ones.”
Her heart sank. He meant for them to live here. All alone. Out in the middle of the forest, miles from town. In this big dark stone fortress.
He went to the far end of the room and threw open the shutters covering a pair of wide windows. The winter suns sat low in the sky, flooding the room with their rays.
“You can see the meadow from here. In the spring it will be filled with wildflowers.” He talked faster, wanting her to see it as he did. Wanting her to share his excitement. “The creek flows through it all year long, coming down from the mountains. There’s a doe that brings her twin fawns here to drink. Every evening at dusk. I’ve seen them through the window while I was working on the place.”
“So this is where you’ve been. All those days when you said you’d been hunting, yet came home with only a single hare to show for it.” She frowned. “And all those times when you said you were meeting in council all day or playing cards with your friends?”
He nodded. “It’s been hard to keep it from you. Kylar, Heinrik, all the others. They’ve been here with me, working hard. We didn’t dare tell any of the women for fear they’d let something slip to you and spoil the surprise. They probably all think their husbands have been out drinking honey mead and gambling away the hours. I promised the men we’d have everyone here for a feast as soon as we’ve moved in. Music. Dancing. And a whole pig roasting on the hearth for hours. It’s the least I can do to thank them all.”
She took another look around. Rays of sun lit up the stone pavers, revealing streaks of honey gold and peach and ivory. He’d obviously chosen them with care. The view out the windows was lovely. A pristine blanket of snow covered the meadow, magnifying the pale winter sunlight to a bright glow. Even from here, she could hear the creek bubbling over the rocks as it flowed through the open field.
Once she hung a few tapestries, the stone walls wouldn’t look so bare and harsh. She thought of Ingrid’s room, made cozy with splashes of dazzling color. Maybe she’d add some bright curtains at the windows, drawn at night to cover the wooden shutters and add a soft touch. She turned to Haldor. His eyes held such hopefulness.
She smiled. “It’s beautiful. Spacious without being cold and grand, like some of the rooms in the palace. And the floor—where did you find these stones? They’re lovely. The colors…”
He beamed. “Do you like them? I hoped you would. I chose each one. You should have heard Kylar when he helped me lay them. He complained that I sounded like Ingrid fussing over which dress Astrid should wear for a state dinner when we were young. ‘No, no, no. Not that one. Find one with more pink.’ But once he saw what I was trying to do, even he took to examining each one. Holding it in the light, flipping it over and over looking for the best side. You’d be surprised,” he went on, “how a stone can look cold and dark on one side yet have so much warmth and intensity underneath.”
“You’re right. I am surprised. But not just by the stones.” She smiled at him and took his hand in hers. “I love this place. I love you, for all the work you’ve put into it to make it special for us.”
He grinned and for a moment she caught a glimpse of the carefree boy he’d once been. “There’s one more surprise. I’ve saved the best for last.”
He led her to a door she hadn’t noticed in a corner. It led to a narrow hall with another doorway at the end.
“Go ahead,” he urged.
She made her way hesitantly down the dark passage, pushed open the heavy door and gasped.
A rainbow of dancing light poured through a narrow window covered in a stained-glass pattern of glowing crystals. More brilliant crystals studded the walls and ceiling. Emerald green, yellow, amethyst, blue as pure as a tropical sea. Throwing their light on—surely those couldn’t be flowers?
Strange exotic blooms that glowed
Her heart sank. He meant for them to live here. All alone. Out in the middle of the forest, miles from town. In this big dark stone fortress.
He went to the far end of the room and threw open the shutters covering a pair of wide windows. The winter suns sat low in the sky, flooding the room with their rays.
“You can see the meadow from here. In the spring it will be filled with wildflowers.” He talked faster, wanting her to see it as he did. Wanting her to share his excitement. “The creek flows through it all year long, coming down from the mountains. There’s a doe that brings her twin fawns here to drink. Every evening at dusk. I’ve seen them through the window while I was working on the place.”
“So this is where you’ve been. All those days when you said you’d been hunting, yet came home with only a single hare to show for it.” She frowned. “And all those times when you said you were meeting in council all day or playing cards with your friends?”
He nodded. “It’s been hard to keep it from you. Kylar, Heinrik, all the others. They’ve been here with me, working hard. We didn’t dare tell any of the women for fear they’d let something slip to you and spoil the surprise. They probably all think their husbands have been out drinking honey mead and gambling away the hours. I promised the men we’d have everyone here for a feast as soon as we’ve moved in. Music. Dancing. And a whole pig roasting on the hearth for hours. It’s the least I can do to thank them all.”
She took another look around. Rays of sun lit up the stone pavers, revealing streaks of honey gold and peach and ivory. He’d obviously chosen them with care. The view out the windows was lovely. A pristine blanket of snow covered the meadow, magnifying the pale winter sunlight to a bright glow. Even from here, she could hear the creek bubbling over the rocks as it flowed through the open field.
Once she hung a few tapestries, the stone walls wouldn’t look so bare and harsh. She thought of Ingrid’s room, made cozy with splashes of dazzling color. Maybe she’d add some bright curtains at the windows, drawn at night to cover the wooden shutters and add a soft touch. She turned to Haldor. His eyes held such hopefulness.
She smiled. “It’s beautiful. Spacious without being cold and grand, like some of the rooms in the palace. And the floor—where did you find these stones? They’re lovely. The colors…”
He beamed. “Do you like them? I hoped you would. I chose each one. You should have heard Kylar when he helped me lay them. He complained that I sounded like Ingrid fussing over which dress Astrid should wear for a state dinner when we were young. ‘No, no, no. Not that one. Find one with more pink.’ But once he saw what I was trying to do, even he took to examining each one. Holding it in the light, flipping it over and over looking for the best side. You’d be surprised,” he went on, “how a stone can look cold and dark on one side yet have so much warmth and intensity underneath.”
“You’re right. I am surprised. But not just by the stones.” She smiled at him and took his hand in hers. “I love this place. I love you, for all the work you’ve put into it to make it special for us.”
He grinned and for a moment she caught a glimpse of the carefree boy he’d once been. “There’s one more surprise. I’ve saved the best for last.”
He led her to a door she hadn’t noticed in a corner. It led to a narrow hall with another doorway at the end.
“Go ahead,” he urged.
She made her way hesitantly down the dark passage, pushed open the heavy door and gasped.
A rainbow of dancing light poured through a narrow window covered in a stained-glass pattern of glowing crystals. More brilliant crystals studded the walls and ceiling. Emerald green, yellow, amethyst, blue as pure as a tropical sea. Throwing their light on—surely those couldn’t be flowers?
Strange exotic blooms that glowed
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