#rollo x original female character

[acciokaidanalenko]

For anyone interested, I did make another blog to support the resurgence of my Vikings obsession! I haven't started posting any of my Vikings fic yet, but I'm working on it!! Here's a link for those interested in following my fledgling new blog!

Ugh might have to start another blog to support the resurgence of my Vikings obsession 😭🤷‍♀️

JUST FUCKING LOOK AT HIMMMMMM 🥵🥵🥵🥵🥵

[superprincesspea]

Chapter 1: A Rude Awakening

On the night Edithe loses everything she gains the attention of a brutish Northman they call the Bear.

Masterlist

Warnings: Explicit mentions of violence and gore.

Edithe heard the horns blaring before smelling the acrid smoke that was already seeping into the room. Her eyes peeled open, mind and body still half consumed by sleep as her mother barged through the bedroom door, her voice urgent above the din, “Edie, Nessie, you must wake up!”

She prodded her baby sister who, like a newborn pup, was still snuggled against her, her leaden limbs lost in slumber. “Little Nessie, get up! Get up!”

She didn’t need her mother to say it was Viking’s that had come to their lands, the smoke and the frantic shouts of her people told her that. All she needed to do was run, like her father had taught her, run and don’t look back. Her heart beat with fear. Fear of being captured but most of all fear of what these barbarians would do to her family. Even if her people were skilled swordsmen, she had heard many tales of these Northmen, tales which made them sound like the devil himself. 

Edithe scrambled from the bed, pulling her dress and boots on with careless haste as her mother roused Nessie. She had a dagger, the handle carved with the head of a raven, it had been a birthday present from her father and she concealed it in the folds of her dress before tying her cloak and standing ready by the door.

Her mother cupped her cheeks, her voice now as calm as the sea after a storm, “you know where to go, beloved.” 

“Yes,” Edithe nodded and her mother smiled, kissing her forehead like she was still that same little girl who would spend the day running through the wilderness only to return home with scraped knees and brambles snagged in her hair. Happy memories made her squeeze her mother tight, tight enough to hear the hammering in her chest and realise the calm in her voice was all a facade, a mother's way to protect her frightened daughters. There was no more time for memories or gentleness. Those things belonged in the peace of sunshine and the innocence of childhood, it was time to run, perhaps even time to die. 

When the door swung open there was chaos. Fire, screams and the clang of iron on steel, a frenzy of noises all ringing out in heavy darkness. Edithe pulled her cloak around her and tried not to look, tried not to see the axes hacking through flesh and the blood that soaked the earth. But even in the dark, even with half closed eyes she could still see the redness of it and she could still hear the pain of it in the cries of dying men. 

“Hurry,” her mother urged, grabbing Nessie’s hand and running for the treeline.

Edithe took one last look at her home, crossing herself and making a silent prayer to God before her fingers wrapped around her dagger and she began to follow. Her mother's cloak served as a banner, leading her through the carnage until it began to fall to the floor, the motion slow like the wind falling from a ship's sail. She didn’t see the plume of ochre velvet hit the dirt, she only saw the Northman with his bloodied axe, his hair fair but his eyes dark and both of them fixed on her. He grinned, his teeth shining white as if he was a murderous wolf while her sister crouched beside their mother, wailing like a child of five rather than a girl of thirteen.

Edithe took a step backwards and he advanced like she hoped he would. She called out, “run Nessie, run and hide,” praying the sound of it carried to her sister's ear before following her own advice. She ran back towards the safety of her home, the heathen stalking her every step and the anticipation of being caught tingling along her spine.  

When she slammed her front door closed, a sigh of relief filled her lungs before she forced the bar into place, hoping to buy enough time to escape through the tiny window at the rear of the house. She could hear the Northman banging against the wood, his battle cry heartstopping as she loosened her cloak to help her squeeze through the opening. The crack of the door beginning to split made her faster and with one final push she tumbled through the window, landing hard but safe in a pile on the floor.

She scrambled to her feet and began to run, terrified that he would see her escape and ashamed that she had not done more or been braver. She weaved carefully between the shadows, desperate to make it to the treeline where she hoped Nessie had fled. Her little sister, six years younger than her, was still such a baby in so many ways. 

Standing between her and escape was a man, tall and broad, his torso bare of anything but blood and strange black markings. He cut through her people like it was a dance in which only he knew the steps and she watched with morbid fascination, silent and still until she saw her own brother fall to his axe. 

Edithe didn’t recognise the strangled scream which began to pierce the air as her own but when the Northman looked her way she knew it must have been. His eyes locked with hers, his brief loss of focus so careless that it almost cost him his life. She wished it had but the sword that struck for him only grazed his neck and he regained his movements, his murderous dance, slaying all that stood against him. 

She knew right then that battle was over and all was lost. There were no more clashes of swords, only crying and the sound of timber splitting as fire consumed the village. Her father had been Lord of these lands and a great heaviness weighed in her heart, no doubt he had succumbed to the heathens along with his people. By morning there would be nothing left but dust and the empty bodies of the ones she had called her friends and family.  

She turned, hoping to find another way to escape only to see the man who had slain her mother now closing in with two others by his side. Life as a slave to these heathens would hold no meaning, letting them touch her with their bloodied hands would be an abomination. She straightened her spine like her mother had always taught her and ran like her brothers had taught her. Fast, surging with every ounce of strength while the Northman laughed at her, the sound loud and mocking, curling hate into every fibre of her body. 

When her mother's killer reached out to grab her, she grasped the dagger from its hiding space and landed it in his neck like she was born to kill. His blood spurted warm on her face and surprise froze her. She had expected to be cut down and reunited with her family, instead she watched the man gripping his neck, lifeblood pouring through his fingers as he dropped to her feet gurgling his last breaths. 

The man who had killed her brother seized her arm before she had even considered moving, he was taller and broader than she had thought, the markings on his body more intricate and beautiful than she had expected. He was still laughing at her but the laugh was softer now as his hands clamped around her arms and he forced her to face him. He spoke in words she didn’t understand, the sounds harsh and cruel but his smile gentle, his eyes crinkling like she hadn’t killed one of his people. 

“Valkyrie,” he told her, patting her hair and taking a lock between his fingers. 

Edithe jerked her head away from his touch, hating his gentleness, hating his smile and hating him for being a skilled enough warrior to kill her brother like he was nothing more than a boy with his first sword. 

“Rollo,” the man said, thumping his chest like some sort of beast before carefully waiting for her reaction. If he was asking her name then he was a fool as well as a barbarian for she would tell him nothing.

“Rollo,” he said again and anger burned hot in her core, if her dagger hadn’t been lodged in the throat of his friend then she would have lodged it in his antagonistic smirk. 

Edithe knew she was defenceless to a man like this but that did not mean she was submissive. She spat, the spittle landing amongst the blood on his face and his smirk faded to an angry line, his foreign words a low growl that made her blood run like ice in her veins. She might have cried but she did not, she goaded him again, kicking his shin without restraint before fighting to pull her arms free from his grasps. 

Suddenly he was laughing again and this time it was even harder than before, his face lighting up, his chest rumbling with the sheer pleasure of amusement. 

“I hate you!” Edithe cursed and he pulled her tight, her face pressed to the naked plains of his chest, the smell of blood and sweat intoxicating as he whispered words like lovers do, the sound of them only for her, his lips against her ear. 

She didn’t like the way he was holding her even if she didn’t understand the words he whispered. Her hands balled into fists, her knuckles digging against his chest in an attempt to push him away but he was like stone, steadfast and unaffected by the way she fought him. 

“Valkyrie,” he told her again, releasing her from his ironclad grip. His thumb was rough as it brushed against her cheek and she pushed his hand away with disgust.  

“I would sooner die than be a whore to a godless heathen!” she shrieked and he smiled, accepting her words as though they were love songs. He shoved his axe into his belt and when she tried to run away he heaved her onto his shoulder, chuckling as she tried to fight him and bringing his hand down hard across her rump when she bit him. 

With his men as witness to her humiliation, he stepped over the bodies of her people, carrying her like a prize he had conquered. Even if the battle had been lost she did not accept her fate.

Thank you for reading the first chapter!

I will also be posting this fic over on AO3, Fanfiction.net and Wattpad if you prefer to read there :)

[vargassdottir]

VIKINGS | FLOKISDOTTIR

[Part Two of the Flokisdottir Series]

Set During Late Season 2

Bjorn Ironside x Original Female Character | Floki x Daughter!Original Female Character

Warnings: Canon divergence, swearing, adult themes.

It was strange how foreign and yet familiar a place can feel at the same time. These halls which had once held Earl Haraldsson and his pathetic excuses for advisors and preening landowners who wanted his patronage were long gone, now the hearth burned bright with the room bursting with life; tables of mead and wines, meats and cheeses, all manner of produce in which a viking could gorge themselves upon, lay around the great space. Figures, both familiar and not, wandered between such tables and groups had formed throughout the space of various family, friends and neighbours all in conversation (more of them drunk than sober).

And there, at the steps of the thrones, sat Ragnar and his family. Aslaug, dressed beautifully in dark wool woven with gold with little Ivar in her arms; Ubbe and Hvitserk throwing chicken legs at one another, each trying to catch it in their teeth but failing, and making quite the mess in the process; Sigurd sat apart from his siblings with a grumpy expression as he eyed Ivar and his mother. Last, but not least, Ragnar, his dark tunic and icicle eyes surveying the room with curious intent, whilst what looked like Athelstan, but far more integrated into their culture than she remembered, sat in close conversation with him.

Closer to the fire, only a meter away from them, sat Lagertha in woollen cloak, in joyful conversation with a rather rotund looking Helga, both absorbed into what one another was saying whilst Siggy sat nearby nursing a goblet of wine, chiming in every now and then with a nod and smile.

Meanwhile, Rollo and her father, Floki, sat even closer to the fire, talking in close confidence, about what, Runa could not tell, but their expressions serious and eyebrows scrunched together, she could tell it was important.

And so the mass of figures went on and on, through the hall, as Runa watched, emerald eyes wide and gripping Bjorn's hand a little tighter. Overwhelmed by the sheer amount of people once could have in the hall, she pondered on how long it would take to count them... But then she was pulled from her thoughts by Bjorn offering a squeeze of her hand in reply to her own. He looked upon her, still nervous with the prospect of her return, and offered comforting smile.

"I promise you, if any should be angry, I will personally see them thrown from the hall." He uttered, to which Runa chuckled with a shake of her head. "Why are you being so kind, Bjorn? Should I expect a mead to be poured on me in delayed reply for our last time in this hall?" She responded, which only earned further laughter from them both. "Not at all.. Time tells us how much we can miss a person.. And I've missed you far too much." He said with a strange kindness, one that she could not recall from their youth.

However, their moment of quiet understanding and surprising declaration of friendship was interrupted when Floki looked up.

He'd only glanced upward to see where the blast of cold had come from, and likely to chide the fool who had opened it for so long 'didn't they know it's the middle of bloody winter' he exclaimed internally, before he set his dark gaze upon the latest arrivals.

Bjorn was talking to a women he knew not to be Thorunn, the woman who had rejected Bjorn harshly with talk of having other choices of men than him, but she had blonde hair of a similar colour. Unlike Thorunn however, this woman braided her hair similarly to Lagertha; pulling most of it away from her face and backwards into a sort of ponytail that bore both braids and loose hair alike. But it was when she turned inward slightly was his breath stolen away, as if Loki were playing a trick on him, for there she was. His little girl. He was never more sure, for those jade eyes were hard to miss, and whilst her previously soft face was now marred with a scar, she was undoubtedly her. His little Runa.

With a loud gasp that brought Rollo to awareness of where his friends attention had drifted to, he twisted in his seat and noticed the young woman. Judging by Floki's expression he knew it to be Runa; long gone daughter returned home, who he had once regarded as a niece to him of sorts, and hence he made gesture for Helga and Lagertha's attention, and with that Ragnar, Athelstan and the family in all were alerted to her arrival. Just in time too, for they would have missed a sight most rare if they had not.

Floki, who's dark khol markings around his eyes were now a blur from the tears that stained his face, leaped up and even over a person in whole before running towards his daughter. Runa, having realised the attention now upon her, let go of Bjorn for the first time since they reunited and ran to meet Floki halfway. And so she was flown into her second, but certainly not last, overwhelming hug of the night.

Grasped tightly against his chest, Floki's heart beat out of his body to feel his daughter in his arms again, for he was so sure it would be much longer before they would meet again. His recollection was fuzzy, but their parting was not on the best of terms, he remembered that much.

But in that moment, Floki didn't care. His girl was home, and safe, and he silently thanked the gods for it. All around them, those who had known Runa in the past came to greet her, and many exclaimed on how she had changed, on her scar, and all that one could think to ask the girl. Yet not so far away Bjorn stood, listening in unlikely silence, as she answered the questions directed her way, an unspoken desire beginning to form in his gut, for how Runa had changed. The little girl who once threw stones at him and chased him and Gyda around their farm was long gone, and a young woman stood in her place. It brought something out in him, something he had not felt since Throunn's rejections.. Hope. That maybe, just maybe, there was someone for him after all.

The rest of the evening went by in a blur, Runa thought retrospectively, for many faces came to speak with her and engulf her in warm displays of affection as she was relayed tales of the past few years and what she had missed. Floki never once let go of her, always clasping a hand over her shoulder or arm, as if fearing if he let her go she would suddenly disappear, like a spectre. His dark eyes watching Bjorn and his stares from his peripheral but never once did he speak of it.. There would be time for that later, he decided, whether to chide the young man on his oogling or demand he explain his intentions with his daughter, he did not yet know, but he knew words must be had.

Runa was blissfully oblivious to this exchange however, as she found herself, after the many greetings were over, in conversation with Rollo, Ragnar, Lagertha, Bjorn and her father. Aslaug sat some distance away, trying to calm her young sons to no avail, and her frustration growing ever evident on her features.

"Is little Runa finally big enough to wield an axe then?" Rollo teased with a smirk, recieving a playful shove in his side from the recipient of his question. "Little?! I was never little! You‘ve always just been a bloody giant!" Runa retorted, earning laughter from the group. Truthfully she spoke as well, for she was hardly small as a child and certainly not presently either, a head shorter than Bjorn at best. The joy of old friends reuniting was enough to light up the hall with a new sense of life, short-lived in the grand scheme of the evening however.

No short time later did the hall become swarmed with people coming in from the cold, both locals and visitors alike, and if Runa thought the room was crowded before, the ensuing crowd that she figured must have been at least half the population of Kattegat stormed in, causing her to temporarily freeze her in place. Whatever witty remark she was sure to send back was lost in her throat, and whilst everyone began chatting and jesting with the new arrivals, they failed to notice the panicked look in Runa’s eyes.

Save one.

Like a cornered animal, wild eyes and fists clenched to her sides, she visibly sought the nearest exit, Bjorn watching like a hawk till she shot up and sped through the crowd and from the hall as if her life depended on it. His surprise evident in his furrowed brow, for he could never recall his one time dear friend (and agitator) behaving this way. Pushing off the pillar that had been his resting place, he lazily strolled out after her.

It didn’t take long to find her, thankfully, having left his thicker furs behind and already having to fold around himself to shelter from the chill. Runa stood a little ahead of the great hall, across the square and looking down towards the spiralling streets that eventually reached the water. Nudging her with his elbow, she startled and glared back at him, the animalistic viciousness still her in her emerald gaze, which softened slightly upon recognising him.

“What do you want?” she snipped, tone as cutting as the ice across the puddles.

“Why did you run?” Bjorn shot back with little hesitation or fuss, and Runa chuckled as she recognised that straightforward nature. At least time hadn’t worn that away from him. But his expectant gaze demanded an answer, and after a moment she strangely felt inclined to give at least part of one.

“Too many people. I do better on my own. Tell my father I’ll see him later.. If he still lives around here?”

Frowning further at her statement, Bjorn nodded slowly, replying shortly: “Same as before.” But before he had chance to question anything else, she was off again, dark fur cloak swirling behind her in the rising wind.

Edited: 11/11/23

[jenniferasberryus]

Assassin's Creed Ragnarok: Gameplay, Release Date, Story Location, and More

Assassin’s Creed Ragnarok is reportedly the next mainline Assassin’s Creed game, if recent leaks are to be believed. Thanks to alleged Amazon and GameStop item listings, we can surmise a few things about the next installment in the long-running franchise. What’s next for Ubisoft’s biggest franchise? Read on below to find out what we know, and what our best guesses are. If you want to stay completely spoiler-free on certain (unconfirmed) story details, skip past the appropriate sections.

Keep in mind though that Ubisoft has yet to confirm any such information, so take everything with one seriously large grain of salt.

Assassin’s Creed Ragnarok Release Date

Ubisoft hasn’t confirmed AC Ragnarok’s existence yet, much less a release date. That said, like many big-budget video games of its kind, it’s likely to release somewhere between October and early December to line up with the holiday season. Assassin’s Creed Odyssey released on October 5, 2018, while its predecessor Assassin’s Creed Origins released on October 27, 2017. Ubisoft likes to get things out a little ahead of the usual November deluge (where the likes of Call of Duty and Battlefield usually reign), so don’t be shocked if we see preview coverage sometime around E3 2020 and then a strong leadup to mid-October.

[widget path="global/article/imagegallery" parameters="albumSlug=a-history-of-assassins-creed-leaks&captions=true"]

What systems is Assassin’s Creed Ragnarok on?

According to the leaked info, Assassin’s Creed Ragnarok will be on PS4, Xbox One, PC, and then also the PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X. Ubisoft has not confirmed any such details.

When does Assassin’s Creed Ragnarok take place?

(Possible spoilers follow) 

Judging from the leaks, Assassin’s Creed Ragnarok will take place in the Viking era. According to leaked information shared on Reddit, AC Ragnarok will start in or around 845 CE, during the Viking-led siege of Paris.

The period between 800 CE and about 900 CE were heavily characterized by these Viking incursions. According to the leaked info, the meat of the game will start during 863 CE with a character named Jora, who can be either male or female.

As is customary for Assassin’s Creed games, we’ll meet a number of broadly defined historical figures. According to the leak, the player character will meet King of Wessex Alfred, Rollo, the first ruler of Normandy, and Charles the Fat, the emperor of the Carolingian Empire.

[ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/2016/11/09/assassins-creed-exploring-the-assassin-templar-conflict"]

What will Assassin’s Creed Ragnarok gameplay be like?

Ubisoft hasn’t shown any official gameplay as of yet, and they’ve certainly not confirmed anything from the leaked information. That said, if any of the leaked info is to be believed, there could be a significant number of updates. You can read the full list of leaked (and unconfirmed) gameplay info here, but we’ve whittled it down to what looks to be the most important stuff.

Up to 4-player drop-in/drop-out co-op much like Ghost Recon Wildlands.

New RPG mechanics introduce a new class system and skill tree changes based on that choice. You’ll be able to change your character class.

More weapon types, and weapons can be upgraded with runes, special abilities for certain groups of weapons. Durability will play a role, too.

Rather than adrenaline, players can activate a berserker mode that also activates rune powers based on elemental types - lightning, fire, frost.

Sailing is back, with more focus on exploration than combat.

The hidden blade returns and can be upgraded for one-hit kills.

Stealth is receiving some upgrades, like allowing a player to hide in mud, snow, crouching in bushes, and other hiding options. Players can also hide themselves in crowds of people so long as their clothing doesn’t stick out.

Reputation system based on who, what, and where you conquest.

Conquest battles return.

Battles between independent kingdoms (as in you don’t control them yet) may occur naturally.

Players can organize large-scale raids on forts and large cities, or just go it alone.

Difficulty has been overhauled. Rather than being about enemy health, difficulty will determine your own health, parry times, and enemy reaction times.

Leveling is also getting an overhaul, allowing players to improve their individual skillsets and gain experience in them. The leaked info describes it being similar to The Elder Scross V: Skyrim. This also means that regions being locked by level number is gone.

As for the map, the leaked info says it comprises most or all of northern Europe, including the cites of York, London, Paris, and Kiev.

It’s worth reiterating that none of this information has been confirmed by Ubisoft, so take it all with a huge grain of salt. While past Assassin’s Creed leaks have historically been mostly on the money, that doesn’t mean that any one of these supposed details is really in the game.

[ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/2019/04/09/are-you-ready-for-assassins-creed-vikings-unlocked-389"]

Will Layla and Abstergo return?

We don’t know anything about the modern-day portion of Assassin’s Creed Ragnarok quite yet. Odds are it will continue to focus on the character of Layla and her journey with the brotherhood. Interested in more juicy historical details and possible connections? Read how Assassin’s Creed Ragnarok could connect the franchise back to the first Assassin’s Creed game.

Where to get the Assassin’s Creed Ragnarok Special Edition

No information on a special edition or collector’s edition for Assassin’s Creed Ragnarok has been publicly announced, although considering Ubisoft always has at least one special edition for each game, it’s a safe bet they’ll do it again. Historically, the pricier bundles come with a small statue, while the slightly-higher-than-$60 bundles come with extra digital content. We’ll update this section when we know more. [ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/2017/05/11/a-history-of-assassins-creed-leaks"]

Where can I pre-order Assassin’s Creed Ragnarok?

Since the game hasn’t been officially announced, there’s no real way to pre-order it quite yet. Amazon and GameStop were the sources of some of this leaked information, though, so it’s likely the game will appear there and other major retailers. We’ll be updating this section and creating pre-order guides when we know more. If any of this information on Assassin’s Creed Ragnarok proves true, what are you most excited for? Do you think Ragnarok will be a meaningful evolution of the Assassin’s Creed franchise or will it be the same old sneaky stabbing and swordfighting business as usual? Let us know in the comments below. [poilib element="accentDivider"] Joseph Knoop is a writer/producer for IGN. from IGN Video Games https://www.ign.com/articles/assassins-creed-ragnarok-gameplay-release-date-location-story via IFTTT from The Fax Fox https://thefaxfox.blogspot.com/2020/01/assassins-creed-ragnarok-gameplay.html

[ao3feed-vikings]

La chica cuervo.

read it on the AO3 at http://ift.tt/2i9M99A

by m0nster

❝Con los ojos fijos en las olas, siempre nos advertiste a todos del peligro, permaneciendo calculadora e inamovible ante la adversidad. Pero ahora que estamos en tierra firme, tus ojos se han fijando en un nuevo objetivo: el hijo de Ragnar, la ola más peligrosa de todas; dime, Chica Cuervo, ¿acaso te quieres ahogar?❞

| IVAR RAGNARSSON X LENA BONESSDÓTTIR |

Words: 106, Chapters: 1/1, Language: Español

Fandoms: Vikings (TV)

Rating: Teen And Up Audiences

Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence

Categories: F/M

Characters: Aslaug (Vikings), Floki (Vikings), Ubbe (Vikings), Hvitserk (Vikings), Rollo (Vikings), Sigurd (Vikings), Margrethe (Vikings), King Ecbert (Vikings), Original Characters

Relationships: Ivar (Vikings)/Original Female Character(s)

Additional Tags: Español | Spanish

read it on the AO3 at http://ift.tt/2i9M99A

[vargassdottir]

VIKINGS | FLOKISDOTTIR

[Part One of the Flokisdottir Series]

(Female Original Character | Starting Late Season 2)

Bjorn Ironside x Female Original Character | Floki x Daughter!Original Female Character

Warnings: Canon divergence, swearing, adult themes.

The cold winds whipped around the trees, blowing harshly against her pale skin, her long blonde hair wriggling out from her head like a hundred tiny snakes slithering out to freedom. It was cold enough to make even the Frost Giants want to stay by a hearth, she thought, as she sat on the shoreline.

It had been a long time since she was last in Kattegat, her father Floki had let her leave the moment she were of age, a glistening dampness to his eyes as he did, when she told him how she desired exploration. Nonetheless he let his little girl go, and she loved him for it. A truly free soul, he regarded her as, for she resembled him more than her long dead mother in that way, and hence he knew he could not contain her to the little hut he, Helga and she had shared throughout her childhood.

But now she had returned, and as she sat upon the beach, pondering her next move; whether to enter Ragnar's hall and seek her father out, or let the eventually gossip of fish-wives announce it to him, a large figure came towards her. His blonde hair stuck out brightly against his pale skin and his ice blue eyes stared at the figure upon the sands as if they meant to capture her blonde form on the spot.

"Runa Flokisdottir? Is that you?"

His gruff voice inquired, though surprise widening his eyes alerting Runa to the fact her arrival had not graced the gossiping hoardes of women through the town yet.

She stood slowly, stretching her aching limbs with gentle popping sounds and light gasps of relief expelling from her lips at each sound. She was taller than he remembered, nearly as tall as he was now, with blonde hair falling past her shoulders in braids not so dissimilar to the kind his mother wore. Rippling like water pouring from the rocks they fell, the wind lapping them about in the air to create a halo around her head. She looked strong, as a scar ran from beside her left eye to the base of her cheek burned red in the chill of winter.

"Is that little Bjorn, so grown up?"

Runa pondered aloud. For as much as Bjorn was observing her, she was doing the exact same of him: angling him up, akin to how a predator would it's prey.

He was so tall now, she thought, nearly two meters in height. Gone were the funny ears that stuck out like leaves and angry expression that she so loved to bring to his face. Now stood a young man, a beard just beginning to form on his chin, his figure pronounced for all the world to see as that of a warriors, and in that moment she thought she must have been looking at Rollo, if not for the stock of blonde hair that grew on his head. But the eyes.. The eyes were unmistakably Ragnar's eyes. So blue, it sent a chill to her very bones.. Or perhaps that was just the frostbite settling in?

He gasped a little at her enquiry, then chucked before launching himself forward to run and scoop her up in his arms. Runa, taken aback, had little time to prepare for the aptly named bear hug that engulfed her. For the first time in months, Runa let herself be filled with joy rather than concern, and a string of light giggles tumbled from her mouth.

"Dear friend, welcome home."

With a further squeeze from the larger man, Runa expelled a squeal pitched so only hounds could hear it, alerting Bjorn to the tightness of the embrace, before he let her go with a startled expression, but seeing hers was amused rather than pained, he relaxed and let out further laughter.

"By the gods, where have you been little Run? It's been so long.. Does Floki know you've returned?" Bjorn uttered with haste, his grin yet not falling from his lips. Runa swore in that moment that if the winds grew colder he might bare that expression till Ragnarok!

"Oh you know, fascinating places to visit, exotic people to meet, towns to raid.. Nothing that isn't incredibly worthy of envy!" Runa joked, a lightness filling her heart at Bjorn's amusement to her reply before he swept her up in his arms again, twirling them in the cold sands for a moment, resulting in further squealing on her part, before he let her down once more. But all the gladness in the world could not draw her mind from the most important question: "How is he, Bjorn? How is my father?"

With that Bjorn only widened his wolfish grin even more, taking Runa's ice-cold hand in his own, which was only slightly warmer, and began pulling her up the beach towards the streets of Kattegat. "He is well. He and Helga married some time ago, and a child is due soon." The fellow blonde told her, as he weaved them between unfamiliar huts, leading them up into the square that had, to her mind, remained more or less the same since last she was here.

It's cold earth was marked with frost and slivers of snow mixed with dirt, creating a grey like paste that was infinitely harder to traverse. Footprints led from all directions to the doors of the great hall; it's wooden rafters and walls the same dark oak colour as before, but the roof long replaced by stronger and sturdier material. Doors pressed closed, if not for a small crack to prevent them freezing together, and inside lights shone like starlight out of every crevice it could escape from.

It was then that Runa halted, almost causing Bjorn to slip into the slush at the suddeness of it. When he glanced upon her face, the hood of her cloak now pulled up to protect her from the winds ever cold bite, he saw an expression he knew well. Fear. Her eyes wide and lips slightly parted, he saw in her the day he reunited with Ragnar many months before: that feeling of inadequacy, of being a stranger to a place she once knew and people she once loved, the questions of whether her father would be happy to see her, if Helga would, if they would be angry, if Ragnar, Rollo, Lagertha and Torstein would observe her as unfamiliar stock or reunite with her as kin and grace her with warm embrace.. All these things flew around her mind, and Bjorn knew it too well.

With strong grip he turned upon her, blocking her view of the hall, and so he bent his form down just a little to look her in the eye, his icy blue orbs searching her green depths for contact.

"They've missed you.. We all have." He told her, his calloused hands rubbing up and down the lengths of her forearms in gesture of comfort. And in that moment, Runa never felt more grateful of Bjorn's presence, his friendship that seemed to have remained after all this time. She thanked the gods quietly that it was Bjorn who found her upon the frozen sands, as she nodded and the two walked towards the doors, hand in hand.

[acciokaidanalenko]

Ugh might have to start another blog to support the resurgence of my Vikings obsession 😭🤷‍♀️

JUST FUCKING LOOK AT HIMMMMMM 🥵🥵🥵🥵🥵