Ivars Dream

Chapter 8

It has been a whole month since we had found ourselves stuck in the Viking age, and I hated it. I had been searching for any way to get out of here, to get back to my old life and to get back to my dad. I didn't want him to worry that we had disappeared off the face of the earth. I had been thrown into Viking training with Cole and my uncles and that boneless. I also had seven cousins in total that were rough around the edges, Gyda was the only girl and she was the daughter of Hvitserk. She was a shieldmaiden and a bloody good one too. 

Bjorn Ironside has three son's Erik, Eindride and Halvar and  Ubba's sons are Jerrik, Stein and Sigurd. And of course, they're all hard ass Vikings, but also farmers. Farmers in my day are known to be tough, but not tough murderers. Gyda is the only one who goes out of her way to talk to me, most of them are Cole's age anyway. Even Gyda is about 6 years my senior but she's nice.

"Did you see me kill Eindride earlier?" Gyda loved beating her boy cousins. 

"Sure did," I nodded as I sipped on broth. 

"His footwork needs work, I keep telling him but he doesn't listen!" she says while blowing on her hot soup. 

I couldn't care more or less about training, I mean what was the purpose of training to kill when we could be relaxing and having a good time. We had no school just chores and training. Life seemed so repetitive, hardly any time to chill and just relax. I was sick of my elder cousins who would mock my lack of skill in combat. Gyda had taken a liking to me for some reason and had been teaching me in our spare time. She was an awesome teacher and cousin in general. I hadn't really had cousins around so it was nice. 

I was sipping on some broth when I felt someone taps lightly on my shoulder, I turned around expecting one of my annoying cousins to crack a dumb joke but to my shock it was Ylva. 

I wasn't expecting her and accidentally coughed, broth spraying on to her to my utter embarrassment. 

"Oh freak, I'm so sorry Ylva!" I quickly grabbed my shirt and started wiping the spit off her face. 

"Master Ivar, please stop. I am okay, I will go clean myself up," she pushed my hands gently down and stepped backwards. "Before I do though, I came to ask if you and Maiden Gyda needed any more food?"

"I-I ah, Ylva I am so s-sorry! I didn't mean to!" I was so embarrassed for us both. 

"No thank you Ylva, you may go and clean up," Gyda answered her question for me. 

"Thank you," Ylva said as she turned to leave. 

I sighed dropping my head into my lap, "Idiot" I muttered to myself. 

"Real smooth Junior!" Gyda shoved my shoulder with hers.

"Not now Gyda!" 

Ylva is a maid, one of many in the Lothbrok home. I had heard of the term love at first sight and thought it was ridiculous until I saw Ylva walk into the dining room with a face cloth and bowl of warm water. There was something about her that instantly attracted me to her, it wasn't just her beautiful waist length blonde hair and honey brown eyes. It was the way she held herself and walked with dignity and was genuinely a nice person. She didn't have the same attitude as the other maids who obviously hated being a slave. She seemed to find the positive side of her job and just be happy as weird as that sounds. 

The first time we held eye contact I felt a jolt of excitement pump into my bloodstream, she lifted her pulp lips into a soft smile and her dimples was the end of my existence. I was fifteen years old and had never had an interest in dating. 

Until I laid eyes on Ylva. 

It sounds ridiculous but ever since I met her all I can think about is growing old with her and starting a family. To say I was head of heels with her would be an understatement. Apparently, she had many suitors, she is four years my seniors and could be a free woman, but she had refused for some reason.