Chapter 6

Ulfr returned later that night. He was pleased to find Vicki in his hut preparing dinner. He had been lucky and killed a bear. A huge, mean, cantankerous bugger that had been terrorizing the women and children when they went too far into the bush. He had gathered others to help him bring it in. All would partake in a feast in the next month and there would be much hunting and storing of meat, but the hide was his. The bear was big and fat, ready for his long sleep and his fur was full and thick. It should be enough to keep his little Valkyrie warm.

He was delighted when she smiled shyly at him and handed him bread with butter and honey. He took a healthy bite and wrapped her in his arms. She smelled so good, like sweet smoke and outside freshness. He hung a flask full of Bera’s potent brew on the wall peg. He had told the older woman of Vicki’s tears the night before and she had made mention she was undoubtedly remembering what the men had done to her. The thought annoyed Ulfr. He didn’t want her to be thinking about Volundr’s cock; he wanted all her attention on his own. Bera had whacked him hard when he had said this. He had been surprised. She went on to say Vicki wasn’t fantasizing over the man’s cock but fearing it, and Ulfr was being a stupid man. Ulfr had been so confused.

Bera had sat him down and explained to him when a woman was taken forcefully she was terrified. What if she were to be killed? Ulfr argued the men in camp wouldn’t have killed her. Bera had smacked him again. How was Vicki to know this? Had he explained about the men in the village, or might she assume they could be like the ones who had destroyed their village? Bera had then confided to him she had been forced once by Falkor, the one whose eye Ulfr had blackened. The man was not just brutal but vicious, his were punishing cruel thrusts not meant for pleasure but pain. Falkor liked his women afraid when he was taking them and terrified when he was done with them. No doubt he had been the one who left the bruising to Vicki’s behind. Just because no blood had been drawn didn’t mean that no damage occurred.

Ulfr had thought about that as he walked home. He had taken captives before, but it was for pleasure not to be hurtful. He had promised them all he wouldn’t harm them or kill them; he had been rough but not cruel. He didn’t like to see fear in a woman’s eyes but desire, and his words were always calm and gentle, coaxing. He realized even if Falkor and the others had told Vicki they wouldn’t kill her she wouldn’t have understood, no matter their tone of voice. If Falkor had been cruel, no wonder she had thought she was about to die.

He finally felt he understood her fear—or at least some of it. He had been such an idiot for thinking just because he wasn’t one of the men who had attacked her that everything should stay the same. She would be leery of any man’s touch. It wasn’t a blow aimed directly toward him. Just because the men were no longer raping her didn’t mean she still wasn’t vulnerable. Who knew how often she thought about what happened? The attack could still be happening within her mind. Ulfr was beginning to realize he was the asshole jerk Valerie had called him the other day.

“Dinner smells good,” he said.

“I made it all myself.”

Ulfr was pleased she was speaking his language, and was catching on so fast. It had helped she had already known a few words. He cupped her chin and squeezed her breast gently.

She was now warily looking over at the flask he had brought in. “This is just fermented,” he explained, his forehead pressed against hers. “No herbs, just drink. I want you to want me on your own.”

“I want that, too,” she replied and his lips lightly kissed the top of her head.

Ulfr sat at the table and ripped off a leg of the goose before him; it was tender and juicy. He downed a mug of ale and helped himself from various plates to more bread and some cheese and mashed turnip. He finished his meal off with some apple slices. Vicki was daintily eating her dinner, sipping from the flask and he could sense her apprehension. When she finished, she fumbled with the dishes and he helped her carry them to the stream to wash. He thought he might try and fish for breakfast in the morning. When he mentioned this to her, she just nodded.

When they entered the hut, Ulfr watched as she slowly moved around the hut tidying things. He stripped and watched her. His cock was already half-hard. She looked at him. Her hands shook when she again took a deep long drink of the fermented beverage and he frowned. He wanted her relaxed, not drunk and passed out. Finally he rose when she sat at the table with her head bowed.

Ulfr took her hand. He wasn’t a cruel man, he knew that. He had taken frightened captives before and not harmed them the way his little Valkyrie looked—like she was wounded inside. He had taken Vicki’s virginity and she had allowed him to; he had felt her passion and her eagerness. He knew she had wanted him in the wild abandoned way he had taken her with playful force, but she hadn’t wanted the other men like that. They hadn’t been playing with her.

Ulfr understood some of her fear but not all of it. How could he? He was a massive warrior, he took women; women didn’t take him. He was slowly beginning to understand consensual sex and gentle force weren’t the same thing. Ulfr wanted her to want him the way she had, not remember the others. He then remembered what he had done when he had thought Valerie had been used cruelly after she had been stolen by renegades who had killed the women and children of their village. Ulfr had taken her at the springs, wanting to force the memories of any other man from her. Thankfully she hadn’t been harmed by the other men, but she had told him if he had been there she would have wanted him.

Ulfr went to Vicki and knelt before her. His hand cupped her face in a tender gesture. She looked at him with such longing. He could see her misery reflected within her moist eyes. She needed him to make things right, because she didn’t know how. Underneath her vulnerable exterior he knew she was strong. She just needed to be reminded of that. She needed to know what happened between them—herself and Ulfr—was her choice.

Ulfr filled with determination. Looking at her, at her fear, at her strength trying so hard to battle, he was overcome with emotion. He loved her; he felt he had loved her from the moment they met. The thought had been astounding. So long he had waited for the right woman and now he could see her slipping from his grasp. He couldn’t allow that to happen. It was his fault. The thought alone made him want to die. He had to help her overcome her tidal wave of indecision or she would never stop asking to go home. It killed him inside when she uttered those words. He was her home.

Ulfr guided Vicki to the furs. He took the flask and allowed her a few more swallows wanting her to be completely relaxed. The other men had forced her into submission; he wanted to lull her into wanting to give herself freely. She didn’t struggle as he removed her clothing. She was shaking but didn’t deny him. He could see her face was filled with a mask of confusion and yearning…and fear. His hands roamed her back and shoulders and she shivered. He leaned over and kissed her. The kiss lasted as their mouths tasted one another, with their tongues rolling together to dance. Vicki was panting when the kiss ended; he knew this part of their lovemaking didn’t cause her distress, but other ways he touched her did.

Ulfr cupped a perfect breast in his hand and squeezed gently. He laid her back and told her to close her eyes. She complied. He massaged and kneaded her breasts under his hands and she whimpered.

“Did they hurt you here?” he asked.

“Yes,” she whispered.

“I won’t. Never would I harm you,” he soothed. “I know you like a soft touch here. I will never squeeze painfully. I want you to feel pleasure, never pain, under my hands. Now look at me and watch my hands, little Valkyrie.”

Vicki opened her eyes and looked down as he rubbed at her gently. His hands looked so huge next to her pale delicate skin and he felt her tremble. His thumb stroked her nipple until it hardened beneath his touch. He trailed his fingers around her softness. He again told her to close her eyes and picture him doing this, only him. He said he wanted to give her enjoyment, not just take it. Her eyes closed. He strove harder than he ever had with any woman to be careful and pleasing. Soon her mouth opened to pant shallow breaths.

His nose nuzzled her fragile throat. She smelt like he thought Valhalla would, like ocean spray and sunshine. Large fingers trailed through her silky hair and he tugged at her long blond strip thinking it added so much to her character. It was amusing to think of hair defiance, the idea made him grin with delight. He rolled her onto her belly and she whimpered again and tensed. He rubbed at her back and shoulders, moving down to her legs and behind. She was still bruised from where Falkor had gripped her so brutally.

“They drew no blood but you were hurt,” he said, remembering Bera’s words. “They hurt you here and here too.” Delicately his fingers traced over her forehead and then heart.

“Yes,” she whimpered.

“You are my captive, little Valkyrie, not theirs. They never should have touched you.” He felt her shiver when he took her wrists in his hands and tied them. “I will not kill you; I will not hurt you. You are safe with me.”

Very carefully he slid his greased fingers into her behind and she quivered. She was panting, in fear or want he wasn’t certain and he strove harder to make himself less fearful to her.

“I won’t hurt you,” he crooned.

“Wolf,” she whimpered.

“You belong to me,” he said gruffly.

She nodded.

“I’m going to take you.”

She nodded again.

“If I frighten you, I promise I will stop. Trust me?”

“Yes.”

Ulfr wasn’t certain if he should, feeling at a loss, but he reenacted her attack. He gagged her and tied her ankles, only he made absolutely certain her bonds were loose. If she chose she could pull free. It was his intention to make her feel safe when she was helpless. When he lifted her, her eyes were wild. His one hand rubbed at her beautiful breast.

“It’s me, little Valkyrie, only me and you won’t be hurt.” He cuddled her to his chest and rocked her to and fro. He kissed the top of her head. He asked her again to trust him and she nodded. He carried her to the table and settled her before him on her belly. She was as vulnerable as the day it had happened. She whimpered but remained motionless. Very carefully he rubbed more grease into her behind and she began shaking. He knew Falkor had rammed the grease in and over her in his hurry and had not taken the time to prepare her.

She moaned and whimpered again. “I won’t hurt you,” he soothed in a gentle tone as the others should have done. “Don’t be afraid. You won’t be harmed or killed.”

Ulfr’s large arm wrapped around her to cushion her from hitting the hard table. The other men hadn’t and he had noted the bruises to her tender belly. The sight had infuriated him. He slowly slid into her behind. He didn’t thrust cruelly but rocked against her as carefully as he could. She was making gasping, muffled, fearful sounds, like the ones he had heard the day he found her in this position.

“Easy, little one. You are completely helpless and at my mercy. I have mercy,” he said.

He continued to rock against her. His one hand stroked tenderly against her back and behind. He kept up a constant talk of endearments. He reminded her of their first time at the springs. He told her he knew then she was the one for him. There would never be another more special in his heart. He groaned on his next words when he told her how amazing she felt beneath him. She was so perfect, so beautiful and finally he felt her begin to relax. His fingers felt under her coaxingly and he worked them up into her heat. She couldn’t move against him but he felt her tighten and relax and tighten and he grinned. Her panting gasps increased and he felt her wetness on his hand when she came. She whimpered again.

“It’s all right,” he soothed. “It’s fine to feel release. We both know you never wanted them; you were afraid and that’s what makes it different. Don’t be afraid.”

He removed his fingers from inside her and both hands held her hips tightly higher, and away from her bruising. “I’m going to take you now, little Valkyrie. I won’t be vicious but rough and a bit brutal. Are you ready for me?” he asked.

She shuddered again but gave a quick nod. Her eyes squeezed shut.

Ulfr removed his cock and thrust it back in until he was buried deep within her behind. She screamed, and her head lifted from the table. He waited until she settled back down. He removed himself and thrust again. Again she screamed and her head lifted. The third time he thrust she moaned and stayed still beneath him, her cheek resting on the wood. He bucked and rocked into her, his large hands holding her in place with gentle force. He wanted her to remember only him thrusting within her. He wasn’t certain if that was possible but he wanted her to at least understand he wasn’t those men. He would have stopped if she had but shaken her head no, they hadn’t even when she had begged pitifully.

Before long the moans and whimpers she made weren’t like the sounds he had heard coming from her before. They were sighs and acceptance. He was as rough as he dared to be. She remained submissive beneath him. It felt so good to thrust himself within her, but he slowed eventually. There was something else he needed to do the men hadn’t.

Ulfr pulled out and wiped his cock on a wet dripping cloth held in a bowl on the table. “You are mine, little Valkyrie. The other men would never be allowed to do this unless you belonged to them.”

He untied her ankles and spread her legs wide for him. His large arm once more cushioned her vulnerable tender flesh. He thrust his cock into her vaginal heat. She moaned and closed around him. He began very gently. So far she had trusted him; he wanted the trust to continue.

“You are safe with me,” he crooned. “I will never leave you unprotected again.”

He heard her responding whimper. He felt her clench him and release as he rocked within her. Lovingly his hand rose to lift a lock of her hair that had fallen across her eyes. He could feel his tremors build as he maintained his control.

“Let me have you, little Valkyrie,” he said, his voice soft, coaxing.

Ever so slightly her chin rose and fell in acceptance, it was enough. His pace increased. Her velvety texture was so enticing when he removed himself he couldn’t wait to be buried inside her again. Tiny sounds emerged from her throat driving him wild with the desire he felt for her. He roared when he came and continued to thrust until he felt her juices flow over him. He slumped onto her back for a few moments as he caught his breath. He could see Vicki’s face. Her eyes were closed but not tightly squeezed shut. She wasn’t sobbing, just breathing hard. He removed her gag and slowly rose over her. He untied her hands and turned her in his arms.

“Will I be your captive forever?” she whispered.

“Only until you agree to be my wife,” he replied and stroked her hair.

“If I agree will you have to stop taking me like that?” she asked a bit shyly.

“I will only stop when you become too pregnant for me to put my arms around your waist to cushion a babe safely,” he replied and grinned in delight when she offered a tentative smile back at him.