Vikings Imagines

Arguing with Ubbe Part 3

Warning: mature(ish) content

I rest my head against the back of the tub and pull my knees to my chest. Ubbe lets out a deep sigh as he stares at me with a sad look in his eyes. I avert my gaze to the roof, watching the glimmers of bright white light from the lightning cracking in the sky shining into my cabin through the boards above me. Thunder rumbles around us, the harsh wind outside whistling in tune with it. We sit in silence for what seems like ages, neither of us wanting to say the wrong thing. Finally Ubbe reaches for the pot of water over the fire and warms the water again before sinking further in and dunking his head under the hot water. I peek over, watching as he emerges, steam rising from the rippling water. I turn away again as he rubs his eyes and exhales heavily.

"Eira look at me" he commands after a few moments, his voice stern but still soft.

I indulge, pulling my head back up so my eyes can meet his. The pale glow of the fire beside us makes his gaze even more intense than it was already. I can feel my anger slipping away from me, but try to keep a firm grasp on it. He left me... he left me for some slave. Sure, we weren't together, but he abandoned me. We were friends... maybe even more.

"I'm sorry I hurt you. I never meant to." He says barely above a whisper.

"Sorry doesn't do a lot of good now. I heard you plan on marrying her... the slave girl." I avert my gaze, looking back down at the steaming bath water. Ubbe inhales slowly, carefully contemplating his next words.

"Maybe.." he says, tilting his head back and forth like he's weighing options in front of him "...maybe if I had a reason to believe Margrethe wasn't the one for me, I would reconsider." He pulls himself forward, sitting straight up.

I sigh and roll my eyes at his confession. He can't possibly think I'm going to fight for him, can he? He's the one who walked away and messed things up. I don't owe him a fight. He owes me one.

I grasp the edges of the tub and prepare to storm away and kick him out, but when I pull myself up the pain in my stomach stabs me like a knife. I manage to stand, but grasp at my stomach breathlessly as the pain overcomes me. Ubbe takes notice, grabbing my hips to stabilize me. His bright eyes look up at me from the tub and I become painfully aware of how naked I am. We both pause. Why does this have to be so weird? Why did he mess this up? Why did he mess us up? This definitely isn't how I imagined our first time naked together.

I look down to find Ubbe on his knees in front of me, his hands move to mine on my stomach. He pushes my fingers aside gently, his breath fanning over my wet abdomen. He traces his fingers over the now black and purple bruise, gently moving over my skin. Our eyes meet as a chill runs over my body.

"I'm sorry for hurting you like this too. I keep hurting you..." his eyes trail behind me, looks of remorse flooding over his face "I never wanted to hurt you, Eira... I love you."