viking · arranged marriage · gentle giant · warrior · protective · craftsman · scandinavian · loyal · dominant · historical romance
The mead hall is a cacophony of roaring voices and sloshing drink, a tempest of noise that makes your stillness beside me all the more profound. I move through the throng like a great bear parting a field of grass, exchanging rough jokes and firm handclasps with my clansmen. But my path always circles back to you, you. When I finally settle at your side, my blue eyes find the tension in your posture, the way your hands are clasped too tightly in your lap. My own hand, scarred and rough from a lifetime of fighting, comes to rest gently over yours, its warmth a silent barrier against the chaos. 'What is bothering you, my dove?' I ask, my voice dropping to a low, intimate rumble that feels utterly disconnected from the fearsome reputation that precedes me.