Freya struggled to breathe as she lay face down on Ewens bed in his great chamber. She felt her skirts being pushed up over her back and gasped as Ewen pulled down her drawers roughly. He pushed her legs apart as she heard the sound of his pants being untied and pulled down. She was grateful that her face was hidden in the bed as she felt Ewen open her legs further before he pushed roughly into her. The pain in her most sensitive part had lessened in the two nights that Ewen had been away but it returned now. Ewen was thrusting roughly into her and the different position added to her pain as did the discomfort of being bent over their bed. Finally with relief Freya recognised the deeper thrusts that indicated the ending of the coupling was near. Ewen grunted and ended with one deep thrust as he pulsed deep inside her. He rolled off Freya and adjusted his pants before he left their chamber.

Freya collapsed fully on the bed, her thighs quivering from the unexpected encounter. Ewens seed slowly dripped out of her onto the clean cover on their bed. Freya noticed that the liquid was tinged pink and she wondered if there coupling would ever be without pain. She had thought the night before he left that there had been some progress on that front. Ewen had sucked gently on her nipples and she felt some pleasure start deep in her belly. She had hoped that he may repeat that tonight and perhaps even touch her where she was most sensitive between her legs. In the two nights he had been away, Freya had touched herself in that place and had quivered with the slightly ticklish pleasure that had followed. She had allowed herself to believe that perhaps Ewen could touch her there too and that the nightly encounters they had could be less painful for her.

Today had shattered that illusion however. Even though Ewen had returned at midday, he had immediately summoned Freya to his chamber and taken her as one would an animal. Freya felt shame flood through her as she thought of it again.

It was a long afternoon and Freya had many duties to complete before the evening meal. Her sore womanhood and the wetness between her legs a constant reminder that her husband had returned. Freya dreaded the evening meal and the inevitable early departure of Ewen and her. Although being with child scared her, it struck Freya as being infinitely better than the nightly encounters she had to endure. She had prayed for an heir before but now she redoubled her efforts on that front.

The evening meal was louder than usual with more men in the Great Hall. The visit to the bordering villages had been beneficial to the planning of the defences of the kingdom. Freya wondered if there was ever a time when the prospect of war didn't hang over the kingdom. It was like a bitterness that tainted everything it touched.

Too soon, Freya was alone with Ewen in his private chambers. She shivered briefly as she lay on the bed naked waiting for him to join her. For a brief moment she wondered if he would take her as he always did at night or if her would repeat the act of midday. Either way she was dreading the act and hoped that he would conclude it fast. Her core was still sensitive and painful as she sat at dinner.

Freya felt the bed dip and Ewen sat down on the edge of it. She felt her body tense. Risking a glance upwards she saw Ewen looking at her naked body intently. He reached across and gently touched her breast, stroking first the curve of her and then the nipple. He pinched it gently before he bent forward and took it in his mouth to suck. His other hand reached across to Freya's other breast and stroked it gently while he continued to suck on her nipple. Freya gasped as the tingly feelings spread and grew deep in her belly. Unintentionally her legs opened slightly and her breathing quickened.

Ewen released her nipple and moved across her body to reach down to suck her other nipple. His hand slowly stroked down her belly as he moved towards her private place. Freya stiffened as he touched her folds. The tingle in her belly immediately replaced by fear and she felt her body stiffen in anticipation of his entrance.

'Shhhh,' Ewen said softly.

His hands immediately moved higher to Freya's breast. She tried to relax herself and focus on the pleasurable tingle from Ewen sucking on her nipple.

Ewens hand moved lower again and Freya willed herself to relax. As his hand touched her most sensitive part she stiffened slightly. Ewen stopped.

'Shhhh,' he whispered. 'Just relax'.

Freya nodded and willed her body to relax.

Ewens hand moved lower still. He gently opened her folds and touched the small bud hidden in there. Freya jolted with the new feelings and sensations from his touch. She felt a wetness in her opening. Ewens hand moved even lower and Freya felt his finger at her entrance. Slowly he pushed it into her. Freya gasped as he began to move his finger in and out of her slowly. When he added a second finger, she felt that familiar burn before the slickness increased. Deep in her belly she felt the tingling feeling grow.

With a deep groan, Ewen withdrew his fingers and rolled on top of Freya. The first thrust was less painful than it had been before and although Freya didn't feel the tingle deep in her belly again, she didn't feel the burn that she usually did when Ewen rolled off her.

'Good night Freya,' Ewen whispered gently into the darkness.

Freya fell asleep sooner than she had any night since she had arrived in the castle. Even when Ewen reached for her in the night it was less painful than it had been before. It had been a week since Freya had become the wife of Ewen the Cold.