Book two of Blind Love
After being saved from the Saxons and brought back to the man she loves, Ailbe has grown far less naive. Still a gentle soul with a heart of gold, Ailbe begins to find the balance between compassion and subservience. She becom...
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When she woke up, Ailbe felt nauseated. She had done ever since she found out about the slaughter in her home. She'd tried,oh how she'd tried, to reach out to her little brother from Kattegat. But that was easier said than done.
Ivar wasn't there when she woke up - something she'd become accustomed to by now. He was busy talking with kings and fortifying against his brothers. In fact, sometimes it was almost as if Ailbe did not see him at all.
She felt like she needed him, like she was alone and at breaking point, but she was alone.
Ivar hadn't been overly sympathetic upon hearing about the deaths within her family. He'd given a shrug and an obligatory "It'll be alright", though Ailbe could sense a certain lack of caring in his tone. A lack of caring that she couldn't quite understand.
What had she done in such a brief period of time? And why was she filled with fear and the dreadful idea that he no longer loved her?
She stood with a sigh, dusting off her skirt and heaving out her pain to paint on a serene face for the people. But they all saw the light that had already begun to drain from her eyes, knowing as soon as she was married that it was only a matter of time.
But Ivar was still unaware. The thought of not loving her was like some foolish joke to him, one that he'd not even contemplated. But to Ailbe, it was so real that she could almost touch it.
Nevertheless, she continued with her day. As the doors of the hall opened, she took a deep inhale of the fresh sea air and smiled. It was almost like home.
" Ailbe! " Hvitserk's voice pulled her from her thoughts, and she gave a smile as she approached him. "There's someone I want you to meet. This is Thora. Thora, this is Ivar's wife, Ailbe."
"My Queen," Thora greeted politely.
Ailbe simply gave a knowing smile towards the girl and gently held her hand. "Just Ailbe is fine. It's a pleasure to meet you finally."
"Wow how did Ivar end up with you?" Thora chuckled and Ailbe smiled knowingly again.
That was often the reaction she faced when meeting people. How did someone so gentle and grounded marry a man who thought he was a God? In all honesty, she asked herself the same question each day. Every time Ivar greeted her by announcing he was going to brutally murder someone, every time he stood before kattegat and proclaimed with all certainty that he was indeed a God.
Ailbe jumped at the flap of wings, suddenly jolting her from her thoughts. Before she could even move, she felt a pair of sharp talons gently hold onto her arm.
All eyes shot to her in shock. The busy town silencing as they watched the scene unfold.
"Hvitserk?" She asked timidly.
"Yes." He responded, eyes still glued on her arm.
" Is that an owl? " She asked him.
He nodded slightly. "Yes."
Ailbe did not date move the arm that it tested upon, but slowly she moved her free hand up towards the bird. Her fingers glided along its feathers gently, making the bird coo with joy.
The crowds of people stated in awe,before odd numbers began to now down to the woman. Within minutes, they all bowed to their queen, saying the same words as they did so.
"What's happening?" Ailbe asked Hvitserk again.
He turned towards her for a moment, his gaze shifting between the people and the bird. "They're bowing." He answered.
" what are they saying? " She whispered, suddenly mildly afraid.
"They're calling you the All-mother." He answered, making her shift uncomfortably.
"They think that you are the goddess, Frigg." Thora completed.
As her heart raced, Ailbe couldn't help but feel dizzy. The snowy bird leapt from her arm and, suddenly, she fell backwards with a stumble.
