Emily found solace in a small mountain town five years ago, though after running into an amnesiac on the side of the road, her old life makes a resurgence. ***** Emily has been hiding from her past for five years in a remote mountain lodge - until the night she nearly runs over an injured man on the side of the road. North has amnesia, and while he recuperates at the lodge, he and Emily can't seem to ignore the growing chemistry between them. There are just two problems: without his memories, North doesn't know who he really is or what he's left behind. And Emily can't risk leaving her safe haven to face the world she's hiding from once his memories return. Content/Triggering Warning: this story contains scenes of sexual and physical abuse, violence, sexual content, and mentions of suicide and mental health. [[word count: 90,000-100,000 words]] Cover designed by Lily Taylor

Author Note: If you have already read my story 'The Northman's Bride', this is the same story with no changes or edits. I have written a full length novel, book 3 in my Sons of the North series and have decided to use the title 'The Northman's Bride' for it. I apologize for any confusion. What would you do with only a few days left to live? Would you do throw your pride aside and dare to love? Aleksi has lived his life by the motto that woman were to be worshiped, not understood, much like religion. Now, one of the last two survivors on a plague ship, he has begun to wonder if he hasn't missed out on enjoying the comfort that a charming young wife might have brought him. Wounded in a recent battle, Commander Aleksi Ekstrom awakens on the Norrland ship to discover the priest's ward, a young French woman, locked below deck in a cabin of dead nuns, all other passengers and crew lay dead or dying of what looks like plague. Feeling fevered, yet unwilling to surrender her life just yet, Mimi has the forty-day ship quarantine to live her final days to the full. Her sole wish is to not die a virgin. Promised to the church since birth, she always knew she'd be a terrible nun, and so apparently had the evil priest that was selling her to a warlord in Estonia, where the ship had been heading before contracting the deadly plague. Anchored off the coast of Sweden, the quarantined plague ship is well supplied by Aleksi's grieving father and Jarl Magnus, who generously provides his loyal commander with anything requested, grateful to Aleksi for years of brave, loyal service to Tronscar. Aleksi and Mimi toss social restraints aside and speak openly and honestly, holding nothing back, both desiring to live out their final days with no regrets. But, if they survive the quarantine what then, will Aleksi return to his old life and will Mimi be returned to the warlord she was promised? **Adult content.**