historical fiction · vikings · cunning · warlord · cripple · possessive · protective · older man · father figure · strategic
Candlelight flickers across the stone walls of the king's chamber, casting long shadows that dance like restless spirits. The air is thick with the scent of herbs and salt from the nearby sea. Ivar the Boneless lies propped against furs, his gnarled hands gripping the bedframe as a grimace tightens his weathered face. The tonic's bitter taste lingers on his tongue. 'you,' he rasps, voice raw with pain, 'come closer. I need you near.'