The Cripple and The Shieldmaiden II

// 14 //

'Never trust those Christians.' Ivar hissed, he had a funny way of saying it when he was angry. Torhild didn't looked up to him, her eyes rested on Ase and Halfdan. They both traveled back with their men from Lord Gregor with the news he wasn't going to support her claim, not if she wanted his army so badly to use it against Lord Cameron. So they were on their own again, with less support, all because Torhild lost that unborn child and wanted revenge. 

'He also said that if you want his support he need it in writing and marriage.' Ase explained further. Torhild didn't understand, her eyes traveled to Halfdan who only shrugged, he wanted a battle, that was for sure. 'Unity, combind a viking with a christian, you would show the people that they can truts our people.' Ase said further.
'There are really religious.' Ubbe murmured somewhere in between.
'Let me guess, he wasn't talking about Torhild.' Ivar chuckled from on his throne.
'No, he talks about a marriage between you and Elisabeth.' Ase reacted a little amused. Torhild needed some time to process this ... and she didn't even know why. Yes, she loved Ivar some time ago, she always would but it was clear, four years ago that they both left to take their own way. He was only her friend, the father of her son. Even behind her it was silent and she really didn't wanted to look to him until Hvitserk brought his big drunk mouth in the conversation.
'Ivar the Boneless is concidering this. Didn't know you where capable of love brother after you left her and your child behind.' Hvitserk spotted. Ubbe grabbed the cup out of Hvitserk his hands and Torhild looked at him in disbelief, he did not just say that. She turned slowly around to Ivar who was watching his brother impressively calm.
'Hvitserk,' Torhild warned him when he stood up, a little unsteady on his legs from the ale but he did.
'Four years I cared for your child and you just couldn't keep my unborn child safe, you just had to play your tricks on Torhild again, pulling her in your darkness again.' He shouted out. He walked a few steps until he stood aside Ase. 'Don't you think that I don't see it, the way you look at each other. I did everything for you brother! I loved her for you, I took care of her child for you and this is how you thank me, taking everything away that I love.' Torhild closed her eyes, hurted by every word he said. 'This people is your leader, the great Ivar the Boneless, all he wants is power, he doesn't give a damn about the rest.' Hvitserk spitted on the ground before him before Ubbe pulled him on his colar out.
'Get him a bed to sleep.' He said to one of the slaves and vikings. Two men took him over while a girl runned after him. Torhild swallowed, look to her friend instead from over her shoulder.
'Well, now we had that, what do we do?' Halfdan asked nonchalant.
'We all know Torhild is the heir to the throne being the eldest daughter of King Ecbert. We also know that she works herself in trouble every time there is a fight. No offense Torhild,' Ubbe smiled before he putted his attention back towards his brother. 'Let her do the talking, she is much better in negotiation than any of uss. And don't go kingdom to kingdom, take it right at the source, go to Athelred.'
'He is teenager, he would be surrounded by advisors.' Torhild shook her head, thinking of the only son King Athelwulf had.
'You need his approval, not that of his advisors. Talk and see what will happen.' Ubbe suggested. Torhild looked to Ase who slowly nodded.
'I'm sick of all the talking.' Ivar spitted out. There it was. Torhild turned around and looked at him.
'What do you wanna do? Marry Elisabeth so you can get his support and army?' Ase joked. To her dissapointment Ivar didn't maked a snappy comment about it, what meant he was really concidering this.

'Ivar who wants to marry? I thought that I seen it all by now but no, he keeps surpricing me.' Ase laughed while they walked in the dark back to their temporary homes. Torhild didn't answer, she only gazed in front of her. Thinking of what Hvitserk said, what Ivar said earlier today and it looked that everything was thrown into the water. Hvitserk didn't want her anymore and Ivar was planning on marrying a princess. And Torhild ... she just needed to hunt for her crown. 'You're quite Torhild.' Ase noticed when they stopped before a little house guarded by two men. Torhild followed Ase until she found Raynor, sleeping on the bed. He was under Ase her protection now, since Hvitserk didn't wanted to talk to him and he still was mad on Torhild.
'I schould never have come here.' She whispered, leaning in the doorway and looking towards little Raynor.
'You could still leave Torhild, nobody would blame you. By the looks of it Ivar can handle it once he is married.'
'He said he never wanted to marry.' Torhild remembered. Ase looked aside to her and slowly sighed.
'People change, he changed. His greed for power grew and his lack for love diminished even more when you left four years ago.' She replied softly, the both of them looking to Raynor who was turning in his sleep.
'He didn't change, he only putted up a better mask on.'
'I wasn't sure the first time you saw him back. But you are jealous, aren't you? You still love him.' Ase guessed. Torhild shook her head, trying to push back the emotions she had since she came back from Lord Gregor.
'I can't be jealous, my life is better than his. He has so be jealous of mine.' Torhild reacted, making fists against her chest, like she wanted to capture her emotions with that.
 'He is jealous, it is written on his forehead for all the gods to read. You are just jealous of each others partners. He is like a bad sigh for you Torhild. Sorry if I say this but the closer you get to Ivar the more problems that follow. With your current state, Hvitserk his unstability and Raynor it is best to keep your distance.' Ase advised her. Torhild nodded and looked aside to her friend.
'You are right.' She agreed despite she had that hard knot inside her stomach saying otherwise.
'We go to Aethelred, let them marry, get that boy to a deal and before you know it we are back home.' The girl encouraged her. Torhild smiled and looked back to Raynor. She wanted her little boy back home, but more than else it felt like she wanted to stay.

She waked out of the wild noices outside. Like they were raiding the place, she heared glass shatter so Torhild rushed out of bed, trying not to wake Raynor in the middle of it. She pulled her clothes on, took her axe and sword and ran out. But really more than that she couldn't do, to much supriced and in shock of what she saw. Ivar was tackeling his brother, Hvitserk smacked against the ground and layed still for a moment while his brother crawled on top of him. Hvitserk kicked him with his fist, trying to grab an axe that just was out of reach.
'You little piece of,' Ivar groaned. Hvitserk kicked him again, getting Ivar just enough out of his balance so he could push him away while crawling from underneath him. But Ivar was Ivar, planning on killing with that look. Torhild came in action, dropping her weapons, walking to the both of them, knowing that none of them would attack her she stood between the two of them, pulling Hvitserk safe from Ivar his torn.
'Leave him.' She warned Ivar. If looks could kill ... Torhild held her warning gaze on to Ivar.
'Why are you still defending him.' Ivar shouted, getting a crowd around them, again. Torhild still holded Hvitserk tight on his arm.
'He is my husband.' She reacted back. It wasn't because of what happened that she wasn't willing to fight for Hvitserk anymore.
'Loyal one you have.' Ivar smile in a dark way, looking towards the house she and Hvitserk supposed to share. But after last night she stayed with Ase. Torhild followed his gaze, to the naked woman wrapped in sheets before it. Her hand lost grip of Hvitserk while she looked to the slave girl. Ase ran by with Ubbe by her side but the situation was already under controle and in what kind of way. Torhild couldn't look away from the girl, but she did, slowly turning around to Hvitserk. He was ... uncertain, she saw the conflict between anger and regret fighting in his eyes.
'Mother.' Everybody turned their heads to little Raynor. His bleu eyes gazed from Hvitserk, to Ivar and then back to his mother. 'What is going on?' He asked still a little sleepy. Torhild took him up, her face flattened from every emotion when she looked back to Hvitserk. But she just walked away, not wanting to make a scene in front of Raynor.
'Ready the horses.' She commanded Ase.
'To do what?'
'We go to Athelred.' Ase nodded on her words and ran of. Torhild tried to keep her mind on Raynor, making him ready but she only could see that woman, naked, wrapped in her sheets. Hvitserk wouldn't betray her like that, he wasn't that angry, he wasn't that drunk last night. But what was she doing there if it wasn't for sleeping with him. A part from her just wanted to go away, back home but she needed to do her duty here to and the faster she did that, the faster she could sail back home.
'Am I coming?' Raynor asked excited when Ase putted him in the saddle before Torhild.
'A little adventure for the little prince.' Ase winked to him. They had a small group of men, Ubbe was among them and she was glad. She wasn't in the any state to handle the other two right now. They drove to the great hall where Halfdan awaited them.
'Good luck.' He grinned.
'You to.' She reacted. But just as they wanted to ride of Ivar came on his chariot.
'Leaving without me?' He asked amused.
'You stay here, I can't look at you on the moment.'
'I defened you Torhild, he was sleeping with a slave, I saw it when I was looking for you. If you had let me, I could killed him for you.'
'Who?' Raynor asked curious. Ivar looked to the boy and shifted his gaze in front of him.
'You ruin my life. Stay here, I will get you your crown so I can leave again.' She hissed.
'I'm the leader, remember.' Ivar winked, clicking his tongue, cantering away. Well, it was an easier way to keep her distance from him, if she was upset like this. Ivar defended her, yes, but it was the kind of humiliation where the whole settlement could from enjoy. When she looked over her shoulder Hvtiserk was watching her, she wanted to yell something, that he could turn back to his slave but she didn't. Did he do it because he was angry? Or to prove her that she was the one struggling to produce a child. Anyway, it cracked her heart right in two ... if it wasn't already by Ivar. What was it with this country? She lost Ivar once, now Hvitserk, she squeezed her arms tighter around Raynor, not willing to loose him to.