THE END IS NEAR! Probably, possibly...maybe. What I mean is I think I know how this fic is gonna end. Also I can now confirm I am an idiot and beg your forgiveness. The reason there has been such a long gap between chapters is I genuinley though I up loaded this one, but I didn't. So sorry about that. ^_^
(Your POV)
You have been in Norway and Lukas's village for a week and frankly you have no idea why you were dreading coming here. It has been such a long time since you have felt comfortable around so many people and even though most in the village are still strangers to you, you feel more welcome than you ever did back in Ireland. Today you are particularly excited because Lukas has agreed to take you outside the village and have a proper look around the surrounding area and hopefully it will give you an opportunity to re-stock medical supplies and learn about the mythical creatures that live there. At this moment in time you are tidying up the remains of the breakfast you ate with Lukas and Emil and it is these little things with Lukas and the others that makes you truly happy. As you brush the final few crumbs of the table that centres the room, there is a knock at the hut door.
"It's open." You call through contently and when you turn back from putting the crumbs in the bin you are met by the friendly eyes of Erik. This surprises you as you have pretty much avoided him since he kissed you that night on the boat. To say this conversation will be awkward would be an understatement.
"Good morning (Name), I hope I'm not disturbing you." He says remaining by the door, fiddling with the fastenings of his cloak. So he is nervous, maybe he is here to apologise, if that is the case you will make it easy for him.
"Not at all. I was just tidying up, Lukas is at a meeting with his father and I had nothing else to do while I wait. We're going out of the village later so I can get to know the area. How can I be of help?" You smile as you speak and motion for him to sit down, but he declines.
"Actually I came to talk to you about Lukas." He says in a serious voice. Now you are confused, you slowly nod at Erik and then push your hair behind one of your ears.
"What do you you mean you want to talk about Lukas?" You ask as you sit down on one of the table stools, the serious look on his face leaves you slightly apprehensive on what he actually wants.
"I want to know how you feel about Lukas." Erik says in a low voice, not moving from his spot on the door.
"Where has that question come from? What business is it to you anyway?" you say laughing stiffly.
"Just answer the question! I know he kissed you! The whole village knows for Odin's sake! I want to know if you feel the same way!" He suddenly snaps and comes forward to the table then slams his hands on the wooden surface. You are taken back by his abrupt manner.
"I don't see how any of that is you business! Once more what right you have to come in here demanding answers? I think you need to leave." You snap back at him, then march over to the door and fling it open. But then he rushes over to the door and slams it in the same motion he takes your wrist.
"(Name) I'm sorry for my rudeness, but I only ask because I care about you." He says stroking your face.
"If you cared about me, you'd let go of my wrist, you're hurting me." You say trying to move away from him. He loosens his grip, but doesn't let go.
"(Name), I hate to be the one to tell you this, but Lukas doesn't love you. Not fully. You've seen him, he can't show his emotions and because of this you will end up getting hurt. Deep down he is just like his father, a user and bully. All you will be to him in the future is his means of having an heir. He may be nice to you now, but when he has what he wants that will change. But not me I love you, and that will not change. I can show you I care for you, he can't." Through his speech his grip re-tightens and his tone of voice gets more and more desperate. You on the other hand get more and more livid. so much so, uncontrollably, all the magic in the area flows into you and then pulses through your veins.
"How dare you." You say in a quiet voice and wrench your arm free with the aid of the magic in you. "How dare you act as though you know what Lukas is like deep down. You haven't got the foggiest idea what's there! I DO and let ME tell YOU that you are wrong. Lukas cares for me, he loves me. And to answer your question I love him too. Now get out or Gods help me I will not be responsible for my actions!" You find your voice has gotten louder and your breathing has sped up.
"B-but (Name).."
"LEAVE!" You shout at him, and to emphasise your point you force the door open with your magic and glare at him until he turns and walks out. You firmly close the door behind him and then proceed to slump on your stool resting your head on the table. As you calm down, your breathing slows and the magic slowly escapes from your body.
You remain laying with your head on the table feeling completely emotionally drained and you don't even move when you hear the door creak open.
"(Name) what are you doing? What's wrong?" You hear Lukas's concerned voice and then footsteps coming towards you. You say nothing to him, but gladly accept his embrace when he reaches you.
"I saw Erik leaving the hut. He didn't do anything to you did he? Because if he did I-"
"If he did I would have hexed him to the moon and back. It's nothing you need to worry about. I'm fine." You say interrupting him.
"Liar. If my father has taught me one thing about women it's when they say they're fine, it means they are not and don't think I can't see you trying to hide your wrist from me." You sigh in defeat as he takes your wrist and kisses where it is swollen.
"He just said a couple of things he had no right to say and I got mad, so I shouted at him so he left." You mumble pulling your wrist free and then go to get a bandage from your bag. As you attempt to bandage yourself with one hand, you here Lukas get up and then he takes the linen from you and straps your wrist.
"I don't like you being alone with him, if he comes near you for anything outside your medical knowledge I want you to leave. It was only your wrist this time, but it could be worse." He says quietly and if it was anyone else telling you what to do you probably would ignore it, but instead you nod at him and watch him finish with your hand.
"I'm sorry about this, but let me see if I can cheer you up as I've had an idea for our journey outside the village. I was thinking we might take a picnic with us and if you don't mind we could follow the river and I'll show you Nerthus's waterfall about half way up the mountain to the west." Your eyes light up, for your whole life water and rivers have always been your safe haven, a place for you to relax and to do it with Lukas would be wonderful.
"That sounds perfect." You laugh and hug him, catching him unaware so you both end up on the floor with you on the bottom and Lukas above you with a very faint blush on his face. And because you're slightly weird all you do is laugh, which make Lukas blush harder which makes you laugh even more still and you only stop by finding a pair of lips touch your own. Over the past week you and Lukas have been stealing kisses and embraces from one another in the rare opportunities you get alone and you have loved every single one. You wrap your arms around his neck and deepen the kiss,staying like this until you both need to breathe. As he looks down at you and you look up at him your heart swells with with happiness and you feel more at peace than you ever thought you would despite the fact you're having great difficulties controlling your thoughts that seem to spin like sycamore leaves in the wind.
The comfortable silence is broken by Lukas's quiet voice.
"(Name). I love you... and I will never be able to show you how much I do because it is too great. But I can try and this is why I ask you (Name), the seer girl from Ireland to become my wife." The happiness that filled you before has been dwarfed by the sense of euphoria that practically radiates from you and you open your mouth but no words come out. So you smile and with out hesitation pull him into a hug nodding hectically while doing so. Being around the blonde Viking never ceases to surprise you. The moment with him you think you have found perfect happiness, he does or says something so beautiful and it is all for you. Nothing could ruin this moment and it doesn't even bother you when the hut door is knocked at. Normally this is the part that you and Lukas would spring apart from each other and act like nothing had just happened, but as you try to pull yourself from underneath Lukas he shifts your positions so you both are sitting up, but you on his lap.
"Enter" He says loud enough for the person outside to hear while hugging your waist. The door is opened by the Jarl who at first doesn't notice the pair of you on the floor, but when he does he just stares at you.
"Father, we have news. I have just asked (Name) to become my wife and she has said yes." Lukas says in a voice full confidence and authority. You on the other hand smile nervously at the clan leader. The Jarl has a stoney expression on his face and you almost wince away expecting rejection before he has the chance to speak.
"Lukas my son... It took you long enough! As soon as the two of you got off the boat I knew something was going on and then the villagers told me you two were kissing. Haha Gods praise you both, you have my blessing and I will tell the village! Tonight we celebrate!" He shouts and rushes back out of the hut.
"That was uh really not what I was expecting him to do." You say climbing of off Lukas.
"You're telling me, but I am not complaining. However I suppose this means we won't be able to leave the village today my love. When father says tonight we celebrate that usually means we start as soon as possible." He replies pulling himself of the floor. Outside the hut, the sound of the Jarl's voice carries through the village calling everyone to the village meeting hut.
"I suppose that means we have go too," You ask Lukas nervously as you're not a huge fan of large crowds. Lukas takes your hand in his.
"It will be fine. Father approves, Margot gave her blessing from the start and the villagers treat you like you have always been here. There is nothing to fear and if there is, from now on it will have to go through me first." You let him pull you out of the hut.
"Like I need you to protect me. But promise me this, we will get through things together." You say as you walk hand in hand to the meeting hut.
(Erik POV)
As soon as I was removed from Lukas's and (Name)'s hut I return to my own and destroy most of the things in sight. This is not the way it should have ended, she shouldn't have rejected me to stay with HIM. My blood boils just thinking of them together, but I suppose when or if they decide to tell people and dare I say asked to be wed, they will have to be given permission and the Jarl wouldn't allow a foreigner to marry his precious son. And then that is when she will be weak and heartbroken so then she will come to me, I relish at the thought of this and enjoy a quiet laugh. Not long after I have calmed down the Jarl calls for a village meeting and I pray that it isn't a waste of my time and energy like so many of the other meetings are. That is the problem with the Jarl and a majority of the men in this village, they have more muscle than brains, and yet they are the ones in charge. Not people that could actually think, like me. Nonetheless I straighten my tunic and cloak, then head out the door, walking briskly to the meeting place. When I arrive it is nearly packed and the Jarl is standing on the raised platform at the front, his ever loyal group of 'warriors' stand at the front. It is times like this you see the different groupings of the village; The overgrown fighters with overgrown egos that somehow rule the village and the pretty, young women that fawn over said egotistical fighters so they stand a chance of becoming spoilt and spend their husband's blunder. Not one of them seem capable of thinking outside killing or dresses however if you sit outside either category no one cares about you in the slightest and that is where I find myself stuck. (Name) isn't like any of the girls in our village and that is why I loved her from the beginning, she was kind, smart and strong, and all those wonderful traits are accompanied with the beauty of a goddess. It pains me to think how she is wasted when she is with Lukas.
The Jarl stamps his foot loudly and the hut goes quiet.
"Friends, no, we as a tribe are closer I shall start again. Brothers and sisters, it seems the Gods favour are clan at this moment in time, and perhaps more specifically my son Lukas." Great, just great. We have been back for barely a week and somehow HE has done something his father feels the need to boast about. Ha I wonder what his perfect son has killed or destroyed this time. The door at the back of the hut are pulled open and Lukas walks in. I don't even try to hide my glare, but soften my expression when (Name) follows him behind him, everyone turns to see the latecomers. The Jarl laughs.
"Perfect timing as usual my son get up here and bring that lovely woman with you." (Name) blushes at the compliment and allows Lukas to pull her through the crowd towards the Jarl. When they reach him he stands in the middle of the two young adults, placing a hand on Lukas's shoulder and takes (Name)'s hand in the other.
"As you know, I am not as young as I was once before and though I still believe I remain a strong leader for you all my time to step down is fast approaching. Obviously Lukas will be my successor and now he is in his twenty first year, today I make him official heir to my position." The villagers all cheer loudly, I spot Helga, Mathias's sister cheering particularly loudly for him. It's a shame his eyes remain on (Name).
"My brethren, please settle down. This is not the only good news I share with you today. It gives me great joy to announce once more our wise woman was right in her prophecy concerning Lukas. This morning I went to the Lukas's hut and he told me he had just done something." I wish he would just get on with it, so I can get back to doing something useful. I look to the vates girl on the platform and she looks highly embarrassed. Seems I'm not the only one that wants this to be over.
"Lukas told me this morning he asked (Name), this beautiful woman here, to become his wife. So grab your decorations and the beer for tonight we celebrate their engagement!" The hut around me erupts into load cheering and shouting while I stand there horrified. This was not what was supposed to happen should they attempt to be wed. The Jarl should have rejected her as foreigner, but I suppose (Name) is perfect and will make a wonderful daughter in law. Undetected I sneak out of the hut and go to the stables. I need to get aware from here and clear my head. Hopefully when I get back the party will have died down and I won't have to deal with the oh so happy couple.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ I'm a blue shell time skip, I hit you just before you cross the finish line~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
(Your POV)
Since this morning a permanent smile has been sitting on your face and as the sun starts to set on a perfect day you allow yourself to be ushered from the hut you share with Lukas to another that belongs to one of the young village girls.
"Hurry up (Name) we don't have much time. The men will come back from their hunt for the feast tonight and we need to get you ready." A girl with dark, brown hair says excitedly.
"But what's wrong with what I'm wearing now? Besides I really like this dress." You ask as you cross the thresh hold of the new hut. The other girls laugh.
"This is no dress to wear to a celebratory feast silly, much less fit for the future matriarch of our tribe." Another girl replies as she sits you down on one of the stools at the table.
"O-oh okay, but I don't have many other dresses. I never really attended feasts back home. Are they such a big deal here?" You ask shyly. Movement around the small hut stops and they all look at you almost in disbelief.
"Of course they are such a big deal! Why did you not attend them back home? I thought you were a chief's daughter?" You smile sadly.
"I was, but my father passed away when I was small and my mother remarried and her husband was the new leader. Since father died, people changed in our tribe and their view on magic users and me I guess changed too. I never really saw the point of going to gatherings when I'd be alone despite the number of people there. I tended to leave the village those nights and go the river." Wow. Did you really just tell people you've never spoken to before about your past? Since when do you trust people so easily you think to yourself. And since when do said strangers hug you, you also think as one of the girls wraps her arms around you.
"Things are different here." she murmurs in your ear. "But we'll help you understand the way things work. As of today you have joined our clan and that means we're family." When she releases you, you smile at her.
"Thank you. I haven't had one of those in a long time. So what are we going to do about my dress?" You add trying to lighten the mood. Apparently it worked like a charm and in seconds you are practically pounced on by three girls who all talk excitedly about your hair, skin, clothing and whatever else you may need for this evening. It isn't long before you relax in their capable hands and even find yourself laughing and joking like you've known them for years. It dawns on you while one girls, Svanna, does your hair that things have all suddenly fallen into place; a home, friends and soon with Lukas a family. A real one.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ I'm a buzz light year time skip, to infinity and ... I forget the rest~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
(Lukas POV)
The feast is now in full swing in the centre of the village, it seemed father thought the occasion was too great to be held inside like it normally is. Despite the cold weather, everyone is still here and the massive bonfire in the middle of the tables. As usual father sits at the top of the table in his throne, however tonight my usual spot to his right has been taken by (Name) though I shan't complain as this clearly shows he accepts her. The other people around me talk and joke while drinking and eating but I sit here contently watching my fiancée. Her (E/C) eyes are wide as she tries to take in all that's happening, she laughs when my father whispers something in her ear and she replies to him. Honestly I haven't seen him this happy in so long and I still can't wrap my head around all the changes this one young woman has brought along with her.
"Lukas? You're doing that staring thing at me again, the Jarl said I should snap you out of it or you might start drooling." She giggles leaning into my side. I can't help it. (Name) have always been beautiful that was obvious from the second she fell off her horse, even with the dishevelled appearance and fearful look she was something to be admired, and now she is mine. I am poked in the ribs.
"Seriously, you're making me blush and then your father and his friends laugh at me." She whispers in my ear, so I kiss her and whisper back.
"All the more reason to do it." She pouts at me and I smile, putting my arms around her waist. In the position we are in now, I could happily stay until the end of time. But for the, I don't know how many time, our embrace is interrupted by Tino and Emil's head popping up from under the table. I glare at them slightly and I swear Tino smirks back. But both expressions disappear as (Name) pulls both boys onto her lap.
"So boys, any reason why you're crawling around under the tables?" She says to them kindly.
"We have a question for you (Name)" Tino says seriously while Emil nods. (Name) smiles and tells them ask away. She is so good with the children and when we are blessed with our own (Name) will be wonderful.
"Puffins, pleaaaase?" Emil says with wide purple eyes added to get what he wants. However (Name) and I exchange puzzled looks. Tino sighs.
"What he means is, remember back in England you made the puffins and horses in the smoke before? Can you do it again please?" (Name) smiles at them.
"Maybe later, I don't think I'd be allowed to take over the fire, and because of the size of it people would have to move away to see them."
Tino frowns but nods and ducks under the table, but Emil takes his hand and walks over to the Jarl. We both watch my father bend down to hear them and he nods while standing up.
"Brothers and sisters of mine! I am told by my youngest son Emil and Tino that a certain fiancée of my son has a wonderful talent when it comes to fire. So if she doesn't mind sharing it and we all stand well back she will show us said talent!" (Name)'s face instantly turns red when all attention is on her, but none the less she smiles and agrees to show them.
(Erik's POV)
It is a shame the weather is still cold, because of this I return back to the village much sooner than I'd rather. As I appraoch I smell the fire, food and more prominently, the beer. How wonderful I say outloud and scoff at the Jarl's ability to do everything over the top. My plan for tonight is to sneak into the village, find food and then barricade myself in my hut. This celebration is sure to last a couple of days and I want nothing to do with it. Just as I reach the valley wherethe village sits a large puff of smoke shoots into the air. I hope to the gods the drunken idiots are throwing alcohol on the fire again. But as I watch the smoke moves gracefully and starts to take the form of... a person? No two people. A couple dancing, as if to serenade the smokey couple music starts to play from the village and the pair dance to it in the sky. It is truly an amazing sight to see and there is no doubt in my mind who is controlling it. I'm now at the outskirts of the village and the smoke shifts once more. This time an ocean is made and in the ocean there are dolphins that do somersaults just above the surface. (Name) has a true gift to make people happy and then there is here magic. I don't know whether to be furious or devestated that she is to be with Lukas. This time when I think of them it is devestation and I sit on a log with my head in my hands. I remain like this until I hear a voice.
"Nice to know I'm not the only one that is displeased with some foregin filth taking the position that should have been mine." I look up to see Helga.
"(Name) is hardly filth. She is the daughter of a chieftain, a wonderful healer and soon the wife of our leader. Show some respect." I glare at her, but she laughs and moves closer.
"I see now you've fallen for her too and are upset she is with my Lukas. I believe it would be great interest if you and I... team up if you will as I have a plan that help us both get what we want."
Sorry sorry sorrry sorry sorry sorry T.T I'm a moron we've established this the next chapter will be up quicker and I'm sorry!
Disclaimer- I own nothing but le plot