Virago - Ivar The Boneless

Called Out

Ivar watched Iona over the weeks that followed. They didn't speak, she barely made eye contact with anyone when she stayed in the town, let alone speak to anyone. She had returned to her own clothes, choosing to avoid wearing dresses. He noticed she disappeared from sunrise to midday most days, he usually saw her on her return. She looked almost lost, every time returning home with blood on her clothing and skin. 

Today he needed to speak to her though, he had decided they were to move on. Ivar wanted to keep up with his father's old ways, he wanted to raid villages, he wanted to draw blood and be remembered. Watching Iona had started to become a drain on him, yet he wondered if she would be a help to him. 

He sat at the table in the outside square, Hvitserk was at his side. Anyone who was awake sat at their own tables, discussing matters whilst eating and admiring their own weapons. 

Ivar noticed the blonde, she kept her head down as she walked. 

"Follow her," he told Hvitserk as he kept his eyes on the woman. He had missed her touch, missed the words shared between them. He wondered if there was more to her heading off everyday, he wondered if she was helping her mother, if she was betraying him like the woman who bore her. 

Hvitserk got to his feet, "If she kills me-"

"She will not," Ivar assured him. "I want to know what she is doing."

Taking a deep breath, Hvitserk gave his younger brother a nod before taking his sword from the side of the table and pursuing the woman. 

He kept his distance as he walked the same path as the young blonde. She didn't look back once nor show any signs that she knew she was being followed. Hvitserk noticed she kept walking forward, the only thing changing from when she left was the small knife she now held in her right hand. 

Little Bear turned into the trees, when Hvitserk caught up with the entrance, she had gone. He stood still for a moment, looking around for any sign of where she had gone. Maybe he had not been so quiet after all, maybe she knew he was stalking her. Taking a few steps into the woods, he looked around again hoping to see her but finding himself disappointed. 

Iona watched from the large oak tree as Hvitserk looked for her. Staying high up kept her undetected, she knew Ivar had sent him. Why did he want to know what she was doing? What was it to him? 

For the young woman, a lot had changed, or fell back to how it was. 

She knew feelings were dangerous, she knew that in the pit of her stomach she felt more for the youngest Ragnarsson than she cared to admit and this way it was easier to avoid it. The only thing she wanted to feel was the high she got when she drove her knife into flesh and expelled blood from a living creature, she did not mind if it was human or animal. 

Ragnar's words rung in her head. He had told her that the right one would make her stronger. Maybe it was Ivar after all, her problem was she didn't want to be wrong. If she was wrong, she knew she would be dragged down, become weak and might even get herself killed in the process. She had already suffered because of his temper, she did not want to die at his hands if she could avoid it. 

Hvitserk walked on, he hoped to catch back up with Little Bear, he did not wish to disappoint Ivar by telling him he'd lost her. He could just lie, but Ivar would know, he always did. 

"Why were you following me?" She called out to her friend as she stood with her arms crossed over her chest and waited for him to turn to her. 

He stood still, she'd rattled him, she knew what he was doing and now she was the one who was following him. Slowly, he turned on the spot and looked at the blonde. "It's not what it seems," he told her in a quiet voice. 

Walking towards him, she raised her eyebrows as she laughed coldly. "It never is" Looking around, she noted he was definitely alone, "I know why you're here." He looked at her confused, as she smiled sweetly. 

Hvitserk exaimed her as she watched him. The smile that was on her lips was on of an innocent girl. For a moment, it was easy for him to think of her as a young woman who had never experienced any hardship, that the smile she held was one of a person who was ready to experience life. Then when her smile disappeared, he was reminded of the truth, the truth about her and who she really was. 

"Ivar sent you," she told him as her eyes narrowed and her lips pursed together. "Why do you follow him like a lost soul?"

Grabbing the blonde, Hvitserk pushed her back against a tree as she smirked at him waiting for his response. "I follow no one," he told her in a harsh voice. "But you, I know you feel something for him. The way you look at him tells me all I need to know."

She pushed him away, "Tell me then, Hvitserk. Why am I here, why am I out here instead of standing at his side?" 

A sick smile crossed the lips of the dirty blonde haired Ragnarrson, "Because you're scared." He stepped towards her, her arms crossed back over her chest defensively as he got closer to her. Hvitserk stopped when they were almost nose to nose, her back against the tree and her hands on his chest keeping him away from her. "You're scared that he will reject you," the words were not what she expected from him. She thought he knew her better than that. "Scared that you remind him of your mother too much."

Iona shook her head, "Just run back to him, Hvitserk. I do not have time for this."

He grabbed her by the mouth, his thumb one side of her jaw and two fingers the other. Hvitserk was so much stronger than her physically, she didn't flinch as she let him pin her against the tree. "You're playing a dangerous game," he warned her as he looked her up and down. "He will find out what you are doing, with or without my help." Hvitserk let her go before he headed back in the direction he had come from, returning back to the settlement. 

She waited, watching for any sign he might return to watch her again but found herself alone. Just how she liked it.