Chapter 4.

Llucia groaned and fought the entire time Floki dragged her. He kept snickering and chuckling at her atempt to break free. He saw that Ivar found interesting, she was feisty and different and oh boy did he like that. He was always playing alone, either shun from the other children or feared. Sometimes both. All he wanted was affection from the other childern, from his brothers and his astranged, father.

Ah Ragnar, the King. He was never there for the boy, he prefered playign with his Christian priest. Why did Floki have to take the burden of his son on him? And now this girl?

The girl bit his hand and he almost smacked her. He stopped and watched her contorted face and the shiny eyes staring back. Bitting back tears and jutting her chin up.

Gods lend me your strenght.

˝Stop it˝

˝Let me go˝

˝Okay˝- Floki let her go and watched as she stumbled and fell backside first into the snow. They were in front of his hut and he saw Helga emerge out and stare at them. She joined them and smiled at the girl.

˝I'm Helga, you're welcome to stay with us˝

˝Llucia, why am I here?˝- Helga turned to Floki as if she didn't understand the girl's confusion.

˝Ivar's play thing˝- Helga's mouth formed an „o" and helped the girl up.

˝Let's get you warmed up and bathed, you must feel like hel, being there all alone˝- Llucia nodded and shot Floki a dirty look. Floki sighed again and watched two birds fly above his hut, onto the icy waters and back into the wood. They were watching.

˝FATHER! I DEMAND HER BACK TO ME! SHE IS MY SLAVE!˝- Ivar raged in the hall, his borthers watching his outburst from the sides as Ragnar continued to eat and sip on his ale unbothered. It wasn't the first time Ivar yelled or wanted sometime just because he was a son of his.

˝Son she has information for the future raids, she 'll be of service˝- Ragnar said and tossed a bone at him. Ivar gritted his teeth and seethed while Bjorn approached them.

˝You said she was from the South?˝- He carefully worded it and sat next to his seething younger brother. Ragnar nodded.

˝From a slave ship, the merchant said she wasn't just anybody but she was sold off for a debt, a shame really˝

˝But if she has the knowledge why would she share it with us?˝

˝That's Ivar's task˝- Ragnar said smugly ˝each er our ways and she'll teach you ours. Floki is teaching her now˝

˝Why should I do aynthing father? Floki can tell her everything˝- Ivar added sourly. He was already sulking.

˝So she isn't your slave then, hm?˝- Ragnar emptied his cup and smirked. There was a dangerous twinkle in his eye, promising of a plot already forming in his mind. Ivar's eyes sharpened, his father was planning something with his slave.

˝I will go to Floki then, as you say father˝- Ivar concluded. Ragnar smiled.

˝I am glad at least one of my son is smart to listen to his father, but first you have to talk to your mother˝- Ivar let a second of confusion move across his face. ˝About women˝

His brothers howled with laughter as Ivar seethed with rage. His father was making fun of him. He'd remember to pay him back this favour.

Helga enjoyed braiding the dark hair of the girl. It was long and soft, even through the harsh winter in Kattegat. She envied the golden glow on her skin, she seemed so warm, like the Middsumer sun.

˝How do you like it here?˝- Helga tried talking to her but the girl gave short replies, here and there.

˝It's cold˝

˝It's winter˝

˝I wannt summer˝

˝It will come˝- Silence. The odler woman braided her hair and stopped to marvel her work. She looked more Viking now. The bright green eyes added something that made her look away. She looked familiar too someone and it wasn't a good sign.

˝Eyes of Loki˝- Floki said entering the room. Helga flinched at the name of the god.

˝Who?˝- Llucia questioned.

˝The god of mischief,brother of Thor, frost giant, and many things˝- Floki said. Llucia's eyes perked with interest.

˝Tell me more˝

˝You know the price˝

˝For each story I will share one of mine˝

˝Why the suddend interest?˝- Floki was baffled with her actions. From sulking to surging power to demand. Didn't it remind him of someone...

˝I have something to prove to someone..˝- Floki giggled and sat beside her.

˝Once there was an ash tree and...˝- Floki started.

An owl passed through the night sky leaving hoots as greetings. Helga saw the figure approach the hut and smiled to herself. The boy was restless even as he pulled himself with crutches through the snow. The night gave him enough light to navigate to them. A scowl was deep set on his face making her smile.

˝He's here˝- She said to Floki. The girl had fallen asleep beside the fire after they had eaten. She had sat the whole day and listened to her Floki speak of the Gods, the talles of mischief, bravery and glory. She offered to tell her stories but they stopped her, first she had to learn about them, later she could tell everything to King Ragnar or his son.

Floki giggled in delight and went to greet him. He was used to a sulking Ivar, it was his usual way. He opened the door before the boy managed to even knock and stared at him with a wide grin.

˝IVAR! Come, come in, it's cold outside˝- He let the boy wobble in and watched him come to the fire and snort in the direction of the sleeping girl. ˝Now, play nice˝

˝She's my slave˝

˝Of course she is˝

˝She spent the day listening to the tales of our Gods˝

˝Why is her hair like that?˝

˝I braided it like a Viking woman would wear˝- Helga said coming closer. ˝Don't you like it˝

˝Make it look like before ˝- He ordered and frowned. Helga shot Floki a look but the man giggled and wiggled his eyebrows.

˝When she wakes then, sit you must be freezing, have some ale˝- She offered the boy a mug and left them to the fire. Floki followed his woman to a small back room where they slept, giggling the whole time. Helga shot him a look and he shrugged.

Llucia stirred and her sleep. She felt someone stare. Something was creeping up behind her, poking with a stare. She opened her eyes and yelped silently. Ivar was glaring at her, standing with his crutches. She didn't dare moving.

˝I hate your hair˝

˝What?˝

˝I hate your hair˝

˝I hate yours too˝- Ivar growled at her. He actually growled. ˝Cane˝

˝What?!˝

˝Cane, what's the word...dog!˝- She exclaimed proud of herself and almost screamed at the glare Ivar shot her. ˝Uh I mean the noise you made now˝

˝I know what a dog sounds like, how dare you compare me˝

˝You made the same noise just now˝

˝And you dared!?˝

˝Well apparently˝- Llucia sat upright slowly and tried to fix her hair. She slept on some of the braids and they had come undone. ˝This hurts˝

˝Make it as before˝

˝The crown hairstyle?˝- Ivar snorted.

˝Crown? You're a slave˝

˝I was promised freedom˝

˝Not by me and you forgot little one I am your master˝

˝I'm older than you˝

˝What˝

˝I'm older by two years, you're the little one Master˝- Her words were met with a choked snort-laugh from the back room. It had to be Floki listening to their conversation. Ivar was looking ready to kill something or rather someone. Llucia tried not to grin and it resulted in a weird grimace which Ivar returned with a frown.

˝Minerva grant me strenght˝- Llucia whispered.

˝What did you say?˝

˝Nothing˝- Llucia retorted. She was getting tired of his shouting and the menacing posture. It was clear that if she stayed in the hut under Floki, Ivar wouldn't hurt her, at least for now. ˝You are mad still?˝

˝I don't like things getting taken from me˝- Llucia rolled her eyes.

˝I AM A PERSON!˝- She shrieked at him. Her outburst made him laugh. She dangled between fear of him and anger at him. It amused him to no end to jog her between those states. Llucia started at him and realized something.

He was toying with her.

˝Master Ivar, please kill me˝- Llucia said slowly. Ivar gave her a long stare and took the small axe near the fire wood in his hands.

a/n 1 : I need to study but there's a few chapter pieces floating in my head so what better way then to let 'em out and continue my work .I can't promise that I will continue to update at this tempo. I need to study folk but this butt fic continues to come out, my poor psychology exam x)

a/n2 : ALSO READ : To Hel with it if you enjoy Ivar fics, found it last night and devouureeed it