#in other news sigurd is walking excellent

[darkwood-sleddog]

the dogs are DETERMINED to give me a gazillion more gray hairs i swear. came back from a very windy and wet walk and slash decided to zoomie all over the living room, slipped, his rear legs go out from under him and he bumps it on something...i didn't see. he walks to the living room, holds up his back leg and just lets out one long scream. he limps over to me. i gently touch his leg, but no reaction. he's now walking fine. just....why.

[baambastic]

Loki. God of Lies. God of Mischief. Trickster God.

Father of Hel, the Queen of Helheim; of Jörmungandr, the World Serpent; of Fenrir, the Wolf. Mother of Sleipnir, the All-Father’s Steed. Son of Laufey. Husband of Sigyn. Companion of Thor. Ally of Odin. Friend of the Aesir. Enemy of the Aesir.

Flyter of Gods. Murderer of Baldr. Harbinger of Ragnarök.

Ikol. God and Goddess. God of Lies. God of Mischief. God of Stories. Liar No Longer. Agent of Asgard.

Moon-Queen. Moon-King. The Magic Theatre. Trickster. Wanderer. Free and Unfettered. The Last Teller.

Son of Laufey. Son of Odin and of Frigga. Brother of Thor. Father of Those Mentioned Before.

Friend of Asgard. Enemy of Asgard. Defeater of Odinson. Liberator of Sigurd. Murderer of Kid Loki. Savior of the Gods.

Would you know more?

Loki has long been a prominent figure in Norse mythology, directly involved in and usually responsible for many of the most important events in said mythology. When Marvel Comics created their comic book adaptation of the silver-tongued trickster god, he quickly reached near the same level of prominence, being directly responsible for the formation of the Avengers.

Adaptation is tricky. Stick too close to the source material, and you have no freedom in how to tell your story. Stray too far, and the story matches the source material in name only. It’s all too easy to tip the scales one way or the other. To embrace nostalgia, the security of doing what’s expected; after all, it’s better than nothing. Or to end the story, telling a warped and false-faced facsimile in its place.

It is better, then, to keep what is right, and use it to tell a new story. Better to parse out the flames at the core of the source material and stoke them into a raging bonfire. To quote Loki himself, an adaptation’s goal should be “Mixing with the All-That-Was and sparking something new!”

The miniseries Agent of Asgard, written by Al Ewing, walks the razor-thin wire of adaptation perfectly, while also providing meaningful insight and commentary on the nature of storytelling and identity. Agent of Asgard single-handedly turned Ikol into one of the best characters in Marvel Comics and one of the best incarnations of Loki in media.

The classic comic version of Loki Laufeyson was a terrible adaptation of mythological Loki, moreso the God of Lies and Evil than the God of Mischief (he also referred to himself as Satan multiple times, so…). This Loki was pure evil, fitting for the 1950s. He completely lacked nuance or morals. He was a would-be conqueror and tyrant. He was not a mischief-maker, he was a villain. While the Loki from mythology is the very definition of Chaotic Neutral, classic Marvel Loki was nothing other than Chaotic Evil.

Ikol is a far better adaptation, with moral ambiguity that skews towards a net positive, themes of change/fluidity/impermanence, and actually being genderfluid. Ikol also does an excellent job of displaying the general mythological theme of rebirth, which in Norse mythology is mainly found in the story of Ragnarök.

If you are unfamiliar with the myth of Baldr, he was born to Odin and Frigga. Worried for her son’s safety, Frigga went to every thing in existence and made them promise that they would not harm Baldr.

Baldr grew to be incredibly popular among the Aesir, known for being beautiful and just. During the Aesir’s many parties, the other gods would entertain themselves by throwing dangerous objects at Baldr, knowing none would be able to hurt him. Until something did. During one such party, Loki went to the blind god Höd and gave him a dart, getting Höd to join in on throwing things at Baldr. Unbeknownst to Höd, however, Loki had made the dart out of mistletoe.

Mistletoe, one of the least threatening plants out there, one associated with love and hope and cheer. But see, when Frigga was going around extracting promises from everything on the Earth, she overlooked the mistletoe. It seemed so harmless and insignificant, but any material, with enough tempering and sharpening, can be deadly.

And so, when Höd’s throw flew true… Baldr died. During Baldr’s funeral, Odin whispered in the dead god’s ear; what he said remains a mystery. When Ragnarök eventually plays out, after the dust settles, it is prophesied that Baldr will return to life and lead the remaining gods into a new age.

As for Loki, his actions enraged the Aesir, and they hunted him down. They exiled him and killed his sons, and Odin’s son Vali used those sons’ entrails to bind Loki deep underground, where a serpent drips venom onto the bound god of mischief as he waits for Ragnarök, when he will break free and lead the armies of Jötunheim, Muspelheim, and Helheim against the Aesir and Vanir.

It’s fascinating how the story of Ikol lines up with the story of Baldr, minus the invulnerability. Kid Loki becomes incredibly popular and loved by Asgardia, but he is killed by the spirit of Ikol for the purpose of Ikol’s rebirth and building a new identity, free from the shackles of things like his God of Lies title, much like Baldr. Ikol even has a second death and rebirth, killed by a future version of himself. But this time, the rebirth happens during the Incursions, and Ragnarök. And in parallel to Loki’s imprisonment, when Asgardia discovers that Ikol killed the popular, well-liked and heroic Kid Loki, he is exiled and bound, only returning to life when Ragnarök comes.

It’s been theorized that Loki is an aspect of Odin (yes, this is important, I just suck at transitions). Many myths featuring Odin have this motif of Odin sacrificing himself to himself to gain more knowledge and power. So, given that the Aesir know the prophecies surrounding Ragnarök, including the prophecy of Baldr’s rebirth, it is possible that Odin planned Baldr’s death in order to prepare for Ragnarök and make Baldr more powerful. Similarly, Ikol’s two deaths and rebirths left him with more magic power than before, enough to save the “stories” (read: histories and souls) of the Asgardians during the Incursions.

In many other Norse myths involving Loki, Loki is used as a scapegoat by the other Aesir, as they use him to underhandedly deal with their problems so they can avoid taking responsibility. Likewise, the All-Mothers force Ikol to complete assignments for them, including capturing innocent Asgardians like Lorelei and Sigurd and forcing them to return to Asgardia for judgment and imprisonment.

While this version of Loki certainly has its flaws, Ikol is an excellent adaptation of the mythological Loki and the themes surrounding him. Marvel Comics has come a long way from the days of calling Loki Satan, and I couldn’t be happier.

How incredibly appropriate for the existence of the God of Stories to be a story of its own.

[the-iceni-bitch]

A Warm Fire

Pairing: Valkyrie/Brunnhilde/Fem-Reader

Word Count: 3876

Summary: Val helps you warm up after you get caught in a storm.

Warnings: Fluff, Spoilers for Avengers: Infinity War and Endgame (erring on the safe side with this one), Explicit language, explicit sexual content (oral sex- f receiving, scissoring, fingering) SMUT, 18+

A/N: I’ve decided for my b-day week I want to bless all you sweet bitches with a brand new smutty fic each day. My holes are worn out from all the rough himbo sex I’ve been throwing at you, so today I wanted to soften things up with something for my WLW ladies. I sub for no man, but Val could spit in my mouth and turn me into a housewife!

“Well, fuck.” You sighed.

You had hoped you’d be able to outrun the storm you saw rolling in off the coast on your weekly trip to New Asgard but hadn’t even been driving for an hour when lightning started streaking across the sky and the clouds let loose a deluge that had your ancient pickup’s wipers maxed out. You couldn’t even see 20 feet in front of you and slammed on the brakes suddenly when you came upon a massive tree blocking the road. The engine stalled out and you had now been trying to turn it over for 10 minutes with no luck.

You had thankfully been able to contact Aud and Sigurd and have them bring your animals in and batten down the barn, but there was no way you were making it back tonight. You resigned yourself to sleeping in your front seat when a pile of rocks reared out of no where and tapped on your window, causing you to let out a shriek.

“Everything ok in there?”

“Jesus Christ, Korg, what are you doing out here?”

The massive Kronan straightened back up and you thought you saw his brow furrow before his face split open in a wide grin.

“Y/N, excellent! Some of us got concerned once the storm rolled in and Val sent out a group to make sure you made it off of the Fjord ok.”

“Ok, well clearly this piece of shit is not cut out for Skagerrak storms.” You told him as you stepped out into the deluge, pulling your parka around you tightly as the wind tried to whip your hood off. “I don’t suppose you drove here in any sort of vehicle?”

“As a matter of fact, Miek drove the Jeep.”

“I’m sorry, Miek drove?” The thought of the Sakaarian larval creature driving a vehicle filled you with equal parts horror and mirth. “Do you mind if I drive us back?”

“Probably for the best. I told him that knife hands are not conducive for steering but you know he doesn’t listen to me.”

You let out a laugh as Korg lumbered into the large trailer hooked to the back of the Jeep, causing it to sink into the mud a bit. Miek scooted into the passenger seat as you turned the vehicle around and started to head back to Tønsberg.

Your cautious driving extended the trip by a good 45 minutes. The thunder had stopped but it was still pouring as you parked the jeep in one of the converted stables. Korg and Miek gave you a wave as they headed back to Thor’s, Korg carrying 3 of the pallets of Aquavit you had brought with you earlier.

You headed towards the town square and saw Brunnhilde leaning against the posts in front of her small brick house, watching the storm that was still raging out at sea before she saw you and broke out in a grin.

“Y/N, I told you not to head out in this! That piece of shit truck of yours give out on you?”

“What do you think, Hilde? I just decided to walk all the back to your house for fun in this?” You shook out your hair as the two of you stepped inside, spraying her with a thin mist of rainwater.

“Ah, you bitch! Get out of those wet clothes, I got a fire started and some dry towels and blankets set out for you. Want a hot toddy?”

You winced at the thought as you started peeling yourself out of your soaked jeans. “I’d like to be able to wake up tomorrow hon. Your hot toddys are literally just a hot mug of Aquavit with a slice of lemon.” You cursed yourself silently for introducing the Asgardians to the spicy Scandinavian liquor that you now had to truck in every week. While it was extremely lucrative, they now put it in everything.

Hilde sauntered back into the main room carrying two steaming mugs as you wrapped yourself in a wool blanket and settled in front of the fire, wearing only your bra and panties.

She rolled her eyes at you and handed you a mug, which you took a wary sniff of and were pleasantly surprised to find it was just peppermint tea.

“You’re just a lightweight.” She said as she curled up in her armchair, wrapping one hand around her mug while the other picked up the worn book that was sitting on the end table.

“How do you like it so far?” You asked her, sipping your tea slowly as you waited for it to cool.

“The writing is lovely, but it’s pretty inaccurate.”

The friendship the two of you had built over the past 3 years was something truly lovely. When she and the rest of the refugees had landed, after the snap, they were all hollow shells of grief. Thor shut himself away almost immediately, and Hilde found herself thrust into a position of leadership she had never wanted. All of them wanted nothing more than to be left alone with their sorrows, doing just enough to keep themselves alive.

The first storm off the Skaggerak had almost devastated their new home though, and when she contacted Banner for help, he called you. You still kept in touch after your years together at university, and he knew you had settled somewhere in Norway and could arrive to lend a hand faster than he could.

Your arrival brought some much needed distraction to their sleepy town. You had managed to round up a group of your Norwegian neighbors, along with some fellow expats, and set about making the necessary changes to assure that New Asgard would be a thriving community. While the rest of your group set to restructuring architecture, and teaching the town’s new inhabitants the necessities of a seaside existence on the windy Fjord, you began the slow process of helping the refugees move on from their sorrow.

Your anthropology doctorate was specialized in Norse culture, after all, and you would often bring small reminders of their lost home with you whenever you came to visit. Whether it was a collection of replicated Talharpas, Skalmejens, and Lurs to give to the children to learn music or a large cache of drinking horns to stock their taverns, every time your truck came lumbering down the hills, Brunnhilde watched the faces of her citizens light up with anticipation for some new pleasant surprise. When you arrived with your first load of Aquavit and spent the night drinking with them and singing the drinking songs they knew well, you were all but confirmed as an honorary Asgardian. Your haunting rendition of Lilja actually brought tears to a few eyes.

Brunnhilde made sure to let you know how grateful she was as much as possible. She would always have some small gift for you when you arrived, but all you asked her for was to sit and talk, discussing the history of Asgard and the nine realms as you scribbled copious notes. She loved watching your face screw up in concentration as you bent over one of your notebooks, one stubborn lock of hair falling into your face.

She laughed to herself softly now as she remembered the visit a few weeks ago when she had first introduced you to her winged steed, Aragorn. Your look of awe had been replaced quickly with uncontrollable laughter when she had told you his name. You refused to tell her what was so funny, but she was determined to get it out of you at some point.

You had brought your original copy of Snorri’s Edda the next week, and she had read it through 3 times already.

She ran her hands softly over the spine of the book before tossing back the rest of her toddy and setting the book and her mug back on the end table before sinking to the floor behind you and nuzzling herself into your hair, sighing as she inhaled the scent of fresh rain.

You leaned back into her slowly, giving a soft hum of contentedness. She slipped the blanket off of your shoulders to pool around your waist as she left a trail of soft kisses down your neck, before softly raising a bruise into your collarbone with her mouth.

The moan you gave her made her grin against your skin, and she slipped one hand into the front of your bra, softly drawing her fingers across your nipple.

“Fuck, Hilde!” you pressed your chest further into her hand as her other moved behind you to unhook your bra and slip it off your shoulders, freeing your breasts. She felt your nipples harden against her fingers as she turned your head and slowly teased your mouth open with her tongue.

“Eyes open, pretty girl.” She whispered as her left hand continued to palm at your breast and roll your nipple between her fingers. You stared at her through your lashes as she brought her right hand up and put her index and middle finger in your mouth. You gave them a soft nip before sucking and swirling your tongue around them slowly.

She grinned at you wickedly as she dragged her soaked fingers down your torso at an agonizing pace, leaving a thin trail of your saliva before she tucked them under the edge of your panties and dragged them over your sopping cunt, separating the soft folds there to tease against your entrance.

“Oh, poor baby, look how much this pussy missed me?” She said as you let out a thin keen, screwing your eyes shut and dropping your head against her neck. She slapped your tit suddenly and tweaked your nipple hard, making you gasp. “You better keep those eyes open if you want me to let you come sweetheart. You want me to stretch this pretty pussy around my fingers and make you feel good?”

“Yes, god” you let out breathlessly, forcing your eyes open as she studied your face.

“Ah, ah, ask nicely.”

“Yes please.” You hissed as her fingers continued to tease at your folds, lightly brushing against your clit.

“Good girl”

She slipped one finger inside of you slowly and you immediately clenched around it as she pressed it against that soft spongy spot.

“Ooh, honey. You’re so fucking tight, I’m gonna stretch you out so good.” She whispered against your lips as she kissed you softly.

Her second finger slipped in easily and she started fucking them into you slowly, pressing her palm against your clit as she did so and your arousal seeped all over her hand. Your breath was hitching in your chest as she increased her pace.

You felt yourself flutter around her and it took all of your willpower to not screw your eyes shut and drop against her shoulder. You ground yourself against her hand as she suddenly slowed down, hungry for more friction.

“You want me to add another finger, sweet girl?” She asked slyly, teasing her promise against your entrance.

You didn’t trust yourself to speak so you nodded at her, your chest heaving as she continued palming your breast and you felt a resounding shiver in your core.

“You’re lucky I’m soft on you sweetie, I should be making you beg for this.” She murmured as she shoved all three of her fingers in suddenly, causing you to let out a small cry as she started fucking them into you at a rough speed. “I’m just finishing you off so I can feel this sweet mouth of yours on my cunt. You want to taste me baby?”

“Shit, Hilde!” The thought of her taste on your tongue sent you over the edge as she drove her palm into your clit one last time and you released around her, fluttering as you soaked her hand. Her strong arms held you still as your orgasm wracked you and every muscle trembled. Once you had ridden it out, she drew her hand out of your ruined panties to suck on her fingers.

“Mmm, you taste so good honey. Don’t you think?” She placed her mouth on yours and pressed her tongue against yours and you moaned as you tasted your own release.

“Help me out of my clothes baby, I need to ride that pretty face.”

She climbed around you and settled into your lap, kissing you deeply and making happy little humming sounds. You drew her sweater up over her head and tossed it aside, and were pleasantly surprised to see she wasn’t wearing a bra. You gave her a wicked grin before lifting her up and pressing her chest to your face, latching your mouth to one of her nipples as your hands cupped her ass through her leggings. She gave a light laugh and tossed her head back as her fingers carded themselves through your hair. You brought one of your hands between the two of you, shoving it down the front of her leggings and drawing your fingers through her slick, making her gasp.

“God, baby, you’re so fucking greedy.” She laughed lightly as you peppered her chest with kisses, occasionally creating some light suction with your tongue to raise a light bruise. “Mmm, you know just what to do, but I want to come all over that beautiful face of yours.”

You smiled against her chest as you gently nuzzled yourself between her breasts before falling back abruptly and making her gasp.

“You are being such a trouble maker, today, Y/N. Fine, I’m going grind your pussy so good before I rub that smirk off your face with my cunt.”

She sat up between your legs a drew your soaked panties off before removing her own leggings. She stretched your right leg off to the side and lightly drew her fingers up the inside of your thigh, removing them right before she reached your quivering pussy and making you whine.

“Don’t be a brat baby. Look at this pretty pussy, just weeping for me.” She stared at your swollen cunt with a grin as she hooked a hand under your left knee and positioned herself so she was straddling you, her soft folds just kissing yours as she hovered there. “You want to feel my pussy on yours, baby? Want me to grind that clit so good? You better fucking beg for it.”

“Oh god, pleasepleaseplease…” you let out in a hiss as she pressed herself down and ground herself into you.

“Mmm, I feel that sweet pussy quivering for me. God, you’re like my own fucking vibrator.” She kept twisting her hips into yours, hitting you at that perfect angle each time and making you mewl and whimper unintelligibly as she edged you closer to your release. She unbent your right leg slowly, running her thumb up your calf before nipping at the pad of your big toe, making you arch into her. “No no, sweetheart, isn’t it so much better when you hold still? You know I’ll take care of you.”

She stretched your right leg out so you were wide open and pinned your thighs down with her hands as she picked up the pace. She bit her lip and gazed down at you through hooded eyes and you felt her core twitch against yours. One more drive of her hips and you came apart at the same time, your releases mixing together to coat the insides of your thighs. You let out a scream while she just gasped, still managing to hold you down as your pleasure wracked through you and you wound your hands into the blanket beside you for some kind of anchor.

“Fuck baby, this pussy is so good to me. I wanna run my tongue over this pretty cunt while I ride your face. You better be good for me.”

She twisted herself around to straddle your face. You softly nipped at her left cheek then gave her ass a slap, making her yelp, and she responded by smacking your pussy twice before grinding into your face.

“Oohh, are you going to be a bad girl?” She scolded you as you wrapped your arms around her thighs and teased her folds with your tongue. “Am I going to have to edge you all nigh… Fuck!!” Your tongue found her entrance and you moaned into her cunt, causing vibrations that made her clench against your face. “God, baby, you’re so good at that. Your miss this pussy so bad, look at the mess you’re making.” She separated your folds and softly blew against your clit before shoving three fingers into you with no preparation. “Mmm, you’re fucking ready for me sweetheart, I’m barely even stretching you now. You want me to add another finger?”

She gave your clit another soft slap and you came suddenly, legs and core trembling as you clenched and released around her fingers. You tried to come up for air, but Hilde just ground her hips into your face.

“Na-ah.” She scolded you. “You wanted to get fresh with me and now you better make me come if you want to breathe. You get to work. I’m going to wring every ounce of pleasure out of this pussy until you give me what I want, I don’t care if you pass out.”

She inserted a fourth finger into your canal and started to fuck them all into you, flicking soft kitten licks against your small bundle of nerves before she latched onto it, sucking hard.

Tears started streaming down your face as another orgasm ripped through you. You were starting to feel light-headed from a mixture of pleasure and oxygen deprivation. She drew her tongue slowly up and down your entrance while her fingers kept moving inside you, doing her best to lap up your release before her tongue went back to massaging your clit.

You barely skimmed your teeth against her clit and she let out a soft cry against you, slapping your pussy in response and making you come again. You shook your head to bury yourself deeper into her folds and fought off the urge to pass out before shoving your tongue into her pussy and bringing your fingers up to rub harsh circles into her tiny apex of pleasure.

She collapsed against you at the sudden change in sensation with a gasp before she rose up to really grind into you.

You started fucking your tongue in and out of her, making sure to press it against her g-spot each time and felt her thighs tense around your face.

“God baby, don’t fucking stop. Fuck, just like that, right there. That tongue of yours is so fucking good. You’re so fucking good. Feels so good.” You knew when she started babbling breathlessly like this she was close. She brought one of her hands up to palm her breast as her other gripped the wrist of the hand you had working her clit, making sure you didn’t move away.

Just as the edges of your vision started to close in, you felt her core vibrate and her cunt clenched around your tongue as her release gushed into your mouth. The only sound she made was a rapid breathless pant and she rolled off of you slowly, finally allowing you to suck in oxygen as stars swam behind your vision. You did your best to catch your breath as you felt her stretch languidly beside you before she sat up to stare at you.

“Fuck, baby. I don’t know why I let you take this pussy away from me. I know you just lay there by yourself every night dreaming of my fingers buried in you.” She slowly drew a hand along your slit and you groaned when she brushed against your overstimulated clit. “Just swollen and crying for me. Whose pussy is this baby?” She asked you, curling her fingers against your mound.

You knew if you didn’t tell her what she wanted to hear, she would wring it out of you, and if you had any more orgasms you were going to pass out. “Yours, baby.” You murmured, staring at her through your eyelashes.

“Good girl.” She patted your cunt twice, making you twitch, before she bent down and kissed you softly.

She stood up and collected your mugs and brought them back into the kitchen, wiggling her ass at you when she felt you watching her, making you laugh.

“Can you throw some more logs on the fire, Y/N? I’ll grab us some clean blankets and pillows and we can sleep out here.”

“Yes ma’am.” You called back to her, breaking the current logs apart with the poker before adding three new ones and stoking it. You gathered your discarded clothes and the soiled blanket in a bundle and headed to the bathroom to put them in the hamper and run a damp towel against your sex to clean up, bringing another out with you as you headed back to the fire, where Hilde had piled a ridiculous amount of blankets and pillows in a massive nest for the two of you.

You sank down next to her and she drew your face to hers for a kiss. You smiled against her lips as you gently drew the soft towel you had brought with you over her cunt and along her thighs to clean her off as she gave a contented sigh.

“Stay.” She said softly, nuzzling softly into your neck as you held her against her chest and slowly sank back against the pile of cushions, giving her hair a soft kiss.

“Hilde, the road is out, I’m not going anywhere until tomorrow.”

“No, Y/N. Stay. Move here with me. I need you.” She looked up at you with genuine pleading in her eyes. You had never seen such open emotion on her face before.

You only had to think about it for a minute. The weeks between your trips were always spent planning your next visit. Thinking over what you wanted to talk to Hilde about. Your bed felt empty without her there.

“I need you too baby. I love you.” You whispered to her, tipping her chin up to look into her eyes as you gave her a gentle smile.

Her face split into a grin. “Is that a yes?”

“Of course, Hilde.”

“Oh god, Y/N, I love you too!” She drew your face down to hers and kissed you deeply, clutching you to her needily before releasing you with a grin. “I miss that pussy almost as much as it misses me.”

You laughed at that and laid back with a sigh. Hilde rested her head between your breasts and brought her hands close around your sides, pulling the thick wool blanket around the two of you tightly.

“Just make sure Miek doesn’t try to fight my sheep again.” You whispered to her, running a hand softly up and down her back.

“That was a misunderstanding.” She smiled against you as her breathing slowed and deepened, and she sunk closer to sleep.

The two of you laid there intertwined for the rest of the night, drifting off as the fire crackled and died. You had never felt so content in your life.

[hysterialevi]

Hjarta | Chapter 7

Fanfic summary: In an AU where Eivor was adopted by Randvi’s family instead, he ends up falling in love with the man his sister has been promised to despite the arranged marriage between their clans.

Point of view: third-person

Pairing: Sigurd Styrbjornson x Male Eivor

This story is also on AO3 | Previous chapter | Next chapter

FIVE DAYS LATER

BJORNHEIMR, THE TEMPLE

Eivor cradled the basket in his hand, meticulously examining its contents to ensure that everything was in order.

At the moment, he was preparing to make an offering to Thor as thanks for their good fortune on the day of the ambush, and had arranged a humble collection of different gifts for the mighty god.

Inside the basket, he had placed a variety of meat, beer, mead, sweets, and a dagger from his own personal armory. Normally, Eivor wasn’t the type to depend entirely on the gods for safety, but considering recent events, he wanted to secure a strong relationship with them in case a tempest were to strike the village. He had no idea if Kjotve was planning any other attacks in addition to the ambush, and he could think of no one better to appeal to other than the Defender of Midgard. 

He just worried that his offering might not have been sufficient. It was a well-known fact that the thunder god enjoyed things in great quantity, and Eivor didn’t have that much to give at the moment. Ingrida always said that no offering was too small, but even then, the man prayed that his gift wouldn’t be considered measly. Things were precarious enough in Bjornheimr as it was; Eivor did not wish to vex the gods as well.

Working his way up the hill, the Wolf-Kissed spread a layer of cloth over the basket’s opening and held it tightly underneath his arm, careful not to disturb its contents.

He could hear the drinks sloshing inside their bottles to the rhythm of his footsteps, and a handful of scattered clinks reached his ears as they softly bumped into each other. Meanwhile, tiny snowflakes began to gather on the fabric lying above, and sunk into the cloth’s neatly-knit threads. They dotted the surface with jeweled specks of ice and clung onto Eivor’s skin, giving him a slight chill. 

The weather wasn’t exactly ideal for spending any time outside -- the snow seemed to be piling up higher than usual today -- but the young man carried on with his plan nonetheless. 

Reaching the top of the hill, Eivor strolled past the charms decorating the sides of the path, only to stop in his tracks when a nearby pair of voices caught his attention.

Up ahead, Eivor saw Ingrida and Sigurd talking with each other underneath the roof of the temple, just barely avoiding the snow that came blowing their way. The prince wore a wary expression on his face and spoke to the seeress about a matter of deep concern, causing a sense of anxiety to swell in Eivor’s chest.

It was fairly clear to the Wolf-Kissed that his friend spent a lot of energy concealing the many troubles in his life, but the fact that he felt the need to reach out to their völva worried him to a significant degree.

He hadn’t seen Sigurd ever since their conversation in the tavern after all, and he was oblivious to any new issues that may have risen during their time apart. It was unusual to see the prince in such a state, and Eivor had to admit that his curiosity was beginning to get the best of him.

He only hoped that Ulfar wasn’t the source of his perturbed nature. The man made his feelings about Sigurd quite plain back in the tavern, and Eivor had never known him as a person to shy away from confrontation. It was a blessing of a trait in most situations, but a hinderance in this one.

“...You’re certain there’s no other explanation?” Sigurd asked, clearly unhappy with the response he got.

Ingrida crossed her arms, reiterating her point. “I will tell you the same thing I told Eivor. I cannot speak in absolutes, for I do not know the gods’ intentions. I can attempt to decipher the messages they convey, but ultimately, it is impossible to offer anything unambiguous.”

The prince let out a troubled sigh. “I... I see.”

“I realize this must be disturbing news, but look at it this way. At least you are prepared now. You have an inkling of what to expect, and sometimes, a mere suspicion can be enough to save one’s life. Obviously, I do not mean to stoke any paranoia within you, but a little caution would be wise.”

Sigurd nodded, taking the woman’s words to heart. “Of course, but you understand if I say this is difficult for me to accept. I don’t doubt your prediction, seeress, but... I just can’t fathom why anyone would--”

The man came to an abrupt pause, stopping mid-sentence when his eyes fell upon Eivor in the distance.

“--Oh,” he said, his voice still laden with unease, “Eivor. I didn’t see you there.”

Ingrida followed Sigurd’s line of sight, smiling in the Wolf-Kissed’s direction. “Ah, hello, little cub.” She eyed the basket in his hands. “Come to make an offering?”

Eivor hugged the object close to his chest, admittedly growing somewhat weary of bearing its weight.

“Yes, seeress. I hoped to thank Thor for our survival in the forest.”

The woman appeared pleased. “An excellent idea. Go on and present your gift to the gods. I will ensure that nothing disturbs it.” Ingrida brought her eyes back to the prince. “As for you, Sigurd, try not to let this revelation suppress you. You are a man of many responsibilities. Your clan needs you to stay focused.”

“...Of course. You’re right.”

“I’m glad you understand.” Ingrida began making her way back inside the temple, strolling through the arch. “This war is nearly over, but the battle has not ceased. Do not surrender just yet. Either of you.”

Shutting the door behind her, the seeress disappeared behind the temple’s walls and returned to her duties, leaving Eivor and Sigurd alone. Meanwhile, the younger man approached his friend and glanced at him in an inquisitive manner, hoping to calm his nerves somewhat.

“Sigurd?” He asked. “Are you alright? A cloud of unrest hangs over you.”

The prince took a moment to gather his thoughts, not wanting to alarm his companion too much. “I’m... I’ll be alright. Don’t worry about me.” He glanced at the basket in his grasp. “What’ve you got there?”

Eivor lifted the cloth. “Just some food and drink for Thor, and a blade as well. I figured I should bring something of great quantity considering our luck that day. What about you? What brings you to the temple? You looked... frightened when I arrived.”

Sigurd sauntered towards the other man, speaking as he walked. “Nothing of immediate urgency. I’ve just been having these strange dreams lately. Visions.”

“Visions? Really? Of what?”

“A wolf.” He answered. “At first, I merely dismissed the dream as a simple nightmare, but it’s been occurring over and over again. In the same way, and in the same order. So, I came to Ingrida for answers.”

Eivor’s interest was hooked. “Tell me about this wolf. What did it do? What did it look like?”

“The wolf was as white as snow,” Sigurd described. “Its eyes split the darkness with a predatory glare, and its stature challenged that of a fully grown man. Its snout and teeth were stained red with the pigment of fresh blood, and hiding behind its features, I... I could almost... recognize someone.”

“Recognize?” Eivor repeated. “What do you mean? This was a wolf, was it not? How could it resemble a human?”

The prince shrugged. “I have no idea, but... I felt it. There was something familiar about the wolf’s face. It was a sensation that I have no proper words to describe.”

The young man tilted his head towards the temple. “And? What did Ingrida have to say about these visions?”

Sigurd was quiet for a second, hesitant to tell the truth.

“...She believes this vision foretells a betrayal.”

Eivor’s eyes widened in surprise. “A betrayal? At whose hands?”

“She doesn’t know, and neither do I. I have no reason to suspect anyone just yet, but somehow, that almost makes it even worse.”

“How did the seeress come to this conclusion?” Eivor questioned. “What makes her believe betrayal is the only answer?”

“Because she had a similar vision,” Sigurd explained. “Ingrida tells me the gods sent her a dream the night before I arrived. Apparently, she saw a man who looked just like me. He bore the same mark upon his neck, and his eyes glowed with a raging fire. The ground beneath him was soaked in blood dripping from the stump of his own arm, and standing behind him was another white wolf, prowling in the shadows.”

A thought crossed Eivor’s mind. “...I suppose that explains why she called you ‘the one who walks with Tyr.’ It also explains why she was skeptical of you when you first met.”

“I suppose it does,” the prince agreed. “But what connection could I possibly have with Tyr? And why me? What makes me so special?”

Eivor shrugged. “I don’t know. You mentioned you used to have dreams about a kingdom constructed of iron when you were a child. Do you think that could be related?”

“...Perhaps? But I don’t see how it would fit into all this. The kingdom I saw looked nothing like any of the places I’ve ever heard about. Not Helheim, and certainly not Valhalla. It likely originates from a place beyond this realm, but the purpose of its existence continues to elude me.”

Sigurd sighed deeply, resting his hands on his hips. “...Forgive me. I don’t mean to dump all of this onto you. You probably have enough on your shoulders.” He switched to a lighter subject, deciding to put his fears to rest for the time-being. 

“How have you been, Eivor? Is your wound feeling any better? I planned to check on you multiple times, but I fear that my duties always got in the way.”

“No worries. It’s just started to heal. Ingrida says it’s going to leave quite a prominent scar in its absence, but well, it’s better than dying.”

A smirk twinkled on Sigurd’s face. “...I like it.”

“Really?”

“Why not? It gives you character. It makes you look like a warrior.”

Eivor chuckled. “That, or a fool who wasn’t able to handle himself in a fight.”

Sigurd’s smile only brightened. “Nonsense. Each scar you bear is a battle that you survived. Wear it with pride.” He patted his friend on the arm. “But enough about that. I was actually planning to visit you after speaking with the seeress.”

The Wolf-Kissed quirked a brow. “What for?”

“I wanted to take you up on your offer. For fishing. I was down at the docks earlier today, and saw some decent-looking fish roaming in the water. Still in the mood for it?”

Eivor nodded, grinning joyously at the man. “Without a doubt. We can find a boat and take it into the fjord. There are plenty of spots I can show you. Just let me finish my offering for Thor first.”

“Of course. I’ll meet you there when you’re ready. In the meantime, I’ll gather some supplies. See you soon.”

~~~~~~~~~~

A WHILE LATER

THE DOCKS

Pacing eagerly towards the pier, Eivor strolled excitedly through the village with an unusual spring in his step, smiling to himself as he briskly made his way past all the other buildings.

It had been a while since he last got the chance to spend any time with Sigurd, and he imagined that the two of them would have plenty of catching up to do. Even though they hadn’t bumped into each other for the past few days, Eivor always spotted the prince zipping back and forth around Bjornheimr, tending to his never-ending list of duties.

The man always looked so busy. Eivor was well-aware that a prince’s life wasn’t nearly as laid-back as other people expected, but even Sigurd’s schedule seemed to be overflowing with a ludicrous amount of responsibilities. He hardly had any time to even sit down, and the sockets around his eyes had darkened slightly due to a lack of sleep.

Eivor just hoped Sigurd was okay.

Finally arriving at the docks, the Wolf-Kissed came to a halt and gazed at this surroundings, trying to single out the prince’s head of red hair from the crowd. He eventually located the tall man standing at the edge of the pier with a basket and a pair of fishing rods, but to Eivor’s surprise, he wasn’t alone.

Dag seemed to have also joined the party, in spite of the sour expression plastered on his face. He was conversing with Sigurd in an agitated tone, and his brow had crinkled in a manner that displayed obvious annoyance. Strangely enough though, the prince didn’t appear to mirror his temperament. 

Just what was going on?

“Sigurd!” Eivor called out, causing both of them to turn their heads.

“Ah,” Sigurd replied radiantly, “Eivor. There you are. I was just asking Dag if he wanted to join us. I hope that’s not a problem?”

The younger man would’ve been lying if he said he wasn’t somewhat disappointed, but he didn’t have the heard to tell him “no.” He knew Dag was a close friend of Sigurd’s after all, and he didn’t want to interfere. But still... part of him had been looking forward to spending the day with the prince alone.

“No,” Eivor lied, “not at all. He can come if he likes.”

“Great.” Sigurd brought his gaze to Dag. “So, what do you say? Care to go fishing with us?”

To Eivor’s relief, the man refused.

“I appreciate the offer,” Dag said flatly, “but I can’t accept. I have other things to do. You two go on without me.”

“Are you sure?” Sigurd asked, somewhat put off by his friend’s dour mood. “The weather has calmed down since this morning. Now’s the perfect opportunity to take a break. We’ll only be gone for a short while.”

Dag nodded in a dismissive fashion. “Yes, I’m sure. I have many things to take care of, and I’m afraid they cannot wait. Like I said, you two can go without me.”

Sigurd’s eyes dimmed at his friend’s response. “...Well, alright. If you’re certain.”

“I am. Now, if you’ll excuse me...” 

Storming off like a pouty toddler, Dag practically stomped away from the scene and swiftly made himself scarce, leaving Sigurd and Eivor with an uncomfortable silence. The two of them watched in confusion as the man disappeared in the distance, and not too longer after he vanished, they exchanged glances with each other, bewildered by what just happened.

“What was that about?” Eivor asked. “Is something wrong with Dag?”

Sigurd sighed in frustration, reaching down to grab the basket. “You know what? I’ve been asking myself the same thing. Dag’s been acting this way ever since the feast, and I don’t know why. This kind of behavior is unusual for him.”

“Have you talked to him?”

The older man lifted the basket onto his shoulder, walking towards the end of the pier as Eivor followed him from behind.

“Not yet, no. And even if I did, I’m not sure he would give me a straight answer. Dag’s never been the type to open up so easily. I’m just wondering if it’s because of something I did.”

His friend was quiet for a moment. “Does Dag always behave like this?”

Sigurd shook his head. “No, actually. He’s still the same man I know most of the time, but... recently, he’s been going through these random bouts of anger. And they’re always directed at me.”

The prince placed the basket down on a boat waiting beside the pier, carefully stepping onto it as it gently bobbed up and down with the water’s movement.

“I just wish he would talk to me. Dag is a dear friend of mine, and I don’t want anything to be wedged between us. Especially not after hearing Ingrida’s prediction.”

Eivor gave him a sympathetic look. “Try not to let it worry you. I’m sure Dag’s just stressed out from the constant battling with Kjotve. I know we all are. He’ll open up to you when he’s ready.”

Sigurd let out a breath. “...I hope so. I have enough on my plate at the moment. I don’t have time to be running around in circles with Dag. The sooner he opens up, the better.” 

He suddenly glanced up at his companion, deciding to leave the subject alone. “But push that aside. You came here to fish, not to listen to my life problems. Are you ready to go?”

The younger man stepped off the dock and took a seat across from Sigurd, excited for the ride ahead.

“Ready when you are.”

“Wonderful. Thank you for coming with me, by the way, Eivor. I apologize if I seem more stern than usual. I fear that this past week taken a toll on me.”

Eivor took no offense. “There’s no need to apologize. We’re all going through a lot. It’s only normal. Just try to forget about it for now.”

“I’m glad you understand. You seem to be the only one these days. But... you’re right. Today is a day meant for relaxing. Let us not spoil it. Come on, why don’t you show me those fishing spots you mentioned? I’m eager to see them.”

The Wolf-Kissed grabbed the oar and smirked at Sigurd, pushing their boat away from the pier. “As you command, my prince.”

~~~~~~~~~~

BJORNHEIMR, THE FJORD

Venturing deep into the fjord’s divine embrace, Sigurd and Eivor traversed across the water’s glassy surface, steadily gliding along with its rippled waves. They made sure not to put too much distance between them and the village as they did with the waterfall, but even then, the sheer size of the fjord was enough to make them feel as if they had stepped into another world.

All around them, mountains extended into the sky for what seemed like miles, and appeared to kiss the base of the clouds. Their peaks were frosted with fresh snow that floated down from the heavens, and their base remained concealed beneath the ocean, forming a basin fit for the gods themselves.

Meanwhile, a thin curtain of fog draped itself over the mountains’ rugged forms and obscured the landscape waiting ahead, encompassing the world in a layer of mist that stood as a barrier between the two men and the secular village they left behind.

It was the perfect place to clear one’s thoughts, and Eivor could see that Sigurd was already beginning to unwind. The disquieted expression that once hung on his face had vanished, and at the moment, he was currently sitting peacefully on the boat, watching contently as fish poked their fins out from the water’s surface. 

They were completely alone out here, and Eivor wouldn’t have had it any other way.

“So,” the younger man said, “what’ve you been doing these past few days? I haven’t had the chance to talk with you in a while.”

“Oh, nothing too exciting,” Sigurd answered, leaning back in his seat. “I’ve joined your father and Ulfar at the war table quite a few times now, and I’ve also been getting to know Randvi more. It’s difficult to juggle between the two, but things have been going according to plan so far.”

Eivor threw a puzzled look at him. “What about your father? Does he not take part in your conversations in the war room?”

The other man hesitated for a second. “Oh, h-he does, but... well, he’s been occupied lately. Sometimes I take his place.”

Eivor couldn’t deny that he found the response a bit odd, but he decided not to pry any further. “I see. And what about Ulfar? I hope he hasn’t given you any trouble.”

It was Sigurd’s turn to be confused now. “Ulfar? No, none at all. Why would he?”

The Wolf-Kissed sighed sheepishly, unsure of how to explain. He assumed Ulfar would have already expressed his concerns to the prince about his ability to be a leader, but evidently, he was wrong. 

“I, well... I suppose there’s no harm in letting you know. The day you and I went to the tavern, Ulfar stayed for a drink after you left. Initially, he was in a rather foul mood, and it was directed at you. He said you almost got me killed in the forest.”

A look of guilt spread across Sigurd’s face. “...Ah, I see.”

“I spoke with him, though,” Eivor reassured. “I convinced Ulfar it wasn’t your fault, and he told me he’d withhold any further judgement for now. That’s why I asked if he had given you any trouble. I was curious to know if he still harbored these doubts. But don’t let it bother you. Whatever Ulfar does, it’s only to keep me and my siblings safe.”

Sigurd shook his head in disagreement. “No, he’s right. I should’ve been more careful that day. I made a foolish decision, and you nearly paid the price. It’s a good thing you’re a skilled warrior. Otherwise, I’d probably be responsible for your death by now.”

Eivor’s expression sank with pity. “Don’t say that. It’s not your fault what happened in the woods that day. You could’ve run off at the first sign of danger, but instead, you risked your life to save me. And everyone knows it. Even Ingrida.”

“Well, I may not be at fault,” the man conceded, “but I was ill-prepared for such an ordeal. If I’m going to be king someday, I need to be able to protect people. That includes you.” Sigurd shifted his position slightly, sitting more upright. “I promise, Eivor, I won’t endanger you like that again.”

The young man grinned. “I appreciate it, but we’re in the midst of a war. I’m afraid we don’t have much choice. Anything can happen at any time.”

“True, but I’ll still do everything I can to keep you and your people safe.” Sigurd displayed a small smile. “Death may be inevitable, but that’s no reason to let it take us so willingly. That’s why we have shields.”

Eivor chuckled. “I suppose you’re right.”

The two of them trailed off into silence briefly, only for the prince to bring up another topic.

“Hey, speaking of Ulfar, did you hear his report?”

“No.” Eivor said.

“Well, apparently, he and his men found two camps in the woods not too far from where we were attacked. They both belonged to Kjotve.”

“Really? How many men were there?”

Sigurd conjured a rough estimation. “About ten each.”

“Ten?” The Wolf-Kissed repeated in alarm. “That’s nearly two dozen in total. That’s enough men to carry out a small raid.”

“Indeed. We’re lucky Ulfar was able to drive them out before their numbers grew anymore. Thankfully though, he didn’t uncover any plans to attack Bjornheimr. He believes these particular men were just scouts sent here to keep an eye on the village and send information back to Kjotve. Our encounter with them wasn’t coordinated. A few of his people simply decided to take matters into their own hands.”

Eivor found some comfort in that. “Well, that’s a relief, at least. Still, I wonder how Kjotve will respond to this.”

Sigurd raised a brow. “What do you mean?”

“If these men were sending regular reports to Kjotve, he’s going to realize something’s wrong when they come to a sudden stop. He might even send reinforcements.”

The older man couldn’t help but admit he had a point. “Hmm. That does sound likely. I’ll have to warn your father and Ulfar about the possibility of retaliation. We may be preparing for a wedding, but Freya knows that won’t stop Kjotve from spilling blood.”

A shiver traveled down Eivor’s spine. “What if... what if he comes to Bjornheimr? What do you think we’ll do?”

The answer seemed fairly clear to Sigurd. “We’ll fight, of course. What else?”

“No, no,” his friend corrected, “I didn’t quite mean it like that. I just...” Eivor gazed down at his father’s axe, tracing a hand down its grip, “...I’ve spent so many years thinking about how I would take my revenge on Kjotve; for what he did to my parents. I’ve convinced myself that I’d slit his throat without a second thought, but... if he actually shows up, I don’t know if it’ll be that easy. I don’t know what I’ll do.”

A sense of empathy softened Sigurd’s eyes. “It won’t be easy. But whatever happens, make sure you fight for what matters. Ideally, Kjotve will never set foot on your shores, but if he does, fight not for revenge. Fight for the honor your father lost. Only then can you know true peace.”

Eivor stared aimlessly at the water surrounding them, trying to block out the memories of that horrible night. “...I’ll try. Even if it kills me.”

The younger man watched the soothing rhythm of the waves dancing around them and fell into a deep train of thought, only to be pulled out again when Sigurd’s voice reached his ears.

“Hey,” he said gently, leaning closer to his companion, “are you alright, Eivor?”

The Wolf-Kissed blinked a few times, still somewhat lost in his own past. “Yes. I’m fine. It’s just... difficult to think about, you know. My parents were killed over a decade ago, and yet, their words from that night remain fresh in my head. It’s hard to ignore them sometimes.”

“Of course,” Sigurd replied. “I understand.”

“Anyway,” Eivor said, not wishing to dwell on the grim subject any longer, “you mentioned you’ve been seeing Randvi more earlier. How are things going between the two of you?”

“We still don’t know each other that well,” Sigurd confessed, “but she strikes me as a kind woman; an honorable one. I think we can make this marriage work. Although, I must admit... it’s bizarre to think about how she’ll be my wife in only a week from now. The future felt so far away when I first got here, and yet, these past seven days have fleeted by within a heartbeat. It just makes me wonder how fast the wedding will arrive.”

Eivor caught onto his tone. “Are you nervous?”

“Yes, and so is Randvi. But I think we’re both slowly coming to terms with it.” A glint of curiosity formed in the prince’s gaze. “What about you, Eivor? Have you ever considered marriage?”

The man laughed. “Me? No, not really. I’ve had partners in the past, but... nothing serious. It’s difficult to imagine someone marrying me, if I’m being honest.”

Sigurd scoffed. “Psh. Nonsense. Anyone would be lucky to have you as their spouse.”

“You think?”

The older man shrugged. “Why not? You’re compassionate, humorous, handsome, and--” Sigurd suddenly froze in shock, utterly embarrassed by his own words.

Meanwhile, Eivor simply gave him an appreciative smirk, undeniably amused by his slip-up.

“You consider me handsome, do you?” He teased.

Sigurd stammered bashfully and brought a hand to the back of his neck, barely able to hold eye contact with the Wolf-Kissed anymore. “Gods above... erm, f-forgive me, Eivor. I... I didn’t mean to--”

“--It’s alright.” He interrupted. “The truth is, I think you’re handsome too.”

The prince paused at Eivor’s remark, calming down somewhat. “You... do?”

Eivor chuckled, leaning forward in his seat. “Yes, you fool. Who wouldn’t? You’re strong, kind, caring, and you...” the young man caught himself before he could say anything else and stopped mid-sentence, abruptly retreating from his comments as Sigurd watched him quietly.

“...No,” Eivor said, his tone much more sullen now. “I can’t do this.”

Sigurd found himself growing concerned. “What’s wrong?”

The other man sighed in despondency, looking shamefully away from his friend. Eivor assured Ingrida that he wouldn’t allow his emotions to interfere with the upcoming wedding, and yet, he had barely been able to stop himself just now.

His thoughts slipped free from his lips as if they carried a mind of their own, and if it weren’t for the fact that everyone’s safety was depending on this alliance, Eivor had no idea how far he truly would’ve gotten. 

His ability to restrain his desires was already being crippled just after a week of knowing Sigurd, and the looming reality of his feelings was enough to send Eivor into a state of panic and loneliness. 

These next few days were going to be nothing but absolute turmoil for him, and sooner or later, he’d have to accept it. He just didn’t know how.

“Sigurd...” Eivor whispered sorrowfully, “...can I be honest with you?”

The older man nodded. “Of course. What’s going on?”

The Wolf-Kissed looked him directly in the eye, taking a deep breath. “...The truth is, ever since we met at that feast, I’ve been infatuated with you.”

Sigurd’s brow furrowed in shock. “...You have?”

“Yes. Whenever we’re apart, I’m always thinking about when I’ll see you next, or how you’re doing. I care about you, and I worry about your well-being despite being no more than an acquaintance.”

The prince knotted his hands together in thought. “And what about when you’re with me?”

Eivor showed a faint smile to him, but its facade was quickly betrayed by the pain in his gaze. “I feel at peace. I feel like nothing in the world can touch us. I feel a certain way that I’ve never felt before with anyone else, and it... it frightens me sometimes.”

The young man continued. “But I can’t allow these feelings to develop any further. No matter how persistent they may be. We’re both bound by our duties, and yours is to secure an alliance with my clan. The only thing I can provide for you is a distraction that you can’t afford.” Eivor slunk back to his end of the boat, hiding inside the shell that he constantly wore. “...I’m sorry, Sigurd. But our relationship can’t go beyond this.”

Sigurd offered nothing other than silence in return and simply delved into his own thoughts, gazing downwards in a desolate manner. It was clear that he mirrored the same affections that Eivor expressed, but he felt even more reluctant to share them now that he knew about the other man’s views.

It was the burden of being a prince, he supposed. Everyone always told Sigurd that his choices were his own, and yet, he was being forced to repress something that others would’ve been more than happy to admit. His life had been nothing more than one big preparation to rule the kingdom someday, but he felt as if he hardly had any control over his own life.

Still, Sigurd knew Eivor was right, and he knew he couldn’t afford to deviate from the path set out in front of him. The war with Kjotve was much bigger than either of them, and everyone’s safety was depending on this alliance.

“I... understand, Eivor.” He said quietly.

The younger man hung his head low, unable to ignore the guilt settling into his mind. “I’m sorry it has to be like this, Sigurd.”

“Don’t be. What you’re doing is noble. Not everyone would have your restraint.”

Eivor’s mood barely lightened at that. “It doesn’t feel noble. But I know it’s necessary.”

Sigurd nodded solemnly, unsure of what to say anymore. “...Indeed.”

Having had enough of this place, the older man took hold of the oar and stuck it into the water, eager to return to solid land.

“We should starting heading back.” He said abruptly, earning a tilt of the head from Eivor.

“Already? Are you sure? We haven’t even been out for that long.”

“I know, but I fear that my free time is rather limited today. An abundance of tasks awaits me in Bjornheimr, and I’m almost certain that my father will require my presence as well.”

Eivor peered at Sigurd with concern, clearly able to see that he had been affected by their conversation.

“Okay.” He agreed tentatively. “If you’re sure.”

“I am. Come on, I’ll row you back to the village. Just sit back and relax.”

Guiding their boat away from the fjord, Sigurd steadily drove them back to the shoreline without uttering another word as Eivor sat quietly on his side, admittedly feeling somewhat remorseful for having dimmed the mood.

Initially, he had been excited to spend more time with the forlorn prince, but now, he wondered if he had made a mistake. It was no question that a special type of bond connected the two of them, and Eivor mentally scolded himself for allowing it to strengthen even further.

At this point, part of him was considering the idea of severing their relationship. It was difficult enough battling the constant temptation that he felt whenever he was with Sigurd, so Eivor thought that, perhaps, it might’ve been best if he simply eliminated the chance for it to show up again.

There would be no need to practice restraint if the prince avoided him altogether. They would be complete strangers just like before, and Eivor wouldn’t have to worry about clashing with his desires on a daily basis.

But... he knew he wouldn’t be able to do such a thing. He cared about Sigurd too much, despite only having known him for a week. That man housed something special within his heart, and the last thing Eivor wanted was to cast it aside.

Still, he didn’t know how he would proceed from here. Sigurd was aware of his admiration now, and any interactions between them would’ve bred nothing but awkwardness.

They both needed some time to get their thoughts in order, and frankly, Eivor was starting to feel grateful that the other man decided to make such a swift exit. He needed to be alone for a while, and it was evident that Sigurd also had plenty to think about himself.

It was one of those moments where Eivor felt the urge to seek out guidance, and he knew exactly who to get it from. 

He just worried that they would tell him precisely what he didn’t want to hear.

~~~~~~~~~~

BJORNHEIMR, THE DOCKS

“Here we are.” Sigurd announced, letting the boat drift towards the pier as he gazed into the distance. “...And it looks like Dag is waiting for me. Just like I expected.”

Eivor stood up from his seat. “What does he want from you?”

His friend put down the oar and climbed back onto the docks, taking their supplies with him. “Nothing. It’s my father who probably wants something. Dag is merely the messenger. I just hope it’s not what I think it is.”

Walking briskly ahead of the other man, Sigurd strode down the wooden pier and made a beeline straight for Dag as Eivor hurried to his side, abandoning the boat. 

A newfound irritation had worked its way into the prince’s usually serene demeanor, and the Wolf-Kissed wondered if he’d finally learn the reason behind Styrbjorn’s aforementioned absence at the war table.

“Dag,” the redhead called out in a firm tone. “What are you doing here?”

The bulky warrior removed himself from the tree he had been leaning on and approached Sigurd, appearing no more pleased than before.

“The king requests your presence at the longhouse.” He informed. “There’s a problem he needs your help with.”

Sigurd sighed in defeat, plopping the basket down in frustration. “Of course he does. Is it the same ‘problem’ as yesterday?”

Dag nodded. “I’m afraid so.”

The prince shook his head angrily. “That drink-addled fool...! He promised me this wouldn’t be an issue. What is he doing now?”

“He’s waiting for you in his chambers. Same as always. I suggest you hurry. He’s in a worse state than usual.”

Sigurd’s face stiffened with ire. “And it’s no one else’s fault but his. What is that man thinking?” He paused for a second, recomposing himself. “...Thank you for letting me know, Dag. Hopefully, we’ll never have to have this conversation again.”

The raider began strolling away from them, pessimistic about the idea. “Hopefully, but not likely.”

Removing himself from the scene, Dag disappeared once again while Eivor took his place, confused as to what just happened. It was quite obvious to him that Styrbjorn seemed to be at the core of this issue, but he hadn’t the faintest idea what the issue was exactly.

“What’s going on?” Eivor asked. “Is your father safe? Do you need any help?”

Sigurd quickly rejected the offer. “No, no. He’ll be fine. He’s just being an idiot. It’s best if I deal with this alone. Believe me.”

The younger man’s curiosity remained fervent, but he decided not to press anymore. The prince was evidently in a state of heightened exasperation at the moment, and Eivor suspected that any further questions would’ve only earned him more animosity.

“...Alright. If you say so. But don’t hesitate to ask for my aid if you need it.”

“Thank you, Eivor. I appreciate it.”

Forcing himself to relax, Sigurd rubbed his temple out of stress and turned to face Eivor, softening the jagged edge of his voice.

“Forgive me. I don’t mean to be so irate, but things are chaotic enough as it is, and my father is only making things worse. He’s ignoring all of his responsibilities, and piling them on my shoulders instead. I’d be lying if I said it wasn’t affecting me.”

Something clicked in Eivor’s head. “So that’s why you’ve been so busy.”

“Yes. That, and a few other things. But those matters are irrelevant right now. The only important thing I have to say is... thank you. For taking the time to come with me today.”

“Of course, Sigurd. You need only ask.”

The older man beamed warmly. “...You truly are a blessing. You know that, Eivor? I genuinely believe you’re the only person I can fully rely on. You’re a man worthy of trust.” He placed his hands on his hips, returning to his usual temperament. “But I’ve idled for long enough. My father’s probably wondering where I am. Feel free to take all the fish we caught. You deserve it for putting up with me today.”

Eivor took the basket in hand, waving goodbye to Sigurd. “Farewell for now, my friend. Take care of yourself. And remember, I’m here if you need me.”

The prince started heading in the direction of the longhouse, returning the wave with one of his own. 

“The same goes to you. I may be busy, but my door’s always open, Wolf-Kissed. I only pray that our next meeting will be under better circumstances. Until then, stay safe. We all need you.”

[conaionaru]

Honor and Blod (Ivar the Boneless)

Wedding day

Synopsis: It's the day of the wedding and the begging of a new life

Warning: Angst, forced marriage, toxic family, mentions of animal sacrifice, blood, Ivar, fluff (because why not), drinking, smut (I hope it’s good)

Tagged

@shannygoatgruff @youbloodymadgenius @xbellaxcarolinax @heavenly1927 @lol-haha-joke

The morning Margrethe came to wake her up, Vanya was already awake. She barely slept, to tell the truth. The Princess was nervous and couldn't even close her eyes, she spent the whole night thinking about what would happen.

Aslaug and other women fussed around her for hours-making her hair and getting her dressed. More than once, did she want to get back to bed and go to sleep. But every time she looked at Aslaug's face and the broad smile it held, she couldn't tell her anything. The Queen looked so happy as if it was her own wedding instead of Ivar's. But maybe that was the reason for her happiness. She loved her son very much, and him finding somebody good for him made her happy. 

So she held her tongue and instead listened to her future mother in law humming a tune under her breath. It was calming and helped her a little bit. The moment Aslaug left to check the preparations for the feast, Margrethe stood in front of Vanya with a worried look. 

"What is wrong, Margrethe? Do I look bad?" The ginger asked with a tilted head and a pout on her lips. They wouldn't let her check how she looked and wouldn't even tell her. It frustrated her much. It's not like she cared if she looked pretty, that would be insane...

"I wish you good luck with Ivar." As sweet as the sentence was, from Margrethe's lips, it sounded more like a threat for what's to come. 

Vanya took the thralls hands in hers and stared at her with a furrowed brow. It worried her that three people warned her of her husband to be. If she didn't want to run away before, she sure does now. "Do you fear him?" The hesitant nod was answer enough. 

"You don't have to. You are my friend. I will protect you." She talked slowly and didn't pronounce the words quite right, but the sincerity behind them was. The blonde looked up at the ginger with soft eyes. 

"And who will protect you, Princess?" He promised protection from others. But the thrall was right. Who would protect her from him if he was indeed the monster everybody made him out to be.

"You don't worry about that. I will be fine. If not, Sigurd promised to help." Worrying about danger on her wedding day was definitely not how she imagined it to be when she was young. But truth to be told nothing is like she pictured it. She always dreamed of white dresses in churches with her father there, marrying a noble prince with a big heart who would take her far away. At some points, it matched her dream. Ivar is a prince who took her far away, and she is wearing a white dress. Maybe her father will be there too. Watching over her like an angel. 

She feared he would stop doing it after she was no longer Christian. Do angels watch over pagans too? Or do their gods do that instead? Ignoring her worry and whatever other emotion she felt, Vanya sent Margrethe a small smile and looked down at herself. 

The white dress that Aslaug got made for her was simple but pretty. She kept insisting that she could have made one herself, but the Queen said that she should leave it to the women who are paid to do it. Vanya couldn't argue with that logic. 

The next time Aslaug returned, it was with Ubbe behind her. He stopped in his track when he looked at the ginger princess nervously, twiddling with her fingers as Margrethe braided flowers into her hair. She looked at him nervously, hoping he would give her a hint or anything. Instead, he only smiled and winked at her. Well, at least that meant she didn't look that bad. 

"And how are you feeling?" His tone was teasing, of course, it was. He could read her emotions like an open book. 

"Hungry. Tired. I barely slept, and they won't let me eat. I think I will eat like Hvitserk today." The furrowed brow and pout reminded the eldest son of Aslaug of a little child. He couldn't help but laugh at her expression. 

Ivar liked her, that much was obvious. Ubbe suspected it had to do with her looks; after all, she is stunning. He even sometimes saw his brother smile, and he overheard them talking a few times too. All of his brothers kept teasing him about it. So he guarded his face around them. But truth to be told, Ubbe was happy for Ivar, he was different around her, and that was good. Finally, there was somebody who didn't pity him or was disgusted by his legs. Perhaps that's the reason behind his behavior. 

"Nobody will blame you, don't worry. It's time to go." Aslaug wanted Ubbe to lead her to the place of the wedding, while she went to check on her son again. So the Queen left the two alone with Margrethe, who retired as soon as her hair was perfect. 

When the two were definitely alone, Vanya runs to the mirror to see for herself how she looked. She liked it. She looked so pretty like the princesses in the stories the wet nurse told her about. 

"You look great. I am sure Ivar will freeze when he sees you." Ubbe joked, looking her over once more. 

"Do you think so? That would be a sight to see." Vanya giggled back, spinning on her heel to turn to the kind Viking. "I am nervous and excited and very concerned." 

Her confession made Ubbe raise an eyebrow. "Why concerned?" 

Vanya bit her lip nervously, careful not to draw any blood. She wanted to tell Ubbe about her concerns so bad. But until now, Ivar hadn't done anything to make her fear him. "Is it about Ivar?" And again, he could read her so well. She changed her mind, she doesn't like Ubbe anymore. He is too kind.

"So many people warned me about him. But... I don't see a reason to fear him. He has been nothing but kind to me. Not that I am complaining. It's just that Sigurd and your mother told me that if he did something, I should report to them. But he has been nothing but kind, so I don't understand what they mean. And that worries me." Ubbe cut off her rambling by putting his hands on her shoulders and asking her to look at him and take a deep breath.

He kept her steady on her feet and gave her a small encouraging smile. "Ivar is very complicated. He has his problems. But he likes you. If he is kind to you, that is good. Focus on that instead of worrying, something will happen. If it does, you tell us. We are just worried, that is all. You are to be our sister. It is only right, we worry."

Vanya processed his words and smiled up at him. His words put her at ease and finally gave her mind some rest. She nodded once again before stepping away from the tall man. And so they made their way to the wedding. 

With every step she took, Vanya went though another emotion. Nervousness, determination, worry, and finally, happiness. She couldn't help but smile when she saw everybody standing there. Especially when her eyes met Ivar's. Ubbe was right, the fearsome crippled Viking froze. 

She walked to him and sat down on the chair in front of him. The chairs weren't a tradition, but if Ivar had to sit because of his legs, she had to do the same. Vanya wasn't sure what was happening. She sat there looking into Ivar's hypnotizing gaze as the world went by around them.

All she could see was Ivar in his new blue tunic sitting there, almost shyly. The only sounds around her faded together till she only heard silence. Yet she liked the feeling of serenity that surrounded her. All her earlier worries and fear faded away. Maybe it was the fact she was getting married and was finally free of Silas. Or perhaps it was the freedom of the pegan ways that didn't carry crosses, confessions, and holy water with them.

A sword was placed in her hand as the woman who wedded them put rings on top. Vanya exchanged swords with Ivar before the woman took his face into her hands and made him look at her. "Ivar, do you swear to the gods that you want to marry this woman?"

"I swear." He said as Aslaug smiled brightly, not too far away from them with his brothers around her. The woman looked at Vanya and softly cupped her face between her hands as she smiled at the former Christian.

"Vanya, do you swear to the gods that you want to marry this man?" 

Vanya nodded softly without hesitation until she remembered that she had to say it out loud. "I do swear." 

"Then, you are married." The woman said before sprinkling blood in their faces. Vanya flinched at that and closed her eyes but opened them to look at Ivar.

For some reason, he looked as if a huge weight was lifted off his shoulders when she said yes. She would not say anything else, of course, even if she wanted. But the certainty in her voice was a relief. She was a lousy liar, and her being so sure that her decision was excellent. Slowly the two drew closer and kissed. 

Vanya couldn't explain the feeling, she kissed people before. She kissed her father's cheek, her mother's hands, a foreign prince when she was five. But that was just a peck. This felt different. And when they parted, and Ivar's eyes slowly opened to meet hers, she knew he felt the same. The feeling was pure joy for good things to come. 

After the wedding was over, they moved back to the Great hall to celebrate. She sat next to Ivar overlooking everybody while Hvitserk and Ubbe joked while watching the thralls serve their meals and mead. Sigurd played his music like promised, but of course, there were other musicians too. It was all so fun and free, nothing like the parties back home.

"So tell me, SISTER, how does it feel to be married?" Hvitserk teased, making her smile back at him. She bought her cup filled with water to her lips and chuckled.

"Why do you wish to know the feeling?" The sons of Ragnar laughed at the remark and Hvitserks horrified face. She snorted into her cup before she blushed and covered her mouth with the back of her hand. That, of course, only made the others tease her more. 

Hvitserk had a twinkle in his eyes as he looked at her victorious face before he offered his untouched cup of mead to her. "You are supposed to get drunk, Vanya. Come on, drink some mead and not that boring water."

She took the cup from his hand and looked down at the liquid before looking back up at the three brothers. Ivar waved his hand at her to drink it while Ubbe raised an eyebrow at her daring her to do it. So she did. Oh, how she regretted that choice. She swallowed the mouthful of the potent liquid that bought small tears to her eyes. "Strong." She whispered, screwing her face into a grimace as the others around her laughed. 

After some time, Hvitserk and Ubbe left to flirt or dance with the pretty ladies as she sat next to Ivar smiling brightly. She could feel eyes on her and look to her right only to see him looking at her. She smirked at him teasingly and raised one perfect eyebrow up in question. "You are staring."

Ivar shook his head and took her hand in his. "I am admiring true beauty." Vanya laughed at his cheesy line but blushed when he kissed her hand. 

"Just because it works for your brothers, does not mean it will work for you." She teased back her cheeks, slowly cooling down. 

Ivar smirked at her cockily and lead his cup to his lips. "Isn't it? Could have fooled me." She rolled her eyes at his confidence and looked at the dancing people. 

"It's all so different. In England, everybody is remarkably slow when they dance. I like this much more. It feels more like a celebration." She voiced watching the pagans move, laugh, and drink without a care in the world. Hvitserk heard her and mentioned for her to join in his dancing, but she shook her head. "I don't know how to dance like that." 

"Then, it's time you learn." He cheered a little bit tipsy, but still presentable. Vanya felt Ivar squeeze her hand in his when she looked at him, he encouraged her to go dance. So she went with Hvitserk spinning and fooling around with her head thrown back, laughing loudly. Ivar's smile changed into a frown as he watched her dance with his brother. He wanted to be in his place, on two legs with his wife's hands on his shoulders as he spun her around. But he never would.

Yet he loved to see her dance. It was nothing like the shy Christian that arrived a week ago. She looked silly yet graceful. Like she belonged with them. Meanwhile, Vanya caught a glimpse of a grumpy Ivar alone in his chair, only with his mother by his side. 

After some time, she moved back to the table and collapsed in her seat, gulping down her cup of water. She leaned back in her chair and looked at Ivar's confused face. "What are you doing. Go dance." 

Vanya shook her head, smiling softly. "I wanna sit here with you, Husband." Ivar smirked at the way the word rolled off her tongue and caught her hand in his. The two sat there talking about nothing and everything while the feast went on. When the moon was very high in the sky, the two decided to retreat to their chambers, their ears hurting from all the noise. Wolf whistles lead their way before they finally reached their destination.

The fire was burning, as thralls removed the flowers from her hair and took off her dress, only leaving her in her underdress. When the two slaves left, she looked back at Ivar, who sat on the bed, getting rid of his braces. 

The redhead strolled over to him, unsure of what would happen next. She knew they should bed each other, but she was so nervous her hands shook. Ivar stopped in his task and looked up at her, just as unsure as to her. He gulped loudly, watching her walk in front of him. 

She stopped in front of him and looked into his blue eyes biting her lower lip. "I don't... I don't know what to do." She confessed, shyly sighing in defeat.

The two newlyweds looked at each before Vanya kneeled in front of Ivar and helped him take off the straps that tie his legs together. Ivar's blue eyes watched her like a hawk trying to see any sign of disgust at being near his useless legs. But there was none—just nervousness. He gulped when the task was done and thought of Ubbe's advice. 

Vanya looked up at him and smiled a small smile before kissing him again. This time it lasted longer and held more emotion. It contained a lust that was foreign to her. She never lusted after somebody, so the passion behind this lip lock was exiting. It was new and very much welcome. 

Ivar drew her up on the bed with him and kept kissing her as his hands slowly settled on her hips. Vanya's hand cupped one of his cheeks as she leaned her front against his. There was no space between their chests that, with every pant, moan, and needy whimper, they could feel the vibrations. The hands on her hips tightened as Ivar pulled her on top of him. 

Vanya pulled back, breathless, and gazed down at Ivar, who panted just as hard as her. His eyes were no longer the shining bright blue, they were darker like the sea during a storm. She placed her small hands on his shoulders to balance herself and softly kissed him again, wanting to feel the warmth in her belly again.

Ivar's right palm trailed down her waist, gripping her milky white tights squeezing to compare his calloused hands with her silky smooth skin. He trailed the hand buck up again, pulling her underdress slightly up, making his way to her neck. He cupped the back of her long neck and pulled her away from his lips so he could kiss her neck like Ubbe told him to do yesterday. 

Vanya threw her head back as her fiery locks cascaded down her back. A sound of pleasure left her pink lips, which made Ivar pull away and look up at her. "Good or bad?" He asked unsurely making sure she was enjoying it just like he was. Vanya shyly nodded, not trusting her voice before she struggled to take off her husband's shirt. 

When the piece of garment was off, Ivar threw it on the ground, intensely gazing into Vanya's blue eyes. The two locked lips again as Ivar drew up her underdress, leaving her naked. Vanya went to cover herself instinctively. "Don't." Her husband's voice stopped her as he curled his fingers around her wrist, and shamelessly watched her body. That is until he locked gazes with her, and the shyness was back. He looked down as if he was ashamed of being caught, Vanya laughed at that and lifted his face back at her. 

"Let's move higher on the bed. I feel like I will fall off the bed soon." She confessed, shifting in his lap. Ivar nodded, helping her off him and dragged himself up the bed. 

"I would not let you fall." He added, frowning at the suggestion. Vanya smiled at that moving towards him but stopped as her hand touched the fabric of Ivar's pants. Ivar looked down at the spot she was concentrating on and swallowed, his throat suddenly dry.  

"We don't have to take them off. Or we can put a blanket on them if you are uncomfortable. I don't care." She said frantically, seeing his discomfort, but Ivar shook his head and moved her hand off his pant leg. He squeezed her fingers and went to the strings keeping his pants on. He paused again, feeling Vanya's eyes on him.

"Close your eyes." The son of Ragnar softly ordered as Vanya nodded and did as he wanted. With some sense of privacy, Ivar took his pants off with a little bit of struggle and threw them on top of their other clothes. He changed his mind and covered them with a blanket just to be sure. "You can look."

She didn't mention the blanket as he helped her on top again. All she did was connect their lips together and trail her hands over his shoulders and back. The redhead softly trailed her fingertips over his back, shoulders, arms, and chest making shivers spread over him. She could feel the muscles move under her touch, the fire building in her body growing hotter and hotter. She felt like she would melt any minute if he didn't act soon. 

As if he was reading her thoughts, Iva lifted her hips up and scooted the blanket lower, struggling with the fabric as she kneeled on it. Vanya couldn't help but laugh at his frustration, trying to help him by lifting her knees one by one. But the blanket got tangled in her feet, causing her to nearly fall. Ivar reacted faster than her and pulled her to his chest. She laughed again at the awkwardness, Ivar chuckled too but finally freed the fabric from under her. 

His legs were still covered, but now he could feel all of her skin against him. The soft skin was warm to the touch and slightly damp with sweat just like his. Vanya looked at him, unsure what to do next. All she knew about sex was from her mother and a few servants from home. Looking at the ceiling and waiting for it to be over was not an option. Mostly because she was on top of him and secondly because she enjoyed the view too much to look away. His firm muscles and handsome face with his intriguing eyes were a sign to behold.

And she wanted to see him looking at her too. No matter how flustered she got from the attention, he kept trailing his eyes over her frame with a sense of worship. As if she was a goddess only there for him. 

Ivar licked his lips and trailed new kisses over her neck, then he trailed his left palm up from her hip towards her plump breast, caressing the flesh with her noises of excitement and pleasure cheering him on. It felt glorious to make her lose focus and enjoy herself. With every breathy moan and gasp or every shiver, he felt more powerful. It gave him an unknown high that he didn't feel since the first time he successfully killed an animal. His body was driven on with pride, lust, and slowly growing confidence. 

The young Viking gently lifted the ginger's hips and entered her. The two gasped and froze in their movements, getting used to the sensation. Panting with their foreheads resting against each other, the room got hotter than before as they gazed into each other's eyes. Neither knows who kissed who first or who started moving, all they knew that words couldn't describe what was happening. 

Vanya couldn't believe she was scared of this moment for so long. The other women in her life who told her of sex always made it sound like a terrible thing involving screams of pain, blood, and tears. Yet the tears in her eyes were caused by ecstasy, not suffering. His skin against hers was heaven, not disgusting, and she wondered if they lied or truly felt all those things. But this wasn't about them. It was about her and Ivar moving against each other for the first time of many.

Ivar though he reached Valhalla with the way she was around him. He could smell her all around him, hear only the sounds she made, and focus on her. She resembled a goddess with the way her hips moved with the little gasps passing between her lips. She was perfect in every sense, and he couldn't get enough of her. 

The noises she made grew louder as she panted above him, her head thrown back and eyes closed as her frame shook. Ivar felt her tightened, making him lose himself in the feeling before it was over. The two collapsed back on the bed, both panting, Vanya rested her heavy head on his chest trying to catch her breath as bliss settled over them.  

Ivar rested one of his hands on top of her red locks, looking up at the ceiling, surprised at what happened. He was so nervous he would not be able to satisfy a woman because of his condition. But thank the gods he wasn't a complete cripple, and Vanya seemed satisfied enough given by her happy smile.

"That wasn't what I thought it would be," Vanya mumbled, looking up from her husband's chest, her eyes soft and sleepy. 

Ivar raised an eyebrow at that. "Was it bad or what?" Vanya shook her head at that dragging her body higher so their faces would be at the same level. "Don't worry, it was great. It's just that the women back home said it would be horrible. I liked it this way better." 

Ivar smirked, as Vanya laid her head next to his closing, her eyes sleep taking control over her. He kissed her on top of her head and closed his eyes, breathing in her scent while holding hands on top of his chest. 

[vikingsarememes]

Pairing: Y/N x Ragnarssons

summary: you and your mother are visiting her best friend Aslaug in her country house as a Christmas tradition! you get reunited with your childhood friends; Ubbe, Hvitserk, Sigurd and Ivar, too many good memories and they’re definitely more dramatic than you remember

warnings: light bullying

word count: 2712

A/N: this is a little messy but hopefully it will lighten up your holidays! requests are pretty open so feel free to do that, but nothing smutty though, I personally believe I’ll suck at writing smut, oh and Merry Christmas!

Your mother and Aslaug Lothbrok had been friends ever since you could remember, you were raised with ِAslaug’s boys as one of them, you were treated as a family, your father died when you were an infant while Aslaug’s husband disappeared shortly after her youngest son was born, Christmas was a lonely time for both women, that’s why they made it a tradition to celebrate it together even though time sent each in a different path.

Every year, you’d speed a weekend at the Lothbrok’s country house, all the boys would fly and drop whatever they were doing and go there, and this year was no different.

You and mother arrived, knocked on the door, Aslaug was the one to open it, she immediately greeted you both with a hug “Elvi! My dearest friend, you are finally here! Y/N! Look at you! You grew into becoming such a lovely woman! Come in, your rooms are ready if you want to rest and the boys are already here” she announced after both of you entered the house, Aslaug was ridiculously rich, and the country house showed that well. 

Aslaug and your mother instantly ignored your existence and headed to the kitchen to catch up with each other, while you put your bags aside then headed to the living room, where you could hear loud screams, laughter, and noises, once you set a foot in the room, it went soundless, the four boys looked at you as if they saw a ghost, “uh… Hi?” you said uncertain of their reaction. 

“Y/N?” Ubbe asked confused, perhaps a year could change someone more than they think “of course it’s Y/N! Who else could make us go quiet like that” Hvitserk rolled his eyes and got up, he walked to you and hugged you “it’s been so long! We almost forgot you existed” he chuckled and his brothers followed, hugging you one after another, welcoming you among them “excuse us for not recognizing you, last year you had glasses on and braces!” Ubbe clarified and you rolled your eyes “thank you for reminding me Ubbe” you scoffed.

You sat down on one of the empty couches “so… Y/N tell us! How’s New York treating you?” Ivar asked curiously “very well, I’m a photographer for TIMES magazine now, and things are great, I love the city, it’s not as beautiful as it is here, not as calm but it has its own beauty, you guys should visit me there someday! I’ll take you to my favorite spots and introduce you to amazing people!” you beamed “any boys we should beat?” Sigurd grinned “No, unless you count my colleague Karan, he’s an asshole, but other than that, I’m as single as I could ever be” you explained, Ivar laughed, while his brothers looked at each other as if they just heard that they were nominated for an award.

֎֎֎֎֎֎֎֎֎֎

Aslaug called you in as her and your mother prepared a table, it was time for dinner, the five of you took your usual seats, the ones that were decided ever since you were children, Aslaug and your mother excelled themselves this year; turkey, pumpkin pie, ham, a feast made for ten at least, you wondered how you’d finish all the food but then Hvitserk started eating.

Small talks filled the air, mostly your mother asking about the boys’ life now, Ubbe’s been married to a woman named Margrethe, she ran away and returned after many months but he divorced her, Hvitserk had been the same player he is, Sigurd was discreet, no one knew what’s new with him, and Ivar moved out of his mother’s house and he’s seeing a physician to treat his ongoing condition, he can walk now, with the use of crutches, of course, last time you saw him he used a wheelchair.

“And this woman, she knocked on my door in the middle of the night and stripped! She said she wanted to get back at her ex! I closed the door and went back to eating the chicken legs on the bed!” Hvitserk exclaimed the others laughed, Aslaug and your mother seemed more interested in whispering between the two of them.

“It’s so unlike you to refuse a woman brother!” Ivar noted as he picked a piece of turkey meat in his fork and ate it “I love women, yes, but no one can interrupt my binge eating after midnight on a weekend! It’s the holy laws of my household, besides, there will be next times, don’t worry about me, I’m quite charming” he smirked and sipped some wine.

“Excuse Ivar, he’s nineteen and hadn’t gotten laid yet, he doesn’t possibly understand pussies can be replaced” Sigurd mocked, everyone but Ivar laughed and with that, you knew it wasn’t a dinner anymore, it was a warzone “I doubt you know more than I do Sigurd” Ivar responded, he was angry you could tell, even if he hid it well behind a calm tone and a fake smile.

“I know my dick works, can you say the same?” Sigurd replied, seeming offended by Ivar “Jesus Christ Sigurd! Enough! we’re trying to eat!” Ubbe finally said and their little conversation died like that, an awkward silence fell upon the table, besides the whispers of your mothers of course.

֎֎֎֎֎֎֎֎֎֎

The five of you decided to sit and watch a movie, like the good old days when you used to be children, it was night and you were bored, after all, Hvitserk brought a popcorn bowl for everyone, Sigurd took responsibility for the drinks, while Ivar set up the movies mode on the television while you and Ubbe brought the blankets and pillows for everyone.

“We are not watching Ready or Not Ivar! It’s Christmas! We will watch a Christmas movie!” Ubbe bickered, “just because its Christmas doesn’t mean we have to watch some romantic bullshit with tacky writing!” Ivar protested “I thought we were watching a comedy” Hvitserk pouted, “we agreed we’ll watch a musical!” Sigurd said annoyed. 

With that everyone started arguing and screaming at each other, as much as you love these boys, you hated it when that happens, you took a deep breath then whistled, grabbing everyone’s attention “we’ll watch the lion king, and that’s final, it has horror aka Scar, Comedy aka Timon and Bomba, Romance Simba and Nala, and of course amazing music!” you listed and didn’t wait for anyone to complain, one thing you remember clearly about the boys, they’d leave their differences aside for a good Disney Classical gem.

No one said anything during the film, all of you were so concentrated, and even though you saw the movie thousands of times, you all cried at the sad parts, laughed at the funny parts, and awed at the lovely parts, Hvitserk finished his popcorn before the end of the first half, he then started stealing from everyone else’s, you ended up sharing yours with him since you couldn’t really finish it by your own, it only made him last for another thirty minutes.

֎֎֎֎֎֎֎֎֎֎

After the movie was over, and the crying had stopped, you all decided to revive an old Christmas ritual of yours, which is playing spin the bottle, thanks to Hvitserk you already had an empty bottle to spin, the five of you sat in a circle, and Ubbe span it first.

The bottle’s neck stopped on Sigurd and the bottom on Ubbe, Ubbe was to ask, and if the person didn’t want to answer they must drink a shot of vodka that was already prepared by you, Ubbe snickered a little “Sigurd, my little brother! What should I ask you?” he said thinking, even though part of you suspected he already had something in mind “Sigurd when will you bring us a man to the house?” Ubbe asked with a wicked smirk, rumors have it, Sigurd was gay but no one can confirm it “why? You’re not man yourself you need a manlier man?” Sigurd replied playing dumb “he’s asking whether you are gay or not” Ivar jumped, Sigurd rolled his eyes and took a shot.

Next, it was you and Hvitserk, your turn to ask him “how is it even possible that you don’t get fat? You eat so much!” you said “is this a question or a personal assault?” he frowned “a question man! I need your diet tips” you answered “well, I move a lot usually, not now but back in my place it’s not rare to see me running around the house screaming at three in the morning, I just move a lot, also sex helps lose weight” he shrugged.

Later it was Sigurd and Ivar “how come you’re a spoiled brat at the age of nineteen?” Sigurd asked him, mainly to piss him off “because mother was disappointed enough by the time I was born and she wanted to make sure I wouldn’t end up an annoying turd like you” he replied with a grin on his face that declares he won this round of sarcasm.

“Ubbe, tell us, who’s the mysterious woman you’ve been texting whenever you had a chance?” Hvitserk asked when it was his turn to ask a question “oh, it’s no mysterious woman, it’s Torvi, we are sending dog memes to each other” he responded “Bjorn’s Torvi?” you asked shocked, almost as shocked as everyone, the four of you exchanged a look, Ubbe looked at you all confused, letting a what but no one answered.

And for the final spin, it was Ivar’s turn to ask you a question “Y/N, tell us, now that you are a lovely grown woman, which one of us would you rather date if you have a chance?” he asked with a prying look on his face “well Ivar, you are mean, Hvitserk’s head on the cloud all the time, Sigurd is basically a bully, Ubbe is too old for me, so that leaves me with no one unless you guys have a secret ideal brother?” you grinned, the four boys were left speechless.

֎֎֎֎֎֎֎֎֎֎

You all agreed to ditch the rooms and have a sleepover in front of the TV, you agreed on watching Lilo and Stitch’s two movies until you fall asleep, Sigurd and Ivar went upstairs to their rooms to grab few things, Ivar hated the stairs, you know that cause he kept cursing with every few steps he took, you also heard the sound of something falling but no one really paid any attention.

Later, the blue-eyed rascal returned, holding a blanket and another pillow, with a big grin on his face “why are you smiling?” you asked as you were the first to notice something was up, “what? Can’t I be happy for a change?” he replied, he can of course, but you were familiar with this mischievous smile too well “no, not really, what’s up?” 

“I just saw Sigurd roll down the stairs” he chuckled, his brothers looked at him as if it was the most normal thing ever, Ubbe quickly got up and went to check on Sigurd while Hvitserk just sighed and focused on the screen instead. 

“You bastard! What’s wrong with you? I told you to hold me!” a shouting, angry, injured Sigurd stormed in “I can’t, I’m nothing but a useless cripple remember?” Ivar said giving him the most innocent look ever while Sigurd glared at him non stop. 

֎֎֎֎֎֎֎֎֎֎

You were the first to wake up, you went to the kitchen and prepared coffee for yourself and everyone else, Ivar followed next, the two of you sat and ate your breakfast together, it was quite nice, Ivar was a nice guy when his brothers weren’t around.

“So… tell me about the physical therapy, is it actually working?” you asked, he nodded “yes, it’s extreme though, I thought I’ve experienced all kind of pain but apparently I’m wrong, nothing is more painful than taking your first step, I could hear my bones cracking, that’s why the physician had to give me those braces and stings attaching my bones together” he explained, Ivar was okay to tell you about this kind of things, he trusted you enough to know he’s in pain.

“I’m sorry you had to go through this,” you said comforting “it’s alright, I can walk now and It’s not as painful as it used to be, I’m almost numb in the legs anyways unless I try to use them”  he shrugged, Sigurd woke up next, he came to the kitchen and poured himself coffee in his mug, he took few sips “numb in the leg you say?” he snickered and spilled the rest of his coffee on Ivar’s leg, Ivar didn’t say much but you knew this hurt from his facial expressions even though he was hiding it well.

“What the hell is wrong with you?” you shouted and ran to Ivar, helping him get up “what? He feels nothing! He said it himself!” Sigurd bickered “you can be such an asshole sometimes” you muttered and then you took Ivar to the downstairs bathroom, helping him clean up.

The skin was red from the heat, you reached for the first aid box in the mirrored cabin and treated his burn “I’m okay Y/N, you can stop worrying” he mumbled, you rolled your eyes “you’re welcome” you said sarcastically.

֎֎֎֎֎֎֎֎֎֎

You spent the whole day playing video games, or watching the Lothbroks play video games, or fight over video games,  all but Ubbe who was deep in his phone, after a while, Hvitserk decided he’d lay his head on your lap and play sims on his phone instead, so it was only Ivar and Sigurd and you knew this would escalate sooner than it should.

“Would you play with my hair? I’ll share my stash with you” Hvitserk suggested, you nodded and started playing with his blond braids, he enjoyed it, then you decided it would be for the best to ignore Ivar and Sigurd this time, and get involved with the elder brothers.

“Why didn’t Bjorn and Torvi come?” you finally asked  Ubbe, he shrugged, “Torvi says Assa is sick, that’s why they can’t make it on the road, Bjorn thinks it’s best to skip and go to Lagartha’s this year instead, it’s closer” you were really looking forward to meeting Bjorn, you weren’t very close but he was eye candy, you had a crush on him growing up.

Nothing serious but you simply liked looking at him, Ubbe knew, he’d always teased you about it, but this time he didn’t, he knew you’d tease him about Torvi if he does.

֎֎֎֎֎֎֎֎֎֎

“For christ’s sake, Hvitserk slow down on eating! This is no manners!” Aslaug shouted in the middle of the lunch after her son ate his second plate “I’m hungry” he protested, “maybe if you ate slower, you wouldn’t be this hungry!” she argued “oh come on Aslaug! Let the poor boy eat, he’s a developing boy!” your mother giggled “he’s twenty-five, he passed the level of being a developing boy instead he’s a food monster!” the two women laughed.

Hvitserk brushed them off and moved to the dessert instead, your mother’s famous krumkake, one that no one could resist or hate.

Ivar and Sigurd exchanged hateful glances every now and then, but they didn’t say a word to each other.

֎֎֎֎֎֎֎֎֎֎

You and your mother decided to leave in the evening, your brother, Havard was visiting tomorrow with his wife and two children, so you had to be home to prepare a meal and gifts, your mother and Aslaug spent what seemed like forever saying goodbyes, the uber driver hated you both for the delay.

The brothers said their farewells, already missing you, you invited them to your photography exhibition next month, you thought it would be a good idea for them to see your city, especially since they thought New York was nothing more than trash, they all promised to come.

You both got into the car and the man drove you to the airport “It was good seeing them no?” your mother asked, you were looking through the window, you wanted to stay there longer but your stupid brother had to ruin this for you “it was” you mumbled.

tags: @youbloodymadgenius

[icefrozendeadlyqueen]

My Neighbor is a Lochbrok: Prologue

No Summary. This has been stuck in my head for so long. I had to write it.

Pairing: (y/n) x Ubbe, (y/n) x Sigurd, Adia x Bjorn, Ashla x Hvitserk, Ivar x unknown.

Word count: I have no idea

Also: This is my first time writing Hvitserk. Please let me know how is he?? This is the longest reader insert I have done. Chapter 1 will come after I recover. I think this is awesome, but I am bias. 

Enjoy!

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"(y/n)! Please! Open this door". 

A December night welcome you back into the land of the living one thing you really didn't need today waking up. You had enough with the lack of sleep for the past week to worry about getting your lazy ass out of bed. Suddenly the noises stop all at once giving you enough silence to welcome the sweet embrace call sleep. Does slumber has an aroma? A peaceful feeling that rings familiarity and numbness into your subconscious. It was a nice thought the soft sheets on top of your body pushing you back into sleep while the air conditioner is at the right temperature pumping that desirable amount of cold air needed for (y/n) to achieve sleeping state. Heart rate slows down like the gentle state you get when your fur is laid against a meadow. A violent pound awoke you from your slumber with no upcoming warning (y/n) lips part trying to speak words that never reach the outside of your lips. (y/n) pushes some hair out of her face trying to wake herself up, "I am awake! I am aw-", (y/n) crashes back into the bed pushing the sheets and blankets back onto her body, she forgets the reason she was woken up, it barely slips her mind too soon a thud disturbs your sleeping state once more. (y/n)'s eyes open turning a yellows color a look only taken when the werewolf in question is too close to shifting. A growl escapes your lips pushing the sheets of off you a loud scream escapes your lips; however, the pounds only grows now with your frustration.

"Stop your bickering dammit! I was fucking sleeping!", (y/n) seats on the bed breath in and shouting at the top of your lungs with everything you had in store. You aren't one to shout at anyone without a good reason. Sleep is reason enough. A week have you been deprived of sleep because of some Alpha duty you had to attend too. (y/n) roars once more possibly trembling the whole apartment and announcing to the whole 500 radius that some poor soul have upset the Alpha. (y/n) grabs shorts from the floor putting them on with some t-shirt that was surely stolen from her roommates room. Your hands shake incapable of holding onto your frustration despite you trying not to shred your favorite pajamas. Pajamas made only for you birthday present from your (f/c/s). (y/n) smiles at the good pros of being an Alpha taking such an assignment from your lazy sister. You stump across the apartment ignoring your roommate chugging a bucket of ice cream, "It's Chad". She whispers stopping you dead set before you even reach for the door handle. (y/n) takes a 360 turn looking straight at her friend, "Why is he knocking so loud? Doesn't he knows who I am?", (y/n) places both trembling hands together cracking a joint for good measure anything to help you not to pound the son's beta to death.

"You completely erase last night?", She asks giving you a once over. (y/n) ponders on her friends question before saying anything. A couple of images in Calamity last night rushes in your consciousness. Chad's arms around your shoulder the whole pack having a blast at your sisters bar that's many of the shops or stores we have around New York City to sustain the pack, his sucking attempt to be sexy, some words you cant register then you punching him to an inch of his life... what the? Why did I punch him?

"Guess I did. I haven't had a proper sleep in a while cut me some slack", (y/n) claims taking a turn to the kitchen ignoring the laughter of her friend. You forgot important events of last night it seems there is nothing coffee can't fix. (y/n) walks the short steps to the instant coffee cabinet taking (f/o) out walking to the machine with a suspicious glare towards her friend that hasn't responded yet, "I am waiting. I would love to see a half sleep Alpha beat the fuck out of her ex". She an omega laughs louder than the pounds on your apartment door. 

"My Ex? Who Jeffrey? Last time a check isn't he in Denmark now?". (y/n) turns the coffee machine on after water and the coffee was in their respective places. 

"Chad. You ended your relationship with him after he made the worst mistake in history", She starts off pushing the ice cream to the side. (y/n) leans back on the counter next to her coffee machine staring directly at the ball of sunshine that's your friend. She wore rainbow pajamas that read on big letters "Chilling is my middle name".

"Which is?", (y/n) respond curiously to know what happen last night.

"You know how you hate your sister to the death? You know how if you had to pick between me or her. You'll choose me right?". (y/n) nods not sure where this is going from all things possible. Your friend smiles a smile that let you to raise an eyebrow.

"Yeah, so? Everyone knows I hate her". (y/n) sighs heavily calming down heavily at the soothing scent of just brew coffee. (y/n) leans off the counter walking short steps to the cup cabinets above your friends head, "But only 3 people can talk about it... maybe 4 if we include the none conventional boyfriend your sister has. That they arent together... but whatever helps her sleep at night", Your friend chuckle gaining you to stop midway to the coffee machine, "That's her phrase. If she hears you, you'll regret it".

"She did double shift at Calamity. Hvitzzy came back and guess who didn't want to come home to sleep??". (y/n) rolls her eyes at her roommate side tracking from one conversation to the next. It was obvious she loved to guess the type of modern relationship my sister has with Calamity's bartender, "Huh? The new pack members finish training?". (y/n) asks as roommate nods with a smile on her lips. She rushes out of her seat so quick (y/n) almost spills her coffee. At first, you thought she needed to hit the toilet, but she return with a book notes address to you from Hvitserk, "Luke brought you this.. It's from Hvitserk. He wasn't able to give it to you with the whole thing. He explains in detail of each member... he was very detail. Luke compelled me so I didn't open it, so please take it". Your roommate pushes the notebook on the kitchen counter staring directly at it then glancing back at you with eyes that explain everything. (y/n) sips her coffee shutting half of her sleep goodbye.

"What the fuck happen last night, Adia?!". 

"Chad insulted Ashla in the busiest night Calamity has seen so far. He said and I quote, "It seems nature skip your sister from the bottom of my heart I feel for anyone that thinks she could ever become a proper Alpha" I don't know if it was the couple of drinks you have had or lack of proper sleep. You swing an uppercut so quick it surprise everyone at the table. I was shock Hvitserk wasn't amuse. Your sister came into the bar and walk out saying something about she isn't going to jail today. It took an hour to pull you from Chad just because 40 minutes of that we were all just stun. You shouted to him, "Only I am allowed to insult her! Yeah she is a fucking bitch, but that doesnt give you the right. She is my flesh and blood". I mean yeah Chad had said stuff about Ashla to her face and behind her back countless off time much worse than that you just never were around to hear it". Adia retells the last night events as the picture of last night clouds your memory.

Flashback.

It was 2 minutes to 11 o'clock. New York City night life has just started with the many human and wolfs alike pouring into Calamity. Midnight was around the corner and a couple to many drinks in your system. Chad holds your shoulder to keep you steady as everyone comes by paying their respect to the Alpha then walks to the bar to welcome back Hvitserk for the excellent work at training new recruits. Old faces come and go with rarely new ones the whole pack was here living their best life, "Another drink for our Alpha!", Chad claims gaining a crowd to raised their glasses cheering happily. (y/n) chuckles uncontrollably at the slight thought this is an amazing night. You kiss Chad on the cheek with him returning your affection, "I have to go say my words to Hvitserk. I'll be right back". (y/n) moves back with beer in hand walking to the bar hearing a soft, "I'll be here", from Chad's lips. Hvitserk laughs at some joke Luke spoke near the bar. (y/n) walks slow steps stopping right in front of the infamous Alpha, "Welcome back, Alpha", (y/n) words brings Hvitserk's eyes staring directly at your (e/c). It was a short sense of acknowledgement as his eyes drift to the door. His green eyes keep contact with those that (y/n) knows is her by the strawberries and cigarette strong scent, Ashla.

"You are staring Hvitserk", Luke calls out making you laugh almost choking on the beer you were trying to drink.

"Luke leave the lover boy over here. He can stare all he wants, but Ashla is not the woman I would recommend, Hvitty", (y/n) inch closer to him whispering words laughing soon after at his stare from Luke green eyes to your (e/c).

"I am not staring". Hvitserk claims keeping his eyesight on the drink he has been working for Luke.

"Right... and Ashla is a proper lady", Adia whispers just to sweeten the deal (y/n) burst out laughing replying back, "This shouldn't be funny".

"Ashla said we could add a moderate amount of Wolfsbane". Hvitserk inches closer to my ears whispering seductively the words that make me fear life as it is. He pulls back cracking a laugh at my fearful utter expression, "You didn't just do that?". (y/n) asks just as Hvitserk avoids a sharp glass thrown at him from across the room. Luke, Adia & (y/n) turn around to stare far across the other side of the bar a black hair woman with glaring black eyes looking back at us, "Well, Ashla is pissed. She didn't told you to use Wolfsbane, did she?".

"I did to us werewolves not to the humans". Ashla soft whisper reach all the corner of our minds. (y/n) shivers turning around shaking the feeling that Ashla might just be behind you.

"I'll prepare whiskey on the rocks if you come here". Hvitserk whispers to my sister. We stare seeing Ashla taking another cigarette out placing both her lips around it. She looks up with a glare directly at Hvitserk, "My attention cost food".

"I was waiting for you to say that", Hvitserk responds with a cheeky grin adorning his lips. (y/n) looks back at Hvitserk bringing some plastic bags from under the bar counters. You look as Adia shiver pointing to the other side of the bar (y/n) looks towards it seeing Ashla joining group, "Congrats, Hvitserk. You have master Ashla". Luke says sadly right after Ashla proceeds to punch his gut with her elbow. She sat back down eating her food and alcohol in silent, "Has everyone said their welcome backs?".

"Hmm.. Let me see". Hvitserk reach back to put his hair up again. It was cute the state everyone was in Hvitserk was back, Ashla wasn't so moody well less moody than usual, Adia was as always a ball of sunshine, Luke new house is the floor. (y/n) stares at Luke seeing Ashla feet on his head, "There is only one person that hasnt said it to me". Hvitserk blurts out with Luke screams of pain when Ashla stands from her seating position. You glance at the little exchange not going to help Luke because Ashla's wrath cant be escape. Ashla takes a hold of Hvitserk's collar bringing him to her level, "Hmm. I told you first... remember that". Ashla proclaims almost growling. Adia and (y/n) wait patiently for the kiss that never seem to happen. Ashla hates a crowd she lets go off his collar not before Hvitserk place a hand behind her head bringing Ashla closer to finish what she started. It was sudden but sweet in a way (y/n) saw Ashla's brows relax and her face calm down just from one action. Hvitserk pulls back pecking her lips again, "You can't tease me like that".

"Who said I was teasing?". Ashla blurts out sharing another kiss with him. Adia throws them some fries to stop their make out session, "Wait till everyone leaves! I don't need to know where you two fuck".

"The bar in the other side that we don't use", Hvitserk respond letting go off Ashla satisfied to get what he wanted.

End of Flashback   

"I didn't need to know that", (Y/n) calls out shaking your head shivering at the sweet exchange. Adia glances at your surprise, "so he is pounding our door for that?".

"Maybe....". Adia takes a step from her chair trying to escape your questioning.

"We are not done. What else happen?", (y/n) firmly speaks not a minute later Adia returns with a spoon in hand eating her ice cream. 

"Chad kiss Jessica and went home with her. Ashla kick them out of the bar saying something on the lines off disowning them from the pack. Chad said Ashla can't do that, but she glare at him.. you know with her red eyes... it was a tense time. You follow up disowning Jessica too". Adia fills in the empty blanks that lead to the Beta's son being a total douch-bag, "He probably thinks he can talk to you knowing you forget sometimes", Adia adds gaining you glare back at the door.

"We both are Alpha... even though she says she can switch to a beta", (y/n) shakes her head at the current stupidity of her sister. 

"He is still outside. Ashla said to call her, and she'll rough him up a bit. Hvitserk suggested to call him. He offer to make it quick whatever that means", Adia blurts out locking eyes with you once more.

"He means to kill Chad. Did somebody told him what Chad has said?". (y/n) asks with Adia thinking about her response.

"I believe he knew. He just didn't knew it was about Ashla. I have never seen him so angry before". Adia shivers pointing to the door. You shrug the uneasy sensation placing the empty coffee cup in the sink with Adia putting Calamity's number on the homephone. (y/n) takes steps out the kitchen and towards the first headache of this morning. You didn't want to deal with the douch-bag that's your former boyfriend Chad Tim, Beta son to Jimmy Tim a good man despite his shitty son. (y/n) brings the door open seeing red headed Chad growling at your form. (y/n) stretched not even bother to feel threaten by Chad small attempt, "Why the hell are you here? Didn't Ashla disowned you? You don't belong or get help by the pack leave to your whores house already". (y/n) holds onto the door handle pushing the door back to closing hoping that's the end of that. You walk back into your apartment unaware that Chad stop the door from closing, "Don't you walk away from me!! Ashla is not my Alpha. You are". Chad growls an spits at you screaming louder than you thought possible. He runs towards (y/n).

"(Y/N)! Oh my god! Chad has gone mad!", Adia calls out to you screaming at the phone to someone that replied, "I am on my way". 

(y/n) turns left slowly watching Chad punch air. You felt like a feather feeling your Alpha senses flagging red when danger is about. (y/n) reach for his wrist pressing enough strength to catch a reaction. You bring one of your legs to his stomach hoping it had broken a bone or 3. A crack not sure if was yours or his as his other punch make contact with your cheeks. Adia scream wanting to help, but Chad looks at her growling to keep her quiet. Adia stops dead on track whimpering. (y/n) punches his gut one more time. You breath in air screaming when you pick Chad up throwing him outside your apartment. The pack members walk out of their apartments staring at gone mad Chad and their beaten Alpha, "I'll make you suffer for that Chad. You will plead for mercy that I'll never provide, you lowlife sack of shit. Come at me you little bitch. Are you going to fight me for your spot in the pack because last time I check Ashla disowned you. This is a pack of Alpha sisters. She did right at fucking kicking you ungrateful little shit!", (y/n) calls to him eyes turning a vivid color him growling at every word you said. Hearts beating and Adria thought just forgotten as you run to Chad with a goal in mind.

Make sure he regrets the day he was born.

[four-loose-screws]

FE4 Suzuki Novelization Translation - Chapter 7 Part 3

If you would like to start from the beginning, read a missed part, etc., click here!

FE Game Script Translations - FE Novel Translations - Original FE Support Conversations - Ko-fi

T/N: Chapter 7′s title completely spoils one of the big events of the chapter, so I won’t be putting it in my tumblr posts like I usually do. You can check out the Google Doc, where I could hide it. Highlight the Table of Contents page to see it. In the event that this is your first experience with FE4′s plot, read the title after Chapter 7 Part 3. Those who have played FE4, it is of course nothing you don’t already know.

———————————

Chapter 7

Part 3

Brigid was the daughter of the previous head captain of the Orgahill Pirates.

When the head captain passed away, she’d inherited the crew, but that did not mean that her power was absolute. Even before she took over, whenever her father gave an order, each individual ship captain was free to decide whether or not their ship obeyed.

When the other two ship captains, Dobarl and Pizarl, learned that Augustria was going to war again, they went to Orgahill Castle and suggested to Brigid that they pillage the coastal towns.

“Captain, the Madinoian soldiers are all out fighting! They wouldn’t stop us! Now’s our chance! Let’s ransack the villages and take all their treasure for ourselves!”

“Dobarl, have you forgotten what I’ve always told you!? It is our duty as pirates to maintain the safety of the seas. Whenever a group of bandits pillages, they soon find that they’ve made an enemy of the countries whose land they assaulted. So we should watch silently upon what happens on land, shouldn’t we? What you are proposing is nothing more than robbery. What do you think would happen if we did that? Surely you know that it would be inviting someone to attack us. I will not allow it.”

“That’s exactly the point, Captain! Dobarl was thinking that pillaging the villages would only be the beginning, then in the end, we’d take Madino for ourselves…”

“Yeah! We’d slowly take over all of Augustria, and that would make you the queen of Augustria one day!”

“Silence, Dobarl! Leave the land to the bandits! How many times do I have to repeat myself!?” She shouted at them.

The two sulked out of Orgahill Castle.

While walking back to the coast, Dobarl asked, “So what should we do now?”

“Do it ourselves, of course! ...Wait just a minute, I’ve got an idea!” Pizarl exclaimed.

“What is it? Tell me!?”

“Let’s go mess with her ship’s crew, and take ‘em with us! It’ll be like pluckin’ her wings off her! Then we’ll laugh at her for it when we get home!”

“I love it! ...But I wonder if they’ll wanna go with us…”

“Just leave it to me.”

The two paddled a rowboat up to Brigid’s ship, The Nora, and climbed aboard.

Pizarl stood atop the ship’s stern, and shouted, “Ahoy, maties! Gather ‘round!” Everyone did so, then he explained his plan. “Right now, we can do whatever we want, and the captain doesn’t want to take advantage of that! But I betcha’ll think differently. Well, dont’cha? ...Anyway, we thought we’d tell you a little somethin’ interestin’. Brigid ain’t really the head captain’s daughter! He found her on a washed up boat when she was little, and took her in! But she doesn’t know that, and thinks she can order us around! ‘Don’t harass those women!’ ‘You can’t go around pillaging!’ You’ve heard it all before! ...What does she think we are, a bunch of priests!?”

Several members of the crew snickered.

“We’re pirates! If we pass this chance up, we’ll be the laughing stock of the pirate spirit! Ya’ll wouldn’t let that happen, would ya? Just think of all the treasure and women you’d miss out on! You agree with me, don’t ya?”

Everyone was silent, except for one man. “I don’t!”

The moment he heard those words, Dobarl pointed at the man who said them.

“Did you just say you don’t like my plan!?” Pizarl asked.

“U-Um, yes…”

“Then come on up here and tell us your opinion! We listen to everyone’s opinions. That’s one of our best traits as pirates.”

The man stood atop the stern, in front of Dobarl and Pizarl.

“We might be able to do whatever we want right now… but when I remember all the things Captain Brigid has said… I think I might agree with her…”

When the man was done, Dobarl raised his axe and swung it so fast it looked like a flash of light.

The man’s head fell on the deck and his neck spurted blood everywhere.

“And that’s my opinion. Anyone else got their own!?” Dobarl glared at all of them.

The crew was frozen in place, and uttered not a word.

“The first mate of this ship is Sheldon, ain’t he? Hey Sheldon, yer the new captain. Get on up here, cap’n!”

Sheldon rushed up to the stern in a panic.

“Now pick out a new first mate.”

Sheldon nodded and appointed his choice.

“Excellent! Everything’s settled! We set sail in thirty minutes. All the treasure and women in the world will fall before your very eyes! Are ya ready!?”

Everyone let out a loud cheer.

Thirty minutes later, they rose the anchor, and set sail.

Once they were moving, they heard a loud splash come from the direction of the stern.

“What happened? Did someone fall overboard?” Sheldon called out.

“No, Bailey jumped ship.”

Sheldon walked over to the stern and looked down at the water.

By the time Bailey’s head surfaced, he was already very far from the ship.

“What should we do?” Someone asked.

“Just leave ‘im there. Losing one man won’t hurt us.” Sheldon answered.

-

The moment she heard that all the ships had set sail, Brigid rushed out of the castle.

‘Even The Nora…? Why…?’ She wondered as she watched the three boats sail further and further away.

“Someone’s coming this way!” One of her remaining men, returning from shore, reported.

Both she and Bailey reached the beach at the same time.

He stepped out of the rowboat and told her about what happened aboard The Nora.

She was shocked to hear the news that not only did most everyone cheer for Pizarl and Dobarl, but also that she was not really the previous head captain’s daughter.

When they returned to the castle, Brigid began to think about what she should do next.

Dobarl and Pizarl had made it clear that they were now her enemies.

‘I have no choice but to think of everyone aboard The Nora as enemies as well. When they get back…’ 

There was no way they’d ever treat her the same way ever again. 

‘Should I fight them? Should I run?’

There were too few crew members left at the fort for her to fight back. And she couldn’t trust even a single member of her crew anymore. She wouldn’t mind dying in battle, but she loathed the idea of becoming their prisoner.

And she had no urge to kill herself.

‘My only choice is to run away.’

That night, she and Bailey left the castle.

-

Chagall took command of the unit attacking from the north, but the moment he heard all their allies had been taken out, he hid in the forest.

He threw off his armor to avoid being easy to spot, and headed towards Silvali Castle.

He knew that if he returned to Madino, he’d have no chance of winning. If he wanted to tip the scales, he had no choice but to rely on Eldigan’s Mystletainn and the Cross Knights.

Since everyone in Sigurd’s army was busy fighting, he was able to make it safely to Silvali Castle.

When Eldigan came to greet him, Chagall immediately started yelling at him.

“What are you doing, Eldigan!? My army is being destroyed, and you’re up her lounging around!”

“I’m only following your orders, aren’t I, Your Majesty? The Grannvalian Army will withdraw soon, so please be patient…”

“Who really believes that!? Are you plotting with the enemy to bring about the destruction of your own country!?”

“Your Majesty… do you really believe that?”

“What, you don’t like what I said!? Have you forgotten your oath to my father, abandoned your duties as a knight, and turned to a life of idleness?”

“It doesn’t matter what I say to you anymore.” Eldigan’s expression hardened. “I understand, Your Majesty. We will follow your orders and deploy. I am a proud Crusader of Augustria. If my country is to die, then I want to fight and die with it. I only ask that you please find a path to peace when you receive news that I died. Consider that my final wish… No, my final act of loyalty.”

Eldigan gathered the Cross Knights and ordered them to line up for battle. “We are going to fight now! This is our final chance to showcase our loyalty to our country. Show them the glory of the Cross Knights!”

-

Erinys had been surveilling the castle, and when she saw the Cross Knights deploy, she immediately returned to Augusty Castle and sent a smoke signal.

The sight of it shocked Sigurd.

‘Why are you fighting, Eldigan? I don’t want to do this…’

However, they were at the point of no return.

Sigurd left a small defense unit to guard the newly seized Madino Castle, and ordered the rest of his army to return to Augusty.

He took the lead, and as Farron galloped along, Sigurd’s thoughts continued to run wild.

‘Is there really no way to avoid fighting?’

-

Lachesis was part of the Augusty defense unit, but when she heard that the Cross Knights had deployed, she left the castle.

‘I have to do something to stop Eldie…!’

By the time she arrived, the Cross Knights were already fighting Sigurd’s army. 

However, Eldigan wasn’t fighting, and instead searching for Sigurd. “I am Eldigan! Do not get in my way! Where is Sigurd!?” He yelled. 

No one dared challenge him.

Eldigan continued traveling alone, until he finally saw Sigurd.

“Eldigan, please! Put away your sword!” Sigurd called out to him.

“I don’t want to fight you! I’d give my life to keep my promise to return Augusty to you! Please, just wait a little longer! Trust me!”

“Sigurd, I’m sorry. But don’t speak another word. My only option left is to fight bravely as a knight of Augustria. So come at me, Sigurd! My Demon Sword Mystletainn will destroy you!”

When Eldigan began to charge, someone flew in-between them.

It was Lachesis.

“Brother! It’s me! Lachesis!” She screamed as loudly as she could.

Eldigan froze.

“Please stop fighting these pointless battles! Are you really going to break your promise to Sigurd!? Is betraying your friends really the way of a knight!?”

“...”

“Brother, trust in Sigurd, and please wait just a little longer!”

“Lachesis… Don’t cry. There’s no other options anymore.” He said, feeling that he’d lost the pride he’d thought he would die on.

“Yes, there are! If you withdraw your soldiers, then Prince Sigurd won’t keep fighting with you! Please, I beg of you!”

‘If I die, I’ll have no choice but to entrust Sigurd to take care of Lachesis. But if Sigurd is the one to kill me, then she won’t feel like she can stay with his army, and there’ll be no one to protect her.’

“King Chagall’s army has already been defeated. The only soldiers left are your Cross Knights. He can’t just ignore you anymore!”

‘I lived for Augustria and Lachesis. If I die a shameful death, then what will that do to her?’

“Please, Brother.”

“You’re right.” Eldigan sheathed Mystletainn. “I’ll try to change the king’s mind one last time. If I’m going to risk my life, then I’d rather be fighting for my own beliefs, than fighting a battle I am unwilling to fight. That is the way of a knight.” Eldigan removed his sword from his belt and gave it to Lachesis.

“Please take this, Lachesis.”

“But this is Mystletainn! ...Brother, you can’t…!”

“You can keep it as a memento of me, in case anything happens to me. And if someone appears with my Holy Mark, then give it to them. Stay alive, Lachesis.” Eldigan said, then turned his horse around, and galloped off.

“Ah! Wait, Eldie!”

He didn’t look back. ‘Be happy, Lachesis.’ He said to himself over and over again. He urged his horse to move as quickly as possible, as if they were being pursued by something.

He only stopped beside the Cross Knights to say, “Sigurd and I have agreed to a cease-fire! Everyone, lay down your weapons!”

-

When Eldigan reached Silvali Castle, he thanked his confused horse. “You’ve done well. This is our final goodbye. I pray your next owner treats you well.”

His horse seemed to have understood what Eldigan said, as when Eldigan started to walk away, he let out a loud neigh.

When Chagall heard from a guard that Eldigan had returned, he walked out to the courtyard.

“Your Majesty, it would be pointless to continue fighting. Please vow to establish peace. Augusty will be returned to you one day.”

“Eldigan, is that what you call a victory!? I knew it! You really were conspiring with the enemy! Someone, seize this traitor! Cut off his head, and make a laughingstock of him!”

No one moved.

“I said, seize him!”

Again, no one moved.

Chagall lost his temper, grabbed a sword from one of his soldiers, and stood in front of Eldigan.

“Then I will be the one to punish you. Kneel down!”

Eldigan did as he was told.

“Hmph. So you’ve accepted your fate. You fool!”

‘Lachesis…’

Chagall swung the sword, and cut off Eldigan’s head.

Those who witnessed this event, knew that it meant the end of The Dominion of Augustria.

[moczothe1st]

Let’s Play Fire Emblem IV: Genealogy of the Holy War, Part 16: The World’s Last Hope, Maybe, Sorta

Part 15

Welcome back to Fire Emblem IV, as we begin the second generation in earnest. Unlike in real life, this new generation may actually succeed in making the world a better place, though in fairness that’s partially because the last one left it in such a state there’s nowhere to go but up.

When we signed off, we had just met a pair of idiots and I allowed you to choose between them, because I’m a great guy like that.  You picked Johan, unanimously, for reasons varying from his superior speed growths, to his greater range of movement, to just hating Johalvier’s stupid face. All valid reasons!  So I’ll be picking him up ASAP, to prevent him from accidentally getting his dumb ass killed.  But first, as our turn begins, we have a new arrival to the battlefield…

And she’s blue, so I like her already. 

(A green-haired pegasus knight whose mount is named after Erin’s sister. I wonder who her mom is.)

(Arthur is a little less obvious since weird white hair is pretty common in this game, as Julia reminded us last week, but he’s Taillte and Lewyn’s son.)

Arthur: Er, right. Sorry about that. Say, Fee, I don’t have too far to go. If you want, I can just walk from here.

Fee: Where are you off to, anyway?

Arthur: Oh, just Alster.

Fee: A-Alster?! Geez, you’re dumber than I thought! Alster’s waaaay south of here. There’s an entire sea in the way, for crying out loud! I dunno what you’re thinking, but you haven’t a hope in heck of walking the rest of the way there!

Arthur: Eh, it’s fine. I’m hardly in a hurry.  

Fee: So, er, why do you need to go to Alster?

Arthur: Oh, see, I’ve got a sister I haven’t seen in years who might be there.

(… And yet, not in a hurry.)

Arthur: She and my mom were taken away when I was just a kid. I was sort of left alone in some far corner of Silesse or another.  I just heard a rumor, but at this point even a rumor’s enough if it means I might find her.  

Fee: Huh, really? You know, I know just what that’s like. My big brother’s been missing for ages.

Arthur:  Did you get separated from him as well?

Fee: Oh, no, nothing that bad. We’ve always lived together in Silesse, but awhile back he ran off to try and find our dad.  

Arthur: Your father, huh?

Fee: Yeah, he’s been missing for years. Mom spent the rest of her life waiting for him to come back, but he never did…

Arthur: What happened to her?

(Was the use of ‘the rest of her life’ too subtle for you, Captain Tact?)

Fee: She… she’s dead. Illness…

Arthur: Oh… sorry about that. I shouldn’t have brought it up…

Fee: It’s okay! I mean, you’ve already brought up lots of things that you shouldn’t have.

(I think Fee and I will get along just fine.)

Fee: … Heh, kidding. You’re actually not that bad.

Arthur: Heh heh, thanks. And thanks for giving me a chance and letting me come along with you.

Fee: No problem! So was the sister thing real? Is that actually why you’re travelling?

Arthur: Yeah, it’s real. But what about you? What’s your deal?

Fee: Actually, I kinda want to join that Isaachian rebel army.  

(And I want more flying units, so we’re both in a good place. Welcome to the team, Fee!  Don’t stand too close to Larcei if you don’t want to get coated in the blood of her victims.)  

Fee: When I was little, mom told me stories about the paladin Sigurd and his brave allies, and those have always meant a lot to me. Lately I’ve been hearing about how Sigurd’s son is somewhere in Isaach, raising a revolution. And it all just sort of clicked, y’know? I knew that’s where I need to be, s oI just ran right out of home to try and find him.

Arthur: Wow… that’s pretty great of you. Y’know, I think I’ll help you out here for a while. It’s the least I can do for you putting up with me.

Fee: Okay! Partners it is, then. Good luck out there… partner!

Arthur: Heh! Upbeat as ever, aren’t you?

And with that, we round out our team for the second generation’s first chapter, except for Johan, who isn’t recruited yet and also doesn’t count.  Let’s take a look at what we got.  

First, Julia, the mysterious priestess whose identity could be anyone. She might be a random person from anywhere in the entire world. There’s no way to tell who she is.  It’s a total, unabashed, impossible mystery to sol-

Oh, she has Major Naga and Minor Vala Holy Blood, so she’s Deirdre and Arvis’s kid.  Yeah, honestly, it’s kind of like the developers forgot you can just look at the stat screens to find out a general idea of these character’s parents.  They really try to play up Julia’s identity as a mystery, but there’s literally only one person she could be.  Notice, however, that she doesn’t have Loptyr blood. Now there’s a mystery for ya…

In terms of her utility as a character, meanwhile, Julia is excellent. Blows her mom out of the water, thanks to inheriting Adept and Pursuit from her shitty father and having a generally better base stats and superior growths; in particular, thanks to her two Holy Bloods adding to her already naturally huge Magic growth from Deirdre, she actually comes to a magic growth of 100%.  She will always get a magic point when leveling up, so by the end of the game she will be a goddamn magic cannon. Her weak points will be her Defense and Speed, the former of which is partially offset by the fact she actually has a remarkably high HP growth as well.  

However, none of this matters right now because she starts off without any weapons.  Don’t worry, that will change soon enough.  Oh, and while we’re here…  

Lana: You know, Lord Seliph’s actually really been worrying about you.  

(PLATONICALLY!  He has been PLATONICALLY worrying about his HALF-SISTER.)

Lana: If there’s anything I can do to help you, just let me know and I’ll get right on it.  

Julia: Mm. Thank you…

Lana: Oh, and I’ve got a little something for you.

Julia: This is… a Mend staff?

Lana: You can use these, right?

Julia: For me? Thank you, Lana. With this… I know I can help everyone.

Lana: You’re welcome, Julia. Let’s give this our all, together!

D’aaaaaaaaaw. Shame this game was released like twenty years before it was socially acceptable to admit lesbians existed, because I ship Lana/Julia now.  And not just because I want to make absolutely sure the latter cannot ever accidentally marry her brother.

Next up, Fee.  

Like her mom before her, Fee is just generally solid.  Her base stats mark her as a speedster, but her defense, resistance, and strength are all set at 8 when she’s only level 2, so she isn’t fragile or weak by any means; if she follows in Erin’s footsteps and gets lucky on the Defense growths, only archers will ever really be a threat to her. My hope is that by giving her Azel as a dad means she’ll also get a solid Magic growth (+30% from his Minor Vala Blood!) and will become sort of a flying artillery piece wielding all our magic swords to rain death on the enemy from above.  This is kind of experimental, I admit. But on the plus side, even if that doesn’t work out, just ‘a second Erin’ is still plenty fine by me. Erin was cool beans.

And finally, Arthur.  

Hehehehehe…

HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA…                                      

HAAAAAAAAAAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA…

*deep breath*

Arthur is invincible. He has Forseti and he’s invincible.  I mean his growths and all that shit are great too, he’s essentially Lewyn 2.0 with all the latest upgrade software, but really, that’s the summary. He’s got Forseti, and for the purposes of this map he is invincible. It’s going to be two more chapters before we fight anything that can lay a finger on him while he’s wielding that monster.

This isn’t the only reason I married Lewyn and Taillte. But it certainly is a big one.

Now then. Like a moron, I accidentally moved Lana and Julia too far forward to have them chat with each other. They’re in the range of Johan’s army. So I have the rest of the team form a perimeter while Larcei and Seliph run their butts off to join in.  Arthur starts moving toward the castle to remove the current owner, and Fee moves to the village nearest her starting point to take a swing at the bandit there…

Did you just get hit on a 21% chance? And I was just talking up how good you are! *sigh* End turn. Johan’s army takes their swing at us…

…. That was pathetic!  Only Ulster dodged any of that, and not nearly enough for my tastes considering he almost died anyway.  What happened, kids?! You were rocking last week! Sigh. Okay. Okay. Let’s try and salvage this…

…. Yes, that’s a good start.

FEE! WHAT THE SHIT, LADY?!

Oh, that doesn’t count, Arthur. You’re holding a universal cheat code.

Now, I have the remaining characters form a line that will force Johan’s axe men to take a long, weird path to get to anyone who can’t fight back. With luck this means nobody will get attacked more than once.  Honestly, at this point, I’m mostly afraid Johan will hit someone who can really fight back and get his dumb ass killed; that would be embarrassing to get a reset over someone who technically isn’t even my ally. Larcei is in his range, though… hopefully he will talk to her, rather than try to axe her. End turn…

Oh, and Johalvier’s douches have been moving toward us too, because I can’t have nice things .

Oifey can’t actually one-shot these guys normally. He procced Critical on this one because he’s a killstealing old bastard.

…. Why have you people decided to stop dodging…?

This may… go badly.

… And of course we’re in a situation where I need Oifey to both dodge (it’s only a 30% chance to hit but he hasn’t been performing lately) and not hit back too hard. Fucking grand.

OIFEY YOU MAGNIFICENT BASTARD, I LOVE YOU.

Now. NOW.  First, Julia heals Oifey and I send him a space up to let Larcei run in.

(No, he’s just an idiot.)

Johan: Larcei… oh Larcei! Your words are as the sweetest birdsong! Your eyes are as the most brilliant stars! Oh, without you at my side, what purpose is there in life? What joy could possibly be?

Larcei: Stop it! How revolting! This is a battlefield! Are you out of your mind?!

Johan: I can deny my heart no longer, Larcei. Believe me when I say I’ve tried! Alas, love is a maddening beast at times…. What else can I do but be at your side? Men, we are joining the liberation army! From this day on, we are men of honor! Fight on in the name of justice, love, and Larcei!

Well. At least he’s enthusiastic.

At this, Johan joins the army and his units all become neutral, friendly to us and hostile to Johalvier’s army.  They’re also all heavily wounded, so they’re mostly just going to die, but at least they’ll take some fire off us for one turn.  

(… Did he, though?)

Johalvier: Bet he’s gone and sided with her army ,too. That weak-willed fool…

(Okay, that he definitely did.)

Johalvier: Hmph… fine by me! Men, attack! Johan’s unit is now the enemy!

And seeing this declaration of war by his brother and rival, Johan runs away to Lana for healing so he doesn’t get totally destroyed.  

End turn!

(I’m actually going for the other one, thanks.)

*sniff* Oh, milord Seliph, you are truly on the path to surpass your father. Seriously. I don’t think he got a level that good in his entire half of the game, and it’s like your third so far in just your first map.  I’ve never seen Seliph get off to a start this strong, and if he keeps it up he’ll be a walking nuclear war when he promotes.  

I’m a little nervous now. What if he’s building me up so he can let me down later?  I’ve been hurt before.

Dannan: Schmidt! Get out there! Take back my castles, now!

Schmidt: Yes, sir! You can depend on me!

(“No way I’m just a one-chapter flunky boss! No way, not ol’ Schmidty!  Schmidt, that’s the name of a Big Bad right there! I bet I’m really Super-Loptyr in disguise!”)

Anyhow, when Johan joined his castle became neutral to us, and Schmidt is gonna go take it.  That’s actually a very good thing, so I’m going to let him do that while we finish off Johalvier’s goons.  

… Or they finish us off. 4% chance to hit and he popped ya one right in the jaw, Larcei? Seriously? You’re lucky I have two healers now.

And of course, what’s life without a little bit of killing your brother?

That’s the end of the interesting; Arthur is still walking toward a village, and Fee takes a distance shot at a bandit with her Bolt Sword but doesn’t kill him.  End turn.

I should be happy that Johan dodged on an 87% chance to be hit, but frankly I’m just more angry at the others now.  

Awesome. With that, there’s only one member of the Sophara army left. First, I have Fee and Arthur clear out the villages they’re near;

And Fee liberates hers.

Neat. Now it’s just a matter of wiping out the last of Johalvier’s soldiers:

And the army begins to move south. There’s one more village to clear out, and we have to be ready to take back Isaach after Schmidt takes it.  

Again: We want this to happen. There are two castles, and we want Isaach.  You want Isaach to fall so you can take it back, or you want to recruit Johalvier so it’s hostile from the start. You do not want to take Sophara. DO NOT.  

I’m not joking.

This is super important.

Pick it up, you losers.  

The team just spends another turn moving south, while Arthur liberates a village.

Isn’t This the Same Guy From the Last Village: Well, those imperial sods won’t stand a chance at all! Every last one of them will be run right out of our great land!

Sure thing. End turn!

*sigh* They all have hand axes, so this is actually going to take them awhile. It’s okay, that gives us time to set up a defensive line. Lester, meanwhile, clears and liberates a village.

Best Girl: I bet we’d all have a much better time with him on the throne if that were true, huh? Here, take this here skill ring. Go on, do your best! We’re all behind you!

Sweet. Bows are one of the more inaccurate weapons in the game, so more skill for Lester is quite welcome. Plus, Fee gets close enough to chat with Seliph finally.

Fee: Call me Fee! I’m from Silesse.

Seliph: Silesse, you say? Are you a pegasus knight, then?

(She’s literally riding a pegasus and holding a sword, man.)

Fee: Er, not just yet. I’m kinda still in training. My mom was one, though! Actually, in the big war years ago, she helped Lord Sigurd out in his army.

Seliph: Is that so? She has my utmost gratitude on my father’s behalf. Now, what brings you here, Fee?

Fee: See, what happened was I was looking for my brother, who ran away ages ago. But then I heard about you, sir, and how you’re taking on the Empire! And I just knew I had to be here too. Can I join your army, sir? Please?

Seliph: Certainly! Thank you. What of your brother, though?

Fee: It’s silly, sir, but I have this feeling we’ll run into him somewhere down the line.

(“Foreshadowing, sir.”)

Not much to show other than that. Arthur starts slooooowly moving toward the rest of the team, and Julia gains her first level from healing.

…. Remember when I said Deirdre wasn’t very good and then she got a bunch of great levels to spite me? I’m kind of scared Julia’s decided to do the opposite as some teenage rebellion against her mom’s legacy.

To the south, the Schmidtmeister finally takes Isaach, and his army starts moving north toward us, which suits me just fine.  I ain’t in no rush, yo. In fact, I’ll just wait a few turns in my fine defensive formation while Arthur runs toward us. Come at us when you’re ready, losers.  

Four turns later, the first of them arrives, alone, and misses.

Fear the wrath of the Schmidtritter.

Now, these guys totally suck with one exception. Schmidt himself is fairly badass, and there’s a reason for that:

BITCH HAS LEX’S BRAVE AXE! Remember when I said the items from people who didn’t pass them on to kids will show up later? Well, it’s later.  I think we can all agree this cannot stand, out of honor to Lex and also I want that axe back.  But, of course, that means killing him with an axe dude. And we only have one of those. So for Johan to not disappoint us, I think we need to soften him up first.  Lester?

(Well, looks like somebody thinks he’s hot Schmidt.)

Hm. Okay performance, and an average level. At least it was better than his first level.  But seriously, man, your dad was beating you out by this point. That’s sad. And I’m not entirely sure Schmidt will die to a single hit from Johan, so I send in another helper to soften him up further.

Not bad! Defense is definitely great for her, and her Luck is pretty abysmal too, so combined I’m not displeased with this showing.  Johan?

…. Oh hey, Johan missed on an 80% chance to hit, and died to the counterattack.

If I hadn’t promised to do a no-death run I would leave his corpse rotting in the sunny plains of Isaach.  Reset.

Luckily this was the start of our turn, so I can screw around the RNG a little by moving people in different orders.  This even has the benefit of changing the levels we gain:

And hey, not terrible. Fee’s is actually unambiguously better, and Lester’s is  about equal.  And I also, because I’m not a total moron, remember to park Dermott near the front lines where his Charisma skill can amp up Johan’s accuracy.  Okay, big guy, care to give it another go?

Much better. The Brave Axe alone turns him from the worst unit in the army to the like, second or third worst. And now, with the enemy exposed and bereft of their leader, His Lordship takes the front lines.

… Okay, I mean, not very dramatic, woulda been cooler if you’d slain your enemy, but you didn’t get hit. I’ll take it. End turn!

Fortunately, Hand Axes are not super accurate.  And in this chokepoint, most of them can’t even reach us. A few errant swings later, we are up to bat again.

You know, it’s kind of telling that they’re all getting levels I would have been perfectly happy to see in their parents, and yet I’m still somehow disappointed. We’ve barely started this generation and I’m already spoiled.

End turn. I suppose. The enemy… erm…

Well, they all go after Oifey, and they cannot hit him.  Note their chance to hit. It’s zero.  So… I’m not sure what’s up there. Let’s… let’s just finish this up.

See? You can do it if you try, Lester! Now, the map is basically over. I basically just hang out awhile, letting Arthur finally catch up for his own talk with Seliph.  

Arthur: The name’s Arthur. I came here from Silesse.

Seliph: Wait, so you are that Arthur fellow? I’ve heard of how you have been aiding us so far. Thank you so much!

(“I heard you defeated two enemies and then spent the rest of the map slowly walking. My deepest gratitude!”)

Arthur: Eh, it was no big deal.

Seliph: You are capable of wielding magic, yes? That’s truly impressive. I’m almost envious!

Arthur: My mother was a talented war-mage…but I’ve still got a lot to learn, myself.  

Seliph: We all do, do we not? So long as we all fight together, though, perhaps we still truly can change our world. After all, that’s what brought us here today.

Arthur: Yeah… you’re right. My power’s at your disposal, sir. I’ll give my all to aid the cause. I’m glad we could finally meet, Lord Seliph.  

And then have Seliph finally run up and re-take Isaach.  

Info Master: Indeed, and ecstatic to see you to boot! Thanks to you, Lord Seliphk we know that at long last, Isaach shall have its freedom!

Seliph: Thank you, sir, but the effort isn’t mine along. I could never have come so far without the support of the common man.  

(If you call them ‘the common man’, you may be a bit of a classist. Maybe try to work on that, Selly.)

Seliph: You’ve all supported me from the beginning. I likely wouldn’t be here if not for you!

Info Master: Fate is a funny thing, isn’t it, sir? Just twenty years ago, our late king had the utmost trust in your grandfather’s wisdom. Then your father came to protect Prince Shanan, and now the prince has guided you to adulthood. Perhaps fate has bound Isaach and Chalphy as one…

Seliph: Isaach is the only home I’ve ever known, and Prince Shanan is like a brother to me.  I pray our friendship lasts the rest of our lives.

Info Master: Lord Seliph, you are the rightful heir to House Belhalla and the throne of Grannvale.  Not a soul alive in Isaach, nor in the rest of the world, can doubt this. We beg of you! Raise the banner of justice high, march on Belhalla, and reclaim your true throne!

(“Well, sort of. I don’t think you actually have the right magic blood. But it’s not like you’re going to run into any waifs who should be doing the job instead!”)

Now. You may be wondering why I was so adamant we take Isaach when there was another castle off to the west we could have been going after.  And the answer is: Julia can now have a conversation with Seliph. Let’s see that.

Seliph: Actually, I have something for you. I found this in Isaach castle.

Julia: What is…?

Seliph: It’s a light magic tome called Nosferatu.  You can wield these, yes?

Julia: Yes… I’m able to use light magic.

Seliph: Excellent! Hopefully you’ll now have an easier time protecting yourself in combat.

Julia: Thank you, Lord Seliph… thank you so much…

And with that, Julia gets a weapon! The only one she will ever need, even! See (and of course the game doesn’t tell you this), which castle you take alters what weapon she gets. If you take Johalvier’s castle, Sophara, you get her Deirdre’s old Aura tome. You might remember Aura as being very powerful, but also very heavy and largely useless.  As for Nosferatu, it isn’t as strong, but it’s considerably lighter and with Julia’s excellent magic and (unlike Deirdre) access to Pursuit for double attacking, she’ll still be doing enough damage to take out most anything she fights.

Oh, and any damage it does to an enemy, she absorbs to heal herself. 

That’s right: the mysterious waif just became a tank.  

Now, all that’s left to do is kill Dannan. And he, like Chagall before him, forgot to bring a ranged weapon to the party. So I take a little time, liberate a village, and wait to feed him to the suddenly unstoppable Julia. Village?

Grim Gritty Girl: Thanks to you lot, Isaach’s free from the Empire at last, but the rest of the world’s still in a very dark place… all across Jugdral, they’re waiting for you to rise up and defeat the Empire! Please, I’m begging you… you’ve gotta make it to Grannvale soon!

Neat. Lana gains a level, too!

Well, not up to her mom’s exacting standards, but she’s already gotten more magic than Ethlyn ever did. I’ll allow it. And now, time for Julia’s first murder and the end of the map.

(Bitch, she’s your princess. The game hasn’t said it yet, but we know she is. Show some respect.)

And in one round of combat, she almost completely destroys him (she did proc Adept, so she hit him three times instead of two), and gains a big-person level. So far, so good. One more turn should do it!

Welcome to the team, Julia. You’re not really one of us until you’ve killed a sentient being.  (I know that Lana hasn’t killed anyone on screen, but we all know what she gets up to at night.) Seliph drops in on Rivough Castle, and we’re all set.

(You can go home, Lewyn. We have your book, and that’s all we need from you.)

Lewyn: Yeah… I only just got back now. Look, Seliph, are you aware that right now, the world’s at a critical turning point?

Seliph: Hm? No… I’m afraid not.  

(Teenagers don’t follow the news, Lewyn.)

Lewyn: It’s been fifteen years since Arvis conquered Jugdral and united it as the Grannvale Empire. Honestly, for awhile at first it wasn’t all that bad. In the empire’s dawn, Emperor Arvis sought to bind his nation using only the strictures of law. It was strict and constraining, but we got a few good years of peace out of it. But obviously he changed his mind. A few years back, as if by magic, the Empire turned into that oppressive force we all know and love today. Even worse… the ancient heretics of the Loptyr Order have arisen from the shadows once more and raised influence across the land. Their murderous rituals have returned with them, and all across Jugdral they abduct children to sacrifice in droves to resurrect their fell god. All attempts to resist are crushed and met with brutal executions or enslavement. It couldn’t be more plain that they seek to return Jugdral to the days of that ancient abomination, the Loptyr Empire.

Seliph: This cannot be happening! I’ve heard rumors saying the same, but… never did I think they could be more than mere rumor…

Lewyn: By the look of it, Isaach hasn’t had it quite as bad as most. Dannan’s two sons, at least, refused to follow through on the child hunts. And of course there’s been people trying to rebel against the Empire left, right, and center, but they were all scattered and disorganized.  Before you, none have ever posed a proper threat. They were all swiftly crushed before they could so much as blink. Jugdral needs a savior. It needs a man to unite behind. And I’m sure that man is you, Seliph. You’re the only one who stands a chance.

Seliph: Hold on a moment! Are you sure of this? A savior would require power that I sorely lack…

Lewyn: Chalk it up to duty, Seliph. You’re the eldest child of Empress Deirdre. That makes you the elder brother to Crown Prince Julius.

(“And the fact that the prince is named Julius should not suggest in any way that Julia is connected to the royal family. Er, you haven’t checked her stat screens, right?”)

Lewyn: You’re the one true heir to Saint Heim. Your destiny is to unite the power of the Crusaders of this era and free the world from evil’s grip.

Seliph: But I...

Lewyn: Trust me, you really do have what it takes. Your true power and potential sleeps within you. That is, the sacred blood of the Crusader Baldur. Once you get your holy blade, Tyrfing, not even the heavens will be able to stand in your way!

Seliph: But I-

Lewyn: Sorry, Seliph, but that’s how the gods will it.

(I hate to take Lewyn’s side on this, Seliph, but if you really didn’t want to free the world, you shouldn’t have let him talk over you so much.)

Lewyn: You’re Sigurd’s son. The son of a man who fate led to a brutal end. The fulfillment of his dying wishes and his final quest falls to you.

(Pretty sure his final wish was to just not be burned to death.)

Lewyn: You can’t afford to doubt yourself now. You understand, Seliph?

Seliph: Y-yes… yes. I do. If this is fate and the will of the gods, then so be it. I will do my duty.

Lewyn: There actually isn’t a single absolute fate, nor is there just one person it all hinges upon.

(THEN WHY’D YOU GO ON ABOUT IT FOR TWENTY MINUTES JUST NOW?!)

Lewyn: As obtuse as that sounds, trust me, one day it’ll make sense.

(LIAR.)

Lewyn: Sigurd left behind so much to help you on your quest.

(“Though not the really good sword.”)

Lewyn: Most importantly, the many friendships he forged in his life. Me, for instance.

(GO AWAY.)

Lewyn: Brave youths from all over are already lining up to join your cause, all guided by Sigurd’s kindness.

Seliph: My father won the love and trust of so many people, from all walks of life. I can only pray that in time I’ll prove worthy of his legacy.

Lewyn: You’ll be fine. Anyway, to business. Our immediate goal is to reach Leonster. The son of Quan, your father’s closest friend, raised his own rebellion only to suffer severe losses. He’s in pretty urgent need of backup. I know you’ve had no time to rest, but we need to get going as soon as possible.

(Wait, weren’t you just there? You… you didn’t help? You ran down, explicitly didn’t help, and then ran back here to make me do it for you? Dick.)

Lewyn: For now, at least, we can leave Isaach in the care of its citizens. Odds are we’ll run into Prince Shanan on our way.

(Wait, I thought Shanan was off in the middle of the Yied Desert…… fuck it’s going to be a sand map, isn’t it. We’re going to a sand map.)

Seliph: Understood!

And that’s that. First map done, and now we’re off to Leonster to meet Quan’s son Leif (you may recall him being mentioned by name a few times back when he was an infant. He’s beefed up somewhat since then, thankfully) for what is definitely going to feel like an eternity.

See you next week in… *sigh* in the Yied Desert. Again. 

Resets: Up to an even 20. Johan’s intro to our army has not been the best.

Part 17

[slumberinglabyrinth]

Fire Emblem Lords and Lordlikes ask meme! Send me a lord and I’ll tell you my answer!

Marth: How were you introduced to Fire Emblem and what was the first game you played? Looking back on the games you’ve tried so far, would you have started at different point instead?

Celica: Are you a fan of how the different Fire Emblem have games handled their respective theologies, or does it leaving you wanting for more (or far less)?

Alm: Are you quick to forgive IntSys’ crimes and take things in stride, do you give them the chance to redeem themselves, or do you not know the meaning of the phrase “second chance” and rue the day you first picked up a Fire Emblem game?

Sigurd: Did you like the idea of the provisions system, or would you prefer IntSys stick to Vulnerary, Concoctions, and Elixirs?

Seliph: Child units in general: yay or nay? Of the three ways they’ve been implemented so far, how would you improve your least favorite child unit system aside from just making into one that already exists?

Leif: What unit do you feel is most overdue for their debut in Fire Emblem Heroes? If you had to come up with a new skill for them, what would it be?

Roy: Excluding anyone from Three Houses, which Fire Emblem character do you feel there’s the strongest justification for adding to Super Smash Bros. Ultimate if another character from Fire Emblem were to be added? Which would you want to be put in, ignoring practicality/realism?

Lyn: does lyn have too many alts y/n Do you have a favorite attack animation? A favorite critical hit animation?

Eliwood: Do you prefer using units that are well rounded in terms of stats, or ones that excel in a few key stats but lag behind in the rest?

Hector: Armads? (the answer is yes) Do you like games with the same setting as a previous FE that tell a somebody else’s story (like Thracia 776 and Blazing Blade)? If you had to pick a character for a game like that to focus on, who would it be?

Eirika: Assuming everything else about the game tickles your fancy, would you prefer a single game that’s a shorter but has multiple routes to go down, or one that’s a longer but singular linear experience?

Ephraim: Do you tend to build your units (in Heroes and the main games) towards performing during player phase, enemy phase, or a mix between the two?

Ike: Would you mind a game that spreads its plot across two games to tell a much longer, overarching story again, or would you want every FE from here on out to be a standalone game?

Micaiah: Has Fire Emblem ever made you feel the desire to face god and walk backwards into hell?

Lucina: What’s your favorite one-liner from Fire Emblem (crit quote or otherwise)?

Robin: Do you prefer avatars that are their own characters and are a driving force in the plot, avatars that are meant to be self-inserts that you can project onto and aren’t any more important than any other playable character in their game, or avatars that are just along for the ride and are almost entirely inconsequential to any aspect of the plot?

Chrom: Should FE reps in crossover games (Smash Bros, Project X Zone, etc.) prioritize including a main character, should being able to have an interestingly designed or fun character be the determining factor, or should popularity be the primary concern?

Corrin: whats your social security number Are transforming units wired or tired? If they’re included in a game would you prefer there to be a handful at most, or would you prefer them to have a larger presence in the game’s world (if not your own army)?

[darkwood-sleddog]

(1/2) [warning for discussion of injury] I love big dogs but I'm slightly scared to own one because I don't know what I'd do in the case of an emergency (I live alone and I'm not the biggest/strongest person). My most memorable experience with a very large dog was my friend's malamute (we were in our early teens and didn't have phones) who tore his leg open while we were walking him in the woods... So we were essentially just stranded there, took ages to get him to hobble to the nearest road.

(2/2) Though I suppose these dogs are also very resilient, cause he got stiched up, did some PT and was essentially ok in the end (did lose a toe unfortunately); still it was very scary. As a smaller person with very large dogs, do you try to have (hopefully unnecessary) contingency plans for these sorts of things? Like always having a GPS/communication device on you or bringing first aid stuff when going on longer treks? Thank you and sending many ear scratches to your wonderful trio!

Yes, we have plans in place. Even with a small dog you can carry it is good to have a contingency plan.

1.) First aid knowledge & kit. I have been certified in (human) first aid for about 10+ years now and I know my stuff. It carries over to dogs quite well (just not the CPR part, dog CPR is different obviously). These are, as you mention, resilient dogs that can be bandaged and walk out of a situation typically fine on their own. Sigurd has ripped out his dewclaw and kept playing. When dogs show signs of discomfort we turn around immediatly.

2.) Knowing your strength, bringing a bigger/stronger person with you. When you have big dogs having the strength to at the least lift them is important. I am a former athlete and I can army carry Sigurd (slowly) if need be, the other dogs are even lighter). But I never go out alone. I always have a buddy if we’re doing a long trek. This person can go for help, call, or even carry the dog themselves. (Also in the case of the sled...we have the sled bag which can be used to transport a dog with injuries and my new rig has enough space for a dog on the platform).

3.) Knowing where you are without cell service and knowing how to get help without aid of a cellphone. I don’t get cellular service when walking on my road, but I know all the neighbors and I am usually close enough to civilization that I could easily get help. The trail we do longer expeditions on has excellent service I could call for help with. In the winter snowmobile rangers are constantly on trail which is a huge plus. Pretty much any of the larger mountains we climb around here also have rangers on the trail ALL THE TIME. Vermont is remote a lot of the time, but outdoor activities are popular and the state is small so there is a good chance somebody else will be nearby. Keep walkie talkies on hand for no-cell areas (if not close to home).

4.) Practice Safe Hiking habits. Stay on the trails that are mapped and laid out. Going off trail not only increases your risk of not being found in an emergency, but increases your risk of accident. Established trails will have traffic and be suitable for travel, they won’t have hidden risks you may not see. I also don’t allow my dogs to do a lot in elevation areas when we are hiking. Mitigating risk (no jumping from rocks/heights etc.)

[themysterioust]

FE Heroes: New Arrivals (P3)

-While Hector and Sigurd start boasting about their respective children, Corrin and Robin are finishing the last of the 4 stars assignments.-

Corrin: Right, Reinhardt. You're right next to Odin, if he gets on your nerves just jam a pillow in his mouth and he'll be out of your hair for a while.

Reinhardt: I don't see the point in such a thing- if he is a mage of any skill, I shall rather enjoy talking to him.

Olwen: Reinhardt?

Reinhardt: Olwen. When did you arrive?

Olwen: Many months ago... brother, are you truly joining the Order?

Reinhardt: It seems I am. Your Summoner seemed rather pleased to see me!

Olwen: As am I! At last, we fight on the same side! I have much to tell you, brother, and-- Lucina, you must meet Lucina! And Ninian, and Selena!

Reinhardt: I see! Indeed, you do have much to tell me. Come, we may as well make the rounds.

-As they walk off, Robin and Corrin sigh with relief.-

Corrin: I think that's the last of it.

Robin: Yes, we've been at this all morning...

Corrin: ...Wait. Has anyone seen Arvis? Last I saw of him was last night before the bann-- MYSTERY.

-A nearby closet starts banging and yelling. Corrin jumps with surprise and Robin nearly chucks his tome at it.-

Corrin: Well. That is better than what I was expecting.

Robin: Gods, what does Mystery do in her free time other than torment this poor man? Arvis, hold steady, we'll get you out--

-Before Robin can open the door, it is incinerated and there is the distinctive sound of Corrin's armor breaking. The now slightly crispy dragon prince coughs out a puff of smoke as an enraged Lord of Velthomer emerges.-

Arvis: WHICH OF YOU DASTARDS HAS DONE THIS?! WHICH ONE! I AM LORD OF VELTHOMER I WILL NOT BE HIDDEN AWAY LIKE A MAIDEN'S SHIFT--

Robin: How did you even end up in there?

Arvis: (gritting his teeth) An EXCELLENT question! I WAS sleeping, and when I woke? I WAS IN WITH THE COATS!

Robin: (wince) Yes, it's Mystery all right. Look on the bright side, at least you're not dead?

Arvis: DEATH IS STARTING TO BE PREFERABLE. I'm going for coffee now...

[darkwood-sleddog]

Sigurd’s new Distance Harness came today, feels even more sturdy than the last one, much more similar to Zombie & Slash’s so I wonder if his old one was an older model...anyways we had an excellent boys walk, both Slash and Sigurd were relaxed, wanting to play and very happy to be close to each other.