The Barbarian's Stolen Bride (Northmen Barbarians 1)

“W-What are you doing?” I felt like I had just run around the village as I breathed harder, my chest rising and falling swiftly.

A second later Greta was at the foot of the podium and gently pulled my legs apart.

I felt my eyes widen, and I stiffened as I lifted my upper body off the table in a panic. Lila came over with a bowl in one hand and linen strips in the other.

“King Fenrir has asked us to prepare you fully.”

“Prepare me how?” My voice was strangled.

“Cleanup” was all that was said, and a second later, I felt warm, thick wetness between my thighs—right next to the most intimate part of me. “Removing hair in this area creates sensitivity,” Lila murmured as she finished putting the goop on me and smoothed a strip of the cloth along my inner thigh. She was perilously close to my pussy as she glanced up at me. “Relax. It’ll be over swiftly.”

“Um,” I breathed out. “Hair is supposed to be there.” I licked my lips and swallowed nervously. “Is this really necessary?”

Greta shook her head. “Not necessary, but something the king wanted. You will not be totally bare. Just the lips.”

My face heated as she spoke so candidly, as if talking about tearing my pussy hair out was everyday conversation.

“The mound will be trimmed but not bare. Relax, please,” Lila said again.

I forced myself to do as she said, resting back on the table and curling my hands around the edge of it. This is a bad idea. A stupid one. Just kick them away and dart for the exit. I wouldn’t make it far, but at least I wouldn’t be lying here bared to have some sadistic bastard prepare me for tonight.

Greta patted my ankle in a calming manner, and I exhaled slowly.

God, this sounded like it was going to be… painful.

“Ready?” Lila asked, and I shook my head, my eyes wide as I opened my mouth to tell her no, I wasn’t ready to get hair ripped out of me, when she pulled that strip of cloth off.

“Ahhh!” I squealed, eyes even wider as I lifted my head and stared in horror at Lila as she held up the cloth with my intimate hair stuck on it. “Good gods. This is sadistic.” A tear slipped out the corner of my eye, not from fear but from the pain. Because holy hell did that hurt.

“A few more and we’ll be done. We will smooth oils and salves over it, so it won’t be as sensitive.” She gave me this secretive little slow smile. “Not sensitive in the bad way.”

Greta giggled softly.

I shook my head because I had no clue how to respond.

“You’ll be tender for a little while, but by tonight you will be healed and sensitive in the very best of ways. Your wedding night will surely be one you don’t forget, and you’ll see how this request by our king was for your benefit and pleasure.”

Bullshit for my pleasure and benefit.

Lila smiled, and her voice sounded all prideful, as if pulling hair out of my pussy to please my forced husband was the greatest thing she had to do today.

She wasn’t the one who had been taken from her home—albeit an awful one because of Teron, but my home nonetheless.

And it would only get more uncomfortable and unsure, because tonight Fenrir the Destroyer would fully claim me as his wife in the only way a male did.

6

Prima

After the bathing chamber, I was given a gown that seemed far more luxurious than anything I’d ever owned in my life. I was led down a short hallway and into what looked like a seating area. There was only a long platform in the room, which was across from a small hearth. The platform was decorated with plush-looking pillows, and in front of that was a table, a silk cloth draped over it. On the table was a tray that held fruits and dried meats, cheeses, and breads. A carafe of red wine sat beside that.

I explained I wasn't hungry, but they led me over regardless, pushed the tray closer, and then left me alone.

And so I sat there for long moments, just staring at the food, picking at the fruits and breads, then going straight for the wine. And I enjoyed that wine three glasses in.

My stomach was in too many knots for what was to come. The very thought of seeing Fenrir again, of being enclosed with him so intimately—of what that actually meant—terrified me.

Thankfully Lila and Greta didn’t make me stay in that room long, although their scowls of disapproval at the lack of food I’d eaten was evident on their faces. I'd been thinking a lot about their roles here, knew they said Fenrir hadn’t taken them as wives, and figured they were here solely for me. But the very thought of having anyone wait on me made me highly uncomfortable.