VIKINGS IMAGINES [BOOK I]

Ivar's blind spot.

a/n: requested.

+

Ivar had been riding in his chariot almost a year ago when on raid. He had argued with his brother about battle strategies and needed to be left alone. When he rode through the thick woods he suddenly stopped the horse when he thought he saw something in the woods. He got ready with his bow as he aimed in the direction of the unknown. He frowned when he saw a small girl looking lost as tears streamed down her cheeks.

He kept frowning when she got close enough, she didn't seem to see him yet her eyes was wide open but her irises wasn't black, they had a faint grey color.

"Hey," Ivar said calmly, trying not to scare her. She raised her eyes and mouth opened before she quickly started to run the opposite direction. Her short legs didn't make her run fast and when he noticed her running towards a tree he quickly rushed over in his chariot.

"Hey stop! Watch the tree!" He yelled but she kept running in panic. She soon fell to the ground, not seeing the unevenness in the ground. He stopped the horse and let out a sigh as she slowly got up.

"I'm not going to hurt you, but did you hurt yourself?" Ivar asked but she remained silent. She rubbed her hands but her eyes didn't look down. He couldn't help but to wonder what her problem was.

"I'm Ivar, what's your name?" He asked and hoped she wouldn't run away again. Her eyes followed the sound and soon her blue eyes with a gray middle looked into his. Ivar frowned as he waved his hand in front of her face but she didn't react. He bit the inside of his cheek when he realized.

"Astrid," She said in a small voice and he nodded with a smile.

"Hi, Astrid why are you out here in the woods all by yourself?" Ivar asked and his eyes saw her small and almost bony body. She wore torn pants, a shirt and a thin jacket. Her clothes and skin was dirty.

"I-I'm lost," She stuttered as she wind blew. "I can't find my way back home," She continued and Ivar looked around. He knew the closest village here was miles away if he didn't sound their own. He saw her body shaking from the cold and bit his lip.

"How did you get lost?" Ivar asked and he dreaded the answer.

"Men came to our village and I lost my mother. I couldn't hear her anywhere nor anyone I knew," She told him and he nodded.

"Hear?" He asked even if he could imagine the answer.

"I can't see," She said and he got it confirmed. A wave of emotions hit him as he realized her parents kept her as his mother even if they knew she was hopeless without her sigh. He felt amazed that she had survived this long alone. He could only imagine the animals around here and some slave sellers as they walked from village to village.

"Well, Astrid I can't walk," He said and she frowned. "I got a horse that does that job for me if I'm not crawling," He said and removed his cloak.

"You don't have legs?" She asked and placed her hands on her legs and he shook his head even if he knew she couldn't see.

"Yes but they don't work as yours," He answer. "Would you like to follow me back to my camp so you can rest and eat?" He asked, he took a chance. He knew he wouldn't leave her alone. She wouldn't survive out here forever. He knew she would starve to death in a few days if not the animals found her. She took a step back and hugged her body.

"I promise you that no one will hurt you okay, I will make sure of that," He said as she saw her doubting him. "You can have my cloak to get warm and you'll ride in my chariot?" He said and she took a small step forward.

A relieved smile covered his lips as she walked over to him. He helped her up and soon wrapped his too big cloak around her body. He held a firm grip on her body so she wouldn't fall as they made their way back.

As they got closer and the sound of voices he felt her body shake again. He slowed down the pace and looked at her.

"Remember what I say, nothing will happen to you," Ivar repeated and he saw his brothers standing outside and their eyes widen when they saw that he wasn't alone.

"Who's that?" Björn said and looked at the girl who looked at him. His body got filled with an odd feeling as he saw her eyes. His brothers reaction the same way.

"It's Astrid, and she's going to stay with us," Ivar said causally as he shrugged his shoulders. Björn clenched his jaw when he saw Ivar help Astrid get off. Hvitserk and Ubbe seemed interested in the young girl. Ubbe who was expecting his first child at home felt some kind of emotions towards her but he was still careful.

"Stay with us?! Ivar how do you not know this is a trap? Who's going to take care of her?" Björn asked his youngest brother only loud for him to hear. Ivar rolled his eyes.

"She's with me and I'm responsible for her and do you think I'm stupid," Ivar said as she saw the young girl seem rather disoriented and his heart ached. She needed another chance. He got one and she had just the same right as him. She could learn to survive but she would have to find other ways of doing it, to use her blindness as her strength.

"How old is she really?" Ubbe asked and looked at the girl who kept close to Ivar and his chariot. He only shrugged.

"Around five?" Ivar said.

"How old are you?" Sigurd asked the young girl who frowned.

"Why aren't you with your parents?" Hvitserk asked.

"Can't you see?" Ubbe asked but it got too much for the little girl who clumsily tried to get on the chariot and Ivar helped her back up. She stood next to Ivar who glared at his brothers.

"Who's that freak?" A man yelled. Ivar shot him an angry glare as the little girl nuzzled her face into Ivar's chest. He held her close as he felt her trembling body.

"She's coming with us!" Ivar growled, his voice told them there wasn't room for negotiation. They only told him that she was his full responsibility.

Ivar sat on the porch outside the great hall as the imagines of his first meeting with Astrid. It had been almost a year ago and he almost couldn't recognize her. Her hair was clean and braided. Skin clean and she had new clothes. She wasn't bony anymore and he had gotten some help from Lagertha. Astrid had in the beginning a hard time leaving Ivar which he actually didn't mind.

Astrid had been living in his cabin. First six months she slept beside him but she had now started to sleep in her own bed next to his but something crawled back. He had taught her how to tie some simple knots, how to hold a sword and use her lack of sight as an advantage. It took a while and she wasn't perfect yet but he didn't give up. His body got filled with joy whenever her smile cracked up in a happy smile or a smile filled with pride.

"Look Ivar!" She said as she showed him her moved with the wooden sword. A giggle left her lips as he clapped his hands.

"Watch your elbows, a bit lower," Ivar said in a stern voice as he smiled. He tried to be hard as he taught her but her joyful mood stained his own. She kept practicing as Björn walked outside and sat down beside Ivar, his eyes following the blind girls improvements.

"Not giving up are you?" Björn said. he hadn't fully grown close to the girl yet. Ivar was always close and he still had a strange feeling about her. He knew the she wouldn't survive if anything serious would happen. Björn didn't want his brother to die to protect a child that wasn't his.

"No Björn, not everyone had a clear path to walk," Ivar spat. "You see weaknesses but we only see strengths"