Chapter 150: Still Set On Claiming It?
One of the men who had been part of the original theft stepped forward, head bowed against the falling snow.
"We were desperate. The children hadn’t eaten properly in days. We didn’t know what else to do."
Hedda met his eyes steadily. "Desperation doesn’t excuse theft, but the queen understands it. Work the fields in spring. Prove you can be trusted again. That’s how we move forward together."
The man swallowed hard and nodded. The villagers began carrying supplies inside, their movements lighter now. Children laughed as they helped drag smaller bundles, the sound carrying through the wind.
Harald approached Hedda quietly. "This will save us. Tell the queen thank you."
The distribution took time. Hedda stayed to make sure everything was divided fairly, speaking with several families about their needs for spring planting.
The conversations were honest and grounded — concerns about seed quality, worries about flooding in low areas, quiet gratitude mixed with lingering shame.
She listened more than she spoke, letting them feel heard.
The ride back toward Frostfang was slower, the wind at their backs pushing the horses along. Hedda rode in silence for a time, the cold air sharp against her face.
The decision had been the right one, even if it had created new tensions in the council.
Fairness wasn’t always popular, but it kept the pack whole.
The keep appeared on the horizon as dusk fell, its lights warm against the gathering dark. The bailey was alive with evening activity when they arrived.
A group of hunters returned with fresh game, their arrival greeted with cheers from those waiting. Women carried baskets of bread from the ovens, steam rising invitingly in the cold air. Elders sat under sheltered awnings, mending nets and sharing stories while apprentices listened intently.
The ordinary rhythm continued, stubborn and warm, and Hedda drew quiet strength from it.
Magnus met the group near the stables, his cloak dusted with fresh snow. He had been coordinating the joint patrols and looked like he had just returned from the outer ridges.
"The eastern watch posts report no new activity. The land is still quiet. The decision with the village is already being talked about in the outer holdings. Some see it as strength. Others as softness. But they’re talking."
Hedda dismounted, handing her horse to a stable hand. "Let them talk. The important thing is they see we’re trying to do right by everyone. That’s how trust rebuilds."
Their conversation turned to the practical details of the next supply run and the joint patrols. His insights from Stormborn’s experience were practical and respectful.
The ease between them had grown steadily — not dramatic, but built on shared work and honest exchange. He challenged ideas without undermining authority, and she appreciated that balance.
Inside the hall, the evening meal was underway. Voices and laughter filled the space as families and warriors ate together. She took a seat at one of the long tables and accepted a bowl of stew, the warmth seeping into her hands.
Magnus sat nearby, the conversation between them continuing in low voices. The connection felt easy today, built on mutual respect and the shared work of recent weeks.
Later, in the quieter hours, she reviewed the latest southern reports from Thorne. His team was making progress on the outpost despite the challenges of the terrain.
The determination in his words was clear. She smiled faintly at the familiar energy in his report. Lila’s brother was finding his own path, and she was proud of that even as it pulled at the protectiveness she felt for all the heirs.
Sleep came eventually, filled with dreams of new fields turning green and children playing without fear.
She woke before dawn with clear purpose. The day would bring new challenges and ongoing recovery.
She would meet them with steady hands and the full strength of Frostfang behind her. The crown remained heavy, but her people’s heart beat strong beneath it. She would keep it beating, one balanced choice at a time.
The future stretched ahead. Thorne would push the edges. She would hold the center. Together they would build something lasting. The east stayed quiet. Frostfang endured. That was enough for today.
The next morning brought fresh snow and a new set of challenges. A messenger arrived from one of the outer holdings, reporting early flooding in the low fields.
Lila headed out immediately, riding with a small group of workers and Hedda to assess the damage. The fields were a mess of standing water and damaged seed beds, the thaw coming harder than expected.
She rolled up her sleeves and worked alongside the farmers, helping to dig new drainage channels while listening to their concerns about the coming planting season.
The work was hard and muddy, the cold seeping through her gloves, but it gave her a clear picture of what the pack was facing. One farmer, an older woman named Ingrid, worked beside her, her hands steady despite the cold. "The queen herself in the mud with us. That’s new."
Lila lifted another shovelful of heavy soil. "The mud is the same for all of us. If the fields fail, we all feel it."
By midday the worst of the flooding was diverted. Ingrid wiped her brow and looked at the improved channels. "This will help. Thank you for coming yourself. Most leaders send orders. You send hands."
Lila straightened, wiping mud from her face. "Orders only work if the hands know they’re seen. We’ll send extra seed if the damage is too bad. Let me know by the end of the week."
The ride back was glimmy, the group tired but satisfied with the work. Magnus met her at the gates, his expression showing he had heard about the flooding. "The outer fields are holding for now. Your decision to go yourself will be remembered."
Lila dismounted, handing her horse to a stable hand. "Remembered is good. Results are better. We’ll see what spring brings."
Their conversation turned to the joint patrols and the latest southern reports. His insights were practical, and the ease between them felt natural after the shared work of recent weeks. He challenged her thinking without undermining her authority, and she appreciated that balance.
The afternoon brought a different kind of work. A dispute had broken out between two relocated families over the allocation of a shared storage shed.
Lila went to the site herself rather than summoning them to the council chamber. The two families stood arguing in the snow, voices raised over who had arrived first and who deserved the larger space.
Children watched from doorways, uncertain.
Lila listened to both sides, then made her decision on the spot. "The shed is divided equally. You work together to reinforce it before the next heavy snow. In return, I’ll send extra tools for both families. This isn’t about who was first. It’s about how we survive the winter together."
The families grumbled but accepted the ruling. As she rode away, she felt the familiar weight of responsibility. Not every decision would please everyone, but fairness and practicality had to guide her.
Evening brought a quiet moment in the archive chamber. She reviewed the latest southern reports from Thorne. His team was making progress on the outpost despite the challenges of the terrain. The determination in his words was clear. She smiled faintly at the familiar energy in his report. Her brother was finding his own path, and she was proud of that even as it pulled at her protectiveness.
Sleep came eventually, filled with dreams of new fields turning green and children playing without fear.
She woke before dawn with clear purpose. The day would bring new challenges and ongoing recovery. She would meet them with steady hands and the full strength of Frostfang behind her.
The crown remained heavy, but her people’s heart beat strong beneath it. She would keep it beating, one balanced choice at a time.
The future stretched ahead. Thorne would push the edges. She would hold the center. Together they would build something lasting. The east stayed quiet. Frostfang endured. That was enough for today.
****************
The southern pass opened up into a wide valley as Thorne and his team crested the final ridge, the snow giving way to patches of exposed rock and hardy winter grass. The air felt different, sharper, carrying the scent of pine and distant water.
He reined in his horse, scanning the land below. The valley stretched long and promising, the frozen river cutting through its center like a dark line on a map.
Ruins hugged the far slope, old stone walls half swallowed by snow and undergrowth.
This could be something real. Not just a temporary camp, but a foothold.
Jakob pulled up beside him, his scarred face set in its usual half-grin. "Looks like good ground. Defensible slopes on three sides, water close. You still set on claiming it?"
Thorne nodded, the restlessness that had followed him from Frostfang easing into purpose. "We start here. Build something that lasts. No more living in my sister’s shadow."