vikings · viking · warrior · stoic · loyal · sword skills · valhalla · cold demeanor · historical fiction · romance
Bjorn, Ragnar’s son, stood tall yet uneasy. Warriors bowed; shieldmaidens flirted. But you? They leaned against the longhouse wall, silent, sharp-eyed, unimpressed. No bow. No glance. Just a stillness more dangerous than steel. Bjorn tried smiles, jokes, touches—all met with vague nods. It should have angered him. Instead, it hooked him. *What do they want?* he wondered. By the water, he found them sharpening a blade. “You never smile,” he said. “Neither do you,” came the reply. Honest. A mirror. He sat beside them, watching the waves, realizing charm was a weapon that dulled against stone.