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

Death

The room was quiet as everyone looked on in horror and confusion at the kings beheaded body. But I looked at my father. I knew he cared for Wales, but is this the best plan he could come up with? Would I see him die today in front me? Would I die by association being his daughter. My heart skips a beat at the uncertainty of what was to come once the silence broke.

"Hm, that felt good." My father hummed as he acted like this was nothing, that he didn't care about the sin he had just committed.

"Attack him men! He has committed regicide! Cut him down!" Canute yelled out to the men around us. The guards all rushing forward with their swords to kill my father. I didn't know what to do, my feet starting to take me forward to protect my father no matter how horrible he has been to me. I couldn't lose the last true family I had, not after Bjorn. Thorkell grabs my shoulders snapping me back to reality as swords clashed in front of me.

"You don't even have a weapon. You need to stay back." Thorkell said as if he could read my mind. I look to him in fear as I wanted to fight him off. But he was right, there was nothing I could do. It's not like I could pick a sword off a dead body seeing how I wasn't skilled with one, and my bow wasn't even here at the moment. I was useless as I watched the massacre.

My father didn't give up as he slashed and cut through any man that feared to challenge him without breaking a sweat. "What's wrong men? Step forward if you wish to die! The king of Brittania himself will cut you down!" Askeladd panted out from where he was currently backed against a wall.

I allow Thorkell to bring me over to where the prince was standing protected behind a wall of guards. "Do not falter! Run him down! Overwhelm him with numbers!" Canute ordered from where he stood. I wanted to kill him for his words.

Canute seeing the bloodlust on my faces I stared at him. he scowled "I don't actually want him dead." He said before motioning to the bloody mess in front of us "He's acting." He revealed to me. "I know my father. He must have given Askeladd a choice, it was either my head or Wales. He took the option to save both by acting like a madman he takes the guilt for murdering the king." He explained to me patiently.

The doors to the hall were finally opened as they unbarred the doors. A rush of guards came to rush in but where halted by the amount of chieftains trying to rush out. "Askeladd!" I hear the scream from the door and look to see Thorfinn squished between bodies of men as he tried to squeeze into the hall. "Thorfinn.." I mutter as I stare in disbelief at his arrival.

My father is fighting the man named Floki as Thorfinn finally is able to squeeze past all the bodies. "Askeladd!" He shouts when my father turns his head to the boy "Stay away Thorfinn!" He demands.

I hadn't noticed in the chaos that Canute had left the safety of the guards. That he had picked up a sword. That his sword was now currently in my fathers chest. "Is this the first time you've ran a man through with a sword..? Well done." My father says to the prince as he coughs up blood.

My blood runs cold as I race foward, Thorfinn doing the same. I catch my father as he falls back to the ground. "Father..?" I whisper out when men all around us cheer in victory. The blood rushing in my ears making it almost as if those screams and shouts were from a distant dream. "Shit shit shit! Why would you do all of this?!" I speak frantically. Thorfinn watching at my side.

Askeladd reached up and touched my cheek catching me off guard. "I'm sorry.. little dove. I couldn't let him take it." He whispers weakly. "You put Wales.. over me?" I mutter out in disbelief. He shakes his head, blood dripping from his lips. "I'm sorry.. I couldn't let him destroy it. I know you'll be safe without me anyways. You've grown so much." He apologized and I couldn't bare to hear it after all he's done, it made the apology worthless. He wasn't allowed to die now after everything.

"Thorfinn." He muttered looking over to the man besides me. "You can take my life now.."

I'm shocked at his audacity. After all he did this morning he was allowing Thorfinn to kill him happily. "You said you would kill him.." I accuse. My father lets out a strained chuckle "I lied.. I'm pretty good at it."

I couldn't find the humor in his words. "No you can't die! I still have to kill you for all you've done." Thorfinn suddenly said enraged. "Get up and fight me you bastard!" He cried out. My father weakly smirks, closing his eyes as he grows tired and cold. "I'm sorry. Both of you.." he muttered out so quietly I could barely hear him speak. He grew limp in my arms as he died in that spot. The room quiet around us.

"I will not ask for forgiveness. He had went mad and killed the king. A price he had to pay for with his life." Canute said to us after a few moments of silence. Thorfinn turned to look at Canute. Without hesitation he charged forward with his dagger and swung at his face. Thorkell taking him down to the ground within an instant. Men surrounding us ordering for him to be killed.

"Thorfinn!" I yelled as I was grabbed and pulled away from my fathers corpse by a guard.  "Oh no. You're not helping him." The guard hissed out as he held me back. "Cease! Do not kill him I am fine! He is not like Askeladd." Canute shouted, a bloody slit on his upper cheek where Thorfinn had cut him.

"It is a meager price for what I have taken." Canute said before noticing that I was apprehended as well. "Let go of her she has done no wrong." He ordered with a glare. And within a second I am released. "You can't mean to let him walk free? If he does not die the dignity of the Danish Royal court will be besmirched." Floki said stepping forward. Making it a mistake to let me go if they were planning to murder Thorfinn. Even with no skill in sword combat I couldn't lose the very last person I had dear to me. "I said nothing of releasing him. I will decide his fate at a later time." Canute said making me ease up.

Canute begins to make a speech about him stepping up as a king. But my attention was on Thorfinn as two men stepped forward to drag him away. I go to follow after when Thorkell stops me "don't, it'll only make things worse for you. He'll be fine, you'll be able to see him later I promise." He reassured me as I watched my lover get dragged out. His eyes were on me as well, and I prayed to the Gods that he could see that I would be with him soon as things settled. I would find his cell, I would make him free, I would be with him.