Virago - Ivar The Boneless

Trying the Idea

When Little Bear finally left the river, it was the dead of night. She knew she was far from Kattegat, but not far away enough that if people were to look for her, she'd be safe. Iona took a moment to ring out the excess water in her clothes before she started her journey along the riverside. As she walked along, her mind wondered. 

Sitting at the table, Iona knew she had made a mistake when she took the seat next to the head of the table. Ivar took his seat next to her, his presence being felt by everyone when he sat at the head of the table for everyone to see. Opposite Little Bear was Sigurd, his hair twisted and pulled back into sloppy braids that she had done that morning. To her right was Ubbe, the oldest of the brothers and to Sigurd's left was the last brother, Hvitserk. 

Little Bear looked around only to find Aslaug was not present. Just lately the Queen had been absent at the evening feasts, not that it mattered, her son's would still attend for everyone see. Iona's attention returned to the table when the slaves began to put food on the plates in front of them, she watched as the young blonde slave dragged her hand across the shoulder of Ubbe as she moved around the table. Little Bear remembered this particular slave from the hut she stayed in when she first arrived at Kattegat, Margrethe.

"Do you feel of some importance when you are at this table?" Ivar asked the girl next to him who looked up at him with wide eyes. 

"Little Bear is our guest," Ubbe defended his brother's sister to his youngest brother. "She is always welcome here."

Ivar shook his head at the eldest Ragnarson, "She is a nobody."

Iona looked at the crippled man who seemed to always have a lot to say, she raised her eyebrows as his intense bright blue eyes met hers. "Banish me," the young blonde was always so quick to step up to the angry Viking. She pushed her blonde hair back over her shoulders as she smirked at the man she was challenging. 

"You're only alive because of Bjorn," Ivar told her as he narrowed his eyes at her. She'd been at Kattegat for far too long for his liking. He'd watched the way she held herself although he was yet to see her skills on a person, he'd heard her speak of how she came about and he knew that essentially she was fearless when it came to her life. "One of those days you won't be so lucky though."

"Ignore him," Sigurd spoke up getting his closest friend's attention away from his younger brother. "He's just being dramatic."

She turned away from Ivar which enraged him even more. He turned his anger to his brother, Sigurd this time, "How dramatic am I being, brother?" 

Sigurd rolled his eyes before he turned to face Ivar, "Your mummy is not here to see you be the man you think you are, Ivar."

Iona watched as Ubbe laid his hands on the table before she looked at Sigurd who was calm as he spoke to his brother. 

"I do not need our mother around!" Ivar snapped angrily at Sigurd. "I think it is you that needs her here to protect you." His voice was rising and his temper was getting the best of him as he held his axe tightly that he had laid on the table next to his plate. His angry blue eyes never once looked away from Sigurd, the hate in his eyes was all too apparent. 

Next to Little Bear, she heard the chair scrap as Ubbe got to his feet. "This is enough!" His voice was a roar as he walked around and removed the axe from Ivar's grip, he handed it to me which I took and placed on my lap before looking back up. "We are brothers, we need to stick together."