Weak (Canute x Femreader x Thorfinn)

Marks REMASTERED

*update 2025 - it only took me 2 years to actually rework this chapter... oops updates coming soon... but like for real this time
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"So do you actually know how to cook or are you all looks?" I joked pushing on his shoulder a little as I walked into the kitchen. He reached his hand up to touch the spot that I just touched.
"No I actually know how to cook, Ragnar taught me when I was young. I just don't do it often." He said back, half smiling as he moved to tie his hair up I stopped for a moment to admire him. He grabbed a knife from the table next to him and began to chop vegetables.
"Why not?" I asked while looking down at him cut a carrot. Stealing one or three pieces for myself.
"I cooked once for my father and he was so furious he threw my food on the floor. Something about how 'there is no place for royalty in the kitchen.' I had to stop cooking after that." He said while getting out a pot from below him
"That's not true. I think it's nice that you can cook." I said back listening to my stomach growl.
"T-thanks." He said back hastily, his face growing red.  I looked at him and smiled.
"I'm going to fetch the rabbit from Ragnar I'll be right back." Canute said after a moment putting his knife down at the table while starting for the door.
I knew that Ragnar had given the rabbit to Thorfinn to clean as his "back was always hurting", and based off Canutes worried reaction, he knew too.
"No let me grab it. You're in the middle of cooking." I said looking at him while moving closer to he door. There were vegetables all around him needed to be chopped for the soup, a perfect excuse.
"No really-" Canute said turning to look at me. His blue eyes looked into mine, they were full of concern. I knew the thought of me talking to Thorfinn alone made him nervous, but it was something he would have to get over.
"No it's okay. I need to grab something anyways." I turned around and tried to ignore Canute's gaze on my neck. I knew he would be watching my every move to see if Thorfinn would act out and more so than that, if I would act on it.
When I walked in the living room Thorfinn was nowhere to be seen, Ragnar was however.
"Where's the rabbit? Canute asked me to grab it."
"Oh I sent Thorfinn outside to clean it. I was going to but I've started having a pain in my back. He should probably be outside-"
"Thanks." I replied cutting off Ragnar and walking towards the door. The icy cold breeze kissed my face. I pulled on my gloves and shivered looking around for Thorfinn.
"Thorfinn?" I called out trying to find him a few steps away from the house. I turned around hearing footsteps behind me. Thorfinns dirty face looked at me. He held the hide of the rabbit in one hand and a blood stained knife in the other.
"What're you doing out here? Shouldn't you be inside with your husband?" He said to me in a sarcastic tone. He looked at me and then back at the ground. He sat down continuing to clean the rabbit.
"I do believe you would know if I got married in the last 2 hours. But who knows maybe if I'm lucky we'll have eloped in the next 30 minutes!" I said matching his tone. He was so stubborn.
"Might as well be with what he did to your neck." He said grumbling in response. His tone was so low I could hardly understand him. His head was still hung looking at the rabbit.
"God why are you so thick headed!? You never even gave me the chance to explain!" I said loudly, throwing my hands up in the air with frustration.
"What the hell is there to explain? It speaks for itself." He said looking up to me and then down to my neck. I reached up to rub my neck. His blue eyes were full of anger, mine softened looking into his. I missed the days when I could laugh with him but they were far gone.
"Everything if you'd let me. I tried to earlier but-"
"Whatever." He said cutting me off bluntly. He stood up, inches away from me. He moved his head focusing his attention to the window for a second before looking back at me.
"Looks like princess is worried sick over us talking huh." He said laughing to himself.
"What?" I asked confused, turning around to look back at the house.
Canute was staring bullets at Thorfinn from the kitchen window, the knife still in his hand clenched. When he saw that I was looking at him his face grew red and he quickly turned back to cutting vegetables though I knew he wasn't focusing very well.
"Wouldn't it be funny if I gave your boyfriend a reason to be worried?" He said laughing and moving even closer. He was only a few inches away from me now.
"Shut the hell up." I said pushing him back "Could we talk later? Or are you going to keep being an asshole?" I asked in a whisper, as to not let Canute hear. I could feel his gaze on my back still.
"Fine. Tonight after dinner when everyone's asleep. Meet me outside near the river." He said quietly, anger still in his voice. 
"Can't we where I'm staying?" I  whispered back as quietly as I could.
"No I'm sure Askeladd has men guarding your place and you wouldn't want princy knowing would you?"
"Oh" I replied back. He was right.
"Guess you'll just have to use that head of yours to do something other than making out with another man and sneak out."
"Yeah I gathered that and also that's not even-"
"Good maybe your brain does work after all." A smirk was present on his face.
"You're an asshole." I said back
"Maybe I am." He lent down to pick up the skinned rabbit, it was still dripping, painting the snow beneath it red.
He walked past me towards the house swinging the rabbit, splashing me with blood. I opened my mouth in shock looking down at my now blood stained jacket.
"Thorfinn what the hell?!" I screamed trying to wipe off what I could but it was no use. I looked up at Thorfinn who had stopped in his tracks to laugh at me. I took a step towards him, my face growing red with anger.
"What the absolute fuck is your problem?" I asked
"I don't know maybe it's you." He said smirking still, moving a bit closer but I was too blinded with rage to notice. His demeanor making me even angrier by the second.
"Why do you think you have any right to do that?!" I asked, I clenched my fists together.  He moved even closer, so close I could feel his breath on my face and his lips were only inches from mine.
"Canute got to leave his mark on you. So I think it's only fair that I got to leave mine." His smirk grew even wider as he moved his face closer to kiss me. I knew he was only doing this because Canute was watching. I put my hands up to push him off of me and moved my body away from his but before I got the chance a noise from inside the house interrupted us.
I turned my head to see Canute staring at us with wide crazy eyes from inside the house. His hand banged on the window once and a knife still gripped tightly in the other shaking. His face was redder than I've ever seen a persons. He looked as if he had gone insane.
I looked from Canute to Thorfinn and then back again, trying to distance myself from him. Thorfinn stood smirking at Canute, which only seemed to enrage him further. I stared for a moment in shock at what all was happening before turning away towards the house.
"Fuck you." Was I could manage to grumble out, my brain moving at a million miles an hour.
"Might want this huh?" Thorfinn said tossing the rabbit to me.
I bent down to pick it up and moved to run inside the house, scared of what the conversation with Canute would be like.
"See you tonight." Thorfinn whispered as I walked further away from him. I turned around and rolled my eyes at him in response. His face still holding a smile.
"Asshole." I grumbled to myself walking inside, past Ragnar into the kitchen, placing the rabbit down on the cutting board while taking my blood stained jacket off.
Canute was already waiting for me at the door to the kitchen. When I entered in he slammed it closed behind me. His face was red and he was still shaking. I looked at him for a moment, unable to think of anything to say.
He was still clutching the knife in his hand.
"What was the meaning of that?" He said finally, breaking the silence, his words were frantic
"Canute you know I would never-" I said trying to think of anything to calm him down
"All you were supposed to do was get the rabbit and leave. How many fucking times have I told you not to talk to him. You know how it makes me feel. Can you not follow instructions? Are you doing this to spite me?! And for what?! Because I'm in love with you? Painstakingly in love with you?!" He said through his teeth trying to control his rage but failing. He moved to face me
"Please put the knife down."
"And thats all you have to say!" He moved closer to me and threw the knife down on the floor. It landed a few inches from my foot. I jumped at the sound.
"Now you should know that I would never. Anything that I have ever felt for Thorfinn is gone. I cannot control his erratic behavior and it's not right of you to blame that on me." I tried to say as calmly as possible.
"You are to marry me. I am sick of this back and forth bullshit. It's either him or me and we're too damn deep into this for it to be him." He screamed while pointing behind himself. He moved closer backing me into a wall. He moved his arms over me pinning me to it. I was trapped.
"You told me you would let me decide when I-"  I stuttered out
"That was before you made me look like a damn fool. There are only so many times I let you disrespect me before your choices disappear. I've already asked for Askeladds blessing and since he is your presiding elder that is it." He moved his face closer to mine, his eyes wide.
"No that's not what's you told me! That's not what you said-"
"I AM YOUR KING AND YOU SHALL DO AS I SAY. YOU DO NOT UNDERSTAND THE HONOR IM BESTOWING ONTO YOU." He screamed at me moving closer.
His entire body was red. His once crystal blue eyes were bloodshot and hazy. I opened my mouth to speak but no words came out. I cowered under him. Visions of being forced into a marriage again playing in my head. Tears starting to well up in my (eye color) eyes. His eyes looked into mine as his shoulders dropped. His entire demeanor changing in a matter of seconds.
"I'm sorry. I shouldn't have screamed at you. I don't know what has gotten into me." He said softly backing away from me.
"I-it's fine." I responded back
"The way Thorfinn acts around you makes me so-"
"I know."
"You need to choose (Y/N) I can't keep seeing him act like that towards you and not act out. It's poisoning my spirit, its changing who I am and I hate it. I hate who I am now. I'm so filled with anger that's not me. I love you more than you could ever know but if it's not me you long after-"
I will." I said bluntly cutting him off
"Could we talk after dinner?" He said looking at me. His eyes glasses over with tears. He was trying hard not to let one slip out.
"No. I'm tired." I said quickly, remembering my plans with Thorfinn.
"Oh." He said in a disappointed tone.
"I don't feel very hungry anymore. I think I'm going to go home and try and rest." I said walking past him and outside the kitchen.
"Wait!" Canute said following me down the hall, his cape was in his hand. I turned to look at him. 
"Take this please." He said handing me his cape.
"I can't take that. You know I can't." I said looking at it and then back up at him. It had his fathers royal creed engrained in it. Anyone who was seen wearing it outside of the family was supposed to be put to death for treason.
"I don't care about that. You know I don't. Your jacket is stained you can't possibly wear something that filthy anymore. Plus you'll freeze if you go outside like that. That's what I care about not some dumb rule." I looked up at him and my demeanor softened. He was impossible to stay mad at. I reached up to touch his face and held it in my hand for a moment before dropping my hand fo my side again.
"Thank you I appreciate that."
"I wish you'd stay for dinner. I don't want you to go hungry. What if I bring you some later? Whenever you want? Just send one of Askeladds men, I'll make sure it's warm for you." He said looking at me concerned. He moved close, wrapping his cape around me. His hand lingering on my shoulders.
"Im okay Canute. I just need a moment." I said listening to my stomach growl. I was hungry but I for sure wasn't s staying here.
"I understand." He said
"I'll be back I'm going to go on a walk okay. I might come back and eat. Focus on making dinner." I said softly trying to comfort him.
"Alright please be safe." He said in a whisper tone.
"I will." I said looking back at him as I walked out the door and into the piercing cold again. Canute's cape wrapped around me keeping me warm. I walked past Thorfinn and said nothing. His eyes widened looking at me with Canutes cape on but said nothing as well.
I walked towards the forest going deeper and deeper, snow started to fall around me but I thankfully knew my way around by now.
"(Y/N)" I heard Askeladds voice calling out to me in the distance. Wondering why he would be out in the forest I turned and walked closer to him, seeing that it just wasn't him. A small group of about five of his men were with him. And they had their weapons drawn.
"Uncle what're you doing out here it's freezing?"
"We'll I thought I'd ask you that question as well." He paused for a moment before a small smirk grew on his face. I knew what he was about to say.
"Nice cape by the way. I was right you would fit right in being royal. Red is in fact your color."
"Hush Canute only gave me this because my last jacket was ruined." I said while playfully pushing him.
"I'll have you know I traded two silver for that damn thing. What happened?" He asked annoyed
I looked at the ground and sighed.
"Thorfinn." I said grumbling
"Oh what was that I didn't hear you?" He said motioning his hand up to his ear
"Shut up." I said looking at him and punching him in his shoulder.
"Still haven't picked one yet huh." He said still smiling
"No but maybe I'll run away again and sack up with an Englishman with how they're both acting."
"You can't do that you know I need you here. But you know who has my vote" He said with a sigh
"I know who has your blessing apparently. Want to tell me about how that happened?" I said looking up at him
"No or you'll run away and I need you here." He said laughing
"You just keep me around because I translate for you." I looked into his eyes giving a half smile
"That's not true. I also keep you around because you keep all the young men around you chasing their tails." He said as he pushed me playfully
"Oh shut the hell up." I said laughing as I playfully pushed him. It felt nice to have a break from all the drama.
"So now answer my question why're you out here?" I said looking at him. Askeladd was a hard person to read but I had grown accustomed to being able to tell when he lied.
"Ear heard the English from a distance away. Thought I'd strike while the iron was hot. He said it was only a small group." He said not facing me. He was lying and I could tell. He had something planned.
"Oh alright." I said trying to hide my suspicion.
"Now why are you out here?" He turned to look at me.
"Thought I'd take a break from being fought over for a moment. I needed the fresh air." I said sighing
"Must be hard being pretty huh?" He said sarcastically
"Very." I shot back looking at him with a scowl.
"Well have you eaten yet? You probably should head back and eat if you haven't. The snows falling thick." He asked in a concerned voice. I knew he just wanted me gone so he could scheme.
"No I haven't yet but I think I've cleared my head enough though, I'll head back now."
I wanted no part in whatever he had planned. I
turned around facing camp and walked.
"Be safe." He called out as I started walking into the
wilderness back home.
"I will." I shouted back
"Oh also (Y/N) if you see Ragnar on your way back will you tell him to find me?"

AN: I AM SO SORRY AGAIN THIS TOOK SO LONG THE HOLIDAYS KEPT ME BUSY. I hope you all had a merry Christmas if you choose to celebrate. I also hope the extra long chapter makes up for the month long break. I promise I'm not giving up on this story and really enjoy writing it. Please let me know what you think and as always thank you for the votes and comments 💙