Askeladd - Thorfinn x reader -

53.

Chapter 53
Changed 

Wherever she went within the walls of the royal home she could hear the sound of gossip following her. It'd been a week since the heated night Canute and Y/n spent together but it only took 24 hours for the word to spread like wildfire. 

Now it was rumoured that the two were secretly involved with each other romantically. While their were always rumours, the gossip before was quickly shut down because of the lack of evidence. But now with the claim of an eye-witness, others didn't think to question the validity of the claim.

After all, those who were biting their tongues were waiting for a rumour like this to slip out. Now they wouldn't appear crazed or obsessed when speaking on the relationship with their king and his right hand. 

It'd been a week since the night Canute and Y/n shared the intimate moment together. 

A week since they'd been caught. 

A week since Y/n received her first anonymous death threat. 

Of course, this was the exact response she expected to receive if the rumour surrounding her and Canute's relationship were confirmed 'true'. 

Now within the walls of kings Harald's home that were supposed to be safe she was constantly looking over her shoulder. Refused to eat food she didn't see prepared in front of her, turning her head from drinking anything but water. 

She was constantly walking on pins and needles. 

Was she scared? No. 

If anything, this were no different from being on the battlefield. But she was exhausted, ever since receiving her first of many death threats she hadn't caught a blink of sleep. 

Laid with her sword as if it were her guardian, and as much as she'd demand her body to allow itself to fall asleep her senses were constantly on alert. 

Tonight was one of those nights, where every footstep that passed her door made her grip on the handle of her sword grow stronger. 

But tonight was the first night that someone knocked. 

Leaving her sword on the bed covered in her sheets, she grabbed her small dagger from her bedside table. Taking light cautious steps towards the door she took her time to hear if the figure would wander off in response to her unresponsiveness but no, they knocked again.

She was curious as to who was behind the door, but she kept her lips sealed. 

"Y/n, it's me." 

The familiar voice didn't pull a reaction of surprise out of her-- her breath didn't hitch and her eyes didn't widened hearing Canute call out her name for the first time in 7 days. 

But her tense shoulders relaxed, her heart rate evening out as her breaths grew more shallow. 

Still, her lips remained pressed together.

"I'm alone, open the door." 

Even though she no longer trusted the words of anyone she came across within these walls she still trusted him. How couldn't she?