1370 AD (Present day)



My maid, Astrid, had placed two fresh tapers on the mantlepiece, which was unnecessary since the fire she'd started in the hearth cast a soft glow that reached all four corners of Lucian's bed chamber. It crackled heartily, echoing throughout the silent room as it steadily began to thaw the frozen stones beneath my bare feet. Would that it could banish the dread from my breast as well as it did the cold. I waited, wiping the constant stream of nervous tears from my cheeks. I cared little that my eyes were swollen and unattractively red.

Perhaps he won't come. I then scoffed at myself. Of course he'll come!

What a lark! How droll I was being tonight. I was unable to sit still, my hands needing constant occupation lest I go mad with the waiting. Ergo, I sat on a stool in front of the fireplace, combing out my jetty locks and feigning a calm I did not feel — as attested by my agitated knee, bouncing rhythmically to some wild tattoo; possibly the violent tempo of my poor quavering heart?

I waited. Still, he stayed away. The rushlights stood now halfway burned, the telltale indication of the passage of time. Our apartments, his apartments, were situated directly over the great hall and I could still hear the hurly burly carousing and clamor of celebration that seemed unlikely to diminish till dawn, by the sounds of things.

Perchance he may imbibe himself into a stupor and be unable to...

However, that was a useless notion and only served to bedevil me further so, In lieu of fruitless speculation, I turned my attention back to the din in the great hall. I could well imagine how terribly frigid the rest of the castle chambers might be tonight, except Godwin's of course, considering they were not built atop the hall, and its massive fireplace, as this room was — I was yet cold, albeit not as much as I might have been were I currently established elsewhere.

This land seemed cursed with crippling winters that culled the population each year and I wondered if I would survive this night only to waste away from the arctic midnight months ahead. Although that was unlikely in as much as I had endured perfectly fine thus far, several years in fact, and had never been confined to a sickbed; ere now — I was sick with trepidation and the giant bed, now flooded by firelight, seemed to taunt me cruelly.

I nearly yanked the hair from my scalp when the door flew open, a veritable gust of cool air announcing my husband's dreaded arrival. How strange that still sounded. Husband. He appeared to me thus, abruptly and without the warning of approaching footsteps, venting out the warmth that had tentatively began to tepefy the room.

The little hairs at my nape stood instantly erect, gooseflesh spreading lightning fast across my skin, and I was not altogether certain the chill he'd allowed in was solely to blame for the static in the air. Meanwhile, he had said nothing. Simply closed the door and watched me silently with a predatory glint in those disquieting amber eyes. I eschewed his gaze directly, never able to meet his stare long for fear he'd entice my very soul straight through my casements.

I stood therewith and moved to the window, after placing my comb on the vacated stool, to stare into the atramentous void without. The stars shunned me tonight, but 'twas the moon I yearned for; to paint her light upon that inky canvas — to bear witness to this hour. I should have gorged myself on wine so that I too could sink into oblivion as she had done... behind the blanket of thick cloud. Why was I feeling so awkward. So nervous. Had it been merely my imagination or had things seemed easier between us of late? Why then were we acting like strangers tonight?

Two steely arms appeared on either side of me as Lucian pressed his palms into the windowsill, level with my heaving chest. It always surprised and unsettled me they way he moved so silently despite being a man of so large a frame — as of a stalking cat. He made no move to touch me so I closed my eyes and imagined that I was yet alone. A most absurd endeavor, for I could feel the air betwixt our bodies thrumming with bridled energy. We, neither of us, said aught; yet the tension rained as clear as tempest fire.

"Will you ignore me all night, wife?" he whispered softly at my ear.

Wife. My eyes had shot open with the sudden shock of his resonating voice and I turned within the confines of the thick arms that caged me.

"No," I replied with a corrugated brow. "You know I cannot." He was not a man easily ignored. Not for any reason.

"Well, you could try..." He cocked his head in a challenging manner that was strangely playful, and so at odds with my mounting nerves.

"But I shan't."

He seemed suddenly disappointed by my dour response, but I was not coquettish by nature and knew not how to be. Or perhaps I could be if I were not dreading that which would soon take place between us.Lucian nodded distractedly before changing the subject abruptly.

"You surprised me this morning," said he, scratching his jaw as he swept his gaze over my lips and back up to my eyes.

"How so?"

He compressed his lips in a thoughtful manner. "You are a beautiful woman, Aria; but in your wedding finery...you quite rendered me senseless." He seemed almost sheepish as I stared nonplussed, and then kneaded the back of his neck with an awkwardness quite unlike him. We regarded one another silently and for a moment all thoughts of my anxious state were rived from my breast as I considered his words carefully, unused to compliments as I was. What was more, he seemed equally unused to giving them. "I should have told you ere now, but I am unaccustomed to the mawkish talk that comes so easily to callow swains."

"Well then your senselessness lends itself to dispassion, for I thought you rather unimpressed by me." I could not forbear the words, but the light rebuke seemed not to affect his mood in the least.

"On the contrary," he chuckled darkly. "Shall I show you just how passionate I can be?"

He moved away then and walked to the imposing bed as I tried to swallow, but my mouth had long since drained of moisture. Holding out his hand to me, Lucian arched a single brow, indicating that I should join him thither; however, my feet would neither obey me nor him.

"Aria?" His lips were quirked imperceptibly. "Come here," he commanded gently, a soothing timbre that he seldom employed, and I found it to be almost inviting as I watched him spread his battle-calloused hands casually atop the counterpane of furs. He seemed now almost tame. But not quite.

Never that.

I had interacted with Lucian only sporadically, each time just fleetingly, in the years since my arrival to the north. I could recall to mind every specific occasion that we had spoken, the sum of their total but few; however, our interactions were, for the most part, invariably intimidating, and rare. I had been a child when first I came to be here and he, comparatively, already a man fully grown. I had therefore been well beneath his notice — a drab and fragile little urchin. Howbeit, no longer. I held his attention now whether I willed it or no.

All this I thought as I walked uncertainly toward him, my feet padding soundlessly over the cold flagstones. At last I stood before him after what seemed like mere seconds, but was probably long enough to have bordered on impertinence. He smiled, baring his teeth as he did so. He did that but rarely and I was always taken aback by it — more so by his large canines than by the smile itself. Those teeth had always unsettled me.

Stop smiling, you brute! If only I had the gall to say it aloud. It was no charming smile, just a smirk that I desired suddenly to wipe from his face.

"My, Lucian, what big teeth you have!"

The look of surprise that therewith twisted his features was instantly gratifying, but I schooled my countenance admirably and contained the mirth that pulled at my mouth. Bravo, Aria! But my smugness was short lived, for he was soon grinning again.

"There is much I would do with these teeth, Aria. Let me show you..."

"I'd rather you didn't," I snorted, however, I was rather intrigued by this humorous side of Lucian. He had effortlessly replaced my nerves with easy banter.

"Come closer," he drawled, his tone still mild and his eyes yet kindled with promise.

"So impatient," I suspired loudly with a calm poise I did not wholly feel.

"Extremely..." he answered, his lip curling ever higher.

I took a deep breath and reached for his doublet, my fingers grazing the warm skin of his neck. I had done this — touched him — very little since we first met... when I was yet a girl of ten.

To what purpose am I here? I knew exactly why I was here and what was now expected of me; that was not the question to which I sought an answer.

Wherefore had the fates brought me here, to Nørrdragor; to this place and on this very night...with Lucian. What madness would possess an Earl to marry off his eldest son to such a one as I? A provincial girl of no means and no worthy connections...

Let me take you thither; across the Midnight Straits and back to a time before Aria knew aught of harsh winters and giants among men; for that is where her story truly begins.





🌟Yes, I know it's confusing ladies and gents (I apologize 😳), but please bear with me. It will begin to make sense shortly. You've just met Aria in her most 'climatic' year. But this is not where her story begins, so I will take you to the beginning first before we meet back with her again ... on her wedding day.🌟

🌟This is dedicated to LadyDragonwall - my wattpad sister! This girl is a rising wattpad powerhouse! If you love high fantasy and sweet romantic suspense AND, more importantly, dragons, do yourself a favor and readThrough The Gate. I HIGHLY recommend this book!🌟