Different Worlds

|Chapter Two|

Kendra had moved down a few steps to allow him room to move. "Now why would you have left the talks of diplomacies and alliances, to come find me Ivar?" She asked, her eyes going white and glazed as they locked on to his.

"Can you hold these for me?" he asked passing her one of his crutches, as he slowly slid down the wall of the castle. Crawling over to the step behind you, heaving his legs in front of him now draping over the steps below him. Kendra's eyes had gone wide shock. She shook her head trying not to give away her surprise.

"Have you never seen a cripple before?" he scoffed, rolling his eyes at her. She could hear the concern laced with his words.

"I have seen many, I do apologise for staring" Kendra started off calmly, sympathetic was obvious. "When you walked in earlier, I hadn't even thought to look at your legs" she let out a small laugh, causing Ivar to smile at her. "You stood so tall, it wasn't obvious that something was different". She smiled at him, for a moment she could have seen his face soften.

"Well that would have been thanks to the braces and crutches, they do that you know" Ivar joked. Letting a laugh escape his lips. How plump they were, Kendra hadn't noticed before. "Have you not heard of me?" He asked raising his brow, "Ivar the boneless... scourge of the world" he added his eyes going blank, waiting on her response.

"Well Ivar the boneless, I do not believe much of what I am told" she smiled at him "Unless of course I see it with my own eyes" she looked away at the courtyard.

"You are not afraid of me?" he asked sliding down from his step, making himself eye level with Kendra, looking at her straight in the eyes.

"At first I was yes" she looked straight at him. "You carried yourself so different from your brothers in there" she paused, his face not changing at her words. "your words so open and free" she smiled. "It was startling but, now I see it was not scared. Just startled" she nodded showing finality in her words.

"You are one of few to speak so brazenly to me"

"That may be because this is my castle and my home" she rolled her eyes.

"Your father had made his mind up. We are to marry Kendra" he looked at her, the sight of Kendra's body stiffening at his words.

"Then if my father wills it, it must be so. It is for my people" she looked at him, trying to seek some form of kindness.

"I have to say I do not know how I feel about this, marrying some Christian" he said with hatred at the word, waving his fingers around it. "However, I am leader of the army. I will protect your kingdom, that is all I can promise you at this time". He looked up at her, the more he took in the sight of her, he could appreciate her beauty. Her brown curled hair, her brown eyes glistening in the night light. He small hands intertwined with each other fallen in his lap.

"I appreciate that Ivar, I can't promise to make you happy. I have no idea of how a marriage will work. But I can only promise that I will try" She smiled at him, reaching for his hand. She gently placed hers on top of his, not expecting anything back. "I will try and be a good wife for you, given the nature of this arrangement".

Ivar looked down at his hand now being covered by her own. They were so dainty in comparison to his own. So soft as he placed his free hand on top of hers, attempting to show her some sign of compassion. Before looking up at her own eyes, giving her a small smile.

Kendra could see the vulnerability in his eyes "I am sorry Ivar, I did not mean to come across to strong" he shook his head.

"You haven't" he reassured her, now tightening his grip on her hand. "I came out here to tell you, that our marriage had been agreed" he looked at her, a small bit sadness in his expression. "I would also like to ask if we could try and get to know each other" he rushed out raising a brow at her, trying to read her expression. "I do not wish to be married to a stranger is all I ask" Ivar looked away nervously.