Chapter 5.

Ivar's hand held the axe closely. He closed the distance with one crutch before letting himself fall down next to Llucia. Grabbing a fistful of her hair, he cut it. Llucia exhaled sharply but remained silent. Her eyes never met Ivar's.

Ivar could hear the fire slowly burning and crackling. He saw the steady breaths Llucia took and the realisation as it set on her face. He spared her.

˝This is for disobedience˝- He let her hair fall down. It spread over her feet. He had cut her hair above her shoulders, just enough to punish her. ˝Next time you do it, it will be your neck.˝

˝Why didn't you free me?˝- Llucia whispered as she stared at her hair. She prayed to Jupiter to make her journey to the afterlife brief. She prayed to Nox to ease the night journey and he had spared her? Why?

˝You will never be free of me.˝- Ivar's hand lifted her chin and leaned in. Her eyes widened in shock. He closed the gap between them and took her lover lip in his mouth, biting on the flesh until he drawled blood. Tasting her.

Llucia sat, bewildered, her lip bleeding. ˝You are mine˝- Ivar grabbed his crutches and crawled behind a grey curtain, where the back room was. He saw Floki hold Helga in his lap, waiting for him. Ivar smiled revealing bloody teeth.

˝What have you done to the girl?˝- Floki asked. Ivar loved shedding blood too much just to do minor damage.

˝Marked her.˝- He smirked.

A hand touched Llucia's shoulder and she met Helga's warm eyes. The older woman pushed her to the corner of the room where they prepared a small bed for her, just a few blankets and a hay feather filled pillow. She'd sleep on an old fur coat. Tears welled in her eyes.

˝I'll never be free.˝- A sob racked her body. Helga shushed her.

˝You're a woman, there are ways.˝- She helped her lie down and covered her like a daughter.

˝But I'm a slave.˝

˝Vikings can free slaves, it's not unusual. And Ivar is a boy, he's not stone.˝

˝He's mad.˝

˝He's a boy.˝- Helga replied more sternly. She wanted teach the girl something but for now that would have to wait. ˝Rest child, tomorrow is a new day˝- Llucia turned to the wall and closed her eyes. Her breathing was still harsh and uneven. The cut on her lip had closed, blood crusted and chin stained. Ivar could be a cruel boy sometimes.

˝How is she?˝ - Floki asked. Helga shook her head.

˝He sees her as a toy, just like the children that pushed him away.˝

˝Hmm˝

˝Will you help her?˝

˝Ivar has his mind set on her, Helga. We can't help her if she doesn't stand for herself˝- Floki watched the son of Ragnar stare at the sleeping girl from his own makeshift bed. He decided to stay with them. A devious smirk didn't leave his face.

˝She's scared of him.˝

˝Then we can't help her.˝

˝What if she was our daughter?˝ - Helga whispered. Harsh pain gripped Floki's chest. His beloved daughter, lost to Hel.

˝She wouldn't be allowed to come even close to him. He's dangerous.˝

˝He is a Viking.˝

˝And broken, Helga. He's a broken boy˝- Ivar paid no attention to Floki's mentions. He already had a plan on what to do with Llucia and how to punish her into obedience. Tomorrow is a new day indeed.

A thud woke Ivar from his sleep. Why was this room different from his sleeping chambers? Where were the slaves that helped him in the morning? It was cold, didn't anyone light a fire? Scowling he turned to his side to see Llucia's bed empty. He felt anger rise, where did she go?

She was his.

˝Good morning Ivar!˝- Floki giggled above him. He had an axe in hand. Ivar eyed it. ˝Rise and shine boy, we got work to do.˝

˝We?!˝

˝Yeah, I heard you wanted to practice your bow skills.˝

˝Llu-˝- Floki choose to ignore that he used her name and not „my slave"

˝She's with Bjorn now, helping him around, polishing his sword.˝- Floki saw a vein pop up from Ivar's neck. The boy was green with jealousy.

˝Why?˝

˝She was ordered to help the Ragnarssons. Ragnar said that yesterday˝- Floki giggled and nudged him with his axe. ˝Piss and get ready. Bow practice.˝- He jumped and strolled out of the hut leaving the door open. The sunshine made hurt Ivar's eyes and he squinted.

Crawling his way out Helga approached him with his crutches and smiled. ˝Good morning Ivar. Did you sleep well? Are you hungry?˝

˝I'm angry.˝

Helga almost replied I know but bit her tongue. ˝It's a beautiful day outside˝- was all she said to him and returned to the fire. She started making stew and cutting up fresh meat caught yesterday.

˝Did my brother do that to you?˝- Bjorn asked in the silence as they worked. The foreign slave girl came that morning with a busted lip and shorter hair. He remembered the dark locks that almost reached her lower back, now they were a choppy mess, just above her shoulders. She didn't braid, but let it loose.

Bjorn's gaze lingered on her. Now hair framed her face, the bright eyes and the golden tinted skin. How her mouth was swollen and red.

˝My brothers used shorter swords with diamond tips.˝- Llucia said. She moved the cloth that had goose fat on it and polished the long sword. The edges had taken quite a few attacks it seemed, the ridge filled with small teeth from each impact. It was heavier in her hand then the swords she was used to.

Bjorn watched her work. ˝You have done this before, polished a man's sword?˝- Llucia nodded.

˝It was common for our ranks to help the soldiers, the gladiators or the centurion even.˝- She stopped and smiled at the memory. Men armed and dressed in their best attire for the spectacle, the Vesternalia festivals, Juno's day, Jupiter's festivals. The city would be filled with people, flowers and petals everywhere. The smell of cooked foods and fountains of good wine. Dancers and singers would fill the streets, watch the soldiers march, greet the Senate and the ruler.

˝LlUCIA!˝- An angry yell broke her thoughts. Only one person would be angry at her constantly and with no reason. Ivar.

Llucia braced herself for some form of punishment as Ivar crawled to them. He glared at her and she lowered her eyes immediately. ˝Would you like me to polish your sword as well?˝- She asked timidly. Ivar's eyes grew wide and Bjorn let out a throaty laugh.

˝I'll leave you two now.˝- He grabbed his sword and left.

a/n: damn guys your reviews really put some pressure on me to write better, I hope this chapter doesn't disappoint.