Runa| Hvitserk Ragnarsson DISCONTINUED

𝐞𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐭༄

He did his best to avoid them. He tried to protect Runa. However, fait had other obstacles in place.
"IVAR!" He shouted as rage pulsed through his veins at a rapid speed.
"I am sorry, brother," his face fell in a mock of pity for the man, "but you did not fulfill your father's wishes."
Hvitserk looked down to his chained hands. Blood circled around where he had been pulling. He tried to keep his composure to hide his fear. Shaking his head, his vision began to blur as the familiar voice echoed in his mind.
"Hvitserk..."
He cowarded over into a ball cover his face in defeat.
"Why did you abandon your brothers?"
Words were lodged into his throat, he was beginning to choke.
"Why didn't you fight for me?"
Ragnar spoke in a disappointed tone followed by the cries of an army. Chanting in the name of his father.
A loud boisterous scream cascaded the sounds of unity. It was Runa.
His eyes widened and he looked from his captive arms, still shaking.
He saw the figures of his father and his brothers. His mother then came from the smoke he had not noticed filled the air. She walked towards Ragnar and placed her hand on his chest and the other arm around his shoulder.
"Shame on you Hvitserk. You failed your family for a worthless girl." She cooed in a heartless matter.
He wanted to argue. He wanted to shout. He wanted to scream. But to his dismay, he stuck in his place. He looked around for some sort of savior. He begs to the gods for help.
"It was too bad she and your children had to suffer because of you."
His family disappeared then replaced by a sight he knew would stain his impressionable memory.
Runa's lifeless body was hanging by a rope and bloodied where she was stabbed multiple times through the chest. Beside her, hung with bags over their faces, two children.
His face twitched, pure rage filling his system. He yanked on the chains more causing them to tighten. He yelped in pain as he felt a soft form of pressure on his arms.
"Hvitserk." A new voice entered his mind. He kept pulling on the chains. Time becoming slower. He looked up at where his family once sat. Ivar pulled back an arrow.
"So long brother."
He let go.
—
His eyes opened.
The bright light filled his field view. The man's heart beating violently in his chest.
"Hvitserk!" Flinching at his name he looked down. There she was. Alive.
Her face read concern and sadness. He couldn't formulate words that could properly convey the relief that washed over him.
"You were yelling in your sleep and the more you yelled the tighter the grasp you had on me..." she explained confused.
"You're alive." He breathed out.
"Yes," She sat up and tilted her head, "why wouldn't I be?"
His eyes darted down, he fumbled with his fingers unsure of how to explain what he saw only moments before. The woman took notice and grabbed them in hers.
"Hvitserk. What's wrong?"
He sighed out.
"I had a dream. I'm not sure when it takes place but I was held captive by my family. I didn't fight in the name of my father. I was being punished for it. I couldn't protect you," he explained finally looking her eyes that will be filled with sadness, "or our children."
She gasped. It was probably just a dream. That couldn't happen, could it?
"I-I don't know what to say Hvitserk." She sighed.
"You don't have to say anything it was just a dream. None of that should happen." He replied sliding back down from his previous position on the bed. Runa sat still looking at the troubled man.
"Runa..." he spoke in a hoarse voice. She nodded.
"Can you promise me something."
Her eyes widened more with question.
"What would that be dear?"
"If I were to go into war," he reached out his hand from the covers grabbing onto hers, "I want this to work. I need you to promise that if anything ever happens to me. You won't grieve over me for too long but please remember me. Because I know that in Valhalla I would never forget you."
The information was way too much for her to take to heart in the middle of the night. She didn't like thinking about death. Her father flashed in her memory for a split second before she moved from her sitting position to lay her head back on his chest.
"Of course. I promise Hvitserk."
She pulled the covers back over them in hopes of falling back to sleep in comfort. Hvitserk wouldn't find sleep but felt okay with Runa close by. Her eyes closed heavily as he moved an arm over the top of her.
—
The next morning Ingrid stumbled in the door. She had been over at Knute's the past night and Gods, had she been drunk. It was solely the reason why she didn't return.
In front of the wobbly woman sat Hvitserk froze with his spoon towards his mouth in confusion at his sight.
"Are you alright?" He asks quirking a brow.
The woman started laughing.
"Little tipsy darling," she sang, "won't hurt an old stone like me!"
She then drunkenly walked away and into her quarters. Hvitserk blinked in thought after the small interaction then shrugged finishing his meal.
Runa had gone to the heart of Kattegat to go sell some produce. As much he wanted to help her with that, she advised him that he shouldn't be seen with her if what his dream was going to happen. He gave in but helped her load the horse-drawn pile.
He sighed.
He knew his father had died but hadn't known of any grand army that would fight in his name. That dream however made it clear to him that he has to fight in that army. It wasn't that he didn't want to honor his father but he didn't want the hassle of dealing with his siblings. His mother was a whole different story.
If he left he would feel as though his heart was tainted. Tainted in a way that guilt from leaving his lover behind. What would happen if he left her here along with his mother?
She would have Runa's head in a stick. He hadn't been followed to her home but he knew she had eyes on him through someone.
He sat on the steps outside the door now knowing what he has to do. But did he have his heart in the right place to do it?