The Virtue

The Unexpected Guest

Nova's POV

I open the chamber door and enter my room to see Kitty helping Alfie recite his night prayers, I smile at the sweetness of my child

"Amen" Alfie says, "MOMMY!" He rushes to hug me as I bend down and raise him up in the air, I put him on the ground again to give him a sweet kiss

"I mished you momie" Alfie says

"I missed you too baby, mommy is just busy but when she gets free she will take you to that carnival in the town because you have been such a good boy!" I pinch his nose as he giggles, everything about him is like Ivar, but not his heart

"This came for you, your Majesty" Kitty hands me over an envelope with the French seal

"Kitty put Alfie to bed" I say as I am baffled by the communication received from the French Castle

What must it be?

Is Jezebel okay?

"Momie why doi I have toi sleep in the smol ruum?" Alfie pulls my dress and asks, I place the letter in my other hand and bend down to answer him

"Baby because there are monsters out there, to keep you safe mommy has made a small room for you" I say as I look at smiling kitty, "Under no circumstances will you come out of that room. Understood?" I say 

Alfie innocently frowns

"Only if mommy or kitty comes to take you, then only come out or else you will stay inside. Promise?" I ask but Alfie frowns and goes to hug Kitty

"Your Majesty, he must be tired. I will put him down for his sleep" Kitty says 

"I love you?" I say to Alfie but he doesn't care to reply back and exits while holding Kitty's hand in a small back hidden door, in a room adjacent to mine

Stubborn just like his father, I think to myself and smile

I hurriedly sit on my vanity and break open the seal of the letter.

Dear Nova

I am writing under deepest fears of your safety and well-being. In your absence, he came. Searching for you at night, accompanied by his heathen brother. Breaking open every door to search for you and threatening everyone who tried to resist him. Like a mad wolf he hunted for you. Nova I am frightened by his antics but I know we may never lose heart, I will come down to see you soon because I know I need you. France without it's Queen is food without salt.

For now, I shall send a messenger to deliver this message to you as early as possible. Know that you and Alfie are forever in my prayers. I caution you to take care for yourself and your child. I saw madness in his eyes, a thirst that can never be quenched.

Please take care and I shall soon come to see you

The victory shall be ours.

Yours Truly

Jezebel

The letter messes with my head, I have a million questions running through my head

Ivar came to France? 

He threatened Jezebel?

Is France in more danger than England?

Have I been predicting his moves all wrong?

I rub my head with my fingertips and re-read the letter all over again, It would be foolish to tell King Alfred about all this. 

He would divert his army to France, which may cause us to loose a battle here. Maybe it is a well devised plan by Ivar?

What if he attacks France? No he won't. What will he get by attacking France?!

Ahhh... My heart hurts!!

I bury my face in my head as my brain seems overworked and over-engaged

*A candle blows out*

"What? How did the candles blow out?" I get up as I think to myself, The room is pitch black with the only light being, moonlight

I stumble across to open the windows, to let the moon light in

"Guards?" I call out while I open the windows but no response

"Kitty?" I scream but again no response

*A vase falls a breaks on the ground*

"Lord Jesus, what is happening? Must be the wind!" I say to myself as I sit down to collect the pieces of the broken vase, as much as I can see in the moonlight

"GUARDS?" I call out again 

But nothing

"Sheesh!" I accidentally cut my ring finger while trying to pick up the pieces, how clumsy of me!

*The windows open and close periodically due to strong winds*

Now I am scared, I rush to the vanity and sit while I search for a piece of washcloth to cover my wounds

I open the drawers but the strong winds from the window makes it hard for me to see anything, the winds fill the room 

I give up and falls back into my vanity chair as I sigh, I am too jaded to do anything

I look at the mirror

and I scream...

It's IVAR.

My body begins to shiver as I freeze in my chair while I look at him through the mirror

I cannot breathe, I cannot move

"Did you miss me my lovebird?" Ivar smirks as he plays with his knife and stands as he leans against the closed chamber door

The air in my lungs has been sucked out....