#vikings season 4

[its-tea-time-darling]

finished watching vikings episode 1 of season 4 and WTF IS UP WITH ROLLO???????????????????? what is WRONG with that guy like?????????

[sapphistvampyr]

Witcher 4 Ciri is hot as hell you guys are just weak. In fact I wish they made her even older and covered in more dirt and blood thanks

[samanddean76]

by SamandDean76

Psst!  Want some Sabriel?  Look no further!

Take Back Something Worth Remembering | Explicit | 18.5K words (Season 4 AU)

Gabriel was enjoying his leisure time with all the porn stars he could handle, in order to distract him from the crush he had developed on Sam Winchester, when a frantic prayer from an old friend interrupted everything. Now Gabriel finds himself working side by side with the amazing mortal who is trying to save his dead brother, while Gabriel tries to save the wayward angel that was sent in to rescue Dean. With the help of an artifact that he stole from heaven long ago, Gabriel casts a spell that will leave hell in ruins, the inhabitants of heaven trembling in fear, and Sam with a new appreciation for the archangel that is about to make all of his wildest dreams come true. All served up with an extra heaping portion of well-deserved revenge.

Stacking The Deck | Explicit | 13.3k words (Mob AU)

Gabriel's life was turned upside down when the shelter he and his brother Castiel were staying at was raided by thugs looking for Omegas to sell. But he was rescued by the mob boss's youngest son, Sam. Feeling a powerful connection to the young Alpha, Gabriel surrenders himself and embraces a life unlike any he's ever known.

But Gabriel can't let go of the dream of one day reuniting his fractured family and he is shocked to find that Sam is more than willing to help him reunite with his long-lost brother.

They hold their collective breaths as they bet everything they hold dear and discover there's more than one way to beat the odds.

A Leap Of Faith | Explicit | 5.8K words (Canon-Adjacent)

After having given up all hope, Gabriel finds himself miraculously rescued from Asmodeus' vile clutches. But he is far from healthy and whole, and he can barely care for himself. Gabriel knows that he needs the help of another, but he finds the words almost too painful to speak.

Sam knows some of what Gabriel endured at the hands of a monster. And he also knows that he could never permit another to linger in darkness when there is something that he could do about it. He agrees to Gabriel's reluctant request, and then proceeds to show the archangel that anything is possible, if you only have a little faith.

The Viking And The Hermit God | Mature | 15.3K words (Viking AU)

The modern-day author Sam Winchester is giving an in-depth presentation about his latest book to a group of college students. The audience could never even begin to suspect the truth behind the knowledge that he possesses. How he was personally given a bad map by Loki, the Trickster demi-god, that led to Loki's great-grandfather, Buri. But what Sam discovered was that Buri wasn't what he appeared to be. That he was the Archangel Gabriel and that he had created an entire pantheon of demi-gods in his spare time, as he whiled away the countless millennia, while he hid from his real family. The question now was, would Gabriel risk it all to save the love of his eternal life?

Letting Fate Decide | Mature | 14.6K words (A/B/O AU) | Half Sabriel & Half Destiel

Castiel is a new Omega in the big city. He meets the Alpha for him in the form of a fry-cook named Dean Winchester. But a military commander pulls Dean in for a mission and as Castiel waits he is taken by Lucifer to be added to one of his many Omega brothels. There he meets an Omega named Gabriel who helps him to survive. Little does he know that Gabriel is longing to be reunited with his one true Alpha, Sam Winchester.

Do You Take This Archangel | Explicit | 1.8K words | Established Relationship

Sam and Gabriel have finally gotten hitched. Now Sam just has to keep his new husband happy on their wedding night. Gabriel has ideas on just how Sam can accomplish such a task...

To Love, Honor, & Cherish | Explicit | 3.7K words | (A/B/O AU) | Sabriel but also Sam/Gabriel/Castiel

Alpha Sam Winchester is a top Omega Retrieval Specialist. He is handed the file on a bonded pair of runaway Omega's. But when he finally tracks down Gabriel and Castiel, the information in the file and the reality of the situation are wildly different. Now Sam has to figure out if he can rescue the two Omega's before it's too late.

His Perfectly Good Boy | Explicit | 1.4K words | Established Relationship

Gabriel loves it when Sam takes care of his wings. He also enjoys praising Sam for all of his many efforts. Sam loves it when Gabriel repays the favor, and lets him know what a good boy he has been.

One Night Angel | Explicit | 931 words

Gabriel is looking for a little action.  Enter Sam Winchester.  Gabriel's night is looking up!

Or

What Gabriel wanted, um no.  What Gabriel needed, no, not quite.  What Gabriel fucking REQUIRED, was a good solid dicking every now and then. 

How To Accidentally Create Soulmates | General | 2K words (Just Fun AU)

Gabriel was given a brand-new and very important responsibility by Chuck. To oversee the soul nurseries in heaven. Well, Gabriel delegated this boring task to Castiel.

I mean, what's the worst that could happen?

His Heart To Keep | Explicit | 4K words (A/B/O AU)

Sam found himself a newly transformed Omega, who was up for sale to any Alpha willing to pay the price to have him. As he watched the little Alpha negotiate his permanent sale, he had to wonder? Had his life just gotten better?

Gabriel couldn't believe what had happened to the once proud Alpha that was presented to him for sale as a freshly turned Omega. But he swore, that he would fix all the wrongs that had been committed against this amazing man.

Click Click Pose | Mature | 6.1K words (Human AU) | Cowritten with @masoena

Gabriel was trying to make a name for himself that didn't include his prolific history as a top-rated porn star. He'd been able to break into a successful television show, Dr. Sexy M.D. But his life was forever changed when he walked onto the set for his latest photoshoot and met the man of his dreams.

Sam watched the transformation from a kind, courteous, and unassuming actor into a full-fledged sex god. But he could see through the cracks to the shy man that was carefully hidden underneath the bravado. The only question was, would he be able to convince Gabriel to take a chance and be the man he was always destined to be?

And so much more is on the way!

[stargazinglesbian]

lay off him he is DEAD he has enough problems as it is

do it :3

[daminouspurity]

Minnesota Vikings vs. Green Bay Packers | 2024 NFL Season Week 4 | Predictions Madden NFL 25

SUBSCRIBE! & TURN ON NOTIFICATIONS!

[cycat4077]

"Ghosts" openings + Easter eggs

Season 1:

Painting/photo = Elias/Hetty Viking helmet = Thor (his death) Alcohol bottle = Alberta (poisoned) Feather = Sass (story telling) Daisy = Flower (coffee company) Handbook = Pete Spyglass = Isaac Money clip = Trevor (given to Pinkus) Bonus: Tea cup (Hetty), Trevor is moving it.

Season 2:

Tree painting = Sass (crush on Shiki) Teddy bear = Flower (dumb death) Microphone = Alberta (podcast) Laundry detergent = Hetty x Washing machine Donut holes = Pete (fight with his wife) Dagger = Thor (meets his son) Carriage = Isaac (backstory) Fishing rod = Trevor (body found in lake)

Season 3:

Painting = Hetty (backstory, comely ankles) Basketball = Pete + Flower (bonding) Owl = Thor (Flower reincarnated) Woodstone Rewards plaque = Trevor (his brother) Butterscotch candy = Pete (Carol) Poltergeist book = Alberta (+ Saul) Butterfly = Flower (followed into well) Dino plush = Isaac (dinosaur fascination)

Season 4: Updated

Landscape (fjord?) painting = ? Playbill = Musical, Alberta (4x05) Clover pillow = Irish heritage, Hetty (4x10) Snow globe = Pete's gift to daughter (4x09) French fries = Zombie!Jay (4x09) Cherry pie = ? Space rock (?)/gold = ? Snail = Escarghost, Trevor (4x06) Plastic vampire teeth = Higgentooth (4x06)? (Bonus: there are now 9 items instead of the previous 3 seasons' 8 items...likely due to the addition of Patience!)

Edit!

I'm going out on a limb to say that the vampire teeth may relate to Patience. It's already been mentioned that she died from bloodletting. Both end in getting blood sucked out of you 🧛

[quasi-normalcy]

Upcoming Star Trek projects in the order that I'm most excited for them (an asterix indicates projects that don't actually exist. Yet.)

Lower Decks, season 5

Prodigy, season 3*

Lower Decks, revival series*

Seven of Nine series (without Terry Matalas)*

Strange New Worlds, season 3

Untitled prequel film

Starfleet Academy

Untitled Tawny Newsome sitcom

Deep Space Nine continuation anime*

Seven of Nine series (with Terry Matalas)*

Untitled fourth JJ Abrams movie

Wesley Crusher "Doctor Who" Ripoff*

Trek universe "West Wing"-style political drama*

What We Do in the Cube: a wacky slice of life sitcom about 4 plucky Borg Drones as they go about their daily routine (regenerating, processing data, assimilating people)*

"Vikings", but with Klingons* (actually, this would kick ass, never mind)

"Game of Thrones," but with Klingons*

"Bridgerton", but with Klingons*

"Bridgerton", but with Ferengi*

Some kind of Trek universe procedural drama*

Some kind of Trek universe medical drama*

The Erotic Adventures of Neelix: A Prequel about Voyager's Most Beloved Character*

Lwaxana Troi Soap Opera*

Vulcan Love Slave adaptation*

Vulcan Love Slave 2: The Revenge*

Some kind of buddy sitcom about Okona and Jack Crusher Jr. being roommates*

Star Trek Vs. Star Wars: a movie trilogy written by the most obnoxious assholes on Spacebattles.com*

Khan Ceti Alpha V scripted podcast

The Wizarding World of Harry Kim: Harry Kim discovers that all of the weirdness that has always surrounded his life is because he's the long-lost child of a whimsical secret world of wizards. Also, they have slaves.*

A series based on one of those 200,000 nigh-identical grimdark pitches from after Enterprise ended about the Federation going into decline in the future*

Um...

Section 31 movie.

[cloveroctobers]

string of lights — 4. Armando Aretas [Winter Prompts]

A/N: The list keeps on growing for this man but I couldn’t help but to imagine what he would be like during the Christmas season…yet it’s never that simple with me ofc! Also never watched Vikings a day in my life so I’m not entirely sure how Travis’ character is but I’ve seen enough TikTok’s on him outside of his character lol so this is more oc than anything and I thought it would be fun to throw a little connection in there. Hope you like 🤍

PROMPT IS FROM HERE & I’m using: SITUATIONS — We broke up and I'm asking someone else to go home with me for the holidays because I know my ex will be there with someone + DIALOGUE PROMPTS — “I'm not drunk!" // "Oh yeah? Then why are your eyes crossed?”

WARNINGS: ended up longer than intended, language, heartbreak, corny Christmas one liners, one night stand + slight intimate scene.

<- read my previous anthology winter prompt here.

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She warned you.

She meaning Kelly.

Kelly warned you that Armando would be here with his supposed ex fiancée and you’ve never known Kelly to be a liar. In fact, you considered her a friend outside of AMMO and her blunt nature could be harsh majority of the time but you can always trust her to give it to you straight. It was simple over text but she knew already before you responded that you needed an explanation, which later resulted in her sending over a voice message about ten minutes later—she got distracted okay!

You already had a sense of dread going to Christine’s annual Christmas party (it was mostly for charity) single because who really wants to be single on the holiday’s? but you made a promise that you would show your face. You never broke a promise, this many knew. Yet you couldn’t say the same for your ex. Now that Armando was parading his ex in your face, the same ex from Mexico City, that he decided not to tell you about because his past life was meant to be kept there although you got a pretty good glimpse of it, that relationship was actually some sort of arranged marriage (that Isabel set up) until she mysteriously disappeared, yeah that ex was also going to be in attendance.

It left a nasty taste in your mouth but you didn’t want to be the bitter one. You could hold a grudge and be in your feelings but why did that have to automatically mean you were bitter? Angry and hurt, sure but bitter? Just felt misplaced. There was nothing else to talk about, Armando made his decision to want to explore what that relationship could be like again, like you were supposed to be put back on the shelf and sit pretty until Armando was ready to try again when it didn’t work out.

Notice how you said when?

You were never going to be someone’s second option.

Especially not to someone who claimed they would die for you and without you.

Armando’s dark eyes were burning into you from across the hall but the more cranberry martini’s you threw back, his stare honestly just felt like a gnat you would have to lightly fan away. So you angled your body in your fancy party dress so your gaze wouldn’t dare look his way over your shoulder, further tuning into the conversation with Dorn’s cousin, Ronan Steffensen, who told you that he could basically be Dorn’s father—followed by a eye roll from the blond—with how involved he was in Dorn’s upbringing.

“Yeah, I always could tolerate you much better than Jax.” Dorn called over his shoulder, referring to Ronan’s younger brother, as Kelly pulled him away to mainly dance but to leave you alone to engage with Dorn’s cousin, with a wink tossed your way.

It was honorable how Dorn spoke so highly of the guy and now you can put the name to the face. You wished he would have put you on sooner but…there’s no time like the present! Ronan had the brightest of blues that no frame of glasses could shield with a hint of mischief in them the longer you stared. A hour and half had passed since you two got introduced but the conversation never got boring.

Armando can tell you were enjoying yourself. You barely acknowledged him when Detective Lowrey called you over after your attempt to sneak on by. His own low lidded eyes lifted a bit in annoyance at his…father trying to force you two to play nice. Working together was tense enough but regardless when things got hectic, the both of you would always look out for one another.

“Thanks for that back there.” Armando walked behind, butt of the sniper resting against his shoulder as the both of you made your way back to the van a few nights back.

He knew how much you weren’t a fan of weaponry, preferring hand to hand combat more than anything but in a case like this, where Armando let his guard slip in search of you through the smog, you landed a single bullet to the neck of your opponent, slightly clipping the tip of Armando’s ear in the process.

You scoff, “No need to thank me. That’s part of the job, watch your back and hope you watch mine in return.”

He blinks with a slight frown, “Of course I would. I’m just acknowledging what you did back there for me.”

“Mhm.” You exhale, fighting the urge to not roll your eyes. You couldn’t even lie and say that part of it wasn’t for him.

Armando was the one that was always a person of few words and he hated that he was getting this from you so he starts, “Look—

You shake your head, “Let’s just continue doing what we need to do so you can get back to Priscilla.”

Armando winced from behind you as you nearly spit out the woman’s name but you didn’t see that, “Y/N.”

“Armando. You should get your ear checked out when we get back.” You hissed with the back of your hand facing him, which meant you were done talking, and Armando took the hint, deciding not to press you.

Tonight was different.

Whereas Armando was supposed to be enjoying the party, he kept moving around the supposed hall, which was actually more of a mansion, zoning out of conversations to keep his eye on you and Dorn’s older cousin.

“I can give you something else to look at,” Priscilla purs as she stands in her tassled low-cut red dress, tucked underneath Armando’s shoulder.

He hums, slowly bringing his eyes to meet her green ones, not hiding that he had been caught.

“If you’re going to stare at her the whole night, you might as well tell her to come home with us instead of with Dorn’s primo.”

His jaw sets at the mention of you going home with someone else but he knows deep deeep down he doesn’t have the right.

“You decide what you want to do.” She runs her finger up his chest before sharply gripping his tightened jaw, her pointed acrylics digging into his flesh, “but don’t you dare embarrass me.”

Which means what exactly?

“Kinda like how you left me in the dark about your whereabouts…how long ago?” Armando easily furrowed his brows at the audacity of this woman.

“That’s just business baby, don’t act like you don’t know how it is.” She dismissed, which made Armando scowl as she began to strut away.

The night went on but Armando knew to keep his distance. From overly invasive questions from colleagues of Christine’s, who were just dying to know how a old cartel member with a highly respectable birth father for a detective managed to turn his life around for the better, to the overflow of the awful peppermint desserts, spiked hot chocolate, to trying to keep his eyes off of you and Ronan but didn’t falter when Ronan caught him and you attempted to be oblivious as you now held onto his arm like you were suddenly a couple now, to ignoring Priscilla’s advances for a quickie in one of the marble bathrooms, being disgusted by the white powder on her nose which definitely wasn’t her makeup, to small chatter with AMMO and Reggie, telling both Mike and Marcus to butt out on them checking up on him in regards to you, which resulted in Marcus threatening to stick his size 10 up his ass if he didn’t fix his behavior, all Armando could do was smirk at his new uncle, showing him that he wasn’t the least bit threatened, and to finally almost getting in Dorn’s face about bringing more than a plus one to this event.

Armando had to collect himself, straightening out Dorn’s business casual attire, “…My bad bro. I just…need a minute.”

“Well take one.” Kelly snaps, ready to shove Armando her damn self.

Dorn, always the one to give people the benefit of the doubt and diffuse his fiery girlfriend says, “Kelly,” he warns before turning his gaze to Armando who rubs at his face, “What was that about? Do you need to talk?”

“No. Definitely not.” Armando scowls, growing more iritated that people were concerned about his well-being when he said he was fine many times.

His eyes find you making your way out of the room towards the gigantic red and gold covered tree in the lobby that made you appear so tiny. He could tell from across the room that you were wobbly in your heels and sensed that you were leaving. His eyes quickly searched for Mike who sipped from his drink, eyes already peering at his son from underneath his eyelashes. A dip of his head to Armando makes him aware that you already had said your goodbyes for the night.

“Armando…let it go.” Dorn calls out, careful not to touch him but his hands were open as if he was ready to guard him.

Armando side eyed the blond as he pointed at the couple, “You two were trying to distract me.”

“Oh, boo-hoo! She deserves a good lay for the holidays and since you broke her heart like the dissociative asshole you are, Dorn and I decided to give her a gift of our own.” Kelly sends a smug smile his way, crossing her arms.

Armando flares his nostrils.

Dorn shakes his head at the Filipina before turning back to his team member, “That wasn’t exactly my plan. I actually didn’t have a plan really. Ronan’s in town and he didn’t have anything going on tonight so I thought why not—

Kelly shushed him, “Dorn baby, you don’t need to explain yourself to him.”

“What the fuck is your problem?” Armando exclaimed, making the dark haired woman tilt her head.

“Hey.” Dorn cuts in as he notices some attendees whip their head at Armando’s language and also because he didn’t appreciate how Armando was speaking to Kelly, “Let’s be chill here.”

“Chill about what? You setting my girl up with some bozo who can’t even see how many fingers I’m holding up?”

Dorn frowns as Kelly lets out humorless laughter, knuckles going back to knock against her boyfriend’s chest, “Did you hear that? Armando still thinks he gets a say in what y/n does. Isn’t your fiancée around here somewhere? Or is she taking another bump of snow in one of the many corners of this place?”

Armando didn’t know why he was wasting more time going back and forth with Kelly. She often had no issue saying what was on her mind and right to Armando’s face, making them butt heads often but she was a helluva weapons expert and ultimately a good friend to you.

So he walks off, making Kelly also stalk after him but Dorn grips her wrist and shakes his head at her, deciding for the both of them that they’ve done enough tonight.

When Armando catches up to you, you’re staring up at the lights, a goofy smile on your face, and it sounds like you’re humming along to one of the sickening Christmas instrumentals, until a glare hits your face, getting a sense of Armando beside you.

“Leaving so soon?” Armando questions, clapping his hands behind his back, “The night is still young.”

You throw your head back as you laugh, “Of course it is, which is why it’s continuing…at my place.” You whisper the last bit as if it’s a secret.

“You’re not driving.” Armando states.

You snort, “Its not your business but I’ve got a beautiful man who’s gonna keep me entertained. I’ll be a passenger princess tonight. He should be coming back from the bathroom any minute.” Which was ironic as you unintentionally tell him, searching your satin clutch to reapply your plum colored gloss to your lips.

Armando flicks his eyes from your lips up to your face, “You’re drunk.” He sighs.

“I’m not drunk!” You yell while trying to roll your eyes and pluck your lipgloss back into your bag but you miss as it clutters to the linoleum floor.

Armando saves you the trouble of bending down, picking it up for you so you wouldn’t tumble over. You snatch it from his grasp as he says, “Oh yeah, Then why are your eyes crossed?”

You laugh, resting a hand against your cheek, “B-being worried about me is funny when you weren’t worried about me when you decided to leave me in t-t-the dust for the chica who belongs in whoville! Don’t worry though, Ronan will probably make my vision worse…and I’m not talking about stealing his glasses off his handsome face. So you can go now, I’ll be warm enough tonight.”

A clearing of a throat interupts your stare off and Armando’s stare turns heated as Ronan stands behind you two. You don’t even waste time, not wanting the two to chat as you let out a sigh, arms wrapping around his neck, as his hands rest on the big white bow on the back of your dress. Ronan is all grins as well, his hand going up in the air to wave at Armando as you practically drag him away into the night.

Now it was Armando’s turn to feel a nasty taste in his own mouth as he watches you two leave.

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Although you were drunk, somewhere in your mind you managed not to scream Armando’s name once Ronan got inside you. He wasn’t Armando at all but he still knew what he was doing. You had no doubts in your mind with a man like this as you sat on his lap, his hand guiding you by the jaw so your lips could reconnect.

His glasses were so fogged up that you just decided to do the honors of taking them off his face as you sat on his lap. The both of you tasted like liquor and that was enough courage for the both of you to tis’ the season. You knew what it was as the night carried on at Christine’s party and after you let it slip to Ronan that you wanted to snatch Armando’s eyes out of his damn skull, he left the floor open for you to give a rundown of what happened.

Ronan had no problem accepting taking you home tonight in hopes that you could forget about Armando but that didn’t work out in your favor. You should have known better, Armando was your person and Ronan would just be for the night. You bit down on the tip of your tongue so hard that you should have had your own source of cranberry dripping from it as Ronan gave one last thrust up into you, finishing last by being the gentleman that he is, then one of his hands drags the rest of your ripped tights down your lower legs, before trailing his finger up your thigh, and nipping at your bottom lip.

“Wow…who knew you had it in you?” You joked, staring up into the blues through half lidded eyes.

He’s laughing against your mouth, “Joy to the world and all that is what they say, babe.”

You roll your eyes before pecking his lips once more.

He doesn’t stay and it doesn’t bother you as you manage to get into your lengthy night routine and being a giggly mess you order from doordash from two places, deciding to surprise yourself. You’re just about to doze off on your couch when knocks on the door and ringing of the door bell manages to wake you. Groaning you get to your feet, dragging yourself to the door and yank it open.

It’s Armando standing in your illuminated doorway, still dressed in his christmas wear from the party.

“You’re not doordash…don’t tell me you’re some sort of porch pirate?” You lean against the door, blocking his way in, still trying to sober up despite being in cozy wear and showcasing glass skin—for the next twelve hours that is—your skin has a mind of her own.

Armando scoffs, hand going to push the door back but you held on for a bit, which makes the bearded man quirk up a brow. “Let me in, mami. We need to talk…the only way I can get my mind right is if we have a convo.”

“Sounds more like you wanted to interrupt.”

Armando dips his head at your accusation, “Who’s to say his body isn’t already in the dumpster in the alley?”

Scrunching up your summerfridays covered lips you rasp, “…that’s not very jolly of you, ya know?”

“Y/n.”

You sigh, stepping back from the door and allowing Armando in, knowing this would probably be a mistake but instantly felt your heart race as he strolled around your penthouse. The curtains are wide open, showing the view of the city lights in various shades of white and rainbow.

He’s leaning against the window, legs crossed at the ankle as Armando rests his forehead against the cool of glass. Slowly closing his eyes, he exhales, while you try to roll the tension out of your neck, folding your arms as you awaited for him to say what he needed to say so you can kick him right out.

“Is Priscilla slumped out in the passenger seat or something…I don’t know why you’re here?” You begin, the drumming of your heart was getting too loud in the quiet of your home and Armando’s presence was the cause of that.

He rolls his eyes and steps back from the glass, which makes you feel a bit better since you always hated when he looked out into Miami like this. It was humorous, you being afraid of heights but snagged you a spot on one of the highest levels in the building. Sometimes he likes to do it just to work your nerves but tonight he needed strength from the lights that guided him here.

Armando clasps his hands in front of him, which lets you know he’s in serious mode, “We don’t gotta talk about her.”

“But we need to talk about Ronan?” You fired off.

His nostrils flare as he exhaled, “He ain’t important either. You’re a free woman and you’re open to do what you want…but don’t think for a second it’s gonna continue.”

“Oh?” You push your lips out in confusion, “You want to play mind games right now? You can let yourself out cause I’m not doing this with you.”

You make your way over to your couch, plopping down and search for your phone to check the ETA on your late night dinner.

“I said we should talk.” Armando restates while he plops right down on your coffee table, sitting in front of you so you had no choice but to meet his eyes, “…I realized that I really didn’t want to go home to Priscilla and not just tonight.”

“Because she represents everything that you’ve tried…for the most part…to leave in the rearview.” You answer as you tap your chin, “Sounds like something I said to you a minute ago huh?”

“I fucked up,” Armando admits with a nod of his head, “And I’m not gonna ask for you take me back because I know I don’t deserve it, not when it seems like I just dropped you like you dont mean the world to me.”

A tongue goes into your cheek, “If this is how you treat your world…I hate to see what your hell looks like.”

He’s quick with it, “I’m living it, without you.”

“I can’t tell.”

“You know me better than you think.” Armando tells, “I felt like I owed it to myself to just see if something was still there. Cilly and I—we had a connection.”

You pointed out, “That your mother set up.”

“Sure but we’ve leaned on each other with our struggles.”

“And that’s love?” You quizzed.

“I never said it was love. Just that we care for each other…had a partnership.”

You sigh, “I thought we had something special too once.”

“I’m in love with you, mami.” Armando stares hard at you, pressing his elbows into his knees as if to get closer to you but still respecting your space, “So much that it hurts to breathe…which I’ve never felt before in my life…and I didn’t just end up here because of my ego. I ended up here because I can’t go any more nights missing you. I’m sorry for picking my past over my priority.”

At a loss for words, you felt blood rushing to your face and possibly tears on the inside. You weren’t really an emotional drunk, more of a hungry and horny type and you aren’t sure if you wanted to remember any of this in the morning. Armando really hurt you good and to hear him say this while the room was spinning like a carousel, to be so vulnerable when he was used to being a shell, meant a lot.

Feeling like you would crumble, you just sink back into the couch, staring at him with glossy eyes. His hand goes to your knee, you don’t move and your eyes close. His touch seemed to only make your heart drum harder. Sweet words can mean anything but actions were always louder.

Maybe Armando did come to you by some unforeseen light. When your eyes opened to meet his, you saw him in a whole new one, a complex man that you were willing to love once upon a time.

Now it was up to you to choose what you would do with this.

Keep the lights on, let them flicker, or…simply unplug them.

⋆⑅˚₊ ⋆⑅˚₊ ⋆⑅˚₊ ⋆⑅˚₊ ⋆⑅˚₊ ⋆⑅˚₊ ⋆⑅˚₊ ⋆⑅˚₊ ⋆⑅˚₊ ⋆⑅˚₊ ⋆⑅˚₊ ⋆⑅˚₊

Continue with my winter anthology prompts here.

[calirph]

𝐉𝐄𝐍𝐍𝐈𝐄 𝐉𝐀𝐂𝐐𝐔𝐄𝐒 as 𝐉𝐔𝐃𝐈𝐓𝐇 𝐎𝐅 𝐍𝐎𝐑𝐓𝐇𝐔𝐌𝐁𝐑𝐈𝐀

Vikings: Season 4.

[emma-ofnormandy]

Laura Berlin as Emma of Normandy in Vikings: Valhalla (2022 - 2024) Season 2 Episode 4

[medievalandfantasymelee]

THE HOT MEDIEVAL & FANTASY MEN MELEE

FIRST ROUND: 27th Tilt

Cesare Borgia, The Borgias (2011-2013) VS. Prince Hamlet, Hamlet (1948)

Propaganda

Cesare Borgia, The Borgias (2011-2013) Portrayed by: Francois Arnaud Defeated Opponents: - Ancelyn ap Gwalchmai [Marcus Gilbert], Doctor Who: “Battlefield” (1989)

“How do I even begin to explain Cesare Borgia? - Cesare Borgia is flawless. - He has one duchy and two cardinalates. - I hear his hair is insured for 10,000 ducates. - I hear he does Church speeches… in Spain. - His favorite painter is Pinturicchio - One time, he met Caterina Sforza in Forlì. And she told him he was pretty. - One time, he threatened to kill me… it was awesome! This man.... this man, this man. He is the complete package: a perfect case of competent kink, a ruthless bastard (ie sexy) AND he's so irredeemably fucked up you also get the "I could fix him" complex. This is the man who could had it all and yet he wasn't enough (again, sexy).

Prince Hamlet, Hamlet (1948) Portrayed by: Laurence Olivier Defeated Opponents: - Björn Ironside [Alexander Ludwig], Vikings (2013)

“1) That slutty thing he does with his leg in the character-intro shot. I see those calf muscles in those customary suits of solemn black. Unf. 2) The EYES. Haunted. Enormous. Intense. 3) The way his hand hovers millimeters above Jean Simmons' hair in the "Get thee to a nunnery!" scene. Not over it, never over it. 4) Vulnerability is hot, especially when it's transgressive/unexpected, and this Hamlet has that in spades. 5) "Lady, may I lie in your lap?" The sincerity of desire under the veneer of everything else just undoes me.”

Additional Propaganda Under the Cut

Additional Propaganda

For Cesare Borgia:

(Excerpted from above propaganda) "He's serving cunt at ALL times. In Cardinal clothes? Serving cunt. In "civil" clothes? Serving cunt. In armor? Serving cunt. He had one of the most competent thinkers and do I say philosopher of his time (Machiavelli) *fawning* over him. Was he a tyrant? Possibly, but it's one we LOVE. The man [Machiavelli] literally BASED A BOOK on him.... (Cont. under the cut)

"He has a personal assassin of ...unmatched abilities and YET he's even better than the man himself!!! He tries to kill his own would be killer in like the pilot episode and the man was ready to swear absolute fealty to him. As would I, to be honest. As would anyone and everyone. SO much cunt is Cesare Borgia serving at all times!!!

"We love him and loathe him and love to loathe him. His father loves and hates him bc they're too similar. His brother wishes he were him (he's not) His sister doesn't see anyone else. Lucrezia... yes: the incest is fucked up. Also that's why we love it- it's so unhinged, as anything Borgia should be!!! Their relationship... perfect. She's the only one that can possibly understand him, she's the only one he truly loves. She loves him and always has - only a Borgia can truly love a Borgia amirite?

This is a man who is clearly Not Okay and you want so much for him to Be Okay but at the same time not, because it's so much more entertaining when he's not and also we love a hopeless case. I rest my case only bc I lose any trace of coherence when talking about him so I dont know what more to add.”

For Hamlet:

[thatsmzbitchtoyou]

Norsemen & Anglo-Saxons Chapter 4

Any Viking/Norse words and customs were found on Google, so if it's incorrect please educate me!!

Summary: Princess Y/N has a secret that her parents are ashamed of.  A conquering Viking chief recognizes the gift she has.  Will they be able to bring peace between warring people, and maybe find love along the way?

Viking!Bucky Warnings: eventual smut, abuse, violence, animal attack, blood

Previous chapter Next chapter

Y/N and Bucky learned more about their now shared power together as the months went on.  She was able to teach him what she already knew, and with the help of Winnifred and the other Seer woman who married them, Wanda, they were able to learn how to use their powers more effectively.  They were moved into their own longhouse, where Y/N got into the swing of being a wife.  Since she had lived the privileged life of a princess she was not used to cooking or taking care of a house on her own, but had immense help from her neighbors and Bucky.  She practiced their language and was coming along with it nicely, although she had trouble with some words and phrases.  Bucky also taught her how to use a sword and a bow and arrow, both for fighting and for hunting.  

She killed her first deer within a few months of learning and was able to skin and prepare it all on her own.  Bucky was extremely proud of her for working so hard to become accustomed to this new life.  Y/N was quick to make friends and get along well with the people.  She was a born diplomat, and he caught himself smiling while watching her constantly.  

The next winter was fast approaching.  The village had been able to stock up on meats and other foods for the cold, but the season came raging in without warning.  The snow seemed constant, temperatures dropping to levels unseen in decades, freezing the water and making it hard to travel with hardened snow and ice everywhere.  Bigger animals were becoming more desperate for food as the weeks went on, with wolf prints getting increasingly closer to the village.

Y/N was helping one of her neighbors, Laura Barton, bring in some kindling and wood that they chopped up.  Laura had three children, all of them under the age of 10, rowdy, rambunctious and forgetful.  She and her husband Clint tried their best but were outnumbered.  As they finished near nightfall Y/N turned back to the wooded area where they had been and saw the youngest, Nathaniel, toddling back towards their longhouse holding a big stick.  Y/N’s eyes widened as she saw a large, black wolf less than 50 yards away from Nathaniel, the hairs on its back standing and its teeth bared.

“NO!” Y/N took off towards Nathaniel without a second thought.  Laura looked towards Y/N and started screaming when she saw the wolf.  Clint and Bucky, who weren’t far off, heard the screams and came running towards the commotion.  When Bucky saw what Y/N was doing he roared, trying to catch up and run after her.

The wolf started running towards Nathaniel, a menacing growl ripping through the air as it hunted.  Nathaniel looked back and saw the wolf, then started running towards Y/N.  She reached him first, grabbing him and throwing him backwards into a snowbank.  As she faced the wolf she unsheathed the sword Bucky gave her that she had on her hip at all times.  The wolf sped up, undeterred that the easier prey was gone.  She ran towards the wolf, raising the sword and screaming.  Bucky was running but knew he wasn’t going to make it.  “Y/N!  Don’t!”

The wolf leaped at her, the loud bark and her screaming mixing in a horrific ring as they collided.  Bucky couldn't see what happened as the wolf and Y/N fell to the ground, a flurry of fur, her dress and the snow picking up around them.  He bounded up to them, sword drawn, but slowed when he saw the wolf on top of her lifeless.  Her sword was sticking up through its neck, keeping it lifted.

“Y/N?  My star, please,” Bucky cried as he fell to his knees next to the wolf.  “Please,” he said as he tried to look under the wolf’s body.  There was a long pause, then he heard a sputtering sound, her leg poking out from underneath it and trying to push the body off of her.  “Oh, thank the Gods,” Bucky sighed as he stood up and pulled the wolf’s body up off her sword and pushed it away.  It thudded onto the snow, its blood seeping into the white, as Y/N panted next to it.  She was covered in its blood, spitting it out of her mouth as she struggled to sit up since it crushed her deep into the snow.  “You scared the shit out of me, Y/N,” he pulled her up to her feet then grabbed her shoulders.  He shook her, “What were you thinking?!” he yelled, his eyes overflowing with tears.  “You could have died!  What would I have done without you, Asynja?” 

Y/N stared at him as she tried to regain her breath.  She looked at the wolf, a bewildered look on her face, then wiped the blood away from her mouth and eyes as she looked behind Bucky.  Laura was holding Nathaniel, kneeling in the snow crying as Clint prayed to the sky next to them.  “I…I couldn’t just watch him die,” Y/N breathed, her eyes finding him again.  Bucky shook his head then pulled her into his embrace.  He shook as he pet her hair, hugging her too tight and kissing the top of her head.  

“You crazy woman,” he sighed as he pulled back.  He looked down at the wolf.  “You just survived your first battle.  My little Valkyrie,” he smirked at her.  

Y/N snorted at him.  Bucky pulled the wolf by its leg with his metal hand and wound his flesh arm around her, guiding her back to the village.  By this point a crowd had gathered and seen the aftermath of what had happened.  Laura ran up to Y/N, still holding Nathaniel.  “Thank you, Drottning!” she cried, hugging Y/N with one arm and kissing her forehead.  Y/N checked on Nathaniel, who was crying but overall physically unharmed.  Winnifred came forward from the crowd and raised her hands towards the sky.  

“Our warrior queen!” she shouted, and the people behind her cheered.  Y/N ducked her head, feeling overwhelmed by the attention and still reeling from the near death experience.  “You have done well, my child,” Winnifred walked over to them.  “We will have it skinned and its body used as your adornment.  Then you are ready to receive your first marking.”

“Marking?” Y/N asked.

“Like mine,” Bucky reminded her.  

Y/N nodded, still in a daze.  “Will it hurt?”

“Probably,” Bucky tightened his hold on her.  “But you just survived a wolf, I think you can handle a sharp point.”

Y/N sighed heavily.  “I just need to wash,” she quietly whined so only he could hear.

Bucky gave her a knowing smile and nodded.  He let his mother and a few others take the wolf’s body and led her through the people to their longhouse.  As he prepared some water over the fire to warm up for the bath Y/N was outside using snow to get as much of the blood off as possible.  Her hands shook, both from the cold and from the shock.  She hadn’t even thought through what she was doing when she saw the wolf hunting Nathaniel.  She knew it was dangerous, had maybe a flash of a moment of self-preservation, but her feet had moved faster than her mind.  She walked back into the longhouse once she got most of it off then stripped out of her clothes as Bucky filled the bath with warm water.

He helped her ease into the water and reached for the washing bar.  He helped lather her, cleaning her body and her hair, making sure to help her get any remaining blood off.  The warm water helped her muscles ease and she felt like she could breathe normally again.  As Bucky washed her back she brought her legs up to her chest.  Her body shook with sobs as the events unfolded in her mind, replaying the fear over and over, the feeling of the wolf’s heavy body tackling her, the screams, the growling, but most of all, the feeling of rage that licked through her veins as she had run towards the wolf.  She had scared herself in that moment, not knowing what had come over her.

“My Asynja,” Bucky leaned forward and kissed her back.  “It’s alright.  The first battle is always the hardest to recover from.”

“I wasn’t scared of the wolf,” Y/N whispered.  Bucky moved so he could look at her.  “I was scared of me,” she looked at him.  “The…anger, I felt.  The rage.  It was blinding.  Overpowering.  I didn’t…recognize myself,” she sniffled as her hold tightened around her legs.

“Hm, the berserker,” Bucky nodded.  “You really are learning our ways quickly.”  His metal fingers caressed her arm.  “It’s something I’ve only ever felt a few times.  It is…like a trance.  I didn’t feel like myself for a while,” he leaned forward and kissed her shoulder.  “But you used it to save someone and protect your people.  Just for that you’ll be welcomed into the halls of Valhalla, as the Valkyrie, the shield maiden, that you are.”  His eyes became sad again.  “But…I can’t lose you my Drottning,” he said quietly.

Y/N watched him.  They had been married for almost a year now, had shared their bodies with each other frequently, and became good friends.  Love had never crossed Y/N’s mind growing up because as nice as that would be, it was rare when she knew she would be married off to a man she didn’t get to choose for the sake of an advantageous match, or like in this case, a kind of peace treaty.  Love was few and far between for arranged marriages.  But she had been feeling something blooming between them, even from their first meeting when he had recognized her as the one with real power.  It was deeper, encompassing, and after her power had been shared with him, at times it felt like she could feel him in her mind, even when he wasn’t nearby.  

She reached a hand out and cupped his cheek.  He nuzzled her palm, his eyes closing at her touch.  Her power slipped into his mind.  His thoughts were replaying the wolf attacking her, his fear and worry etched into the lines of his face.  What surprised her was the deep despair she felt from him when he thought she was dead, the sound of his cry resounding in her head.  

“Bucky,” she breathed.  Her fingers scratched his beard softly as he met her gaze.  “I love you.”

Bucky froze, his eyes widened and his breathing stopped.  Y/N waited for him to process.  His eyes fluttered shut and he suddenly grabbed her and hauled her out of the tub.  She yelped as he carried her over to their bed.  He sat her on the edge of the bed, dripping all over the furs and blankets, looking at him questioningly.

He kneeled in front of her and lifted up her feet.  He kissed the top of each foot before kissing a line up one leg and then the other.  His hands softly skimmed her skin following his lips as he traveled up her body.  He reached her hands and kissed the tip of each finger, something he did often as a display of affection and respect for her power. By the time he reached her neck she was panting, her hands clenching the wooden frame of the bed.  “To be loved by a goddess,” he whispered against her neck, “is one of the highest honors I could only ever hope to achieve.”

“I’m not a goddess, Bucky,” Y/N said as he kissed her jaw.

“You are, daughter of Freya,” he kissed her cheeks.  “My Drottning,” he kissed her nose, “my Asynja,” he kissed her forehead, “Astrid, my star,” he tipped her head down to kiss the top of her head.  He skimmed his lips back down to the corner of her mouth.  “My love,” he whispered, his eyes looking between hers.  “I love you.”

Y/N rushed forward and kissed him.  He returned it passionately as he pushed her back onto the bed.  He quickly rid himself of his clothes as he crawled on top of her.  As much as they had been together before, none of it seemed to compare to this time.  The love encircling them was making it feel like this was fated from the beginning of time.  Bucky made love to her over and over, holding off his own pleasure until he had her begging for him to fill her. 

For the first time Y/N found herself on top of him, gripping his shoulders as she rolled her hips on him.  “That’s right, my love, take what you need,” Bucky groaned.  

“Buck…” Y/N whined, her pace staggered as he reached even deeper.  He flicked her little spot with his metal thumb, the cool metal against her heated core making her see stars.  “You were made to be inside me…”

“Gods yes,” Bucky held her hips tightly as he thrust upwards into her.  Y/N shuddered.  

“My sun, my moon and stars,” she leaned down and kissed his chest as he kept thrusting into her.  His eyes rolled in his head as the pleasure was rapidly becoming too much.  “You were destined for me, and I for you,” she gasped.  Her fingertips started glowing green as her hands were keeping her upright on his chest.  Bucky’s flesh hand started to glow as well as his thrusts hurried.  “My love, my life…” 

With a few more quick flicks to her spot Y/N was cumming, her body shaking over him as her pussy squeezed him, a low whine passing her lips.  Bucky groaned, his back arching as he finished and filled her.  There was a low rumble from the earth underneath them, the wind whipping what sounded like a cheer through the longhouse.  Y/N felt a strange tingling sensation inside her as Bucky’s cock pulsed inside her and looked down.  A light glow was shining at the bottom of her stomach.  She stiffened as she looked at it.  Bucky followed her eye line and saw it before it vanished, his eyes widening.  They looked back at each other.

”Do you think—“ Bucky started.

”Maybe,” Y/N whispered.

Bucky laughed, his hands squeezing her hips lightly.  He rolled over so she was laying on her back with him still inside her.  He started kissing her all over her face.  “My wife, my love, carrying my baby,” he said breathlessly.

”We don’t know for sure, love,” Y/N giggled as he continued kissing down her jaw and her neck.

”My baby,” Bucky’s metal hand slid down to her stomach, resting where he was deep inside her.  He smiled, his eyes meeting hers.  

Y/N smiled back at him, knowing he was probably right.  “Our child.”

**picture is A.I. from Pinterest, unknown original "artist" or "creator"**

One more chapter after this!

@wintrsoldrluvr

[gracethefoundfamilyfan]

the funniest thing in rtte to me is hiccup and astrid getting betrothed

on the one hand i love it SO MUCH because it's a very different dynamic than boyfriend/girlfriend and it's awesome??? it feels older and more concrete, and I love that they let it happen

HOWEVER

the timeline is whack lol

Hiccup kisses her for the first time towards the end of season 4. There's a couple months worth of a time skip between that episode and the end of the season, where they reveal that they've been dating, and at the end of the last episode they go public.

then maybe a couple more months pass between season 4 and 5, right? i always assumed it was like three or four but THAT CANT BE RIGHT because they have their betrothal gift episode at the beginning-ish of season 5!!! the betrothal gift that you give someone after being betrothed for 6 WHOLE MONTHS

so either the time gap was wayyyy longer than i thought, i severely misunderstand how fantasy Vikings date, or they took one look at everyone else on the island and went 'welp might as well tie the knot now'

fair honestly but i still think it's hilarious

(ALSO DID THEY TELL STOICK???? OR ASTRID'S PARENTS??? HELLO????)

[ptheviking]

Marco Ilsø as Halfdan "Hvítserk" Ragnarsson

Vikings season 5, episode 4.

[sarnai4]

Butt of the Joke

Something I enjoy in stories is when you can laugh at and with a character. To me, it keeps them from seeming too "important" or flawless. We all make mistakes and being able to laugh at ourselves is nice. That's why I like when they do this with Dagur, but the method is very different from what's done to Snotlout. Something I will probably always be grateful for is that Dagur is a show character and not a movie character. Those in the movies (the rest of the Riders anyway in my opinion) had their development stunted. I'm convinced that the first movie didn't expect the franchise to get as big as it did and just needed some other people to fill out the cast. Unfortunately, they also didn't expect the shows to be super popular. So, Snotlout in HTTYD 3 is still immature enough to flirt with the widowed mom of one of his best friends when RTTE Snotlout would understand how inappropriate that is. All that's to say that the jokes for Snotlout are often at the expense of his character because he still has to end up at whatever point he's at in the movies.

I believe it's in "Shell-Shocked" that there's a joke about Snotlout suggesting they all leave the Edge and run, leaving it for the Hunters. Okay, yes, I chuckled too because it is funny to have a character be so openly fearful. Yet, this doesn't make sense for him at this point. We're on the season 4 finale of a show that happened 2 seasons after the first series. Snotlout should know by now that leaving the same Hunters who had been willing to kill them and a ship of innocent people with a disease can't be left to their own devices. Why wouldn't he want to stay and fight? Even if it's dangerous, of course the villains are going to keep coming for them. Hiccup rightfully points out that they'll just go on to Berk, but why did he have to say this? Snotlout should have known, but the joke was made without considering how much he'd grown and his own bravery and intelligence.

There seems to be a thing about Snotlout being cowardly, but I really don't think he is. In "Gold Rush," there's a wordless joke where he's just screaming his lungs out after getting captured. Not saying he hasn't shrieked when plummeting to what could be death and that's totally fine, but here? Eh, I don't think so. I feel like there would be enough bad blood between him and the Hunters by now so that he wouldn't want to give them the satisfaction of knowing how scared he is. It's also horribly futile. He's gone to save Fishlegs, the twins, and Astrid before. He knows the Hunters won't release them and nothing is even happening besides his cage being moved. I'm probably overthinking these moments, but they annoy me since they paint Snotlout as pathetic when we then see him enter a 21 vs 2 fight in "Something Rotten on Berserker Island" fearlessly. Is he a scaredy cat or not? I just want some consistency, then I'd accept whatever fit with the character I'd been shown.

Dagur's saved from this since all his development is in the show. He's not held back by the movies. So, when there's a joke at his expense, it doesn't contradict anything. I'll try to make the examples as similar as possible for comparability. Dagur's got a joke involving saying the wrong thing and it was in "Mi Amore Wing." He's proposing to have Hiccup be his best man. Yes, this is clearly a unique way to ask someone, but it's also not contradicting anything about Dagur. He's got 0 skills with picking up on social cues and responding to things the way other Vikings generally would. It's also very possible that he's never seen anyone be asked to become a best man before, so he's doing what he thinks is a good way to show he's sincere and would really be happy. I don't leave the scene thinking, "Now, why would he say that, though?" Because he's Dagur. That's enough of a reason.

Dagur's got a scared joke too in "Enemy of My Enemy." When he was on Toothless's saddle, he was terrified and the scream made it pretty clear. This made sense because there was something happening at that moment. It wasn't Dagur letting his enemies see his weakness. It was him being on a dragon for the first time, going very quickly, and not knowing what he was doing. He's even thrown off the saddle as soon as Toothless lands in another moment I thought was funny. It doesn't make him look bad, but we can still laugh at his incompetency in this area.

Both of these characters have several physical gags too where one of them gets hurt and I will admit that those always get me to laugh. It's just times like those I've mentioned for Snotty that disappoint me. I really like him too. I think if he were allowed to be a more respectable character, it would be great. Dagur proves the writers know how to do that. We can laugh at him without him doing anything that opposes what they've set up. On the other side of this, Snotlout will act one way, then contradict the very personality we just saw him develop. I can't think of a single time when I couldn't explain one of Dagur's actions through use of his personality. I think that's how it should be. If it's in-character, then it makes sense. If not, then maybe the scene should be worked on a bit longer for this to be fixed.

[volklana]

The Light of the Moon. The Honour of a Swear

Title Comes From This Song:

Pairing: Sigtryggr x Reader // Sihtric x Reader

This has been sitting in my drafts half finished since Christmas and i FINALLY felt inspired to finish it today.

Set during Season 4.

Summary: As Sigtryggr's former lover, you are cast into a world of chaos when he is forced to flee Dublin and attempts to carve a new legacy on the map of England.

Warnings: Mentions of slavery and violence at the hands of men.

*Not proof read. Mistakes will be corrected*

You had been taken as a hostage in the negotiations between Sigtryggr of Dublin, and your Father, a King with great holdings of land in Leinster, when your Father had rebelled against him and subsequently lost.

Sigtryggr belonged to the Ui Imair ruling dynasty of Viking Dublin and for two years you had lived in relative peace, prosperity and harmony. Sigtryggr had for a time made you his lover, however you were never under any illusions that he would marry or commit himself solely to you. It did not stop you loving him and following him faithfully in the many battles that were to come in your time together.

Your Father had sworn fealty to his Viking overlord and for this and your holding as a hostage, Sigtryggr had allowed him to keep his lands and titles but this had all come to a violent and turbulent end when two years later he had switched allegiances and joined forces with the ruling clans of Brega and Leinster to attack the city and drive Sigtryggr’s clan from the land. 

Amidst the chaos of blood and burning you had been taken captive and managed to flee with Sigtryggr and a small band of his best warriors, but he had been unable to rescue Rognvaldr his brother, and on a longship across the Irish sea bloodied and battle wearied, you watched the flames of any tenderness he had ever held for you die in his great icy eyes.

Your Father had tried to capture you,to take you back to the safety of your Kingdom, but Sigtryggr had found you first, and with your hands bound tight and a rope around your neck he had dragged you aboard his ship and had no care for how you cried as Ireland disappeared from view amidst the rough and stormy Irish Sea.

Over the course of the few weeks from when you landed on the shores of Wealas until the night he had rescued Brida and taken over the Kingdom she was imprisoned in, you grappled with the loss of the tenderness you had grown so accustomed to with him, replaced with the measured, cold and cunning Sigtryggr the rest of the world got to see, intent on taking Wessex and with a vengeance in his heart you had never seen before.

Brida held you in the highest contempt, she blamed you in part for the failure of Cnut’s uprising.

Had Sigtryggr not been so tied up in fending off your Father’s attack he would have sent his men to aid in his cousin’s battle, and she would never have been captured.

 “Princess,” she would spit at your feet, even though bound in ropes and pulled wherever Sigtryggr demanded you were no more than a slave, your former status was used as slur against you, even at times by Sigtryggr’s own men, but with her you worried that her words would seep into him like a poison and further pollute his opinion of you, even more than your own Father’s actions had already done.

And so you were powerless but to watch as Sigtryggr set off down this path of violence with her, and accept with a heavy heart that you would never see your homeland again.

You travelled for days on the advance to Winchester and more and more you found yourself isolated from his inner circle.

Plans were made that you were not privy to. You slept in a tent alone, under guard most nights and Sigtryggr became more and more closed off and impartial to you, not caring if his men were a little heavy handed in how they hauled you about or dragged you behind their horses and even less so when you walked silently weeping for everything you had lost.

The night before the attack on Winchester, offerings were made to Tyr, and as you sat near the fire, rope burning tight around your neck, Brida came to sit before you.

“Tomorrow Sigtryggr will make his name upon this land,” she spoke truthfully, “For the first time in its history our people will rule Wessex. Danes. Warriors. Not Kings or Princesses, or Christians. And where will your place in this new world be?”

“Where it has always been,” you cut over her sniding, “At Sigtryggr’s side, wherever he commands me to be.”

“You love him!,” she suddenly laughed, “He does not love you! How pathetic to give your life to a man who does not love you. He can't even bear to look at you!.” 

You rose from your seat in temper, lunging forward only to be yanked back into place by the restraints around your neck, hands flying up to the rope to try and ease the burning it caused as it bit into your sensitive skin, she laughed bitterly before rising from her own seat, and spat at your feet.

“Sleep well princess.” 

On the morn Brida and Sigtryggr attacked and captured Winchester, and you watched in horror as prisoners were taken and the hostages were locked away.

You found a rare moment to approach Sigtryggr and reached for him, but he shrugged loose of your hold.

“The ropes will be removed and you will be given a room” he said finally, staring out into the void.

“Away from you?” you asked voice small.

He examined you with a pained expression for a moment before he answered carefully.

“Whatever there once was between us you know that the magic is long broken.”

“Because of my father’s actions,” you cried, hurt evident across your face “Not by my own, I have stood by you I have fought for you!”

“It is best that you do not try to run,” he warned, “You are alive by my grace alone, and I will not step in should you be caught trying to escape.”

Sigtryggr was not a cruel man, he was fiercely intelligent, he was calculated in his moves but he was not cruel, and even now you could see he was not trying to be cruel.

“Why did you even take me here?” you cried “To punish my Father? To punish me? I loved Rognvaldr like a brother. I loved you, and I was loyal to you only. I had no part in my Father’s treachery and deep down I know that you know this. I beg you, put an end to this suffering. Either drive a blade through my chest, or set me free.”

His face crumpled, and he remained silent, eyes boring into yours as though they held the answers that would free you both, but the moment was interrupted with the calls of Sigtryggr’s name, and the subsequent arrival of Haeston and his hostages.

Any fool with half a brain could see Sigtryggr’s interest in Stiorra, and you despite being many things were no fool.

The town was preparing for a siege, villagers were beginning to flood in from the countryside and you lay awake for hours on end staring at the ceiling, wondering in your lowest moments if you should just end it all.

Release yourself as a burden to the man you loved and allow him to carve out a reputation from anew, without the weight of your past around his neck or take your chances and run, but where would you even go?

Ireland seemed like a million miles away and you wondered if you even made it home if your Father would accept you, or if he would cast you out.

But then a fierceness came over you that you had never experienced before.

Your whole life had been planned out before you by men.

It was your Father’s decision to send you off as a hostage to Sigtryggr, despite knowing full well you loved another and wished to be married. That part of your life had been lost to you.

Coming to England with Sigtryggr and the subsequent conquering of Winchester had been out of your hands too, and you were tired of leaving your fate in the hands of men.

And in that cold room in Winchester you decided it was time to make your own destiny, to take the power of your own life into your own hands once more.

You would leave the next day, before Edward arrived, before any siege could take place.

As everyone was gathered around to witness Eardwulf’s execution you realised this was your best chance at escaping, while everyone else was busy, you would only have to convince the guards on the gate to let you go, so you slipped away from the crowd and made your way down as fast as your legs could carry you. 

“Lady, it is not safe for you to go out there alone,” one of them argued and your patience was beginning to run thin.

“By order of Sigtryggr, you are to allow me to leave, and close the gates once I am gone.” 

You were about to reissue your order when the man holding you suddenly stepped aside and stood to attention and you did not have to turn around to know who was standing behind you.

“You are trying to escape?” Sigtryggr’s silky voice questioned softly.

“I am leaving, yes,” you answered honestly, turning around to face him, hoping your brazenness would be enough to impress him, or catch him off guard.

“You would do this without saying  a word to me?” he asked, blue eyes searching yours for answers, something resembling hurt etched across his face.

“Would you have let me go if I did?” you cried, “You do not care for me, and perhaps you never did the way I did for you. You cannot bear to look upon me and I have no place by your side anymore. What good would a long drawn out goodbye have done for us? I cannot make up for my Father’s mistakes and I don’t deserve to keep being punished for them.”

He was silent for a moment, eyes still frantically searching your face to find something to say, 

“I let you live,” he said finally. “Any other man would have had you killed.”  

The moment was interrupted by the approaching sound of cart wheels and you realised they were wheeling Eardwulf’s body outside the town gates and this would be your last chance to leave the city before the siege began. “Please, let me go?” you pleaded again and Sigtryggr nodded once, slowly in acceptance. 

Before you could argue he was peeling off one of his arm rings and placing it upon your own arm.

“You are wrong,” he whispered, carding a hand gently through your hair before he took a small step back “I did love you once, and that is the only reason I set you free to find your own way, as I must now find my own.”

“Goodbye Sigtryggr,” you whispered, pulling your cloak up and turning away from him so he would not see the tears gathered in your eyes, and as soon as the gates opened to allow the cart out, you slipped out behind it and for the first time in your life you were truly alone.

You had barely gone a few hundred yards when the stampeding sound of hooves came crashing like thunder and you barely had time to process it before you were pulled off your feet and tumbled down a bank onto the ground from where if you had lingered just a second more you would have been trampled to death. 

“Are you alright?” a man who looked like a Dane barked, raking his eyes over you to see if you were harmed, arms steadying you as he pulled you to your feet.

You were wide eyed and trembling as another dark haired man came into view, eyeing the red rope marks around your neck and attempting to reach out for you but you backed away in fear.

“They are not stopping,” the Dane said before he shouted “Finan! Take the girl, don’t let her leave until I get back!”  and he was sprinting back up the bank into the melee of what you assumed were Edward’s forces, attempting to stop the attack, and amidst the sound of squealing horses and whistling arrows, you were grasped by the arm and pulled down towards the river, where two other men lay in the grass waiting and you were shivering like a leaf when you were placed into the arms of another Dane, whilst the man you assumed to be Finan ran back up towards the melee of battle.

“What has she said?” the Dane demanded once he clambered back down the bank.

“Nothing Lord,” the blond haired man who had given you water replied, he had introduced himself as Osferth and pointed to the Dane with the half shaven head as Sihtric. You were hoisted harshly back onto your feet as the other Dane in charge gripped your arm.

“You came from inside those walls, by my own eyes you look like a slave. Why would Sigtryggr allow a slave woman to leave. Tell me!” he shook you harshly and your eyes were wild with fear and you snarled trying to claw your way out of his grasp, “Or are you more to him and he released you before the siege?” 

“Be honest woman,” Finan urged, “And we won't harm you,” and your wild eyes settled on him, honing in on the silver Christian cross that hung from his neck and you couldn’t say why but in that moment you trusted him.

“You are from Ireland?” you spoke in Irish and his own eyes widened too for a moment before he nodded “And you serve this man?” you questioned.

“What is she saying?” the Dane shook you again.

“She is from Ireland, Uhtred” Finan offered, eyes locked on you.

“He took me here as a captive,” you told Finan in Irish once again “It was my Father who led the attack on Dublin that drove him from the city.” 

Finan nodded and relayed that to Uhtred, who looked at you sternly.

“Ask her why he let her leave?” Uhtred demanded, and you nodded your head in understanding before replying to Finan once more “Please,” you begged “It is not what it seems, I was his lover once, before my Father attacked I was his hostage, but I mean nothing to him, he let me leave because he does not care whether I live or die, he has no use for me anymore. He brought me here in ropes, he has shown me no tenderness, his only act of kindness was to let me leave.” 

Finan relayed this to Uhtred who still regarded you with suspicion before he released his hold on you and you stood rooted to the spot.

“Have you seen my daughter, Stiorra, is she alive?” he asked, gauging that you could understand him.

“She is alive Lord,” you answered Uhtred now in English “He keeps her separate from the other hostages, he brings her food and he treats her kindly. She is alive and well.” 

Uhtred released a huge sigh of relief, and took a step back from you.

“We should bring her to the King, Lord” Osferth spoke, “She knows where the hostages are being held and she may have further information that would be of use.”

Uhtred nodded in agreement and you were being hoisted up before the King before you could even argue, when you tried to plant your feet in resistance you were dragged unmercifully by your arm and planted at the feet of the King who was pacing back and forth like a lunatic.

“A captive?” he demanded stopping his pacing in front of you.

“Yes Lord,” you answered meekly.

“King. Lord King!” he shouted and you stiffened slightly.

“I was the daughter of King,” you said defiantly, “Given to him as a hostage, until my own Father drove him from Dublin, he brought me here in vengeance.” 

“My Mother. My children, are they alive?” he demanded and you nodded.

“Yes Lord King, he keeps them in the crypt where your Father’s tomb is,” you answered honestly.

He considered you for a moment and you looked up into his red face with a defiance he did not like.

“Tie her up,” she may be of further use to us he commanded and two of his men hoisted you to your feet, the one on your left arm, stilled all actions when he felt it, and you knew he felt it because suddenly your cloak was ripped off and there for all to see was the arm ring that Sigtryggr had placed on your arm as a final act of kindness, you had hoped to use it to buy passage back to ireland but now it had laid you bare as a traitor in the eyes of the Wessex men.

Edward’s nostrils flared in anger.

“Would a Dane part with an arm ring to someone he did not care about?” he demanded of Uhtred and to your surprise Uhtred almost seemed sorry to have to tell the truth “No Lord,” he sighed sadly and Edward struck you across your mouth so hard you could taste the blood that rushed forward.

“You would dare lie to us all?” he spat and made to strike you again, until Sihtric surprising himself and everyone around him stepped forward to intervene, shielding you behind him.

Edward looked like he wanted to rip his head off but instead, ripped the arm ring from your arm and ushered his men to take you away.

Your eyes burned with  shame and humiliation as once again a rope was placed around your neck and you were secured to a pole in the ground and for the first time since you had been taken to this godforsaken land, you wished you had stayed with Sigtryggr.

For thirty days Winchester lay under siege and you remained captive to Edward’s forces.

Uhtred’s men were the ones tasked with guarding you, and it was always Sihtric who came to take you down to bathe in the river, ever the gentleman he would turn away and allow you the privacy to bathe in peace, but he never relented his hold on the rope that remained attached around your neck, once or twice you had caught his eyes following a droplet of water that ran from your wet hair down the expanse of your neck and it made your heart flutter.

Finan talked to you a lot about home and your Kingdom and you learned a lot about his past, from his days under his Chieftain Father to being sold into slavery and you realised you had been right to put your trust in him on that very first day.

Osferth brought you whatever morsels of food he could ration out and he prayed with you, even though it was more like prayed at you from time to time.

In the thirty days you had been their prisoner, you were beginning to form an honest relationship with them all, and at night you lay awake dreading the day the siege would end and they would cast you aside and leave you behind.

“What is it he wants?” Uhtred asked you one evening around the fire.

“I think he seeks a home,” you answered honestly, “A true home. Somewhere he can live in peace. Somewhere he cannot be driven from.” 

Uhtred examined you carefully for a moment before he accepted your answer. 

“If he wants peace, he’s got a funny way of showing it,” Finan scoffed.

“He is different,” you answered honestly, “He thinks like no other man I have ever known. He should have killed my Father the first time he attacked, he should have taken our land and claimed it as his own, instead he allowed my Father to leave in peace as long as he agreed to accept his claim to Dublin. He believed my Father’s surrender and my presence as his captive would hold my Father to his word. We lived in peace in the time I spent with him. And he treated me with kindness, even when he did not have to.”

“You were his lover,” Finan scoffed again.

“I wasn’t always. He had others and yet he was never cruel to me.” 

Uhtred seemed to really be taking in what you said, and your attention turned to Sihtric, “Would you take me down to the water?” you asked him gently and he relented with a soft nod of his head.

You did your best to bathe but the rope digging into your neck had made your skin angry and irritated, you tried to pry it away a little from your skin to allow the cold water over it but it did not relent.

“Sihtric,” you asked, voice small and he hummed in response, still respectfully turned away from you, “Please can you take the rope from my neck, I will promise you upon your Thor pendant that I will not run or try to escape you, but it burns me.”

“Woman,” he whined “You will be my death.”

“Tie my hand to yours if you do not have trust in me,” you offered and he suddenly turned around to face you.

You were naked before him but he kept his eyes trained on yours, mismatched ones boring into yours.

“Do not try anything,” he warned “You will not believe the things I can do with a rope,” it was a threat and he meant it as one but you could not help the smile that you tried to swallow when he stepped towards you and delicately worked the loop from around your neck. You hissed when the material was pulled away from your skin and Sihtric’s eyes were immediately drawn to the red tracks it left it its wake, he couldn’t help but run a delicate finger along the raised skin and tutted. You allowed him to tie the rope around your wrist, although you noted he did not pull it tight and watched as he tied the other end around his own.

“Be quick about it,” he urged before turning around again “Before you get us both killed.” 

You soothed your skin with the cold water, and you waded out until you were waist deep in the waters to begin working on your hair.

Dusk was beginning to turn into night and the sky was cast in a beautiful purple hue.

“It’s beautiful,” you mused and Sihtric turned to see what you were looking at, smiling when he followed the dip of your bare skin to where it touched the water, water  droplets dripping down your bare back and his mouth went dry.

You turned suddenly to find him staring and his cheeks tinged pink instantly and he went to look away again when he felt the tug on his arm.

He watched you gather the rope between your hands and begin to pull, he allowed himself to be dragged closer and closer to the water’s edge before his brain kicked into action.

“Stop this,” he warned, though he made no attempt to really stop you, and you were under no illusion that he could have pulled you to the shore in one attempt if he really wanted to.

You fed the rope through your hands and pulled until he was in the water, pulling him ever closer until you were almost chest to chest, and he allowed you to do it.

You placed your small hands on the leather of his chest and his eyes dipped down to meet yours, chest rising and falling rapidly.

“I’ve caught you looking,” you whispered and he bit his bottom lip, eyes travelling down to the swell of your breasts and back up to your face again, he cupped your jaw in his free hand and traced his thumb across the edge of your lips.

“This is a dangerous game,” he warned, thumb now stroking your bottom lip, “If we are caught we will be killed.”  

“Don’t let us be caught,” you pleaded, reaching up on your tiptoes to press a kiss against his lips, when you pulled away, he grasped your face and pulled you back in kissing you hungrily, lips devouring yours, pulling you flush against him and you could not help the small but desperate whine that left your lips when you heard his name being called in the distance.

“Coming Lord!” he called back and he broke away from you, stalking back up towards the bank, pulling you along with him.

He allowed you to pull your dress back on before he untied the rope from your wrist, you looked at him with betrayal and hurt when he set to fasten the rope around your neck again, although he did not pull it tight, he cupped your face again.

“It hurts me just as much to put this around your neck again,” he whispered, and your eyes welled with tears but you nodded in acceptance.

“Did ya fall in?” Finan burst into laughter at the sight of his friend’s leather saturated and Sihtric grumpily barked that he had lost his footing. 

Your heart fell into your stomach when you heard Sigtryggr’s voice calling from the city walls, calling Edward to come and face him, and it fell even more when you saw him emerge with the King’s two small sons.

“No,” you gasped as he bartered the life of one of the King’s sons if he were to retreat and when Edward could not choose, he retreated back behind the gates and you watched them close.

You could hear Edward’s screams from your spot by the river and instinctively you reached for Sihtric’s hand which he squeezed before he quickly dropped it.

“Where is the whore?” you heard Edward’s roar before he appeared before you clasping the rope and yanking you roughly behind him.

You fell twice and yet he continued to drag you, “He has threatened my sons I will slit your throat in front of him and let him watch you bleed out.”

“Please! Please,” you shrieked trying to yank the rope out of his hands, “He does not care for me,” you could barely breath and Uhtred and his men were running behind you trying to keep pace, one of Edward’s men struck you and you released the rope, “He will not care if you kill me, please?”

You were screaming now and it was pitiless begging, because Edward did not relent, your knees were bloodied from falling and your eyes were blinded from tears and yet he dragged you before he dumped you unmercifully on the ground and went to fetch his sword.

“Sihtric….Sihtric!” It left your lips before you could stop yourself and the man in question was rushing forward, Uhtred’s eyes widening in horror at the realisation before he too was rushing forward.

“Lord King she is a whore, nothing more. This will achieve nothing. He wants me dead, this much I know from Haeston.”

“He would not trade you for my sons,” Edward relented “You are not that valuable to me Uhtred.”

“No more than she is to him,” Uhtred reasoned pointing at your crumpled form on the ground, “But I do have a value to the Danes. To kill the man they call Dane-Slayer would bring great reputation. He might want that.” 

You could barely recognise that Uhtred was bartering for your life with his own, because Sitric was before you, sword arm ready to strike any man that would attempt to grab you again.

And so to your horror you watched as Uhtred walked himself into the besieged city, believing he could end the whole affair.

“A true home,” he said to you in confirmation of the conversation you had the other night and suddenly you realised he meant to bargain with Sigtryggr, you nodded because in your shocked state that was all the confirmation you could offer and you watched the gates close behind him.

You sagged your whole weight against Sihtric as you watched the King's two small sons run to safety towards him.

And that night despite his immense worry for Uhtred, he cleaned your bloodied knees and pulled the rope free from your neck.

He kissed you openly in front of Osferth and Finan and he did not care who saw, the next man to strike you would lose that very hand before they could hurt you again. 

When the combined forces of Edward and Athelflaed attacked the city Sihtric had forced you stay behind in camp, “Wait until you know it is safe he urged, placing a dagger in your hand, if any man who is not me tries to take you, drive this dagger through his heart.”

“Come back for me,” you pleaded and he kissed you hastily, before nodding quickly and falling in line with Osferth and Finan and so you watched from afar as they stormed the gates.

When a lone figure appeared at the gates you ran as fast as your legs could carry you, running until almost all the air was knocked from your lungs and into the arms of your bloodied and beaten warrior.

“It is over?” you cried hands frantically searching his face for any signs that he was injured.

“It is over,” he smiled and you clung to him, “You are free.” 

You watched as the army of Danes began to pile out of the city, holding steadfast to your own Dane. As Sigtryggr passed he bowed his head in recognition, for all that had passed and for the advice you had undoubtedly given Uhtred and despite it all you were happy that he may find both the peace and a home he so desperately yearned for.

You rode in silence for a while until Finan’s cheerful voice rang out amongst the sound of hooves.

“Will you return home now Princess? Back to Ireland?”

Sihtric’s mismatched eyes were on you but he did not say anything.

“Where is it we ride to again Lord?” you asked Uhtred, and he smiled at you with a knowing smile.

“To Coccham,” he answered smugly.

 “Yes I will return home,” you answered and Sihtric looked down glumly at his steed, “Home to Coccham,” you added with a smile “If Sihtric Kjartansson resides there.” 

Sihtric’s cheeks were tinged pink but he could not fight the shy smile that broke out across his face.

“I thought I would find you here,” Sihtric’s voice interrupted you from your evening dip as you bathed in the waters surrounding Coccham.

“Will you join me?” you teased and Sihtric chuckled behind you, already fumbling with his belt and weapons, “Without your leathers this time,” you added and you heard his clothes drop with a thud to the ground.

The evening sun was glowing behind him and he stepped into the cool waters with grace.

He stopped just before you and your eyes raked over his battle scarred skin.

“Now you see me,” he spoke shyly and you swam towards him.

“Now I see you,” you spoke softly, running your hands up the rippled muscles of his torso.

He pulled you to him and you wrapped your legs around his waist as he hoisted you up to hold you to him.

You leaned in to kiss him gently and he returned your kiss much softer and more languid this time.

“You would really choose to stay here with me?” he spoke softly, voice almost a whisper, spinning you around in the waters.

“There is nothing for me back home,” you replied “And everything for me here.” 

He positioned you just right to slide inside you and you gasped his name as he began to pick up a bruising pace, he was claiming you as his own, marking your skin with his teeth and you clawed onto his back to keep you in place, the sun was setting behind the trees painting the sky in glorious hues of pink and orange and when he came inside you, you couldn’t help but feel the tears prick in your eyes.

This was what it meant to be truly free, to be loved by the man who held your heart in his hands.

He allowed his head to fall against your naked breast and your carded your fingers through his wet hair.

“All I have endured,” you whispered into his hair “I would endure a thousand times if you are the prize awaiting me at the end,” you told him honestly. 

“This is not the end,” he mumbled into your skin before lifting his head to look into your eyes “My love this is the beginning, we belong together."

By now the moon was high in the sky and the air was chilly, you both began to shiver in each others arms and you conceeded you would have to leave the tranquility of the lake.

"It is a full moon," you whispered and Sihtric followed your gaze before his eyes bore into yours, setting your heart ablaze and your pulse racing.

"Under this moon I make you a promise, that as long as I have breath in my lungs, no one will ever hurt you again. You will never be bound or not know freedom again, and I will love you from this day forward for all eternity,"

"And I promise you Sihtric Kjartansson that I will always choose to stay with you, wherever it is our paths lead, mine will always be by your side."

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