Runa| Hvitserk Ragnarsson DISCONTINUED

𝐧𝐢𝐧𝐞༄

The sun was merely close to setting as Runa rolled the cart up the hill as she always did. Her mind was still fuzzy from the late-night experience prior. Worry was one of the many feelings she had felt throughout the day and as much as she knew that she didn't have to, the thought just kept coming back.
"Are you alright Runa?" Arvid asked the two had gotten closer in the past couple of days since they've met. They both end up selling their produce close by each other so it was convenient that they would wind up walking the same path every now and then.
"I'm fine." She tried to softly smile, she didn't want to burden the man who probably shouldn't know what she did.
He shook his head slightly and made the pair pause in their tracks. He walked in front of her and held his arms out to reach her shoulders.
"I know we just met just days ago but you can tell me anything. Your face reads trouble, and I know what it's like to live in fear...."
she sighed, she didn't know where he was going with this but she nodded. Arvid didn't seem like a man that would go against anybody, in fact, who would he tell? She didn't mean that as an offense because just like her family of farmers, there isn't much to say to anyone because of the social hierarchy. But as that thought occurred in her mind she realized she was probably the closest to someone with high power. She never really thought about that too hard but now that she was, she understood Hvitzerk's stress.
"Runa?" He spoke again snapping her back into reality. She shook her head slightly as if to shake off the clouded thoughts on her mind.
"I'm sorry Arvid, it's just..." she pondered for a second, his hands still resting on her shoulders.
"It's just I've met a man and it's just his family is notorious for family problems, he shared something with me last night and it's just been on my mind." She explained.
The blonde made sure she didn't mention his name just in case anything was brought up in the future. However, the bare details were enough to get the man across from her to change the subject.
"We all have our monsters." He shied away from a smile, "anyways I believe we split here, I'll see you tomorrow."
And with that, the man continued walking after the two exchanged slight smiles. Runa let out a sigh as she neared the fence that bordered much of her property. Tucking away the cart by the house she leaned against the wall. Hues of orange danced around everything visible by the sun. It was calming.
She closed her eyes clearing her mind once again. She heard footsteps walking toward her in the wet grass. Knowing who it was, she opened them to see the timid face of her mother.
"Is everything alright dear?" She asked her softly, "I haven't seen you stood here since you were young.."
She was talking about how when the young woman was small after her father's passing, she would bask in the sunlight thinking her father was the sun that warmed her. Sometimes she still walked out here when stuff was a bit tough.
"Yea it's..." she found herself pausing once again trying to collect the right words for what she was truly feeling.
"Don't worry hun, if it's hard to explain don't stress yourself out more but trying to say it."
Her mother walked closer to her and rested an arm around her shoulder. The pair watched the remainder of the sunset before walking inside.

-

That night Runa sat beside Hvirserk. He was asleep already. He had apparently been helping her mother with daily chores and it seemed to take a toll on his energy. The woman looked him over, a small smile of content washed her face. She noted that he looked so peaceful, so at ease, as he just laid on his side. His arm wrapped around one of the flat pillows, his other lied across from him. The sheet and fur blanket covered his top half. He was shirtless, no wonder he felt chilly.
She sighed unintentionally as she got ready to go to bed. Now out of her normal green cloth dress, she wore just a simple white loose-fitting blouse. Placing her day's wear on the shelf beside the window, she stepped softly towards the bed. The wood slightly cracked as she got in her side of the bed. It didn't wake him.
She blew out the candle allowing darkness to cascade around her. Adjusting herself into the bed she gently took his outreached arm and wrapped it around herself and pulled over the covers. She went to let go of his hand but he lazily laced their fingers together, triggering the butterflies in her stomach.
"Runa...?" He sleepily muttered.
She uttered a soft 'yes' and stroked his hand with her thumb. There was a small difference between the two lovers' hands, hers were slightly smaller than his and even though they've both been hard on their hands, they softly fit within each other.
"Goodnight love." He squeezed her hand and shimmied closer to her.
"Goodnight." She replied as she two tried to move closer to him. A comfortable silence followed them once again, the only hvirserk felt the need to say something. He spoke softly, barely audible for anyone to hear it.
"What was that, love?" Runa attempted to use the newly found name, she quite liked the term. When he used it a couple of minutes ago she was glad he couldn't see the pink that would have been lighting up her cheeks.
The man murmured a laugh before repeating himself.
"I just wish we could stay like this for eternity, I know it's been said before but now I know what it's like. I wouldn't describe it any other way."
She softly chuckled causing him to laugh too. The pair were so beyond happy. It was clear to see to anyone who only saw them from the outside.
But who was looking from the outside?