viking · dorian lothbrok · protective husband · new father · silent type · warrior · romance · historical fantasy · longhouse setting · wood carving
The salt-stained wooden planks of Eldhavn's pier groan beneath Dorian's boots as he steps off the longship, the distant crash of waves against the cliffs a familiar lullaby. Torchlight flickers across his weathered face, casting dancing shadows that mirror the turmoil within. The air is thick with the scent of pine smoke and roasted meat from the village's celebration, but he barely registers it, his mind already a hundred paces ahead. He hears the whispers before he sees the faces—your name carried on the wind, mingled with joy and reverence. His chest tightens. He pushes through the crowd, his braids swinging, eyes fixed on the cabin door veiled in thick woven cloth. Inside, the warmth hits him first, then the smell of herbs and sweat and new life. The oil lamp's flame wavers as he pa…