Freya's POV
"What do you mean?" I whispered.
What was father saying? I couldn't stop seeing Adrien. My heart missed a beat at the thought of never seeing him again.
Father lifted my chin, his eyes were filled with an odd mixture of love and concern. "You have to understand, little one, the King isn't the one for you." He sighed. "I've seen a side of him that worries me. He's a good man, but there are things that could put you in danger. It is for your own good."
It didn't sound like it was for my good, and what did father have against him? Adrien was very gentle with me.
"But he's the King, you can't tell him what to do." I countered. I wasn't going to let go of what I had with Adrien just like that.
Father combed his fingers through my white hair. "Just agree to it, Freya and I'll make him stop." He drew me closer to him again murmuring into my hair. "Freya I want your happiness above all else and I'm just trying to protect you."
I shook my head vehemently. "You're wrong, Father. Adrien makes me really happy. I'm happier than I've been in a long time so please don't try to take it away from me." I whispered, urging him to see the desperation in my eyes.
"Freya, NO!" Father's voice thundered. "I am your father Freya and you will obey me!" His words cut through the air, echoing in the tense silence that followed.
The room was shrouded in the tense silence after his outburst and I turned my attention to the chair we sat on, picking at its knitted covering. Father hardly ever shouted at us and I couldn't fathom where this was coming from.
"Freya" Father sounded drained and my name had undernotes of pleading weaved into it.
I stood, shaking my head. I couldn't, I wouldn't, and leaving Father sitting alone, I left for my room. I heard his loud, weary sigh behind me.
The tension between me and my father remained for long after that day, and I tried to avoid him as much as I could. It saddened me and to top it all off, Adrien's visits came to a pause, he didn't come to see me anymore. I suspected that my father had something to do with it but I didn't know for sure.
Most of my time was spent in my room, I refused to see anyone apart from Hella. I had no one to confide in also, my little sister wasn't grown enough to understand what I was going through.
Hella and I were playing cards one afternoon when we heard a knock, and the door open. It was Helena.
Mom died seven years ago, and Dad married Helena two years later. Since Mom was already a demon, she was reincarnated somewhere else. Every day, I prayed and hoped for her happiness wherever she was.
I wasn't very close with Helena, but I liked and respected her a lot. She helped my father move on, and she was a mother figure to me and Hella.
She came to sit on the bed beside us. "Hella, I need to speak to your sister for a while, would you excuse us?" She rubbed the little girl's white hair.
"I never get to hear the important things." Hella dropped her cards and stomped out of the room, eliciting laughter from me and Helena.
As Hella left, Helena turned to me "You have to understand your father, Freya." she said calmly to me. "He only wants what is best for you, you know he loves you."
I exhaled sharply and buried my face in a pillow.
Helena grabbed the pillow from my hands and continued speaking. "You are a grown woman and no one can dictate your feelings to you but try to understand him."
"I do not understand it." I mumbled. "What problem could he possibly have with Adrien, he could at least tell me." I gestured with my hands.
"Perhaps one day, when you have daughters of your own, you will understand why he is so protective of you." She chuckled and held my face in her hands. "Now you are going to make up with your father, you both are too hard-headed."
I went into her arms and she held me for a while in her embrace.
A month later, Helena and I were making preparations for a ball when a maid came to inform me that I had a guest. I knew it was probably Adrien, and I looked at Helena. She smiled at me, giving me her permission to go.
Adrien was in the stables and I hurried to meet him, pausing only for a moment to look into the mirror.
He was standing beside Maya, holding a basket and waiting for me. He smiled immediately when he saw me and my heart skipped a beat. He was dressed for riding today and looked utterly tempting with his windblown hair. I almost ran to his arms before I remembered my anger and walked instead.
"Hello, Freya." He said when I reached him.
"Hello, Adrien." I answered curtly and rubbed Maya's mane to say hello too. The mare was happy to see me.
He shook the basket in my face. "Let's have a picnic today."
"Okay." My face was a mask of indifference.
He put me on Maya first before climbing up behind me, his warmth enveloping me. I held the basket while he held the reins and I sat stiffly as we rode into the forest.
When we found a spot, we got down from Maya. He left her free to graze around and collected the basket from me, then he laid a woolen blanket he got from the basket and set up some snacks. I would have found the whole arrangement charming if I weren't so angry at him.
I sat pristinely and tucked my legs under my gown. "Is there a reason why you're not speaking to me Snow?" Adrien asked, seeming perplexed, and it just fueled the anger inside me
"How dare you disappear for so long and reappear like it's nothing?" I shouted angrily while Adrien stared at me, confusion clouding his gaze "What is it, aren't I breathtaking anymore?" I mimicked him "Or did my father say something to you?"
"Freya no…" he was starting to say, then I cut him off.
"Do you know the thoughts I've had?" My voice echoed through the forest "I kept on wondering if I had done something wrong and now you show up, with a picnic?" I scoffed and turned away from him. He was quiet beside me after my outburst, so I silently wondered if I had overstepped, he was the King and he could dispose of me in an instant.
I slowly turned to see what he was doing and to my surprise, the man was smiling at me. I answered his smile with a frown of mine.
"We can both agree that you missed me then, Snow?" He murmured, that smile still on his face.
"Arrrrrrgggg" I screamed and attempted to stand, I was boiling with fury that threatened to spill over, but I got dragged down with one powerful hand and I landed right onto his chest, with his face now very close to mine.
Our blue gazes clashed, his deep blue hues to my ocean blue ones, and every other thing faded away into nothingness. I stared, enthralled and unable to do anything else.
"Did you miss me, Snow?" Adrien asked again, his minty breath whispering across my face. I could only nod slowly, held in a spell he'd cast upon me. My breaths were coming in little pants now.
"Well I've missed you too." He said and lowered his lips to mine. The kiss was sweet but was over in an instant. Its after-effects left me reeling. Adrien righted my body and set me down in front of him.
I sat quietly, unable to comprehend what had happened. His lips were soft and luscious, but the kiss was so short, that I wanted more of it.
What was this man doing to me?
A warm palm caressed my face. "I'm sorry, Freya. I was away on official duties during the last month." He spoke. "But you occupied every waking thought of mine, and I could not wait to get back to you."
The breeze picked up speed, and the smell of lilies filled the air. It was spring and a field full of full-blown flowers was close by. The breeze teased our noses with the sweet smell and whipped our hairs around briefly. I stared at the enigma sitting in front of me, was it true, was it a lie?
Adrien spoke, "Can you not see it Snow, can you not see how obsessed I am with you?" His palm kept on rubbing my face and I leaned into his touch. "I love you, Freya Bale." He touched his forehead to mine and joy sang in my heart, the objective part of me doing nothing to stop it. I knew he was not lying to me.
"Adrien, I think I love you too." I whispered and a happy smile broke across his face. He closed the tiny distance between our lips, making my eyelids flutter shut.
The kiss didn't stop at a peck this time, and his lips gently caressed my own, persuading me, asking permission, which I gave into fully and opened my mouth.
His tongue invaded my mouth, greedily exploring its depths and learning all its secrets. My senses were flooded with feelings, and a dull ache started within me. Adrien lowered me onto the blanket, resting atop me and kissing me still. His hands roamed the length of my body before resting on my thighs.
"Adrien" I whispered between kisses. "Adrien please." I wanted something, but I didn't know what it was.
"I know baby, soon I promise." He mumbled back still kissing me.
Hesitantly, Adrien sat up and pulled me along too. He dropped a peck on my lips and ruffled my hair, before pulling away. I playfully slapped his hand.
"You're going to have to marry me, Freya Bale." He grinned.
I smiled but uncertainty for the future lurked behind it and Adrien picked up on it immediately.
Touching my face, he asked. "What's wrong?"
"Father has asked me to stay away from you." I replied looking into his eyes and away.
"I'll handle Lord Bale, do not worry about it." He wasn't fazed by my father's demand. His words were reassuring and gave me the assurance I needed. I nodded, I wasn't prepared to let go of this man, and I wasn't going to let go of my family as well.
"Now, will you marry me, Freya Bale?" He asked, grinning. I hesitated only for a second before leaping into his arms with a loud yes. The force pushed the both of us to the floor, and our resounding laughter filled the air.
Happiness burst free within me, and my heart sang as I clung to this man. But underneath all that happiness, the uncertainty remained. It was much too soon to marry him and as much as I wanted to, if father said I couldn't, then it meant that I couldn't. I didn't let that deter my happiness though, I would fight for what I wanted when the time came.
Adrien and I spent the rest of the afternoon snacking and making each other laugh. Throughout that time, a hint of fear still tugged at me. Was it okay to be this happy? Dalia always said that the happier a person was, the deeper their sadness would be if the object of their happiness was taken away. I glanced at a laughing Adrien, I fervently hoped that wouldn't be the case for me and him.