Chapter 3

"Hey, what are you doing?" Elijah asked when he saw Freydis chopping firewood.

She looked at him, clearly confused.

"I... There was no firewood in the house and I was planning to start preparing supper..."

"No, no, I meant why are you chopping firewood when there are five men in the house? One of us would have gladly done it for you."

"Oh... I didn't want to bother you..."

"You wouldn't have bothered anyone," he assured. "You can leave these kinds of chores to me and my brothers."

"That is very kind of you," she replied, giving him a cautious smile. "Thank you."

"Of course. You are already doing more than enough."

She blinked few times and looked away.

"I am not so sure about that," she murmured.

"I am," Elijah replied firmly. "You feed us every day, wash our clothes, keep the house clean and most of all, you made Henrik smile again. I am grateful for that."

She blinked rapidly and she seemed to be blushing. Elijah couldn't help but to smile at that. Sometimes he forgot how young she was. Mikael had wed her only two weeks ago, but it felt like she would have been here for much longer.

"I am happy if I have been useful," she said quietly. "Henrik is a wonderful boy."

"Yes, he is. And I can tell he is very attached to you."

"I am very attached to him too. I mean, I know I can never replace his mother, your mother, but I hope I have not been a disappointment to you."

"No, you have not," Elijah assured. "You are more than welcome to this family."

"Thank you."

Her smile was warm now, but she still looked somehow lost. Of course, Elijah knew that the last two weeks hadn't been easy for her. He hadn't heard his father saying a single kind word to her and Rebekah was still acting up. He couldn't even imagine how it felt like for a young woman to move into a strange household and live with the people she barely knew.

Not to mention Mikael was everything but an ideal husband. Elijah still couldn't fully understand his father's decision to remarry. Mikael still loved Esther and Elijah suspected that he always would. He had only wedded Freydis because he had wanted a woman to run his household. Yes, Freydis was a hardworking woman and a good wife, but Elijah thought that she deserved better than this.

"You are welcome." He paused and hesitated for a moment before continuing. "Forgive me, I know father wishes us to call you mother, but that feels a little strange to me since I am older than you."

"I understand," she replied smiling. "It feels a little strange to me too. Do you wish me to call you my son?"

"You can call me anything you like."

"Perhaps just Elijah then?"

"Sounds good to me. Now, give me the axe."

She obeyed, offering him a grateful smile.

"And remember, next time when you need firewood..."

"I will tell you or your brothers," she finished.

"Make sure that you do. We are not completely useless you know."

She covered her mouth with her hand while she laughed.

"Thank you again."


4 hours later

Freydis hummed quietly while plaiting her hair for the night. She felt peaceful, although her husband wasn't here. He had probably gone to the tavern again. When he came home, he usually groped her and called her Esther before passing out. One night, he had been sobered enough to bed her, but he hadn't really looked at her. In his mind he had been with Esther.

It hurt, but she knew she needed to get used to that. This was still Esther's house and family. That likely wouldn't change any time soon. She still shouldn't complain, things could have been worse. Elijah had been very kind to her today and she enjoyed spending time with Henrik. Finn was also polite and Niklaus... Well, he didn't speak to her much, but he wasn't rude either.

Rebekah didn't accept her yet and she wasn't going to pressure her. Then there was Kol. He was more than friendly. Freydis certainly didn't want to offend him, but she was aware of his reputation and sometimes he made her nervous. Many women in the village found him charming. Not that it mattered, surely, he meant no harm.

She was his father's wife and he was only trying to be nice. She should be grateful for that. She sighed as she laid down. Her thoughts were somewhere far away. She wondered had her mother felt the same way she was feeling now. Her mother had also been her father's second wife. Her father had adored his first wife. Just like Mikael.

Freydis didn't know had her parents ever been happy together, her mother had died when she had been a small child. Her father had never talked about her, even though Freydis had tried to ask some questions.

Her father's third wife was a harsh but also a hardworking woman. Freydis had never been close with her, although she had dutifully explained to her what would happen on her wedding night. Freydis was grateful that her stepmother had been brutally honest and told her to expect the worst. She hadn't had any foolish fantasies about a kind and gentle husband. Yet she still hoped that Mikael would eventually show her a little kindness.