![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
sigridharemGudmundr drew himself up when Sigrid entered her office,
“Sigrid. Welcome home.” Gudmundr bowed, which was quite a sight from a tall man with as much bulk as Gudmundr had.
“Thank you.” Sigrid allowed herself to smile briefly.
Gudmundr was, in some ways, the closest thing she and Lotte had to a father. He had probably not sired Sigrid, but out of the men in the Queen’s harem during her childhood, he had been the most interested in looking after her and Lotte. Even after he had fallen out of favor and ultimately left the Queen’s personal service in favor of the solider’s barracks, Gudmundr had remained a steady presence in their lives.
“Charlotte told you to ask for me.” It was not a question.
“She did.” Sigrid frowned. “I know she’s curious about our raid, but now that woman’s friends are asking questions and putting pressure on her. I thought about telling her but-“
“You must not.” Gudmundr’s expression was grim.
“But…” She understood why Gudmundr was being so firm, or at least she was fairly certain she did. The trouble was that it seemed a short term solution. “They’ll have to find someone guilty of killing her, won’t they?”
“Not necessarily. There are questions no one truly wants answered.”
Well, that’s cryptic. “I think her friends would disagree.”
Gudmundr exhaled. “May I sit?”
“Oh! Of course.” Sigrid was embarrassed she’d forgotten to grant him permission. “It’s only that if they bother Lotte enough, she might go to Mother…”
“She will not look kindly on anyone overstepping Charlotte’s authority.”
“I suppose that’s true, but…” Sigrid frowned again, leaning against her desk. “Mother reacted to the name Arinbjorg. She said she knew the woman’s father. Why are you so sure that Mother wouldn’t be interested in finding her killer?”
Gudmundr regarded her for a moment. “Has your mother ever spoken to you of Freja?”
There’s that name again.
“Yes.” Mere moments ago, but never mind. “But she didn’t say much. Only that Freja was her cousin and that she went silly over men and disappeared, I suppose.”
Gudmundr’s eyebrows shot up. “Went silly over men? Well, that’s certainly… a perspective.”
“What does that mean?” Sigrid was starting to feel six years old again. “Gudmundr, tell me what’s going on at once. What is the significance of this Freja and what, if anything, does she have to do with Arinbjorg?”
“Freja didn’t disappear,” Gudmundr said flatly. “She was killed. Almost certainly.”
Sigrid stared at him. “Mother’s cousin was murdered? And no one hung for it?”
“If that surprises you, Sigrid, you’re much more naive than I thought.” Gudmundr smiled, bitterly. “Allow me to help you. Freja did not ‘go silly’ over men. She married the wrong one.”
“If you’re saying-“ Sigrid began, than stopped.
Think. If he’s implying Freja was murdered by her husband… why wouldn’t Mother punish him?
Well, to be fair, Gudmundr never said she didn’t.
But… if Freja was Mother’s cousin…
“She was a potential heir to the throne,” Sigrid said slowly. “Wasn’t she?”
Gudmundr inclined his head.
“She could have challenged Mother. Or Lotte.” Sigrid felt cold. “So her death… was convenient for Mother.”
“Precisely.” Gudmundr stood. “I think that’s enough of a lesson for now, little Princess. Be careful who you talk to. You do not yet know who these friends of Arinbjorg are.”
“One more thing,” Sigrid said faintly.
“Yes?” Gudmundr turned, his hand on the door.
“Did Freja…” She swallowed. “Were there children?”
“I cannot be certain. She left here after her marriage.” Gudmundr paused. “But… there was a rumor of one.”
Sigrid closed her eyes briefly. “So no one has seen evidence that this supposed child lived or died.”
“Not that I am aware of.”
“All right.” Sigrid leaned back against the desk, steadying herself. “You may leave, Gudmundr.”
She wished it truly surprised her that her mother had chosen to look the other way at the disappearance and possible death of her own cousin. It would have surprised Lotte, surely.
But Sigrid remembered that smile when she had asked Mother what became of Freja.
One thing was very clear to her: so long as there was any chance Mother would take it ill, she must not know Sigrid had killed Arinbjorg.
That woman may have been a despicable criminal, but if she had friends at court, that means these friends are either very stupid or knew that she was keeping slaves. Which means either that they were uncommonly close-lipped or… that they had reason to believe Mother wouldn’t care.
She was going to have to ask Sasha more questions if she wanted to stay ahead of Lotte’s investigation.
Poor Lotte. Sigrid shook her head. She has no idea what she’s being dragged into.
Not for the first time, Sigrid wondered why the Queen had kept Lotte as her heir. Lotte, who refused to eat lamb for sentimental reasons and believed there was no dispute that couldn’t be solved through negotiation.
“Karl.” She raised her voice so she could be heard in the hallway.
Her valet entered, conscientiously closing the door behind him. “Yes, my lady?”
Sigrid sighed. “I’ll be frank, I’m not certain whether I should go on now with my present business or take the time to arrange for pleasure while I still have it.”
For a long moment, Karl simply blinked. Then: “Are you requesting my opinion, my lady?”
“We’re alone. You needn’t worry about anyone overhearing and thinking you’re putting on airs,” Sigrid said lightly.
Another long silence followed, but Sigrid could tell Karl was considering it.
Finally, he spoke. “Would continuing your present business interfere with your pleasure?”
Sigrid considered the question. “Possibly. Well… I suppose I don’t know. I can’t say I have much of an appetite at the moment, but I might be happy for the distraction.”
Karl simply gazed at her. “Does your present business involve Sasha, my lady?”
She knew her shock showed on her face, particularly when Karl gave a grim sort of nod.
“Send for him along with whoever you are thinking of for tonight, if you do not wish there to be suspicion among the others. I can keep them from eavesdropping on each other if you see them in here.”
Sigrid inclined her head. “In that case, I should like you to fetch Leifr, Sasha and Wolfgang.”
Karl bowed. “It will be done.”
“Sigrid. Welcome home.” Gudmundr bowed, which was quite a sight from a tall man with as much bulk as Gudmundr had.
“Thank you.” Sigrid allowed herself to smile briefly.
Gudmundr was, in some ways, the closest thing she and Lotte had to a father. He had probably not sired Sigrid, but out of the men in the Queen’s harem during her childhood, he had been the most interested in looking after her and Lotte. Even after he had fallen out of favor and ultimately left the Queen’s personal service in favor of the solider’s barracks, Gudmundr had remained a steady presence in their lives.
“Charlotte told you to ask for me.” It was not a question.
“She did.” Sigrid frowned. “I know she’s curious about our raid, but now that woman’s friends are asking questions and putting pressure on her. I thought about telling her but-“
“You must not.” Gudmundr’s expression was grim.
“But…” She understood why Gudmundr was being so firm, or at least she was fairly certain she did. The trouble was that it seemed a short term solution. “They’ll have to find someone guilty of killing her, won’t they?”
“Not necessarily. There are questions no one truly wants answered.”
Well, that’s cryptic. “I think her friends would disagree.”
Gudmundr exhaled. “May I sit?”
“Oh! Of course.” Sigrid was embarrassed she’d forgotten to grant him permission. “It’s only that if they bother Lotte enough, she might go to Mother…”
“She will not look kindly on anyone overstepping Charlotte’s authority.”
“I suppose that’s true, but…” Sigrid frowned again, leaning against her desk. “Mother reacted to the name Arinbjorg. She said she knew the woman’s father. Why are you so sure that Mother wouldn’t be interested in finding her killer?”
Gudmundr regarded her for a moment. “Has your mother ever spoken to you of Freja?”
There’s that name again.
“Yes.” Mere moments ago, but never mind. “But she didn’t say much. Only that Freja was her cousin and that she went silly over men and disappeared, I suppose.”
Gudmundr’s eyebrows shot up. “Went silly over men? Well, that’s certainly… a perspective.”
“What does that mean?” Sigrid was starting to feel six years old again. “Gudmundr, tell me what’s going on at once. What is the significance of this Freja and what, if anything, does she have to do with Arinbjorg?”
“Freja didn’t disappear,” Gudmundr said flatly. “She was killed. Almost certainly.”
Sigrid stared at him. “Mother’s cousin was murdered? And no one hung for it?”
“If that surprises you, Sigrid, you’re much more naive than I thought.” Gudmundr smiled, bitterly. “Allow me to help you. Freja did not ‘go silly’ over men. She married the wrong one.”
“If you’re saying-“ Sigrid began, than stopped.
Think. If he’s implying Freja was murdered by her husband… why wouldn’t Mother punish him?
Well, to be fair, Gudmundr never said she didn’t.
But… if Freja was Mother’s cousin…
“She was a potential heir to the throne,” Sigrid said slowly. “Wasn’t she?”
Gudmundr inclined his head.
“She could have challenged Mother. Or Lotte.” Sigrid felt cold. “So her death… was convenient for Mother.”
“Precisely.” Gudmundr stood. “I think that’s enough of a lesson for now, little Princess. Be careful who you talk to. You do not yet know who these friends of Arinbjorg are.”
“One more thing,” Sigrid said faintly.
“Yes?” Gudmundr turned, his hand on the door.
“Did Freja…” She swallowed. “Were there children?”
“I cannot be certain. She left here after her marriage.” Gudmundr paused. “But… there was a rumor of one.”
Sigrid closed her eyes briefly. “So no one has seen evidence that this supposed child lived or died.”
“Not that I am aware of.”
“All right.” Sigrid leaned back against the desk, steadying herself. “You may leave, Gudmundr.”
She wished it truly surprised her that her mother had chosen to look the other way at the disappearance and possible death of her own cousin. It would have surprised Lotte, surely.
But Sigrid remembered that smile when she had asked Mother what became of Freja.
One thing was very clear to her: so long as there was any chance Mother would take it ill, she must not know Sigrid had killed Arinbjorg.
That woman may have been a despicable criminal, but if she had friends at court, that means these friends are either very stupid or knew that she was keeping slaves. Which means either that they were uncommonly close-lipped or… that they had reason to believe Mother wouldn’t care.
She was going to have to ask Sasha more questions if she wanted to stay ahead of Lotte’s investigation.
Poor Lotte. Sigrid shook her head. She has no idea what she’s being dragged into.
Not for the first time, Sigrid wondered why the Queen had kept Lotte as her heir. Lotte, who refused to eat lamb for sentimental reasons and believed there was no dispute that couldn’t be solved through negotiation.
“Karl.” She raised her voice so she could be heard in the hallway.
Her valet entered, conscientiously closing the door behind him. “Yes, my lady?”
Sigrid sighed. “I’ll be frank, I’m not certain whether I should go on now with my present business or take the time to arrange for pleasure while I still have it.”
For a long moment, Karl simply blinked. Then: “Are you requesting my opinion, my lady?”
“We’re alone. You needn’t worry about anyone overhearing and thinking you’re putting on airs,” Sigrid said lightly.
Another long silence followed, but Sigrid could tell Karl was considering it.
Finally, he spoke. “Would continuing your present business interfere with your pleasure?”
Sigrid considered the question. “Possibly. Well… I suppose I don’t know. I can’t say I have much of an appetite at the moment, but I might be happy for the distraction.”
Karl simply gazed at her. “Does your present business involve Sasha, my lady?”
She knew her shock showed on her face, particularly when Karl gave a grim sort of nod.
“Send for him along with whoever you are thinking of for tonight, if you do not wish there to be suspicion among the others. I can keep them from eavesdropping on each other if you see them in here.”
Sigrid inclined her head. “In that case, I should like you to fetch Leifr, Sasha and Wolfgang.”
Karl bowed. “It will be done.”
