➣The Fearless Skull Queen [1] | e.r ♔

chapter 6.

Word count: 4728.

Warnings: Blood, animal sacrifice. 

❝𝙸 𝚑𝚘𝚙𝚎 𝚢𝚘𝚞'𝚛𝚎 𝚙𝚛𝚘𝚞𝚍 𝚘𝚏 𝚖𝚎, 𝚏𝚊𝚝𝚑𝚎𝚛.❞

♔

Hot water against cold, pale skin. Solfrid sat in the bathing tub, her muscles relaxing against the hot touch. Her knees were resting against her chest as her arms were wrapped around them. The wound on her arm had finally closed up, so she was in no need of bandages anymore. However, it was starting to form a nasty scar, as she inspected it. Last night she had finally returned home and she had finally seen her brothers again. Her heart didn't ache as much as it had before. The princess hadn't met anyone else though, because Njáll and Úlfr had practically dragged her back to their hut, but she knew that the others were safe. 

Njáll had filled her in with everything that they had missed while they were gone. Hálfdan, Þórfreðr, and Eindriði were safe. So was Sigmund and Iðunn as well, apparently. They had been able to fight off the intruders, killing a large amount of them, with help of the Berserks that had arrived quickly after Solfrid and the girls had escaped. The fire had swallowed most of the market and huts, but the people were working on repairing it all. Njáll and the priests had held the funeral for their parents, in his words it had been beautiful. Her oldest brother kept apologizing to Solfrid though since she missed it. 

Solfrid had reassured him that it was fine, that she understood why they had to do it. She could visit their graves later. And tonight, Njáll's coronation would be held. He would be crowned as the new Fearless Skull King of Björnheim. Solfrid was proud. She knew her brother would be just as good King as their father had been. The princess heaved a sigh as she slowly stood up. Being in her home brought her some comfort, but also discomfort. It was not like before. It was her home, yet it didn't feel like it. It felt wrong without her parents here. 

Solfrid shook her head, standing up. Water dripped from her bare body as she walked over to the chair where a soft towel laid, and the dress she would wear. After she dried herself and put on her undergarments, she took the soft dress in her hands. It was a dark green color, with fine details. It was sleeveless, made for the summer season. She quietly slipped it on, before sitting down, combing through her dry hair, starting to braid it as usual. 

When she finished, her ash blonde hair was in a half, braided ponytail, decorated with beads. For a brief moment, she looked just like her normal self. The only thing being different was the large, purplish bags underneath her puffy eyes. They weren't as bloodshot as they once had been a week ago, but a small amount of blood vessels still lingered in the corner of her eyes. Solfrid sighed to herself, before standing up and leaving her room behind. She knew her brothers would be in the Great Hall, so she made her way over there.