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

Friends?

Ever since the night Thorfinn had saved me from the villagers in the woods we have somehow grown closer to each other. I mean he still put up a hard act around me, but then I would catch his eyes on me, watching over me from afar. Not only that but I had noticed that he hung around closer to me now, while on the move we would walk almost side by side at times.

It was during those times that I could really talk to him, ask him small things here and there like 'how is your day Thorfinn?' or 'It's getting pretty cold out lately' and he would reply with small remarks to my questions but never really try to continue with a conversation. Which wasn't much, but it was still leaps and bounds from what little talk had in the past.

Maybe getting almost killed was worth it just to get Thorfinn to be a little nicer to me. Maybe at this rate we could possibly even become friends. I shook my head at that thought as I walked with the men along the road. 'Yeah right like he would want to be friends with me' I thought to myself as I sneaked a peek over at Thorfinn who was walking a few feet away from me. Seeing that he had his eyes on me as well, we made eye contact for a split second before he frowned and quickly snapped his attention ahead of him. A smile grows on my face as I do the same and pull my attention back to the road in front of me.

"What are you smiling about?" My father asked where he sat upon his horse. I turned my attention to him, shocked he had even noticed me. "Oh, nothing at all father. Just thinking of a funny joke one of the men said the other night during dinner." I quickly told him, giving a deceitful smile. Hoping he hadn't seen me peeking over at the shaggy blonde. He replies with a small hum and an ' I see I see' before we see a soldier on horseback appear in the distance down the road.

"A soldier. Out here?" I ask, grabbing my bow from where it was slung over my shoulder. "Could it be an English soldier?" I hear from my side and look over to see Thorfinn, hand on his dagger. 'When had he gotten there? I think, raising a brow at him quizzically.

"No, that's one of ours. But we're supposed to be the only troops in the area." Askeladd said to us before calling out from atop his horse "Stop and speak soldier!" The man pulled back on the reins of his horse once he came within distance of us. "We are Askeladd's band, under the orders of king Sweyn. Where are you coming from?" Father asked the man getting down from his horse and approaching, me and Thorfinn following closely behind him. "I am under Prince Canute's orders, I have a message to deliver to King Sweyns army."

My father continued to talk to the man, gaining some intel on what had happened back in London, Bjorn and the men coming to listen in on the news as the two talked. We found out that Thorkell had struck Prince Canute's force of four thousand men with his band of men. Taking Prince Canute hostage and chasing after the main army of King Sweyn with only five hundred soldiers under him. "That guy, really is a psycho" I say with a shiver. "Ya imagine having to fight that crazy bastard." Thorfinn replied.

"I seek the main force to gain reinforcements in order to save the prince from Thorkell the tall. You must join me." The soldier pleaded, a hand outstretched toward my father. Askeladd thought about it for a moment, staying silent as he stared down the man. Bjorn standing at his side says "It's your call Askeladd. what are we going to do?" Askeladd smirked, saying "Don't you see this opportunity in front of us?"

Fast as lightning Askeladd unsheathed his sword and swung at the soldier's neck, cutting his head clean off. Thorfinn took a step in front of me quickly. My only reaction was a small gasp of surprise as I watched blood spurt from the man's neck, his head hitting the ground with a thud. The men around us seemed just as surprised as I was by Askeladd's violence, but father didn't give them a second of respite. "Bury him and his horse." He called out to no one in particular before continuing.

"LISTEN UP MEN! We are to rescue his highness Prince Canute, he is the heir to the Danish throne. Can you imagine what the King would pay to get him back." Askeladd hollered out riling up the men. It was like my father had flipped a switch, one second they were full of shock, wondering why my father had killed the Prince's messenger. The next they were full of life and excitement at the thought of gaining wealth and fame by stealing away the prince from thorkell.

I on the other hand felt scared at the possibility of taking on that giant beast of a man. If he was able to take on all four thousand of Prince Canute's men, then I couldn't imagine what he could do to the measly hundred men that my father currently possessed. Yes they were capable warriors and could easily hold against a force twice to triple their size. But one of the reasons they could even take on forces that tripled our size was because we had Askeladd as our chieftain. He was an amazing strategist, but I feared that even against Thorkell's might we may not be able to make it out alive.

"What is that old man thinking?" Thorfinn said gruffly at my side, annoyance apparent in his tone. Obviously on edge at the thought of taking on Thorkell again. "I don't know, and I don't like it." I respond, pushing past Thorfinn and making my way to my fathers side who was already talking to Bjorn on what steps to take next. Thorfinn trailing closely behind me.

"What do you think you're doing? Do you even have a plan on how in Odin's name we can even get the Prince from Thorkell?" I hissed. My father looked over at me casually, his eyes glancing over at Thorfinn who stood at my side. "I'm planning on raising some hell. On how I'm going to raise that hell, I have no clue just yet." He replied nonchalantly. "Are you kidding me old man! How could you kill a soldier without a plan even in place yet?" I argued.

I couldn't believe what I was currently hearing! I knew my father was an ambitious man but even he had to know where his limits were.

Askeladd reached out and patted my head "Don't worry little dove, I'll figure something out before we even get close to Thorkells force. I already have a little something in mind anyways." He says, giving me a smile. "Your father is capable of sweeping the Prince away from Thorkell. Just let your dad and uncle Bjorn take care of the planning." Bjorn says dismissively. I knew by then that there was nothing I could say that would get them to stop what they were planning. Especially since they already had the men hyped up for the battle, if father took back his declaration of stealing the prince he would lose the respect of the men and be called a coward.

As I leave my father and Bjorn, Thorfinn stays at my side. "Do you think we can pull it off?" I ask him. He frowned, thinking over the whole situation. "We could make it, but not without suffering casualties, and Thorkell chasing after us for the prince." I sigh deeply, pinching the bridge of my nose as I feel a headache coming on.

"I suppose my father will get his hell." I say receiving a scoff from Thorfinn. "It's what he's best at." He says looking back and glaring at my father. "Well. Let's make sure we both don't die then." I say dragging Thorfinns hate filled eyes back to me. I gave him a small smile and put out my hand. "Friends?" I ask, hopeful that he would shake my hand. He had seemed more at ease around me lately, and I had never had a friend, let alone someone my own age. It might be nice and Thorfinn and I could grow closer.

He gives my hand a scrutinizing look. I half expected him to slap my hand away and say 'Fuck no' and give me his notorious glare. But I was shocked when he reached out and gave my hand a shake. "Fine. I suppose we could try being friends" he says quietly. "But don't think I won't still try and kill your dad" he warned.

Ignoring the added part about him still promising to kill my dad I was floored.Holy shit, did we just become friends?