Valkyrie

Chapter Five: Season Five

Chapter five: Season five

I've paced these wooden halls probably a dozen times and it still does not make me jealous or envious of Kattegat. I do not miss her or the dantied smells, it holds a lot of bitter-sweet memories, and these halls make them disappear. I picked my head up from the flower I held in my hand that Ivar left me this morning, to see Prince Igor graciously walking in front of me. My step in the old boards below me made a creak, causing Igor to turn around, alarmingly. I quickly held my hand out, giving him cause to not be alarmed. I bowed to him and smiled.

"Good morning, Young Prince, how are you?" I said, sweetly.

"I'm doing very well thank you." He seemed very scared of me, it was strange, a child has never been frightened of me.

"Would you like to walk with me?-" I glanced around, "You can show me around, I'm afraid I do not know my way around and fear I might lose my way."

Igor smiled gently, holding his arm out for me to take, graciously I took his arm as we began to walk together.

Igor was a very intelligent boy. He had a great education as he put it, unfortunately I told him we do not have institutions in Kattegat. Although, it would be wondrous to learn how to read and write. Having an education far beyond learning about farming and fishing must be a powerful tool to have more power than a sword for a spear.

"It must be exciting to live here with your Uncle..." I said, Igor put his head down and sadly said,

"I like Kiev, but living with Oleg can be unpredictable he-" Igor suddenly stopped.

"Igor, you are safe with me, I raised Ivar, don't think for a moment you are not safe."

Igor turned swiftly to me, "Oleg scares me!" I noticed the fear and frustration in Igor's eyes that did not make me doubt him.

"I can understand, he is certainly a rather old grump!" It made Igor laugh. His eyes lightened and they began to sparkle much like Ivar's.

"But you like Kiev?" I asked.

"Yes, Ivar told me I'm to be King one day of Kiev..." Igor said. I've noticed in conversation that Ivar was a heavy topic for Igor. Everytime Ivar's name is even mentioned he would smile.

"How do you get along with My Ivar?"

"I love him!" Igor said quickly. "I'm his little brother, he has told me that one day the sky and the land of Kiev would be mine!"

I stopped and smiled to myself as I used to tell a young Ivar that he would one day own the sky when he is King. It is a memory that has always stayed with him and now he has passed it on to another young soul.

I nodded and smiled, "I do not agree with a lot of what Ivar does, but this I would have to agree with him young one!"

--

Everything was chaotic. Word has spread across Norway and Bjorn is alive and well and coming back to Kiev with the armies of all the Norwegian Kings and Queens. It was a surprise but it was nothing that Ivar felt he couldn't handle. The hallways were filled with men rushing back and forth preparing to go back onto the battlefield. I stopped in the middle of the hall to find Oleg scolding a frightened Igor about going on the battlefield with him. Igor was on the verge of tears as he fought against his crazed Uncle's wishes.

I approached Prince Oleg and bowed graciously. "Prince Oleg, surely there is no reason to bring the Young Prince out onto the battlefield, maybe it would be best if he stayed home."

Oleg straightened himself up, gritted his teeth, and came close to my face.

"You stay out of this woman!"