Stealing the Valkyrie

Brother

Rollo's heart pounded as he watched Edithe hurrying from their kiss. A week away had done nothing to subdue his desire for her, nor increased it. His desire remained complete, as it always had.

How could she deny herself? How could she deny the way the air around them seemed to sizzle with every touch?

When she reached the path she paused, glancing to where the meadow ebbed into the forest. He edged forward, every muscle in his body prepared to chase her if she tried to do anything stupid.

She certainly seemed to consider it. But in the end, she turned towards home and he breathed a sigh of relief. Perhaps there was a part of him who kept a guard at her door to stop her escaping after all.

With the touch of her lips still burning onto his, he hurried after her on long strides. One kiss was not enough, not enough by far.

Eventually her run slowed into a walk and Rollo gained ground quickly, his hands itching to reach out and take hold of her. She had kissed him back, he thought. She had wanted more, he convinced himself.

Edithe noticed his speed and matched it. Both of them walking faster and faster until the streets of Kattegat were a blur in his peripheral and the house was in sight. She made a dash for it and he ran too, catching only the slam of the door as she slinked inside.

He clung to the frame, pressing his head against the cool wooden planks. His better judgement told him he should probably not follow her inside, yet his fingers found the handle anyway.

"Women trouble, Rollo?" Rolf sniggered as he approached.

"Is there any other kind?" Rollo groaned, his better judgment now winning out as he forced himself away from the door.

"There's Ragnar..." Rolf smirked, "he's wondering why you have not yet been to see him."

Rollo had spent the last week serving as Ragnar's envoy to Jarl Knud. He never particularly liked the man but Knud commanded a large number of warriors and Ragnar was planning another raid. When they returned to Briton it would be with a greater force than any they had ever seen.

Rollo looked forward to it. Raiding made his heart sing and he was pleased to think Ragnar trusted him to speak on his behalf. But it was for selfish reasons he'd agreed to serve as envoy. He'd wanted time away from whatever spell Edithe cast over him. Yet as soon as he returned to Kattegat his feet had carried him homewards without any delay.

"I will go to him," he decided. If he'd gone to Ragnar in the first place then his heart wouldn't be racing as it was. It seemed one kiss would have to be enough after all. At least for now.

"Your journey was successful?" Ragnar said when Rollo found him in the longhouse.

"Yes. Knud has agreed to join us, he'll be sending men within the month."

"Rolf came to tell me and I have to admit, I was surprised you didn't want to tell me the good news yourself."

Ordinarily nothing made Rollo happier than thinking about raiding. "I was... distracted."

Ragnar laughed, taking a seat where Rollo could join him. "So, will you be marrying this distraction before or after we raid again?"

Rollo scratched his beard, he'd asked himself this question many times. Raiding would take him away from Kattegat for weeks, if not months. They may even spend the winter in Northumbria.

He was certain he could not leave Edithe behind without officially claiming her as his wife. The title would offer her some protection. But more than anything, he could not wait countless more months before sinking himself between her thighs and extinguishing some of the unbearable heat between them.