When Ivar meets a girl with flaming red hair and eyes that cannot see, he begins to wonder how a sightless girl can see so much beauty in the world... And in him.
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Ailbe woke up just before dawn on the hillside. At first, she was shocked by the strong arm wrapped around her waist but she softened a little when she realised that it was Ivar.
She moved a little, resting her head back on his still armored chest. "Ivar?" She whispered, poking him. A low groan radiated from him, signalling to her that he had already woken up long before she had.
"Go back to sleep." He sighed tiredly.
"Why didn't you wake me up?" She asked, sitting up. She didn't see the frown that spread across his face when she moved away from him, and for that he was grateful.
"You looked peaceful." He shrugged as though the answer were obvious.
"But don't you have a battle to prepare for?" She worried. "Aren't there things you need to do?"
Ivar chuckled a little, folding his arms behind his head to continue resting without a single concern. "I already made the preparations." He shrugged, leaving her a little stunned.
"How? We've been here for a day!"
Again, he shrugged but quickly realised that she couldn't see him. "I rode out last night to look at the landscape so we could use it to our advantage."
Again, Ailbe looked utterly stunned. "Before you spoke to me?" She asked. "Did you even sleep?"
"A little." He answered casually.
A dark blush shadowed the Celtic girl's face as she realised that he'd only actually slept beside her. But her blush soon faded and switched to a look of concern. "You should rest." She told him. "What if you're hurt in battle?"
"Then hopefully I'll die and go to Valhalla." Ivar replied as though death was no issue, as though he didn't even care. But the look on Ailbe's face soon made him regret his previous words as it was a look he never could've predicted.
"You can't die!" She looked utterly horrified, even more so than when he'd told her about the Kraken. For it was not her life that she dreaded losing, it was his. "Ivar you can't!"
"I won't." He assured her, still a little confused by her reaction. "Why do you care so much?"
Again the girl blushed, pushing back a strand of firey hair behind her ear. "I-" She bit her lip to stop it from trembling, as Ivar waited rather impatiently for her response. "I care about you."
"Don't you care about everyone?" He asked amused, watching her carefully for any sign that told him what she was thinking.
"Yes." She nodded, blushing again. "But you're not everyone."
"IVAR!" Hvitserk yelled over at his brother, making Ivar roll his eyes and fall back onto the ground with a loud groan.
"WHAT?" He yelled back, visibly agitated.
"You have things to do." Hvitserk glared at him. "You know, as King."
"I already have a plan." He sighed boredly.
"Well, do you mind sharing it with everyone else who's going to be fighting today?" The elder brother seemed utterly exasperated, and it was clear from his tone that he'd been trying to rally the men while Ivar was with Ailbe.
Though she was blind, she could sense the tone rather well. Gently, she placed her hand in Ivar's and sent a smile in his direction. "I'll be here when you get back." She told him. "Please actually come back."
He gave an arrogant chuckle, as though he was certain that nothing on this earth could hurt him. He was invulnerable, or mostly so at least. His one weakness, the only thing that gave him any vulnerability at all, was her. "I will." He spoke flatly, as though it was obvious. "I'll leave men with you just in case-"
"I'll be fine." She cut him off. "Just be careful." And with that she stood and left, with Ivar's eyes trailing after her as she walked away.
"You two seem close." Hvitserk commented with a grin, making his little brother glare at him so harshly that if looks could kill he'd be dead many times over. "It's not a bad thing to care about someone, Ivar."
"I know." The young king answered stubbornly.
"For what it's worth, I think she's good for you." Hvitserk responded calmly.
Ivar's gaze still lingered on the girl as she walked away, humming a little tune to herself as she always did when she walked. His harsh features softened ever so slightly, a small sigh echoing through him. "I know."
