"Are you purposely trying to drive me crazy?"

Ivar breaths are soft as he sleeps.  Torhyl sleeps lightly beside him. Her head rests upon his shoulder, the heat of their bodies keeping them warm beneath the piles of furs that lay over them.  Ivar's arm is wrapped around her waist, refusing to let her move away.

  Torhyl's eyes flutter open, each blink letting her adjust to the dim lighting in the hut.  The crackling of the contained fire at the end of the bed casts a subtle glow on their bodies.  Torhyl looks up at Ivar's face and smiles at his peaceful face.

  Torhyl pulls her bottom lip between her teeth as she admires his sleeping figure, her mind flashing back to hours before.  Torhyl pulls herself closer to Ivar and rests her head upon his bare chest.

  Her fingers trace over his bare skin, starting at his waist and lightly making their way up to his pecks.  His skin glows in the dim firelight, an iridescent glow radiates from his skin, the light reflecting of the peaks of his defined muscles.

  Torhyl rests her head over his heart and listens to the sound of his steady heartbeat.  She listens to how his heart unintentionally skips a beat each time she traces another pattern.  She smiles at the effect her touch has on him.

  Ivar still remains fast asleep, his eyes closed and his mouth slightly parted to allow breaths to pass through.  Torhyl places her lips on his chest and gives his skin a gentle kiss.  She can feel Ivar's body tense under touch.

Her lips trail up his chest to his collarbone, leaving a soft trail of kisses as she goes.  Torhyl can feel his heartbeat spike under her finger tips.

  "Are you purposely trying to drive me crazy?" Ivar comments lightly, his voice raspy with sleep.

  "That was the plan." Torhyl mumbles against his skin.

Her lips press into the crook of his neck, the contact of skin causing a light moan to pass through Ivar's lips.  Torhyl presses a kiss to his firm jawline and a light kiss onto his cheek.  She props herself on her elbow and hovers over him.  His eyes remain closed but she knows he is not asleep.

  Torhyl leans down slowly and pecks his lips.  She hovers her lips over his for a little while longer before pressing another soft kiss onto his lips.  Ivar's lips do not move against hers, her lips not staying on his long enough for him to take action.

  She lowers her head one last time and captures his lips in her own.  Their mouths move softly against each other's. Torhyl is the first to pull away to simply look down at him. His eyes open slowly and meet her gaze with mutual admiration.

  "Good morning, Prince." Torhyl gives him a small smile before placing her lips on his once more.

  His hand tucks gently behind her neck, drawing her closer to him.  His lips press against hers with a steady pace, each one matching the tempo of the other.

  Ivar's lips leave hers for but a moment.  "Good morning, Commander."

  Ivar flicks her body over and hovers over her.  He brushes back the hair from her face before placing his lips on hers once more.  Torhyl pulls away with a small smirk.

  "Eager much?" Torhyl teases, scratching the base of his neck lightly with her fingertips.

  His lips slowly trail down her cheek to the nape of her neck where he gently tugs the soft skin between his teeth.  Torhyl leans into his touch, her body seemingly melting into him.  His fingers leave hot trails down her sides, his fingerprints like evidence of his presence on her skin.

  Torhyl's body hums at his touch and she wishes she could stay like this forever, but alas, her job calls her.  She had promised the afternoon to Ragnar, and she was determined to stay true to her word.

  "Ivar," Torhyl gently purrs, her voice low.  "As much as I hate to do this, I have to go."

  Ivar does not heed to her information, but rather, tightens his grip on her and continues to pepper her with kisses.  Torhyl places her hands either side of his face and pulls his face up to meet her own. She looks lovingly into his eyes as she speaks.

  "As much as I would love to stay, I have prior engagements that need to be fulfilled."  Torhyl explains, placing a tender kiss on his lips.

  "But I do not want you to leave." Ivar groans, resting his head onto her chest.

  Torhyl laughs lightly at his childish behaviour.  Her fingers play with his messy hair as he rests on her.

  "Your hair is awfully short." Torhyl comments, tugging lightly on the hair.

  "Mother thinks I should grow it." Ivar replies.

  "I think you would suit long hair." Torhyl muses, imagining the man sleeping beside her with the longer style.

  "Perhaps I will grow it just for you." Ivar says looking into her eyes.

  "Perhaps." Torhyl gives him a mischievous grin.

  Torhyl slips out from under Ivar's grasp and begins to slip on her clothes.  Torhyl pulls on her pants and searches for her shirt in the mess of furs that lay mangled around the bed.  Ivar sits on the bed and watches her in admiration.

  She lets out a breath of accomplishment when she eventually finds her shirt and turns her back to Ivar to slip it over her head.  Ivar catches his breath at the sight.  Her back is torn apart with scars.  The skin seemingly raised and discoloured with each large wound that has been etched permanently into her flesh.

  Ivar sits up and trails his fingers down her spine, his fingertips feel each scar intimately.  She shivers under his scrutiny, his touch causing her skin to quiver.  Ivar's jaw locks in anger.

  "Who did this to you?"  Ivar growls.

  Torhyl slips the shirt over her head and turns to face him.  "My owners would lash me when I would not co operate."

  "I will kill them for what they have done to you." Ivar vows in anguish.

  Torhyl places a steady hand against his cheek to calm him.  "It is alright, Ivar, I am free now, they can no longer hurt me as they once did."

  "They should not have touched you," Ivar snarls.  "I will tear their skin from their bones for hurting you."

  Torhyl smiles at his brave comment.  "I admire your bravery, Ivar.  But there is nothing to be done, they have already scarred me.  There is nothing I can do about that now."

  "I wish I was there to protect you." Ivar utters passionately.

  Torhyl places a soft kiss on his lips, the touch of her skin enough of an answer for Ivar than the utterance of words.  She proceeds to collect other items of clothing from the floor at slip them on as she goes.  She lastly slides on her boots, sitting on the very edge of the bed to do so.

  Ivar's hands glide over her shoulder blade, brushing away her ebony waves to expose the skin of her neck.  He leans in and gently places a kiss to her soft skin.  Torhyl lets out a breath of pleasure and closes her eyes at his addicting touch.

  "You're making it hard for to me to leave." Torhyl comments, a small smirk playing on her lips.

  "Then it is working then." Ivar answers, a sly smile playing on his lips.

  Torhyl wears a wide smile before turning and pushing him over onto his back.  She straddles his waist and leans down to give him a kiss.  His lips crave hers but she pulls back and rests her forehead against his.

  "Goodbye, my Prince." She says, with a mischievous gleam in her eyes.

  Torhyl pushes herself off of him and walks to the door.  Ivar's eyes follow her to the door, the sight of her making him wild.  She opens the door and turns to him with a small smile. 

  Torhyl closes the door behind her and inhales the fresh air, her lungs craving the renewed oxygen.  She steps away from the hut and continues to walk to the Great Hall.  Her thumb absentmindedly trails over her lips, the sensation of Ivar's lips still dwelling on them.

  "Torhyl!" Ragnar's voice breaks into Torhyl's thoughts.  She walks over to him and greets him with a smile.

  "Hello, Ragnar." Torhyl says.

  "Are you ready to go?" Ragnar asks her.

  Torhyl takes in the town before her.  Her father's home town holds so much history she has longed for so long to witness for herself.  She turns to Ragnar with a determined glance.

  "Lead the way."