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The cold wind seeped into the village from the hills like a snake, slithering through the streets and meeting with the winds of the harbor, bringing news winter was upon them. The villagers hustled to finish their tasks quicker now that the sun would set sooner and leave less time to finish their necessary chores.
Thrud or as she was nicknamed, Thru, stood on the porch of the Great Hall and observed the change in pace, a smile on her face. She adored the winter months, the brisk air, the snow that would come and the long nights where she could wander without being watched.
Her eyes moved to where she felt the gaze on her, he sat there on crates and chewed his half eaten apple, his eyes always on her. She rolled her own and marched down the steps, disappearing into the village knowing he couldn't keep up with her.
---
She returned late in the darkness, the sun had set hours ago and the cold set in quickly, the fires roared in the Great Hall as she entered. She glanced around the hall and headed towards a table with a large, burly warrior drinking heartily.
"Thrud!" he shouted with a raised cup and she slid in across from him, taking meat off the center plate. "Where did you get off to tonight, my little petal?" he asked and she cringed with the name spoken.
"I went to the forest," she said and grabbed an empty cup, filling it.
"It is getting too cold to do that, don't you think?" a pretty woman said, seated besides the warrior. She had long plaited blonde hair, tattoos on her face and Thrud studied her quietly.
"It's never cold enough," she replied and the woman sighed with a shake of her head.
"You will die out there one day, Thrud," she warned and Thrud shrugged.
"Then I will go to Valhalla with a smile on my face," she said and the pair fell quiet as Thrud ate.
"He watches you again," the woman spoke and Thrud looked up at her.
"He always watches me," she muttered.
"It is a good thing that you will be married then!" the man across from her exclaimed and Thrud groaned.
"Not again, father," she pleaded and he grinned.
"The Jarl demands it and I won't deny my Jarl," he said and she sighed.
"He is cripple!" she exclaimed. "You are fine with your line ending with me?" she demanded and her father glanced over her shoulder then back at her.
"My lineage will be entwined with Ragnar Lothbrok's, there is no greater glory," he assured and she shook her head. She rose from her seat and finished her drink.
"Then skal to your idiocy," she said and slammed her cup on the table, storming away.
"Thrud!" her mother called out but she never looked back, disappearing from teh Hall to the wilderness again. "She will be mauled by wolves one night," her mother said and her father laughed.
"Thrud? I think it will be the wolves who shall be mauled," he countered. "I worry for her new husband," he said and her mother looked to Prince Ivar, who's attention had followed Thrud out the door.
"I do not think he will have a problem defending himself, I hear he outmatches his brothers in ax and sword," she said and her husband smiled.
"Good, Thrud needs someone to stand up to her instead of cower beneath her boot," he muttered and her mother nodded in agreement, gathering more meat from the platter in front of her.
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She slithered upon him when he was distracted with the raging bonfire for Þorrablot, the first day of Porri where husbands as well as fathers were celebrated by the village. It was also a holiday celebrating Thor and the winter spirit, Thorri.
"Are you envious of the men who are celebrated?" she asked and Ivar looked at her, clearly caught off guard by her arrival. She smiled in victory and he only scowled.
"Why would I be envious of them?" he demanded and she sat down.
"You are neither," she stated and watched as his older brother Ubbe celebrated jovially, a husband as well as a father.
"Soon I shall be," he replied and she looked to him, his gaze was all ready trained on her.
"Husband perhaps but father?" she questioned and shook her head. "That has yet to be proven," she mocked and Ivar studied her.
"There will be only way to find out," he said and reached up, holding her chin in his hand. "Wife," he hissed and she yanked her chin away.
"Wife in title only, not by choice," she reminded.
"You will be grateful to be married to Ivar the Fearless," he promsied and she laughed.
"I am always amazed at how you speak of yourself in the third person, as though you are some god," she stated and Ivar shrugged, a smile on his face.
"Perhaps I am," he said. "And you should be even more honored to be married to me," he said and she rolled her eyes.
"I am burdened to be married to one with such a large ego," she muttered and moved off to seek drink, Ivar's eyes never leaving her.
---
"He hunts me," she whispered, hiding in a feed storage shed and glanced back at her beloved friend Snorri. Snorri smiled in reply and shook his head.
"A woman is usually enchanted by her future husband being so obsessed with her," he replied and she laughed.
"With Ivar? Obsessed? It's worrisome if anything," she replied and moved towards him. She laid herself beside him in the small bales of straw, he draped an arm around her shoulders and kissed her head. "I do not know why my father turned down your offer of marriage," she said and played with his shirt. "At least then he would be assured his daughter would be happy," she sighed and Snorri smiled.
"He wanted to please Jarl Ragnar," he said. "And I do not blame him, if I had known the Prince was my competition, I may not have put my hand in the pot," he said and she looked up at him.
"Am I not worth the battle?" she asked and he smiled, tugging her back down.
"Always, my sweet Thru," he promised and a smile filled her lips, seemingly satisfied.
---
Thru gazed out at the surrounding darkness, the roads dimly lit by torches and when satisfied slipped out of the shed, shutting the door behind her. As she curved around the bend towards her home, the door opened again and Snorri stepped out, tucking his shirt into his pants. Swiftly a blade was at his neck and he stumbled back slightly, Ivar circled him to stand in front of him.
"What were you doing with my wife?" he snarled and Snorri gazed at him.
"She is not your wife yet," he promised and Ivar narrowed his eyes.
"She is promised to me and so she is my property," he rebuked and Snorri studied him quietly.
"I have known Thrud for many years, as long as you and I give you this warning only once, never treat her as your property," he declared and Ivar studied him for a moment longer before dropping the blade to his side.
"How should I treat her then? She does not take to me in any manner," he said and Snorri smiled, a nod of his head.
"Thru is a difficult woman," he agreed. "But she is always worth it," he assured.
"Do you love her?" Ivar asked and Snorri fell quiet for a moment.
"I do," he affirmed.
"Then you are a threat," Ivar surmised and Snorri laughed.
"I can promise you I'm not," he swore. "When I found her suitor was the prince of Kattegat, I backed down, I know my place," he promised and looked back at Ivar. "I only ask that you take care of her," he said and Ivar remained quiet. "Love her as I cannot," he stated.
"She will never love me as she loves you," he said and Snorri laughed.
"I do not think Thru knows what true love is yet," he said. "She only knows the love of youth, we are too young to understand it," he said with a shrug. "Be good to her, Ivar," he pleaded as he held out his hand and Ivar looked to it. At last he slid his hand into Snorri's and the men shook.
"I will," he vowed and Snorri gave him a tight smile before disappearing into the darkness of night, leaving Ivar to figure out what had just occurred.
*End note: Snorri's likeness is based off of Luke Grimes*
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"He will not accept this," Snorri whispered as he held Thrud's face in his hands.
"I do not care, I will not rid myself of this child," she swore and Snorri kissed her, deeper than last.
"I beg of you to do so," he pleaded. "He will not allow this child to live nor you," he spoke and kissed her forehead. "Do as you must but know had this been different, I would have loved this child more than myself," he promised and was gone, disappearing around the door. Thrud stared around the empty stables and shook her head, her eyes filling with tears. At last she emerged from the stable and stopped when she saw Ivar's eyes on her, she shook her head before storming away.
----
She moved around the forest floor seeking the herbs she knew would do the trick and shoving them into the basket at hand. Gathering enough, she returned to the village and entered her home, brewing the tea. She sat herself at the table, holding the steaming cup in her hands and staring into it. She knew how bitter this was going to taste and she knew what events would unfold once she ingested it. Every reminder of her love shared with Snorri would be gone and she would be forced into a loveless marriage with Ivar.
----
She was in bed for three days recovering, unable to move the first, the second she rested and the third she mourned. She had lost a child that would have been so loved by both parents but a child that would not be allowed to live if Ivar found out.
When at last she emerged, her eyes were sensitive to the sunlight against the snow and she shivered in the cold, pulling the cloak upon her shoulders. She shuffled her way up to the Great Hall and filled her cup with water, drinking deeply.
"You have been hiding," Ivar spoke and she sighed, her eyes never rising from the table.
"I would not waste my time on hiding from you," she promised and Ivar sat across from her.
"We are to be married tomorrow," he said and she nodded.
"As I know," she said and shook her head. "I have been sick for three days by the thought of it" she said, her eyes finally met his and he narrowed his.
"You are being going to marry me, why make an enemy out of me as well?" he questioned and she shrugged.
"Why not? I won't go into this marriage happily nor willingly," she stated and drank her water again. "Never fool yourself into believing I will one day love you, Ivar Ragnarsson," she said and left the hall.
#vikings fanfiction
#vikings fanfic
#vikings
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Her mother fussed over her hair as she sat impatiently waiting for it to be done and her father sat with his foot up on a stool, eyeing his daughter.
"You will be glad to be married to the Prince," he spoke at last and his daughter looked to him.
"Will I?" she asked. "And why is that? What woman would be glad to be married to the crippled son of Ragnar?" she seethed and her father sighed, a shake of his head.
"What he lacks in legs, he makes up in mind and he will scourge the earth with his victories, you will be glad to be his wife," he continued and stood. "Trust my words, daughter," he said and disappeared from their home.
"It would be wise to listen to him, daughter," her mother spoke as she braided the hair. "He is normally right," she said and tugged sharply on the hair, causing Thru to wince. "Annoyingly so," she muttered and a small smile filled Thru's lips.
"He will want children," she said. "And when I am unable to give him children due to his crippled nature, who is to say that the blame will not be placed on me?" she demanded.
"I cannot promise that will not be the case but know that we will not abandon you," she said and kissed her daughter's head.
"Great," she said tersley and stood, brushing off the dress. "I fucking hate this thing," she growled and her mother sighed.
"Just once, can we leave the curses here?" she asked and Thru looked at her.
"For you only, mother," she said and kissed her mother's temple before emerging from the house, gazing around the village for witnesses to her humiliation. The town was out for this wedding, a royal wedding and she made her way through the crowd, all travelling to see the marriage of Ragnar's crippled son.
As Ivar sat waiting the arrival his bride, Ragnar stood beside him and gazed at the villagers moving in.
"This will be a large wedding," he said and Ivar nodded, his eyes surveying the area for Thru. "She will come," he assured and Ivar remained silent.
"There she is," Hvitserk spoke and all eyes turned to watch Thru be led by her parents towards Ivar. She was stunning in her beautiful green dress, gold entwined in her brunette hair and her brilliant blue eyes outlined in black liner.
"She is beautiful, son," Ragnar whispered in Ivar's ear and a small smile lit Ivar's lips. "Be glad the Gods have blessed you with a fierce and beautiful woman," he said.
"I will thank them for the beauty but the fierceness will only cause me pain," he murmured and Ragnar smiled, clapping his hand on Ivar's shoulder.
"Trust me, you will learn to enjoy it," he assured and left his son's side, to take his place alongside Aslaug.
"Thru," Ivar greeted as she stood before him and she studied him quietly for a moment.
"Ivar," she responded and they both looked to the priestess who cleared her throat.
----
The bonfire was large that night, its flames seemed to lick the heavens above and Thru watched it as she sat besides her new husband. She was wife of Ivar, Prince of Kattegat and now Princess of Kattegat. Her eyes wandered from the flames to the eyes of Snorri, he stood with a drink in hand and a sad smile filled his face, he lifted his cup in her direction. She gave him a slight nod and then looked to Ivar, his hand covered hers.
----
The coupling of Ivar and Thru was filled with animosity. There were more arguments then adoration, daggers were drawn many times until at last Ivar had conquered her and managed to thrust inside her, his fingers wrapped around her throat as she seethed in anger. He released deep within her and bit her shoulder, causing her to hiss in pain. When he pulled back, blood painted his lips and a grin filled his face as he rolled on his back.
"An early start to a great empire, eh?" he asked and slapped her bare ass, she growled in rage. She rolled on her side, her dagger at his throat and he gazed at her, a satisfied smile on his face.
"I will cut your throat," she growled and he shrugged.
"Then that will leave you pregnant and widowed, not much of a life," he reminded and she narrowed her eyes. She removed the dagger but swiftly ran the blade against his cheek, causing a surface cut. He grabbed at it and she smiled.
"Know that I will do it though, if ever you disrespect me," she promised and rolled on her side, away from him. He gazed at her naked back and then brought his hand before his eyes, his blood painted it. A small smile moved across his lips before he leaned back and closed his eyes, snoring soon after.
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She humiliated him daily. She was careful not to be public about her humiliations, but she would bring to him shame. She challenged his claims to the throne; she challenged his ability in battle, and she challenged his ability to be a good husband."You know nothing about me other than the fact that our fathers thought we would be a good match," she hissed in his ear, and he rolled his eyes. "Tell me then, Ivar, what are some things I enjoy?" she demanded and sat back, her eyebrows raised high."You enjoy..." he began as he rubbed his fingers together and a satisfied smile spread across her face."You can't," she stated. "Because you know absolutely nothing about me," she said. "We share nothing in common but our birthday and that is all," she said."We do not need to have anything in common to be married, we only need to produce heirs," he said, and she sighed."So, are you fine with being in a loveless marriage?" she demanded, and he glanced over at her, there was silence between them."I want heirs, I will do what it takes to have them," he said, and she scoffed with a shake of her head."Fuck you," she muttered and stormed away, Ivar stared after her.----"Stop," her mother commanded and Thru paused in her pacing across the floor."I do not love him!" she exclaimed, and her mother sighed."I know that Thrud!" she promised. "The whole village is aware of your disdain of Ivar Ragnarsson, trust me," she assured."Then why must I be married to him? What good does this do for the great Ragnar's legacy?" she questioned."It is not just about his legacy but your father's," she said. "To have his daughter married to Ragnar's son is a great honor," she stated."But I do not love him!" she yelled."Then learn to!" her mother retorted. "He is not a monster!" she said."You have not slept with him!" she exclaimed. "You have not seen what I have seen of him!" she said, and her mother stared at her for a moment."While I will agree with you that I have not slept with him and do not know your struggles there, I do know that Ivar's eyes never leave you when you come into sight," she said. "I know what he has said of you to his mother," she continued and stood. "I know what love he has for you that he does not know how to show and know that if you only give him a chance-" she said."I do not love him! I love Snorri!" she shouted, and her mother sighed."Snorri is not your husband," she said. "Ivar is,""I had no choice in that! I would have married Snorri gladly!" she shouted, and her mother studied her for a moment before walking towards her, resting her hands on Thru's shoulders."I do not want to think I understand your struggle, but I do know that Ivar is a good man who loves you deeply or I would not have agreed to this marriage," she vowed."Do you know that I had to kill your grandchild to marry Ivar?" she asked, and it was clear from her mother's expression she was taken back."What?" she questioned and Thru nodded."I was with child, but it was not Ivar’s, and I had to rid myself of it before I married Ivar," she said."Did you tell Ivar you were with child?" she asked and Thru laughed."What good would that have done? He would not let me have the child," she muttered."My child," her mother whispered and placed her hand against her daughter's cheek. "I am so sorry," she murmured and Thru gazed at her for a moment then shook her head, dismissing her hand."I am a sacrifice to my father's legacy," she whispered and left the house, leaving her mother frozen in her spot.
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Ivar leaned forward in his seat, raptly watching his new wife as she stood before the hot and smoldering coals. It was a strange ritual that he never pretended to understand but it still fascinated him. One end Thru stood as a girl and on the other, after passing over the coals, she stood as a woman.She hadn't shied away from doing it like the other girls in the village, they shirked and pleaded as they were brought forward. She strolled over as though she had done it a million times and stood now toe to toe with a pain she had to realize.Her eyes went to Ivar and held his gaze for a moment, never breaking it as she raised her foot over the coals. She let the foot fall and then another. She walked with her shoulders back, her chin high even after her gaze was taken from Ivar and easily reached the other side without a whisper of pain."You are in trouble, my son," Ragnar said and patted Ivar's shoulder. "Love that woman or she will destroy you," he whispered and moved off to seek ale, leaving Ivar to watch her as she was surrounded by her mother, her sisters.----He pushed the door open slowly, peering into their bedroom and gazed at her asleep in their bed."Enter or close the door on your way out," she commanded, her eyes never opening and he slipped inside, shutting the door behind him. He made his way to the bed and after a moment hesitation, lifted the blankets at the end of the bed. Her feet were wrapped in bandages, healing ointment had been slathered on them, and he looked up at her."Do you feel more like a woman now?" he asked, and she scoffed, rolling away from him."I have felt like a woman since I was nine years old, when I got my first blood," she muttered. "That walk was just stupid traditions," she continued, and Ivar smiled."You put the rest of the women who have done it to shame," he said and pulled himself up on the bed."It isn't hard," she answered, and another smile spread on Ivar's lips."What do you like, Thru?" he asked, and it was quiet for a moment before she rolled on her back."What do I like?" she asked."I am your husband now and if I wish to please you, what do you like?" he asked, and she studied him for a moment."I like the smell of blood on the iron, I like the feeling of victory against my blade and dominating enemies that thought themselves invincible," she said, and Ivar smiled once more."Then it shouldn't be very hard as those are what make me happy also," he said, and she was quiet for a moment. Swiftly she moved up to her knees and cradled his face in her palms, pressing her lips to his. He stared up at her when she pulled away."Do not deny me the battle and I will grow to love you," she vowed, and he kissed her once more, wrapping an arm around her waist."Even with my crippled legs?" he asked, and she grinned."There's a certain attraction to them," she admitted, and his eyebrows raised."Allure? What is alluring about crippled legs?" he asked, and she kissed him once more before falling beside him."That you can't chase after me when we argue," she teased and he growled, rolling against her as he grabbed her neck. The fucking was rough and quick that night, both releasing pent up rage.
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Blood caked her face, she wiped at her eyes to get rid of the stinging sweat and gasped for air, the smog of the lit fires suffocating her. She glanced around the battlefield, studying quickly the fallen warriors that laid around her and then looked at Ivar who was further ahead, still striking down enemies. She grunted as she pulled herself up from her knees with the help of her sword and rearranged herself, sorting out her weaponry before forging forward. She cut down on the enemies, though at this time it was clear the battle was lost but her tenacious stagger made it clear she wasn't willing to give up yet."Retreat!" Ivar suddenly shouted and she glanced over her shoulder, he was pulling his chariot around, repeating the same word as his men started to back away. She continued, her sword slicing albeit weakly and the tire was obvious in her body. "Retreat!" he shouted again, his gaze now on his new wife but she ignored him still. "Thrud! RETREAT!" he roared but still, she paid him no mind. She was enveloped in the mass of enemy soldiers, still fighting with whatever strength she had left. Ivar looked on in horror as the crowd parted and the large frame of the enemy chief appeared, walking towards her with a triumphant smile. "Thrud!" he shouted again, his voice lost to the thump of axe against shield as the enemies hailed their leader."Why do you not retreat?" the man asked, his words thick with the accent of the North and Thrud rolled her shoulders back, wincing in pain."There is no retreat on the path to Odin's table," she said, and he quietly gazed at her, a smile still on his lips."You are a ferocious woman," he stated. "There are not many of you left," he said."And I will remain," she countered and swung at him, he was swift with meeting her mid-air sword with his own. He laughed loudly and easily countered her attacks without moving an inch from his spot."Do you not tire, woman?" he asked, and she continued. "Do you not feel in your bones as they beg you to stop, to rest?" he continued and with a quick movement caught her sword against his, using it to pull her closer. He grabbed her by the back of her neck and pulled her even closer to him. "Do you not feel your sword weaken blow after blow?" he demanded, and she spit his face. His eyes closed for a moment, he released her as he wiped it off and laughed again. "Go," he commanded and pointed his sword towards Ivar. "Go before you do not entertain me any longer," he warned, and she hesitated."Thrud!" Ivar shouted again and she at last began to back away, her eyes never leaving him. The man watched her with a pleasant smile on his face and was soon enveloped by his warriors as they guarded him. "What were you thinking!" Ivar hissed as she climbed on his chariot and turned to follow their men."I will not be intimidated," she muttered, and Ivar shook his head."There was no intimidation, only stupidity," he replied as he snapped the reins, and the horse picked up their pace.---Thrud sat by the fire, tossing tiny twigs into the flames and still covered from the day's battle."Ivar tells me you refused his orders," Ragnar spoke, startling her and he took a seat beside him."I do not like to retreat," she said, and a smile spread across his lips."No one likes to retreat, Thrud," he agreed. "But you were outnumbered," he said, and she shrugged."So, I feast at Odin's table sooner than later," she said, and he laughed with a shake of his head."You would put that on Ivar? That he would lose his wife before they are even married a year?" he demanded, and she scoffed."Ivar was not even a thought," she assured, and Ragnar's crystal eyes studied her silently. "Oh, do not give me that, Ragnar Lothbrok," she lamented, leaning backwards on the ground, resting against the palms of her hands."What?" he asked."That look that you gave Lagertha, that you think she should not put herself in danger and instead be home tending to your heart," she said, and Ragnar smiled."I chose you specifically for Ivar," he said. "And I wonder now if I chose too rashly," he said, and she shrugged."That's a decision for you to make," she said. "I did not want to marry your son," she promised."So, you hold no affection for him?" he asked, and she looked over at him."The affection I hold for him is separate from the affection I hold for battle," she promised. "I will not let my marriage hinder my glory," she said."You are too much like him," he sighed. "Go to him, Thrud, he is not happy," he said and Thrud looked up across the camp, she saw her husband angrily staring into the fire alone."What does he have to be angry about? The battle was stolen from me, not him," she said, and Ragnar sighed again."He was forced to call the men to retreat, the battle he had planned, your husband is not used to loss," he said and stood. "Be a wife now, your battle is over for the time being," he pressed and wandered off, Thru watched Ivar for a few minutes. She sighed and rose, walking towards him."If you have come to snap at me, leave," Ivar growled and she shook her head."I would have earlier, but I think now I see your pain," she said, and he shook his head."We should never have had to retreat," he growled. "I planned for every part of that battle, I don't know what I missed!" he exclaimed."You lost because you thought you were infallible," she said, and he looked at her angrily. "Do not turn your anger to me, Ivar Ragnarsson," She dismissed. "You thought you were untouchable and so your weaknesses began to show, become obvious to the enemy," she said."And what were those?" he snapped."I don't know, as much as you find it hard to believe, I'm not the enemy," she said."What did he say to you?" he demanded."Nothing of importance, just asked why I did not lay down my sword, why did I continue to battle when it was lost," she said."You should not have ignored my order," he said, and she nodded."Perhaps but I was not thinking straight," she said, and Ivar's shoulders seem to relax."I am sorry that I lost you the battle," He said, and she leaned her head on his shoulder."The Gods did not march with us this day, but they will tomorrow," she vowed."And how are you so sure? Why would they not march with the victors of today?" he asked, and she smiled as she stood, stretching."They would not dare anger me," she promised, and Ivar laughed, she winked at him. "I am going to wash and sleep, get some rest, Ivar," she urged and sauntered off towards her tent.