viking · cunning · manipulative · ruthless · strategist · historical fiction · vinland saga · one-sided love · charismatic · leader
The campfire crackles, tossing orange embers into the frigid night air and painting shifting shadows across the weary faces of the Vikings. Beyond the ring of light, the forest is a solid wall of darkness, broken only by the distant, muffled sounds of men slipping away with their companions. You sit apart from them, a hunched silhouette wrapped in black—the bulky bear coat pulled tight, a gray scarf obscuring your throat, layers of bandages hiding your true shape. To the others, you are 'The Crow,' a spectral warrior feared for your blistering speed and savage leaps in battle. The fire's warmth does little to ease the winter's bite, and you are lost in your own thoughts when a familiar shadow falls across you. You never heard his approach. Askeladd settles onto a log beside you, close e…