Forging A Heart (Ivar the Boneless)

* Heir *

AN: This one's for the lovely Miss Artful_Becca 😊 Enjoy!
...

"What do you think, hm? You'd make a lovely shieldmaiden."

Artemis shifts in bed, cracking her eyes open at the sounds of Ivar's soothing voice and their daughter's soft gurgles. He was beside his wife, sitting up against the fluffy pillows with the baby bundled in his arms.

"Strong, just like a Valkyrie," He continues with a smile, "Or perhaps you'd prefer to be like your mother?"

"I doubt she'd want to be a blacksmith, my love." Artemis comments groggily, smiling when Ivar shifts to look down at her.

"I meant a queen." Ivar snorts, with a smile, "Though I don't see anything wrong with her learning the trade." He brings his attention back to his daughter when he feels the little kicks through her swaddling.

"Or a dancer," He chuckles, moving the blanket away to reveal her little feet, tiny toes flexing in the cool air, "The most beautiful dancer." Artemis hums in response, lifting her tired body over to get closer to Ivar's.

"You should be sleeping," He tells his wife, bringing a hand down to pet at her messy hair, "You've been up all night."

"She is worth it."

Ivar makes a noise of agreement, gently bringing the baby closer to her when she decides to sit up and drape herself to his side.

"It's a surprise she's not crying." She mumbles, placing a chaste kiss on the warm skin of his tattooed shoulder.

"Please, don't even mention that." Ivar says with a groan.

Of all the things Ivar excelled in, taking care of a baby was not one of them. Though incredibly overjoyed with his daughter, her loud wails set a panic in him that he had never felt before, not even before battle.

A battle seemed so much easier than a wailing child.

Sól had a pair of lungs built to wake the dead from their graves, a high pitched cry that rivaled the howling wolves at night. He was grateful in that moment that she was in a peaceful state, her curious blue eyes moving back and forth between the smiling faces of her parents.

"It's her war cry." Artemis jokes with a giggle, "She's a Valkyrie, remember?" Ivar turns to look at his wife in horror, as if just coming to the realization that war was in fact a terrible thing, and he wouldn't want his daughter in the midst of violence.

"I change my mind," He grunts out quickly, bringing the infant closer to his warm chest, "She is much too precious to bare witness to the ugliness of war. Let her be a simple homemaker." He says, bending to brush a kiss on Sól's little brow, smiling against her skin when he hears the little noises she makes.

"You're Ivar the boneless," Artemis begins with a laugh, "Scourge of the world, and most feared Viking. You'd settle for your daughter being a homemaker?"

"Yes, I am all those things," Ivar's chest puffs out in pride as he let's a smile settle on his lips, "But look at her," He brings the swaddled baby under her nose, "Do you think this beautiful little girl would be out in the middle of a battle?" Artemis couldn't resist, putting her finger in her daughter's face and watching how her little hand grips it in curiosity.

"What a fearsome little thing she would be. Just like her father." She says, scooping the child from Ivar's arms and into her own.

"Careful with her legs, she's fragile!" Ivar's tone was never as worrisome before, and although it was adorable, Artemis wanted to roll her eyes.

"She's my daughter too, Ivar. She's fine. Her legs are fine." She insists, bringing her hand to cup Sól's flailing feet to prove it. She turns to Ivar with a smile, reaching over to kiss his stubbled cheek. He let's out a sigh, gently caressing Sól's cheek with a calloused finger.