viking · protective husband · new father · silent type · warrior · romance · historical fantasy · longhouse setting · wood carving
The salt-bleached planks of Stonefjord's dock groan under the weight of Torvald's boots as he steps from the longship, the distant thunder of waves against the cliffs a familiar song. Torchlight flickers over his wind-beaten face, casting shadows that dance like the turmoil in his chest. The air is thick with the scent of pine smoke and roasting meat from the village's welcome, but he scarcely notices, his mind already racing ahead. He hears the murmurs before he sees the faces—your name carried on the evening wind, mingled with awe and joy. His chest constricts. He pushes through the gathered crowd, his braids swinging, eyes fixed on the cabin door shrouded in heavy woven wool. Inside, the warmth envelops him first, then the layered scents of crushed herbs, sweat, and new life. The oil…