when Halfdan the Black finds love in an unexpected being, and when he goes against the odds of all his people. the gods are with him, just as they are with his brother, and with the power they give him- he won't let his life, or his love, go to wast...
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That night, a feast was thrown, celebrating the safe arrival of King Harald and his men to the city of Kattegat. There was boar and goat and an array of various vegetables sprawled out along with the meat, promising the people full bellies and happy spirits.
But Halfdan wasn't quick to join the majority party, he wasn't slow to attempt to make his escape either, not until his brother caught him by the wrist to pull him to the very center of the crowd.
"Stay, brother," he smiled, holding his horn of mead in the opposite hand. "This feast, this feast is for us," he victoriously seethed, letting go of Halfdan's wrist to reach up to the back of his head. "Us, brother."
The action didn't appeal to Halfdan, it didn't make him happy or comfortable or amused either, but he put on a fake smile to fool his tipsy brother, if he wasn't already drunk from the amount of mead he'd already taken.
"Aye," he smiled, holding Harald's shoulder, "the gods are with you, brother," he spoke fondly, touching his forehead to Harald's before watching his brother turn away to face the others of their group.
"Skål," he yelled, the surrounding men and women roaring their cheer alongside him. And though Halfdan was glad his brother's dreams were coming true, his dreams had yet to even begin.
Harald's recent words gave him a chance to slip away, and he instantly took it the moment he saw a way out, leaving the Great Hall to walk to the shore of Kattegat. It wasn't like him, wasn't normal or usual, but Halfdan didn't mind.
He strangely found peace with himself when he gave his mind the time to really settle down and just go blank, when he gave himself the chance to find the steady rhythm of the world again. Going to war and battle so frequently often set him off from his original path, but he'd recently found a way to reconnect. The gods gave him a beautiful world, he wouldn't be a fool to reject it.
He stopped when he felt he was far enough away from the bustling city, slowly falling back on his palms before settling on the soft stone shore as the water creeped up not far from where he sat. He watched the waves tumble and crash in the distance, and watched it calmly wade upon the shallow ends, deeply inhaling the salty scent of the sea as his eyes blissfully closed shut.
He stayed there for what felt like hours, listening to the gentle sounds of the water, feeling the cool night air take over the wind, and watching the light of the stars and the crescent moon illuminate the sky. Though his time of peace was abruptly disturbed when he heard the crowds of the city erupt into what sounded like utter chaos, quickly getting to his feet as he ran as fast as he could to get to his brother in case of an attack.
With his knife in his hand, Halfdan pushed through countless bodies and fought his way to the Great Hall where his brother previously entertained, puffing out a breath of relief when he saw that he was perfectly fine.
