*

After a tiring shift in the healing wing, Gale hung up her apron with care and closed her eyes, leaning against the wall. It felt cool against her skin, almost refreshing. After being on her feet all day, she felt completely sick to her stomach.

"You all right?"

She opened her eyes and smiled wanly at Iver, her best friend and fellow healer. "Just a bit stressed is all. Thanks."

"I know what you mean," he replied, tossing a roll of bandages to her. She deftly caught them mirror in her hands and stored them away in a cabinet. "Once all of this stuff with the prince is over, I know I'll sleep better at night."

Gale felt her chest tighten as she thought of her Asmund all alone in a cell, suffering from unknown injuries. While the king hadn't disclosed his methods for attempting to extract the truth to the public for obvious reasons like saving face or keeping his so-called honor, the excruciating pains that occasionally shot through her soul mark told her more than enough.

"I suppose," she murmured, nodding. Iver noticed a faint pink coloring on her cheeks but attributed it to the heat of the healing wing.

"Are you sure you're all right? You look tired. And really pale."

"I think I just need some rest. I know we had plans, but-"

He cut right over her. "Don't apologize. We can go for drinks another night. In fact, I'll walk you home."

"Thanks."

They waved to Lord Erik, the head healer, before heading out the back door. Despite it being sunset, the summer sun beat down on them and Gale swayed slightly, the heat amplifying her nauseousness. She tried to hide her discomfort but Iver noticed all the same. Instead of pointing it out, he only offered her an arm and gave her the support she needed.

The pair made their way down the hill and to the nearby village where both of them lived. Gale noticed more blossoms sprouting than usual. Briefly, she wondered if the visiting princess had anything to do with it. The royal family had been relatively private in the last two weeks, but the rumors spread all the same. Some wondered if the king had always been abusive and was only now showing his true colors. The most popular debate was the identity of Prince Asmund's mystery wife, a conversation she wasn't at all comfortable with.

The kingdom sat on the edge of its seat, curious beyond belief as these events unfolded. The future was uncertain. Asmund had been their future, and that future was safe and secure. Now, though, that shattered, leaving behind only uncertainty. Whispers swept the halls and streets. The old thought him foolish, the young thought him brave. Everyone mourned the chance for their beloved eldest prince to rule, because the odds of him ascending the throne were all but gone.

"It's so hot out," Gale said, wishing her gray dress didn't have long sleeves. "I don't remember the last time we had such a hot summer."

"It's been quite a few years. I've heard the farmers talking. They're worried about a potential drought."

Gale frowned at Iver's words. "That's the last thing we need, another disastrous problem for the royal family to solve. King Frey might explode."

"Yes, I think they have enough on their plate as it is," Iver joked, nudging her playfully on the shoulder. Normally, she'd shove him back and say something soft yet witty, but she remained silent, a concerned look in her hazel eyes. "Okay, something's seriously up with you. What is it?"

She shook her head. It wasn't that she didn't trust Iver. She loved him like a brother. No, she just couldn't tell anyone. Asmund hadn't. They needed to keep the secret that kept them both alive.

"I'm just worried about Vanaheim. This isn't really a good situation for us to be in. And the prince..." She let out a long breath. "I'm worried about him. Who knows what the king's done to him? I mean, he always seemed kind. For a prince, I mean. Doesn't that bother you?"

"Now that you mention it, yes. He did what he did for love, and he helped us the other day. I respect him for that." Iver shook his head and brushed his long dark hair out of his eyes. "I don't think anything good is waiting for him, unfortunately."

She gripped onto his arm so tightly that he winced and she instantly let go, like a child who just touched a flame. Her nails left little red crescents in his arm.

"Gale." He stopped walking and his voice suddenly went quiet even though he didn't intend for it to happen. "You do trust me, right?"

"Yes, of course," she whispered.

"Do you think we have the kind of friendship that if something big was happening, we'd tell each other about it?"

Numbly, she nodded.

"So if something was going on, no matter how terrible it was, you'd tell me?"

Could he hear her heart beating? Another wave of nausea washed over Gale and she took a few deep breaths, reminding herself to keep a calm demeanor at all times.

"Of course I would."

Iver's eyes darkened a little, but he nodded, respectfully not pushing the issue any further. "Good. Because I'll always support you no matter what."

They stopped in front of Gale's home, a tiny white cottage covered in ivy vines. "Thank you for walking me home," she said quietly, refusing to meet his eyes. If she did, she might give something away that she could never take back. "I'll see you tomorrow?"

"Yes. Early shift." He sounded more formal, too. He's angry with me, she realized. Because he knows I'm hiding something. Whether he knew she was the mystery wife of Prince Asmund or not made no difference. He knew she was keeping secrets. "Good night, Gale."

"Good night, Iver."

Sighing to herself, she pushed open the creaky door and shut it quickly, letting her gaze sweep around her space. The small kitchen and living room were combined into one room to maximize space. A number of windows let in the natural light, each equipped with pretty yellow curtains to offer privacy when she needed it. Upstairs was a small bedroom loft. The entire home had a comforting atmosphere, though, with its warm color palette and simple furniture. A few books sat on the mantle above the fireplace, long abandoned in the summer heat.

Gale kicked off her shoes and poured herself a cup of cold water before sinking into the couch. She meant to finish the drink, wash off, then head up to the loft for bed, but she quickly fell asleep on the cushions. However, she woke an hour or two later, feeling worse than she did when she drifted off. Her head hurt and her stomach hadn't stopped twisting uncomfortably.

As she always did when anything worried her, Gale ran a thumb across her soul mark, letting the familiar warmth of Asmund's magic soothe her fears.

And it did, at least until a wave of nausea overwhelmed her and she barely made it to the bathroom before throwing up violently. Tears began to pour down her cheeks once it was over.

Gale was an incredibly bright healer in the royal palace. She knew what all of her symptoms pointed to, and she'd felt sick for days now.

She sank to the ground, head on her knees, and sobbed. She was alone.

*

The next day, Iver noticed a change in Gale. She barely spoke to anyone, choosing to work in silence. Usually, she would engage her patients while she worked to put them at ease. Her face seemed paler and dark circles underlined her eyes. Her usually immaculate bun was falling out and she seemed seconds away from falling apart.

"Hey, is there anything I can do for you?" He asked her quietly a little while after their lunch break. Even though he couldn't understand why she was hiding things from him, because she definitely was, but he still cared about her. "I'll cover your next shift if you need to go home and get some rest."

She shook her head. "No, you don't need to do that. Katia always complains that you work too much as it is. I won't steal more of your time."

"Forget about her. My dear little sister just doesn't understand how rewarding it our work is," he said, grinning ruefully. "I know I don't need to, but I want to. Let me help you out. We don't need more people collapsing around here. Look where it got us last time."

"I'm completely fine. I just... I didn't get enough sleep last night."

"Obviously," Iver muttered under his breath, his disapproval evident in his tone.

Gale's lips turned downward into a slight frown. She opened her mouth to snap at him, annoyed with his behavior, but a searing pain on her wrist made all of that disappear.

Iver watched all of the color drain from her face. His eyes widened. She looked like a corpse. "Gale?"

She just ran out of the healing wing, and without hesitation, he followed her.

Gale's feet moved as fast as they could, leading her through the halls. It felt like her world was collapsing. The pain in her mark intensified and actually caused a few tears to slide down her cheeks. If it hurt this badly for her, she couldn't imagine how terrible it must be for him.

Pushing open a set of glass doors, she continued to run out into the garden, breathing as much fresh air as she possibly could. Her lungs felt like they were shrinking and she couldn't focus on one specific thing besides Asmund.

I need him.

"Excuse me? Are you okay?"

Startled, Gale dropped to her knees and bent her head respectfully. "I am, Your Highness. Thank you for your concern."

Princess Maeve frowned as she stared at the young woman trembling on the ground in front of her. "You don't need to kneel. I'm not really one for tradition. And are you sure? You're shaking."

Gale rose, trying to come up with a decent alibi. This was Maeve, Asmund's little sister. He absolutely adored her. Luckily, she didn't have to come up with a lie.

"Gale!"

Iver joined them, wrapping his arms around Gale in a warm embrace. She could tell he wanted to help her. "You ran off! Are you okay?"

She nodded and leaned closer in the hug, wondering if he'd even still want to be friends with her after she revealed her secret.

Maeve smiled at the pair of them. "Well, if everything's okay, I'm going to keep walking."

"You do that! Your Highness," Iver added, cringing at the glare Gale shot him. The princess winked and strolled away, the flowers she passed brightening in color.

Once she was gone, the anxiety began to build up in her chest once again. Another jolt of pain only added to this, and tears poured down her cheeks.

"Hey, okay, you've got to tell me what's going on," Iver said, alarmed. He held her face up and wiped away a few stray tears.

"They're hurting him," she whimpered, burying her face in his chest. "They're hurting him right now."

"What? Who?"

She took a deep, shuddering breath. "Asmund. They're hurting Asmund and I can't do anything about it and that's killing me."

"The prince? How do you know? And honestly, why does it matter this much?"

Gale let her illusion shimmer away and revealed her soul mark, lavender and gold swirling on her wrist.

For a moment, Iver had no idea what to say.

"I'm sorry. I wanted to tell you, but-"

"It was you? The mystery princess, that's you?"

"I- I suppose."

"How long?" He asked.

"Over a year. I met him a few years ago and we got married on Midgard so no one would know."

Iver pulled her into another hug, this one tighter and expected and infinitely more comforting. "Thank you."

"I'm always here for you. I told you that last night. Remember?"

"There's more," Gale mumbled, tears filling her eyes once more. "Iver, I'm... I'm pregnant."

This time, Iver really had no idea what to say.

"It's why I've been feeling so terrible and haven't been getting any sleep. Well, that and the nightmares."

She closed her eyes and tried not to picture the dreams of the love of her life being tortured to keep her safe. That was one thing she loved about Asmund: his fierce desire to save others. She suspected that he'd be even more protective once he heard the news. He'd be so excited, and he'd be a wonderful father.

How would she even tell him? She tried to visit him once, but the look on his face when she dropped off the food was enough to keep her away. He wanted to see her but couldn't risk it. In the end, their safety came first.

"So you are pregnant," Iver muttered, running a hand though his hair. He knew her problem was big, but not carrying-the-first-child-of-the-disgraced-imprisoned-prince big. "When did you find out?"

"I suspected it this morning and I got here early. Solveig helped me with the Soul Forge and confirmed it. I didn't tell her who the father was, but she's a nice old lady, so I doubt she'll spill my secret."

"Either way, we need to keep it a secret as long as possible. To keep you safe, at least until they let your husband out of his cell." Iver's mind worked frantically through a multitude of ideas until he narrowed it down to the final one. He couldn't let anything happen to her. She didn't deserve what she got just for falling in love with someone she shouldn't have fallen for. "Listen, you're fine for now, but I don't know how long they'll be searching for you."

Her big hazel eyes widened with fear. "I know it was treason, marrying one of the royals without approval, but they can't find me. Iver, the penalty for treason is death."

Gale's hand strayed to her stomach. It was still flat, but the thought that she was carrying a child terrified her almost as much as it excited her. How could she protect her baby if the king wanted her dead? What if he killed his own grandchild?

Iver ran a hand down his face and asked, "Do you know how dangerous this is?"

"I- No one even knew we were married. He doesn't even know about the baby."

He nodded, then sighed deeply. "I won't let you become a scandal in the palace, and I won't let you die either." Iver gripped her shoulders. "Here's my idea. We'll pretend to be a couple. That way, you won't be suspected as his wife because you're with someone else. I can also help take care of you. In the meantime, we can try to figure out how to get them to release the prince. We're smart, Gale. We can figure this out, I promise."

For some reason, she felt like crying all over again. Hope flamed in her chest, filling her up. Maybe she wouldn't be alone. "R-r-really?"

"Of course. What are friends for?"

She chuckled. "Not this."

"Nah. Friends are for everything."

new chapter! a lot happened, so tell me what you thought and leave any predictions or opinions! xo