Forging A Heart (Ivar the Boneless)

25- Trust Issues

It was eerily quiet, not at all like the yelling from earlier.

As soon as they entered the hall, Ivar stomped over to his council chambers without a second glance at anyone, Bjorn following behind him. Hvitserk remained with his two brothers as a sort of peacemaker.

The rest stayed out in the main hall, keeping warm by the large firepit in the center. There was an awkwardness that lingered about, and Artemis wanted to defuse it immediately.

"You may sit by the fire if you'd like. Get yourself and the children warm." She says to Torvi. The older woman nods, guiding her babbling children to sit upon the floor. Artemis sighs, turning to see Ubbe hesitating to say something, his lips parting and closing like a hungry fish.

"Artemis," He says finally, "It is good to see you."

"Likewise," She replies with a small smile, and he nods, the corner of his lips curving upward. Even after all this time he seem to have retained his gentle heart. Before she could say anything more he heads down the corridor and into the council chambers.

Heahmund remains out in the hall, leaving the brothers to themselves. He calls for the thralls to attend them, bringing out food and drink for the children and their mother.

"Ubbe is kindhearted." Torvi speaks against the silence, though she made no movements to indicate a start to a conversation. She keeps her hands up towards the fire to eliminate the chill, "I sometimes think it'll kill him."

"Ubbe is the kindest of all the Ragnarssons," Comments Artemis, "I hope that does not change." Torvi stays quiet for a few moments before deciding to speak again.

"Lagertha used to express her regret giving you to Ivar," Her voice was soft, almost meloncholic, talking of her former queen, 'What were the odds that girl would be a blacksmith?', is what she would say," Artemis thought she heard amusement in her tone.

"She thought you'd hinder a weakness in him." Artemis scoffs, shaking her head at such a ridiculous notion. Ivar was never weak.

"But you weren't Ivar's weakness. You only fueled him. It was indeed Lagertha's weakness." Torvi continued, rubbing her hands together to rid the chill. Artemis casts a glance at Heahmund and then Tordis before stepping close to Torvi and her children. She gently sits beside the older woman, keeping her eyes on the flames.

"I will not deny you nor your children the hearth," She says quietly, "But why are you here?" From the corner of her vision she sees Torvi turn towards her. The blonde clenches her jaw and swallows thickly before answering.

"Help."

"Help?" The children began to play with the growing kittens and the large mastiff, emiting giggles and little shouts of glee. So innocent.

"Our plan was to take Hedeby, but we had very few supporters and not enough men to take it."

"Did you know a shieldmaiden named Dabria?" Artemis asks suddenly, turning sharply to look at Torvi. The fair haired woman wrinkles her brow in confusion, brows almost touching together as she searched her mind for any memory of the name.

"Dabria..." She repeats, before her eyes widen in sudden realization, "Yes, I knew her. She was a shieldmaiden serving Lagertha back when she was the Jarl in Hedeby. She fought against your husband in the wars. I assumed she was killed. Why?" Artemis shrugs, noticing how both Heahmund and Tordis watched them carefully. Geirdis saunters to Heahmund with a horn of mead, and they both smile at each other. She'd inquire about that later.

"Ivar thinks perhaps Bjorn had sent her."

"So what, you're saying is that she's not dead?"

"She is now," Artemis shrugs, "She attacked me. Wanted to kill Ivar's Queen in return for killing hers." Torvi frowns.