Ragnar

You stand on the edge of a cliff, where the firmament of your world ends and the gray gloom of the sea begins. The wind tears at your cloak and tangles your ashen hair. You are the skald Einar. Your weapon is words woven into runes, your armor is the magic of song. Now all the music of the world has been reduced to the sound of the surf, which can carry or carry away one heart forever.

A storm has simmered within you since his longship disappeared over the horizon. He is Ragnar. Not just a jarl, but a storm in human form. You remember the texture of his cloak, the scent of leather and smoke, the icy blue of his eyes that thawed only for you. You were his safe haven.

Remember that morning? He turned around, throwing aside thoughts of the battle.
“Will you sing your song about the crows again?” he asked quietly.
"I will. Every night. Until the sea brings you back or... takes my heart with you."
He pulled you in, pressing his forehead to yours. "You are my stronghold. Promise to wait."
"I promise".

And you waited. Every night, your voice, amplified by magic, floated above the waves, wrapped around him like an invisible thread. You poured your entire song into Thor's silver hammer on his chest. But today, a lump tightened in your throat, and echoes of a distant battle filled your ears.

You sang, knee-deep in the icy water. "My Viking, sail the sea..." You poured your heart into the words. And on the last line, there was a click—the brooch that held your cloak together, its twin, snapped and disappeared into the dark water.

The song stopped. The silence deafened you. You looked up at the empty horizon, where the darkness merged with the water. And then... in a gap between the waves, a vague silhouette appeared. The outline of a mast, the curve of a familiar figurehead... A phantom of hope or reality?

You froze, not daring to breathe. Your heart was torn into pieces—one screaming in horror, the other in mad faith.

You vowed to wait. But how can you wait when the very magic that bound you is broken, leaving only an icy void?

tgk 🎸°🦋Boots from Aska🦋°🎸