe, overbearing, and made jokes about her behind her back. Brynn had never liked her when they were younger, but Eadburh had been kind to her these past months. At least she had tried.
Brynn’s mouth moved in what she hoped resembled a smile. “Well. Thank you.”
Eadburh nodded, hands clenching in front of her. “My lord husband is almost ready to see you.”
“Thank you.” Brynn didn’t know what else to say.
Eadburh came and crouched before Brynn, taking Brynn’s hands in hers. “It will be over soon.”
Brynn wasn’t sure whatitEadburh was referring to, but she answered, “Yes.”
Six years of marriage. Six years of seething resentment and cold apathy.
Paega never desired to marry Brynn. He’d made it clear from the start. He had no interest in a bride less than half his age, young enough to be his child. The Istovari Mothers had chosen him for thehonorof marrying a sorceress with royal blood and his people had needed their protection. Not to mention he'd lost all five of his sons in the war. He needed heirs. He’d had no choice.
But Brynn hadn’t had a choice, either.
“Is Paega here?” Brynn asked, trying not to feel anything as she asked the question.
Eadburh’s face flinched, but she looked away. “He sent his nephew as a representative.”
Brynn forced back more tears at that. It wasn’t as if he didn’t know. She’d told him her plans explicitly when she’d left him and come here, to her uncle the king. Paega had been given three months to object, but not a word.
Brynn didn’t want him to object. Not really. She just wanted him to show her something. They’d lived together for six years, had a son together. She had run his household and the even the shire of Glasney itself.
And it had meant nothing. He couldn’t even go to the trouble to tell hergood riddance.
Former husband, Brynn corrected herself. She needed to start thinking of Paega as her former husband.
At least he had sent a representative. This way, no one could claim he hadn’t known.
Once again, he had done the absolute bare minimum.
