Chapter 7.


Shuffling under the covers. A moan bitten back and finally silence. Llucia stood frozen in the dark room and blinked away all the ale she had in her bloodstream. It was like being thrown into an icy lake, the shock blinding you.

She felt her heart beat fast, either she was still drunk or scared. None of the options made her happy in the slightest.

Standing as still as a statue she waited. It felt like she'd see dawn before Ivar's breathing steadied. He had finally fallen asleep. Llucia let out a shaky breath and thanked the gods for patience and fear and all the mixtures of them both.

˝Why are you standing there?˝ - Ivar asked. He yawned and the noise tickled Llucia's ears. She finally noticed just how tired she was.

˝I heard a weird noise and your brother sent me here to sleep˝- Llucia stumbled over her words. It sounded like she was meant to sleep with him, damnit.

˝Ubbe?˝- He snorted. ˝I was massaging my legs˝

˝Your legs?˝- Llucia bit back a laugh. How naive of him to think she wouldn't know what he was doing.

˝Yes...they..they hurt sometimes, because they don't work˝- Ivar said slowly. Llucia came closer to his bed. He was lying in just a shirt, messy covers and furs over his body. ˝They have always hurt, since ever I could remember˝- Now she felt bad.

˝Can tea help?˝

˝I don't drink hot water˝

˝Tea is not hot water, it's good or just hot ale, you need something to relax you before bed˝

˝It's dawn almost˝- He whispered. He was staring at her, standing over his bed with a troubled face. ˝What did you THINK I was doing?˝- Suddenly her face changed. Her eyes widened, her lips parted and she shook her head, once, twice.

˝I thought you had fallen of bed˝

˝So you just stood there? Waiting for me to be finished with my..falling?˝

˝N-no. I drank a lot so I wasn't sure˝

˝So you came to check on me˝

˝NO˝- Llucia said it too fast embarrassing herself. She sat on the edge of the bed and buried her face in her hands. ˝I was sooo drunk˝

˝Yes, you were˝- She heard the mischief creep into his voice. Now he'd laugh at her, of course. Why did she come here even? Ubbe. Yes Ubbe, she'd kill him one way or another. ˝Lie down, the sun is almost up˝

˝What?˝- Llucia asked surprised at the gentleness in his words.

˝Lie down˝- Llucia watched as Ivar shifted himself and pulled his legs so that he was facing the wall, giving her a look at his back. The shirt he was wearing lifted and she looked at the skin. It seemed soft.

Just like it felt in the bath...

Groaning Llucia bit her lips.

˝Stop those noises, I want to sleep˝- He wiggled himself on the bed.

˝Wormie˝- Llucia breathed out a laugh and tentatively lied on the bed. Ivar was so close she could feel his body heat.

˝You'll pay for that˝- Ivar muffled. Llucia snorted and closed her eyes.


˝You see them?˝- Hvitserk asked. He had just woken up to a mass of bodies around him, all dozing in happy alcohol induced sleep. They had a feast and he couldn't remember why exactly but oh well, a feast was a feast and he loved to drink and have girls around him. Just a thing ever Scandinavian prince enjoyed.

˝I guess she listened to me˝- Ubbe answered. The Ragnarssons were standing in the doorway of Ivar's room and watching Ivar and Llucia sleep. Both were sprawled over each other with Ivar holding Llucia, hand around her waist, snoozing.

˝Our brother?! From all of us˝

˝He did buy her˝

˝See!? She should have come to us, any of us˝

˝Have you seen her yesterday? Drunk off her ass and still looking at him˝

˝He's scary brother˝

˝I know Hvitserk, and he'll only get scarier˝

˝Maybe she'll prevent that˝

˝No, I think she'll help him become that˝- Hvitsterk turned to his older brother with a confused scowl.

˝How if she's making him happy?˝

˝Exactly˝


Llucia woke to an empty bed. She turned and felt warmth where Ivar had slept. Confused she lifted herself slowly up. Instantly a headache made its way from her toes to her head. Groaning she fell back.

˝You drank quite a lot yesterday˝- A familiar voice said. Queen Aslaug was standing above her. Llucia yelped and shot up. She was in the bed of his son, this looked so bad. What if she thought that Llucia did… Oh my gods!

˝Yes, I uh…I wasn't aware..I just got.. ˝- Llucia tried forming sentences but the smirk of the Queen kept messing with her. She stood there looking at the disheveled ex-slave. Her head hurt and she felt like she was turned upside down, she must have looked like hell. Hair all over the place, stinking of the alcohol that rode her system the previous night.

˝It's fine, would you like to take a bath with me?˝- She said it in a way that made Llucia's skin tingle. Like a whiplash. It felt like the rush of power and the sting of leather. Llucia smiled and did a small courtship. Gods, give me strength.

She followed the Queen to her chambers where a giant wooden tub waited filled with hot water and herbs off all kinds. Flower petals swam on the surface of the water, last dried spots of the waning summer.

Queen Aslaug stepped in first, naked and calm, meanwhile Llucia trembled as she took of her dress and the under dress. Slowly she got in and winced at the water temperature. Once she managed to sit she faced the Queen.

˝Feels heavenly, doesn't it?˝- Llucia nodded and moved a bit in the water. The tub seemed way to small to fit them both and the closeness of the other woman scared her, or was it the intimidating snake look she was giving her? She was mad but tried to control it and it terrified Llucia.

˝I see you have become close with my son, or sons?˝˝

˝I was bought as a slave for your son, Ivar˝- Llucia said slowly. She kept her eyes on the water, watched the petals and the dried herbs swim, anything to avoid the Queen's gaze.

˝Yes, my precious Ivar whom I love more than anything, anything˝- She emphasized it quite clearly. ˝He is destined to great things, have they told you I am blessed by the Gods to see things? The future what may bring?˝

˝They have˝

˝He will become a great man..˝- Llucia somehow knew what the unfinished sentence meant. She swallowed and exhaled slowly.

˝Sigurd would be good to you˝- Ouch. ˝Maybe even Hvitserk, but he's so playful, he was always like that˝- Aslaug continued. Llucia sat and listened to Aslaug's stories of her children, how small they were, how they played. She listened until the water became cold and Aslaug said she'd leave to dress herself for the day.

Sitting silently in the water Llucia watched her reflection. Her hair was choppy and tangled, her cheeks were ashy from the lack of sun and her eyes seemed hollow and gray. How she missed the warm sun from her motherland. The long and lazy summers, the breeze from the sea, brisk with salt. Oranges as juicy as the God's nectar, sweet on her fingers. She missed the smell of olives turning to oil between two stones, milled to nothing.

Her lip quivered at her homesickness when someone's hand waved in front of her face. She screamed and ducked under water. Someone's laughter mocked her. She was naked and alone in a tub full of water and the stranger was laughing at her.

A male, tall and wide.

Oh, God's help me.

Llucia slowly came out the water, her hands shielding her breasts, eyes dark with anger. Ubbe was smiling from ear to ear. ˝How was your sleep?˝- He teased.

˝You monster˝- Llucia spat out. ˝HOW COULD YOU SEND ME THERE!?˝

˝Oh my, feisty? Why are you even mad? That was Ivar's room˝- Ubbe said simply. He took some herbs from the water in the tub and smelled them. ˝Ahh, mountain herbs, they leave such a tasty smell on the skin˝- He taunted.

˝I KNOW! Why?!˝

˝Aren't you his?!˝

˝What?˝

˝You said so yesterday, albeit drunk on your ass but he and the rest heard you˝- Ubbe said grinning. ˝It's only natural to guide you to him˝

˝But I never meant it˝- Llucia whispered. Ubbe shook his head.

˝Don't break his heart now..oh hi Ivar, you want to take a bath too?˝- Ubbe grinned at his brother. Llucia turned to the door way. Ivar was watching her with eyes filled with anger.


a/n: I'm s000 damn exciteeed don't think I'ma sleep tonight, probably wake up around 4ish in the morning to catch the first torrent ( if I don't manage to claim the TV tonight). I'm glad every chapter receives so much love, thank you guys! For all the positive reviews, they really do help.

So bethroned? No they aren't in this story but to see what will happen to our two favored stubborn headed please continue to review, I LOVE reading your reactions and thoughts 3