The Last Kingdom- Preferences and Imagines | actors + characters

Erik- Imagine 1.0

The door to my room clicked and creaked as it was opened. I stood, stiffly, in the corner by the bed, anxiously waiting to see who would walk in the doorway. I held my breath as a body appeared through the dark, only to let out a relieved sigh when I saw the sweet, smiling face of Erik. Immediately, I ran into his arms, smiling happily at the familiar scent of smoke and ale coming from him.
"Somebody's happy to see me." He softly laughed, encasing me in his arms. He placed a gently kiss to the top of my head before pulling away from me, raising my head up to look in his eyes.
    "My brother has gone hunting for the evening- all evening- again, so I thought that I should come and bring you to sleep somewhere more," he looked around at the drab cell, "comfortable." He gave me a sweet smile.
     He took my hand and guided me carefully out of my cell, and through the yard, desperately trying not to be seen by anybody, and led me into his chamber.
    I loved his room. It may have been the fact that I was being held inside a prison cell or just that fact that it was something of his- and that he felt like home- but all the same, I just loved sleeping in his bed.
    "Kiss me." I smiled, looking up to him. He obliged and wrapped his arms around my waist, pulling me in close so he could take my lips in his. As always, he kissed me softly and took my mind away to some other place though, on this occasion, he quickly snapped me out of my dizziness when he picked me up into his arms, making me squeal then laugh lightly. Then dropped me down onto his bed and swiftly moved to lay beside me.
    "You are beautiful." Erik complimented me, running his hands through my hair. He push a loose strand out of my face before leaning over my body to kiss me. "So very beautiful." He smiled at me.
    "Sometimes, I wish I could stop the world and everything in it but us, and then we could have the whole of eternity together." I sighed, resting my head against his chest. He held me closely and ran his finger up and down my spine through my dress. 
     "I do wish that, too." He cupped my cheek. "That way I could have you forever."
     "What do you believe happens after you die?" I asked him, a curious look on my face. "Because we were taught to believe that, if you are good, you go to heaven but, if not, then you shall go to hell."
    "Well," he began, turning to face me, "if you die heroically, then you shall go to Valhalla, Odin's hall; some may also be chosen to go to Folkvang, which are Freyja's fields. There, you live until you are called upon to fight with Odin at Ragnarok." He explained. "If you die a peaceful death, however, then you go to Hel." He told me of what his religion had taught him about the dead not really being dead, and that instead, their spirit lives in a different realm. He told me there was no such idea that being 'bad' or 'good' would determine your fate but, instead, if how you died was meaningful.
    There was silence between us after that. Both of us contemplating the same thing- if we died, could we ever be reunited after death. Should Eric go to heaven or Hell or should I go to his heaven- Valhalla- or his Hell- Hel. I breathed deeply.
    "My sister wishes us well." I shrugged, rolling more into his side. I placed a soft kiss to his jaw before burying my head in the crook of his neck. I left small wet kisses down his neck before I snuggled my head into it, leaving him chuckling to himself softly. 
   "What does your sister think?" He asked.
   "That she knows what it's like to be wed to a man that does not love her and that she should not wish that for me. She said that she wishes for you to treat me well- and I told her you did-" I gave him a soft look, "and for you to love me- which I told her you did- and for us to be happy." I audibly smiled, breathing against my lover's neck. He didn't reply to that but instead let the quiet of the night fill the room. I contently listened to his heartbeat, lulling me into a gentle daze. A soft pair of lips found mine.
    "Erik, I have-" a deep voice called, throwing open the door to my lover's room. Immediately, Erik pulled his lips from mine and protectively sat up and pushed me behind him, shielding me from his brother.
    "Brother, let me explain." Erik began, worriedly but still calm, trying to ease the rising anger inside his brother. "She is-"
     "Either hump the whore and take her back to her cell or I shall do it for you." The black-haired man snarled.
    "You so much as put one hand on her, brother, and I swear to the Gods that I will kill you." Erik almost growled, his eyes turning to a hard stare. His brother, Siegfried, was clearly taken back by his brother's outburst and stood very still for a moment. "Siegfried, I love you. You are my brother. But if you have any love for me, you shall walk out of this room and leave me- leave us- both be." Erik breathed. One of his hands gripped mine from where he stood, protecting me, as if he was a human shield, and the other inched closer to his sword, which lay just off the side of the bed.
     "You expect me to just walk away and let you ruin our plans? Brother, what about the ransom from which we are to raise our army and take Wessex! Or have you forgotten that while you were busy humping the Saxon's daughter?" Siegfried angrily spat. Erik raised up to defend my honour but I scrambled over the bed and grabbed his arm.
     "Erik, please," I made him face me, "do not." I begged. "I will not see you hurt because of me." I said, more softly. The blond man breathed deeply for a moment before finally lowering his sword.
    "My father will not pay ransom for me." I began, once the chance of the two brothers fighting seemed to have been lost. Siegfried turned to look at me, questioningly.
     "Why not? You are his daughter, are you not?"
     "Yes. I am his daughter-" I emphasised, looking between the two men, "and because of that fact, I am valueless to him. He has a son- his heir- and my sister has a husband who shall pay half her fee. My father will not pay for us both and Aethelflead will chosen over me to be bargained for. You shall get nothing for me, Lord. I am worthless to you." I shrugged. Neither man spoke up for a minute, Erik still firmly grasping his sword and rubbing curled over my hand.
    "So why should I not kill you now, as you are nothing to us but a whore?" The black-haired man finally replied, taking hold of his sword again. At this, Erik snapped and angrily swung his sword in the air, ready to bring it down upon his brother.
    Just in time, I stepped in front of it and knocked the blade with my hand, it cutting into it, deeply and leaving both men shocked.
    "Stop this, now, Erik." I spoke, harshly. "He's your brother." I breathed. Blood now began to drip down my arm from the cut in my hand. He stared at me for a moment before the shock wore off and he dropped his sword to the floor with a clatter.
    "Y/N," he breathed, a look in his eyes that showed he was almost on the verge of tears. "I am so sorry." He pulled me into his chest, turning away so he was again between his brother and myself, examining my hand and the deep cut in the palm.
     "I like her." Siegfried suddenly laughed. Both our attentions turned to him, questioning looks in our eyes. "She's brave, I shall give you that, brother but she is too kind for her own good." Neither I nor Erik replied, not knowing what to say. "I am still here, am I not and your woman's hand is cut. Had she let you strike me, she would not be hurt and I would."
     "Then there is still clearly much you need to know about you brother." I retaliated. The man gave me a surprised look, as Erik tried to tend to the wound in my hand. He pressed a shirt of his against it to suppress the bleeding and it stung but I made no fuss. "If your brother killed you, it would kill him." I stated, plainly. "And I may not like you but if protecting you means protecting Erik, then I shall." I bitterly explained to Siegfried.
     "She knows much about you, for a Saxon whore." Siegfried couldn't resist making the snarky comment.
    "Will you just leave, brother. You have made whatever point it was your we're trying to. So please, Siegfried, leave us." Erik sounded exasperated. At that, the other man raised his hands in defence and turned to make his way out of the room, opening the door before stopping, suddenly.
    "Girl, what is your name?" He asked.
"Y/N." I replied, my attention focused only on Erik.
"What do you intend to do with her, Erik?"
"I intend to marry her, brother. To father her children and to raise them with her." Erik spoke honestly, flashing me a soft smile. His brother nodded silently and left the room, not making another comment.
"I am so sorry, my love." The blonde man, breathing out once his brother left. He pulled me close to him and kissed my head. "I can not apologise to you enough." He sighed deeply, pulling the soaked shirt from my hand to see if it was still bleeding.
"You can not control your brother's action, Erik and this," I motioned to the hand, "was not your fault. Do not worry yourself." I gave him a sweet smile and placed a kiss on his cheek. "I love you, okay."