Virago - Ivar The Boneless

She Wolf

Little Bear had spent time with other men before but she none made her feel as nervous as Ivar did. There was a look in his eye that made feel a little on guard, she could not relax too much around him. Something about him was reserved, she could tell. She knew there was something he was hiding but she didn't know what.

The passion between them was electric.

She would never be able to get enough of his touch, the way his hands lingered on her skin almost burning her.

As their lips met, she reached for his chest, her fingers fumbling with his armour. His hands landed on hers, helping her find the right way to remove his clothing. She watched as he removed his top, his bare chest the only thing in her eye line.

Her fingers reached forward, the smooth toned skin beneath her gave her an almost beautiful high. Ivar's hands pulled on the back of her dress, pulling it open on her back before pulling it down revealing her chest as he stared.

"You are different, Iona."

She tilted her head to side as she kept her fingers on his chest and her lips in a thin line. "I can't do this," quickly she got off of him. Her hands pulled her dress back over her exposed skin as she ran quickly from the room leaving Ivar confused by her actions.

Standing up, he adjusted himself, pulling his top on before he walked towards the door as the light bounced off something shiny. Turning his head, he saw the cross pendant on the floor, walking towards it, he reached down and took it in his hand. Straightening himself, he looked at the cross as he dangled it in front of his eyes. Anger filled his veins as he tightened his grip around the golden necklace before tucking it into his waistband before heading away.

XOXOX

Iona hated how she felt.

Sigurd had made her feel worthless. She could not bring herself to find any comfort with any man since. Sex had been just that, something that was fun, easy and forgettable but he'd changed her. Even though she felt that there could be more than just sex when it came to Ivar, she just couldn't. There did not seem to be an explanation in her mind, she wished she knew but it only made her want another thing more.

No sounds passed her ears as she retrieved some weapons that had been stored away. Taking Hvitserk's horse when there was no one around, she left the settlement with a look of determination on her face.

XOXOX

It was days before Iona returned. Strolling back into the courtyard, she walked as if she had not been missing for some time.

Hvitserk nudged Ivar, both of them looking up at the young woman. She looked very different to the last time they had both seen her.

Her blonde hair was matted with blood, her dress was noticeably shorter with her lower legs on show as the hem of the dress was ripped and above her knees, the top of the dress had rips and tears in places and all of her showing skin and clothing was splattered red as she dragged her axe behind her.

She didn't look at everyone as she trudged on, no one spoke to her, no one tried they only watched her as she walked towards a building. Iona entered the building heading towards the room she had claimed as her own, dropping the axe she watched as it hit the ground, the wet blood splattering on the floor, her eyes following the them to where she had flung the necklace Bjorn had given her, only it wasn't there. Her eyes widened as she moved her head frantically looking for it, she knew it was a dangerous gift to have been given. Scrambling to her knees, she looked under things but the golden cross was not anywhere to be seen.

When she stood back up, she took a deep breath, she needed to forget about it. Bjorn was gone, she knew she'd see him again but knowing him it could be a long time before they met again.

The blood from her clothes stained the floor but she didn't care, she just stared at the patch on the floor. Her mind was a mess much like her appearance. The red of the blood that stained her did not bother her, it only made her feel more like herself.

"Where have you been, Little Bear?" Hvitserk spoke from the door as he watched the young woman who did not seem phased by his presence.

She pulled on the dress and let it fall to the ground revealing her undergarments and pale skin which was stained red and had obvious cuts on her skin. Hvitserk's eyes looked her body up and down, taking a few extra seconds to look at her exposed chest. "Have you been in here?" She asked him as she reached for the rag in the bowl of water that had been lingering in her room since before she left.

Hvitserk was confused by her words, everything seemed to be in the same place since the last time he was in there. "What?"

"Something is missing," she was vague with her explanation but she didn't want to give too much away. Wiping the dry blood from her skin on her midsection, she kept her back to him.

He noticed how she barely even knew he was there. She was not herself at the moment in time and as he watched her, he didn't know what he was supposed to do or say. He had seen crazy before, he was friends with Floki but this was a different kind of crazy.

After tending to her cuts, she pulled a fresh dress over her head. She did not wipe the blood from her arms or upper torso, her face was still bloody as was her face. "What's going on?" He asked her as she turned to face him.

"I'm nothing like her," her voice was distant. She looked away from him, her eyes staring off and at a wall.

He nodded as he thought about it. He knew she didn't want to be like her mother. Watching her, looking at her form right now with the blood over her body he knew better than anyone that she was a far cry from her mother.