The one person she truly did trust was Hk, but here he was telling her to let Katia and herself be taken by Valto, and have her babes sent into the wilderness.

"Nay, I can't, they need me. They are too young . . . Nay!" She crumbled again to the floor because she knew he was right.

"Klara's agents are trying to destroy Magnus's house." Hk sat on the floor beside her. "They will succeed if we do not stay ahead of them."

"There must be another way," she whispered, wiping her tears away, trying to refocus.

"I cannot fight them all."

Lida wept harder. She knew he was right. She knew it was the only way, but still . . . "Magnus will think me heartless, Hk. I would never . . . I cannot choose between my children. I cannot let Katia go with that monster and I cannot let our sons stay here unprotected." She tried to breathe, to stop crying, but she could not.

"You are the furthest thing from heartless, Lida. Magnus has known this from the start. We will do what we must to protect all of your children." Hk pulled her into a tight embrace.

That evening in the nursery, Lida kissed and fed her babes as she wept silently. Clutching both her sons to her chest, Lida inhaled deeply, taking in their sweet scent. Across the chamber, Hk and Ylva packed provisions. The bitter irony was that Tronscar was now the most dangerous place in the world for its precious heirs.

Her infants were a part of her, extensions to her arms. It would be easier to sever her limbs than to release one of her sons. Her breasts throbbed with the thought of letting them go, even just for an hour, a day.

"'Tis time, Lida. We must go while these few hours of darkness conceal us," her brother-in-law whispered.

"Just a little while longer." She pulled both sleeping bundles a little closer.

"We must be across the river before they are discovered missing, so our scent will be lost from the trackers. This is our only chance, Lida." Hk crouched down before her, trying to force her to look at him. She kissed both babes, nodded her head, and turned her face away from them and into the pillow. She could not look at them as he took them away.

Hk touched her shoulder. "They will be safe and returned to your arms in a fortnight. Hold your faith in Magnus as I do, sister."

"How will he know how to reach you, to tell you to bring my sons back to me once it is safe?"

"If he knows his sons are with me, he knows where to find them. I have placed a few small markings and symbols for him to find in his chamber. He will be the only one to see them and he will know. You keep strong for Katia. Keep safe and hold on." Her brother-in-law disappeared through the secret passageway built into the wall of Magnus's chamber.

The tunnel led out to the secondary stables. As they had made their plan, Hk had explained that only three stonemasons, Magnus, and himself knew of the tunnel's existence. The people of Tronscar were under the impression that the stonemasons who had been brought from Crete were to chisel hearths. Upon the completion of the secret passageways, the masons were paid handsomely and returned home. Her husband's secret planning did not bring Lida comfort. He had foreseen treachery, and that knowledge left her with an ominous feeling for the events yet to come.

Adorned in their very best silk gowns and dripping in jewels and gold, Katia and Lida waited at the bottom of the stairs before anyone could be sent above stairs to fetch them. Brita and Rakel waited outside of the children's chambers and assured Lida that they would keep the household away from the nursery for as long as possible. Food and water would be fetched and used as if Ylva were caring for the babes behind the closed doors. If it was discovered that the babes were missing, Lida had instructed them to say that Ylva had stolen them and had once spoken of going to Lapphyttan to start a new life.

That was the plan anyway. Whether Brita, Ragna, and Rakel were loyal enough to comply would remain to be seen. At least by then, Hk, Ylva, and the twins would be safely hidden in the mountains.

Valto, that yellow-toothed rodent, approached them with open arms, smiling from ear to ear. "Lida, radiant as ever. My lovely niece, you have your mother's hair." He touched Katia's braids. Lika snarled.

Bitterly swallowing her hatred, Lida said softy, "The dog does not like anyone touching my daughter, Valto. Be forewarned-she bites."

"You risk your child with that?" Valto turned his nose up at the dog.

"Lika only bites bad people," Katia said, bravely glaring at her uncle. Lida had not explained the entire situation to her daughter because she had not wanted to frighten her. But Katia was sadly wise beyond her years, and had quickly understood that her uncle was a person Lika was bound to bite.

"Hakon, have the ravens and ships been dispatched?" Lida asked sharply.

"We have only just-" The steward started to make his pathetic attempt at an excuse.

"Send them now. The sooner word reaches my husband, the sooner this will all be resolved." Lida turned and focused on Valto. "I prayed long and hard last night and have come to conclude that I do wish to have words with Chief Rein and your mother. I am most anxious to speak with them, in fact. Retributions, I believe, will taste very sweet indeed." She spoke haughtily, hoping to give a false impression as to why she had so abruptly changed her mind.

"Magistrate," she said, turning to Axel, "as friherrinna of Norrland, I intend to take my children to visit our neighbors across the Gulf of Bothnia. When the jarl returns, advise him as to where he may retrieve his family."

"You intend to take your sons, Friherrinna?" Axel glanced over to Hakon. Clearly neither one had anticipated this reaction. "I cannot permit them to leave. The jarl instructed-"

"That all his children were to remain in residence," Lida said, raising her chin up higher. "Aye, I am aware. Since you are sending one of his children to Finland, why not send them all? My sons are packed and prepared for travel. Their nurses will bring them down as soon as the wagons are to be loaded."

"Nay, Friherrinna." Axel stood before her with his arms crossed. "The heirs shall not be permitted to leave Tronscar."

Lida pretended to appear upset and flustered. She spoke in whispers to Ragna-all part of the performance.

"Where is the half-breed?" Hakon asked, and all eyes turned to Lida once more.

"He departed," Lida stated plainly. "He had come to ask to borrow my horse."

"Seal the gates. I want him found," Axel commanded his men.

"Why, Axel? Hk is an honored guest of the jarl's, so why would his presence, or lack thereof, bother you if nothing is amiss in your judgment to send his daughter to Finland?"

"She is not his daughter." Axel glared at her. "She is the Lyyskis' daughter, and I am fulfilling my orders to uphold the law."

"You are making a grave misstep, Axel," Lida said, returning her enemy's glare. She hoped she was masking her shaking nerves with her feigned display of annoyance. "But I concede. My sons will stay with their nurses above stairs. They are never to leave the safety of these walls." What a jest those words were. "That is the new law of Tronscar. Is that understood, magistrate?" Her husband's men answered her question with stiff nods and scowling faces. "Come, Katia, let us go kiss your brothers farewell. I expect it will only be a few days until the jarl returns and straightens out this mess," she said, for the benefit of the men. It would not be days, but weeks, if not a month of danger before her husband would return from his mission to find his family missing.

The responsibility to protect her children rested on her shoulders. She prayed for a calm heart. Like Hk and her sons, she was determined to find a place to hide and wait out the storm until Magnus could come home and protect them once again. Tears snuck up on her, but she banished them, dashing them from her cheeks as they fell.

Scared and uncertain that she had made the right decision in separating her family, Lida climbed the stairs to say farewell to empty cradles.

"Please go sit over there with Lika, my love." Lida pointed to the stern of the small merchant ship. "I will be there shortly." She watched her daughter walk away before turning her attention to Valto, who had his hand locked around her upper arm. "Let us speak plainly, Valto, before the ship pulls away from Swedish shores."

Valto licked his lips. "I was meaning to speak to you. I have-"

"I prefer to begin," she said, her teeth grinding together. "Are you certain that you want to do this? You have declared war with the jarl of Norrland. Are you truly prepared for the consequences? Take us back now, wait to speak with Magnus, and you will be rewarded as a trusted ally," she said.

"My mother always said you were a s-s-spiteful bitch," he stammered. "I-"

"No, that is not accurate. I am the dirty whore and fortune hunter. Spiteful bitch was what she called your aunt," Lida said dryly.

Valto pulled her in closer. "The jarl will not come after me. The jarl sent me here. He convinced the bishop to force my father to take back the girl." His foul breath smothered her. "I suggest you take care in how you address me. I hold the power to make your life very unpleasant." He looked to the where Katia sat. "And hers."

The contents of Lida's stomach lurched into her throat.

Chapter 26.

Heavy gray clouds followed them across the gulf. Sitting alone at the stern of the vessel, Lida tucked Katia under her white cloak and prepared for the downpour ahead. The sea had picked up, pitching them back and forth, nearly sending her spilling off the bench and across the deck.

"What's he like, Mama?" her daughter asked. She had been quiet most of the day, her bubbly vitality bottled up.

"What is who like?"

"My grandfather, the chief. If he wants to meet me, why did he not ask before?"

"Oh, well . . . there is much to tell you, my love. I never intended on telling you while you were still young." She pushed her daughter's hair behind her ear.

"Why? Is he very ugly or something? Does he curse too much and have bad teeth like my uncle?"

"I would imagine his teeth are unpleasant. He is very old."

Katia continued to pet Lika, who sat with her head in her daughter's lap. "Do you think he will like me, now that he wants everyone to know that I am his granddaughter?"

"I . . . I am not certain." How was she to explain this horrid plight to her daughter? "Katia, there are people in Lylasku that may say mean things to us, but we must remember always to rise above it. Grandma never let me feel sorry for myself when people said hurtful things. I do not know how to explain, my love. I wish I could keep you from this ugliness. I . . . your father and I-"

"You got me in your belly before you wed my father. I know, Mama," her daughter said serenely.

"What! Who told you that?"

"Tina, Sissi, Rena, Peter, Lourra, Garen, Soyan-"

"Enough! Why did you not ever tell me? Why did you never ask, or-"

"Mama, you loved my father. Grandma told me that love is not in our choice, but in our fate, remember? She told me that you had no choice but to love my father and that I am a result of your love. Most people do not understand these things, Mama." Her daughter patted her hand. "Grandma understands everything. She said the same as you, that I should feel sorry for foolish people who do not understand. She says that most of those people will never understand love, even if it bit them on the bum."

"Hush, your grandma did not say that."

"Well, she said 'nose' instead of 'bum,' but I said 'bum' because it sounds more funny." Katia beamed her contagious smile.

"You are the smartest eight-year-old in the world, do you know that?"

"And the prettiest too." She wiggled her pinched lips in a silly way. "Jarl Magnus told me that before he left. He said that daughters have purpose. I am pretty, smart, helpful with my brothers, and . . ." Smiling like a sweet scoundrel, she looked away.

"And what?"

"And the keeper of important things. The keeper of secrets," she whispered excitedly. What secrets?

Her daughter looked around the deck, checking if anyone was watching her. She carefully loosened her lace at her throat and slipped her hand down the front of her clothing. She pulled a long, thin, gold chain from around her neck. "He said I could keep it our secret or I could show just one person and that was you. Not all secrets are bad. Good secrets I'm allowed to keep," Katia said. She held out the object, locked in her cupped hand. She slowly opened her fingers for her mother to peek inside.

It was his gold and emerald stone ring-the Knutson ring, the jarl of Norrland's sacred ring-around her daughter's neck. Katia tucked it back away under the layers of her clothing.

"What! When?" Lida blundered.

"The day my brothers were born. He said since I was now truly his first child that I should have his ring. He said when I am big, he will ask the smith to fit it proper for me." Her daughter smiled with pride. "Mama, are you all right? You look strange."

All Lida could do was nod. She squeezed Katia tight.

"He loves me, Mama, as much as Grandpa and Grandma do. I think he chose to wed you, so it must be his fate to love me." Katia patted her hand to offer support, and then giggled.

"What is so funny?" Lida asked.

"I am teaching the jarl the Finnish tongue."

"'Tis very sweet of you."

"He says he does not like us having a secret language, so I am teaching him."

Lida did not trust her daughter's smirk. "Katia, what did you do?"

"I taught him to say, 'Your braid is very lovely,' in Finnish."

"That is nice of you," Lida said with mounting suspicion.

Katia covered her mouth and giggled into her hands. "He may not get it right. It may come out sounding like 'You are my heart and greatest love.'" She giggled harder.

"That is not very smart of you. What if he starts saying that to a maid who happens to speak Finnish?" Lida herself giggled at the thought.

"He will not, Mama. He only says such things to you and me."

"You are terrible. What have I been teaching you?" She squeezed her daughter tighter, feeling eternally proud of her girl, her nerves momentarily soothed.

"Will my new grandfather tell me my braids are lovely?"

"Oh, my love. I do not know anymore. A big hole was made in his heart when your father died. I am not certain if it can ever be repaired. He used to enjoy music and telling stories, but I do not know how we will find him. We will try to do our best to be polite. They may say that you are now to remain there with them. Do not argue. Your father Magnus will come for us soon."

"I will be good, Mama. Grandma told me to be kind to unkind people. They need it the most." She nodded seriously and gazed out over the gray, churned-up sea.

Lida looked out to sea as well. With every rise and fall of the cresting waves, her ache for her sons grew greater. She pressed her arm over her throbbing, tingling breasts, which had grown heavy with milk for her hungry babes. Her eyes turned to the shrinking Swedish shoreline. Somewhere deep in that mountain range, riding deeper into the wilderness, were her sweet infant sons.

She closed her eyes and resolved to place all her faith in Magnus. She slowed her breathing and stilled her mind, preparing for the battle that awaited her.

She straightened her spine, her hand folding around the hilt of the jeweled dagger she had sewn into a concealed compartment of her skirt. If anyone so much as stepped a foot too close to her daughter, they would encounter violence. She was suddenly thankful for her many days spent admiring her husband in the sparring ring.

She was returning to Lylasku not as a shamed, beaten young girl, but as Friherrinna Lida of Tronscar, wife of the fearsome warlord Jarl Magnus Knutson.

Lida embraced her role as a warlord's wife. She was ready to be proven worthy of the distinction.

Chapter 27.