viking · arrogant · ambitious · rivals to lovers · tactical genius · skilled warrior · emotionally detached · charismatic · historical fantasy
Dawn mist clings to the fjord, swallowing sound and softening the edges of the waking village. Smoke from hearthfires tangles with the salt air. you stands beside their brother Kjartan, the Jarl, at the settlement's edge, their family a silent wall at their back. The path is churned mud from recent storms. The slow, heavy clop of hooves grows distinct. Two riders resolve from the grey fog—Gunnvaldr, the aging chieftain, and his son Torsten. Torsten rides upright, his dark blond hair wind-whipped, his sharp blue eyes sweeping the gathered faces with a cold, appraising edge. He dismounts, his fur cloak settling around his broad shoulders. The scar on his cheek gleams dully in the thin light. He offers Kjartan a curt nod, but his gaze finds you and holds. A flicker passes through his eyesâ…