The cripple and the shieldmaiden

// 11 //

The settlement was a little differently than she imagined. They road a long trail on fields with crops and seeds before they came in the settlement, a large village, they even had a great hall? 'Do we have or own great hall here?' Torhild asked aloud. The group stopped the horses in what looked like stabble and everone immidiatly started to carry the wounded away.
'They builded fast in the time we were away.' Björn smiled approvingly. He walked away and left his sister again, with Hvitserk, not that he was complaining.
'He forgot I don't know this place.' She murmuled. In the time they got from the beach to here it was already dark, she felt the cold slip through her still wet clothes and shivered.
'Come on, I get you to a place to eat and sleep.' Hvitserk pointed towards one of the little cabins. It was so different here. She thought she would used to be on new places, in the two year away she did nothing other than that. But this ... she had to get used to the idea she was in Engeland now. Acually she wanted to find Ivar, just to be sure he was alright but Hvitserk looked so happy today, guiding her around through the village that she didn't want to ruin his little moment of fame.
'I can't believe I wasn't a part of this.' She trew her hands in the air while gazing through the darkness. It was silent, although there were a lot of people out to greet Björn, where they both were walking there was nothing other than the soft wind. Hvitserk stopped before a little cabin and Torhild gave him a short look. 'Do I have a cabin for my own?' She asked confused. Hvitserk grinned and shook his head.
'It's mine and since I don't now where you have to stay you have to stay with me.' He pulled her inside and she started laughing.
'Don't we have to be celebrating, or a least greet the others.'
'They won't miss us, your wounded, you need to rest.' He putted her protest to rest. She tilted her head and looked at him, he wetted his lips and it was a gesture she couldn't ingnore. She wasn't wounded but she was tired and greeting King Harald like this wasn't the best idea so maybe Hvitserk was right.
'Sleeping.' She warned him. He smiled his attractive smile and maked a little bow. Everything for his princess right?

The morningsun bruched her cheek, a tingle heat spreading over her face waking her up. She narrowed her eyes against the brightness and turned her head meeting the curves of Hvitserk naked chest. His breathing was steady, slow, he was still sleeping. She pushed herself up on her elbows and looked to his face. Until she heard something smaching against the door, Hvitserk was awake within seconds. He groaned and turned his body to his side, ingoring whatever was outside waiting for him. 'You'll never be a good leader if you can't get up.' She smiled. She placed a kiss on his lower ribs, looking at him with some amusement.
'I'm not leadersmaterial.' He yawned.
'If you marry a princess you have to be.'
'What are you suggesting with that?' He was fully awake with those words, pushing his body up so he had a better look at her.
'That it is nice.' Torhild replied. Hvitserk laid his hand on the back of her neck and pulled her closer, pressing his lips against hers in a way she couldn't ingnore. But then their was that smaching again and she pulled back, looking at those comsuming eyes she loved. 'We have to go. Your have a bad influence on me.' She whispered. He smiled and tilted his head a little, enjoying those words while enjoying his vieuw of Torhild getting dressed.

Torhild walked out only to see Ivar in his chariot before the door. 'I thought I would find you here, with him.' Ivar pointed towards his brother. Torhild looked up to Ivar and almost immidiatly recognizing his bad mood.
'Nothing wrong with that.' Hvitserk teased. Torhild gave him a sharp look. She knew when to stop taunting Ivar, his brothers did not.
'Get in.' Ivar commanded her, staring at his brother in envy. Torhild jumped on the chariot and Ivar clicked his tongue, his horse immidiatly reacting. They road in silent for a few moments, how further away from Hvitserk Ivar came, who more relaxed he became.
'Ivar.' Torhild laid her hand on his shoulder but he pulled away.
'Don't.' He warned her.
'Talk to me.' She instisted. Ivar pulled on the reins causing his horse to absurd to stop. He turned his head and looked at her, his bleu eyes almost changing colors like the ocean under a storm.
'Do you know what Hvitserk did when you were away for two years?' He asked. Torhild looked away, over the people who where working on the fields, or stand outside their houses, washing their clothes. Some of them looked up to Ivar, asking with their eyes what he was doing in the middle of the road.
'Nothing you approve of I guess.' She murmuled.
'No, if he respected you like he always said he does than he wouldn't have another woman every three weeks.' He histed. It was troubling him and that was something she was sensitive about. 'Do you really concider marrying him?'
'No.' She answered right away. 'I love your brother but it's nothing serious.'
'He thinks it is.'
'Well, Hvitserk has still a lot to learn.' She smiled. Ivar looked at her an nodded slowly. He crossed his arms on the backing of his seat and laid his head on them.
'Your to distracted Torhild. It will get both of you killed.' He concluded. Torhild slowly laid her hand back on his shoulder, giving him a gentle squeeze.
'It's not easy to resist Hvitserk.'
'Than focus your attention to somewhere else.' Ivar replied. He sat up again and clicked his tongue. The sudden departure of his horse brought Torhild for a short moment out of balance. But Ivar, as always was right, Hvitserk was a distraction for her, one that could get her killed.
'Good, I will stay away from Hvitserk if that's what you want.' She confirmed. Ivar looked at her, rather impressed.
'Really, is that all that I need to say?' He asked. Torhild shrugged and leaned on the side of his chariot while she looked at the people and houses they passed.
'I always listen to you.' Since when he became so mature?
'That's not true.' He smiled a little, exacly like she wanted him to be. 'And it's not what I want, it's what keeps you safe.' He said not far after. Torhild turned her head and looked at him, he was smiling in confident, in his usual amusent way, almost spotting. She shook her head and looked back to the surroundings.

The great hall wasn't bigger then in Kattegat but sure it hadn't stole his name. Ivar always leaved a certain impression with people, mostly fear. So when he crawled in that great hall all the conversations stopped. Last time he was here he killed his brother, now she walk besides him and kinda felt more confident than ever. And that leaved also an impression. Her brother stood after a table, beside Ubbe and even Hvitserk was there already. But her eyes met one in pecticular, those of king Harald. His eyes gazed over her body, with a certain amount of eager, lust. His brother Halfdan wasn't much better. 'You maybe remember my sister, Torhild.' Björn introduced her to the men who had stayed here.
'Hard to forget.' King Harald grinned. Torhild didn't smiled, as the only woman she had to be strong. She walked over to her brother, standing beside him.
'How is your mother doing?' One of the other men said. The corner of Torhild her lips trilled a little, pulling up while she looked at King Harald.
'Queen Lagertha is fine. In fact,'
'Torhild.' Interupted Björn her.
'Let her speak.' Ivar said half grinning. Torhild nodded slowly before going further.
'I have a message from queen Lagertha for you king Harald.' She announced. Halfdan looked aside to his brother when king Harald just stayed chill under all the eyes who were laid on him.
'What may that be?' He asked almost polite.
'The next time you want to take over her village, don't send a bastard son of an earl, do it yourself. And for that matter mother gave me the duty to punnish you for that.' She explained codly. King Harald just stared at her, slowly nodding, the tension almost to feel in the air.
'What punishment may that be?' Halfdan asked instead of his brother.
'Not decided yet.' Torhild answered while looking to the one person who would love to help her punish a king like Harald ... Ivar.