Quidell

Thors head turned slightly toward us, then he said to me, “Thank you for the warning. I wouldn't have taken a step back if it wasn't for your scrutiny.”

Grinning beneath my mask, I refrained from speaking and instead offered a thumbs-up, hoping he interpreted the gesture.

However, Askeladd's gaze speared onto my position, and in a moment of impulse, I acted, instantly regretting what I did next.

I flipped him off.

Once more, his gaze narrowed, prompting me to quickly retract my hand to my side. He likely didn't grasp the meaning behind the gesture. Hopefully…

I probably shouldn't piss off the leader of a very large pirate raiding party.

“Ahoy there, mighty Jomsviking warrior!” I chirped, as I abruptly walked up to one of the patrolling Jomsvikings, undeterred by the frosty reception. His abrupt halt and glacial glare when he spun around suddenly might have sent lesser souls fleeing for safer pastures, but I, ever the intrepid soul, saw it as an invitation. A challenge, if you will, to penetrate the icy veneer and coax forth a glimmer of mirth from beneath that fearsome façade.

Some might deem this a flirtation with death…

In the face of his stoic silence and a glare sharp enough to cut steel, I pressed on undeterred. "Care for a taste of my lamb jerky?" I proffered, unveiling the savory delight from its cloth cocoon I had nestled in my hands and offering it up to this fearsome figure. "I assure you, it's guaranteed to tickle your taste buds!”

As he leaned in, his icy gaze locking onto mine with unwavering intensity, the grip on his axes tightening ever so slightly, I braced myself for whatever retort he had in store. Or if he was just going to swing the axes and get it over with because I dared even to speak with him. But then, an unexpected twist: his nose twitched, his attention momentarily diverted to the tantalizing offering before him. After a prolonged scrutiny of my jerky, he issued a chilling warning, “If it's poisoned girl, you'll regret it.”

I couldn't help but interject, “I'm not a girl.”

His response was as frigid as a winter's night, "Pity." With a sardonic smirk, he finally succumbed to curiosity, snatching a piece of jerky and sinking his teeth into it with a calculated nonchalance.

In that fleeting moment, a miracle unfolded before my eyes. His stoic countenance softened ever so imperceptibly, a flicker of life dancing within his gaze. With each deliberate chew, it was as if the world paused to witness the alchemy of flavors dancing upon his palate.

It was a sight to behold.

(Note: oc IS a girl)

“Um, Miss, is there something wrong?” asked one of the villagers, eyeing his empty bowl while my ladle full of stew hovered in limbo over his bowl. Ignoring the query, I was entranced by the spectacle unfolding before me: Ari's face transformed into a kaleidoscope of delight, joy, and sheer wonder, his cheeks flushed with excitement and eyes glistening with tears of culinary revelation.

"It's a flavor explosion!" Ari exclaimed, diving headfirst into his meal with the enthusiasm of a kid in a candy store. My heart swelled with pride as I witnessed his unabashed delight.

With Ari leading the charge, his comrades marched in lockstep, each succumbing to the rapturous ecstasy of flavor. Heads tilted skyward, they reveled in the gastronomic symphony unfolding upon their palates, each bite a revelation akin to discovering the Holy Grail of cuisine. It was as if they had stumbled upon the elixir of life itself, leaving them with a newfound zeal for the culinary arts and a lifetime of tales to regale future generations.

Or so I liked to imagine as they gushed over my dish with fervor that made me happier than ever.

Summary:

Askeladd fancies himself a master of unpredictability, his every move and utterance a dance of caprice. Yet, when someone dares to unravel his enigma with unnerving accuracy, he scrambles to veil his true nature, only to find himself tangled in yet another conundrum of his own making.