Stolen Fruits
warnings: 18+! suggestive/fluff
pairing: Sihtric x fem!reader
summary: A strange man kept stealing from your lands.
word count: 3,1k
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Reblogs & comments are immensely appreciated.
Thank you to @foxyanon & @sihtricsafin for everything, I'd like to dedicate this one to you two.
Spring had been good this year, for the Gods had been kind. Your lands had flourished during the soft and sunny period, resulting in an abundance of vegetables and fruits. You made some good coin with a successful harvest, and this year was looking promising. You already earned a fair amount by selling fruits all year round, from sweet apples to perfectly sized strawberries, everyone knew you had some of the best in the country and even the royal families wanted a piece of it. Loads of money had been offered by various men to buy your lands, but you always declined the offers. You loved being a successful lady, especially since most ladies weren't as lucky as you to be in control of their own money and workload, so never would you even consider selling your business to a wealthy man.
It was now the middle of summer and the fruits you had in stock to sell to the townsfolk were all sold out already, meaning you had money aplenty and could take it easy until it was time to harvest the crops to sell later in the year. Therefore you now simply enjoyed the warm days and short nights, making all kinds of delicious treats with the fruits you had kept for yourself. Well, for yourself and for your livestock. You had a herd of goats, sheeps and chickens that provided you with milk, eggs and also some company, as life on a farm at the outskirts of town could get a little lonely. You also owned a beautiful white horse named Tristis, who was an important part of your trade as the horse was strong and well taken care of so he could pull the carriage full of fruits and vegetables when you travelled to sell to the towns and villages that surrounded yours.
Your day started just like every day. You woke up, had some tea and breakfast, then went to feed the animals, did a routine check of your lands on horseback, and after that your day was just you doing whatever you wanted or what needed to be done in or around your cottage. You noticed nothing odd during your routine check, and you ended up tidying the living area in your home. And it was only when you stepped outside, to rid your floor of the swept up dust and sand, that you suddenly saw movement near your apple trees. You quickly hid behind the greenery that surrounded your cottage, pushing the thick leaves slightly aside to spy on the thief who was shamelessly picking apples from your garden. There was quite some distance between you and where the apple trees flourished, but you could see enough to make out that it was a savage looking man greedily collecting your fruits. You sighed, for it wasn't uncommon that a peasant came looking for some food, and by the way the man's hair was looking wild and how he was fast to devour an apple, you figured the poor soul was just hungry.
Giving him the benefit of the doubt, you decided to not chase him away but continued to keep an eye on him. And it wasn't until the stranger suddenly neared your goats that you became alarmed, as the savage pulled a knife from his belt as he approached the bleating herd. You held your breath and clenched your fists around the broom you still held, but just as you wanted to jump out from the bushes and chase him away, you saw how he cut an apple in several small pieces and fed them to your animals while giving some a pat on their heads. You exhaled with relief and then watched how the man walked off your lands, seemingly oblivious of your presence, and he disappeared into the forest.
The next morning you found tracks in the sand from the man who had helped himself to your apples the day before. You chuckled to yourself when you remembered how alarmed you became when he had unsheathed his knife, only to be a kind stranger and fall for the begging eyes of your livestock. You couldn't blame the savage, who seemed to have a soft heart, for you always fell for the trickery or your own animals too.
Hours later, when you were baking bread with apples and cherries inside, you looked out of your kitchen window and felt your jaw drop when you saw the savage had returned. Completely frozen you watched how he stole apples again, even more than the day before, and you were absolutely baffled by the nerve of this man. You huffed in anger and wanted to storm outside, chasing him away this time as your lands were not a free for all feast, but when your eyes landed on the battle axe the man had attached to his belt, you decided it was probably safer to not confront him. At least, not confronting him by storming towards him while waving a broom angrily and ordering him to leave at once.
You managed to get a better look at him now, as the man became more bold and even wandered further upon your lands, seemingly out of curiosity or perhaps wanting to find out what else he could steal. You saw how he was well built and, surprisingly enough, looking quite well taken care of for a savage. In fact, it was only his wild haircut that made him look like a savage, his dark and wavy locks falling upon his shoulders while his facial hair seemed well kept from a distance, and it seemed he wore leather armour, and not the cheap kind either.
You kept an eye on the man as you became concerned of his motives, because why was he on your land two days in a row? Was he one of the men who had offered money to buy your fertile ground and couldn't handle the fact he was rejected? Was he here to spy in order to find a way to steal your land? All kinds of thoughts went through your head while the man seemed rather unbothered, and you saw how he made his way to the animals again, giving them a few pats on their heads and sharing the stolen fruits with them, just like the day before. And just when you thought he was to leave, he suddenly turned to face your cottage and locked eyes with you as you still stood there looking out your window, and he gave you a curt nod before he turned on his heels and disappeared once again into the forest.
You felt the heat on your face after the man had left, and you couldn't forget the way he had looked at you for the remainder of your day… and night.
The unknown man, who you now called "the handsome stranger" after you had gotten a better look at him the previous afternoon, kept returning to your lands to eat some of your apples and to seek the company of your animals. After a few days you became less wary and trusted the man did not have any bad intentions. You weren't happy about the fact he still stole your fruits, but the weaponry attached to his leather belt kept you from telling him off. As the weeks progressed you kind of became fond of the brief eye contact you had with him daily, at a safe distance, while leaving each other alone for the rest of the time as he wandered around your lands, and even your animals became used to him visiting and enjoying a delicious treat with him day after day.
The weather had always been nice since the handsome stranger came around, but today the rain was pouring down, for autumn had officially arrived. Your crops were harvested and you were making yourself some delicious pumpkin soup, which would keep you warm and fed through the rainy and windy season ahead of you. And when you noticed the handsome stranger still came around that gloomy day, all soaked and visibly shivering while he made his way to your apple trees, you felt for the man and made a bold move.
'E-excuse me?' you called out from your doorstep.
The man looked back over his shoulder, his long and wet hair sticking to his clearly confused face while the rain poured down on him, soaking the thick fur cloak that was draped over his shoulders.
'Lady?' he called back out, a little hesitant.
'Would you,' you suddenly paused and became unsure, but then found your courage again, 'would you like to come in for some warm soup?'
The man pondered about your offer for a moment, and then gave you that curt nod he gave you every day before leaving your lands. Except this time he didn't step off your lands, this time he stepped into your home.
There was an awkward silence when he sat down while you hung his cloak next to the fire that burned in the hearth, and you put his drenched boots in front of flames so they could dry quickly. You hadn't forgotten about his axe and that knife he seemed to carry with him at all times, but to your surprise he had taken off his belt and left his weapons at the door, showing you he meant no harm. And the only scare he gave you was when he suddenly spoke as you brought him your homemade soup.
'Thank you, lady,' he said, his voice was warm, just like that summer day on which you had very first seen him, 'my name is Sihtric,' he continued.
'Sihtric,' you repeated with a light blush, and then proceeded to introduce yourself as you took a seat across the table.
You observed him while he enjoyed your soup, and you were quickly drawn to his charm and his rugged look. His scars didn't make him any less handsome, and his mismatched eyes were easy to get lost in. And Sihtric eventually told you he was from Dunholm and scouting nearby lands, after you had asked him why he came around every day at the same time.
'But the lands are not at war?' you frowned, 'what use is there for scouting the lands if there are no enemies?'
'I'm afraid it is an old habit,' the Dane smiled softly and looked away from you, as if somewhat ashamed, 'it keeps me busy. I stumbled upon your land some time ago and,' he stopped talking as he wasn't sure if he should confess his theft, even though he figured you surely had been aware.
'And?' you asked, aware of what he was thinking, and you tried to suppress your grin while you waited for him to answer.
'And… I… would like to apologise for stealing your apples, my lady,' Sihtric said with a blush on his cheeks, 'I will compensate you for it, I promise. Tell me how much you need,' he said and reached for the pouch he kept hidden under his tunic.
'How much I need?' you asked, confused and mildly offended while Sihtric counted his coins, 'I don't need anything.'
'My lady?' the apparently self proclaimed Lord of Dunholm looked up at you, bewildered.
'I am wealthy,' you said with pride, holding your chin up high, 'I do not need the coins of a man who steals out of habit.'
'I did not steal out of habit,' Sihtric retorted as politely as he could while he shoved the pouch underneath his tunic again.
'Are you sure about that, Lord?' you grinned.
'You dare to doubt my word, my lady?' he questioned, failing to hide his own grin now as he leaned in on the table.
'I wouldn't dare to doubt the word of a man who is clearly in need of a battle,' you taunted, 'or at least in need of a good brawl at the alehouse.'
Sihtric opened his mouth to speak but he had no comeback to your remark, so he licked his lips and smiled slyly before he finished the soup. He thanked you quickly afterwards and said he should get going again, and after he had stepped off your land and you cleaned up the table, you found he had left you some money which covered far more than the apples he had stolen.
The weather during the days after your first conversation with Sihtric continued to be grey and wet, and so it became a routine for him to stop by and have some of your delicious homemade meals as he needed a moment to warm up again. And where he first took his leave immediately after having devoured your food, he began to stay a little longer as he enjoyed your company and the warmth of your cosy home. The fact that you were a blessing to his eyes also made it all the more tempting to stay longer, so he could get to know more about you. You started to trust each other over time, you even felt comfortable around Sihtric while he had access to his weapons as one day he forgot to take off his belt at the door, and ever since that moment you both felt you could open up more about your struggles, but also about the happier moments you had experienced in your lives.
Sihtric was impressed with the trade you had built for yourself and the money you owned, but he was even more impressed with your talent for making the most appetising foods he had ever seen and tasted. You never charged him for your meals, which Sihtric appreciated, but it didn't take long before he started to ask if he could perhaps help you out with certain tasks as a way to thank you. As independent as you were, you wouldn't deny the help of a strong man when offered, so you made good use of him and had him fix up the barn in which you kept your livestock, and he also fixed a leak in the roof of your cottage. You became fond of each other and, after it happened a few times, you were convinced that the way he looked at you and the occasional light brush of his fingers against your skin wasn't entirely meaningless.
And your gut feeling would be confirmed only a few days later after you had started to fantasise about him at night. You began to long for his visits, missing his voice and his scent whenever he left your home to continue his day, and you were ashamed that it made you break things on purpose, just so you can ask him to fix it and have him around a little longer.
Neither of you had never said the words, but you both knew that the lives you lived separately had been rather lonely as of late, despite the riches you both possessed. Wealth couldn't silence the way you yearned for each other, and when another rainy afternoon came around, you both couldn't resist each other anymore.
Sihtric knocked on your door, soaked through and through due to the rain, and as soon as your eyes met his you knew this afternoon would be different. His face was bruised, as he had finally caused a fight with a stranger he encountered as he scouted the lands, before he had made his way to you.
And the tension in your home was thick once he stepped inside and kicked off his boots, which you placed in front of the fire before he handed you his heavy cloak to hang so it could dry too. You hung the beautiful fur next to the fire and then turned around, finding Sihtric towering over you while drops of water trickled down his face and from his long hair. His breathing sounded unsteady while he was usually a wave of calmness, and his hands trembled lightly as he began to take off his leather belt. You both didn't say a word as your eyes remained locked while he dropped the heavy leather with weapons on the floor. His cold hands then began to work his tunic, pulling it off and leaving him in front of you in only his breeches as he threw the wet attire next to his belt. You reached out to cup his bruised cheek and you gave him a saddened look, but Sihtric also caught the faint hint of a smile on your face, which told him you were accepting of his sometimes impulsive and reckless nature.
You then took a step back and stared at his impressive body while he took off his necklace, leaving his damp hair looking even wilder than before. And after you both heard the dull thump of his necklace falling onto your floor, his tattooed hands suddenly reached for your face while you grabbed onto his broad shoulders, and you crashed into a steamy and passionate kiss while the fire crackled behind you and the rain tapped on your windows.
You both gasped with need when the kiss was broken as you pulled Sihtric down on the floor with you, and your lips attacked his neck and shoulders while he impatiently pulled at the laces at the front of your dress. You felt his hot and ragged breaths on your parted lips, sneaking into your mouth before he let out a desperate whine and pulled you closer with his hand on the back of your neck, kissing you deeply until your lips felt bruised.
He loved the way you tasted and how your warm skin felt against his own damp and cold body once he had rid you of your dress. You kissed desperately while you straddled him, and moans of relief sounded from you both when you finally sank down on his length, feeling him inside you the way you had been longing for all this time already. His hands warmed as he caressed your body while you placed your hands on his chest, riding him slowly and relishing the feeling of being together like this for the first time. You made love and kissed each other everywhere possible until you both felt that sweet release.
He then pulled his already dried and warmed up cloak over you both while you laid in front of the fire, holding each other while you shared some of the apple pie you had baked, stealing kisses from each other in between each bite. And when you looked up into his love dazed eyes, you both knew you'd never feel lonely again after this day.
Because Sihtric hadn't only stolen the fruits of your land, he had also stolen your heart.
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