Oops! This image does not follow our content guidelines. To continue publishing, please remove it or upload a different image.
"If I die in battle, Freyja will welcome me. Then this will all be over. Oh by the Gods if only it were that easy!" Alfild yelled to herself as she slammed the door of her new home shut and jumped onto her bed. She buried her head into the rough straw pillow, letting out a muffled scream in exasperation. "Why do emotions exist?" She tossed over, looking up at the roof. "Life would be so much easier without them!"
From outside, the three brothers just listened in confusion to the babbling that could be clearly heard. Was she talking to herself? Well, that wasn't exactly surprising. It was Alfild.
"Stupid England with its stupid feelings. Why can't I just hate everyone? Why?" She continued, oblivious to those who listened in. "Do you think this is funny, Odin? I bet you're having a real laugh!"
Her head jolted up when she heard a laugh come from outside. Her first thought was that it was the gods, and then she realized that was insane for even her.
Quickly, she stood and made her way to the door. She wasn't as surprised as she should've been to see the three brothers stood with guilty looks on their faces.
"I uhm- I came to speak to you." Ivar spoke a little awkwardly, checking inside to make sure she wasn't speaking to anyone.
She opened the door, allowing him in. As she was about to ask Ubbe and Hvitserk to enter, the two quickly made haste and left. Now she was alone with Ivar. The one person she didn't want to be alone with.
"Is there something you need?" She asked, still avoiding any and all eye contact.
Of course, this wasn't something that would escape the notice of Ivar The Boneless. No way. "Why are you avoiding me?" He asked with that same old accusing tone.
"You're paranoid." She answered with a chuckle, turning to look at the wall so that she wasn't tempted to look up and lose herself in his eyes once more.
"That doesn't mean you're not avoiding me." He persisted, narrowed eyes searching for an answer.
She remained silent, her eyes fixed on the wooden panels of the wall. If she ignored him, he'd go away. That's what she kept telling herself. But she knew Ivar better than that by now. She knew he wouldn't just go away.
"Is it because of Erik?" He asked.
With those words, he grabbed her attention. Involuntarily, she spun round to face him. Green met Blue once more. That familiar spark in those deep emerald eyes almost made the crippled Prince smile. Almost.
"You already fixed that problem, remember?" She said, a little gentler than she had meant to. She was trying to stay strong, to keep her wall from crumbling. Don't show weakness. Brunhilde had said. Love is weakness.
"I'm not a seer, Alfild." Ivar began to grow impatient as the girl stood there, shifting nervously.
"I can see that." She said, slowly stepping closer.
"Well?" He asked with raised brows.
Her emeralds looked up into the stormy blue once more. She stayed silent and still for a moment, thinking of something she could do. Anything.
Love is weakness.
She tried to turn away, to rip her gaze from the man in front of her and to anything else in the room. To take control. But maybe she didn't want to be in control anymore.
Wasn't that the beautiful thing about falling in love?
You were falling. You were free.
She stepped closer again, noticing the discomfort that grew on Ivar's features as she came closer. Now he could almost feel her breath fan his cheek, her lips so close to his own, her eyes fluttering slightly as she looked up into his. His breath hitched, staring at the girl for a moment. She looked just as wary as him.
Love is weakness.
"Alfild-" He began but she cut him short.
Before the Prince could even begin, she'd leant up to him. Her lips pressed against his passionately, as though she'd been waiting for that very moment for her whole life. So had he. For a moment, he didn't move. He remained rigid under her touch, unsure how to react. But as her hand reached up to grasp his leather armour, he realised this was real. That this was happening. That Alfild The Merciless's one weakness, was him.
