Summary: being rescued by Helga in one of the raids and reluctantly tolerated by Floki, a young girl finds herself amidst a strange place with strange people, but if adapting to the cultural shock wasnât hard enough, catching the attention of the volatile and beloved son of the Queen would soon prove to be the ultimate proving. That if she realizes just how much being around prince Ivar is walking on thin ice.
Chapter 1Â Â Chapter 2Â Â Chapter 3Â Â Chapter 4Â Â Chapter 5Â Chapter 6Â Chapter 7Â Chapter 8Â Chapter 9Â Chapter 10Â Chapter 11 Chapter 12 Chapter 13 Chapter 14
Hi<3 Could you write some headcanons about the ragnarsons having a dominant s/o (separately)
Have a great day!
Ty <3
Ubbe:
The trickiest one among his brothers.
Heâs used to the commanding role and he likes giving orders.
Heâs pretty dominant himself.
Itâs not that he wonât open up to another dominant s/o, but theyâll have to be on his level.
The dominance in the relationship would be balanced. One time itâs him and another itâs his s/o.
Heâs a simple man when it comes to sex. He doesnât need a lot of stuff to make it work or to get him in the mood. Usually likes simple, but effective positions.
Itâs more about the general mood that sets who's turn it is.
A look, a certain way of touching, something subtle like that.
Thatâs not to say if something gets on his nerves, which a lot of things do but he keeps his cool, he wonât shove his s/o on the bed (or wherever they have privacy) and ride them till sunrise.
Fight training is also a good way to get him into the mood.
Hvitserk:
Itâll be unusual to him given that heâs always the one chasing new lovers and thus, being more dominant.
Still, he keeps an open mind to sex.
And noticeably, he likes to please.
As strange as the proposition may sound, he has no problem allowing his s/o to be dominant with him.
Say what you want out of him, leave him begging, he has no problem. Just donât degrade, humiliate and neglect him, he has plenty of that in his life already.
He does appreciate being taken care of for a change, but will still want to be the âprotectorâ.
He has someone that makes him happy, he likes to know he can protect them in the violent world they live in.
Youâll get the more playful and easy going side of him because he feels happy in the relationship.
Temperature play is off the list.
Ivar:
Oh boy, do you get a handful with this one.
Ivar is a very dominant person himself. Rarely you get any moment of vulnerability or one heâs not heavily guarded.
It would have to be someone he trusts, really trusts, for him to consider surrendering for a while.
Itâs a plus if they can fight. Looking at you, Headmund.
Earning his trust is the long run. Donât lie to him, donât make him feel weak or like a burden for his disability, donât treat him with pity. Things like that.
Before he surrenders, he must feel secure enough in the relationship that he knows his partner wonât stray for someone else.
Very much likes praising.
As he surrenders, you get the bratty, spoiled and impatient boy he truly is. Work your magic from there.
Bjorn:
You mean canon.
Look, this man is the best fighter and hottest viking of his generation. He knows that, you know that, everyone knows that. He doesnât have anything to prove and his confidence reaches Valhalla.
He has precisely zero problems with a dominant s/o.
Bae, be as dominant as you want, this man is a freak in the sheets.
Heâs up for everything, at least trying. If he doesnât like something, heâll tell straight away.
Might be a good way to keep him from strayingâŠ
Sigurd:
Honestly, the hardest nut to crack. (No pun intended)
He was neglected his whole life because of Ivar and doesn't have a relationship as close as Ubbe and Hvitserk.
That left him spiteful and with abandonment issues.
Before he even considers submitting to a partner, they must prove they care about him.
In a way, heâs like Ivar. His s/o will need to prove he, and only he, not one of his brothers or someone else, is their priority and that they only love him.
Earning his trust is a long game, but the payoff is great.
He doesn't mind his s/o taking a dominant role, but he has a lot of hard noâs.
Degradation and pain are the top noâs. Being bound is also on the uncomfortable side.
Simply tell him what to do and not to do and heâll oblige.
But keep in mind he's a prince after all and heâs very much proud of his status, so youâll also get the moody, demanding and bratty attitude.
Most of everything, he likes to be reassured heâs the only one in your heart and if you put that into or after the play, heâs a happy man.
The hardest part of this arrangement is how it starts. While Hvitserk would be iffy, Ivar has a much harder time accepting it.
It depends greatly on the relationship between the brothers more than the s/o.
When they reach a good place, they are more open to the idea and may even be excited for it.
In a strange way, sharing their s/o may improve the relationship between the brothers.
Ivar and Hvitserk share a lot of similarities and by the time they ironed out their differences to enter a poly, they'll have even less reason to fight between themselves.
Being loved by both of them is a mixed blessing. On one side, they love with all their heart, on the other they are demanding and It can get draining very quick.
Their need for attention and reassurance Will leave their s/o with no time for themselves other than when they go for raids.
It's sometimes hard to figure out who is in need of more attention and what is the issue.
Jealousy. Plenty of it. They have different reasons to be jealous and go differently about it, but they do feel it and as different as they may be at first, they have little problems killing anyone that provokes them.
Don't get them wrong. They treat their s/o like a gift straight from the Gods, but those two are bloodthirsty. Anyone that blips on their radar as a threat is in for an awful end.
On the good side, happy times with them are great. They both want to be loved and love in return and they are more than happy to indulge their s/o.
Her sons left to train early in the morning, which gave the queen some time to think. She took notice of how Ivar was more sullen and irritable, being more silent than usual. Ivar was a moody person, but he hid his sadness poorly from her. Ivar was the person she loved the most, seeing something upsetting him made her restless.
This time, Aslaug knew very well what was making Ivar sad, even if he didnât outright say it. He was missing Revna. She never showed up again after that day, Asalug never even heard of her since, not from Ivar, Ubbe nor any of the slaves. She could very well have vanished from Kattegat entirely for all she knew.
For a while, Aslaug hoped that whatever interest Ivar had in Revna would wane with the absence, but that didnât seem to happen. That girl was the cause of his sudden sadness just as she was the cause of his joy, like the seer said to her and it terrified Aslaug. Of course she wanted Ivar to have love, she wanted him to be happy, but there was a part of her that considered the possibility that would never be the case. Just how many marriages she knew were out of love? Certainly not hers. Ragnar never loved her, he wanted her to breed and if not for that, she would just be another of the many women he fucked. She tried to gain his love, but that was for Lagertha only; she tried to search for comfort in the Harbardâs arms, but that didnât work out for her. She would rather Ivar didnât go through any of that because the pain was blinding and never truly healed.
But if the Gods willed it, there was nothing she could do. For as much as she wished Ivar would just forget about Revna, seeing his beloved son sad was something she could not bear. He already suffered enough as it was, if she would bring him some happiness, Aslaug would do everything in her power to keep the girl close.
She left her house shortly before her sons just like she did for her walks, but this time she decided to pay a visit to her old friends and their new daughter.
Ivar POV:
Ivar was angry for having argued with Revna but more than that, he missed her. He never had someone that cared for what he had to say and enjoyed his company, no one other than his mother or Floki would willingly spend time with him, no one other then them treated him like he wasnât a burden and a mark of shame; Ivar felt that she listened to him and he didn't want to give that up. It gave him a bit more confidence that Revna hadn't outright dismissed him when he last spoke to her. That gave him hope that maybe she didnât hate him entirely and their friendship was salvageable.
For now, however, he still had the Sigurd issue to deal with. He knew it was pointless to try to get anything out of him, but he didnât have to. All he had to do was get Sigurd at the right time and never a better one than training time.
The brothers went to training and things proceeded as usual. Hvitserk always looked like he was having a good time when training, Ubbe always paying attention to what they were doing and Sigurd pretending Ivar didnât exist.
As they progressed, it came the time to train against each other. Each brother went a round against each other, but when it came the time for Ivar and Sigurd, which usually was skipped since their tensions, Ivar didn't let that pass:
âWonât you fight with me, Sigurd?â
âWhy would I fight a cripple? Thereâs no point to it.â
âWhy don't you try it?â
âThere's no reason for it. Cripples don't go to battle.â
âThen there should be no problem for you. Or are you afraid, Sigurd? Are you afraid of me?â
Sigurd turned silent for a while. Hvitserk too was silent, he never liked to get between their fights and whenever one was about to start he became quiet enough one could forget he was even there at all. It was always Ubbe that deescalated the arguments, though even for him it was becoming harder each year.
âYou donât come, because youâre scared of me. You know you cannot beat me.â
Sigurd smirked and leaving his shield behind he went at Ivar full of confidence with his axe. Ivar quickly blocked, the two kept on their âtrainingâ but the force each of them used was way too much for just a train and both their oldest brothers watched in dead silence. Hvitserk was almost frozen in place as he waited for Ubbe to put a stop to it before they killed each other while Ubbe watched each and every movement with wide eyes.
Next they knew, both Ivar and Sigurd were on the ground, their weapons left behind in favor of their fists. It was somewhat of a relief for Ubbe and Hvitserk as they couldnât kill each other as easily with their hands as they could with their weapons. Ubbe gave them a time to settle their differences, before putting a stop to it.
âEnough you two. You are not children anymore, stop this.â Spoke Ubbe authoritatively as he grabbed Ivar by his clothes to pry him away from Sigurd, both of them bloody and covered in mud.
Aslaug POV:
Aslaug reached Flokiâs home. The boatbuilder was the first one she saw, he was carefully choosing the trees but he instantly took notice of her.
âFloki.â
âAslaug. Itâs been long enough.â
âIt's true. The years passed too fast.â
âOr too slow.â
Aslaug smiled, but that didnât reach her eyes. In a way, her sons grew up apparently in the blink of an eye, in the other, the years were dragging and lonely for her.
âHas Ivar been here recently?â
âIt has been a while.â
âI'll be straight to the point. I've noticed Ivar became close to the girl you adopted, who is she?â
Floki was always one to not tell the entire truth and Aslaug could feel he was hiding crucial information about that girl. She was sure something was really off with that matter because Floki would never bring an outsider to his home.
âHelga brought her from the last raid and has been teaching her since.â
âIs she a Christian?â
âNo. She wouldn't be here otherwise.â
Flokiâs face twitched slightly. Even after all those years he still hated the Christians with the same fire. It was good to hear she wasn't one of them, but not precisely a relief.
Aslaug wouldn't ask the why of her presence, that was pretty clear. After Angrbodaâs death, Helga had been slowly losing her mind, her grief was obvious to anyone that met her before and as her fertile years passed, Aslaug could only imagine her desperation for another child grew more than what she could handle.
âShe must be a curious creature if both Helga and Ivar took a liking to her. I would like to see her.â
Aslaug wasn't really requesting as much as she was politely informing, both of them knew it, Floki looked at her oddly, but didnât object.
âSheâs with Helga.â
Floki pointed towards his house, watching curiously as Aslaug made her way. She soon saw Helga sitting with the girl on the bench, teaching her with the runes.
âAslaug.â Helga greeted her, surprised to say the least.
âHelga. I see that you're teaching the girl.â
âI am. Revna is very dedicated and learned very fast. Ivar helped her a lot as well.â Helga answered proudly, holding the girl by her shoulders.
Aslaug had her attention on the girl, almost ignoring Helga. The girl unnerved her. At first glance, other than her obvious different appearance and shorter stature, she was like any other girl her age, yet there was something off with her that the queen couldnât put her finger on. Aslaug wanted to believe it was her concern with Ivarâs happiness clouding her judgement, but her gut instinct screamed otherwise.
âSurely she must be grateful for the opportunity the Gods gave her.â Aslaug said, her eyes not leaving the girl and equally, the girl looked back at her curiously and cautiously.
âShe adapted well. Floki wants her to attend to the sacrifices so she can ask for the Gods' blessings.â
âItâs only appropriate. If they choose her to be your daughter, theyâll accept her offerings.â
Aslaug replied to Helga, but her attention was still on the girl. The next she spoke was clearly addressed to Revna with just a hint of an order.
âIâm sure Ivar will greatly appreciate you engaging in our ways. Heâs very devout and you two seem to have gotten along well, am I right?â
âYes⊠I think. I hope.â
âSo do I. The Gods may look favorably at you, in which case, I trust Iâll see you with Ivar more frequently.â
âIf he wishes. Ivar is well now. He does not⊠need my visit anymore.â
âHe has invited you to our home, thatâs not to be taken lightly. Our families have been friends for years and he seems to want to be your friend. Wouldnât you want that?â
âI⊠yes. I would.â
âThatâs great. Iâm sure Ivar will speak to you soon.â Aslaug said with a faux smile that was mostly condescending before turning her attention to Helga âMaybe theyâll make good friends.â
Aslaug didnât want to break the old friendship she had with Helga, it was the sole reason she didnât take the girl to live in her home with Ivar for as long as he pleased. She and Helga did some catching up, to which the girl remained dead silent.
When Aslaug returned home and saw Ivar and Sigurd dirty and bloody, she knew she made the right call. Later that day she gently nudged Ivar to go talk with the girl. She was certain things would work out for him.
Ivar POV:
Early in the morning Ivar headed to Floki's home wanting to catch up with Revna. Ivar wasn't one to give up, but having his mother's incentive gave him more courage.
This time, Ivar didn't make an effort to hide his presence as he saw Revna who quickly took notice of him. She waited for him and when he was close enough she saw the bruising on his face, she kneeled closer to him and moved her hand to reach his face, Ivar waited expectantly for her touch, but she stopped before that.
âIvar, what happened?â
âIt's nothing to worry about.â Ivar answeredf nonchalantly, with a smile nonetheless.
âBut⊠you are hurt.â
âItâs just a bruise from training. No need to worry.â
She looked at him concerned and not entirely convinced and it didn't fail to make Ivar feel cocky.
âDoes it matter to you if I get hurt?â
âYou were bad to me. Does not mean I wish you hurt.â
âI was bad to you?â
âYes! You argued for nothing.â
From anyone else, Ivar wouldn't tolerate such insolence, but Revna had that annoyed expression that he couldn't honestly take seriously.
âYou hid things from me.â
âWhat do you mean?â
âYou met with Sigurd and didn't say a thing about it.â
âI did! Didn't know he was your brother! How would I?!â
For all Revna was reserved, she sure got annoyed fast and Ivar found it entertaining.Â
âSit down with me, I want to talk with you.â
âYou do not have to say anything to me.â
âI know. But I want to.â
âWhy?â
âJust sit down and listen to what I have to say then make up your mind. If you donât like it, I will let you go.â He wouldnât, but it was enough that she believed otherwise.
She considered his proposition, and while she clearly was still guarded, she sat down.
âI shouldnât have spoken to you like that. I blamed you for things you didnât know and were never at fault. It wasn't warranted.â
âBut⊠Why are you angry at me?â
âIâm not angry at you. I should not have said that to you.â
âYou were. Because of your brother.â
âYouâre right. And because you didnât tell me.â
âI did not know.â
âYou should have told me anywayâ
âWhy?â
âBecause thatâs what friends should do.â
That made her look at him oddly, like she didn't understand what he said.
âAre we friends?â
âI thought so. Or were you just with me out of pity?â
âNo. I like to be with you.â
âThen you should have told me you met someone new. It is what friends should do, donât you think?â
âI do not know. Never stayed this long anywhere.â
She answered him very casually, butIvar's curiosity was piqued by Revnaâs statement. For the moment he decided to not press her.
âWhy were you angry? That I met your brother?â
Ivar breathed deeply. He wasnât comfortable talking about his relationship with his brothers, but sooner or later she would come to know, either from him or others, he would rather she knew through him.
âIâm not like my brothers. Iâm a cripple, they do not see me the same.â
âBut⊠They are your brothers. It should not matter.â
It was when it struck him just how unaware of things she truly was. She looked at him just as confused as she did when she first saw him, waiting for him to explain like he did when teaching her.
âYou donât understand. Cripples are left in the woods to die. I am alive because my mother saved me. But I am not the same as my brothers.â
Ivar gauged Revnaâs reaction as she seemed to consider what he just said. It took her a little while to say anything.
âI am happy you live. I like meeting you.â
She said that in such a light hearted way, Ivar was without breath. He felt his face a little warm as she smiled kindly at him and he had to look away. Nobody ever said that about him, much less with such honesty and Ivar was left speechless. He took a moment to regain his composure.
âThen it is set. We are friends.â
âWill you argue with me?â
âNo, but you have to promise me that you will not hide things from me again.â
âLike what?â
âYou let me decide that. What do you say?â
âAlright. We are friends then!â She said in such a chipper way Ivar could only smile at her. Before he forgot, he searched in a pocket inside his thick vest and reached his hand out to her, revealing a couple of tiny, yellow flowers tied together just like the ones she had liked so much.
She lit up at seeing the little flowers, joyful like he missed seeing from her. She reached to take them, but stopped midway, her smile fading as she looked cautiously at him.
âTake It. It's for you.â Ivar reassured her.
She tentatively reached for the flowers and gently took them from his hands, twirling them in her fingers, entertained like a child.
âWould you allow me?â Ivar asked, gesturing to the flowers and then her hair.
Revna eyed him curiously, but nodded nonetheless.
Ivar took the flowers from her hand and carefully arranged them among her braids. When he was done, he caressed the long locks of hair on his way back. It was a beautiful har, so full of curves and waves he couldnât help but feel enthralled by it and how the flowers contrasted like gold on it.
Revna giggled at him, hiding her face a bit out of embarrassment and knowing that she was happy to be with him was a strange experience but it gave him a special kind of confidence.
Aslaug POV:
As she predicted, Revna was back with Ivar, playing hnefatafl. Ivar was completely taken with the girl, looking with bright eyes to her and the tiny yellow flowers on her hair, he didn't pay attention to anything nor anyone else and he was smiling, truly smiling and not just pretending or being sarcastic. He had a joy so free of the weight he carried that Aslaug had never seen before.
Ivar sat close to the girl, twirling a lock of her hair between his fingers as he waited for her turn. Occasionally, he caressed her face and pointed out something in the game. That didn't fail to make her shy and awkward and he apparently enjoyed it.
Aslaug would not say anything about it, she knew Ivar would be defensive and he couldn't see things Aslaug did, but it was clear to her and as much as she wanted to protect Ivar, it pleased her that he was happy. For as long as she was alive, Aslaug would do everything in her power to keep Ivar happy. If he wanted that girl's company, then so be it. For her favorite son, she could overlook her discomfort with that stranger.
Hi! I love your Viking headcanons, but I donât see anything for Floki! Can you do what Floki would be like with a younger female S/O, how they met and what the relationship is like, how he treats her etc?
A/n: You know, Iâve been wondering why the lack of Floki myself too.
Also, Iâm doing this as he never left after avenging Ragnar đ
Floki is not going out of his way to have another relationship, heâs in fact actively avoiding it, so sheâs making all the push.
Theyâll meet through the religious practices. Floki is a devout man, so a woman that has a deep belief in the gods and is comprehensive will call his attention.
Even though, heâll not make a move. Heâs already old and too heartbroken to deal with the dating game. Even if she catches his attention, he isnât doing a thing about it.
Sheâll have to be constant and ready to face his standoffish behavior for quite a good time before he shows any signs heâs returning her affections.
It will be something subtle. A simple conversation or maybe just a look, but from there on her presence will be more welcomed.
As it progresses, heâll be more open to talk with her, share a story from his past, talk about the Gods walk around with her, let her see him work or just share a silent peaceful moment.
When it reaches that moment, Floki will expect her presence and even hope for it.
Even so, sheâll have to make the first move.
Heâll question why she wants to be with him. He never knew why Helga loved him so much, nor did he feel worthy of it. But at least they were both young, which is definitely not his case now.
The best option to convince him is to simply be truthful about her feelings. Itâs likely heâll need some time before making a decision, but by the time that conversation happens, heâs more accepting of a new relationship.
He comes with baggage, a lot of it. Betrayals, jealousy, defeat, tragedy, pretty much all of it, so sheâll have to have patience to get through his very thick walls.
He also comes with an unofficially adopted son with anger management issues, so she has to know how to work with that.
Floki doesnât want any more children. He never put his foot down with Helga, letting her have her way and look how that played out for him. His new lover needs to be ok with him not wanting children, either his own or adopted. Thereâs not a single thought that terrifies him more than that and he would rather not.
She has to be ok with a more secluded life. Floki was always a bit of a hermit and that became much more evident in his late years. Even with all the chaos among the Ragnarssons and the war with Christians, he manages to lead a life quite separated from it.
If sheâs alright with all his conditions, Floki will welcome her in his life, if not heâll break it off before it starts because to him, sheâll come to her senses and find a more suitable man.
Floki was never a ladies man, so she won't have to worry about him straying like his bestie Ragnar.
Love for him will be a slow thing. It will be built day by day, but it will be solid.
He never believed he would have love in his life before Helga and believed it even less after her. Part of him is wary that this is another cruel play on him.
Either way, Floki will be loving and caring. Heâs a romantic at heart and as such, fully enjoys spending quality time with her and little gestures of affection.
Sheâll never feel unsafe after settling down with him. Not only is he a talented carpenter, heâs also a capable fighter, even in his old years. Few would dare facing him either because theyâre afraid of his brutality or because they respect him as the legendary boatbuilder.
His unrivaled talent as a boatbuilder provides him a rather comfortable life and he has no problem providing for her. Sheâll live comfortably and have nice things.
Given the age difference, itâs likely there will be times sheâll need guidance and support to face life dilemmas. Floki was never known to be reasonable, or sane, but he lived enough to know better and he can read people like no other, so heâll be happy to guide her and support her through adversities.
Floki is in another stage of his life. Heâs not as brash or as radical as he first was. Heâs much more understanding and calm, so a life with him would be quite peaceful.
All in all, itâs a solid relationship and one she would feel secure in, appreciated and loved.
hiii can i req ubbe getting jealous (in a cute way) when you are giving attention to someone else? like with pouts and stuff... thank uuu âĄ
A/n: Thank you! We love fluff (and a bit of jealousy) in this house Not me writing something completely different at first lol
Being married to Ubbe was like living a dream. He was absolutely gorgeous, easily the most handsome man you ever saw, but that was just a part of him; He always treated you with love and care, completely unbothered to show his affection in public and perhaps a bit too comfortable.
If you had to point out a flaw, it would be his jealousy. It was not very pronounced, but it at times showed its head, even if he was lovely about it. It puzzled the mind as to why Ubbe would think he had any reason to be jealous, but he did. You never actively tried to stoke his jealousy, but it happened nonetheless.
Kattegat was in a festive mood, summer arrived and the celebrations were at their peak. People were happy, and there was plenty to be distracted. So you left Ubbe to his brothers and their pet peeves and went to catch up with your friends, hearing their stories and gossip, not really paying attention to whatever else was going on. Normally you would talk for a while with others then go back to Ubbe, but the conversation was actually fun and being away from the Ragnarssons drama was good too.
You looked around and met with your husband's gaze. He was with his brothers, who were on their own antics, but he paid them no mind, he was interested in you and gestured for you to come over. You smiled at him, but continued where you were. You still wanted to stay with your group a while more.
A while turned into an hour and Ubbe came to you, though you didnât see where from. For a man his size, he sure knew how to be quiet as a cat and your friends seemed as surprised and mildly scared. His presence alone silenced your friends, even though he didnât even bother looking at them.
âCome sit with me?â
âSoon, my love. I want to talk with my friends a little longer.â
He said nothing, gave an annoyed look to your friends and walked away to his seat.Â
One of your friends asked you, looking just a little paler than before:
âDoes your husband not like us?â
âWhat? No! Itâs just his brothers.â
They didn't seem very convinced, but you continued talking nonetheless. For how long you didn't know but at some point one of your friends pointed out the prince's less then entertained expression.
When you looked at Ubbe you instantly noticed his mood was sour. His head was thrown back and he was staring directly at you with tight lips and wide eyes, nursing his mug of ale but not actually drinking any of it. For such an outstanding warrior, he sure had a flair for the drama and it was clear he was not enjoying being ignored.
The only thing that made him look away with a roll of his eyes was something Ivar said to Sigurd that apparently was outrageous enough to make him drink his ale in one gulp and shut both of them up. Usually, Ubbe would be more patient with his brothers, but when he was jealous, his patience was notably short.
You excused yourself from your friends and went to your husband, who turned his full attention to you.
âUbbe.â
He tilted his head, looking at you accusatory with those clear blue eyes that never hid what he was feeling. His lips were shut tight, he was annoyed, but it was hard to take him seriously when his annoyance made his lips unintentionally make a pout that you couldnât help but lean down to kiss it away.
He welcomed the light kiss, but was still very much annoyed.
âYou remember you have a husband.â
âDonât be like that. I was just talking with my friends.â
âI know. For the entire day. I thought you might spend the entire night with them as well.â
âOh, no. That I wanted to spend with you alone.â
The thought didnât fail to better his mood, making him smile and the corner of his eyes crinkle a bit.
âAre you mad at me?â You asked him.
Ubbe, instead of answering, put his mug on the table and reached his hand to you. You took his hand and he pulled you close, for a kiss you though, but before your face could be close to his, he picked you up and sat you on his lap, holding you in place with a tight grip in one hand and taking his mug back with the other. Back to his serene expression like he made no effort at all, resting his hand on your lap.
âI canât be mad at you. I can be mad at your friends.â
Ragnarrsons ivar tries to kill himself after finding out Ragnar abandoned him as a child headcanon
A\n: Oh boy, so much angst. Thereâs no joy here, only angst.
VERY TRIGGER WARNING CONTENT
Ubbe & Hvitserk:
Those two will go together because they literally tried to kill themselves out of maternal neglect.
Out of everyone else, they get it. They understand painfully well where Ivar is coming from and what heâs feeling.
Even if they blame Ivar for being the cause of Aslaug's lack of attention to them, they don't necessarily blame Ivar for feeling Ragnarâs neglect, nor for reacting that way.
Talking about their emotions is not their strongest suit, but as far as silent understanding goes, they are at it.
Might very well push Ubbe more into a âcaringâ role.
Sigurd:
Sigurd will be judgmental and heâll make it known.
He might not speak of it if it happened while they were children as heâs pretty closed up at that age, but once they get older, heâll definitely use that against Ivar.
Just like he uses the fact Aslaug breastfed him to a late age, heâll use his suicide attempt.
When their fight gets heated enough, heâll go as far as saying Ivar should have gone through with it, possibly mocking him for having failed at it.
Bjorn:
Like Sigurd, Bjorn will be judgmental. Unlike Sigurd, he will be quiet about it.
Heâs not so much bothered by Ivar wanting to end his life as much as he is bothered by how this could impact the social standing of his family.
Heâs not a sentimental person, so this subject would never be brought up by him.
Bjorn took in stride the death of his first daughter, it wonât be Ivar that will shake him up.
Ivar was supposed to die when Ragnar abandoned him, if he wants to end his life now, then so be it.
Does like a man that can put on a fight and likes even more to overpower them.
Is going for the warrior couple thing.
He is at times insensitive and patronizing, so his s/o needs to be able to deal with his own things.
Ivar:
His preference relies a lot on how he is treated, not so much on specific traits.
Is very much into if he is a warrior.
Is still as jealous and possessive as they come.
Likes to watch his s/o walk. Might want him to do it naked in private.
Bjorn:
Listen, if someone is alive and pretty, thereâs a 50/50 chance Bjorn would bed them.
Does not have a clear preference. Younger or older than him, softer or fit body, shorter or taller (has to make an effort to find someone taller lol). If he finds the man attractive, heâs up for it.
He is a dominant man, but is up for some play just for the kink.
Does not change his flirty behavior based on his partnerâs sex. He still has a problem with keeping it in his pants.
Hvitserk:
Would prefer one a bit older than him.
He goes back and forth a lot before making a decision, so would enjoy having someone with a more assertive nature.
Heâs up for anything in bed.
If his man is also a warrior, he is surprisingly worried. Hvitserk doesnât have a lot of luck.
Sigurd:
Prefers a man in his height and age range.
Likes a symmetrical beauty.
Doesn't really care if he is or not a warrior. But if heâs an artist or traveler, that catches his attention.
Is more of a romantic himself, so he likes to have that appreciated.
I have a request for Ivar relationship headcanons regarding s/o being a non-believer (vikings)
A/n: I may or may not have spoiled my long fic lol. This is fireÂ
---------------------------------
You could not have possibly picked a more challenging situation than this one.
Ivar can find a way for things to work in almost any situation. Heck, he could even deal with sharing under the right conditions. But faith is where he draws the line.
Even if he made a transgression by making himself a god, he is probably the most religious person there. Second only to Floki.
He learned almost everything from Floki, so he is very similar to him in that manner.
Unlike Floki, however, Ivar has no regard for faith if not his one.
If it was Ivar in Al-Ăndaluz instead of Floki, he would have beheaded the praying men without a second guess.
You can be assured that whatever attracted him to his s/o is not their belief. Could be their looks, their prowess, intelligence, how they treat him, all of those and/or else.
Initially, Ivar considers his s/o faith to be a product of lies and misguidance from wherever they learned it from. He considers that by living among his people and seeing their might, his s/o will learn the true ways with the right time.
With this mindset, heâll give them what he considers a reasonable timeframe and space for them to discover and experience his faith.
Heâll be eager to teach and guide them in his faith. Itâs a way of bonding for him.
Ivar even has some curiosity for his s/o belief system, but that is because Ivar is a curious person, not because he would ever consider another belief system to be a valid one, much less convert to it.
Heâll have more tolerance if his s/o faith is anything but Christian, because he hates them with a passion. His tolerance is not forever tough.
The real problems arise when/if things get serious.
At the end of this unspoken time frame, he fully expects his s/o to have converted.
If they did, great! Smooth sailing.
If not, oh boy. Honeymoon is over.
His s/o will see a much less patient side from Ivar.
Ivar will confront them on why they still cling to their false beliefs.
If bad things happen heâll blame that on his s/o disrespect to the gods.
Any problem in the relationship will be blamed on their faith. Related or not to it.
Ivar is not a man to give up easily, so heâll do whatever is on his grasp to make his s/o change.
If his s/o faith involves images of any kind, those will be destroyed and forbidden.
Any rituals will be forbidden as well.
His s/o faith quite possibly involves a different language, and while Ivar would enjoy hearing sweet nothings, he will not allow them to if he believes that will be used to to follow another faith.
If even then his s/o refuses to convert, we are reaching a deal break situation here.
And if by some divine will he has a child with his s/o, the child will be raised under his faith. Itâs a non-negotiable matter.
Ivar wants someone that will engage with him in his faith. That will participate in the rituals and that will strengthen his bond with the old ways.
Even if his s/o decided to just not speak about their religion, the norse practices will most likely clash at some point with their faith, so they would be faced with a hard dilemma.
Even if his s/o did not practice their faith, their refusal to accept his would be something that would slowly build up resentment for Ivar. It's something that is missing in their relationship and Ivar would not be able to find a middle ground like Ragnar was with Athelstan.
Eventually, push will come to shove and someone will have to give. It will not be him.
Vikings headcanon ragnarsson reaction to seeing each other again in vallhala
Ubbe:
Assuming he filled the requirements, heâs the one with a lot to tell. His deeds may not be as famous as his brothers, but he went farther than any of them. He made a name for himself separated from his brothers. He spread the legacy over the seas, made what Ragnar failed to and unlike Rollo, remained a true norseman. He is happy to see his brothers, but heâs happy to have proved he can be one without them. He expected to see Bjorn there, but it is Ivar that gets to him. They died without making amends and being inValhalla, they finally can leave behind the bad blood they had in life.
Ivar:
Whatever his differences with his brothers (and everyone else) were, he now has absolutely nothing to prove to anyone. He has marked his name in history, he and everyone else knows heâs among the select hall of most famous and fearsome warlords that ever came out of norse history. Ivar is proud of himself and will be happy to see his brothers again and mend the burnt bridges, after all, he did love them.
Hvitserk:
Heâs Athelstan now.
Bjorn:
The one everyone knew would be there. Bjorn does not care any longer for the differences he had with his brothers and other warriors, heâs in Odinâs hall and that was his life goal. Heâs more than happy to talk about and hear his brothers stories, to fight and drink with them, to live in the afterlife with them with lightheartedness they very briefly had in life.
Vikings headcanon request ragnarsson relationship with hvitserk
A/n: I do hope I understood the question. Love the asks <3
Ubbe:
Those two are attached at the hip so much they could very well be twins. They have been together before Ivar and Sigurd entered the picture and so they have this sort of little bubble of their own. You can bet where Ubbe is, Hvitserk is not very far.
From his younger brothers, Hvitserk is undoubtedly the one he loves the most. He was his âpartner in crimeâ since childhood and Ubbe always considered Hvitserk would follow him whatever path life took him.
Hvitserk loves and adores his brother. As he grew up, and especially after Ivar was born, Ubbe was the one that was always with him, was the one that for all effects cared for him. It was Ubbe that Hvitserk had as an example and tried to follow in his footsteps, but quite often that didnât work out.
Ubbe does love Hvitserk, but he often doesnât understand Hvitserkâs motivations and is quite patronizing.
Ivar:
Picture fire and fuel and you have their relationship. Ivar has a volatile temper and can change on a dime on just about everyone, Hvitserk included.
As children, they got along easily. Hvitserk would always find a way to include Ivar and Ivar did enjoy how adventurous Hvitserk was. This bond carried over to their teenage years and would grow into training to the point they could read each other and were more or less on the same level.
They share very similar inclinations, and in truth are very similar in nature, though Hvitserk takes much longer to come to terms with it as Ubbe was the one he tried to emulate for so long.
This is precisely one of the reasons for their conflict. Ivar grows increasingly more frustrated with Hvitserk because he knows Hvitserk is doing what Ubbe wants and what Ubbe would want, not what Hvitserk wants. Ivar knows that while Hvitserk criticizes his methods, Hitserk isn't that different. Ivar mocks and belittles him as the many perceived slights pile up from the years and years, even if none were intended.
As for Hvitserk, he understands that Ivar feels like he has to prove himself every time, but Ivarâs attacks are like throwing salt on a wound. Hvitserk was lost in life, he felt he had no purpose, but never he meant to belittle Ivar in any way. Ivar was his little brother and he loved him, to have that second guessed hurt.
There is love in their relationship, a lot, but Ivar has a lot of anger, resentment and mistrust, so it takes him a lot to be comfortable with it and more to be open about it. Hvitserk, being the brother that mostly didnât take part in the familyâs arguments and always preferred to remain in the shadows as they happened, will wait for Ivarâs time.
They have the most complex relationship of the brothers and many times doubted each other, but they do love each other very much and once they see eye to eye, they are unstoppable.
Sigurd:
They easily share the least complex relationship of the brothers. Between them thereâs no need to prove anything, to be anything, be one thing at the expense of another. They can just be themselves and have a good time. Hvitserk adventurous nature and Sigurdâs fun loving one makes them get along very easily and they can seemingly find enjoyment out of anywhere.
They end up pulling the lighter side of their personalities and can just be the young men they really are without the weight of their titles or all the drama that goes on in the family.
Thereâs an understanding between them given they are the âmiddle brothersâ and suffered the most with the neglect, Sigurd more so. Hvitserk felt a lot of neglect, so he always does his best to let Sigurd know he loves him.
Regardless of the situation, they have each otherâs back.
Bjorn:
Bjorn overall has a similar relationship with his younger brothers, save for Ivar. As Hvitserk was a child, Bjorn would play with him, like he did to the others. The plays would grow into roughhousing as he grew older, and fighting lessons.
Life and personal ambitions, would shorten the amount of time Bjorn would spend with Hvitserk and the boys, but he was pleased that Hvitserk joined his expedition. He was proud to see that his younger brother proved himself to be a great warrior.
Hvitserk adventurous nature was something that Bjorn always liked and he would very much welcome Hvitserk on his expedition to the Mediterranean again after Ragnarâs death.
Hvitserk respected and admired Bjorn for his battle experience and courage. Bjorn always seemed to be so certain of what he was doing that he could only hope to one day have a part of that confidence.
Their relationship wouldnât ever be like the one between Ubbe and Hvitserk. Bjorn had a degree of distance and a demeanor that forbade that, but had things turned out differently, they would make a long, solid partnership.
Vikings headcanon request ragnarsson reaction to ivar dying instead of sigurd
A.N: Oh, if this isn't pure angst.
Iâm running with two cases: dead by a shipwreck and the famous last Sigurd scene, just instead Sigurd dodged and killed Ivar.
Ubbe:
Of the brothers, he would be the one to mourn more visibly, which is still something very subtle and easy to miss for a stranger, but family and friends would be aware.
If Ivar died by the sea, he would have to accept it as it was the will of the gods. He quite remembers how Ivar was afraid of it and while he was happy Ivar overcame his fear, it was bittersweet.
If Sigurd killed Ivar, that would be a double blow to him. One, because he would lose a bother to another and the second would be on his sense of duty. Once Ragnar abandoned them, Ubbe took upon himself to care for his little brothers and be there for them, to have them kill each other was a spectacular failure on his part.
He understood that it could eventually happen, their hostility just grew over the years and that was part of the reason he always tried to be the âreasonable oneâ. He understood both sides. He knew Ivar always made a great effort to prove himself and he knew a lot of people underestimated him, countless times he stood up for his younger brother and he always made a point that he was proud of him.
He very well understood where Sigurd's anger came from. He felt their motherâs neglect very deeply, heck he even jumped in a frozen lake with Hvitserk because of it. But he was their older brother, he felt it was his duty to steer them to overcome that petty rivalry so they could be a united force.
He would always wonder if there was something he could do that would have prevented it.
Hvitserk:
Always the brother to stay in the middle, which was a double edged sword, he hoped Ivar and Sigurd would at some point get over their rivalry, or at least that it would never reach that point in such a public way. Goes to show just how much his reasoning proved wrong.
Technically, there was nothing he could do. Ivar and Sigurd insulted each other in front of everyone and settled their differences right then and there. It was a socially acceptable way to solve their differences by blood and his brothers did just that.
But the thing is, he loved Ivar and he misses his youngest brother. When Ivar wasnât out to spread chaos, Hvitserk and Ivar had a good relationship, there was an understanding between them, that there wasnât between the other brothers. Ubbe was the one he loved more, but there were things Hvitserk knew Ubbe wasnât going to understand, that Ivar would. He would feel half lost in the world and for a time would be more attached to Ubbe, but that wouldnât keep him from straying and indulging in vices.
Sigurd:
If Ivar died by the sea, Sigurd would pay his respects. Even if they hated each other, Ivar was still his brother and a son of Ragnar, he died on seafare and thus deserved to have his death treated with respect.
He couldnât help but be taken back to the time he saw his Siggy dead. Granted, Sigurd didnât have an emotional attachment to her, or as Ivar bluntly put it, nobody cared about the little girl, but her death was something that occasionally would come to his mind. Having Ivar die in the same way was an irony he couldnât overlook.
If he was the one to kill Ivar, then his reaction wasnât one he would have expected. Somehow, killing Ivar left a spot of hollowness in his heart. He and Ivar had a long rivalry and many fights, but after many years, it became the norm for Sigurd, so he never considered it would come to that.
The finality of it weighed on his shoulders. Sigurd would irrevocably change after that; the jovial and almost bard-like demeanor would be a thing of the past as he would become a more somber character. He didnât kill a random person, he killed his own brother and it was like he aged a decade after that.
Ivarâs death would be a subject he wouldnât talk about, neither their many fights nor how and why it escalated over the years. He wouldnât talk about it with his brothers, much less anyone else. It didnât matter anymore why he and Ivar argued for so long, nor everything they did to each other. He wanted his brother to have the appropriate funeral rites and that day would be the last he would talk about his brother.
For the many times Ivar got to the brink of killing him, it was ultimately Sigurd who ended victorious. It was, however, a victory he didnât take pride in.
Bjorn:
Overall, the most level headed of all of them. If Ivar died by the sea, then he wouldnât feel bad as he would consider a death like that much more worthy of a Ragnarsson than an ignominious one.
On the other hand, if Sigurd killed him, Bjorn would find that to be the logical conclusion to years of hostility between brothers. He knew Ivar and Sigurd never saw eye to eye, it was inevitable they would reach a final point. It was almost like watching Ragnar and Rollo all over again. Bjornâs Frustration and disappointment would be similar if the opposite happened, because it greatly bothered him the fractures inside the family. He knew very well how petty grievances ended in unnecessary bloodshed and although he saw it happen since childhood, it never became easier to deal with.
P.S.: Iâm so very sorry for the *late* update, had a car accident XD
----------------------------------
After the argument, Revna briskly walked away until she reached the outskirts of Kattegat. The whole exchange with Ivar was so out of the blue, she was left confused to the point of being disoriented. The worst part was that Revna didnât know why Ivar argued with her.
Eventually, she reached the beach, sat down, occasionally drawing on the sand. Trying to understand the root of that argument was pointless by now; she missed a lot of what he said, but she understood the accusations. She was trying to be careful in not doing things that could tarnish her image and put her in a precarious situation, only to have that come right from the person she thought everything was alright. Whatever prompted Ivar to demean her in such a way, was a wild guess.
It made no sense at all, but maybe there was no need for it. Ivar, Ubbe and Sigurd were all royalty, they could change their disposition with the wind and all would be fine. She was just a stranger who had a lucky strike to not be there as a slave, yet. They probably regarded her as an oddity and could do whatever they wanted to her and no one, save maybe for Helga, would be bothered.
As dusk approached, it was time to head back to Helgaâs home. It was getting cold, too cold, hopefully, Helga wouldnât ask too much and she wouldnât have to say anything. On the way back she heard that strangely pitched voice from the boatbuilder calling her name.
Floki was probably the tallest man she ever saw and easily one of the strangest. He was never hostile to her, much less harmed her, but Revna was aware he only put up with her because of his wife. Once Helga grew tired of her, he would kick her out of his house in the blink of an eye. Then she would be another of the many slaves that filled the whole city, if not one of the skulls that Floki decorated his workplace. Neither prospect was enticing and after the argument with Ivar, she was feeling as vulnerable and alone as when she first saw the couple. It took effort to maintain her composure and not betray the shiver that ran down her spine as he approached her with his unique gait.
When Floki was close, he leaned down to reach her level, looking at her with that always intense gaze.
âWhere have you been? Itâs almost night.â
âThe beach.â
âAll this time?â
âMost of it.â
Floki sighed, tilting his head to the side, still looking at her. Revna hoped his distant disposition towards her worked in her favor and he wouldnât ask anything.
âYouâll get yourself in trouble if you continue with this.â
She didn't answer him, there wasnât anything to be said, but he insisted:
âYou understand that, donât you?â
âYes.â
âYet you keep doing it. I donât know what to do with you.â
Revna didnât say anything in her defense. After a while, Floki put a hand over her shoulder and they began walking.
âLetâs head back home. Before you catch something.â
When they arrived, Helga was pacing back and forth in front of the house and as soon as she spotted them she ran in their direction and held Revna by her shoulders before embracing her in a tight hug. Revna could hear the womanâs fast heartbeat against her ear and awkwardly returned the embrace. Helgaâs concern was thankfully enough to shadow any other question.
In the following morning, Revna woke up to the scent of breakfast, reluctantly leaving the warm comfort of the bed to follow it to where Helga was cooking.
âMorning, my child.â Helga greeted with a gentle smile and her apparently never ending kindness.
âMorning, Helga.â
She only briefly met Helgaâs gaze before reaching her hands close to the pot for warmth, missing entirely how Helgaâs smile faltered.
âYou want to help?â
âYes.â
Helga handed her the spoon and instructed:
âKeep stirring it. I will set the table.â
It was how their typical routine began. Floki prepared for another day of work, while Helga kept the house running. The couple had a silent understanding of each other that was clear to see and she couldnât help but feel like an intruder on their intimacy.
After a while Helga asked her:
âHowâs Ivar?â
The question wasnât new, but it unnerved Revna that day. She wasnât blind to not see Ivar was close to that couple, they would discover sooner or later, but she would rather it be later.
Floki, who typically didnât show much interest in their conversations, paid close attention:
âHe will be good soon. I think.â
Unexpectedly, Floki giggled, almost spilling his mead. Revna looked at him puzzled, but Helga was pleased.
âYou meant âbetterâ,â Floki corrected her, âhe will be better soonâ
âBetter,â she repeated after him, âhe will be better soon.â
Floki kept paying attention, while Helga continued the conversation:
âThat is great. Aslaug will be relieved. She loves Ivar greatly and suffers when heâs in pain.â
âWill you meet with Ivar today, Revna?â Floki inquired, sounding almost as normal as always, but he made a point to emphasize her name.
âIf he wishes.â
âIt is good that you two are getting along. You are learning, and it would be good for Ivar to have a friend.â Helga chimed in.
Floki remained silent, but his weird look made Revna uncomfortable. He was a strange man overall, but somehow his sudden interest was even stranger.
As they finished the breakfast, Helga sat close to Revna to braid her hair. She never let Revna leave with her hair undone, even if it was a âsimpleâ style. After that, Revna left as if nothing had changed, but she wouldnât go anywhere near Ivar or his brothers. She would do everything in her ability to not bump into any of them. They were toying with her, whatever the game was, she didnât like it.
She didnât count the days since she last saw Ivar, but she succeeded in her endeavor. Although the hours passed much slower without Ivarâs company and it was much too evident the loneliness of her predicament, it gave her time to think.
When Ivar recovered, he left the confines of his house as soon as he could, much to everyone's relief. Everyone was used to the short, unpredictable temper Ivar had, everyone knew it got worse when his legs forced him to stay inside, but this time he became downright terrible. Aslaug was thankful to the gods both for her son's recovery and because all that she had to replace was a few broken utensils, not a new slave. It was hard to find good ones.
Meanwhile, the rumors ran wild among the thralls. The visits from the odd girl didnât go unnoticed and while nobody knew how the two met, everyone had bets on why she never returned. Some even speculated she was dead since no one saw her again, some speculated she would be dead once Ivar could leave.
Ivar, however, had enough time to think about everything since that day and he was angry. He was mad at Sigurd for interfering with his matters and mad at himself for taking the bait. It was obvious Sigurd would want to spoil something nice for him, yet he fell for the trick like an idiot. His intelligence was the one thing that put him above his brothers and the one he took great pride in, to be made a fool wasnât something he was going to let go.
As to Revna, it unnerved him that he hadnât heard a word about her. Logically, Ivar knew she would be fine under Helga and Flokiâs care, but the lack of news bothered him. It was also bothering him what Sigurd and Revna could possibly have talked about and why she didnât say anything, but he was going to discover it one way or the other. She didnât know how his brothers were and if not for Ubbe and that coat-to-be wolf, he would have kept them away from her longer. It was unlikely Revna was aware of Ivarâs infamy, he doubted she would be at ease with him if she did, but he knew Sigurd would go an extra length to make a mockery out of him.
But he would see to Sigurd later. he wanted to mend things, so he headed to Flokiâs home first thing in the morning.
Once he sighted their house, he kept hidden and waited for Revna to leave to follow her quietly.
Ivar followed Revna all the way to the beach. It was easy to keep hidden as she wasn't really paying attention to her surroundings. Once there, she chose a nice spot and sat down, taking a stick to draw on the sand. It was curious to see her when she thought she was alone, that deep in thought and distracted, so unlike her usual demeanor. Ivar could spend quite a while studying her if he wasnât concerned with setting things straight.
He crawled to her and it wasnât until he was fairly close that she took notice of him. When she did, she froze, staring at him with wide eyes like he was an apparition. By the time she came back to her senses, he was already sitting by her side.
âRevna.â
âIvar.â She returned the greeting after a while, but it wholly lacked the joy he became familiar with.
Revnaâs drawing caught Ivarâs attention. It was quite detailed and he was genuinely curious to know what it was about. It would serve as a good starter as well.
âWhat is it that youâre drawing?â
âNothing of importance.â
She sounded detached, almost not there at all. He insisted:
âItâs nothing, yet youâre drawing it.â
She didnât say anything, still staring at him as if not convinced he was there. Ivar urged her to answer:
âTell me. Tell me what it is.â
Ivar almost thought she wouldn't talk to him at all, but alas, she did:
âThere is a cityâŠâ she pointed with the stick, âmuch, much far from here. Great, rich. Different people trade here. Made of stone. Colorful⊠Many beautiful fabric⊠goldâŠâ
She stopped. She usually did that when she couldnât find the right words, but he wasnât entirely sure that was all to it.
âAre you from there?â
âNo.â
âThen why draw it?â
âMemory. It is good to remember places. Or you forget. One day, I may remember Kattegat elsewhere.â
Ivar was taken aback. He thought by now she would have accepted her fate, to hear that she considered leaving Kattegat struck him almost like betrayal. How could she? The goods were generous to show her the truth; she was adopted by one of the most faithful people he knew of, how could she not see how blessed she was?
With a quick swipe, Ivar wiped the drawing.
âWhy?â
âThe gods gave you a chance to live with us, to learn the truth yet you think of abandoning it?â He spoke with more heat than what he planned to do.
âI do notâ she replied sharply âthey put me here, they may put me elsewhere.â
So she did acknowledge the gods and their will, but her conclusion was what he didnât like.
Annoyed and without another word, Revna prepared to stand up.
âWait, where are you going?â Ivar asked, grabbing her hand before she could leave.
âAway.â
âDonât. Stay. I want to talk to you.â
âWhy?â
âSit down.â Ivar said nicely, though his grip hadnât loosened.
She obeyed and only when she was back to sitting at his side he released her hand. Revna remained in silence and so, Ivar spoke:
âWhat happens in the future is for the gods to decide. You should not tempt them.â
âThey may⊠regardless.â
âYou don't know that. They were generous in bringing you here, so don't speak like that.â
She didn't answer, so Ivar cut the chase and went straight to what was bothering him:
âWhy havenât you told me you met Sigurd?â
âHe did not say he was your brother.â
âHe never spoke about me? Not even once?â
âNo.â
Ivar kept gauging her expression to decide if she was lying or not, but shining through was her annoyance. Had Sigurd badmouthed him to her, it wouldnât surprise him in the slightest, but that he didnât bothered Ivar. It was not like Sigurd to waste an opportunity to humiliate him.
âWhy havenât you told me?â
âYou did not let.â
âYou didnât understand. Why havenât you told me before?â
âWhy? It was⊠mundane.â
âHow so?â
She looked at him confused, so he tried again:
âWhat did you talk about?â
âMusic. Nothing of importance. Mundane things.â
âMusic?â Ivar asked, half amused.
âYes. He plays an oud. I did not think one here. Too far. Too strange.â
In another moment, Ivar would have inquired about her interest in music and know more of her, but as of now his mind was working on figuring out Sigurdâs plan. He didnât believe for a single second Sigurdâs interest in Revna was innocent, if she was telling the truth, he liked the appearance of it even less.
âI do not know what I did bad.â Revna interrupted his thoughts.
ââWhat I did wrongâ, you meant.â Ivar corrected her âNothing. You didnât do anything.â
âI do not understand.â She stated, her voice uncharacteristically subdued. He wanted to reach for her but she likely would slap his hand away.
âOf course you don't. You don't know my brothers.â
âI did not know he was your brother!â
âI heard you.â
Revna looked at him completely at loss. Of course she didnât know about the strained relationship between him and Sigurd, that would be a long explanation and one he wanted to delay.
She parted her lips and Ivar waited for her to question him, but after a moment, she gave up whatever she wanted to say. They stood in silence, both of them not knowing what to speak next. It was probably a couple of minutes that felt dragged to both of them before Revna decided to speak:
As the hours passed, Ivar went over all of their interactions, all of Revnaâs mannerism searching for any little detail he could pick apart to justify his decision. It was hard for him to read her, she was someone completely different and communication was still limited. She always paid attention to what he said, though how much of it she actually understood he didnât know. Revna was curious and excited to understand what other people spoke, her will to learn was apparently larger than whatever she thought of him and while that was engaging to him, her refusal to his invitation soured his thoughts. He invited her to stay over in goodwill, where she would be well treated as his guest and that was, as he thought, certainly better and safer than wandering around, yet she refused.
However, as by irony of fate, he also didnât want to cut off ties with her. He enjoyed the foolishness of the hours spent together and didnât want to let go, even if it wasnât true. It was something else entirely to have someone that wasnât judgemental of him, that while completely ignorant about them was open to, and gleefully learned from him. Perhaps ignorance explained why she so far didn't look at him fearfully and curiosity overshadowed any disdain she could have by his affliction. The fact that he didn't feel judged by her when they were out in public gave the peace of mind that was now clashing with his turned down invitation.
Maybe he was reading this all wrong and she was simply so excited to go out that she didnât bother with whom she was accompanied with. Maybe her interest in him was solely so she could learn their language as fast as possible and go mingle with other people. Other people that could keep up with her, that didnât have to crawl on the floor to move.
In his mind the phrase that kept repeating was: âsheâs leaving as soon as she canâ. The terrible thought of him being an oddity to her that would later become a joke to speak of with friends.
But Revna wasnât a slave he could order to do his will, nor she was a simple commoner. She was the adopted daughter of Helga, whom he held in high regard. He wouldnât purposefully do anything to cause Helgaâs suffering, so, for all he reasoned, severing ties with Revna would do all of them a favour.
A little before noon, Revna arrived. As usual, leaving her shoes near and taking the same spot on his bed she always did. Ivar didnât bother looking at her as she did her âroutineâ, instead, he turned his attention on his gloves, untying the perfectly tied strings of it only to tie it again. She was more agitated today, he could see from his peripheral vision her leg bouncing back and forth and her little hands tapping on her lap.
âMorning, Ivar.â
âYouâre earlier.â
âYes. How are you?â
He scoffed, replying with a smirk and twitch of his lips, his words coming out laced with cynicism:
âIâm great. Why wouldnât I be? Iâm bound to this bed like an old man, while everyone else can go out and enjoy their time.â
He spoke fast, starkly differently from the way he did with her for her better understandment, in part by purpose, in part by anger. Whether or not she would understand what he said wasnât his top concern at the moment.
After a while, she replied, sounding as chipper as when she entered his room:
âIt is a good bed. Good room.â
Ivar finally stared at her wide eyed. He couldn't believe she just said that right to his face. Was she completely oblivious to his tone or was she making a joke out of him? Had everything he said went right over her head?
âDo you really think that, little bird?â He pointed out each word, almost at the same slow speed she spoke with.
âWhat?... The room?â She made a pause waiting for his confirmation, to which he slowly nodded and so she proceeded âYes. It is good. Warm. Soft furs. No wind to make you cold. This place is cold. Too cold. Hard place to be a wanderer.â
She spoke with wide gestures of her hands, but otherwise in a plain and matter-of-fact tone. Ivar inhaled deeply, trying to keep his anger at bay. By what he could judge, she just understood a single word and went by it, missing everything else. It was, however, her recognition of the quality of his place rather than her ignorance that poked the feeling of rejection again.
âSo, why have you returned?â Ivar said as he returned his attention to the gloves.
âTo see you.â Revna replied smiling âI found that place. That one you show.â
She leaned slightly forward, waiting eagerly for him to reply, but Ivar intentionally took longer than necessary to speak and when he did, he made a point to sound blunt and disinterested:
âAnd? What of it?â
âI found it. Alone. Do you know there's flowers⊠near?â She finished gesturing to her side.
âHave you forgotten I live here?â He rolled his eyes and looked back at her.
âNo. We could go there.â She replied excitedly, apparently entirely oblivious to his annoyance.
Ivar held her gaze for a while, paying attention to the braid falling over her shoulder, noticing the tiny yellow flowers tied to it, making a stark contrast against the pitch black hair. He reached out to her braid, she tensed a little and followed his hand with her eyes, but let him examine it. Ivar certainly knew of the place she spoke of, a flower field east of where they went before, where one could find the small yellow flowers; it wouldnât be any more of a stretch to go there than it was the first time they went out.
âWe go together?â She asked, a light smile on her lips.
He continued to look at her braid and the little flowers tied to it. The place itself was no secret, but for someone new she certainly wandered a while to find it, he wondered how many times she walked around that same region until it. She liked to wander, she said so herself and made little effort to hide it, sooner rather than later, she would want someone that would be able to keep up with her, to take her to other places, places Ivar himself couldnât go without a lot of effort or his brothers carrying him.
Yet Revna invited him to go out with her. She just invited him to see flowers. Him. Whom exactly she thought he was? People in Kattegat feared him for his kill count, they wouldnât ever invite him anywhere, much less to see flowers. The thought was so ridiculous he couldn't keep a straight face. It was the whole situation that was insane to him. He was stuck in bed, good for nothing at the moment and she wanted to be out and about, the one thing he couldnât do properly on a good day and wasnât able to do at all on a very bad one and she invited him to see flowers.
Ivar couldnât keep a straight face and just laughed at her. It was a ridiculous idea.
Revna leaned back to her original position and Ivar let go of her braid. She looked at him confused, stopping her fidgeting as Ivar laid his back against the headboard and his laughter died down.
âForget about it.â Ivar dismissively waved her off.
âWhy?â
âI'm not going to see stupid flowers.â
âOh⊠Alright.â Revna replied, looking away from him. The smile she had was gone together with her joyous disposition. In a way, he felt vindicated for her refusal to stay over; In another, he would have liked to join her.
After a while, they began to play hnefatafl in silence, but this silence was uncomfortable and tense, unlike the previous days. Revna became closed off, keeping her eyes entirely on the game, but her moves were weird and she seemed to not be there at all. If leaving him wasnât in her mind yet, then he successfully planted the idea.
During their match, Revna broke the silence awkwardly, as she made her move:
âI saw your brother, Ubbe. He was going hunting.â
Normally, Ivar would inquire her to know what they talked about, but the first thing that came to his mind was how of course she would become interested in his brothers, every girl in Kattegat was.
âHmm. Maybe you should have gone with him.â
âWhy?â
âMust be a bore to be stuck with the cripple when you could be anywhere else. It would be way more fun to be hunting with Ubbe than being here with me.â
He tried to sound as indifferent as possible, not wanting to expose just how much he was affected. Ubbe was perfect in almost every sense. He was tall, blond, strong, physically able and good at fighting, he was everything a man was supposed to be and were it not for his bad advices, Ivar couldnât point out a flaw in his brother. Ubbe loved the outdoors and exploring, he would be much more able to match Revna in her interest than Ivar would ever be and that was like salt on the wound.
Revna looked at him even more confused than before, but between him trying to read her and she apparently doing the same, she replied first:
âNot at all.â She stated bluntly, returning her attention to the board without any further explanation.
âHmm. So, you would not prefer to be out there wandering and meeting other people than be here?â
âPlaces will be there anyday. Can meet people anytime.â
She didnât even look up from the board, being again, plain and blunt. He didnât know what to think of her answer, neither whether she was blunt because she lacked fluency or because she was like that. He wanted to believe her when she said she enjoyed his company, but that was too hard for him. None of his brothers would deal with him if he wasnât blood and his father outright left him to the wolves, why would she be any different? If she really liked spending time with him, why wouldnât she come at a more regular schedule? Why wouldnât she stay over?
At any rate, Ivar made his move and they continued playing.Â
The silence continued, whatever was on Revnaâs mind he couldnât guess, she didnât take her eyes off the board, but his mind focused on Ubbe and Revnaâs conversation. He was curious as to what they would talk about when he wasnât around and he didnât like the idea of his brother being friends with her very much. He didnât like it at all.
âWhat did you two talk about?â
âHe asked me how I was. Told me of his hunt, Kattegat, your brothers. Their names, but I⊠forgot.â
âYouâll learn it soon enough.â It came out bitter, but he didnât care. Neither did her, if her lack of reaction was any sign.
âI remember one. Sigurd. Plays an oud. I met him.â She said, sounding just a little excited as whenever she spoke something right.
Sigurd. From all the names he didnât want to hear, there it was. It figures that lying prick would meddle between him and Revna. Why didnât she tell him before? Were they already speaking ill of him behind his back? For how long had she met him? Was Sigurd and her going on walks around the city? Ivar had many questions he wanted to ask yet at the same time he was too angry to ask any of them.
She made her move, then turned her attention to Ivar, but the moment she looked at the prince the little smile she had died down.
âSo, now youâre friends with Sigurd?â He spoke with all the bitterness and anger that had pent up so far.
âNo⊠I do not know.â
âNo? But you met him and didnât even bother to tell me!â
âI did not know⊠He⊠I⊠We never say of you!â She was louder as she became defensive, her accent more pronounced.
âOh, he never told you he is my brother? Now you take me for an idiot!â
âWhat? No!â
âSo you just talk to every person you find, is that what you do before you come here?â
âWhat does thisâŠâ
âAnswer me!â
âI walk here⊠wander a day and got lost⊠I do notâŠâ
Revna became even more loud as she spoke, gesturing widely as her accent became so pronounced he couldnât understand her save for a few random words that made no sense in a sentence. Her confusion and the bizarre way the languages were used together managed to throw him out of his train of thought. There simply was no way Ivar could spin Revnaâs words against her, because he couldnât understand what she was saying. It didnât matter anyway, Ivar had decided to cut ties with her and now he felt he was justified in doing so.
âI bet you and Sigurd are having a lot of fun joking about the cripple.â
âNo!â
âNo? What do you two have to talk about? Hmm? The weather?â He mocked.
âMusic! I tell him of music⊠out⊠and he of it here⊠then he⊠the oudâŠâ She went on another confusing explanation that Ivar couldnât, for the sake of any of the gods, understand.
Again Ivar was thrown off his train of thought. It was something else to watch and hear her as heated as she was right now, if Ivar wasnât angry he could enjoy it for the purely outlandish aspect of it. But he was indeed angry. He was angry at her for not speaking about Sigurd earlier, he was angry at Ubbe for interrupting their trip around Kattegat, at Sigurd for meddling in his matters, he was angry for being disabled, for being regarded as a burden, being the target of mockery and now he was throwing accusations at her and he couldnât stop himself.
âWhat are you doing here? Trying to make a fool out of me?â
âNo! Why are you saying that?â
âDonât play stupidâŠâ
âI am not!â
âGet out of here.â
She looked at him bewildered, ready to answer and try to explain herself, but after a brief while she just rested her hands back in her lap, sounding defeated as she spoke:
âBut, I⊠I do not understand.â
âDonât you? You show up whenever it suits you, when it suits you and on most days barely spends a couple of hours before leaving. I invite you to stay and you adamantly refuse. Say the truth: you would rather spend your day wandering around and with others than having to come here.â
âNo. It is not that.â Revna answered defensively.
âGo. Get out of here and stop wasting my time.â
Revna parted her lips, staring at him nervously and fidgeting with her fingers. Her mouth moved like she would say something, but ultimately she just stared at him for a few seconds, then looked down and put on her shoes. She left his room in silence without looking back.
------------------
The following days passed at a dragging speed. Without Revna's visits, Ivar was back to the old routine. Sigurd never appearing, Bjorn being busy organizing his adventure, Hvitserk occasionally showing up, Ubbe coming more frequently and his mother checking on him daily. Somehow, even though this routine was well known to him, it now seemed that he was even more lonely than before. Part of him hoped Revna would show up anytime and they would be back to the lighthearted moments, but he knew she wouldnât, he sent her away after all. Ironically, the same lack of pattern to her visits that he had a peeve with was now something he was missing; he would at times look at the door and hope that she would come in and leave the shoes to sit on his bed. He missed the joy, the curiousness and the breath of fresh air she brought. Ivar missed her company, for as much as he didnât want to admit it.
His mood was more sour than the usual, the slaves that went into his room took the burnt of it, to the point they tried their best to avoid remaining there for more than a fraction of the time needed and made a rotation to not be there more than once in a day. Everyone noticed the shift in Ivarâs mood, but it was Aslaug who first carefully reached out:
âMother.â
âIvar. I spoke with the healer. You should be able to leave soon.â
âI know. Took long enough.â
âI noticed your acquaintance has been absent recently. What happened?â Aslaug asked cautiously.
âSheâs just a silly girl, thereâs nothing to be interested about.â
Ivar answered her nonchalantly. He didnât want to explain his worries to his mother, not that she wasnât already aware of. He also didnât want to tell Aslaug what happened nor lie to her. It was his unspoken way to say he wouldnât talk about the subject and Aslaug never pressed him to.
âYou need to rest,â Aslaug said, then kissed the top of his head âYouâre almost fully recovered. Iâll have the thralls prepare your dinner.â
He watched as his beautiful mother left his room. Ivar loved his mother, he really did, but he didnât want her overbearing concern right now, he felt suffocated enough in that room and that bed, he didnât need anymore pressure.
In an afternoon, Ubbe came to see him. He served himself some mead and then plopped into a nearby chair. He was sweaty, sunburned and his clothes a little messed up. Either he went on a hunt, a swim, spent time with a random woman or all of them. As it was, what Ivar wanted to know was about Revna. He was sure Ubbe talked with her since the last visit, either him or Sigurd, but Ivar would be damned if he would ask about her to Sigurd, not that he could do it anyway.
âIt wonât be long before youâre able to leave. I set up a new target for training. Something challenging, see which of us does best.â Said Ubbe after drinking half the mug.
âWhatâs there to see? You know Iâm better than all of you.â
âWeâll see that.â
Ubbe just gave him a smirk, and drank the other half, getting up to serve himself more.
âHave you spoken to Revna?â Ivar asked, straight to the point. He never liked to dance around a subject.
âI have, a few times.â Ubbe answered with a shrug. Ivar waited for him to say anything more, but his brother remained silent as if he was doing it on purpose.
âWhat did you talk about with her?â Ivar asked impatiently.
âYou can ask her yourself.â
If Ivar didnât know Ubbe as long as he did, the light switch in his voice that betrayed when Ubbe was hiding something would pass unnoticed. But Ivar knew Ubbe, if his brother thought he could hide things from him, he was plain stupid. However, the point was moot, what was bothering Ivar was the fact that Ubbe was able to talk with Revna freely and he couldnât know about what. It provoked the same thoughts that made him cut off ties with Revna and he could already feel the anger building up. If Ubbe was talking to her, then Sigurd was too and now he couldnât keep track of any of it. He was missing Revna and now he regretted acting on impulse. He could have permanently ruined things with her and there would be a free path for his brothers to reach her.
âAre you bored of her?â Ubbe asked.
Ivar stared at him wide eyed, feeling his cheeks burn and his blood run cold.
âWhat are you talking about?â
âIâve noticed she isnât coming anymore. She has told me that you grew bored of her and no longer wanted to see her.â
Ivar took his own cup of mead and chugged it. Was that how she understood it? Great, now she hated him. Gods, that was not at all what he wanted.
âSo Iâm the subject of your conversations?â
âNot all of them. I noticed her absence and asked about it. If anything, Sigurd would know more. It seems they are getting along well.â
âOf course they are.â Ivar said sarcastically.
âWhat does that mean?â
âIt means that I know what will happen. Once she can make better friends sheâll stop pretending to like staying with the cripple.â
âYou donât know it, Ivar. Have you asked her that?â
âI donât need to ask her to know how sheâll feel once sheâs free to do as she pleases.â
âShe is already free. If she visits you it is because she wants to. But if you think youâre right, suit yourself.â
Ivar rolled his eyes and his head, resting his back against the headboard soundly. Of course Sigurd would go to Revna, it might have been his idea to distract her. She was new and impressionable, that prick wouldnât lose a chance to ruin his relationship with her. Had he badmouthed him? Might as well had, Sigurd never lost an opportunity to do so.
He was annoyed at that and more so at himself. Why from all the sons of Ragnar, official and whatnot, the gods decided to curse him? But he wouldnât show his sore spot, so he turned his head away, a clear sign over the years that Ivar no longer wanted to talk. Ubbe took the hint and raised from his seat to leave, not before proding Ivar a little:
âIf I were you, I wouldnât take too long to make amends.â
Ivar turned the coldest stare ever to Ubbe, but his brother didnât bother staying to see it and left the room in his large steps. He couldnât go after Ubbe to pressure him to explain what he meant, not that Ubbe ever went into much detail of his thoughts. There was nothing Ivar could do from his bed; Revna probably hated him now and would be open to whatever lies Sigurd would tell and whether Ubbe would say something to her or when, Ivar couldnât do a thing about it. He was in the predicament he most hated: being incapable.
Whatever may have been said and done since her last visit, Revna didnât return for the extent of his recovery.
The guy next door // The boss (from @geekandbooknerd ) [ALL COMPLETE]
~H~
A different time // Find us [COMPLETE] // Annoying (9/?) // Condition (4/?) // Kissed by the Sun (5/?) Alliance (5/?) The one he chose (7/?) Horrible Marriage (9/?) (from @heathenarmyimagines) [NOT COMPLETE]
Blue eyes (from @rosepetals-flyingbirds ) [COMPLETE]
~S~
Youâre different like me // Hmm ? // You are everything [ALL COMPLETE] // When heâs not around (14/?) [NOT COMPLETE] (from @squirrelacorngliterfarts)
Rest your weary hands (from @spaghettificationandpretzels) [COMPLETE]
~T~
Five Brothers (from @teeninpanic) [NOT COMPLETE]
Loveâs labor (from @tra-sh) [COMPLETE]
Your god canât help you now (from @theoriginalragnarsson) [COMPLETE]
Choice is an Illusion (5/?) (from @theinsandoutsofcastiel) [NOT COMPLETE]
Lost & Found (10/?) (from @thyshadowwriter) [NOT COMPLETE]
~W~
Be ruthless // One look // Addicted (from @waiting4inspiration) [ALL COMPLETE]
I need you (from @writingstudent) [COMPLETE]
The Prince'sFavorite (7/?) // Quarantine with Ivar (3/?) (from @writingsnmusings) [NOT COMPLETE]
~X~
The friend, The lover and the fool (from @xxdearlybeloved) [COMPLETE]
~Z~
Chance Encounters // Coming home // Best friend // Roommates // The summer people // No more blind date // My boss is a four letters word // Love letters and life lessons // The secret journal // Anyone but him // Love to Hate Me (from @zuxiezendler) [ALL COMPLETE]
A/n: Sort of dark, but more on a cutesy side and completely random. Got to post something as I write/edit my next chapter :)
Bjorn:
The one that just says: âIâm going to marry youâ.
Isnât a man to beat around the bush, he knows what he wants, when he wants and will get it.
If enamoured before the Thorrun fiasco, then heâll be more considerate and patient.
On the other hand, if it happens after, unless his beloved is some powerful figure like a royalty, he wonât play any games to get them.
He is Bjorn Ironside, he doesnât have to explain himself to anyone. Not a family would decline his proposal. Either by his fame and status, or by fear. And in case they donât have family, then thereâs no resistance.
Heâs not at all hard to live with, mostly because heâs out a lot and isnât very talkative, at times being completely disconnected. As long as his beloved doesnât opposes him or neglect his needs (sex, mostly that, some cuddling but yeah, itâs sex) they have a lot of freedoms.
Doesnât care a lot if they speak to other men/women, his confidence reaches Valhalla. Will however set area boundaries so they wonât go away.
Has momma Lagertha on his side.
Sigurd:
Probably the easiest one to deal with.
He works on getting his way, but heâs going to do it as much in the shadows as possible.
Prefers to not be forceful. High chance of having his beloved through a mixture of artistic talent and social interactions.
Is usually really sweet, but the moment something triggers his jealousy and deep rooted child issues, heâs vitriolic. His beloved is sure to hear some very spiteful things in that moment, either towards them or someone else depending on what triggered it.
Other than his brothers, he doesnât mind if his beloved likes to have friends and a social circle. He likes it too and itâs guaranteed heâll be part of it, assuming that wasnât how he got them in the first place.
His beloved may go their entire life without knowing his tendencies, but should they betray him or try to leave, theyâll see just how far a bad word gets.
Ubbe:
Along with Sigurd in being easier to deal with.
Prefers to not draw blood, why would he when he can most likely achieve the same goal by his charm and scheming abilities?
Goes easy on them because he knows you catch more flies with honey than vinegar. His tendencies begin to appear later on.
Is controlling in a discreet manner. Asks who they talked with, what they spent their day on, has more insightful talks, etc. Uses all of this, plus his observations, to evaluate whether or not he should do something, when and what.
Not fond of arguments. If he finds a problem he deals with it and will advise his beloved to not do whatever they were doing before.
Unlike Bjorn, has an ideal image of a family, preferably a large one, and he will get that. Either his beloved is able to give him children, or heâll find another way.
Wants to shape a respectable image and will make his beloved step up to that.
Hvitserk:
The wildcard. Can be a really sweetheart you barely notice his darker side, or anyway to a completely hard one.
Heâs the one that goes through the most changes in life and in each of those he behaves differently.
At a core, he deeply wants a family and someone that will have his back. But making the transition from hookups to committed relationships is not always easy and may not be possible depending on the period of his life.
Heâs on that weird spot of being the middle child and once Ivar was born, he definitely suffered from the lack of attention.
Unlike Sigurd, heâs not as much an instigator as he is a follower. For that reason he doesnât mind if his beloved is on a more dominant side, he might just relish in it as it gives a sense of security.
The worst period is if heâs not recovered yet. He might unintentionally hurt his beloved while on withdrawal.
Has a lingering fear his beloved will just drop him once they can.
Ivar:
You mean: âDefault disposition?â
Forget anything about âmeâ time and private life. He will demand his beloved to spend almost every waking hour with him, not even sleep breaks it off because he likes to sleep warm and comfortable.
Depending on where in his life he is, heâs either more methodical, or outright will simply marry them.
Itâs like walking a minefield because heâs almost always on high guard and is prone to understand things as slights to him, even if it isnât at all.
Doesnât like to share and that includes his belovedâs attention and time.
Can be overwhelming to his beloved and if they donât figure out how to live with him, things spiral down pretty quickly.
He is dotting and likes pda. Itâs possible to gain his trust, but that takes a lot longer.
Summary: Broken bones take time to heal, often a long one, but a long recovery can seem much shorter when you have company. And much longer if you have worries. Entirely on Ivar POV. ~3k words.
A/n: yay! Finally writing entirely from my favorite angry boy POV. Some angst, maybe. Love you guys and love the comments <3 I broke this chapter into two.
What Ivar hated the most about his affliction was not the pain, the pain at this point was simply a part of his life, as natural as breathing was. What he hated with every drop of blood was how long it took to heal a broken bone.
He had tried over the years to walk, but his legs couldnât hold on their own the weight of his body, not for long anyway. His balance with the crutches, which was far from what he considered acceptable, took years to achieve and resulted in numerous falls. Falls upon falls that meant his legs got further broken, turning them into a sight he made his best efforts to keep hidden from everyone else.
It was when he had enough understanding of the valley of difference between him and his brothers that he abandoned the cart and turned to move with his arms. He trained harder and longer because to just be among them, he had to be better, smarter and more precise. It was with age that he understood he couldnât afford to make mistakes like Hvitserk did, be soft like Ubbe was or laid back like Sigurd enjoyed. So he trained, making his upper body strong and broad, much more resistant to being broken, his personal pride and way to vent the everpresent anger.
Which is why recovery was such a detestable period he had to endure. It was a time he couldnât train, couldnât go out, couldnât leave the house and not even the bed if it was bad enough. With experience, he learned that it was better to give the bone time to heal, because if it broke again, the recovery would be even longer, more painful and the marks more pronounced. But none of that made it easier.
Adding insult to injury, recovery brought with it pitiful looks, veiled disgust and the utter feeling of confinement being stuck in his home for so long gave. He was left alone with his thoughts and while it gave him an edge over his brothers because he spent most of it studying, planning and thinking things over, making his mind as sharp as his aim, it also meant he spent a lot of time mulling over his affliction and every time it rendered him in humiliating situations and judgment. It made his anger grow, made him want to scream, break something, someone, do something stupid.
Yet what he would never say out loud, was that he hated the loneliness that came with it above all. While he trained, he could take his mind off the fact that he was a reject, that if not for his beautiful mother, he would be dead. It was much easier to take his mind off the ruthless reality when he could find things to do.
It was times like this that Sigurd's words echoed the loudest in his mind. For as venomous as they were, there was a core of truth to them. His own father rejected him, what else could he expect? He could see it in their eyes, even if in a passing moment, that they would wholly prefer the wolves had him. Only his mother loved him, and in return, Ivar loved her dearly. In times like these, Ivar seldom wanted to be seen, or withstand the side looks.
The recovery was a routine he could pinpoint with precision what would go on and what each person would do. Aslaug would be the most frequent one by his side, but she had her own woes to deal with and he could see, although he never spoke of it, how they weighted on her; Floki had work, not to mention he would probably have turned into a hermit if not for Helga; and his brothers more often than not were of little help. Ubbe tried, but somehow if often felt like he treated all of them like children; Sigurd never showed up, at most Ivar would hear him practicing in the hall or in his own room; Bjorn rarely stopped by, but when he did, they had a drink together; Hvitserk was a mess, it was fun, but as they grew older he spent more and more time away.
But in the otherwise repetitive recovery routine, there was Revna, the odd, mysterious girl Helga adopted. She has been in his mind for a while, no one knew a thing about her, yet she was there, living as a free woman, with a name that couldnât possibly be hers. Helga was an usually calm and patient woman, she could adopt any other girl that would be a seamless fit, but she went out of her way to have a stranger. There had to be a design by the gods for that, it was the only explanation he could think of, else Revna would simply be another slave at Kattegat.
Ivar was curious about her, more than he would admit. At first her reaction caught him off guard; then it was her curiosity and eagerness to see new things, he did enjoy having someoneâs attention without it being followed by pity or judgment. Ivar also acknowledged and appreciated the effort she took to communicate, more so how she did her best to learn from him and the pride he felt as he taught her, however what definitely gripped his attention was her kindness towards him. Not once, not even when she became annoyed at him or weirded out by their habits, did she display any disgust or pity. He knew what those looked like and he didnât see it in her, which was a surprising, but welcomed change.
âYouâre being a fool. Sheâs only doing it out of politenessâ, his mind would conjure, yet he wanted to see it through. The fact that she was easy on the eyes didnât hurt as well.
âGods, youâre even more of a fool.â
Just like fate would have it, Revna stopped at his doorstep as she always did.
âYou can just enter, you know that.â Ivar said with a smile.
She didnât answer, but obliged, taking off her shoes before claiming her spot on his bed. A glint in her eyes that spiked his curiosity:
âWhat have you been up to, little bird?â Ivar asked. He took a liking to calling her by that, the little twitch of her nose that followed never failed to amuse him.
âNot much... Helga does not allow me to leave. Just to see you.â
She didnât sound much convincing, it was transparent to him there was more to it.
âOh. So she keeps you in a cage?â
âNo! She does not like me wandering.â
âYou like to wander around?â
âYes! It is what I do best,â Revna answered, wide eyed and all too proud of herself, then continued âbut Helga does not like it.â
It was surprising to Ivar her high-spirited and blunt answer, he was quite unsure what to think of it, but the admission was appreciated nonetheless. He hated being lied to.
âAnd where do you like wandering to?â
âNowhere in particular.â She shrugged.
There was definitely more to it, Ivar could sense it, but decided to not inquire further, for now.
âHelga is right. Sheâs afraid you will get in trouble. Or distracted by something shiny and get lost, perhaps youâll hear a call in the distance and wander off until you are too far to come back. Perhaps, she simply doesnât trust you out of her sight. I wouldnât.â
âHey!â
Ivar chuckled, it was funny to tease her. Revna had that mild offended expression that he couldnât possibly take seriously.
As usual, they arranged the hnefatafl board and began playing. She was getting slightly better at it, but still, he beat her at every round.
âYou need to pay more attention. You can play better than that.â
âI am trying!â
âNot enough. I could have won ten moves ago. That was very stupid.â
If she understood the last part he wasnât sure, but it sure got her riled up.
âI am going to learn this game⊠then you will lose⊠and I will say: I did it.â She answered annoyedly, with wide gestures of her hands. Her accent notably more pronounced making the sentence come out clipped, each word pointed a bit louder than the other like she was making great effort to not slip into another language. And counter to her attempt to make herself clear, it became hard to understand her, forcing Ivar to pay more attention to do it.
At the end, he couldnât help but laugh at her annoyance, making her huff and roll her head. He found pretty amusing the twitch of her lips, the expression line from the furrowed eyebrows and the slight tint on her cheeks.
âIt will be a long while before that.â
She huffed again, rolling her shoulders back like he just ruffled all of her feathers wrong, looking at him like she wanted to curse him but didnât know how to say it. No, he couldnât possibly take her seriously. Not when her height and that cute pout turned her into a lovely figure.
âCome on, little angry raven. Iâll show you some strategies.â
Ivar took her hand and pulled it slightly to him. Revna tensed a bit before relaxing, still looking at him like she wanted to throw him into a fire pit, though a smile came to grace her face before she looked down.
From the first time they met, she seemed much more at ease with him, she wasn't prone to physical contact, but she accepted his touch on her hands and arms and even the light ones on face when she became distracted.
They continued playing, slipping into casual conversation alternated with comfortable silence. The hours passed briefly and for a while, Ivar could forget the pain. He didnât know whether he was happy or not, but he felt at ease, a quietness in his mind that was a rare occurrence.
But when dusk approached, Revna prepared to leave, as she always did. However for Ivar it felt too early, rushed even. It was silly, but he liked her company. He enjoyed the hours they spent together and as the days went by, that moment became harder for Ivar.
She left for the day, he almost wanted to ask her to stay, that she didnât need to leave and could sleep there and keep him company, but the courage left him. He wouldnât admit it, but he feared she would reject him.
She returned the other day, a bit after noon, which although not long seemed like an eternity in that room. He was mildly annoyed at her for not coming sooner, but she, although a bit sleepy, was cheerful:
âWhat took you so long?â
She didnât answer with words, instead laughing full of mirth.
âWhatâs so funny?â
âItâs Floki. He was⊠distracted⊠full of energy, speaking of the gods and explaining the engraves he was doing on the ship⊠then he hit his hand with the hammer.â She explained, half with gestures, trying to stifle her laugh âHelga had to help him. He canât work like he wants and now is annoying her at home.â
Ivar chuckled, he knew the old man tended to get lost in his thoughts and occasionally got into an accident. More so when he was explaining either of his favorite subjects.
âOld manâs sight is turning as good as his mind. He nailed his finger one time, shrieked and cursed for a whole half an hour.â
âSo that was what he said after.â Revna laughed wholeheartedly.
It was easy to forget his annoyance at her odd behavior when she was looking at him with bright eyes, just too happy to share something from her routine.
âI asked Helga what he said, but she refused to explain it to me.â
Ivar only smiled at her, enjoying the joyfulness that came from her. Revna leaned forward, with a mischievous glint:
âYou could teach me!â
âWhat?â Ivar asked, taken by surprise by her request.
âYou could teach me⊠the bad words!â
âYou want to learn how to curse?â He narrowed his eyes, a smirk on his lips.
âYes!â
âTsk-tsk⊠Naughty little bird. I wonder what Helga will say if she hears of it.â
She stopped and looked at him nervously, and he laughed. Her expression was priceless and so was the idea itself.
âPlease, Ivar.â
She took his hand in hers, looking at him with pleading eyes. He halted, almost taken back by her soft touch, he felt a warmth in his face and looked away from her to her hands, small, delicate hands holding his. Her hold was light and he obviously could pull away if he wanted, but as much as it was strange for him and it made him feel awkward, he didnât want to do it.
When he looked up, still embarrassed, she waited for his answer expectantly.
âVery well, Iâll think of it. But donât you tell Helga.â
And there it was, that mischievous smile of hers back. She left his hand to pick up the board as usual, but neither of them played much of it. Instead, Ivar did teach her some common offenses and she tried to repeat after him, with mixed results, which amused him to no end. It was a funny afternoon for them, she was happy and he was too, time passed quickly and he didnât even notice.
Yet as dusk approached, as sleepy as she was, she prepared to leave. If it were on him, she could sleep over and stay. At least until he wasnât homebound. He mustered up the courage to ask her:
âYou donât need to go. You could stay.â
âI need to. Helga is waiting for me.â
âTalk to her. She wonât mind it, at least for a few days. Or I send a slave to say youâll return tomorrow.â
She tilted her head slightly, looking at him bewildered.
âI need to go home, Ivar. Iâll be back tomorrow.â Revna said, lowering her head and preparing to leave.
It was the kindest refusal he ever heard, yet it stung all the same. Ivar didnât say anything else, didn't even look as she put on her shoes to leave. It was a feeling he knew too well and at the moment he didnât want to look at her.
'She's only doing it out of kindness. As soon as she can, she'll leave.' His mind conjured again, the thought was becoming harder to ignore.
The thing with Revna was that while she kept her promise to visit him, she notably lacked a pattern to it. Sometimes she would return the next day, the other day or even in a couple of days; sometimes she would come in the morning and others in the afternoon. Ivar never knew precisely when she would show up, only that she would always leave before dusk. That and her refusal to stay any longer was increasingly bothering him.
Ivar knew for a fact that Helga would allow Revna to stay. Helga was the kindest person he ever met, she was like a second mother that had cared for him many times during his childhood while he stood over at Flokiâs. Ivar could see to all of Revnaâs needs; food, clothing and he could educate her himself; she had after all made great progress under his lessons. He would ensure her safety and Helga certainly would appreciate that more than an obvious outsider, pretty girl roaming the streets alone. There was no reason in his head she couldnât stay over with him and spare the trips back and forth, in fact it made perfect sense.
Unless the reason she didnât want to stay any longer was because she didnât really want to spend time with him, but did so out of politeness and lack of options.
He was alone again for the rest of the night. The hurt from feeling yet again rejected turned into anger, he hated being stuck even more in times like these, when he couldnât train until his muscles ached and silenced the thoughts in his head. At least he could still drink, though that didnât work half as much.
The hours passed by and as night settled the negative emotions had time to stew, taking Ivar to a darker place, where mistrust reared its ugly head, bringing with it the thoughts he was all too used to:
âSheâs only here for pity and politeness. Sheâll meet other people and forget about you.â
âShe doesnât like being with you, thatâs why she comes randomly.â
âSheâs fooling you. Stop being a fool.â
Of course she was stuck with the cripple. It wasn't like she could just go and mingle with the people of Kattegat, not yet at least, but it would happen with time, he knew it. She would learn how to speak fluently and then she would move on to meet others. The people would take time to accept her, but she was beautiful and a nice company, as long as she respected their way of life, he had little doubt most would welcome her. When that happened, he would be just a distant acquaintance.
âPeople laugh at you, she wonât want to be seen with you.â
If she was to ditch his company once she found better ones, then perhaps it would be better for him to cut her off first.
