Warlord in love

Closer now

Gods couldn't do that to him again, he knew that Ivar must be alive; he believed with whole heart that the Gods choose that bloody mad genius for greatness, so he didn't stopped, he turned every inch of terrain, not wanting to move from the area without his friend.

When he finally saw the silhouettes of two well built man sitting on the rock over the sea he rubbed his eyes in disbelief, leaving the traces of black ink all over his wet hands. Spark of hope was dancing over his face as he was running in their way, recognizing beautiful long braid that could belong only to his boy Ivar.

Reflexes were always two steps before him, he subconsciously noticed the steps from behind so he rotated his torso pulling the knife from his belt, aiming at silhouette that was approaching, but noticing that charming and unique walk, spark of joy shined between his eyelashes.

"Oh you..." Both of them were containing positive feelings accumulating under tough exteriors "How dare you to leave the battlefield in the middle of fight?" Floki asked, still unnoticing the presence of their Christian opponent, who was mesmerized by the view on the horizon.

"The real question is, did I leave it in the right hands?" Ivar asked, ends of his lips curling at the ends. He was happy to see his friend, but also curious to know the epilogue of their clash with Saxons. Floki raised his brows, thinking for a moment, but deciding that the battle details should be discussed later, so he let his happiness burst free and he hugged Ivar so strong like the ages pass from their last meeting.

Ivar hugged him back, even stronger, trying to grip the reality again, and erase all the madness from previous days. After emotional reunion, Floki noticed what he was ignoring before - presence of their enemy in visibly friendly role now.

"Isn't this...?" Floki gritted his teeth at blue eyed pretty boy next to Ivar, with one hand on his axe, ready to swipe at any moment.

"Floki... We will talk!" Ivar was guiding him with his widely opened eyes to return the weapon, from his beast mode mind process to the peaceful mode.

"Oh I agree we will talk... Where did you spent last two days for Odin's sake, and how come you reach the point to contemplate the beauty of the ocean with our sworn enemy?" Floki was frowning at both of them, noticing the similarities in their appearance; he couldn't help but see the history repeating itself remembering the Athelstan and Ragnar.

"I just want to return into our settlement eat something and sleep!" But he left out the real reason for which he was yearning to get back as fast as he could, his doubts and logical explanations for mysteries around him.

"Come on then climb on my back!" Floki offered, he didn't just loved Ivar, he respected him, sometimes even more than Ragnar, so he decided to trust him with this.

Wessex

Hvitserk, provided her with care while she was sleeping sending two shield maidens to wash out the blood of her body, and be with her when she finally opens her eyes again. He was tortured with possible and impossible explanations for terrifying bloodbath, but thankful to the Gods that she survived.

After abnormal amount of sleep she opened her eyes. Waking up to the fact that she was a monster was a lot scarier than bliss of not knowing who you are. Prior to awakening she was trying to justify the repeating bloody scenes with every denial technique, but it was impossible. The fact that she took a life, five of them was making her sick, regardless the fact that it was a self-defense. She knew that forgiveness is not an option.

"I think she is awake?" One of the girls, little younger than her warned her friend which was braiding her long hair.

She was still lying motionless with eyes open, afraid to make the next step and face the reality, ignoring their voices.

"Ms. Aerlene, are you all right?" The brown haired girl that was braiding her hair, kneeled before her looking her with curiosity and friendliness which was only intensified her sickness.

"Erie, what are you doing, you know that she doesn't speak our language." Strong built, red haired girl was playing with her knife by the window, glancing at Aerlene's bed once in a while, anxious to finish this task of Christian babysitting.

"She doesn't look ok." Erie answered to her friend, standing up from Aerlene's bed, with sadness in her eyes.

"That is not our concern."

"Hvitserk said to take care of her!"

"Grow up Erie, Hvitserk is only afraid of his crazy brother, he hate that little Christian lass the same as everyone. But since Ivar found her interesting, not like he could do anything with her, but we all must pretend that we like her!"

"May, how can you speak like that?" Fire sparked in warm hazel eyes of young girl, her soft voice rose. "Aerlene is good! She saved my brother from the deadly wound, and not only him, she is healing our people, our animals... She never turned down anyone for help, and she never asked anything in return!"

"Enough!" Aerlene jumped from the bed, striking the both of them with narrowed eyes and fluency in their language. "Erie your friend have right, I'm not good!" So she approached May in a blaze, taking her knife away with one smooth move. "In fact I'm very, very bad person!" May's jaw dropped, fear griped her imaginary fearlessness seeing, the determination in Aerlene's eyes. "And I suggest you both to leave now!" Erie was on the edge of letting the already formed tears out, surprised but still not convinced that somebody so kind and sweet can be bad person. She was not backing down, shaking inside her core, keeping the feelings of sadness contained; the girls listened, leaving her alone.

She let the gravity pull her on the bed again with face buried in pillows she let the scream out, releasing the waterfalls from her eyes to soak the remaining fragments of Ivar's smell on her pillows.

**

His horse was the fastest one; he patted the noble animal as they reached the gates of their settlement. Anger was coloring his eyes in darkest shades of blue, and long travel wasn't long enough to calm him down when he heard what happened on the battlefield.

Hvitserk saw them coming, and he rushed to greet them, bored as never before this past days, because he had to stay in settlement, he was already imagining his next adventure. His heart pounded harder when he saw his little courageous brother on his horse, wandering what happened with his chariot, imagining the bloody battle they won, without slightest doubt in victory.

After every raid or battle Ivar's face would be shining with satisfaction and happiness but as he was approaching them, he realized that that is not a case this time, scanning the army he noticed that Ubbe is not among them. He ran to Ivar, touching his horse looking up. "Where is our brother?"

"King Aethelred caught our brother!" Hvitserk felt air trapped inside his lungs, as Ivar was giving his best to sound as calm as he could, hating to see his brothers suffer. "But he is alive, and we will get him back!" Ivar was nodding with his eyes wide open, reassuring and determined. 

Hello lovely ladies! I wish you all happy International Women's Day and lots of love! <3 <3 <3