The Devil and The Snake

15. The Lie of Yesterday

"Frankia? Why would Frankia be behind this?'' Ubbe exclaimed.

"Because of your father."

You could feel Ivar's gaze on you.

"I might not have been invited in my father's meetings, but my father loved to eat. And so, most of his meeting were during supper and he would let me come for them. I learned to listen. Frankia was not happy with this marriage, they were working on an alliance, in fact there even has been talk of marrying me off to a Frankish successor at first, only the lord did not have a son. When the pression from the Viking... your army, was too harsh and they had change plan for what you know happened, Frankia cut off all the rope that connected us. I just... I didn't believe they would act on it. Not here anyway, Not like this."

"So, we kill them." Hvitserk shrugged and took a sip from his drink.

You laughed sarcastically. "Easy as that, right."

"We'll get my army ready. If they come here, they'll know who they are crossing with."

You sighed and turned to him. "Ivar, thing is, they already know. If they didn't, if they were stupid, they'll have met you here already. They're trying to provoke us, make us do something stupid so they can strike and kill us."

"What if we find them first?" Bjorn broke his silence.

"I mean, yes, I... I... I don't know. War is not what I know. I've just learnt how to hold a sword thanks to you, but armies and battle, that's you. All of you."

Ivar took your hand and you realized you were shaking.

"It's alright (Y/N). We will stop them, and we will win."

You smiled at him. "I don't doubt it"

But he knew you were lying. You didn't need to tell him that knowing that the threat looming over you was bigger than you thought terrified you.

"Isn't Caroline from Frankia?" Ubbe asked, leaving the room even more tense than it was. "Is that why she managed to escape?"

You gave a look to Bjorn who shrugged, not willing to add to this.

"Yes and no. She's from the Frankish court but not as a very high ranked family. Caroline is..." you bit your lips, trying to decide if you needed to tell them what you were thinking. If you waited for them to uncover the truth it would never happen. "I can't specify everything; I'm just asking you, my friends, to be careful of Caroline."

You squeezed your husband's hand tighter, feeling his blue eyes on you. "Now, could I please have a moment with Ivar?"

They got up and left.

"What do you mean, be careful of Caroline."

"Do you thrust me my love?"

He didn't answer. It broke you for an instant. But now, you realise that he was right not to. You yourself didn't even know what to do. You had information that no one else had, you knew how bad it could get but you were so lost. Even knowing everything, it was your heart, refusing to stop loving her, that kept you from making a sane decision.

"I don't want her to suffer. That is all."

He turned you around firmly.

"What did she do? Is she responsible for anything?"

Your eyes told him whatever he needed to know, and he got his crutches and went out of the room. You didn't bother to stop him. Right as he was trying to leave, he stopped.