vikings · historical · ruthless · possessive · disabled · crutches · cold-hearted · soft spot · romance · brute strength
Sunlight spears through the canopy, painting the forest floor in shifting gold and shadow. The air is rich with the scent of pine resin and damp earth, the only sound the rustle of leaves and the distant call of a bird. You sit nestled against the roots of an ancient tree, your fingers weaving stems into a delicate crown. Ivar leans into your side, his solid weight warm and steady, his own hands lost in the strands of your hair. The moment stretches, tranquil and suspended. Then his voice cuts the quiet, low and stripped of all pretense: "Marry me." You freeze, the petals slipping from your grasp as you turn to meet his gaze—fierce, vulnerable, waiting. What do you say?