Viking, me.

Chapter 28 - "Tonight"

(Photo credits to wise_girl_32, thank you!! <3)

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The band struck up again and the music played as it once did. I was still standing still, the voices a blur, as if I was under water. The crowd had begun dancing once more and with each passing person I could see him a little more clearly but still his face was unclear, maybe it was because I couldn't believe who it was.

The blonde young man who had danced with me was fighting for my attention, whilst I couldn't help but watch this other man.
"Who are you looking at?" He asks frustration clear on his voice. I glanced at him. His eyes stormy and his dark brows furrowed. He followed my eyes and found my subject. He seemed to be lost for words.
"Him" he growled. " That traitor"
This brought my attention back to him immediately, I knew in that second who he was talking about. I gritted my teeth- I wanted to slap his admittedly attractive face. But as I found my hand raised instinctively I paused and this young man took it up and swung me back into the dance.

"Ignore him, Sven, ignore Sven he is a good for nothing Saoirse- puts the value of his earldom below the importance of sleeping with woman and drinking himself stupid" the eyes that sat glinting in his head looked over my face. "Promise?" I had not a single idea how to answer that question. I felt a desire to stamp on his foot and curse him for slandering his name- the name of his prince. I give a quick nod to satisfy him as he urged me for an answer.

We began to dance again and we talked of meaningless things, he had a large personality and a way of making me laugh, a way of making me forget why I was here this evening. Made me forget of my pain and how I looked. But he also my gave me a aching heart as I longed for this laughter to be inspired in me by the man that brought me here and made me a new.

The evening was ageing because I, as per usual, fell in love with the way the sky changed colours. The band paused and the buzz of people's gleeful chatter made my skin tingle and my heart melt.
"Saoirse?" He asked quietly, wrapping his hands around my slim waist, his mouth in by my ear. "You are astoundingly beautiful..." he paused.
"Will you-"

He didn't finish his sentence as there was a sudden clearing of a throat. I froze, my body tensing. Arvid leaned back to see who had interrupted him.  Sven stood broad shouldered and a ridged stance. He wore an extravagant cloak, that had a grey fur lining that lay over his shoulders and had a thick material that slunk to the ground around his boots.  He looked, well, very sultry, he had washed and brushed out his hair letting it fall in long straight  tendrils. But his eyes burned blue and the usual smudged blackness was done now very neatly and expertly.
He looked at me and I saw that his jaw was clenched. It was then when I adverted my eyes that he was flanked by Alrik. I haven't seen him in some time, he had a scruffy beard and the same youthful face underneath, the facial hair almost didn't suit him. I thought for a second as I looked at him that he gave me a small smile but I couldn't see under his moustache. I must have looked to shocked.

"What is going on here?" He asks coldly. It must have looked very bad, I could feel Arvid's hand on my hips and his hips pressed too mine.
"Sven" I breath. "I- "
"You know him Saoirse? " Arvid asked a little irritated.
I nod as I take my hands off his chest.

I'm roughly ripped from Arvid's side by Sven. He held my head in place by his hand at the back of my neck and has the other grabs my butt cheek hoisting mine towards his pelvis, leaning me back.
"She knows me real well" he said looking directly into my eyes, he lips almost hitting off mine. But his voice was a crisp as day so that Arvid could hear him. My cheeks go up in flames, heating and to my best guess must have been a warm pink.