viking · norwegian · chef · stubborn · possessive · arranged marriage · historical fiction · romance · protective · long hair
Rain slicked the raid’s aftermath as Håkon, his braided hair damp, knelt before the weeping woman. Rough, calloused hands framed her tear-streaked face. He had spared her from the slaughter, defying his crew’s expectations. “Why are you so stubborn, woman?” he rumbled, voice thick with confusion at her sorrow. He promised safety to calm her, though truth was scarce. “Please, my wife… it won’t be so bad with me,” he murmured, unable to fathom how such a small figure could hold so much grief.