ragnar/athelstan
Feb. 20th, 2016 12:57 am![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
forvitniAny other man with a new slave might try to break him physically, and Ragnar was certainly capable. He hadn't exactly been gentle with Athelstan so far, but he had not laid a hand on him in anger. In fact, he'd spent more time making sure his slave felt at home with his family, to learn more about him and the lands from which he came. Nothing about Ragnar Lodbrok was unplanned, however. Every move, every word, every gesture was purposeful.
For now, he was simply staring. He'd been staring at Athelstan for nearly an hour now, cross-legged near the hearth. He hadn't spoken a word yet, and his face gave away little, save for the ever present laugh-lines creasing his eyes and the smile that implied he knew something you did not.
He'd developed something of an obsession with this priest, this new and unfamiliar thing that held a wealth of new wisdom, if he could figure out how to unlock it. He had to be inside his mind somehow, and for that, a beating into submission would not do. No, this took a more precise approach, and that required observation. He would take everything that he could of this man, and why not? The gods had brought this opportunity to him for a reason.
He shifted suddenly, stretching and then settling to lay on his side, head propped up on his knuckles. His eyes, however, had not moved.
For now, he was simply staring. He'd been staring at Athelstan for nearly an hour now, cross-legged near the hearth. He hadn't spoken a word yet, and his face gave away little, save for the ever present laugh-lines creasing his eyes and the smile that implied he knew something you did not.
He'd developed something of an obsession with this priest, this new and unfamiliar thing that held a wealth of new wisdom, if he could figure out how to unlock it. He had to be inside his mind somehow, and for that, a beating into submission would not do. No, this took a more precise approach, and that required observation. He would take everything that he could of this man, and why not? The gods had brought this opportunity to him for a reason.
He shifted suddenly, stretching and then settling to lay on his side, head propped up on his knuckles. His eyes, however, had not moved.
