The Daughter of Chaos

Chapter 26

"Eris, can I talk to you, before the battle commences?" Ivar appeared behind Eris and gently touched her shoulder as if she was made of glass.

The Great Army was scurrying around the city getting into positions for the upcoming fight against the Saxons. All the fire barrels had been snuffed out and the city became thick with smoke. The strategy was entirely Eris and Ivar's idea, one that they had fully fleshed out before they completely feel out. Eris was getting ready to join the Hellions on the rooftops before Ivar timidly approached her with his cloak's hood over his head.

She spun around and pushed his hand away as soon as she heard his voice and felt his touch "Don't touch me."

"Eris, look at me" Ivar pleaded "Look at me!" He snapped, earning a disapproving scowl from her. He swallowed a lump in his throat and closed his eyes for a few seconds. "Please, I am sorry. Freydis means nothing to me."

"Is that supposed to make me feel better?" Eris shook her head and laughed "You cheated on me with a slave that meant nothing to you...?".

"Please. I love you alright" Ivar grabbed her hand, his brow laced with desperation "More than I have ever loved anything or anyone. I am an idiot. It is no excuse but I never asked her to take off her clothes and I did not kiss her back. I let my ego get the better of me. She told me I was special and destined for greatness, not in spite of my legs but because of them"

"So I've never told you you were special or that you are destined for greatness, hmm?" She retorted and forcefully removed her hand from his clasp.

"I'm sorry, Eris" Ivar pleaded. She could hear the pain in his voice and she believed that he loved her but it didn't change what he did to her. "I love you. Can you forgive me?" He asked, his tone as timid as a child fearing punishment.

Could she forgive him? All she had ever wanted was for him to love her back and as soon as he offered it to her he snatched it right back. He may love her, but the betrayal was too much to bear.

"No" She shook her head defiantly.

"What?" Ivar asked, his tone giving away his disbelief.

"No, Ivar, I will not forgive you" She repeated.

"But...but b-but" Ivar stuttered, unable to believe that there could ever be an end to him and her.

"B-b-but what?" Eris mocked him. Rage burning within her like the white-hot sun. What did he expect? For her to come crawling back to him because he said sorry? "I told you. I don't share. You fucked up. You broke my heart. And now you are going to have to deal with it. I am not ready to forgive you."

"Eris..." He whispered and reached out to grab her hand again but she turned away and disappeared into the smoke.

It pained her to walk away from him. She wanted nothing more than to feel his arms around her smaller frame and to smell the sweet smell of mead on his breath as he whispered lovingly into her ear. But he had made his bed and he deserved to suffer for it.

"Commander" Xander pulled Eris onto the roof when she reached its lip.

The surrounding roofs were filled with Hellions armed with bows and arrows and stacks of daggers. Their job was to rain hell onto the Saxons once the ground team below had trapped them down the tight alleyway that they overlooked.

"You all know what to do" Eris called out to her army and they all nodded enthusiastically, except for Kera of course. "Meda, take a two thirds of the army and wait below for the ground assault. The rest of you on me and wait for my signal".

They led in wait for a while, their bodies pressed tightly to the roof to stay hidden. Before long, the sounds of clinking armour could be heard near the city's walls along with nervous whispers. The Saxons had arrived.