(Normal pov)

Katerina took Nuffink to a cavern of hot springs that was close to the palace, it was five minutes walking distance, and when the young royals arrived, they resumed kissing each other. For Katerina, her heart threatened to burst out of her chest, Nuffink was not only a man who listened to her when she was speaking to him earlier and the days since he's been in Kyiv, but he was also a man who was treating her like a delicate jewel. She then began to unclip Nuffink's fur cloak around his broad shoulders, next she got to work on unfastening his leather armor, which Nuffink was more than happy to help her with, he then removed his crimson tunic and exposed his lithe, lean, yet toned body; muscles popping out without Nuffink even flexing them. Katerina ran her fingertips along his torso, her delicate touch caused the young Viking heir to sigh pleasantly.

"May remove your clothing as well?" He inquired in a respectful tone.

The fact that he asked made Katerina's heart beat a little faster, Igor never asked her permission for anything when they were in bed. She already knew that Nuffink was twice the man Igor ever will be.

"Y-Yes," Katerina finally said, answering his question, "you may remove my clothing."

Nodding, Nuffink too unclipped the fur cloak draped around Katerina's shoulders and set down on the warm ground beneath them, he then gently undid her dress and slid it down her body. While watching him remove her dress and slippers, Katerina removed her breast bindings and undergarments, revealing her nudity to Nuffink. He then shucked off his boots and unfastened the laces keeping his pants up, once he pulled them down, he too revealed his naked body to the Rus' princess. Each of the royals admired what they saw, they took the time to just caress naked flesh between them; tracing toned muscles, dragging fingertips along sensitive skin, and pressing their sexes against each other.

Having enough foreplay, Nuffink used his thick fur cloak as a buffer for Katerina to lay on, once she got the idea, she laid down on the furs and waited for Nuffink to join her. Once Nuffink had knelt over her, he began holding himself up with one hand while exploring her body with the other, and she did the same. She tangled her fingers into his shaggy blond hair and relished the pressure he added against her.

He stroked her outer thigh and gradually worked his way between her legs. He pressed himself against the inside of her thigh and the hardness of his cock sent shivers along her skin where he touched her. She caressed his shoulders. He was poised above her, surely ready by now, she could feel his readiness.

"What are you waiting for?" Katerina inquired.

"Hmm?" Nuffink mouthed, "Do you need something?"

Katerina moaned when she felt his hand slide across her hip bone and down between her legs, fingering her opening and sliding a finger inside, reaching as far in as he could. Involuntary spasms sprang along her back and she thrust her hips into his hand. He withdrew his hand and repositioned himself over her and without warning he thrust himself inside her.

She gasped with the sharp pain of disuse.

"Are you okay?" Nuffink asked with concern.

"I am," Katerina breathed out, "It's just... it's been a while,"

"I'm sorry,"

"Don't be, please... keep going,"

He obliged her request and within a few strokes, the pain was gone. Katerina was reunited with the familiar feeling of fullness, of emotional overwhelming, of physical pleasure, that brought about the treacherous satisfaction. She worked with him, supplementing his rhythm with her own, hips to hips. She wrapped her legs around his waist, pulling him closer with each of his thrusts.

Nuffink groaned out loudly. "Odin's breath..."

"...h-harder,"

He paused before thrusting back inside her with force. It knocked a gasp from her throat and sent her nails digging into the skin of his back.

"How's that?" Nuffink asked in a teasing tone.

"Again," she commanded, "...ah!"

Nuffink then pulled out of her and during the momentarily lapse Katerina looked up at him with a glare in her eye. "W-Why did you stop?" Though on the inside, the Rus' princess hoped Nuffink wouldn't leave her alone here.

"Get up," Nuffink said, standing on his knees, "c'mon."

"What?" Katerina was confused. What was he up to?

"I'm showing you something," Nuffink said, a wicked grin on his face, "come on, get up. Turn around, yeah, like that. Now, get on your knees."

She followed his instructions. She was kneeling on her hands and knees with her palms flat on his fur cloak. Her hair fell around her face and her vision was obscured. Nuffink then positioned himself behind her and held onto her curvy hips. He used his legs to part her thighs and then murmured against her ear.

"Get lower,"

Katerina found this angle to be utterly ridiculous and quite frankly, a little demeaning. She wasn't some filthy farm animal. She was about to voice these thoughts to her lover when he thrust into her, hard, sending her to the ground. She managed to protect herself from hitting the ground with her elbows. He pulled her hips toward him and thrust his into hers, the combined action enticed more than a moan, it was a gasp, a cry of unexpected sensation.

"Oh, gods," Katerina cried toward the floor, "it's... so deep!"

"Do you want to switch back?" Nuffink inquired, the husky tone in his voice sent shivers of arousal down her spine.

"N-No," she said, unable to ignore the pleading in her own voice, "please N-Nuffink... continue."

And continued he did, with every thrust she could feel the sensation intensifying, sending shockwaves through her back and down her legs. She gasped, feeling the steadiness of her limbs decreasing, but was desperate to not stop. She never wanted this to stop. But she could feel that her peak was coming closer, a fire sparking between her legs, spreading upwards into her abdomen and down her legs.

"O-Oh... don't stop!"

He thrust into her harder and pushed out a cry. He increased his speed and gasped between his own pleasure and exhaustion. He grunted against her back, rolling his tongue along with a growl, pushing her far closer than she thought possible. She couldn't take it anymore and she knew she would blackout or collapse when her climax erupted, sending a white-hot wave of pleasure surging through her muscles and veins.

She cried out, relieved and exhausted, but altogether saddened that it was over. Nuffink's grip on her hips was firm. He was sure to leave bruises but she didn't mind, not today anyway. He grunted against her, keeping his quick pace, and at last, he gasped to her back. His thrusting paused and slowed and he pulled out with a shuttering inhale, spilling rope after rope of his seed on her back, the sensation of his seed on her back caused Katerina to moan and savor the feeling of him marking her with his release. After spilling every drop on her back, he then collapsed to the ground and she crashed beside him.

"Th-That was... incredible," Katerina murmured out dreamily, she then turned to Nuffink and caressed his cheek, "you are amazing Nuffink."

"I am to please," he said with a smile, "I just wish we had done that sooner." She hummed in agreement and the two of them simply basked in the afterglow of their youthful indulgence. "Right, you up for a second round?" Nuffink asked after five minutes of comfortable silence. Katerina looked into Nuffink's hopeful eyes and laughed.

"With that?"

She motioned to his now flaccid cock. Nuffink followed her gaze and merely shrugged. "Eh, it'll return to its full mast soon," he then gave her a predatory grin that sent shivers of arousal and anticipation down Katerina's spine, "come here." He murmured out to her.

Nuffink leaned over and kissed her. He left a trail of hot kisses down her cheek and across her neck, lingering on her pulse, biting it softly. A hand wandered over her chest and grasped onto a breast, messaging it between his fingers, rubbing along the hardened nipple with his thumb.

Katerina moaned into his touch and arched her back. He took the invite and kissed his way down to the other breast and latched onto the center, using his tongue instead of his thumb, gently pulling the pebbled bud with his teeth. The dual stimulation sent shockwaves through her stomach and down her legs, settling between them in a low simmer, and burnt through her sensitive flesh. She dug her nails into the muscles on his arms.

His hand left her breast with a squeeze and traveled south to her sopping folds. He slid his fingers through the wetness, sliding one inside her, and moved it about. Katerina gasped as his thumb brushed against that spot. She dug her nails deeper into his skin and didn't care that she would leave marks. He could find an excuse.

Nuffink kissed his way down from her breast to join his hand. He lifted her legs to his shoulders and placed a hot kiss directly where his thumb had been. He added a finger inside her and she grasped at the cloak underneath her. He pulled her folds into his mouth, licking and biting and doing whatever else, the pleasure caused Katerina to arch her back and he was forced to hold her down by the hips.

His fingers were moving about, in and out, and all around while his mouth was working its magic on the Rus' princess. She felt another climax drawing closer and closer, burning through her skin until she exploded and left her gasping for air. He withdrew his fingers and his mouth and positioned himself back over her with a coy smirk.

"I told you it'd come back," Nuffink smirked while gesturing to his now fully erect cock. He then leaned down and thrust himself back inside of her slick folds.

Katerina, possessed by a notion she didn't understand, pushed herself up onto her elbows, and kissed him. She wanted to know what it tasted like. Nuffink returned it, assaulting her tongue with his. She pushed on his shoulder. Without breaking lip contact, Nuffink yielded and lied on his back while Katerina mounted and began riding him. His hands wandered over her hips and thighs as she worked him, feeling her own end returning, yet again.

The fire burst again but she wouldn't stop until she'd had him. His ragged moans intensified and at last, they both exploded. He tapped her legs and she removed herself before he could spill inside of her. That was something that neither of them needed. Katerina collapsed back onto the cloak beside him. Covered in sweat, both Nuffink, and Katerina savored the intimacy they just shared and embraced each other while regaining their breath. Placing a kiss on her sweaty forehead, Nuffink smiled when Katerina sighed happily. "I have something for you," he murmured against her head, he then reached for his discarded pants and pulled out a necklace that was made out of Night Fury scales and a small piece of ruby connected to the dragon scales, "I made it some time ago, reserving it for the woman I want the most in Midgard, and that's you, Katerina."

Sitting up, both the lovers looked into each other's eyes and smiled warmly. Nuffink then put the necklace on Katerina's neck, once it was on, the Rus' princess adored how it looked, she looked into her lover's eyes and smiled at him. "It's beautiful," her smile then dropped, "but I can't wear it. Igor would kill us both if he knew what we've done here." Nuffink's jaw clenched at the mentioning of Igor, he then placed his hands on her shoulders and spoke firmly. "Don't be afraid of him!" Katerina shook her head and reassured him. "I'm not afraid of dying," she then looked into Nuffink's eyes with tears now pooling in her own green eyes, "I'm afraid of tomorrow; I'm afraid of watching you sail away and never seeing you again." She let out a whimper while closing her eyes as the tears she fought to contain finally spilled down her cheeks. "All my life, I've been nothing but a tool to secure a place besides Kievan royalty. I've had no voice to speak my own desires to my family or my vile husband. But what we just shared? I... I felt free, for the first time in my life, I felt free to live a life where I won't be miserable."

"You don't need to be afraid of tomorrow," Nuffink reassured his lover, "come with me!" Katerina looked into his eyes and could see that he was dead serious, but she scoffed at his words. "Please don't play games with me Nuffink," she shook her head as more tears streamed down her cheeks, "don't play games."

"If you come with me, we'll never be safe," he said, "the Rus' will hunt us, my father may banish me for breaking the peace between our two peoples, and the gods may curse us. But I will love and cherish you!" Katerina looked into Nuffink's eyes with a small gasp, she knew when men were lying to her, and there was no deception in Nuffink's voice as he spoke his heart to her. "Til the day my body burns on a ship that will sail to Valhalla, I will love and cherish you!" He then gently wiped away the tears streaming down her eyes, Katerina cherished his touch and believed every word he said. She may be married to Igor, but Nuffink Haddock was the man she had desired her entire life.

"I will come with you," Katerina then murmured, "I will come because I love you." Despite only knowing each other for a month, the Rus's princess knew she was fated to spend the rest of her mortal life with Nuffink. The two lovers embraced each other and spent more time making love and cherishing this moment they'd have before all hell would break loose.

(Sometime later)

Back within the palace, many of the Kievan people who were feasting were drunk or sleeping off the food they had devoured. Prince Halvor who was sober knew that they needed to sail home for Norway early if they wanted to beat the storms the sea often promised to bring. Ensuring his crew weren't drunk, Halvor commanded his men to gather their belongings and prepare to set sail, the eldest son approached one of his bodyguards. "Sigurd," turning to the eldest heir, Sigurd gave the Viking prince his full attention, "make the proper offerings to Njǫrd before we set sail. We've lost enough of our brothers and sisters during the five-year campaign against the Rus', we don't need to increase the number of fallen out at sea."

"I will ensure we have enough wealth and fertility to please Njǫrd," Sigurd said with a bow of his head, "which shouldn't be a problem," Halvor smirked and patted his bodyguard's shoulder, the eldest heir then laid eyes on Nuffink who tried slipping away towards his guest room. "Nuffink!" He said in a firm tone, causing the younger heir to stop in his tracks and turn to his approaching older brother. "You should get some rest," Halvor advised, "we won't be on land for many days."

"I have no trouble sleeping on the sea brother," Nuffink said reassuringly, "Freyja will sing lullabies to me." Halvor narrowed his eyes at Nuffink and inquired. "And who sang lullabies to you this evening, brother?"

"Tonight? Tonight was a merchant's wife," he then added with a smile, "quite a lovely creature she was." Nodding in acknowledgment, Halvor then spoke. "I do hope this merchant didn't catch you," Nuffink snickered and shook his head. "He was more worried about his stock," as Nuffink was making his way back to his guest room, Halvor grabbed him by the shoulder and turned him back around to look him in the eyes. "You do know why we're in Kyiv, yes?"

"Of course," Nuffink said, "we're here to make peace with Boleslav and his people."

"Yes, and you understand that Boleslav is the Grand King of Rus' and that he's a very powerful man," he then continued, "and that his son, Prince Igor and his warlords command all the Rus' armies—"

"What does this have to do with the merchant's wife?" Nuffink inquired, Halvor then grabbed Nuffink's cheeks with an iron-like grip, causing the younger brother to gasp in both surprise and pain.

"Nuffink, you're my brother, and I love you," he then hissed out, "but if you do anything to endanger Norway and our father's empire, I will rip your pretty face off your skull!" Halvor's grasp softened until he caressed his brother's cheek, he then murmured out. "Now get some sleep, we sail in the morning." With that said, Halvor removed his hand from Nuffink's face and made his way back to his own guest room. Placing his hand on his cheek, Nuffink sighed heavily and murmured an apology to his older brother's back.

"Forgive me, brother," he then continued, "but I've already endangered our home and our father's empire."

A/N: Hope you guys are enjoying the story so far, be sure to leave some feedback and I'll catch you in the next update!