Forging A Heart (Ivar the Boneless)

26- The Feline King

"Honestly, must you both make a fool of me?" Ivar barged into the Great Hall, shooing away the mewling cats that saunterd over to greet him. His limping was more prominent than usual, as his anger encouraged the pain in his bones to flare.

Both Artemis and Hvitserk glanced at each other, surprised at the lack of anger he expressed. Ivar was angry, but it was a silent anger, and somehow that made it much more frightening.

The King carefully sits on his throne, his fingers twitching over the armrests. His eyes were sharp, a deadly blue that pierced both his wife and his older brother, but the latter merely shrugged it off, collapsing on the steps at the foot of the throne without a care in the world.

"Well?" Ivar demands.

"You are the only one capable of that, brother, not I, nor your wife." Hvitserk replies nonchalantly, bending his head back to peer at Ivar, "Who are you to stop me from seeing my brothers, hmm?" Ivar's nose flares and he sucks his teeth in displeasure.

"Brother or not, I am still your king," He growls lowly.

"Traitors or not, they are still our brothers," Was the simple reply of the older Ragnarson. Artemis so wished she had the patience Hvitserk had. While she stood there silently fuming, Hvitserk was already brushing off the accusations. Her brother in law calls Geirdis over, who was hiding in the shadows just behind Heahmund.

"Mead," He tells her, and she immediately begins to pour him his drink from a near by pitcher. Heahmund's eyes catch Artemis, a frown forming on his lips in disappointment, whether it was in her or in the king, she didn't know.

"What do you have to say for yourself, wife, hmm? Proud of what you've done?" Ivar's tone was already accusing.

"My king, I dont think-" Heahmund begins to defend her but stops immediately when Ivar lifts a hand in silence.

"Stop talking," Ivar says, not bothering to look at his commander, "I was speaking to the Queen," his eyes focus on Artemis as she glares at him with arms crossed, "Planning my demise?" He offers.

"Are you mad? Do you even know what you accuse me of?" She says with a scoff, "You are implying treason,"

"What other reason would there be for you to run off to their cabin?"

"What other reason?" Artemis felt the anger bubbling within in her, threatening to spill over in a fury of harsh words. Her hands shook at her sides and her stance was threating. Heahmund sees this and steps forward, placing his hand on her shoulder.

"Keep calm," He speaks low enough for only her to hear, but she only shakes his hand off of her, moving forward to point an acusing finger toward her husband.

"You must think so little of me if you believe I would be conspiring against you," She spits through her teeth, "All I've been working towards is establishing your rule and being a proper queen,"

"Proper queen?" Ivar scoffs, "You haven't behaved as such," Artemis lurches forward as if to pounce on him and immediately Heahmund reaches for her before she could attempt anything, pulling her back easily. Heracles begins to growl at his mistresses distress, though he doesn't move from her side.

"You've gone too far, Ivar," Hvitserk barks out in a rage, jumping up from the steps to turn and glare at his younger brother, "Artemis has been nothing but loyal to you, we all have," He throws his hands up in exasperation, "I only went to greet our brothers, but she went with the intentions of negotiating."

Ivar sucks his teeth and waves his hand about, dismissing the comment.

"You must understand how that appeared, both of you with those traitors," He mutters, shooting a glare at Artemis as if she were the cause of all the trouble.