For The Sake of Revenge

III~Chapter 7: The Runt

"Your wife can surely take care of herself," Sigurd scowled. "Why must I play nursemaid to a woman grown?"

Ivar narrowed his eyes. He expected Sigurd to put up a fight. He had called a meeting between the brothers and Floki, to present a request, taking turns watching over Yasmeen when Ivar couldn't do so. Predictably, Floki was indisposed so Ivar had spoken to him privately; they had their own arrangements. Now it was for his brothers to be convinced.

"Come now brother," Hvitserk said amiably, slapping Sigurd on the back. "The woman is all alone. You should be proud of your brother for being such a good husband."

"And that is an accomplishment on its own," Sigurd muttered sarcastically. Ivar distinctly remembered thinking how nice it would be to strangle that piece refuse. Amongst Vikings, the magnitude of the accomplishment that it is for a man to be faithful to his wife, or otherwise, is almost unheard of. But the sons of Munso had been burned by the flame of infidelity that catlyzed from the marriage of Ragnar and Aslaug. Some, like Ivar, Sigurd, and Hvitserk, learned. others, like Ubbe, did not. And Ivar was certain he was watching the beginnings of a generations-long epic that will stem from Ubbe's folly.

"I trust no one else to watch over my wife," Ivar finally settled on saying. "Margarethe, how is she, Ubbe?"

Ubbe shrugged, his eyes blank. He said nothing. He remained tight-lipped about his wife. Not so well then. Frankly, on a good day, Ivar could give a flying fuck about Margarethe. He would sooner see her innards laid open on a stake than have to ask about her. However, she was no random woman, she was no longer the whore who scorned Ivar and demasculated him. She was now his law-sister, Princess of Kattegat, wife of Ragnar's true born. Ivar could do nary a thing but hold his tongue and pretend he was interested in the wellfare of the Princess. He also had a secondary motive to ask about her; was she safe to even have around Yasmeen in the same room? A while back, Margarethe had become volatile and hateful. She was constantly ineberated and there was always some public spectacle, in one form or another. Ivar couldn't understand it. Ubbe and Margarethe were so happy when they first got married. But Ubbe was unfaithful, Ivar knew it had to be the cause, despite the fact that it was not uncommon to have more than one lover in a marriage. That caused Margarethe to take on other lovers and she let herself become impressionable and dabble in strange substances. Things that made her hateful and unstable, much like Ragnar had been in his final days. Ivar caught her being lippy with Yasmeen a few times and he almost saw red. The only thing that kept him from wrapping a hand around Margarethe's throat and smashing her face into the mantle was the fact that Yasmeen gave back as good as she got.  He wanted that heifer no where near his wife.

"Sigurd, send Domarr down to accompany my wife when I can't make it, instead of bothering yourself. I know Domarr will not decline my request."

"Then ask him yourself," Sigurd scowled.

"So you can say I forced him into doing something he didn't want?" Ivar narrowed his eyes. "I'll not suffer this conversation again, Sigurd. Domarr is family now."

"Would you have done the same for him?" Sigurd raised an eyebrow. "Just five years past you spat upon the union."

"And have since changed my sentiment," Ivar replied smoothly. "Who you marry is your own affair. Our riches and control of the port has not suffered for it.  Domarr has contributed to this family and it is time he is recognized as a part of it, even if it is in secret. Should the need arise, I would support him how he asks. Has the man ever been formally introduced to the family?"

Sigurd straightened, eyeing Ivar wearily. "No."

"Well, that is folly on our part then," Hvitserk finally said, shooting a weary look at Ivar.