The hunting game [Thora]

It was true that the ale thrumming through her veins made her restless but still she wasn't scared to fight Ubbe. Thora had fought while drinking before--it was something they did where she came from, when all the farmers and their children gathered together to drink after the harvest. She had grown up tussling on the floor with boys far bigger than her, long before she'd received any sort of training to fight. Fists and tricks, defeat, that was how Uddevallan children learned to fight first. They learned to hate losing, to hate the shame and enjoy the pain of a connecting fist. Then came the knowledge that the only unfair fight was the one you didn't win. Thora was not above using her wits in a fight, that was what had kept her alive to this point. That and the certainty that even if she lost, as long as she fought with all her heart, Valhalla was open to her. She could greet the Valkyrie that came to carry her home as an old friend. Thora was a deeply spiritual person, had loved thunder more than any other weather has a child, and so she did not fear her death--only the shame of a defeat that wouldn't earn her a place among Odin's chosen.

She watched him watching her as she tossed the dagger, her green eyes flicking between his face and the glinting knife spinning through the air. She shot him a small smile before setting the dagger on the stump again, shrugging. "Fine then, don't take it. But if you change your mind I have others like it." She did not feel like trying to convince him anymore. Maybe someday when they'd had a little less ale she could convince him to carry a hidden weapon. Until then, she hoped either that he would always be armed and expecting treachery, or that she would be close enough to help him if he needed her. Although Thora tended to trust easily, there was a certain wariness she possessed; the one always on guard for a trap. Ubbe she trusted. Other men? Not so much, and foreign kings even less. But it was not her place to make suggestions, only to be a strong sword he could call upon in his time of need, and that was something she could do.

She smirked, slightly mocking, as he brought his head closer to her, asking if he owned the shieldmaiden in her. She moved her head even closer to his, lightly pressing the tips of their noses together before she drew back a little to shake her head, chuckling. "There is no owning a free woman. What I'm saying is you have my loyalty. I will follow you to Valhalla itself because I want to." He laughed when she challenged him and the sound warmed her, turned the corners of her lips up in an answering smile. She knew it was a bit of a ridiculous challenge, that the ale would affect her more than him, but she was too restless to sit still anymore. Too curious about what he could do to wait until tomorrow to challenge him.

Thora grinned as he caught the dagger easily in midair, taunting her, and she couldn't resist teasing him in turn. "Of course I'm sure, I don't want to humiliate you in front of your brothers." The look in her green eyes showed she was joking, showed the eagerness in her, the anticipation of a little fight just for fun. She brought the cup to her lips to finish her ale, and nearly choked on it as he reached around her to slip the dagger into its hiding spot. His fingers were warm as he pulled back from her, that confident grin on his face as he stood. If his intention was to make her feel unbalanced before their fight, it half-succeeded before she mentally scolded herself into focusing. If he wanted to play that game, two could. She reached up beneath the front of her tunic, her arms pulling the edges of it up slightly, to unbuckle the belt that held the dagger and toss it toward the stump they'd just left. "No weapons. Fists and tricks."

She gave him a wild smile, refusing to give in to his taunting again. Thora moved toward him, deliberate and calculating. She aimed three swift punches at his ribs--a quick right left right series of jabs before dancing back on light feet. She was curious, testing him, not seriously fighting yet. Already she felt better, steadier, on her feet and moving.

She tilted her head when he asked how many weapons she brought, raising her eyebrows. "A sword, two axes, three daggers, and a shield." She shrugged. "The sword belonged to my father, and each of my siblings gave me a dagger before I left. The axes and the shield are the only ones I bought for myself." Her weapons were sentimental, allowing her to carry reminders of her family wherever she may end up. No matter if she was in Uddevalla or sailing for a raid, no matter if she fought for the king of Uddevalla or the prince of Kattegat, her weapons reminded her of who she was and where she came from. They were part of her. The sword was perhaps a little too long for her, but she liked to believe the wielding of it made her stronger, because she'd worked hard to be worthy of it. The axes, though, were comfortable in her hands, made just for her. She would never admit that she preferred them to her father's beloved sword.

Ubbe's reaction to her pledge of loyalty took her by surprise; she hadn't meant to make him uncertain of himself. All she could do was shake her head, the beads braided into her blond hair tinkling faintly. "Not because you are a son of Ragnar. Because you are my friend." She sighed, looking at him as he looked away. "How can I follow a man who doesn't even like me, Ubbe?" The question is blunt, she isn't challenging him--for once--and anyway she doesn't expect an answer. Thora hadn't meant for the conversation to take such a serious turn. She knew what was expected of her as a shieldmaiden. She was prepared to die if it was asked of her, but that didn't mean she expected the Valkyries to greet her quite yet. Finally he turned to look at her again and she cracks a smile at his statement, leaning in a little closer to him. She's back to teasing him, trying to lighten the mood and bring it back to their earlier easy banter. "Don't worry Ubbe, I have no intention of dying soon--for you or anyone else." She didn't add that she was a free woman and could die for whomever she chose. There was no need to bring the conversation back to serious.

Her mind was already on their fight, her body buzzing with anticipation. She threw her head back laughing when he said he would be collecting his prize again. She almost pointed out that he hadn't even really collected a prize for guessing where her dagger was, but she found a better response instead. "So you think. When I win, what is my prize?" She raised her eyebrows, challenging him with those laughing green eyes of hers. She rolled her eyes when he winked and shoved the dagger back into its sheath, his fingers warm on her waist, and knew her face was probably all too easy to read. The unbalanced way his touch made her feel. She blamed the ale and quickly pushed all that away, itching for a fight.

He dodged her first punches but she'd expected that. They'd been quick, sure, but not her fastest, and certainly not her most powerful. His shin made light contact with her forearm as she danced back, but it wasn't enough to hurt for more than a few moments. It shocked her more than anything, it was rare a man would think to kick like that. He was leaner than most men from Uddevalla, so he would probably be faster, certainly more flexible. Her speed wouldn't be as much of an advantage against him, but she did have a few years of experience more than he did. She smirked as he taunted her. "Keep in mind, you asked for this." Her voice was light and playful, her green eyes raked him over quickly, assessing.

Decision made, she moved toward him again, a little faster than before. First came her right fist, aiming at his chin, but instead of connecting she pulled it back at the last second. She twisted her body, tucking her head in toward her chest, aiming to drive her left shoulder hard into his ribs. A fraction of a second later she made to hook her right leg behind his calves and sweep his legs out from beneath him. She knew there was a good chance her legs would get tangled up in his and they would both fall, but she was prepared to fight him on the ground too. She would land on top of him, unless he managed to twist them in midair. All those thoughts ran through her head in the instant she struck. All she could do now was see how he reacted.

"They didn't stop you, when you left?" Thora snorted a little at the question, thinking back to the day she'd left home. Her sister Jorunn crying, her brothers stoic, arms crossed over their chests as they watched her. They kept expecting her to say she wasn't going, that she changed her mind, but of course she didn't. She left just like she told them she would, and she knew that although they hated her being so far away, maybe she needed a fresh start. "They understand why I left, even if they didn't like it." Her tone is almost too casual at this, and her green eyes are a little dangerous as they meet his gaze. There's no mistaking that she doesn't really want to talk about it, doesn't want to remember the events that led to her leaving, not now anyway. Today is a day for fun, for enjoying herself in the forest in Ubbe's company. She trusts he'll take the hint and not ask. Maybe it's a conversation she'll have with him some other time, but right now she's too restless. All she wants is to fight him.

The tension in her eases a little as he tells her not to worry about Bjorn, that Ubbe himself likes her a lot--presumably enough to keep her around long enough to fight alongside him. She laughs as he knocks his shoulder into her, and she pushes back against him playfully. "Then I guess I won't worry about Bjorn anymore, since you like me so much." She sticks her tongue out as he winks, then watches as he finishes his ale."Well I'm not ready for you to die either, so don't go getting any big ideas about the glory that waits in Valhalla." She grins, gently bumping her shoulder against him again, wiggling her eyebrows suggestively. "I'm better company than the Valkyries, anyway." This conversation is just a little too serious for her right now, and so she's glad when Ubbe gets to his feet for their fight.

If their little brawl can even really be called a fight, that is. She knows it's more playful than a serious fight, and she doesn't care about the outcome so much as the fact that she's moving again. She's just happy to be brawling, just happy to be laughing as her and Ubbe taunt each other. He's fighting defensively, letting her do most of the moving and she's glad for that. Thora is seldom still, moving suits her. She tilts her head as if she's thinking hard when he tells her to pick a prize if she wins. Her bright green eyes are twinkling with mischief, and she shrugs. "When I win, all you have to do is admit that I'm stronger than you." She grins at him, teasing, as he easily dodges her first few punches.

Then came her next onslaught, and she was surprised that he dodged back from her first fake-out punch rather than trying to block it. Not that it matters so much, because she doesn't intend for the punch to connect. Her shoulder slams into his ribs and her foot hooks behind his calves. She scrambles in midair as they fall, ensuring that she'll land on top of him, but her scrambling allows him to grab both of her wrists in one of his hands, and she only laughs as he asks what she's going to do now. Thora usually hates having her wrists grabbed, but she trusts that Ubbe isn't going to use his grip on her arms to hurt her. If he'd intended to really use her bound hands to his advantage, he would have done something rather than taunting her. She shifts on his chest, dipping her head down to his and nipping his bottom lip, a little rougher than strictly necessary. She's hoping to surprise him into releasing her hands, but knows he may be expecting something like this. "I didn't warn you? I bite when I can't use my hands." She grins down at him as she pulls back, tugging her wrists pointedly.

Thora throws her head back laughing when he tells her she'll need to fight his brothers too, if she beats him. "Then I look forward to fighting your brothers." She enjoys taunting Ubbe, but even more than that she likes that he taunts her back. Their banter is playful and easy, it makes her more relaxed than she's felt in ages. Or maybe that's the ale, but she isn't going to worry about that just yet, that's a problem for tomorrow--for when she may have just talked herself into having to fight Ubbe's brothers. She'll deal with that if it happens. She's just tipsy enough to not care about anything but this moment. She wasn't one to waste time, and so after her first few test punches, she's quick to get him on the ground. She'd hoped to knock the breath out of him with the impact, or to land on him in such a way that a quick blow to the ribs will knock the breath from him and she can claim that as victory. She realizes they haven't really discussed what the requirements for victory are, so she's just going for something to make it clear she's beaten him. Not necessarily first blood, something a little less extreme. Her plan was to either knock the breath from him or immobilize him.

She should have realized that wouldn't work, that her best chance was to keep this a fist fight, because Ubbe's got quite a bit of weight on her. Her plan is out the window as soon as he grabs her wrists, and so that's why she leans down for a quick, rough nip on his bottom lip. She knows he isn't so young, so inexperienced that he wasn't expecting a trick like that, but she's hoping the ale will make him a little more easy to distract. He groans, and she watches his tongue dart out to trace his lip. For a moment she thinks she's distracted him enough but then he asks her why women are always so quick to seduce. She's about to open her mouth and answer when he tosses her easily onto her back. He's quick to pin her, his hands immediately grabbing her wrists and pinning them above her head. She's already shifting her legs beneath him, working them into the proper angle she needs. She's planning to use her legs to generate enough leverage to flip him over her head, but first she grins lazily up at him. "Probably for the same reason men are always so quick to grab women's wrists. It plays off the weakness of your opponent."


Ubbe speaks again, telling her it's the shame this is the end of their fight already, and she has to agree with that. The ale made her sloppy, made her play right into Ubbe's strengths, and she's glad there's no one around to see how foolishly she fought. Granted, it was more for entertainment than anything else. His face is hovering just over hers, his nose just a breath away from touching hers. He's looking at her and her lips curve into a smile, she's just about to use her legs to flip them again when suddenly he's on his feet. She laughs as she jumps up, beckoning him forward with her fingers. "Well then how about we see what you can do besides just grabbing my wrists? I promise not to bite you this time." She clicks her teeth together with a wink, waiting to see what he'll do next.

She laughs when Ubbe tells her he's looking forward to seeing her fight his brothers. "So you're admitting that you know I'm going to beat you?" She raises her eyebrows, grinning as she taunts him. She doesn't know much about his brothers, besides Bjorn hating her, but she knows those will be different kinds of fights. Those will be serious ones, no ale involved, no easy banter. It'll be a training fight, so there won't be serious injuries, but it'll still be serious. She'll probably be sore afterward. She wonders if she'll have to fight them one by one or all at once, and finds that either way, she doesn't care. She knows she can probably defeat the younger ones, if she fights smart. She's going to lose to Bjorn, it's almost inevitable, but still in a strange way she looks forward to it. Maybe this will be a way to prove herself, to show that she's done nothing to earn his hatred, and that he should give her a chance. Time will tell.

When she's underneath Ubbe--stupid, she fought so carelessly sometimes when she was drunk--she laughs again as he speaks. Weakness? Maybe I just love to have women pinned down underneath me. And that wink he gave her, that was hardly fair, not when she was pressed beneath him, his face mere inches from hers, and the ale was singing in her blood. She moves her head up a fraction and touches her nose to his, keeping their noses together as she speaks. It was a little uncomfortable to have her shoulders raised off the ground when he had her hands pinned above her head, but she doesn't show it. "That's a weakness if it distracts you when it shouldn't. Does having me pinned beneath you make you feel weak, Ubbe?" She widens her eyes, questioning, trying to keep herself from grinning. She's still working her legs into the position she needs to flip him over when suddenly he's leaping to his feet.

She's quick to follow, immediately gesturing to him to approach. He says it's his pleasure to come, to fight her again, and she can't help but smile. He starts coming toward her, and Thora loves the way he moves. He's confident, graceful, like a wolf who knows he's about to make the kill. She can see that maybe he hasn't been on raids, maybe he's untested, but she knows he's going to be good, a fierce warrior, respected and feared, and all she wants is to fight beside him. His hand is coming toward the right side of her face and she ducks beneath it, sending a fast, hard jab toward his stomach. It'll be hard enough to surprise him if it connects, giving her a chance to land another blow and knock the wind from him. She feels his fist graze the side of her face. She'd ducked, but not quote low enough. She put the shock of that, the anger at herself for fighting foolishly, into the fist flying toward Ubbe's stomach.