Empire at war (A Httyd Fanfiction)

Chapter 11: Holmgång

A/N: I have so many stories I have planned for 2021, I'm already getting stressed out just thinking about them. I think I'll do some one-shots in the future. Anyway, onwards to the next chapter!

(Katerina's pov)

I could not sleep.

The rising sun would bring the holmgång with it, and no amount of fatigue eclipsed that single, worrisome fact. My body was sluggish and my eyes itched with utter exhaustion, but it did not matter. My mind was wide awake, racing, and churning. Curled up by Nuffink's side, naked, and under the warm furs gave me time to savor this just a little longer. I tried my best not to dwell on what could transpire when Nuffink and Igor fought, but I could not.

I dwelled on the worst possible outcomes of the coming fight and paid little heed to the best. Any optimism gave way to the thought that Nuffink would spend the majority of the coming duel on defense and the holmgång was an offensive match. Igor was a fearsome opponent who was unlikely to stop at first blood. He wanted a decisive win. Nuffink could not dodge his way to victory. Igor not only wanted to humiliate Nuffink for offending him, but he wanted to savor every drop of blood he spilled from Nuffink's body, and that thought made bike rise to my throat.

I didn't want Nuffink to succumb to mutilation by Igor's hands.

When Nuffink and Halvor came to the Kievan Empire, I was nothing more than a ghost; I was nothing more than... a beautiful trophy for Igor to show off for all men to desire. But once Nuffink and I spent the time to get to know each other, he restored life into me and made me feel more alive than I've ever been. And I would rather risk my reputation as the princess of the Kievan Empire and stand with Nuffink than spend a lifetime of torment with Igor.

Groaning lightly, I disentangled myself from Nuffink's loving embrace and reached for a robe to cover my naked body. I then paced over to the balcony of Nuffink's chambers, opening the doors, and stood outside to gaze out at the quiet capital city, the early morning darkness clouded much, but there were torches lit throughout the city to provide light. The moon hung low above the sea, its majestic light dancing across the sea as it began slipping away with the last hours of the night.

Although I haven't resided in Denmark that long, I've come to love this place and its people, but at the same time, she hated them. Before Nudfink, everyone in Boleslav's kingdom seemed to adore the fact that I was Igor's wife; my family was wealthy among the Kievan Empire and my father served as King Boleslav's commander, and he found a way to arrange my hand in marriage with Igor not long ago, and I assumed that Kievan royalty would not want to marry a common woman like myself, but I was wrong. Suddenly, everyone back in Rus' was behind the union between the Boleslav and Petrov clans, believing it was more than what it was— just political maneuvering. Two powerful Rus' families of influence and reputation, a marriage between our two families garnered much excitement amongst the Kievan people.

I had sacrificed my own happiness to perform my duty to my people, rulers, and my Maker.

But then Nuffink entered my life and turned it upside down. For the better, of course.

I then folded my arms, leaning against the door frame. The colossal number of ships on the beach was a beacon in the distance, calling to me like the most enticing näcken song ever played. I had already considered slipping away and surrendering myself back to Igor's cruelty, but Halvor was right when he said it's too late, Igor and his father would reduce Hiccup's empire to cinder whether I surrendered to them our not. Closing my eyes, I remembered feeling Nuffink'ss fingertips gliding over my skin as we made love the previous night, and our murmurs in the dark were a far sweeter melody than the ones sung in the church in the Kievan church, and the memory of our sweaty bodies pressing and rubbing together in alternating crescendos and diminuendos caused a chill of pleasure to crawl down my spine.