Liv rolls her eyes before she turns away from me. She looks at the water for a moment, unmoving, then looks back at me as she weighs her next move.
Would she rather be cold and clean or warm and dirty? I’ll still take her if she’s covered in dirt, she is not going to avoid my touch if that’s what she’s thinking.
I hear her let out a screech, then a string of words that I do not understand. Laughing, I watch as she attempts to bathe herself. She is shouting and crying out the entire time. I can’t help but chuckle at her.
She has clearly led a sheltered life. It makes me wonder if she is indeed royalty. It is obvious she was not just some villager. Most of the people in this village were poor farmers and probably bathed in this river often.
I wish that I could understand more of her language so that I could ask her. Reaching into my pack that hangs off the side of Viggo, I find a drying cloth. I don’t know why I even have it in here, I can’t remember the last time I used it.
Walking toward the edge of the water, I hold out the thin fabric for her. I watch as she walks quickly, then the closer she gets to me, the faster she begins to move until she’s running through the water.
She slams against my body, pressing herself so close to me that I can’t help but laugh at her dramatics. Looking down at her, I wrap the cloth around her body and pull her against my body.
“Liv,” I rasp.
Her lips are trembling as she watches me for a moment. “Aaric,” she breathes shakily. “Your bathing options here suck hairy donkey balls.”
I shake my head, not understanding any of her words. Instead of telling her, which she obviously knows, I lower my head and touch my mouth to hers. Brushing my lips across hers, I flex my muscles around her and hold her for another moment before I release her and put my pants and boots on.
As much as I would like to stay here with her and slide inside of her body, we must prepare to leave. Hopefully Gunnar has found something for her to wear, I doubt she will want to be on a ship with all of my closest men without a stitch of clothing on for a week.
Chapter Five
AARIC
By the time we arrive back to the camp, everyone is awake and moving around. The cooks are busy at their stations, my men are busy breaking down camp. Others are busy doing their part in getting ready.
Guiding Liv into our tent, I’m pleased to see that Gunnar came through and there is a pile of clothing in the middle of our furs. Liv is still shivering at my side. She will probably take a while to regain the warmth in her bones.
Once we’re beside the furs, I pick up a garment and push it toward her. Her hands lift as she holds it against her stomach, gripping it tightly. I wish there was a magic spell to give her the knowledge to understand and speak my language immediately.
I decide to ask the seeress when we return if there’s such a spell that she or a völva can cast on Liv. It doesn’t take me long to finish dressing, deciding to wear a shirt today since we will be loading onto the boat to head home.
“Aaric,” Liv’s voice calls out. Turning to look at her, my lips turn up into a smile at the sight of her.
The gown is a bit too large for her figure. She frowns, holding her hands out, obviously annoyed at its sizing. She need not worry, as soon as we return, she will have a wardrobe fit for her station, for a dróttning.
Moving around the tent, I find a piece of rope. Lifting my hand, I make a come-hither motion with two fingers. She smiles softly then takes a step toward me, and another, until she’s directly in front of me.
Lifting the rope, I wrap it around her waist, tying it in the front in a binding knot. It is a knot that I used to secure objects. It being tied around her may not mean anything to her, but I am securing my object, my dróttning.
“Better,” she says.
“Betr,” I repeat.
Her green eyes light up, they almost shine as they search mine. “We have the same word, better.” The way she says it does not sound the same, but at least I can understand the word and the meaning.
Nodding, I grin. “Betr.” She presses her lips together, trying to hide her smile, but it does not work. Liv’s entire face smiles, even her green eyes. “Eta?” I ask, hoping that this is another word she understands.
The way her brows snap together, I know that she does not understand the word. Lifting my hand to my lips, I pretend to eat and her eyes widen. “Eat?”
Nodding, I shrug a shoulder. “Eta,” I say, repeating the word, taking her hand in mind.
Patience.
It is not something that I have had outside of the battlefield. This will be different for me, but I find that the challenge is not unwelcome. Maybe this is what I’ve needed and did not realize? A woman who challenges me, one who is different in every way from me, my people, and everything I have ever known.
Together we walk out to the camp. My people are eating all around us, breaking their fast and my chest puffs up in pride. It’s a pride that can never be taken from me, this is the accomplishment that I feel for being able to care for my people.
Reaching for a wooden saucer of food, I dip my chin toward the cook and head over to a stump in front of the campfire. Liv needs her hair to dry more before we are out in the sea and elements.
She looks around, her face turned down in a frown and filled with confusion. Reaching for a piece of meat, I hold it up to her lips. Her chin jerks back and she tilts her head up to look at me.
“Aaric?”
“Eta,” I say, pushing the meat closer toward her lips.
Liv reaches for the food in my hand and I jerk it back, shaking my head. A queen does not simply take food from her king’s offered hand. Not ever. If I had it my way, she would always eat from my fingers.
She lets out a huff of air, clearly annoyed with me. My lips twitch into a grin as she leans forward, parting her lips for me. I slip the meat into her mouth and watch as she chews.
She licks her lips then opens her mouth again and I slip more food onto her beautiful tongue. I can’t help but wonder what my seed would look like coating that tongue of hers.
“That shouldn’t be as good as it is, especially since you’re obviously some big ass chauvinist and demand on feeding it to me by hand. But it does and you’re hot as shit, plus you don’t understand any of my ramblings so I’m happy to just keep talking and eating from your perfect fucking fingers.”
Shaking my head, I eat a little before I offer her more food. “I do not understand you, Liv,” I murmur.
Eventually she holds her hand up and shakes her head. I finish the meal, my gaze focusing on the firelight in front of us. It’s a beautiful morning, the sun is high in the sky and it is time for us to leave with our spoils.
I hope that Liv will enjoy my ship, then my home—her new home. I’m sure she will not know exactly how to take it all, but I will attempt to help her acclimate, at least in my bed if nowhere else.
Grinning, I stand to my feet when Gunnar calls out to me. “Are you ready?”
Jerking my chin up, I hold out my hand for Liv to take. Without looking down at her, I feel her small fingers slip into mine. Tugging her to her feet, I guide us over to Viggo.
Without a word, I untie Viggo from the tree he’s next to. Wrapping my hands around her waist, I pick her up, setting her down on the horse.