"I love you."

Once those words were out in the open, I could not take them back. I could not snatch them out of the air and place them back in my mouth like they were never said. They were out and I had to face the consequences of those three words that held so much definition, feeling, and future.

Yet I did not wish to do so.

I loved Aderick Dahlsten. Who would have thought! The children of two rival clans together at the will of their own minds- not forced like I had thought initially.

This man, this brutal Viking warrior was the one to capture my mind and seduce my body to become completely his.

This brute that made me feel so many emotions after going numb, bringing me back from the dead and for that, I would forever be indebted to him. With his caring ways, loving words, and heated touches, there was no doubt how he won me over.

As I stared down into those mesmerizing sable eyes that swirled with numerous emotions, I realized my heart was full.

Scarred, but full.

I released a breath as the shock and warmth finally settled into his eyes. A flash of hesitancy went through me but quickly vanished as I watched recognition and tenderness swarm those dark brown eyes. I could see tawny flecks sprinkled sparsely in his irises, making me realize how beautiful his eyes were. That long white scar of his crinkled as he beamed with joy, the whiteness of his teeth shining brightly. Aderick let out a rumbling growl before rising up, our chests flush to one another to look me directly in the eye. His thumbs traced my cheeks before he leaned in and crushed his lips against mine.

Closing my eyes, I embraced the red hot passion racing through my blood and the energy that heated his touch against my flesh. Unlike his slow kisses that have transpired before, this kiss was unlike all the others.

'Twas a kiss of acceptance, love, and fiery passion. I believed as though I knew exactly how Aderick felt in this moment, the strong rise of emotion in him enough to realize that I did not need him to reciprocate the words.

After several moments of unrelenting kissing, I had to pull away before I blacked out from the lack of air. I opened my eyes to gaze at him, watching as he kept his eyes shut tightly and breathed hard from our passionate bussing. Some women may be turned away from his harsh features and that long scar, but that was what first pulled me toward him, that and his powerful aura. My fingertips grazed his facial hair that sprinkled along his jaw, craving the friction against my skin. I ran a hand through his braided hair to the bun that held his black hair away from his angular face. I pulled his hair hard enough to pull his face up towards mine, ready to start kissing those damning magical lips again until I could not breathe.

He let out a chuckle before responding to my hungry attack of his lips. His tongue swiped against my lower lip before he bit down, and I nearly released a sharp hiss at the sudden pain, but it turned into a deep moan as he sucked my lip into his mouth.

"By the gods, I love you so much," Aderick whispered out into the air as he continued to nibble on my lower lip.

The feeling love and desire only continued to spread, until it filled my entire being.

I pulled away, freezing, thinking about what I heard. His brow furrowed when I stopped kissing him and his bottom lip began twitching into a pout.

A giggle left my throat at his forlorned expression, but I gently caressed my thumb over his swollen bottom lip.

"Did you just say you loved me?" I murmured.

"Ja. I have loved you for a long time now, but I wanted to wait for you to say it. I knew if I said those words first, I would unknowingly make you pressured into saying it back. I wanted to let you say it first, for you to take your time, nothing around us pressuring you into saying those words. No matter how long, I would have waited for you to say those words," He let out a chuckle. "Unless it would take years...then I would have said it first. "

I smiled at his thoughtfulness. I could not help but imagine the wedding that would soon partake...if only it were sooner. I let out a disappointed sigh.

"What, my little wildcat?" He murmured into my ear, his warm breath dancing against my earlobe.

I shivered before responding with a slight shrug. "I was thinking about how long the wedding seemed from now."

Aderick pulled his head away from laying against my throat. His eyes narrowed as he considered my words. His head tilted in thought before he let out a big grin.

"We can have the wedding sooner. I do not see why not."

I shook my head. "But there is so much to prepare, the food and decorating..." I trailed off, mentally making lists of what had still yet to be done or started for the wedding that was planned at the end of the month. I only had an inkling of how to plan a wedding, but according to Ingrid this would be extravagant and the biggest one yet.

Aderick snorted. "I do not care about that - though 'tis custom that our weddings are large and long, but ours would be even more so with me being the Jarl. Just leave it to Ingrid and the other women and they shall have it all ready within a fortnight."

I eventually nodded after debating it. "A fortnight? Okay, I shall talk to Ingrid and the other women later today once I get off of you."

As soon as I spoke my eyes widened and my mouth dropped with a gasp. I whirled around and much to my gratefulness, Balder and Ragnar were gone from the hall. We were the only souls in the unusually quiet food hall. Thinking that they watched me attack Aderick and our kissing soon after, my entire face flushed a dark red with embarrassment. I did not even think about them when I jumped into Aderick's arms and knocked him to the ground. Oh Odin, what was I thinking?

I let out a groan and buried my face in Aderick's neck, willing my humiliation to stop its high climb to an all-time high.

"How long have they been gone?" I asked quietly, my words muffled by my face pressed against his throat.

He snorted aloud in amusement, and I had to urge to smack him. This was not funny."Long before you attacked me. They knew we needed privacy."

I groaned again, but with thankfulness, throwing my arms around his neck. Thank the gods. I did not need other people to watch us in our private and intimate moments. Even though I knew that Aderick would not mind if we did things out in public, out in the open for all to see his claim and possession over me. That horny pig.

Finally, I dragged myself away from the warmth of him. "I need to find Ingrid and the others...especially talk to Ingrid and Laila about the dress and my kransen."

Aderick grinned with a glint twinkling in those eyes, his scar around his mouth twisting and rising with his smile. "Do you know what this means? In a fortnight, you shall be completely mine, and I yours. Then I have an entire week to ravish you in our chambers, without any distractions or disruptions, just the two of us." His soft whisper heated my blood and I shifted uncomfortably on top of him.

How was it that it was only a few words and I was ready to succumb to his touch until he had me moaning in pleasure. This man was unlike any other.

With those heated words lingering in my ears, he rose, pulling me up with him. He smirked and just before he left the hall, a large hand grazed my breast, making me let out a moan at the sensitivity and sparks I felt.

Once the doors closed behind him, I gritted my teeth and shook my head at his teasing.

I was going to get him back for that and get him good.

*.*.*

Later that day I was with Ingrid and a few of the other women preparing the meal in the for the wedding within a fortnight. Varieties of meats were skinned and being hung to dry while others were being marinated in ale, sweets were being made now by the women in the room. Ingrid and I pitched in help when needed, but simply oversaw all the food and drinks being made in the hot room.

The Dahlsten clan was one of the largest clans in the land, nearly a thousand people lived amongst the mountains, valleys, and the sea. The last Jarl of the Dahlsten clan, Jarl Larse or Aderick's father, nearly dominated the entire land of Norway, only the southern and western portion of the country was ruled by other clans. Well, now Aderick nearly owned the entire country. The southern part would fall under his rule once we married, but I chose to still have partial ownership of my homeland. It had been in control by my family for generations, and I would not stop that tradition. I knew my father and brothers would wish it to be so.

"Have you thought about what you wished to use for your kransen?" Ingrid asked as we finally left the room, walking through the hallways aimlessly.

I shook my head. My bridal kransen needed to be completely different than my maiden one, that I knew. I had worn Mamma's maiden kransen from when she was a young woman. 'Twas the most beautiful thing I have ever seen with its dainty clover leaves, thin oak branches, and a green silk strand is woven into a beautiful crown. It was simple but beautiful. I figured it was burned in the fire, sadly, but I could not marry Aderick without a bridal crown. That was one of the most important elements in a wedding.

"The one I wore had colors of our clan; green. It had clover leaves, silk strands, and oak branches...it was simple but I loved it. But 'tis gone now." I twirled my fingers around the laces of my dress, my eyes downcast.

"Hey," Ingrid said, catching my attention. I hardly noticed that we were now outside the manor. She tilted my chin up with her small fingers, her dark eyes shining with understanding. "I am sure it was the most beautiful kransen made. There shall never be another crown like it, but I am determined to try. This bridal kransen shall be the most stunning bridal crown to be made yet!"

Ingrid's gaze softened. "Britta, you must know that we shall never replace your family, nor that we wish to. Your family will forever be yours, but you are gaining another that loves you just the same. I hope you know that."

Her smile was the same one that greeted me the day I arrived here at the manor what seemed so long ago. Hopeful and caring. That was one of the things I admired about Ingrid, she always looked on the bright side of things, and never failed to be kind to others. I wrapped my arms around her in a hug. She automatically responded, hugging me tightly to her little body.

After several moments, she pulled away with a bright smile on her face. Her arm linked with mine as we continued walking again. The sun on my face and the crisp breeze cutting from the mountains was soothing. The constant buzz of nature and people chatting in the village was something a comfort. I was getting accustomed to stopping to meet everyone or saying hello, it seemed as though I was a popular person in the village and everyone wished to talk to me.

We stopped and said hello to everyone that we passed, and I made sure to stop and give a hug to Alva who stood to the side watching me with hesitant eyes. Her giggles brightened my day when I snagged a wildflower and placed it behind her little ear. She surprisingly lunged at me and gave me a big hug, her short arms barely able to wrap around my neck.

Little Alva suddenly made me start thinking of my own future children. Would they look like me, with my hazel eyes and blonde locks? Or have Aderick's dark complexion with black hair and nearly black eyes?

I inwardly smiled at the image that popped into my mind, with a little dark haired boy with bright eyes and an even younger girl with dark eyes and my blonde hair. They would beautiful either way, in my eyes.

I finally released Alva to let her play with the other kids in the village. She ran away with a wave, promising to play with me later.

Walking back towards where Ingrid stood to talk with a young woman in a blue dress holding a basket full of food, I peered curiously at this unfamiliar face. She was pretty with long wavy light brown hair and familiar golden eyes. Freckles were sprinkled over her face and exposed arms, contrasting against her pale skin. Ingrid and this woman laughed at something just before I reached Ingrid's side.

"Britta, meet my cousin, Hilde. She is very talented with weddings and making kransens, I was just telling her how it would be funny if we made Aderick a groom crown to wear. I think he may do it just for you, he would do anything for you. Hilde's father and Aderick's and my mother were siblings, she is Balder's sister." Ingrid's eyes darkened slightly and her lips pursed.

The familiar golden irises clicked in my mind where I had seen them before. That unique shade of Hilde's eyes was identical to Balder. They had the same coloring. But Hilde seemed more reserved than Balder's friendly personality.

Catching Ingrid's words just before that, I kept my features smooth even though my brow itched to furrow into a confused frown. A curious buzz sparked through me at the mention of Aderick's mother and Ingrid's melancholy response. Since I have been here, he had not once mentioned his mother. Almost as if she never existed. Strange. Something must have happened to her, but what?

Hilde smiled at her cousin's words. I could detect a few similarities between the two cousins, but I did not see any with Aderick. He must have gained all of his sharp features from his father.

"'Tis nice to finally meet you, Britta. I have heard much about you from Ingrid. She hardly is ever quiet, so I tend to be kept up on what is going on in the manor. I hope you shall let me make your kransen for the wedding. It would be an honor." Hilde spoke quietly, brushing a stray piece of hair away from her face as the breeze picked up.

I smiled gratefully. "Ja, that would be wonderful! Perchance I could come to your home soon to discuss the details?"

Hilde simply nodded, not voicing her response. I felt as though Hilde was an observer that liked to watch everyone and the action before involving herself...a blatant contrast to Ingrid's constant chatter.

"Britta and I are on a walk, would you like to join, Hilde?" Ingrid asked, her tone seemingly deafening compared to her kin's soft voice.

Hilde swallowed nervously before shaking her head. "Nei, I have to work on a few things and clean my home. Balder showed up last night and 'tis a mess now. You know how he gets," She said with a tilt of her mouth.

Ingrid rolled her eyes. "Great Odin, ja I do. He makes a mess wherever he goes. If you are sure?"

Hilde nodded, her gold eyes flashing to mine. "Ja. I shall talk to you later, Ingrid and Britta. Farvel." She turned and walked away from us without another glance.

"She is very shy around new people, do not take it to heart that she seemed distant," Ingrid explained once we started walking through the shops, stopping here and there to look at items for sale.

I hummed in agreement. "She is the opposite of Balder."

Ingrid let out a soft giggle. "Ja and they are twins. You would not think so by judging their personality."

My eyes widened. Twins? There were more twins in this clan than what my clan had. Twins were rare, once or twice a generation of children. Here it seemed as though every other child was a twin. Dear Odin, I hoped Aderick did not pass on that trait. I do not know if I would be able to handle birthing twins. My skin paled at the thought.

"Was your mother a twin?"

Ingrid nodded, which made me pale even more.

I swallowed hard, letting my breath escape from my nose, thinking of how to ask what was on my mind. I stopped on the path we were walking and turned to walk towards the trees for privacy. Ingrid followed without hesitation, not knowing the delicate conversation that was about to take place. Stopping by a yew tree, I turned to face Ingrid who looked puzzled.

I smiled softly at her, making the blow less harsh. "Ingrid, where is your mother?"

Startled, Ingrid's dark eyes that were so hauntingly similar to Aderick's flashed to mine. They darkened even more but with an aching sadness and pain that mirrored the same emotions in my heart.

Were we more similar than I had thought?

I shook my head and grimaced at the sadness radiating off of Ingrid. "I am sorry, Ingrid, I did not mean to make you upset-"

Ingrid shook her head vehemently. "Nei 'tis alright. I am not surprised that he did not tell you just yet, 'tis a sensitive topic for the both of us. But you deserve to know. Who knows if you accidently say something to him that could make him tick."

Ingrid paused and twirled her fingers together, staring intently at them. This was the longest I have ever heard her quiet, but I was not going to say anything. She finally let out a breath and looked up to stare at me in the eyes, her face sad and cheerless.

"Our father murdered our mother."

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