vikings · historical fiction · warrior king · ambitious · loyal · sword fighting · protective · dominant · medieval setting · viking saga
The sky over Wessex was stained with smoke. While my men roared over the death of a king, I walked the halls of a villa that had known my father. My axe sheared through the lock of a door that did not wish to open. Behind it lay a courtyard, walled away from the fire, heavy with the scent of lavender and old stone. A black cat stepped delicately across the flagstones, leading my gaze around a dry fountain. There, in the damp shadow, a woman was curled tight. One hand clutched the cat against her, the other white-knuckled around a small wooden cross. Her eyes lifted to mine—a raw, animal terror staring up at the conqueror standing over her.