Fated to the Viking Lord

"Why don't you tell me about yourself, Lucille. I'd love to know more about you."

Would you now? I didn't think he was flirting with me. He'd been nothing but professional up to this point, but the way he asked the question made me do a double take. I felt my cheeks and chest start to flush red, and not entirely from the heat of the hot spring.

"Well, there's not much to tell. I am a lawyer. I handle a lot of conflicts. And I am currently questioning my relationship status."

Damnit Lucille! You're not a teenager anymore, I thought to myself. That wasn't information you just give out to a naked man sitting a metre and a half away that you just met an hour ago. Even if he does make incredible cinnamon buns!

"Ah, that makes sense," Kristófer replied.

"In all the travels I have done, I have never seen a problem that a woman was left to deal with that was not caused by a man."

"Well, you wouldn't need to travel far to see that," I remarked coyly, incredibly pleased with my off the cuff remark.

"Indeed," he replied casually. "However, I'm curious how it came to pass that a remarkable and stunning woman of both means and education found herself here on less than a day's notice. I'm certain that while a man is to blame, the story is slightly more complex."

He was right. He was also charming me into letting my guard down, and venting to him about my post-courtroom meltdown just like I did my sister. I figured that there wasn't any harm in letting him get to know me. Besides, if I interpreted him correctly, he'd be the one giving me a massage tomorrow anyway. It's not like we could get any more intimate.

So, I told him about the Bouchard case. I told him about my epiphany, and how I realized that I was just a tool that Luke and the firm used to exploit women. How he in turn exploited and used me. And how he was now openly doing the same to another woman, who was completely okay in humiliating me, because she knew she would take my spot. I told him about the dozen other cases that I had tried - and won - that were all the same. I told him about how I felt like I had wasted the last fifteen years as a career woman, while my two sisters got to live the mom-life and have their own happily-ever-after in middle class paradise.

Kristófer listened to me patiently and attentively, which I thought to myself, was a remarkable change in a man. He let me vent, and rant and even mourn wistfully as I talked like a blabbering fool for the better part of an hour, letting my worries and my anxiety float away in the soft, bubbling water of the hot spring.

As I wrapped up my tirade, I ended with one of my thunderous conclusions, like I was finishing off another case.

"So, that's what I am doing here. I'm trying to find myself, remake myself, and learn to forgive myself. The worst part is that honestly, I have no idea where I am even going to begin."

Kristófer leaned back and rested his head against the stone ledge, before sighing.

"I think you're positively remarkable, Lucille. You're an educated, driven and successful woman. I hope that you find what you're looking for here. I hope that you let go and realize that you're truthfully quite extraordinary. I can state that confidently after only a few hours."

If my cheeks and chest were red from blushing before, I was starting to get a tingling elsewhere. Flattery really was a way to get to me, it seemed. Men in the legal world did not pay me compliments. They didn't respect me. But Kristófer was saying all the right words, and hitting all the right notes. It had been years since Luke had paid me a compliment. It had been even longer since he had done so while I was sitting across from him in my underwear.

"Tomorrow, I'm going to take you on a brief hike. It's a part of the tour. You can borrow a pair of Inga's boots. There is a rock formation up on the escarpment that overlooks Dragon's Hearth Lake. I don't know if you'll find what you're looking for, but if you're looking for a place to start, it's as good as any."

That sounded like a great plan to me. I looked into his cerulean eyes once again. It seemed like they were boring into my soul. They were old eyes. They were trusting, yielding and experienced. They made me want to hang onto every word he said.

But, an hour in the hot spring had tired me out. I looked at my hands and saw that my fingers were starting to prune. I was already plump, with thick thighs. I didn't want him to be repulsed by me. But he was completely at ease with me right now, and he hadn't taken his eyes off me the entire time we had been talking. Whatever, I didn't care how he saw me right now, I needed to get out and go to bed if I was to go on a hike tomorrow.

I politely excused myself, and told him that I was going to go to bed. He said that he should be doing the same, since he had to be up to prepare breakfast for Inga and myself tomorrow, which earned an astonished chuckle from me. This young man was getting up to prepare breakfast for a woman who could be his mother, and who was also his employee. She even introduced herself as the cook when I met her. He truthfully was an interesting individual.

We both stood up at the same time, and I quickly noticed two things.

Firstly, my plain, white bra and my high waisted granny panties were both completely soaked. That, in and out of itself, wasn't a problem. I was in a hot spring after all. The problem was that my bra and panties were white, and therefore completely translucent.

He was looking at me, his deep cerulean eyes taking me in. He wasn't leering. His glare was... appreciative, if anything. He could clearly see that my nipples on my breasts were engorged. If he was uncomfortable with my large bust being nowhere near as firm as a woman his age, he didn't show it. I even caught him glance downwards towards my groin. My red tangle of pubic hair was clearly visible through the thin cotton of my underwear.

The other problem is that Kristófer was supposed to be old! He was supposed to be unattractive, and in no way, shape or form making me feel like this. He was also NOT supposed to think I looked good. Because he clearly did. His penis was erect, and standing out from his body.

If he was embarrassed, he didn't show it. Perhaps this was normal for around here. I mean, they were nude all the time in the sauna. This certainly happened a lot, right? That's what I told myself as I stood there like an idiot while he walked by me to pick up our towels. He handed one to me, before wrapping his own around his waist, hiding his manhood. I was both thankful that he did, and at the same time, would not have minded seeing it again. It was long, and thick, and very different from Luke's, which had always been an instrument of domination to me, and never a fantasy.

He broke my trance by thanking me for my company, and saying that he'd see me in the morning. With that, he left me to make my way up to my own room.

Walking up the stone stairs to the main level, I decided to take Kristófer up on his offer, and see if I couldn't bring a book back to my room to read in bed before falling asleep. The fire was still roaring, and I didn't mind tracking water everywhere. It would evaporate before I woke up again.

I looked through the titles arranged on the shelves. There were authors I had never even heard of, with plenty of books that looked like they dated back to the 1800's, or earlier. I wanted to read a book that was written by a woman. Shockingly, despite the collection being rather old, there was a healthy selection of women authors. Many were even in French and English, even if the vast majority of books on the shelf were in Swedish, Finnish, Russian and German.

I selected one from a French author. The book appeared to have been printed in 1881, by a woman named Berthe Thiers de Carnot. I casually flicked open the cover. It appeared to be a classic tale of romance set in medieval France. The author had probably been dead for a century or more. But there was an inscription written in black ink on the first page, written in cursive French.

"Dearest Kristófer, I hope you find what you're looking for. Sincerely, Berthe."

That was strange. Did she know him? Maybe, the book was given to him by a relative, or maybe he had an ancestor of the same name that had originally bought it. It didn't matter. I wasn't here to investigate anything; I was here to relax. I took the book with me up the stairs, fully intent on having a shower and falling asleep while reading this book in the enormous fluffy bed that awaited in my room. That seemed like the best way to really start this vacation. It would also get my mind off Kristófer... and his hard body.

Chapter IV: Rise and Shine

I woke up around ten. Sleeping in felt absolutely wonderful. I must have slept for close to ten hours last night, and I had needed every minute of it. Luke and I had been getting up at six for as long as I could remember. We worked all the time, and we were always in the office by eight, every morning. We even worked on Saturdays sometimes. Being alone in a bed with nothing to do today but get a massage and go on a hike through the woods was an excellent feeling. Honestly, if I wasn't hungry and if I didn't need to pee so bad, I would have stayed in bed all day.

I threw off the duvet that covered the bed, and stretched. I had slept completely nude last night, a real change for me. After going into the hot spring last night in my underwear - something I was now regretting - I had decided to not sully another pair of underwear just to sleep.

I headed to the ensuite bathroom. The shower was small, but well designed. I turned on the hot water and stepped under the stream, letting the warmth wash away the grogginess of my sleep. I hadn't bothered to pack any shower gel, soap or deodorant when I fled my condo in a rage. Luckily, the spa had provided a bottle of each in the bathroom.

I poured a generous amount of the shower gel onto my hands and began to lather myself. I was instantly overwhelmed by the scent of juniper, lingonberry and birch. It smelled like a forest in the shower, and I felt immediately better about myself. I even decided to wash my hair.

When I was done, I stepped out into the bathroom and dried myself off with an oversized and exceptionally fluffy towel. Walking into the bedroom, I rummaged through my trusty pink bag. I quickly found a pair of grey underwear. They were still granny panties, but they would be comfortable on a hike. I picked up my bra from the chair on which I had left it to dry last night, and attached it on my body. I threw on a black t-shirt that I was used to wearing around the house, and put back on my sister's stretchy pants. I shot Daniella a quick text to let her know that I was doing well, that her idea was magnificent, and that her pants were a lifesaver.

When I opened the solid oak door to my room to head downstairs, I was immediately accosted by a heavenly scent of pastries and a wood oven. I made my way down to the kitchen, and found Kristófer working in the kitchen alongside Inga, I couldn't help but smile. The two of them acted like school children together, talking and giggling - teasing one another - as if they'd known one another since they were kids.

I looked around the kitchen and saw that there was an old stone oven with a roaring fire going underneath. Cooking inside the oven were a dozen pastries.

"Well, something smells good," I chimed, breaking the cajoling of the two in front of me.

Kristófer turned around and greeted me.

"Good morning! I trust you slept well?" he asked.

"I certainly did. I don't think I've slept that well in years. My head hit the pillow and I was out. I didn't even get a chance to read the book I picked up from your library."

"Well, there is plenty of time for that. Which book did you pick up, if you don't mind me asking?"

I told him that I had picked up the book from Berthe Thiers de Carnot. I didn't mention the inscription on the first page. It didn't matter, he still eyed me inquisitively with his ocean blue eyes, like he was trying to piece together exactly what was going on in my head at that moment.

"I think you'll like that book, Lucille. The story is wonderful. It's about a woman overcoming loss to become a doctor, a feat that was unheard of at the time in her town. It's a remarkable story told by an incredible author. She was a fantastic storyteller, and an even better woman," Kristófer said with a hint of sadness, like he was speaking from experience.

"In any case, my kardemummabullar - a type of breakfast bun made with cardamom - are almost done. If you'd like to have a seat, Inga can serve you some coffee and some fresh lingonberries and blueberries from the forest behind the spa."

Using a wooden peel, Kristófer scooped the buns out of the oven. He slid them onto a plate, and put the plate on the decorative table in the centre of the kitchen. I pulled out one of the chairs and had a seat, just as Inga poured some coffee into a mug. She put a plate in front of me, alongside a bowl of lingonberries and blueberries that looked incredibly appetizing.

We made small talk about the weather and life, and I noticed that Kristófer was dressed again in tight black pants and another peasant tunic - brown this time. Inga was still in pyjama pants and an old t-shirt. It was a pleasant way to eat breakfast, and I wished that I could start every morning like this.

Before long, Kristófer was asking if I wanted to go on a hike before coming back for lunch and a massage. He promised me that looking down on Dragon's Hearth Lake from the escarpment would not only clear my mind, but be a good place to start to examine my life. I hoped he was right.

After asking Inga if I could borrow a pair of her boots, and also a cardigan, and also a hat, and maybe a jacket, we set off. Kristófer acted as my guide, and we started walking at a leisurely pace through the pine forest. Here and there, a birch tree still had a few leaves, but for the most part they crunched under our feet.

I continuously peppered him with questions, doing my best to not walk in silence. He always answered, though he seemed to be a little more guarded than he was last night.

"Where did you learn to bake?" I asked him.

"I used to work at a bakery in France. I learned all the basics there about how salt, butter, flour and eggs can make anything. I learned all about the best dough, and when to use milk and when to use water, and what yeast comes from where."

"When was this?" I asked, astonished that a man this young, had done so much.

"It feels like a lifetime ago," was all he answered.

His life was so interesting. Couple that with the inscription that I read in the book last night, and suddenly my head was spinning. Either Kristófer had one heck of an extended family, or he looked really, really, REALLY good for his age. That, or he was a fraud. I was still a lawyer, after all.

"So, exactly how old are you?" I blurted out.

"I always thought that North Americans thought that it was incredibly rude to ask people their age?" was all he said. Cryptic, but he said it in a good-natured tone.

"It usually is. At least when you're asking a woman," I responded, hoping he'd take the hint that I was not going to give up.

"Well, Lucille, if you must truthfully know, the last time I had a proper birthday, I was twenty-two."

That was a weird way to answer the question. But now my legal mind was running in overdrive.

"So, you're twenty-two?"

"Well, I haven't celebrated my twenty-third birthday, if that's what you're asking," he responded, with a cheeky gin. He knew what he was doing. He was intentionally misleading me to get me going. If I didn't know any better, I'd say that he was flirting. His answers were coy, but his smile looked like it was designed specifically to get into my pants. If I was twenty years younger, I might have considered it.

Admitting defeat, I sighed, and accepted that my twenty-two-year-old guide was just going to keep some things to himself. Maybe that was a good thing. Maybe letting go meant that I could let a guy who I just met yesterday keep some secrets. Even if he was a guy who I had seen naked. Scratch that. A guy who let me see him naked while I had enjoyed looking. Ugh.

We walked together for another hour, slowly winding our way up an escarpment of granite, pine trees and wild blueberry bushes. Every time that I thought I would slip, or fall and break my neck, Kristófer was there with his hand out to keep me steady. Once, my foot slipped on a piece of loose granite, and before I could even register that I had slipped, his hands were around my torso stabilizing me... and pulling me tantalizingly close.

I was about to thank him for catching me when he announced that if I was done falling, we could now take in the view.

When I saw what he meant, my jaw dropped.

We were standing on a large boulder, probably five or six metres across, and a few metres high. It was perched on top of a hill that overlooked the lake. In the distance I could see the spa where I was staying, Inga's car still the only one for miles. Around us was an endless expanse of pine forest and lakes. Also perched on the boulder near the ledge were seven or eight stacked stones. They were all larger than my foot, but small enough that a human could easily stack them. They were clearly placed there in that formation by someone.

Kristófer caught me looking at the stones.

"They were put here by the original owner of the inn. I just maintain them. They used to have runes carved into them like the ones in the hot spring, but they've faded with age."

He took off his backpack and sat down on the rock, leaning his back up against a pine tree. From inside the backpack, he produced a leather skin of water, like something a fur trapper might have. I sat down next to him, leaning up against the same tree at a different angle. He handed me the water skin, and I took a deep drink. The water was refreshingly cool, and was infused with what tasted like juniper or pine. That could just be the fact that we were in a forest though.

Looking down at Dragon's Hearth Lake was an awe-inspiring sight. The lake appeared tiny, surrounded by the immense forest all around. It was midday and the sun was cresting, casting long shadows over the forest. We were sitting on the far side of the sun, and the tree on which we were leaning was shading us.

I looked out at the lake for what seemed like an eternity. It was so calm, and serene. The only noises that I heard were the occasional buzzing of an insect, or the chirping of a bird.

Very quickly, I found myself lost in my thoughts. This lake had been here for thousands of years. I started to think about myself, and what I wanted to do. What made me happy, and what motivated me. I let my mind wander, thinking about laughing with my sisters, and helping my mom bake in the kitchen at Christmas while Luke waited patiently for Christmas to end so that he didn't have to see my "rural" family.

I thought about how I had put my life on hold for a career, and how I still wanted to have children, even though that was a rapidly closing window. I thought about how Daniella and Julianne were both happy right now, and I hoped that they were doing well. Sisterhood is such an incredible bond. I was incredibly thankful for my sisters, and the next time we were all together, I would let them know.

It made me want to do something to help women. I thought about all the missed opportunities, and how the man I had been with had only been with me because it was easy, and how I had just gone along with it. I had done the firm's dirty laundry for close to two decades, including the laundry of its head partner, and it had made me miserable and left me broken.