Esmeray wouldn’t have minded this cold scenery. She wouldn’t have, if Queen Marella wasn’t here too.
They were quickly approaching the borders of Tarben, aiming to meet Esmeray’s betrothed and apparent soulmate, Erik. Heir to the throne of Tarben. She would be Queen of Tarben. She, Esmeray. She thought it was funny she was marrying a man distantly related to herself. Marella had balked a bit when she realized two grandchildren of the Dane King were to be wed, but the relation was fairly distant, so it had been agreed that they would go ahead with the match. That, and there was all the soulmate jabber about she and Erik. Though, Esma was sure Aegir and Marella would have been pleased to try to match somebody else to Erik. Some other unlucky girl. One who hadn’t displeased them so.
Esmeray never saw her bastards anymore, and she didn’t know where they were either; but she didn’t really mind it, since she didn’t like children. One birth had been enough to last Esmeray her whole lifetime, thank you. But she knew that as queen she would have to bear Erik heirs, especially if she wanted one of her children to sit Tarben’s throne . . . which she did, very much.
They stopped at the border, silently. Marella howled in for Erik. She sat to watch Esmeray - a gesture the icy girl didn’t appreciate at all. She could watch herself. Yet, she knew the Queen of the Sea didn’t trust Esma without somebody watching her constantly.

“Ice has a beauty, can’t be controlled!”