Post by Berwald Oxenstierna on May 23, 2011 15:35:44 GMT
“Welcome home, Ber!”
Berwald gently closed the front door before turning to his mother and smiling softly at her. “H'llo, Moth'r,” he greeted quietly. “How was work today, dear? I hope you're not too tired,” she said, worry only slightly evident on her aged but still lovely face. “Was good. M'fine, not too tired,” the tall blond mumbled, still not moving away from the door. “I'm so happy to hear that!” she chirped cheerfully. When she noticed that her son still hadn't moved from his spot since entering their home, she laughed softly and shook her head a little. “Oh, come on over here and give your old mother a hug, will you, Ber?” she said, her tone loving and her voice soothing. The smile on Berwald's face grew ever so slightly as he stepped forward and enveloped his small mother in a hug.
“Berwaaaaald! Atalieeeee! Lemme join, too!” Before the tall blond could turn his head to the source of the loud voice, he felt a new pair of arms encircle him from behind. “Ohohoho, family hug, family hug! Ohhh, Ber, I can still remember when you were really small and I could hug you and your mother at the same time! You're so big now that I can only do it one at a time!” Berwald's father boomed, laughing merrily. “H'llo, Fath'r,” the bespectacled blond said, chuckling a little at his old man's antics. “Oh, I remember that, too! My, the years go by so fast, don't they, Emil?” Atalie said, starting to laugh as well. “They do, they do! It's so startling sometimes!” Emil exclaimed, releasing his hold on his son and throwing his arms up in the air animatedly. Berwald just continued to chuckle lightly at his father as he released his own hold on his mother.
“Ah! Since Ber's home now, let's eat dinner!” Atalie said happily, clapping her hands together. “Yes, brilliant idea!” Emil agreed, nodding his head. And so Berwald's parents walked off towards the kitchen, their son tailing behind them with a tiny smile on his face.
---
Dinner had been nothing out of the ordinary but still very nice. Atalie's cooking had been delicious as it always was and the conversation at the dinner table had been lively thanks to Emil.
Berwald, fresh from his evening shower and already in his sleeping wear, was toweling his hair dry. He didn't want to catch a cold after all. The tall blond glanced at the alarm clock sitting on his bedside table. Almost time for bed. 'Busiest day of the week t'morrow. Should g't as much sleep as poss'ble... Hm, but maybe I can—' his thoughts were suddenly interrupted by a knock on his bedroom door. “Good night, honey! Your father and I are heading to bed already! Oh, he says good night, too, by the way,” his mother called out. Berwald walked over to the door and opened it. “Hope you and F'ther both sleep well. G'night,” he said, leaning down to kiss his mother lightly on the cheek. Atalie beamed up at him fondly. “Thank you, dear. Sweet dreams!” she said brightly, waving goodbye as she turned to leave. Berwald shut the door after his mother and listened to her footsteps fade before hanging his towel.
He let out a small yawn and stretched his aching muscles as he flicked the light switch. The only bit of light that remained came from a dim lamp post that flickered every now and then outside his window. He carefully moved towards his bed in the semi-darkness. He pulled off his glasses and rubbed tiredly at his eyes a little before settling himself under the bed's covers.
Sleep promptly claimed Berwald five minutes later.
---
The air smelled distinctly of wood, steel, dirt, sweat and blood but the most prominent scent of all was definitely the one of the sea. A small, young Berwald – not even wearing his glasses yet – was sailing across the vast sea on a longship filled with men that could only be described as barbaric-looking. Though the blond's appearance was that of an innocent child, something about his harsh turquoise eyes made it seem like he had seen more horrors than every other man aboard the wooden vessel. “Laaaaand!” one of the men from the front of the longship suddenly cried out.
Berwald remained silent as everyone else on the boat cheered.
---
Women running away as they held their wailing children. Men holding off invaders in hopes of their families escaping. Houses being burned to the ground. Possessions of all kinds being stolen. People of all ages being murdered. It was chaos.
“P-please d-don't! D-d-don't!” a young man begged, stuttering pitifully. He was on his knees and near tears. Berwald's stoic expression did not change as he swiftly brought down his blade.
A scream.
Then silence.
Then a whisper.
“Svearike.”
---
Berwald violently jerked awake, cold sweat dripping down the side of his face. “I-I... I... Wh-what?” the tall blond gasped out, his shoulders shaking a little. He buried his face in his hands and let out a tired sigh, head throbbing and heart heavy.
Berwald gently closed the front door before turning to his mother and smiling softly at her. “H'llo, Moth'r,” he greeted quietly. “How was work today, dear? I hope you're not too tired,” she said, worry only slightly evident on her aged but still lovely face. “Was good. M'fine, not too tired,” the tall blond mumbled, still not moving away from the door. “I'm so happy to hear that!” she chirped cheerfully. When she noticed that her son still hadn't moved from his spot since entering their home, she laughed softly and shook her head a little. “Oh, come on over here and give your old mother a hug, will you, Ber?” she said, her tone loving and her voice soothing. The smile on Berwald's face grew ever so slightly as he stepped forward and enveloped his small mother in a hug.
“Berwaaaaald! Atalieeeee! Lemme join, too!” Before the tall blond could turn his head to the source of the loud voice, he felt a new pair of arms encircle him from behind. “Ohohoho, family hug, family hug! Ohhh, Ber, I can still remember when you were really small and I could hug you and your mother at the same time! You're so big now that I can only do it one at a time!” Berwald's father boomed, laughing merrily. “H'llo, Fath'r,” the bespectacled blond said, chuckling a little at his old man's antics. “Oh, I remember that, too! My, the years go by so fast, don't they, Emil?” Atalie said, starting to laugh as well. “They do, they do! It's so startling sometimes!” Emil exclaimed, releasing his hold on his son and throwing his arms up in the air animatedly. Berwald just continued to chuckle lightly at his father as he released his own hold on his mother.
“Ah! Since Ber's home now, let's eat dinner!” Atalie said happily, clapping her hands together. “Yes, brilliant idea!” Emil agreed, nodding his head. And so Berwald's parents walked off towards the kitchen, their son tailing behind them with a tiny smile on his face.
---
Dinner had been nothing out of the ordinary but still very nice. Atalie's cooking had been delicious as it always was and the conversation at the dinner table had been lively thanks to Emil.
Berwald, fresh from his evening shower and already in his sleeping wear, was toweling his hair dry. He didn't want to catch a cold after all. The tall blond glanced at the alarm clock sitting on his bedside table. Almost time for bed. 'Busiest day of the week t'morrow. Should g't as much sleep as poss'ble... Hm, but maybe I can—' his thoughts were suddenly interrupted by a knock on his bedroom door. “Good night, honey! Your father and I are heading to bed already! Oh, he says good night, too, by the way,” his mother called out. Berwald walked over to the door and opened it. “Hope you and F'ther both sleep well. G'night,” he said, leaning down to kiss his mother lightly on the cheek. Atalie beamed up at him fondly. “Thank you, dear. Sweet dreams!” she said brightly, waving goodbye as she turned to leave. Berwald shut the door after his mother and listened to her footsteps fade before hanging his towel.
He let out a small yawn and stretched his aching muscles as he flicked the light switch. The only bit of light that remained came from a dim lamp post that flickered every now and then outside his window. He carefully moved towards his bed in the semi-darkness. He pulled off his glasses and rubbed tiredly at his eyes a little before settling himself under the bed's covers.
Sleep promptly claimed Berwald five minutes later.
---
The air smelled distinctly of wood, steel, dirt, sweat and blood but the most prominent scent of all was definitely the one of the sea. A small, young Berwald – not even wearing his glasses yet – was sailing across the vast sea on a longship filled with men that could only be described as barbaric-looking. Though the blond's appearance was that of an innocent child, something about his harsh turquoise eyes made it seem like he had seen more horrors than every other man aboard the wooden vessel. “Laaaaand!” one of the men from the front of the longship suddenly cried out.
Berwald remained silent as everyone else on the boat cheered.
---
Women running away as they held their wailing children. Men holding off invaders in hopes of their families escaping. Houses being burned to the ground. Possessions of all kinds being stolen. People of all ages being murdered. It was chaos.
“P-please d-don't! D-d-don't!” a young man begged, stuttering pitifully. He was on his knees and near tears. Berwald's stoic expression did not change as he swiftly brought down his blade.
A scream.
Then silence.
Then a whisper.
“Svearike.”
---
Berwald violently jerked awake, cold sweat dripping down the side of his face. “I-I... I... Wh-what?” the tall blond gasped out, his shoulders shaking a little. He buried his face in his hands and let out a tired sigh, head throbbing and heart heavy.