"She will jump in the sea, you'll wish you're the water. "

chapter II, act III ✧ 𝒍𝒐𝒗𝒆𝒍𝒚 𝒎𝒊𝒔𝒕𝒂𝒌𝒆𝒔

" now you wish to speak to me, Vit — Hvitserk, after ignoring me throughout the whole feast?" she grunted, annoyed at the boy because of how he had treated her minutes before.

Both of their faces were splattered with blood due to the sacrifice, and to say that she thought he looked immensely more handsome because of it, would be a misunderstanding.

Nero faced him, for the first time since they had toasted to the raid. Her eyes were dark, her feet were digging into the sand, feeling the ocean. She had lost her furs through the night, her neck and shoulders were completely bare, chills cursed her skin.

She allowed her head to fall to her chest, she knew she couldn't want them both. But Ivar clearly wanted someone else... so was it that wrong of her to want Hvitserk?

The boy had followed her all the way to her 'house', trying to get her to say something, anything, "I — I don't know what you could possibly want from me, Hvitserk. I mean — all the Ragnarssons are in love with that servant."

"Why does that bother you, love?" Vit slurred, he was drunk, and she was drunk.

She raised her head, staring at the starry sky, the sounds of waves crashing around them made her smile.

She turned to face the boy, her dark hair that was now loose whisked at her face, her honey eyes lit up when meeting his. He had never called her that before, she loved it.

"Because — I don't share," he didn't answer, instead, threw her over his shoulder and walked the long path back to the cabin, "it's become — becoming a bad habit of yours — to — to ignore me, you know?"

"I am not ignoring you, wolf," he smiled, even though she couldn't see it, instead, she trailed her fingers in patterns across his back, watching the muscles move with a grin.

Their drunkenness making everything amusing to them and of course, their sense of time became completely altered.

"I musht clean up, Serk!" she huffed, with his free hand, he unlaced his furs and threw them in the sand, a wicked smile on his face as they stopped close to the great hall, but far enough so that the people still feasting wouldn't notice them.

He climbed up the docks, and with one quick move, he threw the girl into the sea, taking off his shirt before diving in right after her.

Her body hit the cold water, and surprisingly enough, even in the midst of winter, it felt great, she came to the surface gasping for air, laughing a little, "Nice murder attempt."

"You were the one to say you needed to cleanse," he chuckled, coming up to her side as she placed her hands on his shoulders, to keep her head out of the water, though he could reach the bottom, she couldn't, so she relied on him.

"Yeah but the feast is already going on and I wish to drink as much mead as I can before I die." she smiled, poking his cheek, his wet hair stuck to his forehead and so did hers, she grinned at the sight, both of their skins glowing under the moonlight, "Also — I am — mad at you."

"Why is that?" Vit questioned, his hands moving to her waist to hold her above the water. The girl squealed away from his grasp and swam where she could reach the bottom.

She quickly slipped off her wet dress, not wishing to damage it any further as her drunkenness inhibited her from feeling anywhere near ashamed, the water still covered all her body. She swam next to the dock, placing the material above it.

"You ruined my dress. And probably my kohl. And I probably look like a mess," she groaned, crossing her arms over her chest as she went back where her feet reached the sand. He stalked closer to her, his chest dripping wet and she allowed herself to enjoy every curve of his body. She licked her lips, suddenly feeling them dry.

She wanted nothing more than to feel his lips against hers, his body pushing hers, his closeness, his warmth.

Her head spun with thoughts and mead and ale. He smiled, looking down at her, his hand came up to cup her cheek, she leaned her face into his touch, "If you do not share, then neither do I."

Nero smiled, looking up at the boy, both of their eyes gleaming with playfulness and want, he leaned down, closing the space in between them, her eyes fluttered closed as their lips touched.

It was passionate, but fast, a quick peck. He pulled away, a grin on his face that revealed his canines, she loved canines, she laced her arms around his neck and pulled him into her, kissing him, this time she parted her lips, allowing him to play with her tongue, they teased each other.

One of his hands on her cheek, his thumb rubbing circles on her silky skin while the other grabbed her hip, not for once taking advantage of her naked body, much to her surprise. Hvitserk pulled away again, making her pout, he grabbed her pouting bottom lip in between his teeth, nibbling on it playfully. She smiled as he let go.

"Well, love, I need something to wear so I can go home," Nero laughed, looking at his bare chest, trying to avert his gaze. He kissed the top of her head and her heart ached for some reason unknown to her. Vit walked out of the sea and tossed his shirt at her, she grabbed it in the air, not allowing it to touch the water. She glared at him, "If you peak I will bloody end you."

"I bet you couldn't."

"Oh Odin, seriously Hvitserk? I have beaten you more times than I can count!" she grinned, looking at his standing figure as he sighed and turned around, she left the sea and threw on his shirt, it reached just over her thigh, covering... enough.

She dried her hair as best as she could, her body shivering with cold. The wolf turned her back to the boy, looking at the sea they would soon sail.

Soon, a pair of warm hands wrapped around her waist, Vit rested his head on her shoulder, and she smiled, bringing her hand to his hair, "Tomorrow, we will go further than our people have ever gone."

"Yes, the two of us," she laughed, knowing the raid would be amazing, yet the pain in her heart grew stronger, "Vit?"

"Yes, puppy?" he teased, she turned around, her mouth quickly latching onto his neck, not strong enough to pain him, but enough to leave a slight bruise, he pulled her face away, his two hands holding her cheeks, he pecked her lips, she blushed under his intense gaze, "Wolf?"

"I am cold," she smiled, the cheers in the background indicated that the feast was still going strong, for a second she wished to barge in and join the party. He looked at her with menace, his body getting into a fighting stance as she realized what he would do, "no, Hvitserk, no!"

He laughed and picked her up, she thought he would throw her over his shoulder, but instead, he just held her up, in the way any husband would with their wives.

She cuddled into him, hoping he could warm her entire body that was almost freezing. They walked in silence, avoiding the people that walked drunk around the great hall.

She squealed when he kicked the door open and threw her on his bed, chuckling at the face she made at his manhandling.

She quickly hid under the covers, feeling the instant warmth of his furs, from there, she watched him slip off his pants, and quickly put on another pair before throwing on a shirt, "Peaking, are we?"

Laughing, she nodded, he settled next to her on the bed, looking at her. Nero ran her hand across his cheek, before pinching it, he groaned and turned his back to her, making the girl whine.

After a few moments of his silence, she began poking his sides, "Vit, Vit — you have known me for long enough to understand that I need attention."

He turned around and placed himself on top of her, her breath hitched, his legs in between hers as her shirt rode up, thankfully they were under the covers, "You need attention?"

"Yes," she gulped, and he laughed, he leaned down, parting her lips with his own as his hands trailed down her sides, coming to a stop under her ribs, then, he began poking her, making her throw her head back and roar with laughter, "okay, no, no, I don't."

"I see the real fun is in here, brothers," Sigurd announced, walking in the room as the two stopped, their faces flushing red as Nero still pushed at Vit's chest, trying to regain her breath as tears slipped from her eyes from how hard she had laughed, "Hvitserk even managed to make a girl cry in bed."

The two began laughing even more, Vit hid his face in her neck, she caressed his hair as his hands stopped poking and just rested on her sides.

Ubbe came running inside the room, an amused smile on his face as he hoped to find a comic scene, yet his eyes widened at the sight of Hvitserk on top of Nero, the two clearly drunk, "Please tell me you two are wearing clothes under the covers."

Vit chuckled against her neck, making her body shiver with delight, she smiled, her eyes dropping with tiredness, "Maybe."

Ubbe suddenly didn't know what to say, his eyes roamed the two, Nero gave him a weak smile and Sigurd almost laughed at the scene, the oldest brother looked bewildered, "Should — we wait outside?"

"I'm kidding, boys, we are wearing clothes," she laughed, throwing her head back and giving Hvitserk enough space to bit her neck, another shiver crossed her spine.

"Wouldn't be for long," he whispered into her ear and she bit her lip, restraining herself from moaning at his words.

The girl was a mess of lust under him and he could now sense it, he kissed his bite and flipped his body off her.

Nero barely thought of the youngest Ragnarsson, her mind consumed with thoughts of the man who lied next to her.

She turned to face him, almost gasping when she noticed her bite on his neck, she trailed with softly, and he almost groaned. Why did his brothers arrive so early?

Ivar crawled into the room and into his bed, not saying a word. The three older brothers shared looks, knowing of Ivar's secret. Sigurd held in a laugh.

"For a moment at the feast, I thought Halfdan and Harald would fight for your hand," Ubbe mused, quickly coming up with a subject and laying down as he eyed the girl. He couldn't make any conclusions from the sight, yet he felt happy and scared for Hvitserk, he feared Ivar would do something, anything.

"Maybe I'll marry Harald, be the queen of Norway!" she laughed, moving to her side just as Hvitserk's hand held onto her waist pulling her back flush against his chest, she gasped at the sudden movement.

"I'm not quite sure I would allow," he replied smugly, his cockiness evident in his voice as Ubbe almost stood up from his bed in surprise at his brother's words, "I won't share."

Nero smirked, darkness covering the room as the oldest brother blew off the candles. She rocked her hips in order to make herself more comfortable, completely ignoring how Vit held his breath for a brief moment before pulling her hips closer to his, "Thankfully, I am too tired to argue."

The brothers laughed at her come back, except for Ivar, who remained awfully quiet. Nero closed her eyes and soon enough she was asleep.