Fighting, Honour and Valhalla || Vikings x The Originals x TVD

Viking and The Witcher: Year 1.5

It had been a hellish eight weeks at sea for Thorfinn and the others. The ship they were on was a large passenger vessel, which meant it was often packed with people. It also made numerous stops, sometimes for days at a time. When Thorfinn had asked why they didn't just use his own ship, Geralt had merely grunted and returned to meditation. The small enchanted ship Thorfinn carried in his pocket would have gotten them to Constantinople in six weeks without being affected by weather or needing to stop, he had been tempted to use it anyway and wait for them in Constantinople, at least he would but he had given it to Geralt as the man wanted to inspect it as it was the first time he'd seen a divine artefact. This ship's journey was set to take twelve weeks, and with the constant bad weather and frequent delays, it seemed like it would take even longer.

One day, Thorfinn realized the ship must have been intended as a pleasure cruise for the wealthy. There were constant parties and celebrations, none of which interested him. The only thing he cared about was getting to Constantinople as quickly as possible. The stops were frustrating, and the endless music grated on his nerves. Arwyn found his irritation amusing, teasing him about being a Viking who didn't want to drink and sing. He had almost punched her for that comment—and did shove her, which she returned in kind. Their scuffle nearly got them thrown off the boat if not for Geralt paying the captain to overlook it.

Thorfinn stood at the edge of the ship with his arms crossed, staring out at the churning sea. His temper had been short of late, though it wasn't entirely because of Arwyn. While she could be irritating, he had grown to prefer her sarcastic remarks over the outright disdain she used to show him before they left Kattegat. He understood why she had hated him—he had killed her family. But they had been his enemies, and they had been weak. If they had been stronger, perhaps they would still be alive and he would not. Still, if that had been the case, Arwyn might have remained cursed, living a miserable existence.

It was strange to see how much she had changed since their first meeting. Back then, she had been eager to serve him, desperate to please. Now, she argued over simple things, like cooking supper. He chuckled softly to himself, shaking his head.

His thoughts drifted to something far more pressing. It had been nearly a year since he had last seen Rebekah and Freydis. He missed them deeply. The ache in his chest felt like a burning hole that only grew larger with each passing day. But he had to remain resolute. This was the path he had chosen, the one that would lead him to Dahlia.

"At this rate, though, we'll never find her," he thought bitterly.

Thorfinn had wanted to hunt Dahlia immediately after leaving Kattegat, not wanting her trail to grow cold. But Geralt had refused. The Witcher insisted that fighting someone as powerful as Dahlia required extensive preparation and training. Thorfinn had none of the former and very little of the latter. Geralt had offered to help but made it clear Thorfinn would first need to pass his trials. He even suggested taking Thorfinn to Kaer Morhen for proper training and, eventually, the process that turned men into Witchers.

Thorfinn refused outright. He had no desire to waste years of his life in a single place not searching for Dahlia, and he was even less interested in the prospect of becoming infertile. He knew Rebekah wouldn't appreciate that. When Arwyn expressed interest in undergoing the Witcher trials, Geralt had firmly told her no. No woman had ever survived the trials or enhancements, and he wouldn't let her become a casualty.

The ship rocked gently beneath Thorfinn's feet as he sighed, leaning against the railing. The journey was taking far longer than he had hoped, and every delay felt like an eternity. But he knew there was no turning back now. Turning away from the sea, he saw Geralt approaching him. Thorfinn felt a flash of irritation at the man for bringing them aboard this pleasure cruise for aristocrats rather than taking the fastest route to their destination. His irritation only seemed to amuse the Witcher.