Private Tales Falling Snow..

[Willa]

Willa had very rarely been drunk in her life, but she found herself silently smiling at nothing in particular, her head feeling a little too heavy and so slowly tilted to one side and then the other as her eyes blinked lazily.

Gods, she'd missed this. She felt warm and safe and sleepy and for once she wasn't forcing away horrible memories or worrying about the path ahead. She was here and now and with friends and she sighed deeply as she looked between them.

"I think... I'm intoxicated. And I feel like dancing." she proclaimed. When was the last time she'd danced?! A man with a lute had been playing away in the corner, but it was slow and solemn, and so Willa slammed her hand on the table.

"Play us something to dance to Mister Lute man!"

 

[Ivar]

Orest let out a bark of a laugh as Willa suddenly slammed her hand on the table. The other Northmen turned towards the bard in the corner of the room as he dug into his pockets. With a quick swipe he pulled free a handful of silver coins.

"Come on, lad!"​

The coins were half haphazardly tossed towards the man, scattering over the ground.

Ivar raised an eyebrow, shaking his head, and about to say something when the Bard simply shrugged his shoulders and shifted the tune almost immediately. It wasn't any song that Ivar recognized, some southern fare.

It seemed to be the same for Orest who let out a groan.

"Ugh. More of this s-HICCUP-southern fare."
​

Ivar let out a loud laugh. "It's not so bad, just reminds me of the Stumblin' Dwarves."

 

[Willa]

Willa stood slipping out of her fur-lined cloak and running a hand down Ivar's arm until she tugged at his hand.

"Ivaaar! Come, dance with me." she laughed, her smile brighter than it had been in quite some time. "Let's teach these southerners a thing or two!"

 

[Ivar]

Ivar found himself plucked from his chair by Willa's urging. "Ey!"

The great Barbarian said as he nearly spilled ale all over himself. The mug was practically thrown onto the table as he pulled himself upright. Orest let out a bark of a laugh, cheering and whooping as Willa dragged 'her husband' upward.

"You show em' lass!"​

He shouted gleefully.

"No need to tear my arm off." Ivar jested. "I'd think you were a Nordenfiir with strength like that."

The Barbarian joked as the two of them slid out onto the dancefloor. He had never much been light on his feat, and what dances he did know had been learned outside of Kjos. It was close enough, but there would be some fumbling as the music picked up and the two began to dance.

 

[Willa]

"Maybe I am!" she laughed.

The alcohol had numbed her aches and pains enough that she could move without limping like a weakling. The music had the sort of beat that her people had danced around fires to, their arms in the air as they spun and swayed, and Willa hadn't forgotten how.

"When was the last time you danced with a woman?" she asked with a wide grin as she took his hand and circled around him.

 

[Ivar]

Ivar chuckled.

He knew very well that she was no such things. The Exile ahd spent plenty of time around the Nordenfiir, and Willa was certainly not one of them. No, she was much better.

"I'm not sure." The Barbarian admitted with a bark of a laugh. "Years? Maybe a decade or so?"

Ivar had never been able to attend many of the parties back home. Barred either because of his father or his lack of standing. A fact which he wasn't going to bring up to Willa, not now, not when he saw that spark of joy within her eye. "Never been much good at it."

He said with a wink.

 

[Willa]

Willa was lost. The music filled her mind and blocked everything else out. She heard herself laugh, a sound she hadn't heard in so long that she'd forgotten that she could do it at all. Other musicians joined, more dancers filled the floor and tables and feet and fists and empty mugs played along.

It didn't take too long for her travels and aches to catch up with her, and soon her arms were around Ivar's neck and she'd slumped most of her weight on him. She was still grinning, though her eyes were blinking heavily as she looked up at the northman.

"Your wife should go to bed." she whispered.

 

[Ivar]

Ivar smiled as he looked down at Willa, his expression warm. "Suppose she should."

They had been traveling for days now. Walking almost endlessly. Throw the dancing and the alcohol on top of that and it was a wonder that either of them were still standing. Not that the Northmen was complaining in the least.

It was nice to have a moment of quiet, of peace.

"Seems like she's barely standing." Ivar said softly. His arms still wrapped around her to make sure Willa didn't fall.

Behind them, somewhere, Orest had dragged one of the waitresses into a conversation. He was whispering to her quietly, and then sent her scrambling over towards the lute player. His song changed a second later, turning slow, and longing.

 

[Willa]

Willa let out a quiet chuckle as she shook her head. "I think you're right.." she smiled and huffed at the sorry state she'd gotten herself into, but she didn't regret it. At least not yet, though she'd likely feel differently in the morning.

She had been about to accept Ivar's support to head toward the stairs when the music changed and smiled with a deep sigh as she settled her head against his shoulder and swayed slowly. "Maybe one more." she reasoned.

 

[Ivar]

Ivar let out a long sight. "Maybe."[/colr]

He said quietly.

There was no telling when they would get another opportunity like this. No telling when they would next be allowed to just...relax. Their journey had been a long one, and it would be a longer one still. Home was a world away.

They needed this. They needed time for simple joys.

"One more." The Barbarian said as he gently swayed side to side, falling into a dance with Willa. His arms still wrapped around her as the music sounded all around them.

It was a moment of calm, in weeks of chaos.

 

[Willa]

Willa smiled, her head tucked in against the crook of his neck as they danced together. It felt anything but normal to her after the last year or so, but she savoured every moment of the soothing calm and comfort, letting her eyes close and humming quietly along with the music.

She wasn't ready for the music to stop, but the sound of applause roused her from her happy lull and she sighed and looked up with a sleepy smile. "Thank you for the dance." she said quietly, her hand absently settling on his cheek as she watched him for a moment. Her gaze lingered on his lips for a little too long and she frowned, rising onto her tiptoes and drawing him toward her in search of a kiss.

 

[Ivar]

For a brief moment the Barbarian hesitated.

Not because he didn’t want to kiss Willa, not because he didn’t feel that same spark, but because of everything they had been through. Because of everything that they still had ahead of them.

And because of what he was.

What she was.

They were from the same city, but from opposite worlds. He an Exile, and she a Noble. There was a gap there, and yet that hardly seemed to matter for more than a single beat of the heart. Ivar’s hesitation didn’t last. Not long enough before he leaned down and pressed his lips to hers.

 

[Willa]

The hesitation caused her heart to stop and she tensed, suddenly sobering, and she'd been about to apologise when he leaned to kiss her. She hadn't realised how much she'd wanted to kiss him until right now. He'd been her rock over the past few months, had protected her from harm and been so gentle. She cared about him, loved him even, but this felt different.

She smiled against his lips and let out a breath she hadn't realised she'd been holding as she broke the kiss to the sound of cheers from their new found friends.

 

[Ivar]

It was an odd sort of feeling that rushed through him. Excitement, joy, mirth, trepidation.

The Barbarian had never felt like this for a moment in his life.

Briefly he wondered if teenagers in the village had suffered through the emotions that he was feeling now. The nerves that wracked his body, the feeling of...not quite being sure even after such a momentous event. He felt as though a single word could ruin it all.

"I..." The words choked in his throat.

What did he say?

A man who had faced the charges of orcs, who had fought trolls, found every word dead on his tongue. Ivar had absolutely no idea what he was supposed to say. What he was supposed to do.

His fingers tightened on Willa, almost involuntarily.

 

[Willa]

She had to bite down on her lip to stop her from grinning too widely. Her throat cleared awkwardly and she felt the heat rise to her cheeks.. "Sorry.. I should go to bed." she laughed under her breath and lifted her hand to her forehead.

They'd both had a lot to drink, and the last thing she wanted to do was ruin their friendship by being drunk and impulsive. That said, the way she looked at him now betrayed the struggle she faced in resisting the urge to kiss him again.

 

[Ivar]

Ivar couldn't help the grin playing over his face.

He thought of a thousand different things to say. A million different scenarios played over his mind. There was so much that he could do. So much that he could say to her. Fingers tightened for a brief moment, a breath filled his lungs as she spoke.

Why not. The Nord thought to himself. Why not live.

They had faced so much.

Fought so much.

Why not live.

His arm suddenly wrapped around her, and in one quick sweep he suddenly swooped Willa up in his arms and carried her like a Princess. He ignored every word, every warning that cried in his head. He only picked her up and carried her towards his bed.

 

[Willa]

Willa let out a shriek of surprise and let her head fall back to laugh as they departed to another chorus of cheers and whistles.

"Iv-aaaar.." she grinned as he carried her toward his bed, another chuckle tumbling from her lips, and she clasped his chin to turn his face toward her. "Are you?..We shouldn't.. It's a bad idea." she murmured, but suddenly she was kissing him again, and there was demand in it.

"Terrible...idea..." she added as her breaths grew a little heavier.

 

[Ivar]

His lips pressed against hers. His thoughts warding off every little doubt that he had ever felt.

Ivar knew that this was a bad idea.

Knew that every single person back home would have screamed at them. Her parents. The Elders. The Witch. All of them would have claimed the horror or this. They would have yelled and called until their voices broke. Yet he didn't care. "I know."

The Barbarian said as Willa's lips parted from his.

"I know." The Son of the Exile spoke, his voice low, soft. "And I absolutely."

He kissed her again, his fingers curling, dragging her against himself. "Do not give a single fuck."

Let them stop him. Let them come.

For once he would take what he wanted. For once. He would ignore tradition, and have what he desired. Exile or not.

 

[Willa]

Willa laughed and shook her head. "Good. Nor do I.." she grinned, already tugging at his clothes for they were clearly in the way. Her heart was thundering in her chest, stumbling over itself trying to keep up with how hard she was breathing. His kisses ignited against hers, sending waves of liquid heat through her and causing her toes to curl.

She wanted this. Him. She trusted him, and this was okay. This was more than okay, and for tonight she'd allow herself this happiness, to remember what it was like to feel something other than cold and fear.

 

[Ivar]

Ivar woke in the middle of the night.

The pale light of the moon cast through the window, it's gentle sheen casting through the window and over the small bed that he and Willa lay in. The sight of it was calming, quiet, shining it's little light over the two northerners.

A smile touched The Barbarian's face, drawing a warmth from the warriors heart

His fingers slowly, gently, drew over the Nobles skins. His eyes closed, a calm drawing over the reavers heart as he simply touched her. His chest rose and fell, heat drawing against her back as he softly stroked his fingers over her.

Is this what i've missed? The Berserker asked himself, the thought ringing in his mind even as the thud of boots on wood echoed out deep below in the tavern.

 

[Willa]

It was a rare occurrence now for her to sleep soundly. Perhaps it was the alcohol or the exertion, perhaps it was the subconscious knowledge that she was safe. Her lips kicked up as she felt the gentle fingertips on her skin and she drew in a deep breath which tumbled back out as a peaceful sigh.

The touch had woken her enough for her to turn to face him, tangling their legs together and drawing his face toward hers to kiss him sleepily. She'd been about to roll herself on top of him when the footsteps below made her pause, her narrow eyes blinking away the sleep. Her mind went straight to a monster she knew was dead, but one that she couldn't and likely would never shake from her mind. He'd always be quite alive in there.

She huffed and tried to shake off the paranoia, returning instead to kissing the northman in her bed.

 

[Ivar]

Ivar felt the tension course through Willa's body as her lips passed over his.

It was hard not to when she was laying so close, when their skin was pressed together. Even in the darkness he could read her, and slowly he flatted his palm against the small of her back. Fingers gently stroked over her skin, a small calming touch.

A soothing hum ran through his throat.

The Barbarian was never much for...calm. They called him a Berserker for a reason, that strange trait which ran through some of the northmen of Kjos. Yet here and now he did the best that he could, humming that same tune they had danced to earlier.

Below them the bootsteps continued, not coming closer to their room, but seemingly moving away to the other side of the Inn.

 

[Willa]

Willa eased under his gentle touch and soothing sounds, her eyes blinking heavily as she smiled at him. It was strange to lay here with him like this, and yet it also felt natural and comfortable.. It felt Right. The alcohol had at least been enough to allow her to forget her self consciousness, and she'd forgotten entirely about the scars she fought to hide. Physically and otherwise. She was simply with him, and Gods, it was... There was no single word to encapsulate what it was. It was passionate, it was raw and intense and simply perfect.

Her fingertips traced idly over his chest as she lost herself in that peaceful place between sleep and consciousness, her sleepy gaze on his face and her mind drifting through those very recent memories that she doubted she'd soon forget.

"Sleep.." she whispered. It was still hours until sunrise yet, and she wasn't entirely sure if he'd slept at all.

 

[Ivar]

Ivar nodded his head.

Paranoia could not be helped, that instinct that kicked on in the back of his head. To safeguard, to protect, to make sure that everything would be alright. It was something he had learned long ago, when he'd survive out within the lands of Exile.

Even then the Tundra had been harsh, cruel at times. Snow Leopards and Frost Trolls lurking by the ways as they waited for their next meal.

Now it was more the men that Ivar watched for. Those who would mean Willa harm here in the Southlands, and surely back home. A frown touched his lips for just a brief moment, and then the calming touch of Willa's hand drove them away.

Finally, after what felt like hours Ivar fell asleep.

 

[Willa]

They fell back to sleep in a tangle of limbs, and by the time morning came around, the alcohol had left her with a pounding headache and she groaned quietly at the light that poured onto her face. Her brow furrowed at the feel of warm skin against her, and for the briefest of moments her heart stopped and her body stiffened with a flash of fear as she forgot where she was and who she was with.

The breath tumbled out of her as her memory clicked back into place, but her heart had already been sent racing and she rubbed at her face. Thoughts of the night before drifted through her mind, her body still pleasantly aching, and she had to bite down on her lower lip to stifle a smile as she curled lazily against Ivar's chest.