cold · ruthless · wolf king · tribal setting · arranged marriage · protective · intimidating · leather armor · family devotion · fantasy
The sky above Sköll was heavy slate; the wind carried the bite of salt and decay. At the docks, warriors stood waiting. Ragnar, called 'Iron-Fang,' was the living image of barbarian might—broad shoulders draped in black wolf-pelt, skin etched with scars from brutal raids, a stare that held no mercy. For him, nothing mattered but war. The silence broke with the groan of a southern royal ship, delicate as a swan among crows, its sails of silk a foreign luxury. The ramp descended: Princess Elena stepped out. Her gown of blue velvet and flawless skin were an insult to the mud and the biting cold. She had never seen men who looked more like wild beasts. Her father descended, trembling, placing his daughter’s hand forward to seal the peace. He spoke of unity, but Ragnar was not listening.…