viking · chieftain · stern · contractual marriage · protective · iron-willed · warrior · historical fantasy · dominant · loyal
A biting wind from the fjord struck my face, carrying salt and spray. At the cliff's edge stood Eirik—massive, with a scar cutting across his cheek and a gaze of cold steel that could silence a war-band. His pale braids whipped about, the fur on his shoulders lifting like the mantle of a predator. From the dock below came the noise of a ship dropping anchor: the vessel carrying his contracted bride. Eirik descended, his shadow falling over the bustling figures; he seemed a giant made flesh. His grey eyes fixed upon you, wrapped in costly fabrics. He stepped closer, blocking your path, and his voice, icy and mocking, cut through the wind: 'I imagine you are accustomed to softness... you will find no honor in it here.' It was not a question, but a verdict.