The Fae King's Ruin

Aunt Freyja

Avery knocked on the door of his aunt’s suite, a bright smile fixed upon his face as he took a mental stock of himself. 

Did he brush his teeth? Were his clothes perfectly pressed? Should he have brought something upon coming to meet her? Freshly picked flowers maybe? Or was now not a good time to visit?

But none of that mattered as he heard the lock turn— it would be too late anyway— and settled himself by just taking his aunt’s criticisms of him. When he saw that a short, raven-haired maid had opened the door, however, he knew something was instantly wrong. His Aunt Freyja, despite being a lady, had not once expected any door to be opened for her, not even by her husband before when he was still alive. And when he saw the face of his cousin-in-law smiling apologetically at him he knew that he had come on a bad day.

“Your Majesty,” said Elena as she dipped to a formal curtsy. “What brings you here?”

He kissed her on the cheek as he entered the room. "I was hoping to see Aunt Freyja. Is she awake?"

She shook her head, frowning sadly. "I am afraid she is having one those days, Avery. She has not been responding to anything much but to take food and medicine."

His brows pulled together in worry. "Is she sick?”

"No, but she takes certain supplements so that she stays healthy. Catteline had prescribed it all."

Avery nodded thoughtfully. "Can I see her? Or is she sleeping?”

Elena smiled. "You can go in. She's enjoying the sun from her window.”

He thanked her, promising that he would not take long, and made his way towards his aunt's bedroom. Quietly turning the handle, he pushed the door ever so slightly, merely poking his head in first, and immediately saw his aunt. 

She was sitting on a rocking chair that must have been brought in since he had never seen one in this room when she used it before. Her graying locks were down and were freely cascading down her back. The lines on her face were more prominent now with no makeup on, yet even though the years were manifesting itself through her physical appearance, she somehow seemed calmer and more at peace than Avery had ever seen her before.

For years, all anyone could ever see when they looked at his aunt was the same hauntedness that came with losing the one she loved. She was still beautiful, don't get him wrong. Aunt Freyja's beauty was something that got better with age. But it was heartbreaking to witness her slowly cave in on herself. Once, Aunt Freyja had been the life of the party. She planned balls that Avery’s father could never do because his mother always used to be the one in charge of those things. She mothered Avery, standing in for his mother in the most crucial of moments, that sometimes he felt guilty for not feeling as bad because Aunt Freyja was there.

But now that all her children were grown up, with none of them needing her as much anymore, he could understand why she was now starting this process of letting go.

“Hey, Aunt Freyja,” he murmured softly, moving into the room. His aunt kept her eyes on the picture book on her lap, flipping through pages of pictures of his uncle, and not paying him any mind. “I heard you were enjoying the sunshine. Have you been cold?”

As he expected, there was no reply. Aunt Freyja did not even seem to hear him as she did not stir from her seat or break eye contact with the photo album. He sat on the small ottoman near her side, not touching her just in case she did not want to be held. 

“Do you want to go out for a stroll in the sun?” he asked her gently, looking ahead and not expecting any reply. “Alfheim had always been beautiful when the sun shines on the snow-covered city. Mother said that the harbor had been your favorite and you loathed to leave it when you married my uncle.”

He smiled. “I miss him, too. All of them. They left us too soon, don’t you think, Aunt Freyja? Especially Mother. Her birthday is coming up in a month.” Avery chuckled. “Did you know, by some odd coincidence, Aislin shares the same birthday with her? I know, it surprised me too. But I didn’t say anything to her about it yet.”

Avery sighed. “She told me she loved me, Aunt Freyja. It is a damn miracle that she does because I had been convinced that no female would love a male who carries so many burdens. I am lucky since she understands the pressure placed on me because we share the same roles in life.

“I wish you are here when I get married to her this spring,” he whispered. “It would mean a lot to me to have at least one parent of mine be there. It’s selfish, I know, but could you please be there? Hold on long enough to see me on the happiest day of my life?”

He sat there for an hour, letting the question sit between them until he was due for breakfast. He knew she was not lucid, but he hoped anyway that his aunt heard his little plea. Before he left, he said a little prayer to Ilyn and whispered to his parents and uncle to wait for a bit longer for Aunt Freyja. After all, they would have an eternity with her when their days with her were numbered.

He closed the bedroom door with a small click and smiled at Elena as she looked up from folding her children’s clothes. Avery did not let himself linger and went on his way to meet with Aislin.