The cripple and the shieldmaiden

// 17 //

He just sat there, rubbing his beard while he looked to his plate with food. Torhild stood before him, Ubbe besides her. It was a week ... a whole week since she spoke her other "brothers" and she offered king Aelthelwulf the deal. He didn't liked it ... but he was strongly thinking about it, otherwise he wouldn't lock her up with Ubbe again for a whole week. It took him quite some time to come with an answer and even now, when they both stood before him he was still thinking about it. 'So Torhild, tell me, that deal, how much can I trust on you being with all your brothers in the settlement?' He asked her, still rubbing his beard. Torhild looked aside to Ubbe who really could use a bath and some fresh clothes.
'We have a settlement to live and me and my brothers are together. Instead you get our manpower, you control our armies, you have our boats. We allow you to control us, put as much men in the settlement like you wish. If you want I can come here more often, do discuss the things you want.' She offered him. He had everything in control, why was he douthing this deal now ... after a whole week.
'I would like you to stay here.' He pointed around him. Torhild looked to the woman besides him, she gave a jealous look back and Torhild looked to the ground.
'Why?'
'So I can control your brothers.' He smiled, looking at Ubbe.
'Torhild is the youngest of us all, she needs the experience, we need her.' Ubbe tried. She didn't liked the idea of staying here and she was sure that Ivar would get mad about it, like usual.
'Who do you fear the most?' Torhild asked him polite. He stopped rubbing his beard and smiled, pointing towards her.
'You, and that cripple.'
'Me?' She asked, impressed. She didn't do much since she was here but despite that he feared her, Björn would be proud.
'You have more men, your army is stronger. Because of the raid we are weakened.'
'Is it?' He asked surpriced. Torhild nodded, hoping that this would convince him ... and it did.

It was a show of force, King Aethelwulf with an army of hundered men behind him while Torhild and Ubbe drove after him. Björn walked through the wooden gate, arms crossed before his chest while he looked from Torhild towards the king. He looked always so relax, the way he stood there, with a grinn while he licked his lips. 'King now.' Björn said to Aethelwulf while he walked over to him, petting his horse on the neck. Torhild looked from on her horse over the settlement, she saw Hvitserk walking over the road to the gate.
'Björn Ironside, I hope you will honor our deal?'
'Offcourse. Thank you for taking care of my sister and brother.' He thanked the king. King Aethelwulf chuckled and turned around towards Torhild.
'She didn't want to stay.'
'I rather have her close.' Björn defended her immidiatly. The king nodded toward his soldiers and they started to march in the settlement. Torhild looked towards the people who all watched the soldiers, angry about who came interfere their business. Sounds behind them all jerked their heads in the other direction. Torhild saw her brother roll his eyes before she turned her head. A group of twenty vikings walked over the road before Ivar and his chariot.
'Are you really that afraid that you need at least a hunderd men to contain us?' Ivar asked Aethelwulf sarcastic, stopping his chariot right besides his horse.
'Cripple.' He greeted Ivar.
'You really want me to kill of one of your men already?'
'Ivar.' Ubbe warned him. Ivar spitted on the ground, tilting his head in amusement.
'Where were you Boneless?' Aethelwulf asked. Torhild could see he was playing, testing Ivar his temper and it wouldn't take long for Ivar to snap, everybody knew that.
'Maybe I was scouting your kingdom. Killing of some of your men.' He replied while showing his axe, red with blood. Torhild narrowed her eyes and looked from Ivar towards the king.
'Don't test my patience boy, this deal easily can be broken again.'
'I'm not the one who agreed with it. I would love to kill some of your men.' He grinned before he clicked his tongue and his horse walked the settlement in. Torhild looked after Ivar, knowing that he would cause a whole lot of problems once Aethelwulf returned to his castle.
'If I get reports that my men are killed than the deal is off. Contain him.' The king pointed towards Ivar.
'I will.' Torhild nodded. King Aethelwulf turned towards her.
'It's your head princess, keep your army in check.' He hissed before he drove of with his horse and protection.
'So now it's your army?' Björn asked amused when the king was out of hearing distance back to his castle, leaving his loyal men to spy on them.
'No. Did you had a change to do something in the mean time?' She asked him hopeful. Björn took the reins of her horse and looked up to you.
'I send word for mother.'
'You serious?' Torhild asked smiling. Lagertha could safe them, she and all her shieldmaidens would make a lot of difference.
'I send some of my men with a ship.'
'We should make plans for the day queen Lagertha comes.' Ubbe began. They both got from their horses and Ubbe embraced his younger brother for a moment before he turned to Torhild.
'Keep Ivar in check will you, he will get uss all killed.' Ubbe pointed towards the chariot of Ivar on the road through the settlement.
'You put a lot of responsibility on my shoulders.' She said not so convincing as she should be. Ivar was a major problem, or at least his temper was.
'We couldn't stop him from killing or brother, maybe you have more luck.' Ubbe smiled.
'Not funny Ubbe.' Torhild reacted.
'I just mean, if someone get through his head it's you.' He followed with a soft smiled. She remember her talk with Ubbe and not far after that thought came the thought of kissing him. A week was past and she still felt the linger from his lips on hers.

She found Ivar in front of the great hall, talking to Halfdan and king Harald. 'Princess.'
'I'm being sick of the word princess, Torhild will do.' She smiled shortly towards Halfdan before she turned to Ivar. 'We need to talk.' She began. He narrowed his eyes, fully absorbing her. King Harald and Halfdan nodded before they walked away from the two of them. Ivar softly give his horse more reins and he walked further, Torhild walking beside his chariot. 'If you loose your temper, I will loose my head.' She began.
'Did brother send you?' He asked.
'Wich one?' Torhild joked. He relaxed a little and kept his eyes on the road while Torhild looked up to him. 'What were you talking about?' She pointed over her shoulder towards the two brothers before the great hall.
'So you are here to spy on my?'
'Ivar.' She reacted angry. He could be so confusing, always suspecting something, childish even. He hold still before a little house and crawled from his chariot, leaving it behind with Torhild. 'Can we at least talk?'
'We are talking.' He smirked before crawling in the house. She left the horse with some slave and walked after him inside.
'If you are planning something with king Harald than pleace stop, it's my head, he will come after me.' She tried to push through his stubborness. Ivar pulled himself on the bed and focust all his attention on his legs, unleasing the belt that kept them together. 'Nevermind. I'm tired.' She murmered after he didn't replied. She turned around ready to walk outside when he stopped her by trowing his axe right aside her head against the door. She closed her eyes, squeezing her fingers in her noice bridge, taking a really deep breath. She pulled the axe out the door and turned around towards Ivar. 'You lost something.' She smiled polite, walking over and handing him his axe. He took it, pulled her closer down, wrapping his fingers around her neck. He could choke her if he wanted, she was fragile but she knew he wouldn't. So Torhild only gazed back in his bleu strongheaded eyes while he squeezed a little more. It brought a whole different vibe around her, his dominance ... he killed Sigurd with it.
'Glad to have you back.' He finally spoke, more sincere while he lost his grip, stroking her neck.
'I'm not so sure if I'm glad i fit means I have to take care of your stubborn ass all the time.'
'Hush Torhild.' He smiled amused. She shook her head and let her frustrations about him go.
'Don't get me killed.' She warned him, clenshing his teeth together by pushing her finger up under his chin. His smile became more dark, intense and it would scare every other girl ... but not Torhild, she knew him for to long to never been intimidated by certain looks he could gave.
'I would never get you killed.' He responded.
'That temper of your lives his own life, more afraid from that.' His emotions changed with those words, he became a little vulnerable and she knew she couldn't leave him with that kind of uncertainness. Torhild crouched, laid her hands in lap while looking up at him. 'Ivar, your brothers said that you changed after the dead of Sigurd. You take far more risks than before. I don't want to be a risk, you need to promise me,'
'I won't take any riskes, not with you.' He finished her sentence. His eyes turned emotional, like the ocean waves who found some peace under her steady look.
'Thank you.' She whispered while standing up.
'Everything for you princess.' He winked amused.
'Don't it isn't funny anymore.'
'For me it is.' He grinned. She rolled her eyes and walked to the door, she hesitated in the doorway before she turned back to him.
'That kiss, did it meant something for you?' She asked carefully. Ivar frowned his eyesbrows, trying to unfold what she just asked to him.
'It meant everything for me.' His voice was nothing more that a soft whispering, giving her the chills.
'Good,' She strummed her fingers on the door, slightly smiling.
'Don't go visit Hvitserk. I'm the jealous type.'
'I'm not yours Ivar.' She reacted right away without looking to him. Not that she was planning to visit Hvitserk, she knew Ivar was very uncertain about that part of himself.
'Yes you are.' She turned around and looked to him, biting her lip.
'I knew I would regret it.'
'No you won't, come her.' He commanded, on his usual dominant tone. Torhild sighed and walked over to him again, he pulled her down. She landed rather harch with her back on the bed, soaking in a breath under his piercing bleu eyes. 'Your mine, promise me.'
'You have a very big mouth for such a small heart.' She teased him. His eyes darkened again and she laughed softly. 'Ivar, what are you afraid of?' Her voice loving, caring, her eyes just the same.
'Losing you, not to that king, not to the gods, not to Hvitserk or your mother. You're mine, let me proof that.'
'Lagertha will kill us..' She whispered, half in shame covering her eyes with her arm. Ivar took her arm away from her eyes, stroking his fingers over the skin of it. She shivered under his touth.
'Promise me.' He demanded.
'I promise Ivar.'
'Good.' He placed a kiss in the curve from her neck to her colorbone. She closes her eyes, getting the same feeling as that one time she was on the beach after the sacrifice. 'You're good to go.' He pulled away so she could go.
'Funny.' She murmured sarcastic, getting up and to the door.
'Don't forget, you're mine.'
' Yes, you know were to find me if you need me.' She waved to him, leaving him with as much desire as she had for the moment.