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mass-convergence · 2 years

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Delayed Departure

AO3

Summary:

You thought your time being stranded at an airport in a blizzard would be Hel but things are made better by the arrival of Soma.

Definitely not based off of any recent travel horror stories the author may or may not have been involved in regarding one of the worst winter storms to hit North America in a long while.

Rating: For General Audiences - though I guess there's a little bit of cussing

Pairings: Soma x Reader

Fandom: Assassin's Creed Valhalla

A/N:

I just got stranded in a random ass city due to weather shit for the second time this year. For the past two weeks I've been dealing with a four day long blizzard and then whatever the hell this thing that descended from the arctic was. I don’t know what god I pissed off but I am absolutely f e r a l I need this self indulgent fic. And I shall have my damn indulgence Merry friggin’ Christmas. May the Yuletide be gay as fuck.

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You practically shoved your way off the jetway, mentally apologizing to the family you nearly bowled over in your attempts to make your connecting. Outside the wind howled and snow swirled against the windowed walls of the terminal but you paid no mind to the icy scene outside that all but guaranteed your flight probably wouldn’t be leaving the tarmac anytime soon.

You had a plane to catch.

And so you sprinted down the concourse, through the main spine of the airport and past the running trams which definitely would have taken you to your destination faster if you had thought to look. Your heart thudded against your rib cage and the backpack you wore, while not particularly heavy, was just heavy enough to impede your breathing as it slapped against your back.

A bemused TSA agent by the security checkpoint watched you as you sped by, crossing his arms and surreptitiously looking up at the flight information screen and watching as one by one the flights went red. He shook his head and went back to work.

Why the fuck did the flight have to be across the entire gods damned airport?

Your chest burned with the effort of trying to keep your blood oxygenated enough to keep up the grueling pace that you had set for yourself. You hadn’t had to run this fast since you joined that intramural soccer team in undergrad. And that was way too many years ago.

Your legs were giving out and your vision was beginning to gray at the edges when you finally made it to your gate. It was at that moment your legs finally decided they had enough of their abuse and with a few wobbly steps you fell to your knees on the floor while holding the wall for support.

“Shit!” you heard someone exclaim and a form rushed to your side. You were too busy gulping down as much air as you could to really register the person who was helping you sit down against the wall, “Hej. Hej. Breathe for me. Breathe.”

You managed to catch your breath before looking up at your savior. For the second time that day you couldn’t breathe.

‘Oh gods she is hot.’

Piercing blue-grey eyes, a face that looked as if it were etched of stone, and dark hair that was tied up in a half bun. Her brow was creased with worry as she looked at you. She put her hand on your shoulder, over your backpack strap.

“Do you want me to help you take that off?” she was asking.

For a moment your mind went completely blank and your cheeks heated up as your brain struggled to process the implications of that statement, “Huh?”

“The backpack, it’ll help you breathe better if you take it off,” she elaborated.

You nodded and she helped you shrug off the pack. The back of your shirt was damp with sweat and the moment the air hit it you felt a shiver run down your spine, “Thanks,” you said gratefully - noting her hand was back on your shoulder and massaging it slightly as if to help calm you down. It certainly wasn’t calming you down but you appreciated the gesture anyway. You leaned against the wall and closed your eyes, trying to recover after your desperate sprint.

“Are they okay?“ another concerned traveler asked from somewhere above you.

“Fine, I just need to catch my breath,” you said, “Need to make my connecting.”

“Which gate?” the woman asked.

“F12.”

The woman made a noise and you opened your eyes to see her apologetic look, “They just canceled it.”

You finally saw the white out outside and the flight status on the screen by the door. Well shit. Your phone finally buzzed and you pulled it out of your pocket to see the new notification:

“Flight 4320 to GBI has been canceled. We are attempting to rebook you.”

Your gaze flitted from the phone to the winter hellscape outside and you just knew in your heart: you were going to be stuck there for a while.

“Well shit.”

“I know,” she smiled sympathetically, “I was on that flight too. What’s your name?”

You gave her your name and she extended a hand for you to shake, you noted her other hand still hadn’t left your shoulder, “Nice to meet you. I’m Soma,” she said. You finally felt okay enough to stand and with her help you got to your feet. Unfortunately that also meant that she finally removed her hand from your shoulder and you couldn’t lie: you were rather disappointed.

“Well I guess I should go try to see if they can rebook me,” you said as you picked up your backpack, “Though in this weather I think I’m going to be stuck here for a while.”

You let out a chuckle but it was less out of humor and more out of the mounting stress you began to feel. Talking to customer service reps was up there in the list of activities that gave you anxiety. Coupled with an already long and delayed filled day of travel: you weren’t entirely sure you could mentally handle much more of this.

“I’ll go with you,” Soma said and at your look she said, “We’re both in a similar situation. It’d be better to stick together, yeah?”

You couldn’t (and really didn’t want to) argue with that logic. Aside from the fact that she was very attractive and very caring, you couldn’t deny that you also could certainly use the companionship and camaraderie that develops when everyone is thrown into the same, shitty situation.

As you stepped into the very long line at the help desk, you struck up a conversation with Soma. She was easy to talk to, a woman who certainly seemed to know her way around any social situation. Something you both admired and envied.

“Why are you flying to Grantebridge?” you asked.

“I just moved there,” Soma said, “What about you?”

“Not in Grantebridge proper but I’m from the area,” you replied, “Ravensburg, it’s a small town southeast of Grantebridge but I’ve lived there for a while now.”

“Perhaps you can show me around when we get there,” she said.

You grinned, feeling somewhat happy for the first time that day, “I’d love to.”

She revealed she had been in the military to help her get through college, just having returned to civilian life after her term of service ended. She was moving to Grantebridge for a job in business, she was a dealmaker of sorts.

By the time you had gotten to the front of the line, you were feeling a lot more relaxed with Soma. She had a grounding presence, a quiet assuredness that seemed to emanate from her and affect those around her. You groaned slightly when the agent waved you over, your previous stress and anxiety returning like a tidal wave. When you walked up to the kiosk, the agent looked at you and then at Soma who had now stepped up beside you, “Are you two together?”

“We were on the same flight,” Soma answered before you could, “It’s been a very long day for the both of us, we’d both like to get booked on the next flight out of here.”

The agent frowned, “That’s going to be difficult, we’re already booked through Tuesday…”

That was when you learned Soma could be an incredibly shrewd negotiator.

You could only watch in wonderment as she politely but assertively talked to the ticketing agent, managing to snag you at least standby tickets on the next flights and booked for a flight that he had initially said was already full. However when it came to hotels, even if she could get you two vouchers for a room, you were shit out of luck unless Soma could manage to talk down the atmosphere itself.

Snow had already clogged up the freeways outside of the airport and despite the small army of plows the city operated - they weren’t able to keep up with the drifting and still falling snow outside. You were well and truly stuck at the airport until the weather cleared. With how bad the storm was outside, you were wondering if you’d ever get out of this mess.

“Ugh,” Soma said once you two had left the desk, “I thought I could get us a better deal, I’m sorry.”

“Are you kidding me?” you said, “If it were only me up there talking to that guy … I’d have been stuck here for the next week.”

“It’s all about knowing their policies and being a bit firm with them also helps,” Soma said with a wink and a smile.

Your mind went straight into the gutter with that last statement, imagining her being firm with you. In bed. Gods you were hopeless but any distraction from your current predicament was welcome.

It was getting dark and you and Soma agreed to stick together for safety and scope out a quiet corner of the terminal to get some rest in. The airport, bless them, had started putting out mats for stranded passengers to sleep on and you both managed to snag one each. A cozy little alcove between two charging counters in one of the less crowded terminals provided a relatively private spot for you two to get some rest. As you two were getting set up you espied another stranded passenger looking around at the carts that the airport staff had set the mats on. There were none left and she was looking increasingly desperate.

While you weren’t keen on sleeping on the hard, thinly carpeted floor of the terminal, you also couldn’t bear to see someone else in the same predicament. Before Soma could react, you had picked up your own mat and approached the woman, “Here,” you said as you handed her the mat.

“Are you sure?” she asked.

You shrugged with a smile, “I’ll be fine.”

She thanked you profusely before going on her way, deciding to find her own quiet corner to bed down for the night. You walked back to Soma now minus your sleeping mat and she said, “That was nice of you.”

“She looked like she needed it,” you said, placing your coat on the ground and fluffing it up a little. It would be painful but you’d be fine for the night.

And you seriously hoped this storm would only last for the night.

You looked up at Soma and she was watching you, frowning. She didn’t appear to be frowning at you specifically but even so you stopped what you were doing and looked up questioningly at her.

“You can take my mat,” she said, “I’ll sleep on the floor.”

“No, I can’t let you sleep on the floor,” you said, not wanting her to be uncomfortable for your sake.

“I can’t let you sleep on the floor either,” Soma replied just as firmly, “I’ll be fine. This is a five-star hotel compared to what I’ve slept in.”

“That doesn’t make me feel any better about this,” you said, “It’s your mat. I’ll manage.”

“Technically it’s the airport’s mat.”

“Soma.”

She crossed her arms and her face made it obvious that she wasn’t welcoming any more arguments. You sighed in defeat, “I guess I can’t offer the compromise that we both share the mat?”

“That’s a very small mat,” Soma pointed out.

“It could fit us both,” you said. You weren’t entirely wrong, the mat was about the size of a twin mattress. You could both feasibly fit on it if you weren’t afraid of essentially cuddling for the entire night. While you had meant the statement in a purely utilitarian aspect: you both would be more comfortable on the mat, you could see the slight discomfort on Soma’s face at the suggestion and mentally kicked yourself, “I’m sorry I overstepped-”

“You’re fine,” she said, “Take the mat tonight.”

She offered to watch your stuff while you went to find yourself dinner. There wasn’t much luck finding any place still open but you managed to snag a sandwich, chips, and a soda from a shop and made your way back to your “camp”. Soma had set up her sleeping spot next to your mat, laying out her jacket so it lay between her and the floor and her pillow was a rolled up t-shirt from her bag. You winced at the arrangement.

You had friends who were ex-military, you knew they could sleep on a bed of rocks if they needed to, but it still didn’t make it okay. You also knew that most people were uncomfortable with the aspect of cuddling with someone they just met in an airport. Your stupid mouth moved before your brain had time to shut it down, “I’m sorry about earlier. I didn’t mean to sound like a creep, I just didn’t feel okay with you sleeping on the floor.”

She said your name as she put her hand on your shoulder, “You’re fine, I know you didn’t mean anything untoward by it. We’ll talk about this later when we’ve both got a chance to eat.”

At that she gave you a slight smile and left to find food. You stared after her, putting your hand on where her hand had rested on your shoulder and for the third time that day you couldn’t breathe.

You were hungry but you waited for Soma to return before you started eating. You pretended you were busy with building your own little nest in the alcove. The mat wasn’t exactly comfortable (it really did feel like a slightly softer version of a gym mat) but it certainly had more give to it than the floor. Soma returned a while later with a coffee and a hot sandwich. You raised an eyebrow at her choice of beverage, hoping it was decaf.

She must have noticed your expression because she shrugged, “Caffeine doesn’t really affect me anymore and I needed something hot.”

“More of a tea drinker myself,” you said with a chuckle.

She noted your still uneaten sandwich and coke, “Are you not hungry?”

“No,” you said, “I just got distracted with setting up for the night.”

“Hmm.”

Yeah she definitely didn’t believe you.

You both sat and ate in companionable silence for a while, sitting close together with your backs resting against the wall and watching the people go by. Your quiet section of the terminal had gotten a little more active as stranded travelers began to search for a place to sleep. You yourself were beginning to feel tired from the day's events and you laid down on the mat. You scooted over to the edge and looked pointedly at Soma, patting the empty half next to you.

“You’re very insistent, you know that?” Soma asked with a hint of amusement.

You snorted, “And you’re very stubborn.”

To your satisfaction she took up a spot on the mat next to you, careful not to invade your personal space any more than she already was. You turned onto your side, back to her and facing the wall. You gathered your coat under your head as a pillow and closed your eyes.

No one ever rests well in an airport and you were no exception. The sounds of people walking around and the quiet chatter kept you in a light slumber for the next hour or so. In the back of your mind, you were worried someone would come over and steal your stuff. Every 15 minutes you heard the chime and the monotonous female voice over the PA system reminding everyone to never leave bags unattended.

That was never conducive to sleep.

You pulled the free end of your jacket over your head in an attempt to muffle the noise.

The airport had gotten chillier in the night, the temperatures outside dropping to below zero in the storm and the heating system could barely keep up. You shivered slightly as you dozed and Soma must have heard or felt you because she asked in a voice thick with sleep, “Cold?”

“Little bit,” you answered just as groggily, not quite sure if you were in a dream or awake. You heard her shift around and a moment later a warm weight settled over you and you realized it was her jacket. The smell of warm leather and coffee enveloped you and you slowly felt yourself drift off into a deeper sleep. The next time you woke up, you noticed there was a new weight on you and it took you a moment to realize Soma had scooted much closer to you overnight, her arm draped almost protectively over your midriff and her front pressing softly against your back. You weren’t entirely sure if the move was conscious on her part or if she had moved in her sleep but you didn’t particularly mind too much. In moments you were asleep again.

You were awoken again many hours later by someone gently shaking your shoulder. You sat up, disoriented and looked up to see Soma crouched on the ground next to you. She had two styrofoam cups in hand, one with a tea tag sticking out from under the lid, “Morning,” she said as she handed you the cup with the tea tag.

You took the warm beverage gratefully, rubbing your eyes with your free hand, “What time is it?”

“A little after 7 am,” she said, “Sorry to wake you but I thought you’d like some breakfast.”

You rolled your neck to stretch it out, thankful you hadn’t gotten a crick in your neck from how you slept. She sat down next to you as she took some breakfast sandwiches out of the bag. The usual greasy fast food fare of some form of sausage or bacon, a fried egg, and cheese sandwiched between two halves of a bun. As you ate you checked your phone, looking over the headlines about the mega bomb cyclone blizzard-pocalypse or whatever the news had decided to call it. You frowned at the news: the blizzard had practically stalled out over your section of the country. The meteorologists weren’t expecting things to improve any time soon with travel being snarled for the foreseeable future.

“Ugh,” you moaned, “Yule’s going to be long over by the time we get out of here.”

You buried your head in your hands and took a deep breath. The whole situation did feel hopeless - you knew you were going to get out of this eventually, you’d get on a flight home, you’d get out of this stupid airport… That didn’t change how overwhelmed you felt in the moment.

“Hej,” you heard Soma set down her cup and felt her hand resting between your shoulder blades, rubbing comforting circles on your back, “I know, it sucks.”

You appreciated her comforting gesture. She didn’t make you feel bad for feeling overwhelmed, she didn’t tell you to get over it or that things would get better or a number of other things you knew deep down but couldn’t bring yourself to accept at the moment. She was there for you and it helped you calm yourself down after a few moments.

Soma kept up the calming motion and when you looked up, she had gone silent, her lips pursed in thought. Finally, she snapped her fingers as her face lit up, “Pack up … I have an idea.”

She stood up and offered her hand and helped you up, “We’re going to play a little game.”

“What?”

Your stress and anxiety was momentarily replaced by confusion and curiosity as to what she was getting at.

“It’s Yule,” she said, eyes glittering with barely contained excitement, “And what better way to celebrate than with gift giving!”

For a moment you thought she had lost her mind but she continued on, “You and I are going to split up and look for presents for each other. We’ll meet back here in an hour and exchange gifts.”

You knew what she was doing: trying to distract you, to get your current predicament off your mind. Begrudgingly you noted that it was working as your mind went into overdrive while you packed, trying to figure out what in the Hel Soma would like. By the time you two had finished packing and exchanged phone numbers in case anything happened, you still were drawing a blank.

“C’mon,” you called out to her as she walked away, “You could at least give me a hint!”

She turned to you, grinning as she gave an exaggerated shrug, arms half raised in the air, “Surprise me!”

And with that she disappeared into the throngs of travelers and left you alone to your racing thoughts. You closed your eyes and rubbed your forehead, trying to think about what this woman - a total stranger to you 12 hours ago - would even like. While she seemed to have a good read on you, you weren’t sure if you had a good read on her. The airport was massive, a major international hub, and thus was practically a mall that people passing through could peruse while waiting for their connections or panickedly buy a last second expensive present for their friends or loved ones.

There was a wide range of stores from overpriced fashion brands to shops selling marked up candy and essentials and kitschy tourist gear.

Out of that range where would Soma’s preferences lie?

You walked towards the stores, ruminating on that question. She didn’t seem the type to be interested in super expensive or ostentatious jewelry - or at least she wasn’t wearing any. Talking to her, she seemed more of a practical woman, everything she owned having to have a purpose. You doubted she’d want you to spend an exorbitant amount of money on her anyway - so the luxury stores were out.

Behind you you heard a harsh beep and you turned to see an annoyed airline employee sitting behind the wheel of a motorized cart with several equally annoyed looking passengers in the seats behind him. You gave them a sheepish grin as you stepped out of the way. You looked around you, still trying to figure out what she’d want.

A mug or a bag of candy just seemed too little for her, especially after all she had done to help you. A gift card, while always a safe option, seemed like a total cop out. Gods this was proving difficult.

You decided to just window shop and see what caught your eye. Five minutes after walking up and down the main concourse where all the shops were, you were still completely and utterly stumped. You thought back to every interaction you’ve had with her so far - she had a leather jacket and overcoat but like you: she seemed to have foregone wearing anything more than a light flannel and a t-shirt inside the terminal. It did get rather chilly that night, you remembered waking up shivering. For a brief moment, you could almost smell the warm leather and coffee scent of her coat. Sure she seemed like a hardened badass immune to the cold but well …

Everyone likes a warm hoodie.

But what color to get? She had been wearing a lot of blue - a blue t-shirt and a blue plaid flannel. Her rollerboard was a deep navy color. It really brought out her eyes …

Focus.

You were standing in front of one of those overpriced retail shops that sold various travel essentials as well as random touristy crap. What really caught your eye were the hoodies - specifically the blue ones. They were a nice navy color and bore the name of a sports team you never even heard of. In the back of your mind as you stood in line at the register, you hoped that she at least held neutral feelings towards the team on the sweater. Else this was going to be very awkward.

At the last moment, you threw a sharable bag of Skittles into your purchase. The hour was soon up and you returned to your rendezvous point, bag in hand. Soma was already there, leaning casually against the counter as she played on her phone. She looked up as you approached, giving you a small smile and a nod in greeting, “Were you successful?”

“I hope so,” you replied and you handed her the bag, “It is a little hard shopping for someone you’ve just met.”

She chuckled lightly, “I wasn’t expecting you to get me the perfect gift you know. I just wanted to get your mind off of things for at least a little while.”

“I know,” you said, genuinely grateful for her help, “Thank you.”

She opened the bag and took out the hoodie you bought for her. She genuinely smiled and sounded absolutely sincere when she said, “I love it. Thank you.”

“Please tell me you’re at least neutral to that team,” you said.

She frowned as she looked at the logo and name on the sweater and your heart nearly stopped.

“I’ve never heard of this team. Ever.”

Oh thank the gods.

“I mean it though, this is great - it did get rather chilly last night didn’t it?” she said.

“That it did,” you agreed, “I wish I had worn more than just my t-shirt under my coat.”

She gave you a chuckle as she handed you your bag, “Then you’re going to like what I got you.”

Her eyes twinkled as if holding back more laughter than the reserved chuckle. As if she were amused by some joke unknown to you as of yet. The moment you pulled out the exact same blue sweater you had just given Soma you understood her amusement.

“Oh gods.”

“Looks like we were on the same wavelength,” she said with a grin.

“Great minds and all that, huh,” you replied with a grin of your own and you pulled the hoodie on. It fit well, large enough to be comfortable but not feel like you were swimming in it. She pulled on her own hoodie.

You two decided to take a walk through the airport - it was better than sitting around and waiting for news. You felt almost giddy as she offered her arm and you walked down the halls. You two were probably the only ones in the airport that were relatively happy. After a few laps around the airport, stopping every so often to watch the snow still swirling around outside (and to take a selfie in front of anything vaguely rainbow colored once you two had realized you both were incredibly gay), you returned to your original spot to sit down and rest. Soma got up to grab you both food while you watched the bags.

She returned a little while later with food and a couple of sodas. You pulled out your laptop and with the spotty airport wifi and sharing a single pair of earphones, you sat next to each other and watched the sappiest Yule-themed movie you could possibly find. You opened the bag of Skittles and offered her some.

The plot was the typical high powered business woman with a boyfriend goes to a small town and falls in love with a conventionally attractive and down to earth farmer-type; and the movie buffered every two minutes … but it was good fun. And you couldn’t deny that you enjoyed being close to Soma. At some point you rested your head on her shoulder and aside from her shifting slightly to make both you and her more comfortable, she didn’t seem to mind, only giving you a gentle smile before turning her attention back to the screen.

The snow finally tapered off that afternoon with the howling winds slowly decreasing in intensity until the white out conditions were only intermittent. A little after sunset you both had gotten a news bulletin that the roads around the city were reopening as the plows finally were able to clear the major highways. Soma stood up, directing you to stay and watch the bags as she went to talk to one of the customer service agents with the airline.

Half an hour later she came back with good news - she had talked them into getting her a voucher for a hotel room overnight. There weren’t many rooms left with the hotels quickly filling up now that people were able to get to them. She offered to share the room with you and the promise of a hot shower and an actual bed was too good to pass up.

“The only room I could get has a king sized bed,” she said apologetic.

“Soma,” you said, “We literally just slept together on a tiny ass mat.”

“Fair enough.”

As you laid in bed that night, Soma not having any issues now with curling around you protectively in her sleep, you remembered all the cheesy news articles you had read about people finding companionship while stranded at an airport. You hadn’t believed those stories until now.

You both were able to get on the next flight to Grantebridge, unfortunately though you weren’t in adjacent seats. The last time you saw each other was at the baggage claim, you had offered to drive her to her home but she unfortunately had arranged for her own transportation.

“Thank you,” you said, “For everything.”

You opened your arms slightly, giving her a hopeful look and Soma laughed, pulling you into a tight embrace. She kissed you on your forehead as you reluctantly separated, “I’ll see you around,” she said and she disappeared out the door to the waiting town car.

You practically collapsed face first into your bed when you got back home, groaning into the pillows in relief as you finally found yourself able to relax for the first time in days. Beneath you you felt your phone buzz and you dug around in the pocket of your hoodie until you found it. You pulled the phone out from under you and looked at the screen - a text from Soma:

“So when can you show me around town? :)”

Grinning and your exhaustion forgotten, you sat up to text her back.

#soma jarlskona #soma x reader #soma assassin's creed #one-hundred-percent a self indulgent coping mechanism for my airport woes #seriously I just have the worst luck with air travel and I think I pissed off a weather god at some point in my life

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ashandquiet · 2 years

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Cowslip and Raindrops

Soma Jarlskona x F!Reader

Summary: After being cooped up for months, you are able to run free and wild in the meadows. A mild boar attack leads to you being saved by a gallant lady Jarlskona, and a romantic attachment blooms in the meadows of Mercia.

Warnings: Mostly fluff, a little angst, mentions of Christianity, mentions of murder

Read it on AO3

Since the arrival of spring in the shire, beautiful little blooms had begun popping up all over the fields in exuberant displays of life after the harsh winter. Even the trees had begun bursting with bloom signaling a bountiful summer harvest of fruits. As spring progressed around the sprawling estate that had been a prison most of the winter months, you ached to be free of the musty roman brick and cold stone. Your lady had begun her seclusion in the early autumn, and as spring stretched its tender wispy fingers of greens and bright colors, she neared her time of delivery.

You had been busy at work since dawn stitching extensions into your Mistress’s smocks, for all her dresses had little give around the swell of her stomach. The midwife said the baby was strong and perhaps it would be a boy, and the other lady’s maids oohed and awed at the prospect of a little lordling. Yet as you worked, you couldn’t help but be distracted by the beckoning of the season and all its bountiful glories. The anticipation of the babe’s arrival seemed to have skipped you altogether. All you could think of was the wispy wildflowers blooming in the fields beyond the manor. As your thoughts became clouded by the promise of the outdoors, there was a cough behind you, pulling you from your stupor and causing you to jab the needle into your finger. You gasped looking at the bead of crimson pooling and stuck the digit into your mouth quickly to stop the bleeding, you turned to see who had interrupted your sweet vision. There stood the head maid, her head tilted slightly as if examining your work.

“Agnes, I didn’t hear you come down,” you offered meekly, looking at the small red welt on the skin of your hand. It’s not that you feared her, Agnes was known for her calm demeanor but she was also known for her vehement hatred of idleness; daydreaming was the exact kind of behavior that would have you emptying chamber pots for the next fortnight.

“Y/N,” Agnes gave your work a long glance. “You’ve accomplished much, our lady sends her thanks.”

She picked up the bulk of your work, letting her gaze linger on the garment laying in your lap. The stitches had become noticeably looser and more haphazard, they glared as a bold indicator of when spring had begun distracting you. You braced yourself for the inevitable, but Agnes just sighed and gave you a cordial smile.

“Perhaps, it's time you took a break? I know being cooped up in this old building for so long has begun to weigh on my own mind,” Agnes suggested shifting the weight of the dresses in her arms.

You balked for a second then looked towards the window then at the unfinished work in your lap, you glanced back at the older woman. Under her headdress, her sorrel eyes had become heavy and her once-tanned skin pale and lifeless. It was as if the air of the large house had begun to suck the life from her. You had noticed it in all the women that occupied the house, most blaming it on the arduous winter.

You hesitated, “After I finish this dress you mean…?”

Agnes shook her head, “Idle hands make for tawdry work, it's best if you get some rest. Perhaps you could bring some spring blossoms to brighten the birthing chamber, and our lady could use them to alleviate the stress of her vigil.”

You brightened at the idea and moved your work off your lap, “Of course, I would love to bring her some joy.”

Agnes nodded and started up the stairs to the lady’s rooms. You watched her leave before making haste to your quarters that you shared with the other lowly ladies’ maids. Retrieving your lightest cloak and a small knife from your personal belongings to ease the work of cutting flower stems, you rushed to the doors that led to the outer gardens. The guards paid you little heed as you traipsed outside for the first time in far too long.

Immediately you felt lighter, the air outside was clean smelling, and the warm rays of afternoon sun kissed the cold skin of your face and hands. Even the chill breeze of spring did little to weigh your spirits down.

Gathering your skirts you rushed for the hole in the wall that you had gazed at through the window for far too long thinking up romantic stories of escapes and daring rescues from knights. It was just large enough for a person to ease through with a little difficulty.

You knew you could ask to be let through the main estate gate, but that meant talking to the guards that leered at you like a piece of meat. As the seasons wore on you knew they grew more and more desperate for a release of flesh, and several of the other girls had deigned themselves upon them. The thought made you ill at ease, perhaps soon you could be rid of this place. As soon as the Lady had the babe that is. It would be better to raise a baby away from the old stone building come spring and summer.

Climbing through the wall, your veil snagged on a briar and was pulled from your head letting your hair free. With a fruitful laugh, you snatched it from the vine not caring for the scratches that its thorns left on the back of your hand. You glanced at the piece of fabric and decided that it didn’t matter who saw your hair outside the walls anyway. So you tucked away into a pocket of your dress jumping down into the thick lush grass that grew outside the wall.

Venturing out of the wall's shade the season's bounty beckons you like a siren's song urging you into meadows and across fields, away from the oppressive Roman estate and into the countryside.

Once free of the walls your mind began to wander back to a simpler time. In the time before rules and rigidity you had run wild and free around the moors, a creature of the world wild and begone. Your mother had been a midwife, dealing in all the cares of women from pregnancy to affairs of the heart, illnesses, and even doing away with unwanted children. She cared for women and loved women, and the Christians killed her for it. They would likely sneer and call her a witch now, as the priest that had passed you to the Abess had.

They had cleaned you up, torn you away from everything that made you precious in the eyes of your mother, forced you into a lady’s role and now you served as a lady in waiting for a lord’s wife. “A very moral example of a good Christ-serving woman.”

You snorted at the thought, they’d never understand how much like a caged wolf you were inside. Still wild, still craving the caress of the forest in your bones, The rush of the rivers in your veins, and the songs of the land deep in your heart.

For now, you conceded, you would have to settle for the little bits of freedom you could. And if picking flowers gives you that freedom so be it.

~~~

The patch of spring bloom you had settled in seemed to stretch onwards forever, the primroses bloomed so fiercely here. Further down the rise, you found patches of cowslip and sweet violets, the fragrance filling your nose as you picked the flowers delicately from their stems. You watched as the bees buzzed about hard at work and the distant rustling of birds in the tree line made your heart swell with joy beyond imagining. You had watched a mother doe and her two young fawns cut through the meadow from a distance. The twins were both gangly small things, probably born within the week. And if the mother had noticed your presence she hadn’t been too badly bothered by it. You watched them pick their way across the open expanse and then looking towards the trees, you noticed a bright patch of light, highlighting an Elecampane plant at the beginning of its spring growth.

Remembering the herbalist knowledge passed to you from your mother, you knew that its early spring root would be a perfect allergy reliever, and as some of your fellow ladies maids had begun to sniffle with seasonal allergies this was the perfect opportunity, something you simply could not pass up.

If you hadn’t been so distracted by the spring growth in front of you, all your senses diverted by the bountiful sounds, colors, and smells you would have noticed the large boar rooting about in the shaded undergrowth, his long tusks ripping up dirt in search of treasures. You also might have noticed how dangerously close the elecampane was to his rooting patch. Yet you hadn’t, your senses dulled from the time away from the wild countryside. It wasn’t until you began tilling the damp dark soil around the plant's base, that you got the sinking feeling that you were not alone. Cautiously you raised your head and listened, there in the woodland just ahead of you, you became aware of the short heaving breaths just inches from your head. Trying not to panic you shirked away from the sound. But it was too late!

He burst forth from the dark bracken with a guttural squeal that sent the hairs on the back of your neck up. His powerful hooves tore up the elecampane plant as he launched himself at you with a vicious snarl.

You screamed stumbling backwards fumbling for the short knife you had tucked into your dress, but in the chaos, it was flung from your reach. You kicked up at the large boar reaching desperately for the knife, its metal blade glinting in the afternoon light. His large tusks cut through the skirt of your dress, tearing the flesh of your leg and you screeched in pain. He lunged back towards you, his tusk now coated in blood from the cut he made; your blood.

You felt a desperate panic fill your chest, you could not die here, could not be felled by a boar.

You gained purchase on the blade and slashed at his long snout managing a short slice to his nose. He reared back in pain, releasing a blood-curdling squeal into the afternoon air.

From the thicket another boar burst, this one seemed to tower over the first, thick swamp grass hung from its back and it heaved hot air as it charged toward you. You scattered to your feet attempting to run but your legs were forced down by the weight of the first boar slamming into you full force.

As you hit the ground the air was knocked out of you and the knife was sent flying. A vicious high pitched ringing filled your ears and you knew you were done for.

There was a muffled clamor and then a yell, a shriek of pain followed by a squeal that was cut off violently; and then there was silence save for the ringing that persisted in your ears. You didn’t dare move, you just listened. There was some delegating and then the sound of a weapon being sheathed; the ringing stopped.

The world came into focus as a gentle hand cupped your shoulder, and then a voice crooned, “Are you alright Dove?”

Lowering your hands from your head you peeked up at the figure backed by light. They were glowing, and you struggled to make out their features. They crouched and helped you sit, gently drawing your injured leg out from under your now ripped and blood-soaked skirt. From this angle you could better make out their features, it was a woman who had saved you. A Dane woman at that.

“O-Oh I’m quite alright,” you stuttered out as you watched her examine your leg.

She looked up and gave you a soft smirk, the mirth behind her storm cloud-colored eyes said what you knew was the truth; no you weren’t alright, and she knew that. And you were truly in no place to refuse her help, seeing as she had just saved you from those boars.

“What did you think a little knife like this could do to a boar that size Sweetling,” she asked as she passed you back the knife that had fallen when you hit the ground the second time.

“I wasn’t meaning to hunt boars!” You retorted feeling your face go hot. She poured a little water over the cut and dried it with her cloak and then bound it tightly with a bandage.

“That’s not too tight now is it?” Her voice was gentle as she retracted her hands from your leg, some part of you screamed at the absence of her touch. But you shook your head.

“If you weren’t meaning to hunt boars what were you doing Sweetling?”

“I was picking flowers, and I…,” you trailed off looking back at the ruined elecampane plant.

She followed your gaze and gave a knowing sigh. The boars were gone, likely carried off by her men. You had heard her delegating to someone, was she someone important? She wasn’t dressed like the bandits that pervaded the countryside, and she had an air of decorum and importance. She offered you a hand and you took it, rising to her feet she tugged you up with her. You wobbled a bit and she supported your waist with her other hand. The skin under your dress where she touched tingled with longing. You gazed up at her, finding yourself admiring her strong features, high cheekbones, and warm eyes. Her hair was a dark chestnut brown, pulled away from her face but with a slight wave, the color made her grey eyes seem lighter, and there was a wisdom about her. Some scars marred her perfect face, yet they did not detract from her handsome appearance. You found yourself wanting all at once to know how she got them and to kiss them. She must’ve noticed your staring because she raised a quizzical arched brow. You looked away.

“Perhaps,” She said softly, a smile curling at the corners of her lips. “I could help you find another plant like the one they ripped up?”

You blushed at the suggestion and nodded, finding yourself eager to spend more time with your mysterious Dane rescuer.

She helped you search along the treeline for more elecampane well until the sun began to set, in the end, you only managed to find one fully grown plant that you felt well enough to harvest. You were shocked when she stopped you from digging up the plant yourself.

“A lady such as yourself should never have to dig,” she purred out, making you flush. A cord began to form around your heart.

“I’m no lady,” you whispered back, showing the crescent moons of dirt beneath your nails and the scars from years of hard work. She only shook her head and took your hands in hers.

“You may not be a lady in rank, but you are a lady to me…” She smiled and gently caressed the backs of your hands with her thumbs.

Your skin once again burned at her touch and you could feel your thoughts slip away into dangerous territory. She watched your face, eyes going soft, and then dropped your hands softly. She used the butt of her axe to carve away at the dirt and then pulled the plant up by its stalk shaking the roots of dirt. She presented it to you with a smile and you nodded approvingly.

She then stood and helped you pick your way across the meadow back to where you had abandoned your harvest of primrose, cowslip, and violets, all the while carrying the harvested plant for you. You paused before bending to pick up the bundle of flowers. Once you left this meadow you might never see her again, perhaps it was better that way, you knew that the Danes lived violent lives… Or was that just a lie that the church and ruling class wanted you to believe. This woman was tender, gentle, and kind and all the while she had saved your life. You gazed up at her and she was smiling, so much softness and kindness behind her gaze.

“I…,” you trailed off feeling shy. “I never got your name…”

She cupped your cheek softly with her clean hand, her thumb brushing gently along your cheekbone. You watched her eyes feeling flush under her touch, and the cord around your heart tightened. She was looking for something, and desperately you hoped she saw that something in you.

“My name is Soma, Jarlskona of Grantebridgescire…,” Soma said softly. “And may I have your name?”

You felt yourself stiffen, you had heard of the Danes and their Jarls, she ruled a clan of Danes and you, well you were nothing but a lowly orphan turned ladies maid. Here she had traipsed about a meadow with you all afternoon, even stooped to dig in the dirt. And here she was now, holding a plant for you, her hand on your face, and her gaze expectant, waiting. You had a feeling that she would wait for your answer forever if she had to.

“Y/N…” you suddenly felt very small, yet she was still giving you her attention, she didn’t shirk away, she just smiled and rubbed her thumb again.

Her hand slowly left your face to take your free hand, which lifted to her lips and kissed the back softly. Soma gazed at you with mirth in her eyes, “Hello, Y/N… may we meet again…”

She gently laid the elecampane atop the rest of your harvest and stepped to the side, but not before giving your hand the gentlest of squeeze. You wanted to melt, you wanted to go with her, fall at her feet and beg her not to leave you. But you didn’t; instead, you just smiled and nodded and began to walk away.

You felt foolish, silly, and a bit like a girl again. You had duties now, and so did she… but couldn’t you prioritize your happiness just this once you reasoned.

So you spun around, Soma had just started to turn herself but she stopped and gave you a small smile.

“Soma! When can I see you again?” You called out across the meadow, her smile broadened.

“In two days’ time,” She called back, you could hear the smile in her voice. “In this meadow Sweetling.”

You smiled, her last statement wasn’t a question, it was an order and it made you feel weak in the knees. Bringing the flowers close to your chest, you gave a hearty nod and a small bow. Soma only grinned and gave a small wave, but that was all you needed, your heart still soared with happiness.

“You should go before it gets too dark, Dove, I promise that I will be here,” she said motioning to the sun.

You nodded, turned, and began the trek back to the looming estate, hoping to beat the sunset.

~~~

The days seemed to drag on longer than ever now, you anticipated every minute of every hour, time ever approaching when you would see Soma again.

What would you talk about, what would you do? The thoughts of Soma swam in your head as you worked. You had thrown yourself into every possible chore, just to stay in Agnes’s good graces. From the moment you made it back into the building you had been bombarded with questions, like; what had taken so long, how had you managed to pick so many, how far had you gone, and what in God's name had happened to your dress.

All the other questions were easy, but for the last, you had to lie, you knew if you were to regale the tale of the boars and the dashing Jarlskona who had saved you, you would never be allowed out again. They had views about Danes here. So you had made up some lie about falling in a ditch, snagging your dress on a particularly sharp branch, it worked well enough as everyone seemed to believe you. They had taken the flowers away to the birth chamber and you had gone to your room to rest.

That night your head had swam with thoughts of Soma, your body remembering everywhere she had touched you. The way your skin seemed to pulse at the memory made you flush. Something coiled in your belly and you pushed it down. Your ears begged to hear her croon at you again, you yearned for her secret words just for you.

Sweetling…

Dove…

Overall it had been a very restless night.

On the second day it was raining, a torrential downpour in the morning that had kept everyone inside clinging to warmth from the fires. You had set about laying down pots to catch the water that fell through cracks in the old mortar and tile roof. Every glimpse you caught of the rain weighed your spirits down. Surely Soma wouldn’t venture out to see you in this weather, which made you worry. If this weather wore on through the season would she forget about you? Your stomach tied itself in knots as you tried desperately not to think of it, yet it chewed on your mind like a dog with a bone.

And yet, the weather wasn’t the only thing bringing your spirits down. It had become abundantly clear that your mistress intended to leave the countryside altogether after the birth. The reprieve from the musty old villa that you had craved just days ago was in sight, yet now you wanted so badly to stay. Soma was within reach here, the countryside lively and full of promise. It reminded you so much of your girlhood freedom that you couldn’t desperately bring yourself to leave now. Yet duty compelled you; should you run, where would you go?

Perhaps Soma would give you a home amongst her clan, but you knew you had none of the skills that it seemed the Danes valued. Your expertise in herbs and knowledge of tinctures could be useful, but what if they saw no use in that skill? You dreaded the thought of being unwanted by her. You had known her only a short while but you yearned for her approval and praise. Craved being wanted by her in both body and soul so much you almost ached. You shook your head to dispel your thoughts, you still had some time yet to formulate a plan and there was no use in puzzling over it now.

Resting your head against the cool stone window frame you closed your eyes and decided to take a quick rest.

Come afternoon the skies had lightened along with your spirits, and the downpour turned to a drizzle. The meadows beyond were streaked with light that cut through the rain clouds. There in the light, the flowers had started to shed the water that weighed them down, and animals emerged from their shelter from the storm. You glanced from where you sat at the window, searching the large room for Agnes. She had gone up to the mistress' room ages ago, telling you all to busy yourselves with personal time. The others were all occupied with small tasks, embroidery, and mending hose, and two of the girls were busy playing a game of draughts. She hadn’t said not to go outside, and surely she couldn’t be that mad if you went out.

You glanced back out the window, who could tell how long it would be clear out you reasoned, now was your chance permission or not.

Making haste you ran to grab your cloak and snuck out into the garden. The garden was clear of guards so you ran straight to the hole in the wall, removed your veil, and ran to the meadow.

You didn’t care about your wet dress and shoes, or the way the wet grass tried to snag and pull the bandage from your leg. All that mattered was seeing if she would truly be there.

When you reached the meadow your dress was soaked through, and your hair was plastered to your face from the drizzle. You looked around desperately hoping this wasn’t all a waste; then there she was. Sitting under a tall oak just at the edge of the meadow, Soma’s head was bowed, and her hands were busy with a long object that appeared to be wrapped in leather. She was just as handsome as you remembered, and she looked much drier than you.

You balled up your skirt and picked your way through the long grass. You wanted to run to her, and throw yourself in her arms, yet your nerves kept you at bay. How would she react to you, how long had she been waiting, why wasn’t she looking up. Your stomach was doing flips, you felt hot despite the chill in the air. You were sure that the water that pooled on your skin and eyelashes could have become steam with how hot your body felt at this moment. All this just from seeing her, you felt foolish.

She looked up, all of her features brightening at the sight of you, her smile stretched across her whole face. It made you shudder with happiness, that smile was for you.

She stood and held her hand out to you, ‘It's dry under here Sweetling.”

You took her hand eagerly, they were a welcome balm against the cold air that nipped at your poor fingers. She caressed the underside of your wrist gently with two fingers as she pulled you towards her. Your stomach filled with a deep ebbing warmth, you wanted to cling to her, lay yourself bare at her feet, subject to her every whim and desire.

Soma purred softly brushing wet hair from your face, “Thank you for coming to meet me, even with the rain.”

You swallowed blushing and nodded coyly.

“Don’t be shy Dove, have a seat,” Soma cooed and gestured to the rug she had laid out on the ground. You marveled at it for a moment, such an intricately woven textile surely cost a fortune, yet she brought it out on a rainy day to cover the ground. You glanced up at the Jarlskona and she simply raised a brow waiting for you.

You sat quickly fixing your skirts and surveyed the scene. Soma’s horse grazed lazily in a patch of cowslip and clover just on the edge of the tree line. On the rug rested Soma’s shield, it was a heavy-looking thing, made of both metal and wood, and you couldn’t help but marvel at the thought of how muscular her arms must be. Soma sat beside you, close enough that you could feel the heat radiating off her body.

“I was worried you had forgotten,” Soma teased gently, her voice full of mirth. “I’m glad you didn’t…”

You shivered at the added statement and watched as she turned towards you. Up close you could see the object she was holding was a dagger. The handle was made from what appeared to be deer antler and its sheath was the color of fresh hide stamped with the twisting sigils of the Danes. You had seen them carved into the hulls of their long boats that traveled the rivers of Mercia.

“I brought this for you, should you encounter any more boars this will surely do more damage than that sorry knife you wielded the other day,” she said, holding out the dagger for you to take from her hands.

“I couldn’t-,” You attempted to refuse, it was a beautiful gift, but what would the others say if they saw you with such a powerful instrument?

“Nonsense, even a lady should have the tools to properly protect herself,” Soma laid it in your lap. “It’s just a small gift Dove…”

You gazed down at the dagger in your lap. You couldn’t help but notice that the handle was perfectly sized for your hand, and carved in a way that it would not cause you any discomfort. You glanced up at Soma and she nodded encouragingly as if saying, “Go on, pick it up.”

It had a surprising heft to it, but the weight balanced perfectly even with it still in its sheath. Both comfortable and weighty in your hand, you wondered how to wield it properly. Soma pulled the sheath off so you could see the blade. It glinted in the light and along the spine of the blade, runes were inlaid in the metal. You rotated it in your hands looking up at her. She was watching you, a soft kind smile gracing her features that made your heart flutter. She had put a lot of thought into this gift, a small gift she had said. What did Soma consider a large gift?

She held out the sheath to you, “There’s a strap to attach it to your belt, so you never have to fumble with your pockets.”

You marveled up at her and smiled accepting the sheath back, “Thank you… It's a beautiful dagger.”

“We call it a seax,” Soma said, as she watched you slide the blade safely away. “They see much use on and off the battlefield.”

She paused for a moment, “I could teach you ways to defend yourself with it if you’d like, but I do enjoy saving you, Dove…”

You looked up at her eyes wide, your face was flush, you wanted to say; I love when you save me as well .

All you managed was a squeak that made Soma grin. She ghosted her fingertips over your hand sending a shiver up your spine. You tried to speak but your tongue had tied itself in knots and all that came was an audible gasp. Withdrawing her hand she sat back putting a distance between you again. You released a breath you didn’t know you had been holding. Was this all some kind of test? Every movement she made dripped with confidence, she ebbed with raw magnetic power, and oh Gods how you wanted to taste it.

Soma pulled you from your thoughts, “Have you eaten today Sweetling?”

You shook your head, you hadn’t felt well enough to eat what was offered to you this morning. Soma’s brows knit together concerned and she reached behind herself and pulled a small basket forwards, flipping the lid off. Inside was a small jug, which you learned was filled with mead brewed by a craftsman from her clan, a crescent of rich cheese, and two perfectly golden bread rolls. You felt your mouth water, since your lady had begun her seclusion the food afforded to the ladies’ maids had been meager at best, dwindling into a poor pottage and tough meat after the arduous winter. Soma must’ve noticed your stare because she held out one of the bread rolls with an affectionate smile. You took it eagerly and reveled at the smell of the fresh grains.

You sat in a comfortable silence enjoying each other's company, the food she had brought, and passing the bottle of mead between the two of you for quite some time. The afternoon brightened and the bees began to flit between flowers, the smell of the earth after rain made your heart sing and you released a contented sigh.

Soma glanced at you and smiled, “How is your leg Dove?”

You looked at her with surprise, she genuinely cared to remember your injury, when all the others had simply forgotten about it. It hadn’t been causing you much pain but the bruise that had formed around the wound was a ghastly-looking thing. Lifting your skirt you moved to show her, and she let out an audible hiss at the size of the bruise.

“Have you had an opportunity to rest, Sweetling? It's dreadful to look at…,” Soma’s voice was gentle. “Have you kept the wound clean?”

You nodded, “There's not much time to rest it I’m afraid… My mistress should be having her babe any day.”

You left out how busy you'd be after the baby was born, or how you’d likely be leaving the countryside altogether. Soma gently grazed her hand over the wound and looked up toward your face.

“Then you’ll rest now…” She said softly with a kind smile.

You fell into a secure silence again, periodically glancing at your company just to make sure she was still there.

“After her seclusion, where will you go?” Soma asked, breaking the silence, she was gazing out over the meadow. You felt your stomach drop. You hadn’t expected her to ask.

There was a hard lump in your throat, and you couldn't bring yourself to look at her as you spoke, “Away from the countryside… I know that much, likely back to the home of my lady’s husband. It's far from here, we were sent away for the season because of skirmishes with Danes…”

You trailed off staring down at the knife in your lap, would this be the only piece of your time with Soma that remained when you were gone?

“I thought maybe I would stay, but I can’t protect myself, and I can’t hunt. I could live the way my mother had before me, trading and tending to the sick, but how long would it be before the Christians came to kill me just like they killed her,” It pained you to say it aloud.

You glanced over at Soma, her strong brows were knit together with a frown stretching across her features. Her eyes were stormy, the unease apparent in her body language. You gently laid your hand atop her hand in a comforting gesture, and she softened. There wasn’t much you could do, you could only hope she felt the same as you. Yet perhaps together you could better come up with a solution. You closed your eyes for a moment just relishing this moment together even if it would be your last. There was a shuffling next to you after a long moment, and you peeked your eyes open. Soma had moved both her hands to cup yours, tenderly she raised them to her lips.

“Come with me, back to Grantebridge,” she whispered, pressing a soft kiss to your knuckles.

You froze your eyes flitting around her face looking for a twitch, any telltale sign that she was having a go at you. She only gazed back at you, her eyes full of tenderness and affection.

“I can’t fight, I’m not skilled at anything that would benefit a clan,” You attempted to reason, but she only shook her head and cupped your cheek.

“You won’t have to Dove, don’t you worry about any of that. Please let me carry this burden for you,” Soma spoke softly, her thumb brushing along your cheek soothingly. “Come to Grantebridge, you’ll fit perfectly with my clan… with me…”

“You will have every desire in your heart Dove, should you decide to make Grantebridge your home. We have bountiful meadows just beyond the walls, and the city is a heart of trade, you’ll never be bored, my clan throws the most exciting parties…” Soma continued holding your free hand in hers while she caressed gentle circles against your cheek with her thumb. “Let me fulfill your every desire…”

Your heart skipped a beat, eyes stinging with tears. She wanted you after all, even with your faults. Her face was full of reverence and love as she waited for your answer, she was as patient as the rivers were wild.

“Truly…?” You stammered, biting back a sob.

Soma’s eyes went soft and she brushed a tear off your cheek gently, “Yes, truly, let me treat you as my lady, my queen…”

You nodded blindly, Soma gently cupped your face in her hands and pressed a loving kiss to your forehead, letting her lips linger against your skin. She chuckled softly and pulled you in for a sweet hug. You clung to her embrace, heart racing and warmth blooming in your chest. She rubbed your back soothingly, her hands strong and steady keeping you from floating away.

You laughed softly wiping your nose, “T-then you’ll be able to teach me how to use the seax afterall…”

Soma looked at you a grin scrunching her features and she laughed, “As you wish my Dove.”

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