Virago - Ivar The Boneless

Fated to Pretend

Little Bear didn't speak much when Hvitserk went to see her. He sat on a chair as she sat in her bed, her furs were draped around her body, her clothes fully on and the blanket up to her chin, her knees pulled close to her. He looked at her, he didn't know what to say to her, he didn't know how he was supposed to comfort her. 

She didn't look at him, he just stared blankly ahead. 

Her mind was full of thoughts. She wished she had said something to someone, maybe this would not have happened, but it did and now she had to deal with it. This was her battle to fight, her fight to win. Iona did not want her mother or brother knowing, she didn't need the sad looks she would receive from them. Seeing the pity in Hvitserk's eyes was too much for her as it was. 

After a few hours, he fell asleep before she did. 

She waited, making sure he was definitely sleeping before she crept out of her bed. Putting her fur blanket over his legs, she headed to her shoes, pulling them on with ease. She took a moment to look back at the man who had wasted his evening by sitting with her, she smiled to herself. She needed friends like him right now. 

Turning back to the door, she opened it before being greeted by the darkness. The rain had not subsided since earlier but that didn't matter to Little Bear. Pulling her hood over her head, she quietly left the hut before grabbing her bow and arrow from the side of the door.

Avoiding main areas, she headed away from where she might be seen. She had not made a plan, her only plan was to help herself. Getting to the docks, she looked for a boat. 

"Where are you going?" She jumped when she realised she was not alone. 

Turning around, she found Floki watching her. He was sitting on a barrel in the darkness as he looked at the young blonde. 

"I just need a boat," she told him quickly. 

Floki got to his feet, "Where do you plan to go?" He asked her the same question but in another way. 

She sighed, she didn't want to tell him what her plans were. Just going and doing whatever she wanted would be easier. "Please, Floki."

"I can give you a boat, if you tell me where you are planning to go."

Little Bear shifted her weight to one side of her body as she watched him. "I already know you are lying to me. You won't give me a boat. You are probably under strict instruction to not let me leave Kattegat."

Floki nodded his head, "Your mother has set her rules." He looked at the broken girl, he'd seen her in a state before, he knew she had missed so much from her life but this time it was different. "You need to rest."

"If I sleep, I am alone, if I am alone, he might..." she cut herself off before putting her hand over her mouth, dropping her bow and arrow to the ground as realisation set in. 

He didn't press her, he just walked towards her and pulled her into him. He held her as she cried into his chest, he knew the woman before him had been strong for too long. Floki had heard whispers of what happened this evening but seeing her in this state made it real for him. 

He stroked her hair gently as he let her stay in his arms for a while. 

Watching from afar, Sigurd had waited for her to leave her home. She was no longer alone though, he'd missed his opportunity to speak to her, to make it right. He knew he could not speak to her when others were around. Turning away, he quietly walked through the shadows before returning back to his hut to sleep. 

XOXOX

Little Bear awoke in Floki's bed, she was alone just how she went to sleep. Floki had stayed in the main area all night, he wanted to keep her safe. When she walked through, he looked up at her as he poured her a cup of water. "How are you feeling this morning?" He asked her. 

"Where can I bathe?" She asked him as she wrapped her arms around herself then sat at the table. 

Floki thought for a moment, "You could speak to your mother. She might be able to offer you somewhere safe."

Iona nodded, she didn't want to give in to her mother so quickly but if it meant getting clean and keeping away from Sigurd she would do it, besides she had to make peace at some point. 

After eating, she left Floki and headed to the Throne room. Her mother was on the chair, her eyes lighting up when Iona approached her. 

"Daughter, you have come to me, finally."

Nodding her head, she bowed a little to her mother. "Yes," the word was painful leaving her lips. 

Getting up from her throne, Lagertha walked towards her beautiful daughter before smiling at her. "I am happy you are here. I will arrange for you to move closer to me."

"There is no need," Iona tried to say but her mother shook her head. 

"Trust me," she put an arm Little Bear as Astrid and Torvi watched on. "I think you have spent far too much time alone and without your family. Now we are together again, we must celebrate."

Her eyes widened at the mention of celebrating, Iona managed an awkward nod before speaking again. "Thank you, mother."

Lagertha ld her daughter through to the quarters where she lived. It was Ragnar and Aslaug's old home, Iona had been here many times before but seeing her mother take it over was strange. 

"You can help yourself to whatever you need," the Queen told her daughter. "You can stay as long as you need. Astrid will assist you," Lagertha told her before leaving Iona alone with Astrid. 

The dark-haired woman stood in the corner of the room, Iona turned to her. "I would like to bathe," she said simply. 

Astrid gave her a nod, leading her to the room where she could get clean in peace. 

When she was finished, Astrid had laid some fresh clothes out for the young woman, at Lagertha's request. Gone was the blonde's dark clothing, it was replaced by a long red dress with a white trim. Her dirty boots had been replaced by a more simple pair of shoes, her mother seemingly turning her into a lady whilst she was here. 

She did not disappoint, putting on the clothes she had been offered. The feel of a dress on her body was foreign, she hated it. Astrid pulled her hair back, braiding two small braids at the side of her head before letting the rest of it fall back over her shoulders. She didn't fight it, she let it happen. 

"Have you ever worn black around your eyes?" Astrid asked her as she sat with her. 

Iona shook her head, she had never experimented with it before. She had seen Floki wearing it on his face but it was something she had not thought about before. 

"Let me," the dark-haired woman said. Reaching into her pocket, she pulled a small container out before opening it, then using her little finger she carefully put it around the eyes of the pretty blonde. 

XOXOX

The evening drew in, the main hall was bustling with life again. This time Iona was sat at a table near the front of the hall. Bjorn was close by, although he seemed to be preoccupied with Torvi, someone who he had become particularly fond of. She watched quietly, she noticed Ubbe was here, at the back of the room talking to Margrethe the slave girl. 

The music was loud and the food was filling, after time Iona needed air though. Leaving her seat, she walked towards the open door of the hall, stepping outside and closing her eyes as she leaned against the wall. She had drunk alcohol again, her veins filling with the intoxicating liquid. 

Ivar was in the blacksmiths, he was pounding a sword into shape when something changed in the air. He turned his head and saw her, she was standing outside of the hall. The woman looked different, her usual style gone replaced with a dress. She had held up on part of her side, showing that she still had her mother's trust.

The clothes on her were different from most of the women in Kattegat. The red was striking like Lagertha wanted people to look at her. Turning her head, she looked in his direction, their eyes meeting before her mouth opened a little. 

Little Bear felt weak in this dress, she couldn't be herself in this clothing. Seeing Ivar staring at her made her feel like the world was crashing down around her. Still, she saw the smirk on his face before he returned to doing whatever he was doing before. It was like he knew exactly how she felt.