As the time passed, Harald's relationship with Bella grew a bit more. They were always seen together and because of this, rumors that they were involved with one another spread through the high school. The few people who tried to ask them where either turned on or scared by Harald's glares.
Speaking of the dark brown haired young man with blue-green eyes, he had been constantly on his guard when he was not at home. Why ? Because of the Vampires… but more on the one named Edward Cullen.
The days following his and Bella's arrival at the school, the handsome vampire had constantly looked at Bella as if she was a piece of meat ! Of course, Harald would glare at him dangerously but it did little to the vampire who sometimes answered him with a sneer.
The other Vampires, much to his relief, hadn't said anything and the pixie-like girl (Alice) even whacked him on the head when she caught Edward glaring at him… or staring at Bella.
The other girl, Rosalie, sometimes shot him glances but not of anger like Edward, but more like disgust. It had shocked him at first but now his only response to this was glaring at her as well. The guy who was as tall as him, Emmett, would sometimes look at him… in fear ?
Harald was a bit surprised when he noticed this in a Vampire's eyes but brushed it aside as none of his business. Maybe the guy met a Werebear and got defeated ? It was possible…
Jasper, him, was the civil one. Every morning, when the their eyes locked on one another, the blond Vampire would nod at him respectfully… which he returned.
He might not like Vampires but he would at least be civic.
Later many other things happened : Einar, his granduncle revealed to him (by phone) that the Vampires he saw weren't like others. The eyes of a Vampire determined its diet : red for human blood and golden or yellow for animal blood !
It had been a shock to hear that Vampires would not drink Human Blood and apparently his mother had been as shocked at him. However, despite those revelations, he doesn't plan to befriend them anytime soon.
Speaking of friends, Bella re-acquainted with her childhood friend, Jacob Black who he had met days after his first day at school.
Jacob was a 5 feet 10 tall young man with long, glossy black hair pulled back by a rubber band at the nape of his neck. His skin looked silky and russet-colored and his eyes were dark, set deep above the high planes of his cheekbones. In addition, he had a hint of childish roundness left around his chin.
The guy had been pretty suspicious about him and Harald himself had been a bit tense around the other man but then the two discovered that they shared something in common : their loves for engines.
Jacob had instantly complimented his Harley Davidson but Harald knew that it was mostly to be polite… and maybe to please Bella. However, they were slowly growing out of their distrust as they talked more and more. Of course, he still looked a bit unsure around Jacob but he was getting around.
Bella, her, had been overjoyed to see the two of them getting along… but not to the point of being called 'friends'.
Speaking of the Swan girl…
Ever since she met Harald, she had been wondering why she found him as the most handsome man at school. Something inside her wanted her to stay close to him and his toned body.
And she did.
She and him became the main subject of discussion at school and she was well aware of the rumors about them being a couple. Bella Swan might be many things but stupid was NOT one of them.
Another thing she had noticed was how this boy, Edward Cullen, looked at her… or at Harald. Since her first day at school, she had detected the animosity between the two young men and had yet to discover what was going on
Of course she had asked Harald about it but he would shrug and said the same words again and again
"Its nothing really… Guys stuffs..."
But she knew better !
Edward clearly looked interested in her… or obsessed by her and Harald seemed protective of her… which for some reason warmed her heart.
In her head, at first, she could see only one explanation : the two were rivals for her affection !
But it was absurd !
Harald never tried once to flirt with her like some other boys do… at least when they managed to get past him and his glares.
A small voice in her head was telling her that being the muscular dark brown haired boy's girlfriend doesn't sounded so bad and her heart would tell her the same. Edward Cullen was handsome (even her could admit it) but she didn't felt attracted to him like she did to Harald.
But as the time passed, she had noticed something else : Harald, who became a good friend to her, had been looking at the other Cullens with suspicions and a bit of hatred. Sure they were good looking and all but apart of that, they looked normal… albeit paler and with unusual golden eyes.
Golden or Yellow eyes were not very seen around the world.
Bella instantly tried to find more about them… and even now she had nothing… Harald had helped her a bit by pointing her at a section of the library : about fantastic creatures. When she asked him why he would point such a book, the young man had responded and I quote
"You might have a slight idea of what they are…"
Bella, of course, went through the book and one chapter in particular caught her attention : one about Vampires. The young woman had frowned as Vampires' description matched with the Cullens but thought that it was just a coincidence.
After all Vampires aren't real… right ? Sure they had pale skins, looked more good looking that the other people and had strange eyes but there was no way in Hell there were freaking Vampires !
For the following days, she stopped her research… until an incident that caused to start looking again.
The chocolate-eyed young woman then remembered when she and Harald were almost struck by a van. The two were leaving school and it was thanks to Harald that she was still alive. Bella remembered how he had pushed her behind him, putting himself between her and the van, stopping it with his bare hands !
She remembered the amazement at seeing the young man she became friend with holding his ground against a van ! Worse, the front part of the vehicle had almost been destroyed !
She knew he was strong but not THAT strong ! She wasn't the only one who had been surprised by this, the Cullens had been watched the scene with wide eyes… except Edward who seemed angry about something.
Harald, thankfully hadn't been injured… except for the little pieces of glass that pierce his skin at the collision. He had been brung to the infirmary where the nurses carefully pulled them out. Bella had been there the whole time.
After this incident, she became even more determined to find answers about not only the Cullens but also Harald. While she was thankful for him for saving her life, she was still wondering how it was possible for a young man to perform such a fit.
She had tried to ask him personally but he always evaded the subject and when she thanked him for this, his answer had surprised her
"I did what others would have done in my place...Beside, I like you and I do not want to see you get hurt… "
Her heart had warmed even more at those words.
Jacob, when he heard the news, had been concerned for her and had thanked Harald for saving his best friend and he had only nodded back with a tiny smile. Later, Jacob warned both her and Harald (but our hero knew it was mostly to warn the girl) that the Cullens cannot be trusted.
When asked why, the 5 feet 10 tall young man explained that there was a strong animosity between the Quileutes and the Cullens and because of this, they were NOT allowed on the reservation.
That bring us back to present… In February to be precise.
It was Sunday and the air was still a bit cold because of the fact it was still winter. We could hear nothing but silence in the air as many of the animals were either hibernating or hiding from the snow.
But the silence was soon interrupted by a two people. There were none other than Bella Swan and her father, the Sheriff Charlie Swan.
The former wanted to visit Harald and the latter wanted to meet the young man his daughter hadn't stop talking about for some time. The man had a strong suspicion that his daughter was in love with the young man.
Charlie Swan had a mustache and curly brown hair, chocolate brown eyes that Bella inherited. He stood about 6 feet tall and had an average build. He was currently wearing regular jeans and shirts.
"Are you sure he lives here Charlie ?" the young woman impatiently asked her father as she looked around.
"I'm pretty sure he does… I read his files..." Charlie responded to her with a frown.
There were pretty far away from the town after all.
As they walked, the two couldn't help but admire the area : it was simply beautiful and the snow and ice seemed to sparkle under the light of the sun. Bella herself gazed around with a bit of amazement : she could understand why her friend would choose such a place as his home.
They walked for another two minutes but then stopped when a strange sound echoed in the air.
'CHUNK !'
The sound came from nearby… and it was as if someone was chopping woods.
Curious, father and daughter glanced at one another before stepping closer. Soon they found themselves entering a clearing where stood a large wooden house. But it was not what had caught their eyes.
'CHUNK !'
There, standing a few feet away from them, was Harald and he was chopping woods.
The young man was shirtless and sweating profusely… Bella couldn't retain herself from blushing a bit as she stared at the muscles of his chest. But then her chocolate eyes landed on something in his hands : an axe. But the weapon itself was gorgeous to look at
It had a wooden haft with a silver-colored textured grip. The grip itself had a wrapped texture and there was an engraved design at the bottom of the haft. Next, its head had an ornate design : the socket and side panels on the haft possessed geometric patterns. In the center of the socket, there was a blue gem. On the bearded blade, Bella could see a strange drawing that looked like a Bear Head.
'CHUNK !'
Her trance was broken was the axe fell down, cutting the piece of woods in half.
Charlie, for his part, was staring at the young man with narrowed eyes : this boy was tall for someone his age and pretty muscular. His long dark brown hair was wet attached into a ponytail, possibly to prevent it from disturbing him in his work. Despite knowing that the guy before him was only 17, he was still a bit surprised to see him having the beard of a 19 years old man !
Clearing his throat, the young man stopped his work before slowly turning around to face them.
"Oh Sorry I didn't hear you coming hehe…" Harald greeted them while rubbing the back of his head with embarrassment.
In truth, he had heard them but to appear more normal, he had to play the part.
"Its fine Harald ! Your house is beautiful !" Bella complimented with a smile while still harboring a blush of her face.
"Thank you sakna Swan~" the dark brown haired young man responded with a tiny smirk on his face.
Charlie blinked at the strange word but before he could ask about it, someone beat him to it.
"Again with this Mister Anderson ?~" Bella retorted back with a playful grin, knowing that he was doing this on purpose.
"I enjoy this little game of ours~" Harald replied with a chuckle as she pouted at him before looking at the older man near his friend.
"You must be Bella's father ? Charlie right ?" he sounded nervous as he asked this.
"Indeed… Sheriff Swan at your service Mr. Anderson !" The mustached man said to the younger one with a friendly expression on his face.
After seeing their little interaction, Charlie's suspicions about the two grew a bit but seeing how friendly this Harald Anderson was, he decided to act the same.
"Welcome to my domain ! Maybe you might want to get inside ! Its freezing out there after all… " He added with a small smile.
Father and Daughter nodded at they followed their host when the latter lead them inside with his axe in hand. When he let them in, Charlie and Bella looked around in amazement as the interior was pretty cozy.
"Make yourself comfortable in the living room… I have to take a quick shower..." Harald explained to them while pointing at his sweat-covered chest.
They both nodded their heads before watching as their host made his way upstairs. Charlie and Bella shared one glance before heading to the living-room and both had to admit that the sofa was REALLY comfortable.
"This place is homey..." The young woman commented as she looked at the area, taking in every detail of the place she was in.
"It is… This young man sure know how to take care of his house… However, I wonder where are his parents..." Charlie said casually as he enjoyed the softness of the sofa.
"He only had a mother… He told me that he never met his dad…" Bella responded to her father while looking at one of the portraits where we could see a younger Harald and a gorgeous woman with light brown hair and dark green eyes.
"It must be his mom !" she thought in realization as the way the two were holding one another.
Charlie looked sad at the fact the young man never got to meet his father but still, where was the mother ?
" What do you think of him Charlie ?" Bella suddenly asked him with a hint of curiosity in her tone.
"He seems to be a decent bloke… But I will wait to know him a bit more before judging..." the mustached man replied to his daughter who only nodded her head in understanding.
A few moments later, Harald came back in a new set of clothes and without his axe.
"So… Tea or coffee ?" he asked his guests with a smile when he re-appeared in the living-room.
00/(Time Skip)/00
It had been almost a hour since the arrival of Bella and her father and so far, things went smoothly. After drinking their coffees, Charlie had, of course, asked some questions and the dark brown haired young man answered them as best as he could.
In fact, it simple questions such as : where did he lived before coming to Forks ? Where was his mother ? What was his favorite hobby(ies) ? Etc.
The first questions were a bit difficult to answer as the young man still missed Montana and Charlie had been pretty shocked to hear that it was tradition for people his age to leave their parents to become independent.
The question about hobbies had been pretty easy to answer : baking, cooking, napping, eating, driving his Harley Davidson…
So far, Charlie seemed to like him which was good because Harald would be sad to be separate from his soul-mate (who still didn't know about it). Bella's eyes shined as she looked at the interaction between her friend and her father : internally, she had been worried that Charlie would ask her to stop seeing him.
She didn't know why, but she couldn't see herself being away from his young man… or at least for too long.
But then, she thought about something : her suspicions about him and the Cullens. So far, Harald seemed to answer Charlie's question as trustfully as he could… Maybe she could use this to her advantage ?
Hiding a smirk, the young woman loudly cleared her throat to catch their attention of the other. They didn't heart it however…
"Harald ?" Bella called out softy, interrupted the two men in their discussion.
"Yes sakna Swan ?" Harald asked back with a teasing smirk.
Her eyebrow twitched again at the word but she ignored it in favor of asking him with a hint of impatience.
"You talked a lot of time about your people and your tradition… Can you tell us me more about it ?" she asked him innocently.
Harald shot her a blank look as he clearly see where she was going with it… but shrugged. Beside, her father looked kind of curious now so it was NOT a good idea to lie now.
"Alright but you must promise to not say this to ANYONE !" Harald asked them with narrowed eyes.
Charlie and Bella blinked in shock at the sudden change of behavior but nodded their heads regardless.
"My ancestors came from Norway… Northmen and women" he began to say with a hint of sadness before going on
" People who tried to establish in Europe after their banishment… and for a time, they lived in peace… until the Church and the Inquisition…"
The young man carefully explained to his guests while hiding some facts such as him and his ancestors being Werebears.
"Many of us had to flee for their lives because everyone saw us as Heretics..." Harald added with venom as he thought of priests or fanatic members of the Church.
Bella seemed horrified by the tale while Charlie looked disturbed.
"What happened next ?" the young woman asked him in a soft tone
"They left Europe as you can imagine… For weeks, they traversed the Atlantic before arriving on Newfoundland's shores… but not all of them managed to land safely..."
Charlie looked a bit pained at that part and shot a look of sympathy to the young man before him. Harald shot him a grateful look before blinking when he felt arms around his neck. It was Bella… Shooting him a small smile, the young man went on on his story.
"Those who survived managed to build a new home but later, they got into conflicts with some of the locals when the village started to be crowded… However, after a treaty, my people and the Amerindians coexisted peacefully..."
Harald then sighed deeply when he finished speaking but then turned his head toward his two guests
"Even if my people left their home, we have kept some of our original traditions… such as the languages, the writing of runes and some rituals..."
"So you speak Norwegian ?" Charlie asked him as if it was logical.
"No… The Old Norse… The Language of Vikings !" Harald replied proudly.
Bella and Charlie were stunned by those revelations
"No way ! I thought the Vikings disappeared !" the former said with shock
"The traditions died yes… but not the people ! And MY people, unlike the actual Northmen and women, hadn't left our traditions behind !" Harald responded with a shrug.
"So you still believe in Norse Gods ?!" Charlie asked him with disbelief.
"Not exactly… but we still believe in something that is NOT Christian !" the young man answered back casually.
"Which is ?" Bella asked him defiantly but also curiously.
She couldn't believe that she was friend with a living Viking ! But that explained the axe from earlier and the strange drawings on some part of the house.
"I can't tell you… I'm sorry..." Harald responded in a soft tone but a look of slight sadness.
"I see… Family Business ?" Charlie asked him with a raise-brow
"Something like that yes..." Harald replied with a nod.
Bella, for her part, was a bit disappointed by this but could understand it as she was not Harald's family…
"Not yet~" a small voice whispered in her head which caused her to blush a bit.
Charlie, however, noticed it and raised an eyebrow at his daughter's behavior. His father instinct kicked in and he looked sharply at the young man before him… who looked stunned by his sudden stare.
"Mr Anderson… As a father, it is my duty to ask you this : do you like my daughter ?"
"CHARLIE !" Bella cried out to her father with a mad blush on her face.
Harald, too was blushing, but he quickly regained his composure to answer the young woman's father. This was his moment : it was risky but if it worked… he would be one happy man.
"Mr. Swan I will be honest with you : your daughter is an amazing person… She is fun, fierce, determined, beautiful and caring… Despite being a loner, I grew to love her company… After all who wouldn't ? She became someone I cared dearly..."
Bella looked stunned by his declaration as her face turned even redder. Charlie, him, was impassive but in his eyes, it was easy to see that he seemed to appreciate this young man's compliment toward his daughter.
"So yes Mr. Anderson… I like your daughter… No… I LOVE your daughter and I would be happy if she accepted to be my girlfriend..." He began to say to Charlie before turning his head toward the mustached man's daughter at the last words.
Once again, Bella was stunned as she looked at him with wide eyes. She hadn't seen this coming… However, her mind and heart were screaming to say 'YES !'…
So she did…
"YES !"
Harald looked happy by her answer and the young woman practically lunged at him to embrace him. Carefully wrapping his arms around her, the dark haired young man returned the gesture… before they both froze when they remembered that they weren't alone.
Charlie looked at the two of them with narrowed eyes and they quickly pulled away from one another, blushing.
"You have some guts to make the demand in front of me, Mr. Anderson..." the mustached Sheriff began to say in a stern tone that somehow worried the two.
But then, they both blinked in surprise when Charlie laughed loudly. It was simply unexpected
"And because of this, you got my approval !" Bella's father added with a chuckle as he saw the relief on the younger man's face.
"However, hurt my daughter and I will hurt you..." Charlie menaced him with a glare that could melt ice but Harald merely nodded.
His grandmother's glares were more terrifying… Heck even his Mom's were scarier than Charlie's !
"I will never do such things don't worry about it Mr. Swa-" Harald began to say but was interrupted by the mustached man.
"Please call me Charlie..."
"Only if you call me by my name..."
"Deal !"
They firmly shook their hands under the pleased chocolate eyes of Bella.
She had never thought having a boyfriend before but now… she didn't mind it one bit. Her heart seemed fine with having HARALD the hot Viking boy as her boyfriend.
A blush appeared on her face : where does this came from ?
Shaking her head, her chocolate eyes returned back to the two men before her who were laughing about something Charlie just said.
Internally, she was overjoyed that her father seemed to approve of Harald despite just having met the man but she wasn't complaining !
She was also amazed by the bravery Harald showed by asking such a question right in front of Charlie ! No boys would do such things ! And he just did…
A warm smile grew on her face at the words he said about her and her heart melted a bit more because of it. That and she had seen the expression in his blue-green eyes when those words left his eyes : Love.
Shaking her head, Bella Swan focused back on present just when Harald said that he invited the two of them to stay for diner. Charlie had protested at first saying that he didn't wanted them to intrude but Harald was having none of it.
In the end, Charlie accepted with a bit of reluctance. However, there were still time before diner time so the young man showed them around… As they passed near a closed room (the one Aiyanna was hibernating in), Harald said that it was a private place so it was forbidden to enter.
Bella had been curious about it but would respect his wish. The rest of the day passed quickly and the diner he prepared for his guests was simply delicious : Salmon Carbonara. Charlie and herself were amazed by how good he cooked and the former was having more good things to say about his daughter's newest boyfriend.
It was an enjoyable time for all three of them…
(To be continue…)