For Honor: an unlikely attraction

Ch. 10

Ingrid's POV

After that whole kiss scene, things went back to normal but not without a few questions coming to me and mutters filling the air.

Like I said they were confused. William's actions were justifiable because he was beyond drunk but as for me, I think people thought I would tear away from him or cut off his lips but no. I took his lips and kissed him back. 

Food was being served in the long house currently and William returned back to the crowd, especially to Stigandr, sitting next to him at the food table.

This is good, I thought. The fact that people know he's with me is giving him a large amount of protection but now that he's becoming friends with the jarl, no one will touch him unless they want to deal with either me or Stigandr.

As William jokes and laughs around with Stigandr, I decide to reserve myself to the bar area, getting a few drinks myself. People came to me, either asking about their futures or about the kiss. For their futures, the voices start to whisper and tell me what will happen in the near future for them and I repeat what they say back to them. When they asked about the kiss, I either shrugged them off or gave them a short answer of "It was alright". It actually was better than alright but they didn't need to know that.

William's POV

Food was being put on our table as me and Stigandr talked and laughed around. My drunken state went down a bit to the point I could think a little clearly and the actions of what I did moments ago start to set in.

Damn, I must of put Ingrid on the spot because of the kiss and gave her attention she did not want. I'll have to apologize to her on our way back to her cabin. It's just at that moment, she was just right there, her lips looked so kissable, and I was drunker than I was right now.

"So tell me boy, why are up here?" Stigandr asked.

I start to sweat as I did not know what to say. Should I tell him I was sent here to take a settlement away? That I was part of a squad sent y Holden Cross? If I did say these things, would it start something, a new battle perhaps?

Stigandr, noticing my silence, decides to speak again.

"Were you sent by Holden Cross?" he said.

At that moment, I felt my drunken state just leave my body and I was suddenly sober. 

"Yes, I was. Me and my squad were off to take a settlement here and that It had supplies that would benefit us but we were ambushed by Vikings. I was the only survivor. I think it was this place actually." I said, truthfully.

"Here? Oh no, no, no it's the on a few miles east from here" he said as if it was obvious.

I was wide eyed at this. "What? How do you know that? And if you gave him the settlement, why were we attacked?" I demanded.

"It's because I gave him it. It originally belonged to Ashfeld anyways and we don't really need to use it. Plus no one lives there. Now the ambushers, they're Vikings that don't like me as jarl, say I'm too soft and made their own rag tag group. They act on their own accord" Stigandr said before eating a chicken leg.

"But why would you do that? You're a Viking and Holden's a knight. Shouldn't you, him, and Empress Ayu hate each other? I know about your meeting with them which confuses me more because-"

"Because we want peace" Stigandr said suddenly. He continues, "None of us wanted war. None of wanted this war but hate, prejudice, and more importantly, Apollyon's war has caused all our people to spiral out of control. So me, Ayu, and Holden discuss peace term so that our people can stop warring against each other but instead find a compromise and work together. Haven't you noticed that there hasn't been any major battles as of late? We did that" 

"Peace is gonna be hard to achieve you know. Most people won't just forgive and forget. War leaves scars and scars can be a reminder of what happened" I said.

"But we have to try and if we were to die in that attempt it'll at least make a fine tale"

"I toast to that" I said, raining my cup. Stigandr then raised his and we clanged and drank.

Peace. Now that's something we haven't had in a long time and it's something we need right now. Hearing Stigandr, I now see the war as unnecessary bloodshed and a certain someone's crazy ambition. I pray they find a way for everlasting peace and soon too. This war just needs to end.

As I was thinking and eating, the long house door opens up and the whole crowd becomes quieter but I did not notice. Stigandr then tapped my shoulder, knocking me out of my thoughts and pointed at the new comer.

"You know him?" He asked.

I looked at the new guy and my eyes grew wide at the sight.

"Dante?!"