#underragingwaves

[vikingsbigbang]

Author: @ulfrsmal | Artist: @underragingwaves Title: Down with the Dust | Category: M/M | Rating: Explicit | Word count: 11.5k Warnings: Graphic Descriptions of Violence, Explicit Sexual Content, consent issues Summary: Stranded in Constantinople and in dire need of money to return to Norway and claim what was rightfully his, Harald hadn’t thought twice before pitching this idea to Leif – there were few things more delectable than admiring the raw power in his half-naked Greenlander – yet now Harald could see what bubbling rage could do… and started to doubt whether this had been a good idea after all.

You can read the story here on AO3!

Created as part of the Vikings Big Bang '23 event on @vikingsbigbang

[therealvikingstrash]

Aaah! I'm so excited to share my creations for The Juniper Tree with you guys! It certainly inspired me to play around a little. Go read this awesome contribution to the @vikingsbigbang by @underragingwaves and dive into this beautiful story she wrote! You can find my art for her story below. (click on the images for better quality)

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[mommytauriel]

Sihtric x reader where reader is a ward of Uhtred. Reader is the first person to show Sihtric kindness when he’s captured after the attack in episode 2 season 2 and from then on he’s been smitten. The problem is that King Alfred and Uhtred came to an agreement that reader would be married off to a lord so that way she’s taken care off if something were to happen to Uhtred. I just started watching the show so you can decide the rest.

+ · 。~ promised to another p1

pairing: sihtric x female! reader | genre: forbidden romance?, angst, fluff | warnings: slight cursing, I think that’s all | wc: 6.4K |

synopsis: You and sihtric just met and yet the feelings you felt for each other were so strong.

request: yes

note: Okay first, thank you for sending in a request! And I’m sorry for how long it’s taken me to get it out! I absolutely love this idea and I still have so many ideas for it, this will be a multiple part series, I am thinking 4 parts? I hope you guys enjoy!

Thank you @underragingwaves for letting me use the lovely gif!

Part one Part two

The weather is hot, the sun beating down on you makes your eyes squint and the sleeves of your dress stick to your skin. You hated it. At least there was the breeze of wind that helped with the heat. Weather like this reminds you of the days you spent with your father, playing in the gardens and fields of your home, your father's estate. 

Your father was an Ealdorman of Wessex, a fierce warrior and a dear friend of the king. He loved nothing more than his family, his home and his King. So, it wasn't the biggest surprise when he died protecting what he loves, his family, his home and his king. You remember the day he left to fight, he came into your room and kissed your forehead. You were still in bed when he promised to return. He never did return, he died in the battle of Edington and a part of you died that day too.  

You didn't stay in your home for long after your father's death, you were outside when it happened. You were sitting under a tree reading one of your father's favorite books when the king came, he crouched in front of you and told you the news. That you would be coming to live with him, and your younger brother would stay and learn to become an Ealdorman. You didn't have much of a choice, so you said your goodbyes and left. 

Your stay at the castle was for several years, after a threat on your life that almost had you killed, King Alfred was filled with guilt and doubt. He couldn't have the only daughter of his late friend killed, killed in his home. So, despite a part of him disagreeing and the anger and shouts of his wife he did what he thought was best, put you in the protection of Uhtred. 

And that brings you to where you are now, standing in a field watching Uhtred train King Guthreds men. You have lost count of the months you have been with Uhtred. Uhtred has been very kind to you, very understanding. He doesn't complain when you take a little longer to get ready or when you have them stop more often so you can bathe. He understands your position, you were raised and lived as a lady…and now you ride with him. It was a very different life. 

You were standing in between Hild and Father Beocca, your fingers playing with your bracelet. You watched with squinted eyes as Uhtred bests Clapa once again. You enjoyed watching Uhtred fight, it reminded you of when you would watch your father train. 

The content look on your face quickly disappears when you see a group of men on horseback approaching. You could tell by their attire that they were Danes. You absentmindedly move closer to Hild. Your eyes scan over the men as they dismount from their horse’s and step closer to Uhtred and King Guthred, one of them; the tall one closer than the others. 

You don't bother paying attention to the conversation they seem to be having, instead your eyes wander to the Danes, scanning over them. Your eyes linger on one of them in particular, he was standing behind the tall one in front, his posture made him seem…nervous as if he didn't want to be there. 

You tilt your head slightly as you look him over, curiosity in your eyes. He looked different from the others, and not in a bad way. His hair was pulled back and to be honest…he was quite pretty. He didn't look like the men you would see growing up is all you could say.

You blink a few times when you realize you have zoned out, you look towards Uhtred to see him leaning back, an unimpressed look on his face. You look back to the pretty Dane, only to see that he was already looking at you. Your eyes widen and you quickly avert your eyes away from him and to Uhtred. 

After a few moments you look back at him and watch as he tilts his head slightly and his eyes rake over your body. His eyes met yours again and this time you weren't the first to look away. You feel a rush or satisfaction when you see his cheeks flush at the fact that you caught him. You look away from him when you feel someone touch your arm.  

“You should join Lady Gisela in her tent and get out of the sun” Hild smiles slightly, patting your arm reassuringly, nodding her head towards Lady Gisela. Who seemed to be waiting for you, a smile on her face as she stood with a few other women. You smile at Hild and whisper your goodbyes to the warrior nun, who has shown you nothing but kindness and love. 

Your hands went to your sides to hold up your dress a little, so you could walk without tripping. You send one more smile to Hild before making your way towards Lady Gisela. You kept your chin up and your shoulders back as you ignored the hungry looks from the Danes you walked past. You stop yourself from looking at the Dane that had caught your attention earlier, but when you feel a hard stare on your back, you can't help but look back, hoping to see the pretty Dane looking at you. 

But instead, you see one of the other Danes staring at you as you walk away, specifically your arse. The look of disgust on your face quickly changes to a look of surprise when the Dane who was staring at you inappropriately, is bumped into causing him to stop looking at you. You felt your heart flutter in appreciation when you saw that it was the pretty Dane who purposely bumped into him. He noticed your stare and gave you a small nod before looking forward and catching an apple from the tall Dane. 

“Lady Y/n are you ready to go?” Lady Gisela asked. You quickly looked away from the Danes and to Lady Gisela, who had taken a few steps to be closer to you. 

“Oh yes I am, my apologies” you apologize with a bashful smile, your hands nervously playing with the fabric of your dress. Lady Gisela was a very kind woman, but she had such a strong presence that you couldn't help but feel a little nervous under her charming eyes. 

“No need to apologize” Lady Gisela says with a knowing smirk. You start to worry that she noticed you staring at the pretty Dane. She doesn't say anything on the matter, she just links her arm in yours and starts to lead you to where her tent was, starting a conversation with one of the women that was joining you. 

You glance behind you one more time to see he was already looking at you. When the two of you lock eyes you give him a small smile, before quickly looking forward before your small exchange would be seen by others. You tried to focus on Lady Gisela’s and the others' conversation, but your mind kept on bringing you back to thoughts of the pretty Dane. I really need to figure out his name, so i can stop calling him pretty Dane you think with a faint smile. 

Cooling down in Lady Gisela’s tent was nice, you had missed spending time with other women. You of course had Hild, but the two of you were always surrounded by Uhtred and Halig. So, spending time with strictly just women was nice, and very much needed. You spent a few hours with them, eating, talking…well more like gossiping before you went to your own tent. King Guthred had asked for his sister, and you felt more comfortable being in your tent since it was starting to get dark.

You were alone in your tent for a few minutes, just resting on your bed that was covered with many different furs. King Guthred had been very kind and had made sure that your tent was satisfactory for you, and it definitely was. You were reading one of your father's books when Uhtred walked into your tent, sword in hand. You would have been worried that something was wrong if Uhtred didn't smile at you and lift up the sword sharpening stone. 

The worry on your face disappears and you greet him with a smile, you can tell that Uhtred wasn't ready to talk so you go back to reading your book. While Uhtred sits on the wooden stool in your tent and starts sharpening his sword, focusing on his thoughts. This had happened a few times before, Uhtred coming to you to relax and quietly focus on his thoughts. The silence between the two of you was never awkward. You both felt very comfortable in each other's presence. 

It was silent for a few more minutes, the only thing you could hear was the sound of Uhtred sharpening his sword and the faint sound of talking from outside your tent. You were nearing the end of the chapter; the main character was voicing her worries to her mentor about their enemies, and it started to get you thinking. 

“I don't trust them” you say after a few more minutes of silence. Your eyes were trained down at your book, your eyebrows furrowed as you thought more about it. Uhtred stopped sharpening his sword and looked towards you, confused and intrigued. “Who?” 

“The Danes Uhtred, i don't trust them.” 

“You know you will be safe with me” he reassured you when he sensed the worry in your tone. He also had his suspicions about them, but he didn’t like that you worried about them. He wanted you to feel safe with him and not worry about such things. 

“I know that Uhtred, but what if they want to harm you?” 

“Are you worrying about me?” Uhtred wonders with a small smirk. Finding it adorable that you were worrying about him. 

You huff in annoyance and close your book and set it by your side, annoyed that it seemed that he wasn’t taking what you were saying seriously. “Uhtred, I’m serious I can’t exactly protect you.” 

Uhtred laughs warmly and stands up, setting his sword and sharpening stone on the wood table by his stool. Before he comes and crouches in front of you. He reaches for your hands that were in your lap and gives them a reassuring squeeze. “You don’t protect me, I protect you.” 

“Stop worrying little flower” Uhtred smiles at you, squeezing your hands one more time before kissing your forehead and standing up. You return the smile even though you were still worried, you trusted Uhtred with your life, so you trusted his words. 

Uhtred walks back to the table and grabs his sword before turning to look at you with a grin. “Now come join us and eat, Hild is worried you’re not eating enough.” 

“If Hild keeps on feeding me so much I’m going to need new dresses to fit in” you say with another huff and a roll of your eyes. You knew Hild only had good intentions, but there was only so much you could eat. 

“Well, that won’t do, I don’t have enough coin to buy you more of your fancy dresses” Uhtred jokes with a teasing smirk. He laughs loudly and moves to the side, dodging the fancy comb you threw at him. 

“One, please tell Hild I will be staying in my tent and that I’m not hungry. Two, me and my fancy dresses are choosing to ignore what you just said.” 

“Whatever you say princess” Uhtred says with one more last smile before leaving, nodding at your personal guard that stayed outside your tent at all times. Whenever Uhtred wasn’t with you, he made sure that your guard was with you. He never wanted you to be alone and defenseless again. 

You let out a tired sigh once Uhtred had left, the heat from earlier and the long day you had, finally getting to you. You let yourself fall back against your bed and close your eyes. The soft furs of your bed just telling you to go to sleep, you ended up listening to them, and you drifted off in a peaceful sleep. Completely clueless to what was happening in the stables, not too far from you. 

The next time you saw the pretty Dane was in the morning, and you were thoroughly confused at the sight in front of you. You were already dressed and ready for the day when you stepped out of your tent, you walked around the camp hoping to find Uhtred, Hild, anyone you knew really. 

You stopped dead in your tracks, a look of confusion on your face. The pretty Dane that you couldn’t keep your eyes away from yesterday…was tied to a cart. Why is he tied up? You thought. What have I missed?

“Lady y/n” a voice brings you out of your thoughts. You look away from the tied-up Dane to an approaching Halig. Haligs voice gets the attention of the Dane and he turns his head to see who Halig was talking to, he sits up straight when he sees who it is. It’s you he thought. 

“Hild is in her tent if you need her” Halig continues, he had assumed you were looking for her, like you usually do in the mornings. You give Halig a faint smile before glancing back at the Dane, who quickly avoided eye contact from you. “Oh, I’m alright Halig. Why is he tied up? Where are the other Danes?” 

“Those bastards are dead, we're keeping that one over there as a prisoner” Halig responds with a proud nod, your eyes widened and you step closer to Halig, you really did miss a lot. “What happened?” 

“Oh, right you were sleeping, well those bastards tried to kill Uhtred but- “Halig says as if it was nothing, but you are quick to cut him off, feeling very worried for Uhtred. 

“Is Uhtred okay? Where is he?” You asked Halig anxiously. You were right, those Danes couldn’t be trusted, oh you hope Uhtred is okay. The pretty Dane deflates and looks down at the ground at the way you worry about Uhtred. Of course, a pretty woman like you was taken, and of course it had to be with the man he was sent to help kill, he thought with an annoyed scoff.            

“He's in his tent” Halig tells her first and opens his mouth again to brag about how well he did last night, but you quickly walk past him. One thing on your mind, and that was to make sure Uhtred was okay. Halig just shrugs and walks back to the cart loading it. 

You make your way through the camp and back towards your tent, Uhtred’s tent was close to yours, he didn't want you far from him. You turn the corner of your tent the same time someone else does, you jump back in fright, putting your hand on your chest. Uhtred laughs and holds your arms gently, so you don't trip. “Did I scare you y/n.” 

You ignore his words and throw your arms over his shoulders, closing your eyes and pulling him in for a tight hug. You were so afraid that he was hurt from last night, so you were very happy to see him in front of you, seemingly to be alright. Uhtred’s eyes widen in surprise from your hug, but he's quick to wrap his arms around your waist and hold you to his chest. “Whoa I must've really scared you." 

“Halig said the Danes tried to kill you” You voice out, but it comes out muffled because your face was currently shoved in his chest. Uhtred smiles now understanding, you were still worried for him. Uhtred rubs your back and whispers gently. “I am okay y/n, come on let's get breakfast, I’ll tell you what you have missed.” 

You and Uhtred had gotten some fruit and bread and sat down at a table where Uhtred had explained all that you missed. And let's just say your worry for Uhtred did not lessen. If Kjartan sent men to get Uhtred once, what's stopping him from doing it a second time? You open your mouth to voice your worries but close it when you see Uhtred attention goes to Lady Gisela who’s walking past the two of you. Your eyes widen when Lady Gisela gives Uhtred a shy smile before continuing to walk away. 

Uhtred turns to look at you and you raise your eyebrow, silently questioning what that was. Uhtred rolls his eyes and stands up, making you look up at him. “I have some things to do, Hild should be around here somewhere.” 

“You mean you have someone to do?” You say with a mischievous smile. Uhtred laughs and shakes his head at your response, he truly has been a bad influence on you. He turns to walk away but turns back, forgetting that he has to tell you something. “Y/n, don't go near the prisoner, okay?”

“Okay” 

You of course didn't end up listening to him. It was an hour or so since your conversation with Uhtred and you feared you would die from boredom. Hild was praying, Halig was with Clapa, your guard was training and Uhtred… well you didn't want to know what he was currently doing. Since everyone was busy, that means the prisoner was being guarded by a random man, a random man that you could easily trick. 

If you were going to do this you had to make sure you were doing it the right way, you had no room for mistakes. A mistake in this situation would get you in a lot of trouble, and you really didn't want to be in trouble with Uhtred. Your fear of getting in trouble with Uhtred was calling you to stall and hide behind a tree, and out of sight from the guard and the pretty Dane. 

You weren't scared of Uhtred, you just didn't want to disappoint him by not listening to him. You really did plan on listening to him, but your curiosity had gotten to you, and you spent the last 30 minutes making a plan of action. A plan to talk to the pretty Dane. It definitely wasn't the best plan, to be clear. But with a little luck, you would have your chance to talk to him. 

You didn't understand why this Dane you knew nothing about had captured your attention. You knew he was dangerous and not on your side, was that what attracted you to him? Or was it the way he defended you in a way yesterday? You didn’t know, but you wanted to find out. 

“I’m gonna take a piss, don't move” A voice behind you said, you looked behind the tree to see the guard talking to the Dane. This was your chance; you didn't even have to distract him. The guard snickers and walks backwards “Not like you could move even if you wanted to.” 

You roll your eyes at the guard's remark, you watch as he walks through the trees and far out of sight. You wait a few more moments, just to make sure you would be safe and wouldn't be seen. You let out a nervous breath and step out from behind the tree. The Dane’s back was towards you, so he didn't notice you step out from behind the trees. You took a few steps towards the cart, only to step on a twig; alerting him of your presence. 

The Dane's head swiftly snaps to look at you, as soon as he hears the sound of the twig snapping under your foot. You smile shyly when the two of you lock eyes, taking a few more steps to now stand in front of him. The Dane just looks up at you, confusion in his eyes, he didn't understand why you out of all the people were here…right in front of him. 

“Here” You began as you crouched down in front of him, holding out a red apple for him; a gentle smile on your face, hoping that it would hide your nervousness. “I noticed you haven't eaten yet” You continued. 

The Dane hesitantly takes the apple from her hands. He wasn't going to at first, but the warmness he felt from your smile and eyes told him that it's okay. You looked into his eyes, and you couldn't help but be surprised at the sight, he had two different colored eyes, one blue and one brown. How peculiar, but beautiful you thought with a smile. You spoke with a soft tone “I’m Y/n, what's your name?” 

“I’m Sihtric” He tells you quickly, also looking into your eyes. You were so close to him, and he just wanted to memorize everything about you. His eyes widen when he realizes his mistake on the way he addressed you. “My Lady” he told you quickly and nervously. 

“You can just call me Y/n” You smile widely, you find his nervousness adorable. You didn't expect a ‘murderous and dangerous Dane’ to get so nervous and shy in front of you. Halig had told you earlier that he's a ‘murderous and dangerous Dane’ but he didn't seem like that in front of you.

 It was quiet for a few moments besides the sound of sihtric biting into the apple and the faint sound of birds in the distance, you didn't have much time you had to tell him. 

“Thank you Sihtric” 

“Shouldn't I be the one thanking you?” He says confused, motioning towards the almost finished apple that he scarfed down, maybe later he would feel a little embarrassed for eating in such a way in front of a lady, you really didn't care though. 

“I mean for yesterday” You clarified, your smile still on your face. 

“It's no problem my lady” He tells you, returning the smile with one of his own. You go to tell him that he didn't have to call you that but you close your mouth and look behind you when you hear footsteps. You sigh, you wanted more time with him. 

“I should go, Bye sihtric” You give him a faint smile before standing up, ignoring the small ache you felt in your legs from crouching for so long. You grab onto your dress and rush off before you could be seen and before sihtric could respond to you. 

“Bye Y/n” Sihtric whispered to himself as he turned his head to watch you rush off, a small smile forming on his face when you almost trip over the bottom of your dress. He watches until he can't see you anymore, he sighs and turns back around leaning back against the cart and hiding the finished apple behind the wheel. He missed you already, this isn't good he thought to himself. 

You weren't present when Sihtric held a sword to Halig’s throat and swore his sword and loyalty to Uhtred. You were at a table reading and eating some fruit, let's just say you were very surprised when you saw  sihtric walk past the table you were sitting at, following an annoyed Halig. Why am I always missing everything you thought with a huff. 

You were watching Halig and sihtric walk away when you felt a hand on your shoulder. You flinch and quickly turn around to see who it was, you let out a breath of relief when you see it's a smiling Uhtred and not some creep trying to cop a feel. Why did he always have to scare you! “Uhtred!” 

“I didn't mean to scare you, come on King Guthred wants us to join them to eat” Uhtred laughs we really need to work on her not being so jumpy Uhtred thinks. You really wanted to refuse but you knew you couldn't, it wouldn't be ladylike of you if you did. So, you sighed and stood up, holding your closed book to your chest. Uhtred smiles and wraps his arm around your shoulder and leads you to where King Guthred was sitting, Lady Gisela sitting next to him. 

You had left the table a few moments after Uhtred did, claiming that you were going to your tent to cool down from the beating sun. Lady Gisela who had noticed your discomfort earlier on was quick to say her goodbyes with a knowing smile. You were grateful to have her in your life. You glance at Clapa fighting as you walk past the group of men cheering for him. 

You sigh and hold your hands in front of you as you walk towards your tent, trying to ignore your guards' eyes that were on your back. He followed you almost everywhere if you weren't with Uhtred, he made sure not to stay too close to you, he knew you liked your privacy. You could see your tent in the distance, and you wanted to smile in relief, knowing that you could have some quiet and alone time in your tent. You pull back the flap of your tent and go to step in but stop in your tracks at the sound of someone calling for you. 

“Lady Y/n” Sihtric Greets as he walks towards you, only to step back and raise his hands in surrender when your guard steps closer to him and pulls out his sword telling sihtric to stay back. Your eyes widen and you step closer to them. “It's alright Matthew, you can leave us.” 

“My lady?” Matthew looks back at you with a confused look, his sword still pointing at sihtric. 

“I will be fine Matthew” You reassure him with a small nod. Matthew looks back at you one more time, before setting his gaze on sihtric and giving him, a glare and he slowly lowers his sword. Matthew doesn't break eye contact with sihtric as he steps back and takes his usual position at the side of your tent. Sihtric gulps feeling slightly intimidated by your guard. You smile at the slight fear in sihtric’s eyes, little did he know how much of a softie Matthew truly is. 

“Sihtric, we can talk inside” You smile motioning towards your tent, it would be nice to talk to him privately. Sihtric spares a glance towards your guard, before stepping forward and following you into your tent. Neither of them noticed a man hiding behind another tent watching the exchange, he didn't stay long before he rushed to tell what he saw to a certain Abbot. 

Sihtric's eyes widen when he steps into your tent, and he takes in the sight. He had briefly seen the inside of Halig’s tent when he was showing him around earlier, and it was no way near as nice as yours was. Sihtric wipes his hands on his pants trying to show you that he was nervous, and to be fair, he wasn't the only one freaking out about him being in your tent. You were too.

It is highly inappropriate to be alone in your tent, if only your mother could see you now. She's definitely turning in her grave at your unladylike ness. You ignore your nervousness and walk over to the table that has a jug of water and a few cups, you fill two cups of water up and turn around, holding a cup out for him. “Here” 

“Thank you, y/n,” Sihtric smiles as he steps closer to you, when he takes the cup in his grasp his hand brushes against yours, he's alarmed at how much your soft touch affected him, that's never happened before. 

“I missed a lot in a short amount of time, you aren't Uhtred's prisoner anymore?” You question him even though you already know the answer. You move to sit on your bed, the soft furs comforting you. You take a sip of your water while your other hand plays with the soft fur. 

“No, I swore my loyalty to him,” Sihtric said as his eyes followed every move of yours. He slowly took a sip of his water, cooling his dry throat. Sihtric stands still in his spot near the front of your tent. 

“So, I shouldn't be worried about you killing me then? Or Uhtred?” You smile teasingly as you lean back on your palm. Your eyes not leaving his as you tilt your head slightly. Sihtric feels his heart start to beat faster at the sight in front of him, you looked so beautiful, the teasing smile and look in your eyes was making him feel things he shouldn't feel. 

“Lady, I would never! I won't harm you or your husband.” 

“My husband?” You laugh out with a confused smile. I don't have a husband? 

“Uhtred is your husband, isn't he?” Sihtric questions, you find the way he tilted his head slightly as he asked adorable. 

“No no no, Uhtred is like a brother to me” You stumble over your words as you try to get them out as quickly as you can. You and Uhtred? No way. Why would he think that? You stop leaning back and sit straight as you look up at him. 

Sihtric licks his lips and tries to ignore the burst of relief he felt at your words. There was still a chance you were married; I hope you're not sihtric thinks. “Do…Do you have a husband?” 

“No i don't” You smile thankfully, you definitely weren't ready for marriage. You look down at your cup of water, why was he asking? You look up from your cup and to his eyes he is very handsome and asking if I am married, why is this making me so flustered “Do you have a wife?” 

“No lady, i don't” When sihtric says those words it's like music to your ears. Sihtric noticed the way your eyes lit up at his answer and he had to hide his smile from seeing your reaction. The tension was thick as the two of you stared into each other's eyes, neither of you wanting to break eye contact and neither of you knowing what to say. 

“Why did you swear your loyalty to uhtred?” You wondered aloud, finally breaking the silence. Sihtrics eyes widen, and he falters a little, as if he didn't expect you to ask him that. You lean back on your palm and take a sip of your water that you had forgotten was in your hand, you were too distracted by his beautiful eyes, but then again who wouldn't be. God he's so pretty.

“A lot of reasons really” He cleared his throat and took another sip of his water. You could see a lot of emotions in his eyes as he thought about your question. You scooted over on your bed and patted the spot next to you. If he did feel comfortable telling you those reasons you wanted him to be comfortable physically, not standing on the other side of the tent looking at you as if you were going to pounce on him any second. 

He hesitates but when you give him a comforting smile, he walks across the tent and sits next to you. Not to close, but close enough that had both of you feeling flustered. You noticed he seemed a little apprehensive as you playfully bumped your shoulder into his and offered him a kind smile. “We don't have to talk about it if you don't want to, i know we met not to long ag-” 

“My Father is Kjartan, and my mother was a slave” He cuts you off. You closed your mouth and made sure that you kept your face neutral at his confession. You definitely didn't expect that, and you didn't want to make him feel uncomfortable by your shock. Sihtric looked down at his knees as he added “Kjartan showed me no love or care, I know what type of man he is, he's a terrible man. A man that I don't want to serve.” 

“Lord Uhtred, He's a good man. I want to serve a man like Uhtred, not my father” Sihtric finally gets the courage to look at you, readying himself to see anger or disappointment in your eyes at the fact that he's Kjartans bastard son. But he just sees your kind eyes. 

“Uhtred is a good man and he's lucky to have you. '' you tell him with a smile, squeezing his shoulder reassuringly. Sihtric looks down at your hand on your shoulder before quickly looking back at you, giving you a smile of his own. “I think I'm the lucky one.” 

“How so?” You voice out with a shy giggle, feeling very flustered under his gaze. His eyes were staring into yours, only breaking the flirty eye contact to glance down at your lips. Both of you absentmindedly leaning closer, you found yourself looking down at his lips before looking back up to his eyes. You were so close you could feel each other's breath on your face, but still not close enough, your fingers were just itching to pull him closer.  

“Lady y/n, Lady Gisela requests your presence” Matthew called from the outside of your tent, causing you and sihtric to jump apart. The annoyed curse you mutter under your breath causes sihtric to smirk. I did not expect that from a lady sihtric thought, but then again, he also didn't expect a lady to invite him in her tent. You were full of surprises. 

“I should go” you tell him with a nod, but your eyes tell him that you want to stay. Sihtric notices the look in your eyes and doesn’t stop the cocky smile to appear on his face. He stands up and holds his hand out for you so he could help you up. You take his hand and let him help you up, your hands still interlocked as he spoke “Of course My lady.” 

“Goodbye Sihtric” You smile up at him, you sadly let go of his hand. You liked the way his hand fit perfectly with yours, but you needed to go. Hopefully I can hold his hand another time you think happily. Sihtric leans down and takes you by surprise when his warm lips kiss your cheek. Just as soon as it happened it was over, sihtric steps back and gives you a cheeky smile, saying one last thing before leaving. “Goodbye y/n” 

Over the next few days, a lot happened, not to you…but a lot happened. Uhtred had made sure to keep you away and safe from everything that was happening. So, you spent most of your time with Lady Gisela and Hild and of course Matthew. You were surprised how much you had missed sihtric over the few days, there weren't a lot of chances the two of you could talk. Both Uhtred and Matthew were tense about everything that was going on so that had made them even more protective than usual. 

So that left you and sihtric to longing glances, small greetings through the day whenever you had the chance to, which was rare. Sihtric had started to miss you so much he even thought about sneaking into your tent at night to see you…he didn't think about it much. He knew Matthew wouldn't hesitate to stab his sharp impressive sword through his throat. 

The first time you had a chance to really talk to sihtric again was when you were walking towards your horse. Everyone was getting ready for the journey to Eoferwic, Matthew was with Hild helping her with getting her things, he was reluctant to leave you at first, but you had convinced him to go help Hild, saying something about how she wanted his help…it wasn't too hard to convince him after you said that. 

You were petting your horse when you heard the sound of footsteps, you quickly turned your head; the nervous look on your face turned to a smile when you saw who it was. Sihtric smiles and steps to your side, bringing his hand up to pet your horse's mane. You smiled back and looked back at your horse before saying “Would it be weird if I said I have missed you?” 

Sihtric grins and chuckles and looks at you, admiring your side profile. Your words made him happier than he thought they would you are really do something to me “I guess we're both weird because i have missed you to my lady.” 

“I have said several times that you don't have to call me that.” You scrunch your nose before trying your best to glare at him, but the laugh that slips past his lips causes you to smile and laugh as well. You were slightly out in the open, so in the back of your head you were a little worried that the two of you being seen laughing and close would cause some problems, but his next words made you forget your worries. 

“I know, but I like the way your nose scrunches up when I call you that. It's cute” Sihtric tells you after he stops laughing. Your eyes widen and you shyly look back at your horse. 

“What?” Sihtric asks when he notices the look on your face. Did he overstep? The last thing he wanted to do was make you uncomfortable. You saw the panic in his eyes, so you stepped closer to him and placed your hand on his arm, giving it a gentle squeeze. “I've been called many things, but never cute.” 

“Now that's weird” Sihtric flirts and tries to not make it obvious that he was looking at you up and down, admiring you. You had caught his eyes and felt a boost of confidence but before you could do anything the sounds of footsteps alerted you. Halig steps closer to the two of you, giving you a smile and nod before giving sihtric a heated glare. “Lord Uhtred needs you.” 

“Goodbye Lady y/n” Sihtric said to you, making sure to emphasize the lady. You nod and mumble your goodbyes, watching as he takes a few steps backwards before turning around and walking off to where you assumed Uhtred was. You hoped you hid your disappointment well, and that Halig didn't notice. 

Halig looks at you and asks, “Was he bothering you?” 

“No Halig, he wasn't bothering me” you tell him with a reassuring nod. Halig nods and gives you one more look before walking off. When you make sure he can't see you, your lips spread into a smile as you think more about the pretty dane. 

He definitely wasn't bothering me… 

note: Hii! I’m back!! I feel like it’s been sooo long since I posted a fic! I have missed you all <;3

So this is the first part in my ‘promised to another’ short series. When I got this request I fell in love and so many ideas for it so I decided to make it into a short series! (The rest that was suggested in the request will take place in part two and then the other parts will a surprise on what happens 😉)

So there was actually more to this first part, I was at around 10.5k words and I wasn’t even done yet. So I decided to cut the first part into 2! The next part should be up next week idk!

Feel free to send some asks about this series. I would love to talk to you guys about it! ☺️

Please comment if you would like to be added to the taglist for this series or my tlk taglist in general!

So I have been pretty busy lately, but besides this short series and my WIP’s I have also started on another project!

I’m super excited about this! I have a series for osferth in the works! I cant wait to get the teaser out for you guys!

Please comment and tell me what you guys think about this! I would love to read all your thoughts!

Comments, likes and reblogs are very much appreciated!

Taglist: @clairacassidy @mads-weasley @haikyusfics

copyright ©️ 2023, all rights reserved. you can't copy, translate, reproduce, repost my fic, use my plot or layout. 

[majesticwren]

people of the ✨Vikings✨ fandom I summon you!

Sorry to disturb everyone so abruptly but I've decided to try and reach out. I'm very shy, so I tend to remain in my corner most of the time, which isn't helpful. I think I've passively stumbled in the quiet corner of Tumblr, losing touch with the Vikings fandom, which is the main reason why I am on the platform in the first place, and I'd love to change that. In the past few days, I've tried to find some more blogs to follow but I've also decided to ask you guys directly for help. If it's not too much of an inconvenience, could you suggest me some active blogs to follow? Possibly content creators, may that be fanfic writers or graphics, it really doesn't matter, I just would love to get back in the loop and in the community. I used to have my dash packed full of Vikings stuff and I really missed it.

Please do not hesitate to reach out if you'd like, I am shy but I love interactions.

I will tag a few of you who I already know are from the fandom or like it too, just in the hope you guys could point me in the right direction, but if you do not like the idea of being tagged on this post, please just let me know and I will remove you 💕

Thank you in advance for your help, or even taking a second to check out my ramblings, have some flowers as my humble pay 🌻🌼🌷🌹

@mylifeisactuallyamess @serasvictoria @youbloodymadgenius @procrastinatingsoicanreadfanfics @underragingwaves @ofmanderley @ivarthebadbitch @vikingsbifrost @literaryuppsala @miss-madness67

[daybreak96]

Uncle/Step-dad Ubbe owns a piece of my heart!

Gifs by @underragingwaves and @ofmanderley

[bouncehousedemons]

Pale on Pale

Pairing: Kwenthrith x Judith Warnings: Blood & gore, violence, character death, cannibalism, demonic possession, horror, smut, angst, lesbian sex. Word count: ~6k

Author's note: It's here! My entry of the 2023 edition of the @vikingsbigbang - really excited to share this with you as it's an exploration of lots of firsts for me - my first time properly writing wlw and either of these characters, and my first ever try at writing horror/gore content. This was a lot of fun. Huge thank you to Yume and Killy for organising this wonderful event once again - it's always a pleasure to take part. Thank you to @underragingwaves for beta'ing this and offering kind words of support. Lastly, but by no means least, a massive thank you and endless praise to my effortlessly talented artist @therealvikingstrash - you captured the mood of the story perfectly - all gifs and dividers for this story were created by Yume and I am forever grateful to her.

Read the full story on AO3.

[ulfrsmal]

Would you approach me in an apocalypse?

Tagged by @its-tea-time-darling here, thank you, I would team up with you! This was fun but wow did it take me a while 😅I'm not used to picrew alas.

Link to the image maker here.

I'm tagging @moosemonstrous, @vveissesfleisch, @bitchofdarkness, @underragingwaves, and @kingslionheart based on vibes only, so as always this is a No Pressure Tag -- have fun if you decide to do it, but no worries if not!

[ritual-unions]

Sleepy Mornings

Pairing: Ubbe x OFC

Rating: explicit, mature

Word count: ~7k, multi-chaptered

Summary: Winnifred lives the sheltered life of a Christian woman in King Alfred’s court. Not truly understanding the meaning of sexual pleasure her new husband, Ubbe Ragnarsson, is more than willing to show her the path.

This is my submission for @vikingsbigbang winter event, thank ya'll for putting this on again. I can't wait till next year to do it again. Also thank you times a million to my artist, @underragingwaves & @mrgabel who created this lovely art to accompany my fic.

Banner by @mrgabel

Enjoy.

Or if you prefer on Ao3 and to see the rest of the art 😊

Chapter 1: Of All the Stars that Burn

It is the early mornings that Winnifred loves the most.

The way the particles of light filter through the curtains. The quiet of the room. The small shuffling sounds of servants in the anteroom. The birds singing their morning songs from the tree tops outside their window. 

Ubbe is not a morning person. Winnifred finds this out on their first full day of marriage. She had stretched out, long and wide, a happy “good morning” falling off her tongue. He had glared at her, eyes squinting in the sunlight, clearly annoyed, though no words left his mouth. 

She is forced first to learn his silence before his mother tongue. There in the pauses, and the way he quirks his mouth, in the slight raise of brow, she begins to understand him. 

Now, she sits. Not because she worries about bothering Ubbe but because she enjoys the stillness, the moments before the chaos of the world starts hurtling towards her. First, there would be breakfast with her mother, then sewing shirts for the poor with the queen. Later Winnifred would attend court, feigning interest in the on-goings of ambassadors and the accounts of stewards. Finally, dinner; when she would be subjected to poetry readings and music so dull she wanted to scream. 

None of that matters. Not yet. For the mornings are hers alone. The only piece of the day she controls. 

Her fingers slip out from under the down comforter, sliding across the cotton sheets to the strip of light that reflects between the curtains. It does not warm her chilled skin, only illuminates her cuticles and the creases of her knuckles. She turns her hand in fascination. 

Ubbe stirs next to her and she halts all her movements, not quite ready for her peace to end. He sighs as his head settles next to hers, his arm slipping around her core as he pulls her in close. Like a child pulling in a favorite stuffed animal. 

Winnifred stiffens. This is not like him, to find comfort from her. Up until today Ubbe has only touched her on the corner of her elbow once while on a walk through the villa or during the few stiff and awkward moments at night when they found themselves forced vainly to create an heir. This is better, she enjoys the fact that she does not have to try to be anything, neither a courtesan to King Alfred or the wife to a famed Norseman. 

She can just be herself. 

Allowing each of the tight cords of her muscles to soften with a slow exhale out her nose, Winnifred tries to relax into Ubbe’s touch and venture back into the little space she has carved out for herself. 

Her hand is cold outside of the covers as she tries to tap the tiny dust particles that dance in the sunlight. They refuse to be obtained, no matter how slowly she moves. 

There is a muffled scuttle outside their door and then the quiet giggling of a servant. Winnifred smiles despite herself. The footman and one of the maids has been flirting for months now, much to her delight. 

Ubbe stirs, gives her another full body hug and as he buries his nose into her hair he inhales deeply. 

He murmurs something in a rumbling baritone that she does not understand. About the ocean, possibly. He is speaking in Norse, a language she still does not comprehend though everyone around her swears it is similar to Saxon. 

“Of home,” he tries again when she hums out a questioning note of misunderstanding. “Your hair.” His voice drifts as he sways between sleep and wakefulness. 

“Ah.” She smiles to herself. “That is Jessa’s work. Sea salt. She sprays it in my hair after I wash.” Her fingers curl around the springy ends. “To keep the curls,” she finishes though she does not think Ubbe is listening by the way his breathing evens out next to her ear. 

“I have been enjoying Jessa,” Winnie quietly announces to no one in particular. The servant was brought over from Norway, given to her by Ubbe as a bridal gift. “She speaks to me in Norse in the mornings,” she continues on, her voice softening as her finger traces the wrinkles in the bed sheets. “None of it will stick'' - she said to herself, certain Ubbe is fast asleep - “still I enjoy the sound. It is different, soft, not like the strange garbling that occurs between you and -”

Ubbe’s hand drifts to her thigh, a soothing touch that quiets her ramblings. The rough pads of his fingertips trace the length of her leg, similar to that which she does to the bed sheets. His hand finds the roundness of her ass cheek. He grabs her fleshy bottom with vigor, mumbling a slew of foreign words hot into her ear. 

“You see,” she practically whines in frustration. “I do not understand.” 

He ignores her complaint, his hand continuing to travel the length of her body. His fingers briefly tickle her sides until he finds the heavy weight of her breast. He holds the roundness in the palm of his hand as if weighing a sack of gold. His thumb brushes over her nipple, bringing it to attention. Her back arches mechanically at his whispering touch as if she suddenly has no control over her body. She is just wet sand that molds to his touch. His hips roll into her backside. His desire for her is evident as his erect cocks presses against her cotton shift.   

The door opens slowly causing her breath to catch in her throat. The hinges creak loudly in protest. It can not be that late in the morning, she thinks as her heart pounds in her chest. Heavy feet cross the threshold, headed for the fireplace. Someone stirs the coals. 

It is Eda by her footsteps. Jessa walks as though she floats on air. Eda stomps around as if trying to wake the dead. Winnie does not dare move as Eda approaches the bedside.

Hidden under the bed covers the weight of her breast rest heavy in Ubbe’s hand. His thumb idly brushes across the rounded nipple. It is an apathetic maneuver, as if he is trying to lull himself back to sleep with the repetitive nature. It takes everything in her not to wiggle away from his touch. 

“My lady,” Eda whispers. Winnifred starts at the sound of Eda’s voice. It should not have frightened her so much but she is so caught up in Ubbe’s sensuous touch that she had become dull to her maid’s whereabouts. “It is time to wake.” 

Moon-eyed, Winnie blinks up at Eda as her hushed tone passes above her head. “Your mother requests an early breakfast.” 

Ubbe’s breathing is evened out next to her ear. He has fallen back asleep but his ministrations have not faltered. Eda’s bright brown eyes make no indication she is aware that Ubbe is softly torturing Winnifred under the bed sheets. Instead Eda shakes Winnifred’s foot lightly, a playful smile on her lips at the implied lazy nature of her mistress. 

Winnifred freezes, not able to move for fear Eda will suspect, the moment Winnifred steps out of bed, that there is a sinful heat building between her legs. 

She tries to swallow the heady matter stuck in the back of her throat. 

Her chest heaves as she watches Eda lay out her linen bodice, silk shift and stockings, trying to muster the courage to leave the confines of the bed sheets. Hoping that her sinful desires are not blanched clear as day on her face. 

Ubbe has fallen into a deeper sleep, his hand wrapping around her rib cage, not stirring as Eda muses quietly about what Winnifred should wear for the day; there is the velvet gown of deep green but the cloudless sky told tales of a hot blistering summer day. Velvet will have her sweating in her bodice by noon. Winnifred would need something breathable. There is the satin one with the embroidered neckline that Winnie loves. 

Ubbe exhales lowly through his nose, his hand traveling over her hip and then tugging at her inner thigh. It is sticky and wet there. Winnie frowns and Eda quickly set aside the satin dress, digging deeper in the bureau for another option. 

Never before has Winnifred experienced such a sensation and worries that she has started her courses earlier than anticipated. Shuffling the sheet around she tries to bring her hand between her legs to inspect closer. Ubbe has stretched her leg back, to rest on his own thigh. He is hot to the touch, the coarse hairs of his thigh are rough against her skin. She clenches her teeth to keep from moaning as his hand palms her folds, coating his fingers in her sticky juices.  

To halt his hands from any further movements she clenches her fingers tightly around his wrist. Her back is to him but she can imagine the mocking smile tickling one corner of his mouth. That same smile he points at her when she speaks of the tithes she is collecting for the church from some of the wealthier courtiers, to help the poor. He would shake his head when she refused his suggestion to take the money straight to the poor. “The church has their best interests in mind. They knew the appropriate protocol for distributing the funds”, she would tell him and he would hide that smile in the corner of his mouth as he silently mocks her. He does not trust the church. 

Ever so gently he pushes the heel of his palm upward, applying a slight pressure to her sensitive nub. The sensation causes Winnie’s hips to buck and a gasp of surprise to escape past her lips. Eda drops the dress she is holding as she stumbles to Winnie’s side.

“The green satin!” Winnifred exclaims, half startled by the sound that has just come out of her mouth. It is so feral, so unlike her. She scrambles out of Ubbe’s hold, pushing away his groping hands. Fumbling, she tries to untangle herself from the bed sheets but the fabric keeps twisting tighter between her legs until she is certain she will be trapped in its depths for eternity. 

Shakily she holds out her hands in front of her, in an attempt to keep her maid at bay. Her eyes drift to Ubbe. Sleepy-eyed, one corner of his lip curls in a smile so vexing she wants to growl in frustration. 

Winnie sighs heavily to steady herself. “I’ll wear the green satin dress today.” 

“Yes, my lady,” Eda agrees with a bow of her head. 

To Winnifred’s annoyance she keeps catching Ubbe’s gaze hot on her skin as he watches her change out of her rumpled chemise. His eyes shift across her body in lazy fascination before slowly closing with sleep where nothing, not even her pointed glare, can affect him.

***

Moodboard by @underragingwaves

For the the entire fic and most importantly the absolutely amazing art on my Ao3

[nothingtolosebutweight]

VEILD THE POLE

Folks, are you ready for a lil smutty story about Ubbe and Hvitserk 😏? If so, I have the perfect one for you, from none other than the talented hapaxlegomena on AO3 / @cerberusian on Tumblr

This is the second (and last) entry for the @vikingsbigbang that I've had the honor of providing art for, and it was a nice change to do something for characters other than my two favs. Staring at Ubbe for hours didn't do me any harm, or at least I hope so 😏.

I also hope I can elicit a little grin from some of you when you spot the somewhat hidden main character in one of the pictures 🍑. I at least grinned the whole time while editing it.

The Story:

Summary: He thought he was dreaming when Ubbe came in. Ubbe had no reason to be here, except that Hvitserk wanted him here; so he must be a figment of Hvitserk's imagination. Warnings: Sibling Incest, Anal Sex, Angry Sex

The Art:

-------------------

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A big thanks also to @underragingwaves and @therealvikingstrash for hosting this event again. It was a fun ride to participate ♥♥

[vikingsevents]

Hello friends, here is the round up post for our #vernalvikings event of last month. Under the cut you will find every creation for each day.

The Initiation by @underragingwaves

The Language of Birds by @underragingwaves

Curiousity killed the Cat, but not the Deer by @therealvikingstrash

Dawntreaders by @underragingwaves

The Hollow Place by @underragingwaves

The Ritual by @therealvikingstrash

Gaze like Petals, Crushed by @underragingwaves

Gifts by @underragingwaves

Words of Advice by @therealvikingstrash

Mister Bunny by @therealvikingstrash

The Red Parts by @underragingwaves

[barnes-lothbrok]

I posted 2,451 times in 2022

That's 2,451 more posts than 2021!

95 posts created (4%)

2,356 posts reblogged (96%)

Blogs I reblogged the most:

@spaghettificationandpretzels

@underragingwaves

@ofmanderley

I tagged 249 of my posts in 2022

#ivar the boneless - 117 posts

#ivar ragnarsson - 104 posts

#ivar lothbrok - 95 posts

#vikings - 89 posts

#hvitserk ragnarsson - 57 posts

#hvitserk lothbrok - 43 posts

#hvitserk - 32 posts

#ubbe ragnarsson - 24 posts

#ivar x hvitserk - 23 posts

#hvitserk whiteshirt - 19 posts

Longest Tag: 111 characters

#double orders on ingredients would have to be make and double goods baked. one for the customer. two for hvitty

My Top Posts in 2022:

#5

Against the World

Request by @rachelcarroll1819

Could you do one where the reader is Lagertha younger sister and in a relationship with ivar the boneless( they dont have to be full sister amd she was born a day after ivar and ended up being raised by her sister with the boys) 

I tried ♡

Warnings - mainly fluff, death of family, blood.

Word count - +1k

*×*×*×*×*×*×*×*×*×*×*×*×*×*×*×*×*×*×*

See the full post

146 notes - Posted September 28, 2022

#4

See the full post

201 notes - Posted September 12, 2022

#3

Little Love (Tattoos II)

Ivar x Reader

Summary- Ivar admires his pregnant wife sleeping.

Warnings- fluff, mentions of pregnancy and being pregnant

Word count- 1k

°•°•°•°•°•°•°•°•°•°•°•°•°•°•°•°•°•°•°•°•

See the full post

281 notes - Posted November 6, 2022

#2

Jealousy

Ivar x reader

Summary - Ivar and you have always had a bond, a closeness but over time and as you mature things change, Ivar gains feeling he can't explain

Warnings - angst, fluff, death of a parent, swears

Word count - 2k

ווווווווווווווווווווווו×

See the full post

337 notes - Posted September 18, 2022

My #1 post of 2022

Tattoos

Ivar x Reader

Summary- As Ivar sleeps, his wife admires his tattoos

Warnings- fluff, implied smut?

Words - 600

Mon coeur = My heart

°~°~°~°~°~°~°~°~°~°~°~°~°~°~°~°~°~°~°~°~°

See the full post

362 notes - Posted October 29, 2022

Get your Tumblr 2022 Year in Review →

[vikingsbigbang]

Author: @underragingwaves | Artist: @vikingstrash, @vikingcest Title: The Juniper Tree | Category: M/M | Rating: Mature | Word count: 35k Warnings: implied/referenced Drug Use, Brother/Brother incest Summary: Ubbe Ragnarsson has gone to the temple of Uppsala to learn the will of the gods. Left adrift upon his return from England and bereft of purpose now that Björn seats Kattegat's throne, he is determined to regain control over his own life. Ubbe is granted a seiðkona’s guidance on his journey and accesses his mother's gift of foresight and vision for the first time.

As he spends more time alone in the woods around Uppsala, he slowly learns to make his peace and find his own strengths again. Then, in the depth of winter, the sei��kona comes to ask for Ubbe's aid with a visitor... but what sort of grace can Uppsala possibly grant his most beloved brother Hvitserk, who's still haunted by ghosts of their past?

You can read the story here on AO3!

Created as part of the Vikings Big Bang Winter '22 event on @vikingsbigbang

[therealvikingstrash]

Title: Greedy Gods Rating: Explicit (Violence) Category: Gen Characters: Aslaug, Aslaug's Shieldmaiden (OFC), Grima & Áke (Aslaug's adoptive parents) A/N: My entry for the @vikingsbigbang Winter 2022 event. I collaborated with my unbelievably talented artists @underragingwaves (some of her work is in this post) and @losermultifandomidiot (art can be found within my fic on AO3 or their blog). Word count: 4,045

Excerpt:

"I cannot stand his face," Eldrid whispered next to Aslaug, causing the princess to hide her smile behind her cup of buttermilk. "Look at him, he reminds me of a fish and he sure smells like one." This had Aslaug outright laughing, trying to make it sound like a cough and sending her mother an apologetic smile. “What if he comes right out of the sea?”

"Eldrid, by the Gods, you cannot say this, it is rude." Aslaug told her, her stomach revolting when Jarl Cnut looked at her with his milky eyes. Her friend didn't even hide the snort. 

"But no less true." Eldrid replied, not caring if the man heard her. "I liked Ragnar, he was nicely built." A smug smile on her features had Aslaug roll her eyes fondly. Of course her friend had spied on him at the river, many would say in retaliation, though she couldn't help but agree. Earl Ragnar was a handsome man and his mind was not simple either. "And not as old." her friend added.

"Eldrid," Aslaug insisted, hoping the shield maid would stop long enough for Jarl Cnut to be gone as quick as he'd come. Her adoptive mother must've sensed the mischief rolling off of Eldrid in waves, because she sent her a warning glance once Jarl Cnut was occupied with ale and food. Aslaug was not even surprised that he ate like a pig.

Read it all on AO3

[underragingwaves]

2022 End of Year Fic Review

I was tagged by @ulfrsmal (ty for the tag and the sweet mention!) and, uhm, I got a little wordy in this one. Please do click the readmore if you want some fic recs! 😘

1. What is your AO3 account?

captainkilly is my main account that features all my fics, but all my Vikings fics in particular can be found under the pseud underragingwaves

2. How many words did you write total in 2022?

197,158 words, not including the fics that were Tumblr-only.

3. How many fics did you publish in 2022? How many multichapters vs oneshots?

12 fics in total, of which 3 were multichapters. (I am counting the one fic I began publishing in 2021 and updated in 2022 among these as well.)

4. What was your longest fic? Your shortest fic?

The longest one that I updated in 2022 is homeland, heartland (which sits at a comfortable 63k and counting), but I didn’t begin publishing that in 2022. The longest fic that I published entirely in 2022 is The Ascendancy Seat, which clocks in at 60k.

My shortest fic is leavetaking, which lands around 2k.

5. What was your most popular fic? Your least popular fic?

If we’re counting homeland, heartland, then that’s the most popular one in hits/kudos/bookmarks by far. Secondmost popular in terms of hits is the Ivar-centric massive undertaking The Ascendancy Seat, but in terms of kudos/bookmarks the honor goes to another Ivar-centric fic called ouroboros.

Least popular fic is the aforementioned leavetaking, but that is because I only recently uploaded it to AO3 and now backdated it to reflect its original publication date. I think it’s one of those hidden gem fics, haha, because I loved writing this as a missing scene and it allowed me to work with Ragnar instead of the usual suspects.

6. What fic didn’t perform as well as you thought it would?

Honestly, I don’t think I publish anything and expect it to ‘perform’ in any way? I am used to people finding my fics and faceplanting in them whenever, which means that some of my fics initially don’t do so well in terms of hits/kudos but eventually grow into crowd pleasers. I can never predict which one will take off months from now, lol. That said, I think I wanted more people to give the reverie protocol a chance – I know it’s not an AU that immediately incites folks to read it, but I just love the way this one sang on the page for me personally.

7. What fic performed way better than you thought it would?

ouroboros. It is not at all my fave of the fics I’ve written, and I raise my eyebrow at its popularity even though I know that its premise (Ivar-centric smutty stuff) is this fandom’s form of catnip. I have a hard time writing something that is outright smut – it’s a journey for me that I experimented more with in 2022 – and while I’m making the best sort of googly eyes at the OC I wrote for this fic (Malika my beloved) I really do not think it is my best and I’m still surprised when people pick that one over some of my better works.

8. What was your favorite fic you wrote from 2022?

I’m actually going to name 3 fics for various reasons, haha.

First up is The Juniper Tree, in a hands-down-no-contest sort of way. That fic was a work of love for me and returned a sense of stillness and certainty to my writing process that I hadn’t felt in a long time. It is one of those fics I can say ‘wrote itself’, and I love it unbelievably much. Y’all know I love Ubbe best of all and getting to write this whole multichapter from his POV was just… yeah, I had a good cry about this one by the time I completed it. A really special writing experience that I think is my best work to date.

Secondly, The Warlord’s Wake was probably the most… cathartic to write. I had played with this post-series idea for a good long while until I finally started this fic, and it gave me the closure that I think I honestly needed in terms of where Hvitserk’s story ended in the series. I really wanted to write a fic in which Hvitserk had used his position in Alfred’s court to play a very long game that would eventually return him to his feral pagan bastard ways. It was a good thing for me to get to express this, especially because I have seen a fair few fics and opinions in this fandom regarding Hvitserk’s conversion to Christianity (and the Christian-centric narrative some people choose to uphold) that make me feel supremely salty and quite upset.

Last, I’m going to go ahead and name The Maker’s Path. This is the lone fic I wrote for a different fandom, namely Dune, and I got so horribly creative with the prompt I wrote it for that I just need to squee about it some more. I always thought Dune would be impossible to write for (like Black Sails, it’s one of those things that’s just perfect to me the way it is) but I found a little neat corner somewhere in the book’s folds and movie’s visuals that allowed me to put this fic to the page. Getting to work with a Sardaukar character as well as a Fremen character was a cool exercise that only got more pleasing when I managed to include my own favorite character (Alia) toward the end.

9. What was your favorite fic that somebody else wrote in 2022?

Gonna be that person and name 5 for funsies!

Greedy Gods, by @vikingstrash (stellar Aslaug-centric work, I always love how Yume writes Aslaug and this was a lovely ‘missing piece’ of canon to me)

Gatekeeper, by @ritual-unions (I still don’t know how I survived this one and when I say it lives rentfree in my brain y’all had better believe it)

Gnothi Sauthon, by @bouncehousedemons (you know it’s good when I make hearteyes at a reader pairing, okay? this is just comfort food)

Reactions Of Your Kind, by @ulfrsmal (Ubbe/Hvitty goodness that essentially catapulted a friendship – I’m very fond of this one, and it’s a definite pick-me-up)

This lovely Freydis & Liv prompt fill by @mercurygray (it’s in my head a lot, as it has perfectly captured the dynamics between the Valhalla characters and I love the ‘outsider’ POV of Harald in this piece)

10. Tag your friends to do this year-end fic review as well!

@vikingstrash, @mercurygray, @pomprincesse, if y’all have done this I apologize for tagging ya. Also tagging anyone who writes fic in our lil fandom and wants to do an end of year close-out! 😊

[mercurygray]

Hi! Hi! I’m thankful for my amazing vikings friends @vikingstrash @underragingwaves @bouncehousedemons they make my days so much brighter. And I’m thankful for the new friends I have yet to meet or have just met and hopeful get to know better. Here’s to enjoying more of what you love and getting rid of what you don’t 🥂 🎉🎊💝

♥️♥️

[queenfinehair]

Thanks to @underragingwaves I've been seeing a huge surge in love in the fandom. It's beautiful to see everyone rallying together to share what they like about other accounts. It's refreshing to see love instead of jealousy or hatred. It's amazing to see what one person is bringing to the fandom.

I love seeing all of the anons being sent to others and hope it continues because it is SO needed 🌹🌹🌹