Page 116 of Alliance Bride
They both were.
The morning air cooled Eadlyn’s face, crisp and carrying the mustiness of dry leaves and smoke from morning hearths. Autumn would soon take hold of the land. Though the afternoons remained warm, the nights and mornings had grown chilly. The harvest was being gathered in earnest, along with preparations for Braan and Heida’s wedding to take place in only a few days’ time. Eadlyn looked forward to the celebration and to seeing the two of them finally united. A perfect way to put the last lingering shadows of the trouble with Staegar behind all of them.
Behind her, the longhouse door shut. Aevar stepped out, his sword belted at his side, though she hoped he wouldn’t have need of it again anytime soon. His boots crunched as he crossed to her. He didn’t speak, just reached for her hand as naturally as breathing. She took it, lacing her fingers with his.
Together they walked, their pace unhurried. The sun rose higher, highlighting the leaves that were turning gold and crimson. The chill nipped at Eadlyn’s cheeks and nose, but her heart was warm beneath her shawl, full to bursting. Here, in this place she had once feared, she had found a life that was hers.
She leaned into Aevar, wrapping her free hand around his arm. Though he was gone most of the day to help with the harvest, every moment together was a blessing she cherished. While winter would bring its own challenges, it would allow them extra time to share with each other.
At the shoreline, they stopped. The fjord stretched out before them in perfect stillness, a mirror of the sky and flame-colored leaves. Quiet wrapped around them, not heavy, but something almost sacred. They bowed their heads in prayer.
Eadlyn closed her eyes, and the words poured from her heart. Thankfulness for safety, healing, and for the husband beside her.She prayed for the future, for wisdom, for grace, and for strength in whatever storms might still come. Beside her, Aevar’s voice murmured. His prayer was almost inaudible, but the fact that it existed at all still made her soul lift with wonder.
When the silence stretched long enough, she turned to him. Nerves twinged in her belly, and she touched her hand to it. She’d suspected for a week now. Inga and Ranvi had confirmed it yesterday, and she’d waited for the right moment to tell him. Now, standing here, it was time.
Aevar smiled at her but seemed to sense she had something on her mind. “What is it?”
“I have something to tell you. I think it may cause some fear, but I hope it brings more joy.” She reached for his hand and placed it against her stomach. “I’m with child.”
Aevar stilled, his eyes widening. He dropped his gaze to her belly, where his hand rested as if he might feel the truth through her skin. His fingers twitched, and his throat worked as he swallowed. Emotion bloomed across his face in layers—shock, fear…and then something so deep it stole her breath.
He exhaled as though it was the first time he’d breathed in full since she’d spoken. “You’re certain?”
“Yes.” She blinked at the sting of tears. “I am.”
His hand stayed on her belly as he leaned forward to press his lips to her forehead.
“It does bring me joy,” he whispered.
Relief cascaded through her, loosening the tightness in her chest. She had known he would love this child—she had never doubted that—but she’d feared the pain of the past would overshadow the miracle of the present. Instead, his eyes held hope.
“I know it might not be easy,” she said, “but I want you to remember everything God has already done for us. How He carried us through every dark moment. How He brought us together. He’s with us now too.”
Memories flowed through her mind. The first time she’d seen him, the long road to trust, the aching fear of being taken from him, and the unshakable strength of his arms when he had found her again.
“I was so afraid to come here, but God did so much more than I ever could have imagined. He didn’t just give me the security I sought for Essix, He gave me a home and a family and a husband I love dearly. He has also given us this child and a new path to walk together. But, above all, He has given us life beyond this one no matter what happens.”
She reached into the small pouch on her belt and pulled out a simple leather cord. “This is to help you always remember and take comfort in that.” She opened her hand. A silver cross pendant rested there. “I had Tallak make it for you.”
Aevar took it reverently, turning it over in his fingers. The corners of his mouth lifted. “Between the two of us, he’ll never lack for work.”
Eadlyn laughed. “He said much the same.”
Aevar slipped the cord over his head, the cross settling against his chest. It looked right there, contrasting so brightly against his dark tunic. He reached for her, drawing her into his arms with care that was fierce and tender all at once. His voice was rough when he whispered in her ear.
“Tahk fyr, ást mín.”
Epilogue
Anunexpectedspringblizzardraged outside, the wind howling and pelting the longhouse with ice and snow. Before Eadlyn had introduced him to God, Aevar would have seen it as a bad omen. Even now, he struggled not to let those feelings take hold. He sat unmoving at the center of it all, hunched forward at the main table, hands clasped before him. He stared at the flames in the hearth, but he wasn’t really seeing them.
Eadlyn had gone into labor just after dawn. Now the sun had long since vanished behind storm-darkened clouds, and it had to be well past midnight. Her cries echoed from their room in waves, every one of them striking Aevar like a blade to the gut. He couldn’t ignore them, and yet they were agony to hear.
Around him, his father and brothers, Kian, and Heida sat in uneasy silence. They spoke occasionally in hushed tones, but every time a cry came, the words died on their tongues. Their faces were drawn and subdued. Even Braan sat with his fingers laced, bouncing one knee in a tense rhythm.
Aevar struggled to breathe and tried to pray instead. He had whispered more prayers since this morning than he could count, but his thoughts kept slipping back into old, familiar darkness. The day he had lost Thora and Brenna. The silence. The grief. The shattering.
He clenched his jaw and reached up to grab the silver cross at his neck, pressing it hard into his palm.Please. Spare her. Spare our child. Let this time be different.
