Ivar Ragnarsson Imagines

The queen's wrath (Part 2)

The clouds above you passed by slowly. Your heart pound in your ears and the bottom of the boat was more uncomfortable than it had ever been. The food was running low but, in spite of the fact that Ivar would surely be hunting you down, the six shieldmaidens that had fled with you were remaining in high spirits.

They were talking of the homes that they would build, the army that they would raise. You couldn't help but dream along with them. If only the boat wasn't so uncomfortable and cramped with you all laying down to avoid being spotted as the boat finished drifting past the last of Ivar's allies. That had been late at night. But none of you dared sit up. Not wanting to risk everything that the group had dreamed up.

On land a small boy watched the boat as it floated down the river. It made a horrible scraping noise as it rode the small, rocking, waves and ground against the pebbled bottom of the river bed. He snuck along in the thick of the tree line and had any of you been sitting up, you might have spotted him, and called for help. It looked as if it was empty. Until he climbed the tree. Lagertha had it prepared. He could have sat up there for hours if he needed to, he could have hidden himself so that no one would ever notice that he was up there.

He didn't need to hide. As soon as he got high enough he saw people, swords and shields laid over them. It took only a second for the boy to realise that they were hiding. He shimmied down the tree and once he was a safe distance away from the river he set up the alarm. Children scattered through the small town to spread warning.

"I think we are clear." You said as you hesitantly sat up and glanced around. You popped your head up and looked back up the river. The boats hadn't followed you. It had been close. Choosing to sail through the territories of Ivar's allies was a dangerous choice. But, it had bought you more time.

"There is a village not far. We only have a small amount of gold. We can make camp and try to find some food. Maybe they will be willing to trade with us." One of your shieldmaidens said. You agreed with them and climbed out, helping pull the boat up onto the beach.

None of you noticed the children hidden in the brush, watching closely. If you had you would have seen one counting you, another counting the weapons you all carried. By the time your small group had settled, they had snuck away under the cover of darkness and crept back to their main hall.

*********************

Hvitserk winced as he heard Ivar draw his sword. Inside the building things crashed and shattered. It was the fourth village that Ivar had sailed to. The earls had been understanding for a while. But now there were rumors that Ivar had gone even more insane than he was before. Ubbe had tried to quell the worry and soften the anger of the other Earls. Hvitserk had made no attempt to be any more than passive. He had seen the way Ivar treated you. It pained Hvitserk. How could his brother boast about how timed and shy his little wife was and in another breath curse her with the hatred of all the gods. You had never deserved the hands that Ivar laid on you in his fits of rage. Hvitserk had long been of the mind that you had been tricked into loving Ivar. He had whined and pouted and insisted he needed you to care for him. It was the same as a wolf chasing after a lonesome baby deer.

"Where is she!" Ivar almost screamed as he came out of the last house.

"Perhaps she has returned to Kattegat, brother." Hvitserk said in a flat tone. Ubbe, who had been pleading with a furious Earl not too far away, shot Hvitserk a harsh look.

"You know that she will not be there. Someone must have taken her!" Ivar insisted. After you did not return immediately, Ivar had seemed to slide into denial. He had people posted all over the fjord and the beaches, just in case you washed up on the shore.