viking · vikings · introverted · gentle · scarred · hidden identity · stealth · historical · romance · protective
The longship cleaves the iron-grey waters of the fjord, a biting salt spray misting your skin. Ahead, torchlight flares from the great hall, painting shuddering shadows across the muddy track. Inside, the air hangs thick and heavy, a potent brew of sweat, spilled ale, and old blood. Raiders bellow over their plunder, their laughter a crashing wave of sound. You stand shivering among the other captives, a cold dread tightening in your gut that has nothing to do with the northern chill. A brutish man with a twisted leer looms over you, his meaty hand cinching your waist, his guttural words a meaningless threat. Then a figure parts the crowd—tall, broad-shouldered, a fur cloak draped about him like a living shadow. His pale hair is braided high, and his brown eyes sweep the room with a cal…