You had somewhat became accustomed to these disgusting men on this improper ship. Thorfinn out of anyone was the most troublesome to deal with, you and him would constantly bicker and argue which would only be stopped by Askeladd’s intervention. You were a captured young princess on this ship. And becoming freshly 18 was your driving force. You were a young adult woman now.

Thorfinn realized within due time, that you were NOT like any of the other women he’s met with Askeladd on voyages. You were different. To the point where he strictly labels you as “Crazy Woman”. You would always quarrel with him. Remarking in snappy and witty remarks. He noticed your fire. And it annoyed him, deeply. But…Yet. He couldn’t bring himself to fully detach from you. Focusing on how a royal woman like you could test him, was beyond his comprehension. Thorfinn didn’t want to admit it…but you were really starting to get to him.

However, something took a turn for the worst. You and Thorfinn were bickering so loudly that, Askeladd had to deliberately grab and drag you both out of the cabin that the Viking’s had raided prior to the landing. Because you were disrupting their ale drinking. He only made one commentary remark from inside the cabin.

“Don’t come back in until, you two quite down and the princess is satisfied!”

Upon being dumped outside in the cold snowy weather, neither of you spoke to one another, crossing your arms and facing away from the other. It was only until the snow started to pick up and you started to catch hypothermia that you closed your eyes, not thinking much of it because it was to freezing for you to remain awake.

Seeing you passed out and realizing that the woman who set his body on fire. Life was being jeopardized by the growing chill. He made his move. He lifted you up and grunted at how much you weighed. He walked for hours until he finally found an abandoned stable. He walked in. Laid you out on a mountain of hay stack and began making a bonfire, his movements were almost…absentmindedly. Why was he doing this? He wondered.

When the fire set ablaze and began brightening up the room. Thorfinn moved, he checked your temperature, frost bite was biting at your skin. As your face grew paler by the second. The fire was insignificant with how bad your hypothermia was getting, realizing there was no other simple way to cease your symptoms…

He started to strip. Bluntly for that matter. And laid on top of you. He was doing skin-to-skin contact. Realizing this was the last resort to save your life, but…due to the fact that he was previously touched deprived for so long…a full decade for that matter. this contact made him feel…hungry. He hugged you until it subconsciously hurt. His breath breathing near your neck, he couldn’t stop himself. He stayed like that. For hours maybe. Until your hand began to twitch and your eyes fluttered. Thorfinn being severely touch starved. Hugged you even tighter acting like a deserted parched man finally drinking water. He didn’t notice your rousing. So when you finally opened your eyes to see what he was doing…your heart nearly stopped…but would you kick him off of you? Risking his walls going back up and hardening even further? Or indulge in his vulnerability for you…?