Viking's Promised (A Love Story)

Chapter Three

Chapter Three

Elise knew one thing for certain, that she would not leave this girl alone, not after the cruelty that fell upon her. "ELISE!" The Jarl called behind her absolutely shaking with rage, she didn't stop instead she crouched down to her level. "Sweet? I am so sorry for leaving you, are you okay? What happened?" Elise soothed but the poor girl fell into her lap, "Please dinna send me back, tis not human, monster, monster....." Elise now was aware of the footsteps behind her, "It's okay sweet, I will take you back, I promise." As he stroked her hair Thorkel pushed her up as the girl hugged her knees for life. "What the hell are you doing?" He hissed, venom lacing his voice, "This girl was.....please let me tend to her." She pleaded for the sake of the little girl whose life was destroyed.

"No," with that he kicked off the girl hugging his wife for life, "Please Thorkel...." Elise used his name to which he went stiff, "Please, I beg of you." Her voice faltered as she reached for the girl again. "Fine, now you must behave, okay?" He softly rubbed her back, she nodded.

After she had ordered for the girl to be kept near to where she was going to stay, she followed Thorkel to his family who had many frowns on their faces, Elise was surprised to see that they all had dark hair, none of them shared any other color but black or brown.

"Mother, Sisters, Brother, this is my wife, Lady Elise Katarina of---," she cut him off, "Cheshire."

Thorkel squeezed her back comfortingly as his family gave her a once over. His brother came forward and congratulated him, "Brother, she is a sight to behold, you are lucky." With a friendly pat on the back he hugged a manly hug grunting while his mother came forward and wrapped her arms around Elise lovingly. "Welcome to our home sweetheart, how was your journey?" She queried while placing a soft kiss on her cheek. "Thank you it was well, er....umm..." She was speechless after being greeted so warmly.

"I'm Erika, Thorkel's sister. Welcome to our home. You go, Lief, bring us the horses. We must get home. It is about to pour."

Elise's thoughts narrowed down two to debates, i) she hadn't expected his family to be humble. ii) she hadn't expected for her to like it.

She was no lady, Lady Of Cheshire was famous for her scandalous behavior and in midst these viking's if felt as if she could take out the women inside of herself. To be free.

"Lady Elise, you truly are beautiful. I look forward to my nieces and nephews, they would be simple loveliness." Thorkel's sister beamed as she sat on the dining chair ready to feast. Elise felt herself blushing furiously, her eyes involuntarily glanced beside her to see her husband grinning like a devil. Satan himself.

"I agree." The brothers patted Thorkel on the back as he sent a quick wink her way.

She concentrated on nibbling the chicken, she won't let all the talk affect her.

She shuddered or shivered in disgust was beyond her but the problem wasn't that, she might be mischievous, scandalous, outrageous at times and a list of things a lady is not but she still didn't know anything about the martial act. She had figured it at some point but not all the way. She blushed remembering the moment in the ship.

"Oh my, you alright? You look a little too red," Thorkel's mother quickly scooted close and checked her forehand with the back of her hand, "You look fine," She fixated her gaze on Thorkel, "have you been giving her a rough time?" She narrowed her bushy eyebrows. Thorkel smirked, "Why don't you ask her, mother?" Elise sent daggers in his way, how dare he!

"I'm alright, madam, I think I'll lie down for a moment. My head hurts, is all." She gave her a regretful smile before concentrating on her food. "Oh, why not, why not." His mother winked at her daughter who smiled cheekily, Elise didn't notice the exchange.

"Son, if you're done eating, take your bride to your room and don't stress her any further." She scolded her son playfully.

"Mother, I do not stress her. More like, she stresses me." He sent a sarcastic smile to Elise who was fuming red.

"Hush! She's expected to be that way in her condition," Abbe turned to her daughter in law, clear warmth in her eyes, "Sweet heart, I understand you, don't worry. You should just take care of yourself and the child, don't mind this imbecile son of mine," Everyone at the table was laughing ferociously, Elise just blushed more and tried to think what was his mother thinking, she isn't with child!

Her eyes met Thorkel's and for a moment she saw some sort of affection in them. Then he had the audacity to wink, more so he didn't correct her mother. "I'm afraid you--," She was cut off by a very over excited Alliyah. "Oh, you are not for real! I am going to be an aunt!" She exclaimed, happiness evident in her overjoyed expression. Then she leaned into whisper in her ear, "Getting you with child might be the most amazing thing he's ever done." She chirped.

Elise would swoon anytime if it wasn't for the embarrassment she'd have to face.

"I assure y--," once again she was rudely interrupted, "I say we name him Aadolf! A strong mighty wolf!" The eldest brother after Thorkel, Aaron spoke, Elise when on first meeting the man felt uncomfortable. Surely he was handsome but the way his gaze lingered over her was very odd.

Thorkel laughed, "Why not, he's my son after all," Elise at this point very much wanted to dump her juicy chicken on his nodcock head.

"I must retire, I don't feel very well," She tried to sit up but Abbe was quick. "Now, Now, you must wait," She rubbed a hand over her back.

"There's a ritual, dear sister." Alliyah's excited voice chimed in.

Rituals? Oh no....must it not be those long long rituals that she read about!

"Thorkel, come over here and attend your wife" and so he did.

When he started nearing her she was shivering with fear, the man was intimidating. He gave her a rueful grin before brining his hands under her knees and sweeping her off the floor. "Are you m--," Thorkel's lips landed on her nose, "There now, wife, patience," his husky murmur was a likable yet unwanted caress to her cheek.

"As per ritual you must have the guards guide you to your bed chambers and I believe the rest of the ritual has been already performed." It was Alliyah who winked at Elise this time. Blast these people!

"Go now shoo!" His mother nudged them towards the door where surely as they said guards awaited with torches twice their sizes.

"Why didn't you correct them when they assumed I was with child, husband," She promoted, not caring that she was looking for a fight.

"This is my land, property and people. I can do as I wish, and I have always done what I please so don't question me." He warned a little too sternly.

"I am your wife, not your broodmare," She whispered making use of a little fight left in her.

"You are what I want you to be," he corrected. "But trust me on this, a broodmare is far from what I want you to be."

"No," Her voice held determination.

"No?" He raised his famous eyebrow which left the dead squirming.

"Yes, No, N-NO, as in refusal." She shot daggers while Thorkel's hand tightened around her derriere. Which was eventually heard by guards and Thorkel found himself embarrassed when one of them coughed.

"Once I get to my room you'll regret each of your word." He gave a mocking smile to her now parted lips as she struggled to breathe.

Her sister's words echoed, "This mouth of yours will get you in trouble, one day."

She swallowed.

When they reached a large door at the end of the hallway he opened it by his boot and slammed it shut. Gone was the playful attitude and the care along with tenderness he showed by bringing her food and feeding her. Gone was the man who defended her by planting himself between a blood thirsty warrior in the middle of the battleground and her.

Replacing him was a man with rage so deep and fury so true.

"Why do you provoke me so?" He came closer so now his nose touched her hair.

"I do not provoke you. You haul me off my land, steal me away from my family. Wreak havoc on my life! And I provoke you? What sort of justice and law do you beasts have?" She cried in frustration and defeat. Thorkel's eyes turned obsidian for a moment before he took a hold of her chin and gripped it firmly.

"I do not hit women but my own wife is making it very hard for me to control them. I am telling you to tie your tongue if need be but never raise your voice at me again." He took her forearm and led her to the bed. "Because of your disobedience now your husband has to go to some other woman. Stay here and think over it!" He snarled and shook her hard before slamming the massive wooden door shut on his way out.

Elise collapsed back on the feather tick and poured down on the soft wolf skin. He was going to go find his body pleasures from a slave. Probably force his way on her. He felt no remorse for ruining lives like that.

He had no care for her either, he just married her and had the nerve to inform he was going to another women. Heaving sobs echoed around the room as she grieved her lost family and felt the first experience of loneliness.

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