Nerian’s words were enigmatic at best on the topic of ‘washing away her sins’ and the Viking’s brow furrowed as he considered them carefully, trying to find whatever hidden meaning lay within them. The only conclusion he could come to was that she was speaking of death. “You want me to kill you?” Ragnar asked her dubiously, unable to keep the skepticism out of his voice. Maybe he had simply interpretated her words wrongly - which was not something that was admittedly uncommon his Priestess had an enigmatic way about her and sometimes her wording left the Viking feeling like there was a hidden message he was meant to pick up on. Thus far, he had been lucky that he was clever. The Viking rolled his eyes at his Priestess then, not understanding - and likely he never would - what was so horrible that she had done; and if she had, indeed, done something horrible than he had not been around to see it happen. “Váli would not leave the Cove,” Ragnar told her firmly but he was confused by the implications that Váli had done something to her, and further by her speech of Váli killing her though neither made any sense.
Váli had not been like that. Björn, yes. Váli? No. Which left Ragnar to briefly ponder if they were even talking about the same wolf.
“What as Váli done to you, Nerian?” It was a rare instance when Ragnar addressed her by her name, but he wanted her to know that he was taking her seriously. That he trusted her to tell him the truth. “He cannot kill you. You are not his property.” Ragnar assured her, unsure why he had the sudden urge to comfort her but only knowing, simply, that he did. Her prodding last words did nothing to ease the Viking’s puzzlement. “What sin did I lead you to commit, Priestess?” Why couldn’t she just come out and tell him? Why was there so much dancing around? As if she were afraid to admit it to him. He, who according to her and her sisters, was a heathen. Surely a heathen would understand what he had done to her, if she only told him.
“I cannot free you yet, Priestess,” He murmured finally, knowing that she deserved an answer. He would give her the truth as he trusted her to give to him. “I need you,” It was a simple truth, but genuine all the same. “If I am to start my own pack, make the Cove anew here, I will need you to support my ranks,” He drew nearer to her once more, “Do this for me and you will have your freedom Priestess.” He promised her softly, his muzzle closer to her ear as his voice dropped to a softened murmur for only her to hear. Ragnar was nothing if not a man of his word.
