GRACEFUL ━ VIKINGS

━━ FOUR

[ act i - a legend born for greatness ]
CHAPTER FOUR
( a world of their own )
817AD

     A WINTER HAD PAST SINCE ALTHEA AND GUNNAR BEGAN seeing each other. They had spent countless nights together, it was surprising she had not ended up pregnant by this point. Although, maybe it was the gods who looked after her knowing she wanted a crown more than a family. A crown was what she wanted and a crown she would get. That would rise above all.

Althea lay on the bed in deep thought as early morning light fluttered through the cracks of a hut far from the village, birds chirping quitely. It was the only place she and Gunnar could truly be alone. Without people pestering her with other obligations. She had left Eskel and Maximus in charge while she was gone. Eskel had recently married that strange girl from the feast, Porunn.

Althea could no longer really call her strange as she had become one of her closest allies. Porunn was beautiful even with the scar that covered a fourth of her face. Even now Porunn still had not told Althea where she came from, she did however tell Althea that she was married once before. That she had been to Wessex and fought with Ragnar Lothbrok. Porunn was much older than her.

The movement came from behind her and an arm wrapped around Althea's waist, being pulled from her current spot closer to the warmth that was Gunnar. Althea smiled to herself as she turned in his arms to face him, her hand coming up and stoking his cheek. Gunnar hummed and smiled tiredly.

"You are awake.." Gunnar mumbled, "I figured you would not wake till later after last night." He finished opening his eyes slowly to look at Althea.

"Of course, you would think that, my love." Althea chuckled softly. Oh, how she loved moments like this. Just the two of them, in blissful peace.

Gunnar hummed as he rolled pulling Althea beneath him, his face burying itself in her chest, breathing her scent in deeply. Althea's hand ran its way up his bare back to his hair - she smiled softly. For once in her life, she actually felt peace. The sound of rushing water could be heard outside from a nearby river.

Gunnar placed soft kisses along her sternum and chest, moving his lips up her neck. He pulled away to look down at her, her hair sprawled out on the pillow she lay on - her eyes already finding his.

"You are the most angelic woman I have ever laid eyes on..." Gunnar breathed out, leaning down and placing a kiss on her lips.

As Gunnar was pulling away, Althea wrapped her arms around his neck, pulling him back down to her where this time she kissed him. The kiss was tender and slow, their lips molding together like many times before. It was as if they fit together perfectly as if the gods had made them for one another. A man who would only worship her, worship the ground she walked on, who would do anything for her.

Althea's heart beat heavily in her chest as she opened her legs, pulling him closer to her. Gunnar's hand gripped her waist, hard enough to leave bruises where his fingertips were. Gunnar trailed his kisses down to her neck before filling her with his length. Althea let out a small gasp as her heart fluttered.