(Y/n) made her way to the dock; taking a seat and looking out over the fjord that was lit by the full moon. She had always found the night comfortable. It put her at ease when she and Ivar had had one of their usual confrontations. Confrontations..........they were definitely that. Ivar had been annoying her for as long as she could remember; their simple spats becoming much more, as they had grown. The two nearly killing one another on more than one occasion; and if it hadn't been for the intervention of Ubbe and Hvitserk, at least one of them might have passed into the next world, long before their time. Yet despite this; despite all the teasing and how he would call her names. Despite the arguments and near physical fights, (Y/n) still felt this strange sense of loyalty to the youngest son of Ragnar. She still felt the need to be there for him, to protect him; to defend him against all that tried to undermine him. Not that she could understand why; the shield maiden sure that this loyalty would be better served if it were focused on the likes of Ubbe or Hvitserk. She and Aslaug's older sons, always having been friends. But no, she had to be drawn to that smug, arrogant, selfish, sarcastic and dangerous young man.

Suddenly she heard something; her head slowly turning as looked further down the dock. Her hand slowly reaching for the dagger in her belt, as she saw a pair of glowing eyes. A pair of eyes that belonged to a wolf; a black wolf, one larger than any she had seen before. The beast slowly inching its way towards her. Its giant paws lifting, one after the other, before being carefully placed back on the boards beneath it. (Y/n) knew that she should run; that perhaps she should dive into the cold, black water of the fjord in front of her. Yet she felt no fear; her hand falling away from her weapon, as the black creature stopped, not far from where she sat. The two just staring at one another for a moment.

"You are beautiful................" (Y/n) finally said, as she and the beast continued to stare. The shield maiden slowly reaching out her hand. A smile spreading across her features, as the wolf sniffed at it, before resting its nose underneath her palm.

"Are you here alone? Where is the rest of your pack..............?" (Y/n) continued, as the wolf moved closer; allowing her hand to move up over its head and behind its ear.

"Maybe you are like me..........maybe you don't have one. My parents left this world some time ago, and now I have no one........well, maybe Ubbe and Hvitserk..........and Sigurd when he isn't being cruel to Ivar..........and then Ivar, when he isn't being his usual annoying self, which isn't very often. I think you might like Ivar, his heart is as black as you are............." The shield maiden chuckled, as she scratched the wolf behind the ear. The creature seeming to give her a strange look, at the comment.

"Alright. Maybe he isn't that bad, on the odd occasion he isn't being a smug arse; thinking that he knows better than everyone else..........." (Y/n) continued, her shoulders dropping as the wolf gave her another look.

"Fine.............I might, sort of like him........a little. It is true what I said, he is a smug, annoying child. But I have sometimes thought that all his worst traits are because, underneath all of it, he is actually sad, scared. He had been teased, looked down on, underestimated and undermined all his life for the fact that his legs don't work. And perhaps it wouldn't be as bad, if he were also a fool, if he didn't understand; but he is not. He is too smart for his own good, and I think that he takes everything to heart, and that is why he is so angry. He is angry at the world, at the gods, at himself. Yet he doesn't see that despite his limited movement, he is as much a Viking as any other. Even Ragnar himself...............I believe that he thinks that he is not loved, though he is so very wrong; and it has got to a point where he supposes that if no one can love him, then they can fear him, instead................." She added. Suddenly realising that she felt more for the dark prince, than she had previously thought. The shield maiden looking down, as she felt a weight on her lap. The huge wolf having rested his head there.

"I like you too, boy. You know, if you don't have a pack, maybe you and I could be one. My mother always used to call me her little wolf. And I was born during the Wolf Moon; the wolves said to howl the whole night when I was born. Maybe you and I were meant to meet. Maybe you could help me knock some sense into that brain of Ivar's. We can show him that being a lone wolf isn't something that he has to be. After all, wolves work better when they are together. They love and support one another; and I think that deep down, that is what Ivar needs." The shield maiden said, as she got to her feet, giving the wolf a smile, as the black creature looked at her.

"Well, come on then. Dealing with Ivar is a job for tomorrow. For now, I will show you your new home; and perhaps we can think of a name for you too............" (Y/n) chuckled, before turning and making her way back towards town. Her new friend, right at her heels.