Tuesday, October 15, 2013

Chapter 45: Comfort in Dire Times




"This won't be my first battle," Reinier says, taking Agneta's hand in his. Though she had spent the day in fasting and prayer while he'd been finalizing the battle plans with his men before they must set off on the morrow, she seemed to have no taste for food during their late dinner, toying with her food rather than eating it. "You shouldn't worry so. I will see to it that your brother comes to no harm as well," he promises, squeezing her fingers in his.


"How can I not worry, husband?" the sob she'd been holding back escaping with her words, "I know you are a renowned warrior, but the thought of you out on the field, exposed to mortal danger..." Agenta shudders as she sobs again.

"I know," Reinier answers her with a serious tone, "I don't go recklessly into battle, or without fear for my own life. There is always a risk," her shoulders shake as he speaks, her fingers trembling as she holds her head in her hands, "But, listen, Agneta," he continues, taking a more comforting tone, "Look at my uncles. Osbrand was a warrior and a dragonslyer like myself, and he lives even now, past his eightieth year. His brother, my uncle Osbert, took the cloth and never saw a day of battle, and yet was dead before he'd seen fifty years, done in by his own indolence. You shouldn't fear what may happen. Nothing is certain, but you can have faith in me. I mean to have my victory and come home to you."


"You must be strong, Agneta," Reinier continues, taking her hand again so that she will look at him, "For our people, you must be seen to have confidence, to not be falling into despair. They will be looking to you for guidance and leadership in my absence."

Agneta nods, swallowing the last of her tears. All her childhood had been spent preparing for this grim duty, she must not fall apart now simply because she loves her husband. A small giggle escapes her lips as her memory brings her back to her mother and her younger days.

Reinier cocks his head to the side, smiling at her mirth, "What is funny?" he asks her.

"When my father used to go off to battle or to make diplomatic visits, everything would change as soon as he'd leave. The very air we breathed seemed lighter, the sky brighter, when my mother had charge of the castle without my father there. Though we all feared for him, I'm sure, we would look forward to his next departure whenever he'd return," she tells him, her eyes sparkling over her smile, which then dims as she continues, "But now it's opposite. You are my bright sky and my sweet air, and I fear this place will be gray and dull while you are gone, my husband."


Reinier rises from his chair, their unfinished dinner erased completely from his thoughts, "We must make the most of this last night then, " he says, taking her hand to lift her from her seat, "The memory of it will have to last us both for some time until we are together again."


"We've had so little time together," she sighs as she rises to stand in his embrace, "If I could at least know I was with child before you left..." It's a foolish wish, she knows, this war had been planned since before her wedding, their marriage was hastened to meet its schedule, and her husband will be away before she can have any confirmation of whether any of their lovemaking since has borne the desired fruit.

"You worry that you might be left without an heir?" Reinier surmises, "You should not, my darling. All my wealth, my titles, my land, has been settled on you, even if you don't bear my child."

"I know," Agneta whispers, nodding, "But there is another who does carry your child..."

"That is not certain," Reinier answers, and it's not entirely a lie, though he is more than certain that Steren's child is his, in the eyes of the world, there will always be doubt, "She was not a maiden when we met. And the man she has married has claimed the child. You have nothing to worry about, sweetling. Even if she were to try to make some claim on me, which I am more than certain she will not,  a bastard has few rights to his father's estate."

"That's not what I fear," Agneta says, her voice small, almost inaudible, "I am your wife. I should be the mother of your child."


"And so you will be," Reinier promises, moving to stand behind her, resting his hand over her smooth stomach, "But you are just barely seventeen, my sweet, and there is much time yet for motherhood. In truth, it is my hope that you have not conceived yet...I will be away some months, at the least, and I would miss seeing our child grow in your belly. When we do have our first child, I hope to be with you, from start to finish"

"And you are not bothered by the fact that you will a child somewhere out in the world, one you may not acknowledge or even know?" Agneta asks him.

With a heavy sigh, Reinier nuzzles her neck, keeping his lips busy against her skin while he searches for words. "I've made mistakes, and I live with my regrets," he whispers after a long pause.

"But-"


"Agneta, I beg of you to let this go," he interrupts her, turning her around to face him, "Let's both of us forget the past, and instead look forward to our future," he pleads, ending any further conversation with fervent kisses


"Would you like to be on top, tonight?" Reinier asks her.

"On top? I don't understand...I am not a man."

"I am aware of that," Reinier answers with a light chuckle, "There are more ways to go about lovemaking than what we've done, my love. I thought, before I must leave you, you'd like try something new."

At first, she had taking his gentle laughter at her for mockery, but Agneta quickly learned that while her innocence amused him,  it also pleased him greatly to be her instructor in the arts of love.


 He laid backwards, guiding her to straddle over him.

"Like this?" she asks with a breathless sort of wonder, her lips brushing over his. She does not have to feign her naivete, for she was truly never told anything about what happens in the marital bed, and everything he's shown her has been like nothing she'd ever imagined was possible, but she does play her innocence up a little, to please him.

"Like that," he answers, his growing huskier as it does when he's aroused.


"There," he whispers as he guides her down onto him, "This is how I want to remember you while I am gone to war. I want to see you face like this, every night when I close my eyes."

"You will be too busy making war to think of me," she says, "But I shall think of you often, and see your face in my mind, in so many ways."


"Beautiful, so beautiful," he sighs, letting her set the pace as she makes love to him, discovering how to move to pleasure herself and him at the same time.


Reinier has learned much from making loves to wives of other men, most importantly, how to be a husband whose wife will be true to him. He's had only a short time since his marriage to make his wife fall madly in love with him, satisfying her body, her mind and her soul.


"I love you, Reinier," she sigh with deep contentment as she settles into his embrace to sleep.

"And I love you," he answers, squeezing her close to him. He will not abide lies in his bed, not even from himself. Love can be defined in many ways, and Reinier does love his bride, enough to kill for her, enough to lay down his life for her defense, enough to say as true to her as he trusts she will be to him. So long as he has no chance of having Sterren, at least. he thinks with chagrin, wishing he could fall asleep just one night without her entering his thoughts, polluting his dreams and tainting his marital bed.


"Would you like to fish?" Fransez suggests to his grandson, coming out of his study to find the boy seated still, staring out over the small pond in his garden.

Jean shakes his head, "I'm watching for the Lady."

"Why would you look for the Lady in my pond?" he asks in a serious tone like he'd use with an adult.


"Oh, not THE Lady," Jean explains, rising to face his grandfather, who never scolds him for saying what is true the way his mother does, "I know the Lady doesn't live in the water. But there is a a fairy lady who does live in your pond. I saw her," he finishes with a pout of defiance, "Mother says I imagined her, but I know. I saw."


Fransez kneels to put himself on an equal level with grandson, "You mustn't blame your mother for not believing. Very few adults are able to see the fair folk, and most will only accept what their own eyes have seen."

"But you believe me, don't you, grandfather?"

"I do believe you, Jean," Fransez says, tousling the boys hair, and smiling even though part of him wishes it were not true. Such gifts are always a burden, bestowing the bearer with great responsibilities and sacrifices, but in these days, it is perilous to be blessed by the fair folk. "But, you must understand, the fair folk only show themselves to those they choose, for their own reasons. It can be dangerous to speak to others of them. Especially now, with the new laws our Lord has enacted."

"The soldiers and that nasty priest can't burn me," Jean insists, "The fairy man will make it rain again."

"You saw a fairy man as well?"

Jean nods enthusiastically, "When that nasty priest had you tied up and they tried to burn you, he made it rain. I saw it."

Fransez strokes his beard thoughtfully. Lord Reinier had attributed the rain that had spared him from the flames that day to the benevolence of his Watcher, and Fransez was not fool enough to claim any different. But he had believed that it had been no more than a fluke of the weather. Jean has never been one to tell false tales or exaggerate, despite, or maybe because, he's been accused of it so often, and this new possibility gives him pause. The fair folk are not known for their direct intervention, but his grandson has seen more than one of them in his short life. "Times are dire indeed," he murmurs to himself, then turns his attention back to Jean, "The fair folk are powerful, Jean, but they cannot do everything, nor do they always do what is expected or wanted of them. So it is very important that you speak to no one but me of fairies or other such things. Do you understand?"

Jean nods solemnly. "The fairies might get angry if I tell their secrets."

"Indeed," Fransez says, "And some people get angry just hearing about them."


"What is it you've been putting in these pies?" Gaelle asks, taking another mouthful of the pie Sterren had made with the strange flaming fruits Auberon had given her.




"Just a concoction of herbs I came up with in my research," Sterren answers with a shrug. Though Auberon had not sworn her to any secrecy over the fruits, Sterren was reluctant to just give them to Gaelle raw, and suffer the questions that would most certainly arise, as such a fruit had never been seen before. So she baked some into a pie, and though the form of the cure surprised both Gaelle and her husband, whatever magic or medicine they contained worked. One pie a week seemed to be enough.

"It's delicious," Gaelle says, "And it's working. I feel normal again. It's a shame that no one else can eat it."

"I don't know what effect the herbs would have on someone who wasn't suffering as you were," Sterren says, her words dodging around the truth in so many ways.


Gaelle catches the hesitations in Sterren's voice, "My pregnancy has been unusual, hasn't it?" she asks, though she doesn't question it all. No pregnant woman she'd ever heard of had tried to eat a hot coal. Without waiting for the healer to answer, Gaelle continues, "You know what they say, about the wilders? That they may be of the fair folk, or some other enchanted beings?" She looks up at Steren briefly, for confirmation.

Sterren nods, reluctantly, afraid of the paths this conversation might take, still conscious of the warnings  Auberon had given her. The punishments against her and perhaps all your kind would be grave, was what he'd said. Whoever, whatever these wilders were, they were not to be trifled with, and who knows what perils Gaelle's heedless entanglement could have brought on them. "I've heard such tales. But they are just tales, Gaelle," Sterren says, hoping to turn Gaelle's thoughts away from such musings.

"But what if they are not all just tales?" Gaelle persists, "Sometimes, when I was with Morvyn," she sighs, tears forming in the corners of her eyes, "Sometimes it did seem he was not quite human. I...cannot explain it. And I would think nothing of it, if it were not for this child I carry. For weeks, until you brought me these pies, I thought it should burn me alive from the inside. I fear...Sterren, what if this child is not human?"



Sterren frowns. She'd been wondering about this herself for some time. Would Gaelle's child require the flame fruits throughout her whole life? Were there any other special needs that would need to be catered to. Would she have some magical powers...so little is known of the wilders, she could speculate endlessly and still have no answers. "We can only wait and see," Sterren says, as much to herself as to Gaelle.

"What if the child has his hair?" Gaelle groans, "Or is born with those markings? How long are we going to be able to keep this secret?"

"I will do what I can to find a reason for these things, if it arises. With any luck the child will have your hair freckled skin," Sterren tries to smile, "Worrying about it now will do you no good."




"You aren't her," Jean says to the fairy sitting on the pond in front of him. Not the pond in his grandfather's garden, he notes. He's been here before, but can't quite remember now where here is.

"I am not her," the fairy agrees, "It wasn't you that she came to visit, young Jean, and you mustn't expect to see her again."

Jean frowns, plucking at the grass at his feet. He remembers that day he saw the fairy lady in the pond, she was talking with the friend of grandfather's that had come to visit. Jean had been hiding behind the drying laundry, spying, when he saw her. It had made him feel special, to be witness to such beauty, but she had not come for him, or even known he was there.


"Do not be sad, young Jean," the fairy says, "For I have come for you."

Jean brightens at her words. He has a fairy friend of his own, "Will you come whenever I call?" he asks eagerly.

"No," she answers, "But I will be there when I am needed, and be your advocate amongst my own kind. You will not remember this dream, young Jean, but you will carry my image in your heart, always, and it will give you comfort in dire times, which I fear will be coming all to soon for you and all your kind."

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I just wanted to mention, there are a few outtakes for this chapter on my Simblr. You can find any Summerdream related stuff there by using the Summerdream tag



21 comments:

  1. Scary words from Winterdream... maybe it's a blessing that little Jean won't remember them.

    Winterdream is my favorite fairy, second only to Moth so far. =)

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    1. Winterdream will become a more important character as the story goes on.

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  2. Uh, oh! That last warning sounded really ominous!

    Well, so Reinier is behaving like the perfect husband so far... Their lovemakings are very sweet <3. Hopefully, he will be able to master his feelings for Sterren eventually, for his good as well as Sterren's and Agneta's.

    I'm glad those pies have appeased Gaellen's potentially lethal cravings. Can't wait to see the child :-).

    And I loved the grandfather-grandchild interaction, Jean is so cute.

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    1. It would be a lot better for Reinier and everyone if he could get over Sterren. He and Agneta could be a great couple, and he is trying, but the heat is not easy to master.

      Gaelle's cravings have been cured, which is good for her!

      I really enjoy writing Jean and his grandfather. Thank you!

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  3. Wow, I didn't realize how young Agneta is. She seems so mature and wise for someone so young. I think her fears are perfectly understandable, and I love how Reinier comforted her and at the same time be realistic about what to expect when he goes to battle.

    I never thought I'd like Reinier, but Agneta brings out something in him that's making him more and more likable, and they are becoming my fav couple, I really hope he'll come back from the war.

    This: '"Would you like to be on top, tonight?" Reinier asks her.' and her reaction, just melted my heart.

    Conversation between grandpa and Jean was heartwarming, I'm very happy the old man is alive, I think Jean has a lot to learn from him when it comes to their ways and so much more. He'll be good for him.

    LOL @ Sterren feeding Gaelle some pie, a smart move to give her the dragon fruit without raising the alarm. I'm glad it's helping, for a while there I thought Gaelle might just resort to eating flames, she seemed just about ready to grab the coals and eat them in the last update.

    Ominous words from Winterdream. I don't like that Jean's world is about to be turned upside down.

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    1. Agneta is pretty sharp, and has learned as much as she could while being groomed for her life as a noble wife. She's also a bit naive about the larger world outside the sphere she was raised in.
      I agree, I think Agneta has been very good for Reinier,and she does bring out his best side.
      Jean does have lot to learn from his grandfather. Fransez is very open with him about things, and doesn't try to sugar coat or talk down to him.
      Sterren really wanted to avoid any questions about mysterious new fruits, And with Gaelle's husband being a farmer, there would be questions f her saw one. So hiding them in a pie and attributing the flavor to 'herbs' was a good idea, and luckily it's been working.

      Winterdream is referring to the coming war, which is going to turn their world upside down.

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  4. Sorry it took so long to get here!
    Phew, anyway...

    I was looking for that skirt oopsie in the seated scene at the top. You hid it well if you did use it :p

    So, Agneta and Reinier are in love. Well, Agneta is, Reinier still can't stop thinking about Sterren. HAH! Serves him right for being a jerk.
    I hope Agneta is pregnant and he misses her pregnancy. I'm mean, I know, but he can't have everything his way, hot or not.

    I don't blame Sterren for not telling Gaelle about the flame fruit! No idea how she'd explain that one! And Gaelle has the same worries we all do. Lets hope this baby will look just like her, or her husband will convince himself that that nose looks just like his...

    Awww!! Jean always makes me melt. So cute! I hope Jennicor was just being a fairy. Meaning, she has no idea of time frame because she livs so long. Meaning Jean will get a bit of happiness before these dire time hit...

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    1. I did use the skirt oopsie scene; with the right angle and tight cropping, you don't see it.
      Reinier does love Agneta, but he also still loves Sterren. It's complicated, lol. And maybe it does serve him right, but sadly, he won't be suffering alone...And I will just say, he won't be getting everything his way.

      Yeah, Sterren was not looking forward to explaining flame fruit. And Gaelle is finally starting to think a little bit more ahead. At first she was just worried about convincing Treveur that she was a virgin so he wouldn't doubt her baby was his, now she's realizing other things might make him suspicious. But at least we know the baby won't be born with marks, lol.

      Jennicor was talking about the coming war, so the dire times are going to hit pretty soon. It won't effect Jean too much immediately, since Reiner is making war on some other town, but obviously his enemies will try to strike back.
      And...well, you'll see what else. =P

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  5. I like Agneta and I pity her all at the same time. Her mother has trained her well in everything except the bedroom. I think it's great how Reinier doesn't mind at all teaching her that stuff. Some men find it annoying. He's really good to her esp considering it's an arranged marriage. She got lucky ... for now.

    I wonder what even Sterren would do if she found out that Morvyn is a dragon. Maybe she wouldn't react so badly to it since I think she had some suspicions and she believes in fairies. Gaelle would go into heart failure probably. I can't wait to see what the child will look like. Was that a slip-up that Sterren knew it would be a girl or was that intentional?

    I can't wait also to find out what Jean will be like as an adult. He intrigues me. Oh, well, not to mention he's adorable. That goes without saying really. I hope he learns well from his grandfather. :)

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    1. I think Agneta's mother probably couldn't be of much help in the sex education...for her it was just something she endured as her 'duty'. It is lucky she didn't say much about it to her daughter, or Agneta might have been soured on the whole experience. But, she wants a good marriage and is eager to learn. Reiner didn't think he'd be all that into training a young bride, but he has found it more than enjoyable. Probably because Agneta is up for trying new things and gets into it.
      They both know how arranged marriages can go (which is why he wanted to avoid his),so they do both feel very lucky to find themselves so compatible. But obviously, he still has issues with his attachment to Sterren.

      I think Sterren would be pretty open-minded about dragons, because of her experiences with the fairies and her own magic, she's ready to accept to new ideas. Gaelle I think would freak pretty hard to know her lover was a dragon, and her baby.
      Sterren doesn't know for a fact that the baby is a girl...It wasn't a slip up, but I'm not entirely sure I should have written it that way. I didn't feel Sterren would use 'it', and I thought about her using 'he' instead, but I worried people might assume the child is male, and I put she and just left it there.

      Jean is going to be a very important character coming up. I'm glad I did put his childhood into the story, my original plans for him started as an adult, but I think he'll be a richer character for having started as a child.

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  6. I really don't know what to respond. I loved it, everything. Reinier and Agneta are adorable together and yet pitiful in ways. He is still infatuated with Sterren and yet he cares for his bride. He is almost likable if he were not caught up in his ideas of what the world should be and trying to rid the world of beings different from him. I ultimately think that the two are a dangerous pair and together, very dangerous. Gaelle is really in a bad situation. I almost fear that she will die in child-birth. If she does, and the baby is different, perhaps Sterren will say it also died and take it to her own home. She would need to leave the area then though. Or if the baby is different, I can almost imagine Gaelle's husband leaving it at a fairy hill or believing it's a changeling. I can't wait to see what the baby is..... Sterren is treading her own dangers as well. Jean has his fairy, and maybe the forgotten memory will give him comfort when it's needed. Loved it. Everything was wonderful.

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    1. hahaha!... for not know what to say, I said a lot! ^_^

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  7. Reinier almost looks happy there, it's a pity he hasn't managed contentment yet, which I believe is longer lasting than happiness. Happiness is fleeting, and dependent on the circumstances, contentment is not, and is a state of mind instead. Agneta makes a terrific nobleman's wife though, she was well trained by her parents.

    I'm glad to see that the pies are helping Gaelle out. How funny that it is only now that she starts thinking about some of the consequences of her actions, lol

    Dire times, well, it was only a matter of time, lol Men like Reinier were never content to sit and twiddle their thumbs over the little bit of land they had, they always were after more, wanted more. Besides that, Reinier's last name is Landgraab! =) At least Jean will have Winterdream looking after him, as to the fate of some of the others, I fear it will only be dire too, lol

    Another great chapter, I can't wait for the next one! =)

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    1. I don't think Reinier will ever be truly content, even when he gets what he wants, he'll always want something else. Ad I think if he had gotten Sterren to marry him, willingly or not, he wouldn't have been happy with her.
      Gaelle really hadn't been thinking at all, from the time she started her affair with Morvyn to her desperate attempt to put her pregnancy on Treveur.

      Yes, Reinier is getting ready to wreak havoc all over the area, and war will be everywhere. He's got a whole bunch of land grab here.
      Thanks Nirar! I've got so much planned or coming chapters. I have to make awhole bunch of Sims for the next chapter, though. Lots of work, lol.

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  8. It seems that Reinier and Agnete get along just fine...but he still has lingering thoughts on Sterren! I guess Agneta can almost feel that now thin connection he has with his Ex since she's not easily letting go of his past.

    As for Gaelle, I keep saying the secret has to come out eventually! Secrets don't like to be hidden! Words from Aeon! Also when they do come out they like to make a grand entrance! Usually...more words form Aeon...oh where was I...I never really had pity or sympathy for Gaelle heh, I guess it is what it is and she should be ever thankful that Sterren is around to help her out.

    It'll be fun to watch what happens to Jean and what fate has planned for him!

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    1. Yes, Agneta does worry about Reinier's past love, knowing that Sterren had broken his heart and now more than likely carries his child. And she has every reason to be concerned, Reinier still very obviously has this connection to Sterren that he can't break.

      Gaelle is certainly not he most sympathetic character; her problems are all her own doing and he's not particularly remorseful, just worried about any blowback that might hit her. She is lucky that Sterren is covering for her, though Sterren is doing it for the child's sake more thn Gaelle's. Secrets do like get out, but some stay hidden for a very long time...

      Jean has been a lot of fun for me. I know what fate has planned for him as an adult, I just don't kknow all the details of how Fate gets him there yet.

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  9. I feel very sorry for Agneta, even though Reinier seems to care about her, she loves him far more than he loves her and that spells danger and/or heartbreak to me... Even when he's making love to his wife, he's still thinking of Sterren...

    Jean is so sweet, watching for his fairy lady... I hope he doesn't tell more people about it though - I fear it could place him in danger if he does.

    That's a good way of getting round explaining the strange fruits, making a pie with them first - I'm glad they seem to be working for Gaelle :)

    Interesting words for Jean, I wonder what it portends for him and his life...

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    1. I feel bad for Agneta as well, she really has fallen for Reinier. And while he does love her in his way, he's obviously not let go of Sterren emotionally.
      Jean could endanger himself if he talks to people about seeing fairies. Hopefully his grandfatheer has warned him offbeing so open with everyone.

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  10. Omigawsh! I'm so sorry! If one of mine does that again just pm me and I can fix it no problem! I'm so sorry!

    Olof. Reiner. What an internal conflict he's got going on. Is Agneta picking up on that, or is she obsessed with Sterren only out of jealousy?

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    1. Aw, I don't blame your pose at all. Long skirts cause those kinds of problems with even standard EA animations. It does make doing costume period stories more difficult.
      I think Agneta is picking up on Reinier's internal conflict. And that of course leads to her jealousy. She knows he's had other women as well, and she's not bothered by them at all, because he doesn't think about them. But she knows he thinks about Sterren, and that she's having his child, and that does bother her a lot.

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  11. I'm still alive! Haha, I had a spot of busy, I hope you didn't think I abandoned your story. XD
    O_O That warning at the end of the story, yikes, that doesn't sound good.
    I almost felt bad for Agneta at the beginning of the story when she was worried about Reinier going to war, and I thought of all those military wives who have to endure that sort of worry and heartache. But then she mentioned that she was paranoid about Sterren trying to make a claim and telling everyone that she was having Reinier's child and I didn't feel for her anymore. LOL.
    I'm curious what Gaelle's baby will be, even though it sounds like now its craving fire like a dragon would... =D on to the next chapter!

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