Valkyrie

Chapter Eight: Season Six

Chapter Eight: Season six

We made camp early that night. Ivar said it was because it was getting too dark to see, but I believed it’s because he was growing tired. My anger was set aside as fear overcame me as another indicator of his failing health. Ivar kept his distance from me and he was very short with me. It only replaced my concern with annoyance and anger towards his coldness to me. 

We spoke very little to one another. As the tent was being set up for us, I helped Ivar to a chair to sit him down. He groaned sitting, it was a groan to gain my attention and my sympathy. A final attempt before sharing the same annoyance as I do. It did not work.

“Stay here,” was all I said, before walking away. 

Once our tent was made, we sat together in it, and ate dinner silently. There was a strong and awkward silence between me and Ivar with only the sound of fork and knife to plate. I sat fairly far from Ivar away from the roaring fire. I then realized my appetite is disrupted because of Ivar and I found myself picking at my food. I cleared my throat and stood up. 

“I’m going to eat with Hvitserk…” 

“No you’re not!” Ivar snapped. I turned to see his anger boiling and bubbling within his eyes. The fire took away the calm and gentle blue eyes and replaced them with a dark and hardened color. 

“I don’t think I want to eat with you right now, Ivar!” 

“Why do you not wish to eat with me?” “Talk to me now, woman!” I gently slapped my hand across Ivar’s face. I leaned down to him and said,

“Do not talk to me that way!” 

Ivar turned his face back to me and began gritting his teeth. “Talk to me right now, or I’ll gut you out myself!” He growled. He stood up from his chair. Ivar has never frightened me, mostly his brute strength is just for show. It’s his mindset that concerns me. 

I stood my ground as I placed my plate down on the table. “Ivar, you will regret what you said, after what I’m about to tell you…”  

“Try me!” 

“Why did you not listen to me and stay hidden by the men?” “I had everything under control!” I shouted. 

“I’m Ivar the Boneless, I cannot hide, they will see me as weak!” He growled. 

“You are weak though, Ivar!” 

Ivar sneered, “I’m not weak!” He sat back down in his chair. 

“Stop hiding this from me!” I pleaded. 

“Hiding what?” Ivar looked up at me and noticed that I was not angry, but genuinely scared. 

“Come out with it, woman, I know you have something on your mind!” 

“Ivar, you have been very weak lately, and it concerns me and Hvitserk a lot. What if something happens to you, what would I do?” 

Ivar looked down, hiding his expression from me. “Ivar, tell me what to do!” begging to be commanded. Ivar looked back up at me. 

“I want you to live on…” 

My fear was once again pushed aside by anger. Live on? Live on forever grieving him? Not only I grieve one, but two. I would have to grieve all over again. Although, this death would surely kill me as well. I would be nothing but a walking corpse of my former self. Yet, Ivar sees nothing wrong with this. 

“Live on?” I questioned.

Ivar tilted his head to the side, his tongue began to slither in and out of his mouth just like how his mother used to do. His charming and sweet smile turned twisted as it raised his cheeks. Another creature has taken the form of Ivar, and while I did not show it, I became uneasy and fearful.