Fandom If I had a Heart

[Forever6A7X]

Maxine squeaked as the horse started to move and frowned softly trying to get herself together. Once they had made it home she sloy removed herself from the horse taking a shaky breath unable to close her legs properly from the chafing she was currently dealing with.

Aaron gave her a small nod and pulled her in close "I know we will love." He whispered before stealing some of her bread to eat for himself.

 

[decadent-rider]

Carmen lightly smacked his hand away and shook her head "You greedy thing." She laughed "Put Thor's appetite to shame sometimes."

Ivar chuckled as he watched her walking "Sore? You get used to it." He grinned at her, "You should have a bath." He smiled, getting help to get down before shuffling his way into the hall to gfo to his room and rest.

 

[Forever6A7X]

-6 months-

Maxine sat in Ivar's room braiding his hair quietly smiling some "Your hair has gotten so long, it looks very nice." She said softly to him smiling when she noticed a small smile come onto his face. After they got back to Kattegat, Ivar had been treating her differently. He treated her more as a close friend rather than a servant now. She was actually happy as well being treated so well, though she was starting to fall for Ivar. He had let his walls down when they were alone, showed her his insecurities, and his actual relaxed self. It was quite pleasant and she knew that she was in love with him.

Aaron arrived at the gates of Kattegat giving a deep sigh. He had spoken to Ubbe a few times since but he was still very hesitant to be there. Especially since Carmen was now pregnant with their child. She was further along this time and he wanted her as far away from Ivar as possible.

 

[decadent-rider]

He smiled and glanced back towards her while he let her do her thing. "You said before you like it better long." He told her quietly "So that's how I shall keep it." He told her gently "You will sit beside me and Ubbe tonight?" He asked her quietly, wincing a little as she pulled a little too hard but nothing else changed like it used to when he would scream at her or try and hit her, he did not react towards her like that anymore. The day she had yelled at him had been when he found respect for her. A deep respect that she did not care who he was and she no longer walked on eggshells around him. Treated him as human.

Carmen rode up next to him smiling, "It is home." She giggled and rode next to him into the town, glad to finally be back. Things had been quiet over the winter and she had been able to spend the time with her husband in the peace, glad for it but even more glad they had managed to get her pregnant again and she was looking forward to having this child "I would like to see Torvi again very much." She smiled. She was very aware though of how tense her husband was, worried that he was going to make himself paranoid on this trip

 

[Forever6A7X]

She gave him a small nod "Yes I will." She said softly watching him a bit "Make sure to be on your best behavior tonight Ivar." She said softly to him before finishing his last braid "Your hair is done, let me help you with your braces." She murmured moving to get up and grabbing his braces. She gave him a soft smile seeing his face "Your eyes are very blue today Ivar, be careful."

Aaron smiled softly relaxing a little bit when he saw her happieness. He rode in with her and got off his horse once they were further into town. He helped her off smiling happily hearing a woman's voice yelling her name. He turned and chuckled quietly seeing Torvi coming towards them "Hello Torvi, it is very good to see you." He said gently

 

[decadent-rider]

He watched her gently and smiled. “I promise to behave for the feast.” He told her quietly. It was the plan he had for after that he had told very few people about.

Carmen held his shoulders as she got off and went to Torvi excitedly, embracing her. “It has been too long, oh.. and look at you two, you have gotten so big.” She smiled at her children, walking with her and Aaron towards the long house, her cloak covering her own belly. They had told no one yet and she was trying to keep it that way until they were back home and safe again

 

[Forever6A7X]

She gave him a small nod and smiled softly "Good." She murmured before standing up and leaving with him to go towards the great hall.

Torvi smiled widely keeping her children close nodding some "Yes, my eldest will be old enough for the raids soon." She said proudly as they walked "Will you be here for the entire summer?"

 

[decadent-rider]

She smiled and glanced up at aaron “If he joins your Bjorn on the raids then yes. I will be staying here.” She told her happily, looking up to see both the older sons of Ragnar stood by the entrance to the hall and she smiled at Bjorn who had been like an older brother to her most of her life. “You got blonder.” She teased him with a smile.

Ivar was trying to keep pace as much as he could but it was no secret that he had been struggling recently and more than a few times he had been seen dragging himswlf around like he used to.

 

[Forever6A7X]

Bjorn smiled widely when he saw Carmen and hugged her in close "And you have gotten shorter!" He teased happily before looking to Aaron "Aaron, it is good to have you here. Thank you for coming." He said genuinely before taking Torvi into his arms "We are sailing to the Mediterranean, will yoi be joining us?"

Aaron nodded to Bjorn and gave a small nod "If you should have me I would be honored." He said before wrapping an arm around Carmen.

Maxine watched him some and qickly got his chair pulled out for him "If you would like, I can make my herbal drink to help." She said softly as she sat next to him.

 

[decadent-rider]

She smiled and let them discuss things until she was just following him around the room, finally breaking away to go and speak to Ubbe. “I hear you have found a wife in Margrethe?” She asked him smiling

Ivar sat down and just nodded. “That would be good.” He mumbled, reaching across to give her hand a gently squeeze in thanks. He was certainly falling in love with her but at the same time he was conflicted as there was another woman who was being promised to him as more of a political move to appease the people of Kattegat and he looked up hearing her voice. “Freydis. You look wonderful this evening.”

 

[Forever6A7X]

Ubbe smiled happily seeing Carmen come over "Yes, she is a very nice woman." He murmured softly. He watched her some noticing her cloak shift and saw the small bump through her dress "Are you with child?" He asked quietly giving a wide smile


Maxine frowned some when Freydis came into the hall greeting Ivar. She hated Freydis and could tell she was not good for Ivar. She fed him lies about the gods and it worried her, worried her that this would hurt Ivar in the end.

Freydis gave Ivar a sickly sweet smile as she came into the hall "Hello Ivar, you look very handsome as well." She said stroking his cheek gently "Are you excited for the feast?"

 

[decadent-rider]

She lightly smacked his arm and frowned. “You mention this to anyone I will have your head on a stick… but yes..” she told him

He smiled and nodded “As always.” He told her, thanking Maxine when she brought the drink over, washing it down quickly with ale.

 

[Forever6A7X]

Ubbe chuckled quietly "May the gods strike me, I will not say a word." He said softly before giving her a hug "I am happy for you."

Freydis watched as Maxine poured him a drink "Ivar do you need a servant still? Soon we will be married no? I can help you." She said softly as she hung on his arm a bit.

 

[decadent-rider]

He frowned and reached up, squeezing her face in his hand for a moment. “You will not refer to her like that again. Until you have the knowledge that Maxine does I would not ask her to leave you understand yes?” He spat at her a little.

Carmen smiled and shook her head a little, starting to get a little tired already so she spoke to Ubbe a little longer then went back to Aaron and stayed by his side the rest of the evening

 

[Forever6A7X]

Freydis frowned softly but gave him a small nod "Yes Ivar." She said quietly and sat beside him where Maxine had been sitting.

Maxine came over frowning softly seeing Freydis in her seat. She gave a heavy sigh before finding a seat behind them.

Aaron helped Carmen into the hall when it was time for the feast "Let me know, if you would like to leave." He said quietly to her "I can soeak to Bjorn further tomorrow."

 

[decadent-rider]

She just nodded slowly and sat with him, enjoying things quietly for a time until she started to feel unwell so stood slowly to excuse herself, squeezing Aaron’s shoulder twice to ask him to go with her. She had been more than a little paranoid this time around and despite everything being very normal it worried her.

Ivar sat with her the rest of the evening, seeing her off once she left and finally had max next to him again. “We should head out soon too. The others will be here until the early hours… and tomorrow is a big day.” He smiled at max a little, his eyes slightly glazed from the alcohol

 

[Forever6A7X]

Maxine gave a small nod to Ivar smiling softly "Let us go then." She murmured helping him up. She got to his room getting his braces off for him "I will be back, I am going to get some water." She said quietly smiling. She came back about 30 minutes later frowning softly as she heard another voice in Ivar's room. She looked through the cracked door and went wide eyed seeing Freydis infront of Ivar naked, his head thrown back in pleasure. She took a shaky breath before quickly rushing off trying to not cry.

Aaron smiled softly as Carmen came over to him. He gave her a small nod and finished off his ale "Have a good night men." He said happily before he got up and followed her out "How are you feeling my love."

 

[decadent-rider]

She frowned a little and leaned into him. “He is making me feel sick.” She muttered, holding his arm tightly while they made their way back towards the housing for them and all his men, freezing when they got there to find two of them dead on the ground outside. “Aaron?”

He had invited her over for a celebration of his small victory for the night and hadn’t expected it to turn into this but she was doing things that no other woman had ever done for him before and it felt amazing. He wasn’t about to tell her to stop.

 

[Forever6A7X]

Aaron frowned deeply when he saw saw the guards dead infront of their housing. He pulled Carmen behind him and immediately drew his axe "Stay close me." He said quietly

Maxine stayed away for the rest of the night. She should have known better to think that Ivar would ever love a servant as anything more than that. She ended up taking to the other servant's quarters for sleep that night.

 

[decadent-rider]

She frowned and shook her head. “We should go back to the hall.” She told him quickly, looking around them a little panicked

Ivar lay in his bed with Freydis next to him smiling some. “After tonight Harald will be left with no heirs to his throne. So when we take it from him there will be no one wanting revenge.” He grinned

 

[Forever6A7X]

Freydis smiled happily as she traced his tattoos gently "The gods will be in your favor tonight. They chose you for a reason, you are blessed by them." She said softly to him before kissing his chest gently "You are special to them."

Aaron gave a small nod and turned his back for only a moment "Yes we sh-" he was cut off though when he felt a stabbing pain go through his body. One of Ivar's men sending an arrow into his back "Leave Carmen...leave!" He yelled before turning and throwing his axe hitting the man on the head instantly. He grunted though then another arrow and another and another flew straight into his body. He took deep breaths before falling to his knees still trying to grab his sword. It wasn't until he was filled with 7 arrows in total that he finally collapsed into the mud below.

 

[decadent-rider]

She had ducked around the corner when he told her to but she didn’t want to leave him completely, finding a spot where she could hide from sight but still see what was going on, having to cover her mouth to stop from screaming as she saw him collapse into the dirt, not moving then until she saw the men come out from the shadows and inspect him, swallowing back tears as she watched them kick him a few times before walking away towards the north of town, finally coming out and rushing to him, hauling him into her lap and holding him tightly, screaming for help until the others eventually were coming out of the hall.

He smiled and watched her, running his fingers through her hair while he waited to hear the knock on his door, listening to the three raps in WUICK succession before smiling to himself and resting back. “It is a good night. Tomorrow we celebrate.” He told her quietly.

 

[Forever6A7X]

Ubbe came out of the hall with Hvitserk later that night. He was tired and ready to head to his home. He frowned though as he heard a woman's screams for help. He looked at his brother concerned before drawing his sword and running towards the screams. He went wide eyed when he found Carmen in the mud with Aaron's lifeless body in her lap. He quickly rushed to her side "Hvitserk look around, find anyone who has seen anything." He said sternly before turning to Carmen "Carmen...what happened?" He asked her calmly.

Freydis heard the knocks at the door and perked up a bit "It has? Maybe we should start the celebration now.." she murmured softly as she kissed him lovingly before moving down his body.

 

[decadent-rider]

She sobbed as she held his hands tight as possible, shaking a little. “We were coming back and:.. he was ambushed. They were dead when we arrived…. I don’t… the people left but they killed him Ubbe. They killed him!” She cried, just about letting f him to allow Ubbe to move her.

Ivar frowned and smacked her hand away. “No. No more. Tonight I want to rest to be able to enjoy tomorrow and the beginnings of a new dynasty where they will talk of Ivar the Boneless for centuries to come.” He grinned.

 

[Forever6A7X]

Ubbe frowned more and gave her a small nod as he listened to her "We will find the men who did this." He said quietly gently trying to lift her "Carmen you need to come with me, we will give him a proper burial but I must keep you safe."

Maxine woke the next morning and sighed heavily. She came into the great hall frowning when she saw Freydis and Ivar sitting out there laughing quietly to one another. She noticed his braces on and became confused, had Freydis done them for him? She shook her head gently before looking to Hvitserk as he came over to speak with her "Good morning Hvitserk."