Ease The Dawn

Part 2, Chapter 8

The water had lost it's steam and yet she lingered in the wooden tub that sat in the corner of their chamber. Turning over, she rested her chin on the outer rim extending her arm over the edge and watched the drops of water trickle off her fingers. Looking up, she stared at the back of Ivar's chair. Slouched over his worktable, he studied papers filled with figures and had been since after the evening meal.

The recent events seemed to pull his eye back to center and over the last week, he had waived off his usual late-night cups of ale with his brother and other men in the hall. Instead, he waited until the visiting king returned to his lodgings before withdrawing and making his way back to her.

Knowing the agreement between Ivar and Harald, she understood why Ivar would not dare leave the king alone with his men. People were fickle and in Kattegat, like any other place, alliances could shift with the wind. None the less, Aethelswith was happy to have him back, sharing her space each night, though, she was yet to reap all the benefits of his return.

"Would you care to join me?" she asked the back of his head. His hair freshly plated in one braid over his crown and down the back of his neck.

"Would you care to be my wife?" he replied in a disinterested tone.

Rolling her eyes, she pushed herself to stand and grabbed the drying towel that had been left beside the tub on her stool. The latest gift from Ivar to prevent any further falls climbing from the tub. It was made with rich coloured wood and had a carved heart in the center. Each time she placed her foot down, she was reminded of the small decorative box of charcoal he had gifted her while in the camp.

Patting the water off her body, she wrapped her robe around her shoulders, leaving the front open with the ties dangling at her sides. Noticing Ivar had not lifted his head to catch a glimpse as she walked passed, she swiped a little brown bottle off the table in her dressing area and climbed onto their bed.

Sitting straight against the headboard she drew up her knees and began pouring small drops of oil out of the bottle onto the skin of her legs. With small circles starting at her ankles, she worked it in all the way up to just below her groin.

"What are you doing?" Ivar asked from the table which sat facing the bed. His eyes staying fixed on the rows of tallies.

"You know my skin gets dry when the weather starts to shift." Opening the robe wider, she spread the oil over the side of her hip. "The cold comes so much earlier here than at home."

Lifting his eyes to her, he appeared to scowl, visibly straining to hold his stern demeanour. "Is this not your home?" his eyebrows lifted.

"You are my home. Wherever you are. I would live with you in a kindling box. In fact," she looked up and smiled, "I have!" Parting her knees just enough, she ran the oil up her inner thigh. "And...you know what I meant when I said home."

"And...I know what you are doing now." Clearing his throat, he forced a cough, looking back down to his work.

"I have no idea what you are talking about." She bit the inside of her cheek to stop herself from smiling.

Opening the front of her robe, she shimmied her shoulders free, letting it slip behind, exposing her body entirely. Pouring droplets of oil into her hands, she rubbed them together to warm the slick liquid before smoothing it down each arm.

"You started bathing in the evenings and you dismiss that slave of yours as soon as I return for the night."

"She is terrified of you."

"She should be," he scoffed. "What is that?" he asked, finally returning his eyes to her. Despite his cool tone, his bright eyes burned into her, raking over her round breasts and soft pink nipples, her smooth legs and delicious thighs, all shining warmly in the light from the candles. Narrowing his eyes at her disguised nothing.