Maddend Heart ~Ivar The Boneless~

Chapter 64// final bow

I was standing right next to Ivar as he announced war to our people. The wind was howling and whipping the few strands of hair that were escaping my braids around my face.
Though the Summer was slowly coming it was still freezing.

Mel was in the great hall, protected by the dog as I was standing beside my man to show a strong front to the people. Our people. People who will die for Kattegat. No matter how good our plans were they would still die. I imagine their faces gone cold with blood covering them.
I've been in enough battles to be scarred for the rest of my life but it seems like no battle shook me as much as the battle of Kattegat would.

I could see in these people's eyes the hatred for us even though Ivar wrapped our war in lies that make it seem like we are entirely innocent. After he seemed finished he took my arm and we both turned to the great hall.

"You did good" I whisper as I help him to walk. Lately, he's been feeling sickly, his legs causing him more and more pain.  It was unspoken between us that we didn't know how long he would make it. We knew nothing about his condition and if it would shorten his life or not. But I chose this life and the danger of potentially being alone and so I cared for him the best I could.

I even offered him to try my powers on him again but he refused as we had no idea what could happen to me.
As we enter we see the baby sitting in front of Cerberus pulling on his snout and teeth the poor man letting it all happen.

"Mel..." Ivar purrs as his brow raises. She instantly drops her interest in the dog turning towards us excitedly.
She crawled to us like the confident girl she is, her turquoise eyes gleaming up us like we were her favourite things in the world.

She was a little late with her development as other babies her age usually already began walking a little, but we would give her all the time she needed as walking wasn't exactly needed in our family.
As always her chubby fingers went out for Ivar first, begging him to pick her up.
As he couldn't, he pushed his crutch to me before letting himself fall to the soft ground.

"Come here my sweet child." he cooed as she crawled into his lap grinning like a dog. At that moment she looked so much like her father that it was almost scary. We often argued about who she came after and though I can't deny her as mine either, I only see him when I look at her.

"How often did I tell you to leave the dog alone?"  he asks between the soft kisses on her full head of hair as she giggled.

"She won't answer you know that too right?" I chuckle leaning his crutch against the big table.

"Don't say that you're discouraging her to speak like that." he pouts holding his little girl close.

"She's a baby you really think she can understand us?" I ask as I walk over to the dog to give him some head scratches. His tail is already wagging in anticipation.

"Didn't you tell me about one of your gods that was tricking people after coming out of the womb?" Ivar asks as he stops the imaginary eating of Mel's fingers which she considered the funniest thing in the whole world.

"Our baby isn't apollo. She's just a baby. Give her time." I remind him as my nails hit that sweet spot behind Cerberus's ear.

"You were the one who chose to name her after a goddess."

"That means nothing Ivar, she's a baby after all." I sigh as I begin to cuddle with the dog sitting down on the ground.