The Skabelse

Aye, I Like You Enough

A/N: Another long chapter, sorry! Also there is another pic of Rowan up top. I of course do not own the photo (or any photos I have used) it is just what I view her as :)

The sounds of birds chirping and faint laughter awoke Rowan from her slumber. Last night had been one of the best nights of sleep she had ever had and she wished she could sleep a few more minuets and decided she would take advantage of the warm and comfortable bed. "They can get breakfast started without me," she thought.

She inhaled and nestled down into her pillow and after a few moments she froze. Instead of smelling cotton and down feathers of her pillow, she had smelt a mixture of pine, soap, and a hint of something  she couldn't place. And instead of her pillow being soft and plump she felt herself laying on something hard and...moving?

Rowan's eyes shot open when she remembered last night and found herself resting on Bjorn's bare chest with one arm draped over his torso. In return, he had one slightly around her waist and the other  was holding her hand that was laying across his torso. "Oh my..." she whispered, not wanting to wake him up. She did not remember when they had gotten into this position and figured she had done it unconsciously. Looking at his face she noticed and how peaceful he appeared. He was no longer the boy who despised her that she had first met and in his place was a caring and humorous man. One that you trusted enough to sleep in your bed and now look at you she thought.

Slowly she removed his arm from her waist, trying to untangle their bodies from one another. But when Bjorn stirred she panicked and threw herself off of him, rolling out of the bed and crashing onto the floor in the process. She fell onto her injured side and winced, a dull ache forming.

Bjorn sat up when he heard a loud thump and looked around the tent in a panic. When he spotted Rowan on the floor he gave her a concerned look. She quickly stood up and sputtered, "I..I woke up like this. On the floor I mean." He pressed his lips together, knowing that she had just fell on the floor considering the loud thump and that her side of the bed was still warm.

Raising his eyebrows and tilting his head to the side he let the mater go, then threw his legs off the side of the bed and stretched.

Rowan couldn't help herself but to stare as his back muscles rippled under his tan skin as he did so. She knew her back didn't do that or any other woman's for that matter. Something about Bjorn's strength and toned body did something to her that she couldn't explain. She felt it was almost primitive, something that her kind had forgotten long ago and could only be awakened by a man.  Seeing his body in such a way... it was just so...manly. Every inch of him was so masculine, from his abundance of hair that covered his arms and legs to his deep voice. She notice his was not as husky as some of the other men's or that he was as hairy but to Rowan it was just the right amount.

"Good God just listen to yourself", she thought. Before her mind could continue such thoughts she collected herself from the floor and quickly went over to her chest, grabbing a long sleeve tunic and another pair of tights. This was her go-to outfit when she was not wearing her armor though she would much rather be in the familiar confines of the constricting leather and metal.

Slipping on her clothing for the day, she styled her hair and in a simple braid, letting it fall over her shoulder.

Meanwhile Bjorn made the bed all while thinking about last night. It was not as uncomfortable than he would of thought and hoped that she would invite him again tonight. If it was the cold that had given him the chance to sleep next to her then he hoped it the weather would stay this way. Just then, thunder rumbled in the distance. His shoulders sank as he tucked in the blankets as he hoped it would stay away from the camp. They still had a few stables to build and many of the horses were growing restless being harnessed to trees.