VIKINGS IMAGINES [BOOK II]

HIS THIEF

Y/N's heart beated heavy and quickly in her chest as she ran through the forest. Her breathing shallow and rugged as her flood quickly flooded through her veins. Due to her speed her har was flowing in the wind. Twigs and leafs snapped under her bare feet. She kept running, never stopping since she knew what was coming after her. He had told her to do so, it was her punishment. She hadn't taken him serious at first yet when he took the bow in his hands her eyes had widened as she pulled her dress up slightly before starting to run.

Y/N had been caught stealing food from the market, the owner had caught her and Halfdan had noticed. Halfdan had roughly pulled her aside and his hands had roamed her body, to see if she hid anything else under her clothes. His hand and eyes and stopped by the necklace she had hidden in the smaller pockets in her dress. It was a silver chain with a ring hanging in it. Halfdan had called her names, gripped her throat roughly and yelled at her. Whenever she blinked she had seen Halfdan's glaring eyes as he had gripped her arm tightly, leaving bruises before pulling towards the main hall where his brother sat. Halfdan had pushed her onto the harsh wooden floors before her King, her eyes never daring to leave the unhewn floor underneath her as her knees and hands ached, skin had been ripped open and her already worn and ruined dress had new holes in it.

"I caught her stealing from the fisher man," Halfdan said and she heard the disgust in his tone. She had gulped hard when her king remained quiet. Tears burned her eyes, threatening to spill. "It wasn't the first time, I found this in her dress pocket." Halfdan continued and held up the shiny ring in his long and slender fingers. King Harald had raised his brow when he recognized the rings in his brothers hand. It was a simple ring yet the etched writing in it held great meaning to the king. My Queen, it stood. It would've be the gift to Ellisif when they would marry. Halfdan had given the ring to his brother who let his fingers trace over the writings gently.

"Tell me little one, why you have the ring and necklace to my Queen in your pocket?" The King had said after a long silence. Y/n felt paralyzed, her body not reacting, her mouth not being able to form any words. Her body only started to shake as time passed as a silent cry let her lips. Soon the sound of heavy footsteps was heard walking closer to her before it got quiet again yet she could see two pairs of feet in front of her. Not long after a strong had taken a firm grip of her jaw, forcing her to look up at its owner. Her eyes widen when she saw Harald's blue, yet now alost black eyes, looking into hers. His jaw clenched tightly.

"It would've been slightly embarrassing if she would've gotten here and her gift was gone, wouldn't it little one?" Harald asked her, his voice now softer and kinder as his eyes softened slightly. However his eyes hardened as his jaw clenched tightly when he gripped her jaw even tighter. He held the ring in front of her face. "Stealing from your King? Not wise little one, not wise." He said before roughly letting go of her face.

"I—I—I'm s—orry." She cried and looked to the ground in pure and utter shame. Her voice never louder than a whisper and it caused Harald's hand to roughly collied with her cheek, staining it in a pink color and her body continued to shake as fear filled her body.