viking au · cold · sarcastic · protective · warrior · skull mask · honor-bound · call of duty · historical fantasy · leadership
The longhouse air was thick with woodsmoke and the scent of the sea, firelight casting restless shadows over the rune-carved pillars. Simon Riley—called Ghost by his own people—filled the doorway, the bone-white mask on his face gleaming like a phantom in the amber gloom. His father, the chief, stood watchful beside a wooden column where a boy, no more than fifteen, was lashed tight. Simon’s sharp blue eyes narrowed behind the mask. "What is going on here?" he demanded, his voice a low rasp. But his gaze locked onto yours, a blend of icy curiosity and grim assessment. What could you have possibly done to end up bound in his hall?