Page 21 of Her Viking Saviour
Torben could not remember the last time had spoken this many words in a single sitting, and a huge weight lifted from his chest as he took a full breath of air. Wynflaed’s face was contemplative as she watched him.
“Torben, what you did took more strength than needlessly killing and destroying everything in your path. I grew up hearing the stories of what was done to my people and it struck terror in all of us. You are brave. You are kind. Above all else, you are selfless, and you need to forgive yourself,” she told him, her own voice now thick with emotion as she pressed both her hands on his chest.
“I try my best to make amends, Wynflaed. That day I saw you in Kyivan Rus, I think I knew you would be my salvation.”
“Kyivan Rus. Guthred. Torben, now that I know you and what happened, how does it relate to Freydis?”
Torben narrowed his eyes.
“Guthred was the one who committed the atrocities that turned me away from battle. I will never allow my sister to wed that savage animal. She thinks it is love because she cannot see past her scar. Guthred is cunning and cruel. He wants to ally himself with our family, he always told me we would be an unstoppable force. When I left on a trading mission, he was welcomed in Klavik because I had never shared my dislike for him, and while he was here he won Freydis’s heart. I forbade their union and sent him away and she is yet to forgive me.”
“Did you explain to her what you just told me?”
“No, she does not need to know. I am her brother–her Chieftain–and she needs to trust me.” He stood up and brought Wynflaed to her feet as well.
“Let us return to the settlement. Let us bathe and eat. And tonight you will be in my bed, where you will be for the rest of your nights.”
Chapter Twenty-One
Wynflaed held Torben’s hand while they returned to the settlement. It felt perfect. Large, calloused, and comforting. Only the thought of Freydis’s situation could ruin this moment. Wynflaed knew how heartbroken she still was, and she needed to find a way to reach her without sharing what Torben had confided in her. Wynflaed was confident she could bring Freydis around eventually, no matter the limitations on what she could divulge. Freydis had lacked anyone to talk to about this and her emotions were pent-up and raw, but she would see sense eventually. Torben had bared his heart to her and given her a glimpse of his tortured and redeemed soul. She held no judgement for what he had done, only admiration for who he had become.
They soon arrived at the bathing huts. The area was lit with torches, but it was still dark enough to make it hard to recognise anyone. The few people around recognized Torben, of course, since he was their Chieftain and had an impressive stature and bulk. She could imagine their curious expressions but shrugged them off. She realised she cared naught for what anyone thought, a far cry from Northumbria and any concern of tarringher reputation. Here, she felt empowered to make choices that mattered to her and no one else.
Torben led them inside one of the huts and began to undress her. She stood there obediently and watched his eyes darken with lust as he revealed her skin, bit by bit. His adoration of her heightened her own passions, knowing she aroused him so. Once she was naked she pushed his hands away, so he began to remove his own clothes. She helped, and sneakily kissed each revealed patch of flesh, and she smiled when she felt his breath quicken. He had scars everywhere–small, jagged ones, deep gashes –and she traced them all, the healed skin raised but smooth, evidence of his warrior prowess. She pressed a kiss to his manhood, marvelling that the skin was so soft but so hard as he pulsated with need.
“Wynflaed,” he choked out in a ragged breath as she explored brazenly. Her tongue glided along the length of him.
She instinctively opened her mouth, and he groaned while she moved her head back and forth, using a sucking motion and her hands to pleasure him. His hands tightly grasped her hair as he pushed into her mouth. Wynflaed grabbed his bare buttocks to steady herself, enjoying the act as much as he did.
He growled and pulled her away, then lifted her up to kiss her as he ran his hands wildly over her body. She wanted him to take her but was unsure how he could in this limited space.Maybe I can straddle him in the water, she thought desperately as he lashed his tongue over her breasts.
Torben had his own plan, so he turned her around and pressed her hands to the wall.
“You make me wild with need, Wynflaed,” he growled as he entered her from behind. This new position was too much, though her wetness engulfed him eagerly. He planted his hands firmly on her hips as he moved in and out of her, and she rocked back enthusiastically as her body started to ascend to the peakof pleasure only he could make her feel. Within moments, they reached it together and cried out in unison. Her legs shook in the aftermath and Torben lifted her into his arms, walked over, and placed her in the bath. He joined her with the soap, and they took turns washing each other. She giggled as he washed her hair. He was so serious, biting the tip of his tongue that poked out as he massaged her scalp. Her hair was slowly growing, and she grinned at the idea of having him to wash it for her now, since it was a tedious task.
After they had rinsed off, dried themselves, and redressed, her stomach decided to alert them to the fact she was famished with a grumble that echoed through the bath hut.
Torben threw his head back and laughed, it was a beautiful sight. She watched his joy with adoration.
“Come, Wynflaed, your belly is saying it needs to be fed.”
Instead of going to the main long house, they returned to the family house and sat at the table to eat. Leif was there going over the books and rolled his eyes when they walked in, hand in hand.
“I knew this would happen,” he said with a shake of his head, but Wynflaed could see his smile.
“Never look a gift of foresight in the mouth, Leif,” she retorted, but smiled as well. Torben called for food and, in a moment, stew, bread, cheese, and fruit were placed before them. Torben and Leif watched her heartily eat two bowls of stew in quick succession.
“We will need to increase our food storage for winter,'' Leif joked.
He caught the apple Wynflaed aimed at him, took a bite, and grinned at her.
“Did you see Freydis today, Leif?” Torben asked.
“When it was still daylight, yes. She told me she had womanly ails and would be in her bed for the rest of the eve and to notdisturb her till morning,” he said with a grimace, likely at his mention of womanly ails.
Wynflaed thought that was odd, since Freydis had not mentioned to her that she had received her flux or shown any signs of discomfort earlier today.Or perhaps that's why she was in such an upset state? She would discuss it with her tomorrow and added it to her mental list of items to discuss. She wanted Freydis to know she could talk to her about anything. She tried to stifle a yawn when a wave of tiredness washed over her body, but Torben saw it.
“Off to bed we go, Wynflaed. It has been an exhausting day for us both,” Torben told her, as he reached out and kissed her forehead. She threw another apple at Leif who snorted at the word “exhausting” and followed Torben to his room. Our room, I should say, she thought happily, as she stepped over the threshold to her new life. Torben was hers, her Viking saviour.
