Virago - Ivar The Boneless

Another Life

Little Bear noticed that people avoided her over the next few days, she didn't care though it gave her mind more time to talk to her. Speaking about her past had opened her mind, she had all the time to think about things she could do, things that would bring her dark side back to the front of her mind. She had gone soft, growing up had changed her and that bothered her. When she was younger, her mind was not preoccupied with other thoughts. Arriving in Kattegat a few years ago, she'd found something new to fill her time, friends and lads.

Meeting the Ragnarsson's had kicked her new habit off. Sigurd and her had grown close and although they only remained friends, his presence filled her time.

As she laid on her back in a field, below her was slightly damp grass but that did not phase her. The clouds above her head were dark but there was no rain falling. Lifting her hands up, she stared up at them as she examined each and every finger.

Over time, she closed her eyes letting her hands fall down and lacing them together on her stomach. Doing something with her hands kept them busy, she needed to keep herself from going slowly insane.

She listened as the silence around her shifted, screams filled her ears along with cries of war. Sniffing the air, she could smell the metallic iron scent of blood. By her right ears she felt something rush by, opening her eyes quickly she sat up to find herself alone. The feeling, the sound and smell that had washed over her had gone in an instant.

Her hands patted her body as she reached for a weapon, a sigh left her lips when she felt the material beneath her fingers. Iona had found another dress at the home that once belonged to the King and his family. Before she had headed out in the morning, she had pulled on a deep purple dress, the skirt down to the ground, the top a tight corset with thin lace sleeves. She had wanted to feel beautiful but instead, she felt lost.

When she stood, she smoothed the dress and pulled it up at the front a little, her cleavage covered by the lacing. Little Bear looked around, she was alone out here, the wind by her ear was just her imagination.

Turning, she walked back to the main settlement. As she walked through, people bowed their head as she passed them by. Iona found herself outside by the table where Sigurd died. She knelt down by the spot, a small stain remained on the wood from the blood that escaped the murdered brother's wound.

"Don't tell me you miss him?" She whipped her head around to look at Hvitserk who was watching her. There was a hint of disgust in his voice as he spoke to her, almost as if he couldn't believe she might be contemplating it.

She stood up, her body turning to the lad before her. Little Bear raised her eyebrows as she glanced at the axe that hung on the belt her wore. "I do not." Her eyes narrowed as she said these words, she felt sick at the thought. Sigurd deserved what he got, it was only a matter of time.

"What are you doing then?"

Iona sat in the seat that Ivar had sat in when he had thrown the axe, she placed her hands on the arms of the large chair as she looked up at Hvitserk. "I wonder what it was like," she spoke as he watched her with wide eyes. "Seeing the light leave his eyes, I wonder if he had any regrets as he fell to the floor knowing he was going to die."

"I might not agree with the things Sigurd did, but he was still my brother." The way he spoke made Little Bear sad, she thought he was her friend. "You had a close relationship with him."

"We were friends, yes," she reminded him as she looked up at his eyes. "At one point, anyway." Hvitserk ran a hand through his loose hair, he did not wish to argue but he could hear the tone of her voice changing. She smiled up at him, "Let me do your hair." She did not bite as she looked at him with soft eyes.

He was confused but nodded as she got to her feet and offered him her seat. "I miss this," he told her as he sat in the chair as she walked around the seat. He smiled as he felt her fingers running through his hair, detangling the knots that had started to form.

She sighed as she played with his hair, "I wish things were different."

"How so?" Hvitserk did not know what she meant. He wanted to know more of what was in her head, she was so intriguing, so complicated.

Iona laughed dryly as she began her braiding, her fingers expertly weaving the bonds. "Maybe if my life had been different, maybe if this feeling inside of me was not there, things could have been different." She glanced up as she felt them being watched, over by the door of a building she saw her brother standing with Ivar, both of them watching over.

"You are so much more than what you think of yourself. You don't have to be who they think you are," he told her as she tugged at his hair.

"Maybe when we meet in Valhalla things can be different for us," Iona told him as she glanced at his hair before looking back up at Ivar. "My life here is destined for great things," she smirked as she looked into those blue eyes that burned into her. "You will always be here though," she put her hands on the shoulders of Hvitserk as she looked down at his head.

He turned his head to look at her, she was no longer smirking but waiting for his response with a concerned look on her face. "I will be here for you," Hvitserk told her as he reached for her right hand as he scanned over her face. The redness had gone from the slap she received from Bjorn only a few days ago. "I will be with you always, as long as I can."

"The Gods watch you as you promise me this," Little Bear told him as she tightened her grip on his hand. "Please, do not disappoint me."

"I could never do that," he assured her before she let go of his hand then returned to braiding his hair.

She looked up again, Bjorn and Ivar had gone from where the had previously stood making the blonde suspicious of their conversation and reason for looking over at her.

XOXOX

Little Bear left the settlement as night fell, she'd shed her dress and returned to her normal clothing. Taking a horse, she rode off hoping to find something to help cure her even if only for a second. Heading towards a farm, the closest place she could find, she slowed the horse as she approached the home.

Getting off the animal, she left it to its own devices as she crept towards the home. Her right hand pulled her axe from inside of the furs she wore.

Her footsteps were quiet and small as she got to the door. The darkness inside of her was eating her as she put her hand on the door. Just as she went to open the door, an arrow swiped past her ear and swiftly landed in the wood of the doorframe.

She whipped her head around to see Ivar on his chariot staring at her. She didn't even hear him following her, the sounds in her mind had drowned out all sounds as she went.

Her eyes were wide as she looked at him, neither of them spoke as they just stared. She felt like his eyes were mocking her, her eyes flickered to his lips which were pulled into a smirk. She wrinkled her nose before turning back around, she entered the home anyway closing the door behind her.

Ivar waited outside, he watched and listened as he stayed put. No lights came from the home, he did not hear any sounds either. There was a single scream that came after five minutes, it was a female's scream but he didn't know if it was Iona or someone else.

Following the scream, there were five screams that were in quick succession. He climbed down from the chariot, his crutch in one hand, axe in the other as he approached the door of the home. The arrow he fired was supposed to be a warning to her, she should not have entered the house.

The door opened before him, there in front of him stood Iona. The blood coated her hair and face as she narrowed her eyes at him. "Why are you here Ivar?" She asked him as she dropped her axe at her feet then stepping towards him.