Chapter 175 Hiding

Chapter 175 Hiding
The castle

Freya sat with her husband, Alaric at the dining table, eating their meal in complete silence. The day had gone better than she had expected and now it was finally time for them to relax. Yet despite the peaceful atmosphere, Freya's mind was filled with questions that refused to leave her.

She slowly lowered her cutlery onto her plate and glanced at her husband. As though sensing her unease, Alaric looked up and immediately noticed the troubled expression on her face. The concern in her eyes told him something was bothering her and he knew he had to ask.

"Is something wrong? Is the food not satisfactory?" Alaric asked. Freya forced a faint smile onto her face before taking a deep breath. She had been carrying a question in her heart for quite some time and she could no longer ignore it.

Earlier, she had visited Loki's family and everything she had heard had left her deeply disturbed. The more she thought about it, the more she wondered if something was happening beneath the surface, something far greater than either of them understood.

"I would like to ask about the servant, Loki... the one..."

"There is no need to explain further, my love. I already know who you're talking about. What is it that you want to ask about him? Be careful, because I am not too happy talking about that traitor," Alaric replied, warning her without saying much.

"I would like to ask if Loki had a family. Even though he was declared guilty, would the Crown still take care of his family now that he is gone?" Freya asked. The surprised expression on the King's face revealed everything before he even spoke. He looked almost disgusted that she would ask such a question.

"My love, why would you even ask me such a thing? Loki was a traitor. Both he and his family would be punished. No one will offer them compensation or care about them. In fact, the people around them will avoid them," Alaric responded firmly. At that. Freya remained silent.

Freya thought about everything Loki's wife had told her earlier that day. Now that her husband had confirmed that the Crown had never provided for Loki's family after he had been declared a traitor, everything finally began to make sense.

Someone had forced Loki to falsely confess that he had been the one who helped Iris escape. In return, that person had given his family nothing but empty promises and a few miserable coins, far less than what had been agreed upon. They had been abandoned to suffer while Loki carried the blame alone.

"And may I ask why you would ask me such a question?" the King asked, studying his wife carefully. Freya smiled, hoping to hide the confusion written across her face.

"It's nothing, my love. I was simply thinking out loud, that's all," the Queen answered. She had no intention of telling him about everything that had happened earlier that day. She knew that if she mentioned her visit to Loki's family, Alaric would not be pleased.
"That's good, because I do not want to hear anything about that traitor for as long as I live. He is gone and that means you and our baby are safe," the King said. Hearing those words only made Freya more anxious.
Deep down, she knew that whoever had truly helped Iris was still out there. That meant she, Alaric and their unborn child were still living under a shadow of uncertainty. The real danger had not disappeared simply because Loki had died.
"There is no need to worry. I will not mention him again," Freya promised.
The two continued eating, eventually speaking about anything except Loki. They talked about lighter matters, yet the Queen's thoughts never truly left the conversation. Deep inside, she remained troubled, wondering who had convinced Loki to confess to a crime he had not committed and why he had been willing to sacrifice everything for so little.
The King and Queen's Chambers
Freya lay beside Alaric, but sleep refused to come. While he rested peacefully, she stared at the ceiling, her thoughts consumed by everything she had learned earlier that day about Loki and his wife.
Another memory continued to trouble her. As she had been leaving the village, she had caught sight of Henry.
The moment she saw him, she had quickly hidden herself inside an old, run-down house. From there, she quietly watched as Henry searched the area. Her heart had pounded inside her chest as she prayed he would not find her. After what felt like forever, he finally gave up and walked away.
It had been far too close for comfort. Ever since then, a small part of her believed Henry had something to do with everything that had happened. She simply needed proof.
Enough proof to bring before the king so he would finally see that the friend he trusted so completely might be nothing more than a traitor hiding behind unwavering loyalty. Until then, all she could do was remain patient, keep her suspicions to herself, and wait for the truth to reveal itself.
Just then, Freya heard a knock on the door. She quickly put on her gown, got off the bed and quietly stepped out, leaving Alaric asleep. As soon as she opened the door, her eyes widened in shock because standing there was none other than the servant she had come to trust over the past few days.
"My Queen, you have to come with me. It is an emergency," the young servant said. Freya looked into her eyes and immediately knew that whatever the servant wanted to say or show her was serious. There was no time to waste asking questions.
"Okay, give me a moment," Freya replied. She hurried back into the room and glanced at the bed, only to find that Alaric was still sleeping. That alone gave her enough courage to quietly leave the room. Together, she and the servant walked out of the castle and made their way to the stables.
The moment they arrived, Freya saw Loki's wife standing there. Fear was written all over the young woman's face, but the instant she saw the Queen, relief washed over her.
"My Queen, I've been trying to get through to you, but luckily I saw her," Loki's wife said as she pointed at Freya’s trusted servant. Freya immediately walked over to her and gently held her hands, looking straight into the younger woman's frightened eyes.
"Why are you here? I told you to hide," Freya said.
"Yes, My Queen, that was my intention. But later I saw men walking around the village, asking questions about us. I ran home immediately, gathered my children and fled into the forest, leaving all our belongings behind. I think whoever has been trying to get rid of us has found us," the young woman said.
Almost immediately, Freya knew exactly who was responsible for everything that had happened. She was convinced it was none other than Henry.
"Do not worry. I'll make a plan," Freya assured her. She turned to the servant and quietly gave her instructions. Within a few minutes, the servant and a few trusted soldiers were leading the young woman and her children away from the castle grounds to a place where they could finally find safety.