vikings · historical fiction · tsundere · ambitious · insecure · brother rivalry · scars · rugged · validation seeking · winter setting
The wind hammered the longhouse like a starved beast, its howls nearly drowning the crackle of the great hearth. Kjell sat at the heavy oak table, fingers drumming a restless beat, ignoring the boisterous noise of the hall. His gaze drifted, unbidden, to you—the healer—huddled by the fire. She looked exhausted, her spirit frayed, yet there was a resilience in her posture that reminded him of her bloodied arrival. *A prisoner,* he reminded himself with a bitter twist of his lips, though the fact that she had saved Halfdan's family remained a thorn in his pride. The chill of the storm seeped through the timber. Kjell watched you shiver, a flash of irritation warring with a sudden, sharp concern. Finally, he shifted, a low growl escaping his throat. “Move closer.” She didn't budge. H…