NOVEL NEXT Chapter 12: Lone Viking
Rebekah lay in her bed uninterested in going out for the fifth day in a row. It had been nearly two weeks since Thorfinn had left to go west and with every day that passed by she worried for him; she hoped to avoid her family as something on her body was becoming noticeable, her belly had started to grow and swell. She knew this would happen eventually when her moon blood did not come, and in truth, she was happy about it, but she feared what her father and mother might do. To her, to Thorfinn, but especially to the baby.
'Maybe I can hide the truth from them,' she thought to herself as she traced her stomach with her fingers thinking of the life that was growing inside her. A smile grew on her face when she thought about it, she hoped that Thorfinn would be back soon with much wealth, wealth enough to convince her father to let them marry. Her hand went from her stomach to between her legs; her arousal was dripping profusely, her entire groin area was soaked, and she needed Thorfinn's touch once more. No matter how much she touched herself she couldn't bring herself to the same release that Thorfinn could.
"Thorfinn..." she whispered as she ran her finger across her swollen nub, the pleasure she felt from it was intense and a bit of her love nectar squirted out of her making her curl her feet against the bed. She thought of him above her thrusting his hard manhood into her whole while he held her close, she imagined herself serving him on her knees and pleasuring him with her mouth. While she imagined this she continued to rub herself, the pleasure she felt was building up, with her other hand she grabbed her sensitive breasts, squeezing them and imagining it was Thorfinns hand.
She reached the peak of her pleasure, but as she was going to push herself over she found herself unable to find release. She rubbed faster and faster, she even pushed a finger inside of her and tried a second one, but wasn't able to fit it inside her tight hole.
She couldn't do it, she was unable to achieve release. She slumped onto her bed spreading her arms out as she breathed heavily, a sheen of sweat covering her body. A large wet patch covered her bed and nightgown making her sticky and uncomfortable, she'd need to get up and wash, but the paranoia of anyone seeing her unclothed stopped her.
*Knock*
*Knock*
"Give me a moment!" She said in a panic as she brushed her hair and put a thicker dress over her nightgown. She then quickly went over to the door and opened it just to be greeted by her brother Elijah.
"Rebekah, are you well?" Elijah asked with concern on his face, she had stayed inside and taken her meals in her room for five days now, he knew that she had not taken Thorfinns departure well, but he sensed there might be more to it.
"I am fine Elijah, just a little under the weather," She replied, and it was true Rebekah did look flushed and sweaty.
"I see... I was coming to ask if you'd like to come to the harbour, a lone ship he'd been spotted, we believe it to be Ragnar and his crew," Elijah stated.
"Thorfinn!" She said with excitement in her eyes and a wide smile on her face. She quickly put on some more layers before practically dragging Elijah out of her room. "Rebekah calm down, the boat will be there by the time we arrive," Elijah said with a small smile on his face. In truth he looked forward to Thorfinn returning, when he had first started training him he thought that they would be going east together in the summer raids, but he was told by Thorfinn a month into his stay that he planned to sail west with Ragnar. 'A fool's errand,' he remembered calling it, but at the time he did not try convince him to otherwise as he did not care if he wanted to throw his life away.
However that changed after he saved his and Niklaus's life on Hesteins farm, he tried multiple times to convince him not to go west, but he would not listen. While it was true there was not much wealth to be had east it was known and a lot safer than what he planned to do. He felt relieved when he heard a lone boat come into the bay, he had come to see Thorfinn as a friend and he admired the resolve the boy had to achieve his dreams. He just hoped he wasn't injured or dead.
"Henrik come come!" Rebekah said to her younger brother who was in the main hall as she grabbed his hand.
"Where?" He asked as he dropped his toy sword and let Rebekah drag him away.
"A ship has returned carrying plunder from the west! Do you not wish to see?" She said with excitement on her face. Henrik's face soon mirrored her own and he enthusiastically followed her out of the house with Elijah behind them. They all burst out of the Mikaelson Longhouse excitedly as they laughed and skipped —with the exception of Elijah who just walked behind them.
"Where are you all going Elijah?"
Elijah turned and saw his mother walking towards him with a basket in her hand containing various herbs and the like. "We are going to the dock, I believe Thorfinn has returned and wishes to see if the plunder he spoke of is real," He replied.
Esther frowned "Be careful Elijah, your father would prefer our family not associate with Thorfinn anymore," she told him. Luckily Rebekah and Henrik were already at the wall to their land so she did not hear what her mother had said.
Elijah shook his head in disbelief "Is this about the land dispute? If Father wishes to blame someone then he can blame me, I failed in my task and Thorfinn saved us," he said bluntly.
"If anything father should reward him as if Thorfinn hadn't been there he'd find himself with two fewer sons," he continued.
"I agree with you Elijah, which is why I declined when your father asked me to curse the land," Esther replied while putting her arm on his own.
"Then why say such things?" He asked.
"For Thorfinns benefit, he is a good boy and does not deserve Mikaels wroth, your father has not forgotten what has happened, he will have what he sees as revenge," Esther warned Elijah.
"You have not said two words to him since he came to our home, what knowledge have you of his character," Elijah asked with a humourless chuckle.
"He was a stranger to us, he lived in our home for months, Mikael often leaves pouches of silver in the main hall as a habit, any other boy his age might've tried to sneak a few for himself, I know Kol and Henrik have, but not him, he has not done anything to negatively affect our family and he even saved you and Niklaus. He has more than earned my approval," Esther explained shocking Elijah as she did. He had not expected his mother to be as observant as she was, in truth Elijah had searched his room the first couple of weeks he was there to check for stolen items. As a wealthy family, they needed to be careful for those they took into their home.
"Thorfinn has his own land, his own home, it will be better for all if he stays there," Esther said as she caressed Elijah's face. Elijah reluctantly nodded and then turned on his heels walking back to Rebekah and Henrik.
"What did mother want?" Rebekah asked as the gate was held open for them by a guard.
"Just to tell us to be back in time for supper," Elijah replied as he put his hands on his sibling's backs and guided them towards the docks —hoping to avoid more questions. Rebekah thought it weird as the answer Elijah gave did not match the look on his face; while most would look at him and think him to have a stoic expression at all times, those who knew him well could always tell how he was feeling, and Rebekah could see that he was worried about something.
She decided to let it go as getting information out of Elijah that he did not wish to share was like getting water from a stone. The whole journey to the docks Henrik excitedly asked both of them where they thought the ship was going to, though he didn't let them answer and was happy to interrupt them with answers of his own "Muspelheim? No! Alfheim! Could they have swirled to Asgard!" He asked excitedly. Rebekah giggled and played along with him telling him made-up stories of their possible adventures.
They eventually reached a gathering of people crowding the docks as the ship rowed into the harbour. At the edge stood Niklaus who seemed to be just as interested as everyone else about what this ship was —as he did not know about Thorfinns raid. "Brother," Elijah said as he clapped his hand on Niklaus' back. The man turned around surprised at the sudden appearance of his siblings but happy nonetheless.
"Elijah... rumours say that this is Ragnar's ship, that he sailed west, but I think it must be a trader," Niklaus commented.
Elijah smiled "Then let us go and find out," he said.
He then turned to his younger siblings "Hold onto our clothing and don't let go," he instructed as they pushed their way through the crowd drawing grunts of annoyance, though they quickly quietened when they realised who was pushing them. Once they got to the front they realised that it was indeed Ragnar and his crew, they jumped off the boat with wide smiles on their face "We have sailed west, and brought home great treasure!!!" He shouted drawing a great cheer from the crowd.
"Gods I can't believe the man was right," Niklaus said with a shake of his head.
"Regretting not joining his crew," Elijah asked with a small grin.
Niklaus chuckled "A bit yes," he replied.
"There's always next time brother," he said slapping him on the back.
Rebekah ignored their banter and instead inspected every ounce of the ship looking for her love. Both her heart and loins burned for him, and knowing he was close by made her rub her thighs together, except she couldn't find him "No..." she whispered as she put a hand to her mouth.
"No no no no," she said a little louder as she shook her head in disbelief. Elijah looked down at his sister and then back up at the boat, he was busy looking at the treasure and did not notice he couldn't see Thorfinn. "Shit..." he said silently before leaning down next to Rebekah.
"Calm down, there might be an explanation," he said before walking down the dock avoiding other members of the crew who were bringing chests of gold and silver down the walkway.
"Ragnar," Elijah called out.
Ragnar who was speaking to his brother and Floki turned to see Elijah coming towards him. "Elijah, is there something I can do to help you?" He asked respectfully, they did not know each other and had only spoken a few words to each other over the years.
"Thorfinn... did he fall in battle?" Elijah asked.
Ragnar shook his head before stepping close to Elijah "He wanted to stay for a while longer, he did not feel satisfied with the battle we fought and wanted more," he explained
Elijah sighed deeply as he expected this sort of behaviour from him "Apart from that he is well?"
Ragnar nodded "Yes and he did good in battle, you trained him well," he replied.
But before Elijah could reply another man walked up to them and interrupted them nearly pushing Elijah out of the way.
Ragnar laughed and Floki giggled when he saw the man "Knut you're late, I'm sorry but the boat left without you."
Knut looked displeased but did his best to remain stoic "Earl Haraldson has asked you and your crew to attend him in the Great Hall," he said before turning around and leaving.
Ragnar with a smile on his face slapped Elijah on the shoulder "It seems like I've been summoned," he said before walking down the dock.
Elijah walked back to his sister and guided her away from the dispersing crowd. "Thorfinn is alive," he whispered to her.
Rebekah almost fell to her knees and cried her praises out to the gods, a moment ago she felt so hopeless and didn't know what she would do, but now she knew he was alive. "Where is he?" She asked as she wiped her tears away.
"Ragnar said he decided to stay, he was unsatisfied with the battle he had and wanted more," Elijah replied.
"He is probably off on an adventure."
———————————————————-
"ODIN!!!" Thorfinn shouted as he brought his axe down on a man who had attempted to stab him with a pitchfork, the man screamed out in pain as Thorfinn had broken his sternum with his strike and he was struggling to breathe; he fell to the ground where Thorfinn lifted his shield and slammed it into his chest again caving it in fully. Thorfinn had been travelling for near enough a week and this was the first village he had come across. Well, calling it a village would be too generous, it was likely that it was owned by one man who had multiple families live there and farm the land.
He had come across this man next to a building that looked like a barn and ambushed him, though he had given him ample warning by yelling out. He watched as blood filled the man's mouth and erupted from his lips, he reached down touching his mouth and smearing the blood under his eyes.
Hearing a commotion a younger man who was probably this man's son came out of the barn. He looked at Thorfinn with terror and then looked down at his father who was choking on his blood.
"Run rabbit," Thorfinn said in their language.
The boy screamed and ran into the centre of their little hamlet screaming for someone to help him, Thorfinn just continued walking at a normal pace with an axe banging on his shield and a bloodthirsty smile on his face.
"What's all the screaming for lad," one of the older men asked as he came out of his house with two other men who were his sons.
"A devil has come! He killed my father! We are doomed!" He shouted in a panic falling over himself to get away.
The three men looked and saw Thorfinn turn a corner. Apart from the sword and shield and blood smeared across his face, he looked like a normal boy to the three of them. "Come on lad, best you drop those before you hurt yourself!" The old man yelled thinking he was dealing with a normal child. He walked closer to Thorfinn intent on taking the axe and shield away from him.
"Pa I don't think that's-" One of his sons tried to say.
"Nonsense just go get the lord, see if we can figure out what's happening," The old man said as he turned around to look at his son, but as he turned back he saw Thorfinn was much closer and was already bringing his axe down on him.
*Thunk*
The old man mumbled incoherently as he tried to make sense of the fact there was an axe sticking out of his head. Thorfinn laughed as he kicked him to the ground "Fight! You are as boring as the Christians!" Thorfinn shouted as he ripped his axe from the man's head.
"Go get the lord!" The bigger brother said before charging at Thorfinn.
"Yes!" Thorfinn exclaimed as he would finally be getting a fight out of someone. The brother attempted to use his bigger size to overpower Thorfinn; Thorfinn even threw down his axe and shield and got into a wrestling stance. Wrestling was one of his favourite pastimes and he and Gyda did it long before Elijah showed him how to do it properly.
The brother grabbed Thorfinn, but was surprised by the strength he showed, and was even more surprised when he was out on his back. He tried to get up but a punch connected to his nose sent him back to the ground "I trained for months because I feared this place would be full of warriors, where are they?" Thorfinn said as he mounted him and started delivering punch after punch; the brother's face became a bloody mess as he choked on his own blood and swallowed his teeth.
*Twang*
Thorfinn quickly looked up and barely caught the arrow that would've hit his neck. He looked over and saw the younger brother had a bow and quiver, Thorfinn started to laugh as the brother tried to draw an arrow with shaky arms.
*Squelch*
Thorfinn stabbed the arrow into the man beneath him "NOOO!" The archer shouted out as tears fell down his eyes. Thorfinn looked down and watched as the man went limp as blood poured from his throat "Why did you not fire again? If you were a second quicker you might've saved your brother, or better yet why did your god not protect him?" Thorfinn asked as he laughed at the boy trying to draw an arrow. He stood up from the corpse beneath him and picked up his axe, starting to walk towards the archer who had an arrow nocked.
*Twang*
Thorfinn avoided the first arrow by tilting his body to the side. "How did you miss? I am right here," he said with a laugh as he continued walking. The younger brother started walking back as he nocked another arrow.
*Twang*
Thorfinn hit the arrow out of the air with his axe and a few moments later he was right next to the man who tried to hit him with the bow; Thorfinn thrust the head of his axe into his throat making him choke and lean forward "You are not used to pain are you?" Thorfinn said as he watched him, he had tears in his eyes and fear on his face.
Thorfinn sighed before grabbing his head and bringing his knee up to his nose. "Your god wants you to be weak and helpless, I do not understand this," he said as he slit the man's throat with his axe.
He then stepped over the corpse and kicked the door open to the house. He looked around throwing things to the floor that didn't interest him, looking for any treasures but he found none.
*Creak*
Thorfinn looked over to the bedroom area and walked over seeing nothing but a bed. Thorfinn slowly crept over to the bed and hooked his axe underneath before yanking it up and revealing a girl underneath. She looked to be a few winters older than himself, she was pretty and had blonde hair —something Thorfinn liked. She backed up away from him curling in on himself. 'It's a shame I have nowhere to take slaves,' he thought to himself as he prepared to kill her.
"Please no! No! I can help I can help," she pleaded as she backed away.
Thorfinn looked at her with a bored expression. His gaze travelled across her body, her hips were wide but her chest was small, and her pretty face was the best asset she had. "How could you help me?" He asked putting his axe under her chin.
"I-I know w-where my father's silver is," she said in a panic closing her eyes as she thought he would kill her anyway.
Thorfinn stood up "Go! Show me," he shouted at her and she quickly scrambled across the ground over to one of the floorboards in the room. With shaky hands, she removed the floorboards and presented the pouch to him with her clasped hands. Thorfinn ripped it out of her hands before opening it and looking inside, a dozen silver coins as well as a silver cross with a red gem embedded in it.
He put it away before looking at the girl before him and pulling her up by the throat. "Do you know about the surrounding lands?" He asked and she nodded rapidly.
Thorfinn smiled "Good, you have bought your life," he said before placing a kiss on her lips, one she struggled against. She stopped struggling when she felt the coldness of his blade against her skin and let his tongue slip into her mouth.
"Come out devil!"
A voice shouted making Thorfinn detach his lips from her and throw her back against the wall where she collapsed on the ground. Thorfinn walked out of the house grabbing a cup of ale as he did, when he sipped it he spat it out "Barely even ale, seems like water," he said before throwing the cup against the wall and walking outside.
Outside he saw a dark-haired man with a bushy beard with a sword and shield, next to him was a smaller boy around Thorfinns age who also had a sword and shield, though it looked like he was struggling to carry the shield even if it was a little smaller.
"Begone from my land vile demon!" He said with an angry expression on his face.
"I don't think I will, I like this land, I think I'll stay," he said with a smile as he approached the man.
"Shall I kill your son last or would you prefer to watch?" Thorfinn asked as he pointed his axe at his son.
"RAH!!!" The man charged at him swinging his sword as he approached. Though it was an uncoordinated swing and Thorfinn barely needed to move to avoid it, he grabbed his axe with box hands before pummelling his face with the butt of it.
He growled in pain before wildly swinging, Thorfinn hopped back before using his foot to launch him towards the man. He barged him sending him tumbling across the mud, at this point the boy charged against him which Thorfinn found admirable, he could see that the boy was afraid, but he still charged in defence of his father.
Though the thrust of his sword was weak with no real force behind it. Thorfinn parried it before grabbing the edge of his shield and smashing it against the boy's face, he fell to the ground holding his nose as he dropped his weapons. "Leave my boy alone demon!" The man shouted as he stood up from the mud.
Thorfinn charged at him swinging his axe down to his shield almost ripping it from his grip. The man barely had enough time to attack as Thorfinn aggressively swung his axe. Thorfinn then kicked his kneecap making the man scream in pain as he knelt to the ground. Thorfinn struck him in the head with his axe making him drop his weapons and fall to the ground.
He let out a long breath as he turned around and looked at the young boy. He felt better, better than he had after attacking that Monastery, but he still hoped that there would be more of a challenge. It seemed the owner of this land was the only one with any real experience, though one of them did have experience with a bow —perhaps he hunted.
"Boy," Thorfinn said as he looked down at the young boy.
"Are there any more men here?" He asked.
The boy shook his head repeatedly as he slowly backed away from him. "Then I suppose this land belongs to me," he said with a chuckle as he got ready to kill him.
"NO!!!"
"MAMA!"
Thorfinn looked up as he saw two red-headed women run towards the boy, one was older and the boy's mother and the other looked to be an older sister. The mother sank to her knees and held her son in her arms trying to protect him from Thorfinn.
"Please! Not my son! Leave my children be demon and you can have my soul!" The woman cried.
Thorfinn stood there watching them as he held his axe on his shoulder. "You Christians say the strangest of things," he said as he knelt in front of them making the daughter weep loudly. Thorfinn had been sleeping roughly for a whole week, his face was covered in dirt and grime and now blood. When he had smashed open their heads with his axe it covered his face with their blood making him look like a demon to them.
"Do you understand me, woman?" Thorfinn asked as he still wasn't sure how well he spoke the language.
The woman nodded as she stroked her son's hair "Show me your man's treasure, bathe me, feed me and take care of my needs and I will not hurt your family, then in perhaps a few days you will not see me again."
"Does that sound agreeable to you," he asked as he traced his bloody axe up her dress.
"Yes! Yes! I agree to your terms!" The woman said feeling relief that her son might live.
"If you lie to me while I stay here I will kill your children and force their blood down your throat," Thorfinn whispered to her as he stood up almost making him throw up.
"Just a moment," Thorfinn said before he walked back to the house he was just in —stepping on her husband's corpse as he did. A few moments later he dragged out the other girl who had been left in the house, she didn't struggle and just allowed herself to be pulled.
"Show me to your home," he commanded them.
...
Thorfinn looked around, the home wasn't very different from the houses they had in Kattegat, though this would've been considered one of the richer homes as it had a stone foundation. "Where are all the stone buildings, the ones made by dwarves?" Thorfinn asked as he looked around.
"We have none, my Lord, they were created by giants who lived here long before us," The older red-headed woman replied.
Thorfinn hummed as he put his possessions down "What are your names, all of you."
"I am Frida and that is my daughter Aelfrida, that is my son Wilfred," Frida introduced them all.
Thorfinn looked to the one who had not spoken. "I am Eowyn, Lord," she said quietly.
"Frida make me food, boy come here," Thorfinn said before punching him in the face and knocking him out.
"NO!" Frida screamed as she tried to go to her son by Thorfinn pushed her away.
"Stop screaming, if only put him to sleep, Eowyn tie him up," he commanded and she did so.
"Why!" Frida said as she wept.
Thorfinn laughed "Did you not see the way he looked at me? He would've tried to kill me the first opportunity he had," he explained. Once Eowyn had tied him up Thorfinn grabbed him and dragged him outside throwing him into a shed attached to the house. "Aelfrida go gather some water, Eowyn find a large tub for me to bathe in," he instructed and they followed his orders without hesitation, all that ran through their minds was the savage way he had killed all the men in their little hamlet and the fear that he would do it to them.
Thorfinn looked to Frida who was standing at a wooden counter preparing food. She was a beauty, she had wide hips and large breasts with hair made of fire, now that his blood had cooled from fighting he found it all surged to one place. He grabbed her by the hair pulling her head back "I have never had a Christian woman before, I wonder how different you'll feel," he said to her making her shiver.
"Y-You're a boy!" She stuttered out unable to believe one so young would have such carnal desires.
Thorfinn laughed "If I am a boy then you have never met a man in your life," he said referring to the corpses outside.
He let go of her hair and let her get bad to work as he stripped himself of his filthy clothes. Once the girls had returned and Aelfrida had filled the bath with water he stood near it, his manhood was close to both girls as they were on their knees by the tub "Which one of you will wash me and which one of you will wash my clothes," Thorfinn asked.
"I will wash you, lord," Eowyn said immediately, Aelfrida looked relieved beyond belief and hurried away to get started on his clothing.
Thorfinn stepped into the tub not even flinching at the coldness of the water. He sunk into it and sighed in contentment at the feeling of finally washing. Eowyn tentatively brought up the cloth she had to his skin and started washing his back, Thorfinn chuckled "I don't need you to wash me, I just want to see who was the smarter out of the two of you," Thorfinn said as he took the rag from her hands.
"L-Lord," she said nervously as she knelt beside the tub looking at her knees.
"You don't want to wash me, but you believe doing it will better your chances of survival," Thorfinn said as he leaned his chin on the tub, his cold blue eyes staring intently at her.
"While Aelfrida thinks she has offered you up as a sacrifice, she's not very smart," Thorfinn said with a grin.
"Look at me," He said to her and she slowly tilted her head up until she was making eye contact with him.
"I'll give you a choice the others won't have, do you want me to use your for your mind or your body?" he asked.
Eowyn gripped her dress tightly trying not to let her fear her the better of her "You can have either..." she forced out with a blank expression.
Thorfinn smiled, and with the blood splattered across his face, he looked even more malicious than he did before. "Leave me," he said, and she couldn't get out of there fast enough, nearly tripping over herself as she did and letting her tears fall as she got somewhere safer.
Thorfinn washed the blood and dirt out of his face and hair, feeling like a new man as he did. After finishing up in the tub he stepped out and used a linen sheet to dry himself. As he walked back into the main room the girls finally got a look at him for the first time and they all started to cry out in fear, even Eowyn. He was the most handsome man they had ever seen, with Snow White hair and a face so beautiful he could only be an Angel, but based on the savagery they had seen today it could only be one specific Angel. Lucifer, The Devil himself.
All the women started to pray "Please god deliver us from evil, deliver us from the devil that has entered our home," they all whispered, but they flinched as the floorboards creaked and he stepped closer.
"Your god watched as I killed your men, your god will not help you, he is dead, nailed to a cross, I saw this," Thorfinn said as he grabbed Aelfrida.
"My clothes woman?" He asked and she pointed over to the fire where they dried.
"I do not know what this devil is, tell me," Thorfinn asked as he took a seat.
"The devil is the evil incarnate, he opposed god and was cast down from heaven, and now he exists to tempt men and women away from the path of righteousness," Frida said as she held the cross around her neck.
Thorfinn nodded "What is righteousness?" He asked.
Frida looked at him with shock, for the man before her to not know these things "It is living a life that is pleasing to god," she stated.
Thorfinn smiled "Ahhh, we have this also, I have pleased many gods today with my actions."
"There is only one god!" Aelfrida shouted but quickly put a hand over her mouth.
They were all convinced that Satan had come into their home and was trying to take their souls to hell. Though Eowyn wasn't entirely convinced, at the moment she found it hard to think clearly.
Thorfinn waved her off "Bring me the food," he said leaning forward —still only wearing a linen cloth around his waist.
They brought him chicken and potatoes which he ate heartily as they tasted a lot better than the dried meat he had been eating the past week. He drank from a cup of stronger ale they had stored and burped as he slammed it down. He then stood up and grabbed Frida by the hand and dragged her off to the bedroom while her daughter cried and Eowyn comforted her.
(AN: So our first divergence from Canon, Thorfinn has attacked his first hamlet and will be doing it until he finds the battle he craves. The reason I dropped short of this chapter is to give you a taste of what you'll be expecting if you want these kinds of graphical scenes, just in case some of you change your mind, if not it'll be at the start of the next chapter. I hope you enjoy this)
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