Virago - Ivar The Boneless

Wind of Change

It seemed to the world that Sigurd and Little Bear had many things in common. She'd spend her day's training with him, throwing axes and daggers at tree, animals or whatever they deemed appropriate. They swam in the river together, something Iona had to convince Sigurd to do but once she gained his trust it was easy. He taught her how to wield an axe, she taught him how to swim. They ate together, in the hall, they would sit at the end of the table, their attention on each other and no one else. No words from the others affected them and their friendship. 

Over the year, Aslaug had watched Iona carefully. The young blonde's attitude seemed to have softened especially around her son. Aslaug didn't like their friendship, noticing that Sigurd was so wrapped up in the young girl even though the blonde didn't seem to share the same feelings. Sure, Little Bear was friends with him, very good friends but she didn't return the look that Sigurd gave her. Aslaug had concluded that her third son was in love with the feisty blonde, Iona was not in love though. 

Through the year that had passed, Bjorn had left leaving Iona behind. He knew she'd be safe with Aslaug and his half brothers, knowing that his sister had formed a strong bond with Sigurd. When he left he had warned Iona about getting too comfortable, reminding her that Aslaug was in charge and he wouldn't be there to protect her. He didn't worry so much about Aslaug, the woman who was like a second mother to him, he did worry about Ivar though. He'd noticed Ivar's uneasiness around the blonde, almost like he needed to start an argument. Bjorn wasn't sure if it was his sister who was the one who was the one antagonising Ivar or if it was Sigurd, his own brother. Either way, Bjorn was nervous about leaving Iona behind, but he had to. 

After much time had passed, Little Bear had turned around the age of sixteen. People noticed that with age, came beauty like her mother. Aslaug had watched the young girl become a woman. Watching her brought her joy, she knew that Iona was changing more and more and this would eventually manifest for everyone to see. 

"Do you believe in fate?" Sigurd asked the blonde girl as they laid together in the grass, the field was open and there seemed to be no one else around. 

She didn't turn her head, she closed her eyes shielding her vision from the sun. "Fate is such a strange word. I believe what is meant to be will be. Some things are a dead cert though."

Sigurd was confused, nothing in his life was guaranteed, everything was down to chance, surely? Sure, Little Bear thought she knew things but she didn't know the future for herself or anyone else. "Sometimes I think you believe what you say."

Iona opened her eyes before she turned her head to the right and looked at her close friend. "I think you want to believe that I don't know, but I do."

The son of Ragnar pushed himself up before he looked down at the girl who laid in the grass looking up at him. She'd changed since the day she first arrived. Gone were her childlike face and innocent but deadly eyes, replacing them was an alluring young woman who seemed to have a look of determination in her eyes. He knew she was changing, he also knew there was nothing he could do to stop that. 

"You are so," she spoke before pausing and thinking of a word to describe him before speaking. "Boring sometimes." She closed her eyes and placed her right arm over her face shielding her eyes even more from the sun before she listened to the footsteps that headed away from her. 

Recently, Little Bear had grown increasingly irritable. Her life here seemed to be the same every day. She wanted more, she needed change or excitement. Of late she seemed to only have one thing that brought her joy and that didn't as often as she would have liked to keep her occupied. 

The sound of the grass moving woke Iona from her light slumber, she must have fallen asleep a little but the noise was enough to disturb her. Opening her eyes, she stared up wildly into the darkness that her arm brought to her. Listening she couldn't work out where the sound was coming from, her ears were playing tricks on her as she tried to steady herself. 

As she laid, the sound got closer before she flung her arm off herself quickly and sat up, her right arm reaching for her knife as she looked around. "Looking for this?" She was met by the voice and face of Ivar who was sitting next to her on the right. 

Her eyes were wide as she noticed the small knife Sigurd had gifted her in his left hand as he taunted her. She looked at the knife and the way he held it so skillfully like he was going to strike at any moment. 

"What's wrong?" He smirked as he watched her, "No need to look so scared."

The words affected her more than he thought, she swiped for the knife only to fail before he laughed causing her to become irritated by him. "I would never be scared of you!" Her voice came out in a venomous tone as she grabbed his wrist with her right hand before using her left hand to try and pry the blade from his grip. 

Ivar let her struggle, it entertained him knowing that spending time with his brother had made her weak. "You are like Sigurd, you are powerless." He chuckled as she tried her hardest to get her weapon from him, failing her mission. 

She narrowed her eyes, as much as she didn't want to admit to him that he was right, she knew he was. Letting go of him, she laid back down and stared up at the sky. Some time had passed with Sigurd had left, the sun had started to set in the distance and the darkness was coming over the sky slowly. "Keep it," she said simply before she closed her eyes again. 

Little Bear always seemed to surprised Ivar, she could have fought him for the weapon that was now hers but she decided against it. He narrowed his eyes at her even though she wasn't watching. "You have become vulnerable, you are so weak as the others in Kattegat."

"And you are nothing more than a child, Ivar. Go home," her voice was breathy and fed up as she tried to not rise to his words. 

Ivar wanted to grab her and shake her, to take the dagger and put it straight into her heart. She was nothing more than a distraction to his family and she was getting in the way. Sigurd and his relationship as brothers were almost at breaking point. Sigurd wound him up in the evilest ways, each time Ivar would find himself wanting to murder his brother. 

He threw the knife down next to her, the blade scratching her pale hand as it did. The small action got her attention, she flew up, looking at him instantly, her hand grabbing the knife before pointing it in his direction. "Do anything like that again and I'll slit your throat in your sleep."

"Your threats are empty," he smirked smugly before he turned around from her and began his journey back to main Kattegat away from the blonde who aggravated him so much. Spending time in her presence only made him more aware of what he aimed to achieve in his life.