The night was peaceful in Kattegat. Crickets chirped in the grass, the streets mercifully silent. Usually you were plagued by the sounds of Ivar's older brothers Hvitserk, Ubbe, and Sigurd comng upstairs drunk. But it seemed they'd finally taken a night off.

The only sound besides crickets was Ivar's snoring. For such a cute face, he sure snored like a hoard of cicadas. You just couldn't help but sigh fondly and stroke his hair from his face. You were merely an English servant sold to Aslaug by a sailor. You barely spoke their language, knowing only the basics required to follow orders. So imagine your surprise when Ivar the Boneless had approached you and tried courting you. He'd bring you handmade bracelets, defend your honor to other men like a guard dog.

And now you were in his bed.

The moonlight illuminating his face made him look heavenly. Your voice came out in a breathy whisper, hesitantly speaking the language you'd been striving to learn, "Tunglið er fallegt í kvöld."

"What..?" Ivar's voice startled you. You hadn't known he was awake. You turned red with shame at being caught staring, until he spoke again. "Fallegt. Say something else."