"Who does he think he is"Ivar screams from the furs after I ordered the young man who had challenged me to leave. I look to Ivar, his blue eyes are shaking with anger, my grey eyes bore into his.
"Calm down Ivar, everyone has a right to challenge me," I say sitting down next to him
"It is to the death, you could die" my face softens when I see the worry in his eyes
"I don't plan on dying Ivar, I will fight the man and I will kill him"
"You are fighting for the throne"
"Yes but not the one you sit on now, he wants the throne to our homeland, and I have worked too hard to let a young man walst in and take it from me"I whisper placing a kiss on his forehead "Get some rest"
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My grey orbs look out to the sea of faces, gathered in the great hall, gathered to hear Ivar speak. Ivar rises with the help of his crutch and the people calm down and turn to him.
"One of you has challenged my wife for her throne"I hear people hiss and whisper "but I found it revolting for a man to challenged his Queen and her rule if it was me I would have had him killed on the spot "Some people cheer and Ivar indulged in the excitement from the crowd "Yes but you see my Queen she is merciful but she wants to show all of you she can fight, that she can destroy this challenger, that she will end his life in a swift and bloody battle, do you want to see your Queen win my people, to kill this challenger" More people cheered and laughed. Ivar nodded as the people cheered and laughed "Yes my people I will be the king you need not the one you wanted" People chant Ivars name as he speaks indulging in his rage and anger. My eyes travel up towards him as he smiles as the people chant his name. Ivar was a great battle strategist but he needed help leading and I can't help him from the grave, I had to win the fight tonight and I had to show the people the fighter truly am, it was time for all to see the Shadow Queen. My grey eyes narrow as I see the young man take his leave in the back. Ivar sits back down next to me enjoying his mead. Eilish makes her way towards me in a rush, she pushes through the crowds of people Hvitserk slowly on her heels. Her face shows her fears and concerns.
"Who is this man" she whispers in my direction as she gets close to me. She looks around the room nervously
"I have yet to learn his name, and no the man cannot be killed or harmed before the fight, I will not allow it, he has challenged me and I will kill him, do you understand" Eilish nods but hangs her head "Eilish?" I asked raising her head with my hand, her hazel eyes bore into my grey ones, I can see her worry and concern, I give her a soft smile "I do not plan to die today, I will fight and I will win" I take a hold of her milky white hand and reach forward to Hvitserk, with a sigh I place her small hand into his "Take your wife and keep her busy" I whisper to Hvitserk, who smirks at me and pulls Eilish away from me, I turn to find Ivar looking at me in wonder. I give him a soft sad smile, he shakes his head and turns back to look at his people. I let out a sigh and place my a hand on my swelling abdomen.
"Mommy loves you, daddy loves you, you are an heir to the throne of a faraway land, and I will not let you die inside of me" I whisper to my abdomen, Ivar hears this and turns to frown at me. HIs face shows sadness and fear, emotion Ivar only showed to me and no one else, to everyone else Ivar was Ivar the boneless the ruthless Viking to me he was Ivar the man with a broken heart that he is fixing or am I fixing it...I reach out and take ahold of his rough gloved hand.
XXX
The time for battle has come, As I make my way to the fire lit circle on the shoreline. I come to a halt breathing in the fresh salty breeze. I let out a breath and continue on my path towards the circle, people create a path for me to walk through, many whispers amongst themselves, many stands still with shock. Evelyn stands in the middle of the circle next to the young man who challenged me. I step into the circle and pull off my furs revealing my leather armor and weapons, strapped to my back as the ax Ivar gave me the day we wed, in front of me plunged into the ground was my spear.
"Two challengers enter the circle but only one can leave, death is the loss and the throne the prize may the gods fight with you and may the true ruler win" Evelyn stats as she slowly moves pack to leave the circle, I grip my spear my hand turning white, the young man in front of me grips his sword.
Calming my beating heart, I close my eyes, I can hear everything the breathing of the people, the breathing of the young man in front of me, I can hear him uneasily move around in the sand waiting for me to make a move, breathing in I grab my spear harder breathing out I lift it with speed, snapping my eyes open I throw the spear into the mans shoulder, causing him to scream and plunge backward into the ground, breathing in I move with speed to jump on top of him and plunge the spear deeper into his shoulder, blood splatters over my face, the man swings his blade cutting into my side, I grunt in pain and pull the blade from my side and his hand, screaming in pain and fear I plunged the blade into the mans another shoulder. He is now pinned beneath me with no weapon. My grey eyes bore into the mans hazel eyes, I can see the fear on his face as I pull the ax from its holder on my back, letting out a breath and swinging down with the ax I cut of the mans arm at the elbow, he screams in pain, I can hear people gasp in the crown around the circle. The man continues screaming with every swing of my ax as I cut him
"Please" I hear a woman scream as she rushes towards me men jump in grabbing her, I turn to the blond woman as she weeps
"Who are you,"I asked turning a bit, knowing I am covered in the young man's blood
"I am his wife, please stop just kill him"
"I warned your husband that his death would be painful, I warned him, but he did not listen so now he must pay, do you understand sweetling, your husband wanted to be a king, no wonder it was you who whispered such things in his hears but he will die like the peasant he is, he had no right to challenge me, he should have thought twice before challenging death itself"I say turning back towards the man and swing down hard with the ax I Cut off his head, blood showers over me as the mans head rolls away, I stand up for his limp body and pick up his head, I move towards the hysterical screaming woman and place the head at her feet "Such a pity he was a handsome man, there you can keep his head" I whisper to her and take my leave
