Eyes of Fire

Divide

  "King Harald! I will think of you in York. I left some good men in charge there." Ivar said while raising his horn of mead.

  "I will be glad to meet them. But York will only be a staging post for us."

  "Good. I still consider it a part of my new kingdom."

  "I think it is a good thing that I'm leaving."

  "Yes, I agree. I think it is a good thing."

  "But don't worry. With my ships filled with treasure and slaves, I will come back. Skol."

  "Skol." Ivar's attention turned to me as he smiled, but I was too busy watching Hvitserk. The poor man. He was drinking more than usual and almost always shaking now with rage and grief in his eyes. "What's the matter with you, huh, little brother?" Ivar addressed Hvitserk, and that sharp gaze of Hvitserk's snapped to Ivar.

  "I am not your little brother! And you know exactly what's wrong with me. Margarethe is dead!"

  "I know."

  "Of course you know! You ordered the killing!" He slammed his hand against the table, and the entire hall went dead silent.

  "Why would I do that?"

  "You have many reasons to, Ivar." Hvitserk spat before getting up from his seat and walking over to his brother, and he leaned down to be eye level with him. "She was right about you from the very beginning."

  "Be very careful what you say about me, Hvitserk."

  "Why? Will you kill me next?" He laughed, and there were a few gasps when he suddenly went down from my fist colliding with his cheek. Without saying a word, I stood up from my chair and looked down at the shocked and angry Hvitserk as he held the side of his face. Crouching, I grabbed the front of his shirt and jerked him forward. Wrapping my arms around Hvitserk, I held him a tight hug while speaking low to where only he could hear me.

  "I understand you are in pain, Hvitserk. Margarethe may have been a bitch, but she meant a lot to you, and I get that. But that doesn't mean you lash out and talk that way. And Hvitserk....it wasn't Ivar that ordered the kill." Leaning back, I looked him in the eye and kept the same quiet voice so that no one else would hear me. "Be careful with those you keep close to you."

  Standing up, I held out my hand to help the man to his feet. His face was a mix of emotions, but he accepted the offered hand, and I returned to my seat.

  "What did you tell him?" Ivar whispered while holding his horn in front of his mouth as he watched his brother.

  "That you had nothing to do with Margarethe's death." Looking right at Ivar, I saw his gaze drift to me. "But if I find out you did....I'll make it to where you'll be begging to have Loki's punishments instead."

  "I didn't." His expression was serious. "Though, I won't say I wasn't tempted." Grabbing my cup, I took a drink and held it for a second in front of my mouth in a similar manner to Ivar.

  "Then the killing very well may be a ploy to put a divide between you and Hvitserk. If Hvitserk doesn't believe me, then it will definitely work."

  "And how in the world am I supposed to convince him I didn't have her killed?"

  "Let me worry about that. You focus on keeping Kattegat in order. With you taking a bride, Harald may become a threat since he had believed the throne would be his in a matter of years. Now....not so likely."

  "We should further discuss this later in private." Ivar glanced over the faces in the hall as the chatter and hollering had already returned.

  "Agreed."