So his wife had the child. She wondered what it was, if it was a boy who would grow up to be handsome like his father or a girl who would become as beautiful as her mother. It didn’t concern her but she waited, not wanting the babe to wake before she threw on her knapsack. She crossed the hall, ready to leave when a voice called to her.
“Kjersti,” it said, cold and she stopped, her heart thrusting into her mouth. It was painful and she felt like she was going to wretch but she didn’t move, her hands turning clammy. Footsteps sounded on the stones but they didn’t come from the bedroom. Her Jarl had been in the wine cellar and she remained still, stiff as a board, as he came to her side.
She could smell the mead on him and she shook as she gave a quick bow. “Excuse me,” she said quietly, not looking at him as she moved to the door but he grabbed her wrist, his grip tight and she was forced to stop. He said nothing but he squeezed hard making her wince and she had to finally turn, her fingers reaching for his to pry them off. He spun her, forcing her to fully face him and her breath hitched as their eyes met, her hair pooling around her neck, the long, jagged strands sweeping down her collar.
He said nothing and she bit her lip. It hurt seeing him. It had been more than a year and her worst fears were confirmed – she was still madly in love with him despite how much she tried to ignore it. Her heart ached and she broke their gaze to look at her feet, her wrists still bound in his grip. He let out an annoyed sigh.
“Where have you been?” he growled making her flush. “You owe me a fortune in taxes!”
She stared at him and slowly her shoulders slumped, her flush fading. Of course. She pulled her wrists from his grip, rubbing them as she stared at the floor and he continued to glare at her waiting for an answer. She had none to give and when it was apparent she wasn’t going to speak he reached up and touched her scars. She flinched but he pressed his thumb against her and she stopped, letting him do as he wished.
His hand moved down and she grabbed it, preventing him from touching her chest. “You have a wife,” she said quietly and he pulled away making her flush. “Please, my Jarl. I should go.”
“I own you,” he snapped. “You only leave on my instruction! And you do as I bloody well ask!”
“Yes, my Jarl,” she said automatically but it didn’t feel right coming from her anymore. She had been her own master for so long that to submit again felt strange. He reached for her again, his hands moving down her body but she grabbed him, making him stop.
“You’re married,” she said once again and he growled, his nails digging into her skin making her wince. “I-It’s… It’s an insult for you to be with me now! If you’re seen… y-you’ll be disgraced!”
“You idiot,” he hissed but his hands let go of her and she hugged her body, staring at the stones. “Why did you come back here then? To just leave a flimsy bow and some coin and then go?”
“Yes,” she stressed and her eyes moved up, meeting his. He was angry and she didn’t know why. “My Jarl, I know not to insult you or your name. I only came to give you some things for the treasury. I intended to leave again so… so that…”
“So that what?”
She closed her eyes, calming herself. “So that I wouldn’t tempt you,” she admitted and his scoff made her cringe. “I know I shouldn’t assume, but you’ve always said I was…”
“You’re an idiot,” he cut in and she went silent. “You stupid fucking elf.” She bowed her head in an apology but he advanced on her. “You don’t get it, do you?”
The Hardest Part [20/?]
“Kjersti,” it said, cold and she stopped, her heart thrusting into her mouth. It was painful and she felt like she was going to wretch but she didn’t move, her hands turning clammy. Footsteps sounded on the stones but they didn’t come from the bedroom. Her Jarl had been in the wine cellar and she remained still, stiff as a board, as he came to her side.
She could smell the mead on him and she shook as she gave a quick bow. “Excuse me,” she said quietly, not looking at him as she moved to the door but he grabbed her wrist, his grip tight and she was forced to stop. He said nothing but he squeezed hard making her wince and she had to finally turn, her fingers reaching for his to pry them off. He spun her, forcing her to fully face him and her breath hitched as their eyes met, her hair pooling around her neck, the long, jagged strands sweeping down her collar.
He said nothing and she bit her lip. It hurt seeing him. It had been more than a year and her worst fears were confirmed – she was still madly in love with him despite how much she tried to ignore it. Her heart ached and she broke their gaze to look at her feet, her wrists still bound in his grip. He let out an annoyed sigh.
“Where have you been?” he growled making her flush. “You owe me a fortune in taxes!”
She stared at him and slowly her shoulders slumped, her flush fading. Of course. She pulled her wrists from his grip, rubbing them as she stared at the floor and he continued to glare at her waiting for an answer. She had none to give and when it was apparent she wasn’t going to speak he reached up and touched her scars. She flinched but he pressed his thumb against her and she stopped, letting him do as he wished.
His hand moved down and she grabbed it, preventing him from touching her chest. “You have a wife,” she said quietly and he pulled away making her flush. “Please, my Jarl. I should go.”
“I own you,” he snapped. “You only leave on my instruction! And you do as I bloody well ask!”
“Yes, my Jarl,” she said automatically but it didn’t feel right coming from her anymore. She had been her own master for so long that to submit again felt strange. He reached for her again, his hands moving down her body but she grabbed him, making him stop.
“You’re married,” she said once again and he growled, his nails digging into her skin making her wince. “I-It’s… It’s an insult for you to be with me now! If you’re seen… y-you’ll be disgraced!”
“You idiot,” he hissed but his hands let go of her and she hugged her body, staring at the stones. “Why did you come back here then? To just leave a flimsy bow and some coin and then go?”
“Yes,” she stressed and her eyes moved up, meeting his. He was angry and she didn’t know why. “My Jarl, I know not to insult you or your name. I only came to give you some things for the treasury. I intended to leave again so… so that…”
“So that what?”
She closed her eyes, calming herself. “So that I wouldn’t tempt you,” she admitted and his scoff made her cringe. “I know I shouldn’t assume, but you’ve always said I was…”
“You’re an idiot,” he cut in and she went silent. “You stupid fucking elf.” She bowed her head in an apology but he advanced on her. “You don’t get it, do you?”