The Healer And The Boneless

Chapter 16

I woke to the sound of people arguing outside of Ivar room. I sat on the bed, and remembered what happened a few hours ago. I was still exhausted from the amount of people I had healed, I wanted to keep sleeping but I knew that was the wrong thing to do. I know Ivar was probably planning an attack back to England.

I walked outside and saw Lagertha standing at the front of the table- which was filled with paper thrown all over the place, Ivar was sitting the chair holding a cup of ale. Hvitserk was the first to notice I was out of the room. He stood the furthest away from everyone else and I wondered if he was even paying attention in the first place. He lowered his head and I did the same. Ubbe noticed then, "Nia-" He moves away from the table and Lagertha stops talking, "Who told you can make orders here." Ivar stopped slouching and perked up,

"I made her a free women," Ivar puts down the cup and folds his hands in front of himself,  That does not mean she can send orders. Tell them what you did." 

"I don't know Ubbe, mind refreshing my memory?" I swallowed hard, the words sounded more annoyed than what I wanted. I just disrespected him in front of the Queen and most importantly, Ivar. "You ordered Alma to hold Anabel." Ubbe says pointing the tall women who was leaning at the end of the room holding her sword waiting for someone to come in. "I did not order her, I called for help for someone to help me catch Anabel, and she helped."

Ivar relaxed in his chair, "Why?" He ran his hand through his hair. "Anabel caught me when I was training late at night, She told me the English were here and that they were going to attack the village, she told me to run away with her. Instead I ran to the village as fast as I could shouting that we were under attack. Anabel also told me that Prince Theon sent her to spy on me."

Everyone exchanged a look with each other, "Why would the prince of England send someone to spy on you? You're just a slave." Bjorn said laughing and lazily throwing his heavy axe on the table making a loud thud. Lagertha gave him an annoyed stare and said, "A slave with an Extraordinary gift. Anabel must know why he sent her. Call her in, you did good Nia." She reassures me. I smile and stood next to Ivar. My hand brushed slightly against his shoulder, and I realized that was enough to say our greetings.

Alma brought in a tired dehydrated Anabel. Her hair was messy and her eyes were sick from all the crying she probably did. I walked towards her, Her gaze never leaving the ground.

"Its me, Nia." I say softly kneeling before her so we could at least meet eye to eye. I remember ordering Alma to tie her to a tree just like Ivar did to me when I first arrived, guilt swallowed me whole. I felt ashamed of myself. She was responsible for the people who lost their family members, for the little girl that Eria now took care of because she had no one. Though, deep down I know that does not change a single thing. Ivar had done the same thing many times. Every time that I had to run away from a place that did not feel like home but it was all I had and  it was torn to pieces because of Ivar and his men and their need for gold and all things shiny. The times I walked back to a village and the homes were in shambles, women who were rapped and then thrown into the mud. Children who went to sleep with parents and now woke up to no one. I know why Anabel felt no shame over what did she. Ivar was no different.

I realized  why I had not felt sorry for the English. I was nothing to them and though, it pained me to admit it but I had felt some relief to watch as viking entered my masters house and set it a fire while he cried and begged, the same why I did.  Maybe I did not feel the same way Anabel had felt because she saw  England as a home, though I never did. Still, as I stood in the middle of the chaos I understood. I regret my decision to have her tied up to that tree, and I vowed myself that acting out of anger and my own grief was something I would never do. 

you are going to be a great ruler.  the words ran in my head and it came to me in great clarity, that if I was going to be everything the spirit lady had said then I was going to make sure these things never happened again.

"Anabel, I am going to fix this, but I need you to tell me why Theon sent you to spy on me."

She looked up, her lips broken, "Because he wants you dead. Because you're the only one who can stop him and his demonic army."

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I'm sorry for the late update, things haven't been easy on my end but I'm trying my best I swear!

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