Prompt: My arranged marriage with Ivar the Boneless was not a surprise. The surprise had been finding out he did not want to lay with me. Are the rumors of his incapabilities true? Is sex the answer to learn to love each other? I do not know. He scares me, but he is no less fascinating. That is why I decided to give him a chance.
Slight AU. Ragnar does not die, neither does Aslaug. They rule side by side and decide to ally themselves with the Saxons.
Mother looks at me across the table. Her eyes are expectant, her expression unamused. She waits for me to say something; to tell her that I am already with child. But because I am not, I remain quiet.
“I would like to know my grandchild, preferably,” she says, “but it would be nice if at least I know you are with child before you leave Wessex.” She gives me a hard stare. Oh, I know she would like that, that’s the reason she has given me plenty of recommendations on how to please my husband in bed. Not that I have applied them.
A month ago, I was given the news that I was to be wed to the youngest of King Ragnar’s sons. A man I hadn’t even met and whose ruthlessness was well known. It was a political marriage. Arranged so our kingdoms would become friends instead of foes. My grandfather, King Ecbert, wanted to have a good relationship with the heathens, so he promised my hand for peace. I always knew I would be married for the good of my kingdom and not love, but that does not mean the news was less disappointing.
The wedding took place two weeks ago, right after the arrival of the Vikings. And as I approached the altar, that was the first time I laid eyes on my husband. His cold demeanor rendered me speechless, but his hard blue-eyed stare sent shivers down my spine. He was sitting on a chair waiting for me. I knew his legs were useless, so that did not surprise me. I tried not to stare during the ceremony but failed miserably. He had looked at me annoyed yet intrigued.
My father, Prince Aethelwulf, was displeased with the marriage, but he had little to no say in the matter. My mother Judith, even though she was in favor of the union, she did not agree with the choice of groom. She thought Ubbe or Sigurd would have been better candidates. King Ragnar himself had chosen Ivar, and my grandfather had agreed with the promise that he would be able to provide children. His ability to lay with a woman had many rumors, but King Ragnar had assured that Ivar was no less of a man in that matter. Not that I would know, because I had yet to lay with him.
The night of our wedding, the bedding ceremony had been canceled due to the Viking’s request. So when I entered the chambers, there was no pressure in laying with him. Yet, I expected he would have wanted me to because he is a man. That had not been the case. That night, we laid side by side in silence until the sun raised. Back then I had been grateful because I did not want to sleep with a man I barely knew, but now I have begun to question myself. Does he not find me attractive? Does he know how to lay with a woman? Is he really not physically able? Does he prefer men?
It is necessary for us to have a child in order to fortify the alliance. That is why my mother had given me tips to please him. I had yet to use them, I feared to do so. In all honesty, I had been afraid of my husband when I first heard of him, and during our wedding. I have heard how he is and I have seen how he treats people. However, that fear has receded ever since. These past two weeks he has been nothing but kind to me, even a little shy. That’s probably the reason why I have started to feel attraction towards him. That and his sharp mind. At first, I did not know how to speak his language. He has been slowly teaching me. And I have seen him playing chess with Alfred, it is honestly fascinating.
“It would be wise for your marriage if you have passion in the bedroom, darling,” my mother says.
I know she means good, and I know she is probably right, but I have to bite my tongue from mentioning her passion with my grandfather. Her marriage with my father is a mere paper. I do not wish my marriage with Ivar to be the same, despite the circumstances. But she does have a point, she has a very good relationship with my grandfather, whom she beds. Sex must be the answer to get closer to Ivar. And maybe, with time, we could learn to love each other. That is a foolish thought, but it is what motivates me to wait naked in bed. He arrives at the dormitory shortly after twelve. He has been drinking with his brothers, but all the inebriation leaves him once he sees me.
“Hello, my…” he does not like it when I call him titles, so I correct myself, “... Ivar. I have been waiting for you.” He does not say anything. Heat accumulates in my face. Does he not like what he sees? I fight the urge to cover myself and hide between the covers. His hands tighten around his crutches.
“What… What are you doing like that? What if someone other than me were to come in?” He questions, he seems angry at the idea, but his eyes do not leave my body.
“I made sure no one other than you were to come inside, my husband,” I whisper. Ivar must notice that I am not completely myself acting like this, because he looks away.
“You don’t have to do that, you know.” He approaches the bed and sits down, his back to me. “I know this is an arranged marriage, we do not have to do anything that you do not want.” His voice is uninterested but his words are sweet. I hesitate.
“I know, but we are expected to bear children.” He tenses. He does not say anything, he starts to take off his leg braces. I wait patiently. The room is colder when he speaks.
“If that is what you wish this is unnecessary, you do not have to remove your camisole.” His voice is harsh and I know I said something I was not supposed to.
“It is not only about that,” I try to correct myself though my voice waivers in nervousness, “I wish… I wish for us to enjoy making children.” It is the most direct way for me to express my desire for him.
He stops what he is doing and turns around. He looks me in the eyes looking for uncertainty. I know he finds none when he drags his body towards me. His arms muscles flex and something knots in my belly. He looms over me with a hungry stare.
When he opens his mouth I think he is about to devour me but he speaks. “Do you not know the rumors? Do you not know what they say?” He does not wait for me to answer, “apparently, I can not please a woman, I can not give children, I am a useless husband.”
I do not hesitate to answer, “I do not listen to rumors, I like to verify for myself,” I put a hand on his chest and the other around his neck. “If it is false, then we shall prove them so, and if it is true, then we shall not give up until we try everything.” He looks doubtful, “I… have learned a few tricks that shall please my husband.”
His surprise is evident when he speaks, “well, I have also learned a few tricks that shall please my wife."
I smile, “then, let us learn from one another.” I do not have time to say anything else before his lips crash with mine.
It is uncertain if we will succeed this night or another, or if we will have children, or if we will learn to love each other. The only thing that I am certain of is that we care for one another. At this moment, in my husband’s arms, I feel like never before.
Summary: The daughter of Torstein, the loyal friend and warrior of Ragnar Lothbrok, meets Hvitserk Ragnarsson and sets a course for both of their lives that neither would ever see coming. Will it lead to ruin or salvation?
You'll have to read and find out :)
The following is the story of Eira Torsteinsdottir and Hvitserk Ragnarsson through seasons 5b-6b!
A/N: While this story was originally published here on tumblr, I have since finished it and moved it to Wattpad. You can find the finished book on my Wattpad page linked below. Thank you to everyone who has followed this story since I first started writing it!!
wWoohooo open requests ❤️❤️❤️Could you maybe create something for Ubbe or Bjorn form the Vikings series?
Ubbe Ragnarsson*Meet Me Where We Met
Pairing: ubbe x f!reader
Word count: 1602
Warnings: hunting animals, fluff
Masterlist here
Ubbe loved his brothers in the weird way his family did but even he needed a break from them. the issue was there was few places to be alone in Kattegat. One particular eventful dinner had Ubbe excusing himself to take a walk which ended up taking him deeper into the forest than usual.
He wasn’t worried though. He knew these woods like the back of his hands. As Ubbe sighed and settled down to sit on a fallen tree a twig snapping had his head snapping up. It was probably just a rabbit but still he reached for the handle of his dagger when he realised the sun was setting.
Then there was a whoosh of leaves. Ubbe was ready to pull his dagger out when the rabbit ran out from behind a tree, straight across from where he sat. Ubbe almost laughed at himself, but his smile fell when the arrow hit the rabbit.
He hadn’t even seen the bow that fired it, but he was on his feet. “Who’s there?”
“Shh,” a voice hushed him from the trees.
Ubbe whipped around, looking to see where it had come from, but the voice seemed to mix with the wind. He turned and saw a deer, standing still, eyes dancing with fear.
Then the next arrow came. The deer hit the ground before it could run. Ubbe pulled the dagger from his belt just as a person walked out from amongst the trees. you were holding a bow out in front of them, their spare hand in the air empty. “I didn’t mean to startle you,”
The cloak you were wearing was a mix of dark greens and blacks. With your hood up and a black fabric wrapped across the lower half of your face it was no wonder he hadn’t seen you.
“Put the bow down,” Usually he figured himself a good one on one fighter, but he didn’t need to see what else you could do with a bow. You threw it forward, dropping it at his feet before reaching up to pull the fabric around your face down.
What he really hadn’t expected was to find you so attractive. Now he could see you it was clear to him how beautiful you were as you lowered your hood. But there was something else, “You look familiar,”
“I live in Kattegat. Perhaps you have seen me around now,” you said, walking towards the rabbit near his feet, “Would you mind putting your own weapon down?”
Ubbe could feel his cheeks heat up when he realised, he was still in a protective stance. He quickly stashed the dagger back in his belt. he watched as you picked it up and took out the arrow before tossing it into a bag on your side. “Quite the hunter I see,” he said, nodding towards the full bag by your side.
“Someone has to do it,” you said as you walked to the deer and crouched down.
Ubbe followed you over, grabbing your bow so it didn’t get lost. “You don’t enjoy it?”
You paused for a moment, “I enjoy the quiet. Being alone. Being able to not have to think. I don’t enjoy killing them,”
It was an odd thing for Ubbe to hear. Everyone in his family seemed to enjoy killing and hated the idea of quiet. “Sorry if I ruined your peace,”
“Nah,” you grinned up at him, a quality he founded oddly endearing, “I’ll forgive you if you help me carry this back,”
Ubbe grinned right back at you, “You drive a hard bargain,” he said as he crouched down across from you. “I never got your name,”
“You never asked,”
“I’m Ubbe,”
“(Y/N),”
-
The next day Ubbe went on another walk to the same spot, sat on the same fallen tree, and waited. It was on his walk back he realised how foolish he was. Of course, you would not be in the same spot twice. But how else was he to find you? When you arrived back to Kattegat last night a man you claimed as your brother saw you and took over for Ubbe to carry it home since the sun was long gone.
Still Ubbe went back each day just encase. He enjoyed the quiet of it all. He found himself able to relax for the first time in a while as he sat on that tree. it had been a week since he had saw you, so he almost didn’t recognise you at the market.
Your hair wasn’t braided back out of your face. It was left mostly loose with small braids throughout. Your dress was red and would never be able to blend with the trees. But one thing was the same.
“Ubbe,” you grinned, that same smile as before. You greeted him as he walked up to your stall at the market. It was mainly animal skins and pelts with a few other items scattered around.
“I was starting to think you were avoiding me,” he said, chuckling to try make it sound like a joke, but the thought had crossed his mind, “You’re a hard person to track down,”
A smirk tugged at your lips, “I try. Anything take your fancy?” you asked.
Ubbe looked over the table, wondering how many nights it took you to gather these all. One caught his eye in particular, “Is that our deer?” he asked, pointing to the skin.
“Our deer? If I remember correctly my arrow killed it,”
“I helped you carry it back,” he countered, “Don’t I at least get a discount for that?” he teased as he leaned over the table. You pretended to think about it before shaking your head.
“Ten silver for the pelt,” you told him. Ubbe went to reach for his money, but you continued, “Or eight if you help me hunt tonight,”
“Ah so I did help?” he teased.
You rolled your eyes, “Not even slightly. But the company was not bad,”
Ubbe shook his head at you, grinning like a fool as he pulled out the silver, “eight it is,”
“Meet me where we met?” you offered as Ubbe rolled up the deer hide.
“You mean where you almost killed me?”
“Honey if I wanted to kill you, you’d be dead,”
-
There was no reason for Ubbe to feel so nervous as he sat and waited. You told him you’d meet him after supper, but time was marching on. Maybe he was in the wrong spot? Or maybe he was too early or-
“Boo,” you said, leaning down next to his ear.
“What the fuck!” Ubbe screamed, jumping up off the log as you began to cackle. His shoulders relaxed when he saw it was you, but he still was panting out of breath, “Don’t do that,”
“Did you not hear me?”
“Clearly not!”
“Alright I’m sorry,” you laughed, stepping over the log to sit on it.
Ubbe finally regained himself before turning to you with a confused look. “Where’s your bow?”
“Eh, thought I’d give myself the night off,” you said before looking between him and the tree log, “You wanna sit?”
“So how come you wanted to meet me?” he asked, moving to sit beside you.
The way his blue eyes bore into you with such confusion and hope made it hard to look back at them. “Don’t know really. Just thought it would be nice. The quiet you know?”
“You invited me to come sit in silence with you?” he asked, an eyebrow raised and a smile on his lips.
You felt yourself becoming unexplainably shy under his gaze, “We don’t have to be silent the whole time,”
“It’s alright,” he said, settling into his seat, “We can just sit for a while,”
So, you did. For a good hour you sat silently beside each other, at some point moving to rest your head on his shoulder and his on your head, just enjoying each other’s company. After a while though you began to make small talk.
The small talk did not last for very long though. You moved from topics of how many siblings to venting to each other. You told him about how much you hated hunting, how you only did it to survive, how you’d rather farm instead. He told you about his brothers, how loud they were, how aggressive they were, how much he longed for a quiet evening.
“I love them, I do I just- “
“Don’t like them sometimes? I get that,” you said, turning to face him, a task that was far less daunting now.
Ubbe turned away though, leaning forward to rest his elbows on his knees, “I shouldn’t be putting this on you,”
“I don’t mind,” you said, leaning forward to force him to look at you, a small smile on your lips, “Sometimes its nice just to talk,”
“I’ve never been good at it. the whole talking thing. Its easier to just accept things. it’s not like they’ll change,”
“You never know. Besides,” you said nudging his knee with your own, “I like when you talk. It’s good to talk about these things. honestly until this tonight I think I was slowly losing my mind,” you laughed.
Ubbe chuckled as well, “I get that. trust me,” he paused as he looked into your eyes. You were both silent again, a smile on both your lips.
“I should probably go back soon,” your words made his heart drop, but he did his best to conceal it, “Will you meet me again tomorrow?” and just as quickly it fluttered again.
A comfortable silence surrounded them as they watched the fire burn. Her fingers softly combing through his dark hair, making his eyes closed in satisfaction. Chuckling softly she watched him, watching how his lashes barely brushed his cheeks, how his mouth held the smallest smile, barely visible but still there. A low disproving hum escaped him as she stopped brushing through his, letting her hand just rest on top of his hair, feeling for any remaining braids she couldn't see in the light.
Opening one eye, he shot her a glare making her try to hide her giggle, placing one hand over his eyes, shushing him. Smiling softly he leaned back into her, letting her continue her work. Humming a soft tune she concentrated back on his hair, making sure it wasn't knotted anymore, before rinsing it with water again, watching the last of blood wash out of it. Biting her lip in worry of it being his own, she again thread her fingers through his hair, carefully feeling for any sign of a wound.
Softly taking her hand that was covering his eyes he brought it down to his mouth, kissing her palm lovingly, calming her nerves slightly making her sigh in relief. She was used to treating his wounds, but the ones on his head still worried her the most, not knowing what it could cause to the parts she didn't see. Still placing soft, featherly kisses on her palm and each of her finger tips, the young man couldn't help but keep his eyes closed, leaning into her touch, letting her take care of him.
They both barely said a word when he came back, just needing to feel each other close. Needing to be in the safe haven they created with one another. Tugging on his hair, she grinned down at him with a glimmer of mischievous in her eyes as his own fluttered open to find hers, his heart melting at the sight in front of him. His lover looking down at him with the most truest admiration, her lips pulled into a grin as she tugged on his hair to get his attention, not wanting to break the oh so comforting silence.
Raising an eyebrow he felt his own lips pull into a small smile. Leaning down she placed a soft kiss onto his cheek, leaving a trail of kisses in their as she made her way to his lips. Leaving tingles in their wakening, making the young king shiver slightly under her touch. As her lips finally reached his, he couldn't contain himself as he cupped the back of her neck, pulling he closer, deepening the kiss. Soft gasps slipped out of her mouth making him catch them with the kiss, smirking softly.
With heaving chests, Ivar let his hand slip onto her cheek, caressing the skin softly, making her smile tenderly at him. Her eyes held love. The love he never thought he'd receive. The love he knew was shining even brighter in his own eyes when he looked at her.
"I was so scared, Ivar." Her hand softly playing with his hair, not having the strength to find his eyes anymore. Showing weakness was something so fragile, they both still weren't sure wether it was alright for them to be so open about their fears. Ivars eyes softened as he heaved himself into the position opposite her, taking her hands. "Whatever for?" Worry settled on his features as her eyes welled with tears. Shaking her head she realized how hideous her fear was. He was Ivar the boneless, nothing could or would be able to hurt him. He was protected by the gods.
But as the months went on her fear started to settle in, more reason flooded her mind. What if the gods suddenly stopped protecting him, making him vincible, easier to hurt. More months passed and the fear was causing her many sleepless nights, making her visit the seer almost daily, slowly starting to obsess over her husbands wellbeing. Ivar was fragile, he wouldn't admit it but he was and she knew it. The whites in his eyes turning blue, his bones breaking, being her biggest fear.
A small tear slipped down her as she turned her head away from him. "You need someone strong, I shouldn't worry." Chuckling softly he pulled her onto his lap, being careful enough not to put too much weight on his legs. “What I need is for my wife to worry about me when I’m gone for battle.” His fingers now drawing small shapes softly on the outside of her thighs. A small smile now finds its way onto her face as she nuzzled her head into his neck, inhaling his scent, calming herself.
Smiling to himself Ivar began running his hair through her tangled hair, an evidence that she, again, was spending more time taking care of him and his needs than tending to her own. Placing a featherly kiss onto the top of her hair, he hushed her quietly, stopping her thoughts from torturing her.
Warnings: nothing but falling more in love with Floki ❤
You were drinking with Floki.
„I really like you.“, you admitted.
You tried to kiss him but he gently pushed you away „I want you to be sober and really wanting this.“
„B-but I don’t know if I’m confident enough to kiss you when I’m sober.“, you mumbled against his shoulder.
He gave you a kiss on top of your head „Y/N you are so much more confident then you think.“
You felt warm and save in his arms and a few moments later you fell asleep.
The next morning you woke up but something was strange. You tried to turn around but something or someone was holding you tight.
Flashbacks of last night rushed through your mind and you blushed. You were embarrassed because you just told Floki your feelings kind of and on the other hand Floki was so sweet and caring. He must have carried you to his house because you still lived with your family. But here it was just you and him.
„Floki?“, you whispered.
„Good morning Y/N.“, he answered.
You turned around to face him. Still in his arms you studied his face, to see what he feels or thinks. His eyes were warm and soft…and looking in your eyes. You tried not to blush. Your heart was beating faster and faster.
You didn’t know what to say so you leaned forward. One hand was on your back and one hand was on your cheek.
Then your lips found his. His grip on your back was getting stronger and your kiss was getting more passionate. He bit your lip and your hand was running through his hair.
Suddendly he stopped and just looked at you.
„Did I do something wrong?“, you asked worried.
He shook his head smiling „I just enjoy looking at you.“
You smiled back „And I like looking at you.“ and kissed him again.
This is my oc chart for my oc Thyra! She will be the main character for my upcoming Vikings story! I’m still wondering if I should post the story on here as well, please let me know what you guys think! I hope you guys like her!
This was my first time doing something like this! I’m definitely going to be doing this for other oc’s of mine 🤗
Feel free to send in some asks or questions that you have for this story! I would love to answer them 🫶🏻
A Little Snowball Fight || Ivar the Boneless x fem!reader
Masterlist ❄
Summary: Your friendship with prince Igor dates back to when you cared for him as a child. One day, he introduces you to Ivar, the Viking prince from the far north. After first courtesy, a little snowball fight ensues. At the end of the meeting, Ivar makes a very interesting offer that you cannot refuse
Warnings: none
Word count: ~ 2215
Authors: Fenrir & Cass
A/N: today’s prompt: Snowball Fight
Ice skating was one of your favourite pastimes, so you couldn't say no when young Igor invited you to skate - skating was especially fun when you had someone to skate with.
"Do you want to meet my new friend?" Igor asked, holding your hand as you glided across the ice together.
You glanced at him while humming softly. "Does this refer to this Viking prince? What was his name again... Ivar?"
After nodding immediately, the boy raised his head up and waved at Ivar.
Standing on top of a deck that provided a vantage point, Ivar nodded gently at Igor who was ice-skating below. Despite spending almost an hour outside, Igor was far from fatigued; Ivar was impressed by his stamina. The wooden railing was a perfect place for Ivar to rest his folded hands while watching Igor and rethinking his own matters.
In the same way that Igor did, you waved your hand to attract strangers' attention as well. Despite hearing about Ivar, you never had a chance to speak with him personally.
He kept his face straight, attempting to stay polite as he waved his hand back at you.
Soon, Igor pulled you off the ice so the two of you could join Ivar on the deck.
Ivar's lips were tinged with a smile as Igor and his female friend joined him. "Hope you are tired now, my boy," Ivar said as he placed his hand on the boy's shoulder. "There is nothing better than returning to the warmth of the indoors when you are freezing."
"Who said I was freezing?" Igor asked, raising his eyebrow and tilting his head as he looked at Ivar. "I am fine, but I would like you to meet Y/N. I used to be cared for by her when I was younger."
Ivar's blue eyes inspected your face and features with ease. A tone of pride permeated his introduction, "My name is Ivar, Ivar the Boneless."
"My name is Y/N. It is nice to finally meet you in person," you said, bowing your head a little.
The smile on Igor's face was contagious. "You see, Ivar? I told you I have a very pretty friend."
In response, Ivar nodded his head a little, his smile growing wider. "There is no doubt in my mind that you did not lie in the slightest."
As Ivar's eyes slipped over your body, he met your gaze and had no choice but to admit you had the most stunning eyes he had ever seen on a woman.
You gazed at Igor, then grabbed some snow to rub into his cheeks, causing him to whine and laugh simultaneously. "As I told you before, Igor, be careful not to say things like this. It is rude to suddenly speak in such a manner."
It would have never occurred to Ivar that you would be the first to initiate a fight. He watched the scene with amusement. His question came out of the blue moments later, "Are you Russian, Y/N?"
A smile spread across your face when Igor hugged you, hugging him back you looked at Ivar "Как думаешь, красавчик?"
"My first impression of you was that you're one of the most temperamental women I've ever seen."
Laughing softly, you bend down to whisper something into Igor's ear; a smile spread across Igor's lips. Looking back at Ivar, you smiled. "Thank you so much for your kind words. I really appreciate them."
Observing Igor interacting with you, Ivar slowly cocked his eyebrows. "My lady, aren't you aware that whispering in company isn't considered polite?"
"Aren't you aware that strangers shouldn't listen to certain matters?"
In spite of a temperature way below zero, Ivar's soft chuckle that escaped his lips was accompanied by a little cloud of steam. "That's right."
"Don't worry, I didn't say anything derogatory about you, or did I?" You teased, looking directly into Ivar’s eyes.
"She said she loves your eyes," Igor revealed your little secret without hesitation.
Ivar observed the two of you and decided not to comment on what Igor said, instead he nodded his head. "Maybe we should take a stroll back inside?"
Igor shrugged and said, "The two of you can go inside, I'd like to stay a little longer."
As you sighed, you looked at the boy and shook your head; he was impossible to get fatigued easily.
After politely waiting for you to move, Ivar followed you to the stairs and down on the ground level.
Taking a look at Ivar, you asked, "How's it going here for you? I hope Igor isn't bothering you too much."
The man shook his head eagerly, "No, he isn't bothering me at all. Igor is such a wonderful young man. He reminds me of myself when I was his age," Ivar's tone faded into silence. "Are you from here or did you come from somewhere else?" He asked, smoothly changing the topic.
"It's funny how you are so curious, aren't you? I was born and raised in this place, so I can truly say that I am from here," you replied politely, raising an eyebrow.
While walking through the ice and snow covered path, Ragnarsson listened to your words. A crutch-dependent person found walking in such conditions to be a challenge, so Ivar was stopping from time to time.
A worried look crossed your face as you looked at the young man. "Ivar, I am sure all the snow must be a great burden for you. Can I help you in any way?"
Your polite pleas for assistance went unanswered. Who did you think he was? Although he was crippled, he was capable of walking on his own, so he didn't need any kind of assistance. "Isn't our winter beautiful?" He asked, again changing the topic.
The hint was taken and you did not press any longer. "Despite the cold, it's beautiful. As usual."
"Do you like winter?"
"Well, not really. It's cold, and I don't really like skating because of it, but it's still fun."
"What other winter activities do you fancy?"
As you walked behind Ivar, you quietly grabbed some snow and moulded it into a ball and threw it at Ivar's back. "Snowball fights."
The moment Ivar was hit in the back, he turned around to look at you. "Seriously? Have you thrown a snowball at me? Isn't it kind of silly for someone like you?"
"You asked what winter activities I enjoy, so I showed one to you," you gave him a shrug in a form of response. "You don't have to be so stiff."
Ivar stuck his crutch in a snowdrift and slowly leaned forward to collect some white fluff, which he formed into a ball before throwing it skillfully at you - the ball hit your left shoulder. "I'm not stiff, Y/N, as you put it. I just prefer observing and planning."
"Isn't that exactly what you called? I observe and plan how to..." You threw another show ball at Ivar, hitting him in the stomach, "... Successfully throw snowballs at you."
Observing you, Ivar cocked his eyebrow and threw another ball of snow at you, hitting your cheek with it this time.
You gasped and wiped snow off your face. Your response was, "Oh, you! You're dead!" By saying this you made a big snowball and got ready to aim it.
When Ivar observed you making a snowball, he wondered how a dodge could be made.
The snowball was thrown right at his face as a way to pay him back.
As Ragnarsson couldn't dodge, snow got into his eyes when the ball struck his face. With his vision blurry, Ivar took one tiny step back and flopped on his butt in the snow as he tried to wipe his eyes.
You ran up to him, whispering, "Oh, gods! I should have been more careful!"
Ivar's facial expression initially displayed anger and disbelief; eventually, these emotions dwindled and he laughed as a smile spread over his lips. "Okay, that wasn't what I expected. It was a strong hit, Y/N."
As you wiped snow from his cheek, you quickly began to apologise. "Thank you for not being angry with me, but I'm really sorry. I shouldn't have... Your legs..." Your voice was nothing more than a tiny whisper as you looked at his face. "Forgive me, please."
He caught himself staring bluntly into your eyes - they were huge and had the most beautiful colour he had ever seen. He had a burning sensation in his cheeks from your hands as you slowly rubbed snow off of him; he discovered your palms were so warm and felt cosy. "It's fine."
"You seem to be getting warm... Are you feeling sick? Oh! I shouldn't keep you out too long today, it's cold," suddenly, you started to panic.
Your sudden solicitude surprised Ivar, who raised his hand to signal you to remain silent for a moment. “First of all, it is cold, yes, but I am accustomed to it, so no worries there. Second thing, stop worrying, nothing wrong is happening. Deal?"
Biting your lip, you nodded slowly, still feeling bad and hoping you didn't hurt him. "Let me assist you with getting up."
After a moment of thinking, he accepted your hand and slowly stood up. "Thanks."
A smile of apology appeared on your face as you squeezed his hand. There was still a feeling of guilt in your heart.
Another snowball aimed at Ivar's shoulder struck him suddenly. "For Valhalla's sake, what was that this time?" The young man grunted, looking around, only to see Igor gathering snow into his hands already, forming another ball with a smile on his face.
Looking at Igor, you blinked and shook your head. Before a snowball hit you right in the face, you managed to utter only a quiet, "No, Igor, don't..."
Using his forearm to block another snowball aimed at him, Ivar shouted, "Better stop it now, dear boy!"
"Come on, Ivar! It's fun! You can practise your combat skills with me now! Let's fight!" Igor shouted enthusiastically.
Ivar, instead of responding, slowly leaned down, made a huge ball from the snow he gathered, and then threw it at Igor, hitting him in the face. "It's for aiming at the lady."
A snowball thrown by you hit Igor before the boy could prepare another snowball to throw at Ivar.
"It's time to show the little one what it's like to start a fight with the adults!" You briefly looked at Ivar, a mischievous grin dancing in the corners of your mouth.
Ivar was throwing ball after ball at Igor, occasionally chuckling to himself as he did so.
As soon as you did what Ivar did, poor Igor was scrambling to surrender.
Ivar slowly limped closer to you with his crutch in hand and asked you quietly after leaning closer to you, "Y/N, are we accepting his surrender?"
Keeping your eyes on Ivar, you hummed softly. "It seems like it might be a good idea. What do you think?”
"I agree."
"Then I agree too," you nodded at Ivar, then looked at Igor. "It's time to get inside before we get sick."
After looking at you for a moment, Ivar gave you a nod of approval. Although Ivar wore a thick fur coat and a hat to keep himself warm, he began to feel cold under the clothes. "The idea is good, Y/N. We could get some warm drinks."
Before Igor joined you, Ivar offered you his shoulder after shaking the snow off his thick fur. "Shall we, Y/N?"
In response, you accepted the offer, wrapping your arm around his shoulder and discovering with surprise that his shoulder was very well-built and seemed to be very strong, even with the fur covering it.
Biting inside of your cheek, you tried not to get distracted by thoughts that crossed your mind. "With pleasure, Ivar. Also, I’d like to point out that your combat skills are also impressive, you have a very sharp eye,” you praised him, feeling the blush spreading across your cheeks.
In spite of his crippled appearance, Ivar was far from being an idiot, and he immediately noticed a slight change in your behaviour after you got closer to him. He suggested politely, "I was wondering if we could enjoy a pint of mulled wine and discuss our likes and dislikes a little more?"
Your eyes never left his as you tightened your grip on his shoulder and gently nodded your head. "It will be my great pleasure, Ivar the Boneless."
Both of you didn't seem to notice Igor standing right beside you, hands resting on his hips. "It is not my intention to interrupt your lovely exchange of views, but I am hungry, and I know Oleg will send guards looking for us if we don't return inside soon. I know you two get along really well, but let's leave it for later, shall you?" The young prince gasped and walked to the front door of the palace. “I can’t handle their teeth-rooting sweetness,” he whispered to himself.
Ivar rolled his eyes after listening to Igor's rant and led you back to the palace. "Having Igor between two fires tomorrow might be a wise idea if he continues to behave this way."
