Eyes of Fire

Winds of Change

  Walking through Kattegat with the trio of Ragnar sons, Bjorn continued to be quiet and observant while Hvitserk and Ivar did most of the talking. I could tell from the look in his eyes that he was shocked by what he saw. Not only had he witnessed a meal not get interrupted by a fight, but he saw Hvitserk and Ivar truly getting along and even playfully teasing each other.

  And out here, Bjorn could see how much Kattegat itself had changed. The people weren't cowering from Ivar and were going about their day as usual. He also saw parts of the wall around Kattegat, likely realizing Ivar had been telling the truth in how an attack would not go the way he would expect it to.

  However, what I thought shocked him the most was Ivar. The last time Bjorn had seen him, Ivar was antisocial and closed-off, glaring and using cruel words to keep other people away. But here he was seeing Ivar laughing and even interacting with the people in the market. It made me smile.

  Ivar's bright eyes and laughter as he lightly pushed Hvitserk in front of us made my heart flutter. I enjoyed this side of him that he used to only show to very few people before.

  "You did this, didn't you?" Bjorn muttered as he walked beside me.

  "No. But I helped." I tilted my head, also speaking low to keep the others from hearing us. "I told you, we didn't need to lie. I understand your hesitance. I really do. But Ivar truly was chosen by your father to lead Kattegat, and he's trying to uphold those dreams Ragnar placed upon him. He wants to be a good king beloved by his people as your father was. Ivar is trying to learn how to be that. And, if I do say so myself, I think he's doing a good job of it."

  "Don't you think you're a little biased?" Bjorn's gaze dropped to my stomach before looking back at me.

  "Mm. Maybe just a little. But I still call him a fool when he's foolish. I'm not blinded, Bjorn."

  "And where do you think his loyalties lie?"

  "Depends on how you mean that question. If it came down to it, Ivar would burn the world for me and our child. Otherwise, it's to Kattegat and our people. He's telling the truth about not wanting to fight you and Ubbe, but if you pose a threat to all of this, to us, he will treat you as any other enemy."

  "Do you honestly believe us being brothers will be enough to quell this fighting?"

  "Yes, I do. Ivar is brave, but he is full of fear. You may not have noticed, but he admires you, Bjorn. Just like any other younger brother looking up to his older brother. It's just that his fear makes him hesitant to opening up." I sighed heavily and gestured to Hvitserk and Ivar with my head. "You should've seen some of the fights I had to break up between those two before. Now look at them."

  Bjorn's eyes watched his two brothers walking ahead of us. He knew I had a point, but he was still skeptical. At least he was taking them seriously even if his skepticism made convincing him more difficult.

  "How am I to know this isn't all for his benefit?" Bjorn looked back at me. "Securing an heir to the throne," He tilted his head while looking at my stomach again. "tricking me into calling off my army, then killing off the competition-"

  "I'm going to stop you there. While that would be a smart plan, tactical, that is not Ivar's plan. Neither Ivar nor I were even certain we could have children, so this wasn't planned. Ivar has dreamed of being a father for a long time, yes, but he feared that's all it would ever be. A dream. Even more so when someone convinced him that I was pregnant when I was not, and I was left with no choice but to break his heart with the truth. He couldn't have planned for an heir without knowing for certain it could even happen. And he wants to convince you to call off your army for the reasons he's already given; he doesn't want more of our people to be lost. Least of all his future child. Would you not do the same if you were in his position?" My question was followed by silence as we continued to look at each other.