I Want to be Kind [-Thorfinn X Reader-] [Vinland Saga]

Duel

I found out later when the crew had come back to the ship with the boy Thorfinn tagging along behind them that he had demanded a duel from Askeladd and tried to kill him.

Only to get his ass kicked by my father. Not surprising.

What was surprising is that he had allowed the boy to stay alive after a thorough beating, but that had not stopped Thorfinn from sticking around the crew of vikings and following them back to the ship days later.

"In the name of the almighty Odin, I challenge you to a duel" the boy said, holding up his dagger towards my father.

Askeladd simply smirked at the boy, his arms crossed as he taunted "I don't think you want another ass kicking do you boy?" Thorfinn gritted his teeth in irritation "Fight me like a warrior! I will avenge my father!" He threatened, earning hearty laughs from my fathers crew that surrounded us.

"You should let him fight you, Askeladd." One would call. "Are you too afraid of him? I would be too!" Another yelled out, earning laughs from those around him.

I sat on a crate beside my father, Bjorn sauntered over to us. "He's not going to back down, are you going to let down your crew chieftain?" Bjorn teased my father, a hint of laughter in his voice.

Askeladd let out an annoyed sigh, scratching the back of his head before looking over at where I was sitting and smiled "I think I'll give him a better opponent" he said turning back to the boy "If you can beat my daughter here you can fight me" he announced.

'What I don't want to fight the poor boy' I thought to myself as I looked between my father and Thorfinn. It was bad enough already that he looked as if he hadn't had a good meal since the last time I fed him. I doubt he even got any food since he had left. Not only that but the boy was obviously not trained to fight whatsoever. Meanwhile I had been trained by my father to be ruthless already in a fight. Sure I couldn't fight in a full on battle, but I was well equipped with a bow and in charge of looking after the ship when the crew went into battle in case any stray warriors or commoners came too close to our ships.

"I'm not fighting a girl!" Thorfinn objected, staring me down as if it was insane to even consider fighting a girl in battle. Which irked me insanely.

'Oh never mind, It's on' I thought, angry that he had looked down on me as I hopped down from where I sat and stepped forward. Even after helping him a few days ago he still had the audacity to look down on me.

"Don't think that just because she is a young lady that means she won't be much of a fight. Believe me she can easily kick your ass." My father chuckled before adding "If you can beat her you actually might have a better chance of even trying to kill me" he joked getting a few laughs from the crowd of men that surrounded us.

As I approached the boy slowly he raised up his dagger, though he seemed to still be hesitant at the thought of fighting a girl. "Aren't you going to get a weapon?" he asked

"No I don't need one for you." I said simply before rushing him and catching him off guard, punching him square in the face. "GAH" he cried out in pain rolling back onto the ground and without letting him get a second of relief I drew back my leg and kicked him in the stomach, putting all of my weight into the kick. "Are you going to give up?" I asked kicking him once more as he cried out in pain.

"Come on (Y/N) that's enough for the poor boy" Bjorn said with a laugh as I stood back away from him. Hopefully he will learn that he isn't cut out for a revenge quest and leave us the hell alone after this.

"It's better if you stay down" I warned him before retreating back to my father. A part of me felt bad for beating him, but I knew it would be for the better if he got the hint and gave up already.

Before I knew it a dagger whizzed past my face, cutting my cheek.

I cried out in shock and pain and turned around to glare at the boy, putting a hand up to my face where I had been cut. He was glaring at me with a look of defiance. "I'm not done." he said quietly, a sense of finality in his voice.

I let out a growl as I stepped forward, ready to go back and beat him senseless, but before I could take another step my father stepped in between us cutting off my path "oho, you are persistent aren't you boy." he says with a smirk.

"How about this, you become a part of my crew-" Askeladd started to say but the boy cut him off before he could get in another word. "I'll never be a filthy viking like you people." Thorfinn said with a snarl only causing Askeladd's smile to widen even more. Obviously thinking that this boy's defiance was some sort of hilarious joke.

Squatting down in front of him he continued "Let me finish. if you can become a viking and get stronger, prove yourself on the field of battle and I will allow you to duel me properly" he offered.

Thorfinn just laid there on the ground and stared at the older man, thinking over what he just offered to the young boy. "I have your word on that?" He asked shakenly

"Of course" Askeladd said as he stood up, turning and walking away, grabbing my arm and pulling me along with him back to the ship " you can always trust a warrior's promise." he said as we walked away from the boy.

As we were walking away I could hear the boy speak to himself. Promising himself that he would work hard and kill my father one day. I pull my hand from my cheek, seeing my red blood coat my hand I hissed in pain. His dagger had cut deep, I wouldn't be surprised if it would leave a scar once healed. 'Damn him..' I thought to myself as I put my hand back to my cheek, covering my wound.

Though he wasn't much of a threat at the moment, I was truly scared he would one day be able to kill Askeladd. Even though he wasn't much at the moment, he could grow strong as my father grew old. Even if my father saw him as a joke. Deep down I knew the boy would do his best to make good on those promises some day.