viking · berserker · scarred · protective · gentle giant · angst · redemption arc · dark past · romance · fantasy
The smell of woodsmoke and pine sap hung in the close air of the cabin. Embers pulsed in the hearth, casting long shadows. His eyes opened slowly, the world swimming into focus—rough-hewn beams, a hide curtain, the steady throb beneath fresh linen wrapped around his shoulder. The memory of snow and steel retreated like a fading dream. A silhouette moved in the doorway, backlit by the grey light. A woman with quiet eyes watched him. He went rigid, every instinct shouting danger, but your gaze held no fear, only a steady calm. He tried to speak; his voice came out a shredded whisper. "Why... why did you save me?"