Thank you for the fast wonderful reviews! I do apologize for the shorter chapter but it was to make room for my next one! Here it is, Enjoy!
Chapter 7
In the morning I joined my family at the table. Astrid was teasing Ulfrick about the night we had and Eric was playing with our sister.
"That is enough son. Give her to me and talk with you're father now." Astrid held her arms out for the child. I smiled at Eric and took my seat next to our mother.
"Father I do not wish to discuss this here. We will talk tomorrow yes?" Eric said grabbing a handful of berries from his plate and heading out to train with the men.
"You must let him alone Papa. He is not going to marry at our command." I said to him patting his back.
"He needs to wed. I won't be around much longer and I need to know our family will go on." He said sadly.
"Talk with him tomorrow as he asked. Maybe it would be better if Oliivi and I took a walk?" Astrid asked him.
"No! This is a family matter and I won't chase you away. He will just have to suck it up and follow through. I will not wait any longer." He said getting up from the table.
"Yes, yes dear I understand." Astrid said to him as he left us alone. "How are you today Olii? Was you're night restful?" She asked knowing I hadn't slept much.
"Not really." I said still upset about my week.
"Yes well I am sure tonight will be better. My husband is just upset about the men. Not you dear." She said. I nodded shoving some berries in my mouth. "Eric seemed surly when he returned home." She said looking down at me knowingly, "Do you wish to talk about anything Oliivi?" She asked me.
It was like I could not escape all this talk of Eric and I. I wasn't going to marry him, I hadn't changed my mind. I wouldn't either.
"Not that I know of." I said trying to brush her off.
"He wouldn't come to see you home either. I just thought maybe you two had a talk?" She pressed on. I sighed rather loudly.
"No mama, nothing happened." I lied.
Her brow went up, "Do not lie to me daughter. I wish to know if my son will be happy or not!" She practically glared at me. This was so unlike my mother. She always had compassion.
"I believe he loves me." I said quietly, almost a whisper. She smiled again and sat next to me.
"Yes I did think that was the case. But why is he sad then? Love is a happy thing." Leaning into her I took her hand.
"I told him how I felt." I said, looking away.
she sighed this time, "You told him what?" She asked. She knew what I had said about this months ago yet she acted as if it had changed!
"Nothing has changed Momma. I do not wish a husband who would bring me sorrow often." I said to her. This time I was angry. I was feeling like I may have to get away. "There is something inside of me that feels very strongly about this. I would not change it." I kept going, "I may love him as more then my brother but I just will not do that to myself."
"Oh Oliivi. I do wish you would give him a chance. He could change! Do you not think so?" She asked me sadly. I did think about that. But how could I be sure he would change. And if I took him as my husband thinking he would and he didn't how great would that feel? Then I would be trapped!
"Maybe he could change. But I have to say I do not wish to be stuck with someone who doesn't." At this our discussion ended.
That morning I dressed for training with Eric. This was a time when we were sort of not fighting so I would take advantage. The last few months I had trained without him and I wanted to show him what I had learned.
Grabbing my weapon I headed out to the training grounds. When I arrived I found it was only Eric. He wasn't even practicing. He was sitting on a log throwing rocks at trees. I even thought I had heard him mumbling to himself.
Coming up behind him I threw my hands over his eyes, "Guess who." I called out. He threw his arms out and pulled me into his lap.
"Hello there." He said smiling widely. "I was not expecting you out here Oliivi." He said placing his nose into my neck and inhaling. "I cannot say I didn't hope you would come." He whispered. He ran his hand up my inner thigh slow, painfully slow. It felt so good I didn't have a heart to tell him to stop. "I missed you while I was away." He went on, "I thought of you often." His hand went up and between my legs, against the soft fabric of my pants cupping me.
This sent waves of electricity down them making me feel as if I couldn't get away. I whimpered softly into his chest as I allowed him to continue, "When I came home and you were gone I was so mad." He was mad! I knew it. "I could kill Bjorn if you wish?" He asked. I couldn't even speak his hands felt to good.
"OLIIVI!" Both our heads shot up at the sound of our mother calling. "OLIIVI!" I heard it again, snapping out of the trance Eric had put me in. I stood up from Eric and pulled myself together, "Go. We will talk later." He said pushing me forward. I nodded and ran back towards the house. Upon returning I found mother needed me to watch Drott so she could attend a gathering with the seer. So I did my duty and played with Drott most of the day.
When night fell I headed back towards the river in the woods. I need a rest after watching my small sister all day.I loved her dearly but she was a handful.
On my was out the door Eric eyed me. I knew the look was one that we shared often. A silent gesture that said he would join me. I had decided tonight I would be sure he knew what I wanted and didn't want.
I would give him a chance to speak truthfully as would I. I left first heading towards the training grounds and down the path to the river. Eric came shortly after. I took my shoes off and lay them by my fur and I hiked my dress up enough to put my feet in the water.
I slid my feet into the river allowing it to take over my senses. Eric came from behind me and wrapped his arms around me, "I wish to pick up were we left off earlier." He whispered in my ear and running his hand up my dress to my core rubbing circles over me from behind me.
I leaned back a bit and let him, "Eric we must talk first." I murmured to him as I ran my hand over his halting him from going any further.
"There isn't anything to say Olii. I wish you as my wife. I will have what is already mine." He whispered back. I could hear the smile he had as he spoke. Again he was twirling his hands around over my dress trying to push past my own.
"Eric I have not agreed to marry you." I said in return, "I wish to lay ground rules if I am to agree." I said hoping he would see reason. He stopped playing and turned me to face him.
"You would marry me?" He was certainly not expecting me to agree.
"I would agree on some conditions. They are non negotiable Eric." I said in my serious voice.
"Alright. Tell me you're conditions." He asked trying to hurry me along.
"Well for one thing you can not sleep with other women. That is my most important one.." I said calmly trying to figure out if he would lie to me, "And do not lie to me I will know." I said to him. And I was right, I would know.
He nodded to me, "I can promise that. What else then?" He asked.
'Wouldn't touch another woman again. Love you' I heard it as soon as his sentence fled his mouth. He was at least being truthful. Or at least he thought he was. At this thought I felt regret. I regretted that I may have got his hopes up. Now I really wasn't sure if he could be trusted.
"This is serious Eric! I wish a way out of our marriage if you stray." I said giving myself an out.
This did not make him happy, "You do not believe me? You think I would lie to you?" He said getting louder.
"No I do believe you, now. But in a few years you may change you're mind brother." I said worriedly. He was furious with me now.
"If you think I would marry you and let you go later you are insane!" He yelled. I had really thought this could work but now I was seeing a new side of my brother.
"If I do not make you happy Eric why would you make me stay with you?" I asked.
"If you were married to me I would make you happy!" He yelled again. This clearly was not going to work out.
"Yes but I am only trying to protect myself." I tried to get him to see reason. "Maybe this was a bad idea! Maybe I should stick with no..." I said calmly.
He stepped back and gave me that look. The one that said I was braking him. "So you would say yes then take it back?" He asked sadly.
"I would say yes only if you agreed Eric but you have not so I guess I am saying no." I knew this would brake him but it didn't matter anymore. I needed to be sure I would be safe and happy.
"If we married I would not let you go." He whispered. I nodded to him.
"And if you hurt me I could not stay." I said back making eye contact trying to connect with him.
At this he moved forward quickly pulling me into his arms and kissing me roughly. I felt his tears hit my cheeks but I allowed him this before we spoke no more of it. His arms wrapped around my waist tightly pulling me as close as he could.
Soon I found him pushing me towards the cold river until my butt went into it and he was on top of me. The water was so cold I couldn't feel myself after seconds, only the cold sting of running water. But again I let him say goodbye.
He kissed me until I finally pulled him away and tucked the hair behind his ears, "We have to stop Eric." I whispered as he continued down my throat. "Eric please, we must stop!" I urged but to no avail.
He pressed his hardness into me roughly and ran his hands up under my dress. "Eric please." I whimpered as his hands fell into me. I gasped and my head fell back into the running water beneath us. This would be harder then I thought. He felt so damn good, saying no felt wrong.
His finger pushed in and out as his thumb pressed against my core. Moving his mouth back to mine he pushed a little harder. Then I heard him again, "Oliivi...Oliivi I do not wish to live without you" He whispered into my ear as he kissed down to my breasts. His hand moving beneath the thin fabric scraping his fingers along my nipple.
I still felt his tears coming and it broke my heart, "Eric please. Please we can't go on. Please stop..." I pleaded softly. Tears now falling from my eyes as well. Lifting his head up he looked right at me with the saddest eyes I had ever witnessed from him. That was it, I really broke him this time.
His hand withdrew from me as he came back to reality. Without a word he pulled himself out of the water and straightened out. His eyes changed then, seeing the man from the other day in our house upon my return from Bjorn's village.
This was no longer my Eric, "It is fine then sister. I will leave you alone now." He said turning and heading back to our home. What have I done? I sat up in the river and ran my hands over my face.
The tears would not stop though no matter how hard I tried to stop them. Standing from my spot I placed my hands on the rock we had shared months ago trying to remember the good things. I figured out quickly that only made it worse. Placing my forehead against it I wept. Rain had started to fall shortly after my crying spell soaking me from head to toe. Straightening myself out I pulled my hair back together and my wiped my face off. This was the end of it. It had to be. Eric would be Eric and I would be free to love someone else or not. The future would be long I was sure of that, we had many chances to love again. And that was it, I went home to my bed.
In the morning I had breakfast with Astrid and without Eric and Ulfrick. It was quiet and she didn't ask me any questions of her son or I. I was grateful for that. I wouldn't want to relive what happened again. Especially in front of my mother.
Before supper that night Ulfrick and Astrid were teasing each other once again and Eric had taken Drott out to the grass to play. When all was finished Eric came in with our sister and a large silly smile upon his face. I thought it was still void of the man I once knew. But any smile was good enough for me.
"Hand me you're sister son and sit with us." Astrid said smiling to Eric. Eric sat next to her and father while eying the stable girl again. This was not a surprise to me at all. I was wondering when he would try to make me feel bad for saying no. He hadn't wasted any time.
"My son, it is time you were betrothed." Ulfrick started with Eric.
Eric only looked up and brushed him off, "Soon." He replied, shoving a bit of bread into his mouth.
"The sooner the better." Astrid said nodding to her husband. She supported him.
"Where were you all day Eric?" He asked, "I never saw you?" He pushed on. Eric smiled to his mother and the red headed stable girl behind me.
"He was with the red head in the stables. The one who feeds the goats." Astrid said to Ulfrick. My eyes widened at this. Yes it made me jealous but also I realized this was from my vision! The wolves would come tonight!
"It is not wrong for me to enjoy my life?" He asked us watching the girl leave.
"You have no sense of responsibility son!" This time Eric looked my way and away again.
"Can we not speak of this later Papa?" He asked trying again to brush him off.
"Eric, Grow up! You cannot spend you're whole life between a woman's legs." He raised his voice.
This didn't rouse my brother, He said only this, "I can try." standing to leave us.
Ulfrick was pissed now, "Get back here! Your place is with me!" He yelled in Eric's face.
"All you ever want me to do is follow you around!" He spat back.
"I want for you to learn to be king!" Papa yelled back.
"I WILL! Tomorrow!" He said to father only to turn and walk out. At that we heard a Knock at the doors. I grabbed Drott instantly heading out the back towards my room throwing what I could into a bag. This was it. They were here and I had to sneak away. It was our only chance to live.