Selcouth

Chapter 15

During their time on the mountain, Hvitserk banished his darker thoughts, allowing himself to be fully present with Yvette. He relished the moments they shared, free from the tension of their past conflicts and the distractions of other women vying for his attention. Hvitserk remained steadfastly by Yvette's side, ignoring the advances of those who sought his affection.

In a manner he had never before experienced, his feelings for her had transformed him. However, the shadows of doubt crept in, as he couldn't help but wonder if her love was genuine or merely a consequence of the child growing within her.

"Hvitserk, my dear, are you hungry?" inquired Yvette, though she suspected she already knew the answer. The insatiable appetite of Ragnar's son was no secret to her. Yet, she couldn't shake the feeling that something was amiss, as she delivered his plate and caught a glimpse of his vacant stare.

"Hvitserk?" Yvette's whisper trembled with a thread of apprehension.

"Is it only because of our child that you love me?" His voice was thick with vulnerability, each word carrying the weight of his insecurity.

Yvette's heart stuttered at his question. She held his gaze intently before shifting closer, her hands enveloping his with a tenderness that belied her inner turmoil. "No," she murmured, her voice steady, "I didn't fall for you because of our child, but because through all our strife, we've woven moments of joy that outshine the pain. Remember when I first came here? My heart was a storm of rage against my father, and I unleashed it upon you. And you, you mirrored that with your own resentments. But as time unfurled, we uncovered something precious in each other, something that coaxed out our better selves. Every laugh, every quiet night we've shared... those are the threads of my love for you."

Her eyes glistened with unspoken emotions as she persisted, "I fell in love with you, not just the man, but the soul beneath."

Hvitserk absorbed her confession, his mind a tumult of self-doubt. How could she love him, he wondered, with all the darkness he'd cast upon her? Her spirit was light, his shadowed by countless sins. He felt unworthy, a chasm opening within him.

Yvette inhaled deeply, watching the light leave his eyes once more. "Do you remember the night you saved me from my own kin's wrath?"

He glanced up, a subtle nod acknowledging the memory.

"It was then," she said, her voice barely holding back the tide of emotions, "that I saw beyond the warrior, beyond the Viking. I saw a man I desperately wanted to love."