Eternity {𝟙𝟜} | Marvel √

𝐂𝐇𝐀𝐏𝐓𝐄𝐑 𝐒𝐈𝐗

AS THE FIRST LIGHT OF DAWN began to break over the horizon, Kaarina felt a familiar feeling when she spotted the outline of a cabin in the distance of the forest she had escaped to. Her eyes glowed blue as relief washed over her. Asmund was there. She could feel him. She urged Eir onward, her heart filled with determination.

Once she was close enough, Kaarina dismounted Eir, and tied her to a tree before she approached the hidden cabin cautiously. The forest was dense, the canopy above casting dappled shadows on the ground. The cabin, nestled among ancient trees, was well-concealed, its wooden structure blending seamlessly with the surroundings. Smoke curled gently from the chimney, a sign of life within.

As she neared the front door, she heard familiar voices of her brother. "Asmund?" she questioned, knocking on the door, her voice breaking with emotion.

The oak doors of the cabin swung open, their groan echoing through the vast chamber. Asmund stood at the threshold as Kaarina stared at him vulnerably, her heart pounding. In this moment, she wasn't a Mother, or a Queen Regent, or even a Wife; she was just a scared little girl who needed her older brother, who always tried to protect her.

"Kaarina..." he murmured before he stepped forward, tightly embracing her. She held him back as if her life depended on it. "I didn't think I would see you again..."

"I escaped," her voice muffled against him. He pulled her back and stared at her, concerned. "I had too... I had to make a choice and I chose my family..."

"She'll kill you," he said.

"She can try," she told him.

As they stepped inside, the flickering torchlight cast long shadows on the stone walls, illuminating the intricate tapestries that depicted the history of their lineage. The air was thick with the scent of aged wood and the faint aroma of incense, remnants of rituals performed long ago. The floor beneath their feet was a mosaic of soft carpet, its once vibrant colors now dulled by centuries of wear.

"Asmund...? Who is at..." Kaarina glanced past her brother's shoulder to find coming down the stairs, a figure emerged from the darkness. Kaarina's breath was caught in her throat as she recognized the familiar silhouette.

Lidia Leifsdottir froze in her place, staring at Kaarina shocked, as if she had seen a ghost. She felt her heart pounding, her eyes blinking madly in disbelief. It couldn't be. It was impossible.

"Kaarina?" she whispered, her voice trembling.

Lidia stepped forward, revealing a woman with long, golden blonde hair and blue eyes so bright they glistened.

"Lidia," Kaarina replied, her voice soft yet filled with emotion. "It's me."

Lidia broke into a sob as she rushed forward and embraced Kaarina, with Kaarina's tears mingling with those of her sister-in-law. "I thought— You were— You're alive!" she said, her voice choked with emotion.

Kaarina returned the embrace, her heart swelling with a mixture of joy and pain. "I have missed you both more than words can express."

Asmund joined the embrace, the three of them holding each other tightly, as if afraid that letting go would mean losing Kaarina again. "We're together now," Asmund said, his voice firm. "And we won't lose you again, Kaarina... I'll fight the bitch queen myself..."

For a moment, time seemed to stand still as they held onto each other, the weight of four centuries of separation melting away in the warmth of their reunion. The world outside of the cabin faded into insignificance, and all that mattered was that they were together again.

Before Kaarina could explain anything to them, a low growl echoed through the cabin. She turned to see a massive direwolf emerging from the stairs, its silver fur glistening in the early morning light. Sigrid, her loyal companion...