The Valley Of Shadows - Ivar and Igor [Vikings]

Niflheim

Ivar left early that morning, he had been summoned by Bjorn to talk over the events in Kiev in a more private setting.

The cripple left the child in his small house, but he left plenty of food and offered the freedom to explore parts of the town, asking him to only stay on the west side near the trading tents and markets to avoid the higher ranked Vikings that thought they had authority over the child.

Igor slowly stepped outside from the small house, the new world that lay before him was still such a sight for him. He was worried of how the people would react to seeing a Christian upon their land, but surely they weren't as hostile as Oleg?

The boy wandered curiously and cautiously through the open market, it was busy, the streets were roaring. It smelled strange, not like back home, it smelt of salt water, sweaty bodies, ale, animals and piss. But there were a few decent smells from a distance like meat and fresh food like vegetables and things.

Most men were tall and rigid, others were stumpy and fat. All wore their hair in that strange fashion that his cripple did, braided, some shaven, even the women wore strange clothes. Igor could see some had odd markings, tattoos like Ivar does. His mind thought on what stories these men and women hold of great battles.

The child was well into the middle of the markets now, stopping to sample things that looked appealing along the way. His eyes caught some fine silks folded neatly on a table. The woman selling them was going on about Frankia where the silk was made from.

Igor heard a pair of footsteps from behind him, he did not recognize them.

"What do we have here?" The man turned to his friend.

Igor turned to face the strangers who approached, watching them carefully.

"I don't know. Looks like an outsider to me." The other man smirked.

Igor took a few steps back, putting distance between himself and the men, already sensing their intentions. This wasn't his first time dealing with assholes.

"Wait, I know him. He's the one the Boneless dragged in. Telling us about his sad story." The two shared a laugh.

The taller man drew closer. "Can you speak, boy?" He poked the child in the ribs, Igor flinched which earned another laugh from them.

"I don't think he can understand us." The smaller man teased.

"Get away!" Whimpered Igor, backing up further until he was pinned against a building.

"Oh, he can talk! It's a shame dear Ivar isn't around to play bodyguard." The man smirked, stepping closer as he slowly reached his hand toward Igor's neck to scare him.

The taller man inched closer as well. Dark eyes staring at the boy. "That's too bad. Can you fend for yourself boy? You look weak, pathetic."

The other man drew closer, kicking the back of the boy's knee to make him fall to the ground.

Igor groaned as he tried to move away from the men. "Stop it!"

"What? You want us to stop? Then fight us! Show us how a Christian fights!" Both men laughed again as one of them kicked the boy on his side.

Igor whimpered, bringing his body into a small protective ball to shield himself from their kicks and taunts.

The woman at the tent fled, she didn't want to put herself in danger.

"Look at you! So small and helpless!"

The tallest man laughed. "Let's see you use a weapon." He turned to pull his axe from the belt loop, but he gasped softly as he found himself face to face with pale blue eyes, staring at him with intent to kill. It was Ivar, the cripple must have snuck up on them whilst their backs were turned.

"Oh shi-" Ivar interrupted him by punching a blow into the man's rib cage, causing the broader man to turn upon his friend, whimpering.

He was met with Ivar's unpredictable rage as he also got a fist to the gut, he doubled over with a groan.

"What were you saying to him!? Hm?" Ivar got in the taller man's face, the man straightened himself, spitting blood onto the ground.

"We were just messing around, no harm done.."

"No harm done?! Oh I see! So Igor just happened to lay there curled up like a wounded animal then hmm!?"

"Well.. ye-"

"Best not answer that unless these are the last words you wish to take to Odin with you."

"We were just having some fun. "The broad man chimed in.

Ivar's gaze pierced the man, and never before has this man in all his days fighting and war has he seen such rage and murderous intent.

Without warning, Ivar drove a dagger into the man's throat, he fell with a loud 'thud' the other man quickly reached for his axe but Ivar was already in the man's face, pushing his blade into the man's gut, he fell bleeding. The people around him gasped in horror and watched as the cripple shifted from pure rage to gentleness and calm as he approached the boy.

"Are you alright? Let us get you out of here." Hushed the cripple, shielding the boy's eyes from the blood pooling around them.

Igor didn't say a thing until Ivar brought them into a small alley. "What happened?" He asked softly.

"Ivar!" A voice called out before Igor could answer. Bjorn appeared in the alley, his face stained with anger. "What the hel was that? You killed those men!" He angrily pointed in the direction of the bodies.

"It was my fault." Whimpered Igor, grabbing onto Ivar's arm for protection and comfort.

"You did not kill them, young Igor. It was Ivar's blade that sent them to Valhalla!" Bjorn made more angry gestures. "Why, brother? You could've just walked away!" He always sounded and looked so much like Ragnar when he was upset.

Fuck. Ivar messed up, but he did not apologize. He faced his brother, standing as straight as his crippled legs allowed. "Those Nithing's should have went to Niflheim for what they did." His tone was cold and firm, eyes bright blue.

Ivar kept the child behind him for protection. "I have no regrets."

"They were good warriors! You had no right to end their lives just because they were teasing this child!... What is he to you, Hm?"

The cripple felt his cheeks burn red, Bjorn couldn't know, he shouldn't, that would risk Igor and himself. The thought of telling him angered him and scared him. He wanted the world to know that Igor was his and yet; he wanted to hide Igor from the world.

"Igor has been through a lot. You don't know what Oleg did to him! I swore to protect him! Is that good enough brother ?! Wouldn't you have done the same!?"

"For a Christian? No. " Bjorn folded his arms in front of his chest. "He isn't one of us, brother. What makes him different from all the other saxons you helped kill?"

The cripple was left speechless and angry, he took Igor by the arm and slowly started to back away. "You have no idea." His voice firm and his eyes told he wasn't to be messed with.

Bjorn scowled at his brother, but did not test him. "I'll be watching you, little brother." He spoke into the darkness as Ivar and Igor exited the alley.

***