The Red Queen (Editing)

12

"I don't know. He invited me." Hvitserk replied

"Why would he want to do that?" Ivar asks. "Well, be careful, my brother. The Rus are not like us."

Nodding, Hvitserk walked off toward the palace.

Turning back to Igor and Yrsa, you saw the boy looking bored.

"Come on, Igor. Tell us, what do you want to do?" You ask, picking Yrsa up as she continued to play with her toy

"Kill myself." Igor said, earning a chuckle from you and Ivar

"It's to early for that." Iva answered as the both of you began to walk around again.

"A moment of your time, sir." A man said to Ivar.

"Go away, you filthy peasant." Ivar told him

"I have a story to tell." The man continued, grabbing your arm to stop you all walking but Ivar pushed the man away.

"I told you to go away!"Ivar said

"Listen to my story." The man said

Turning, you sighed in annoyance.

"I want to listen." Igor said, moving toward the man.

With no choice, you and Ivar followed, Yrsa still in your arms.

You followed the men into a tent and watched the man take his hood off, looking to Ivar.

"Prince Dir." Ivar said.

"I have good news." The disguised prince said. "I came to tell you that I'm almost ready to challenge Prince Oleg. Many of my returning warriors have become disillusioned with my brother's leadership. They have lost faith in him. They are ready for a change. My army will assemble at Novgorod. When we have captured the garrison, I expect you and Prince Igor to join me. Bring your family to. You will receive a dagger. That will be the signal for you to flee from Kiev."

"Why can't we go with you? I hate Oleg. I think he wants to kill me." Igor said

"We will not give him any excuse to do so. I entrust Ivar the Boneless, to safely convey the Prince to Novgorod." Dir said. "It will not be easy. Oleg is afraid now. He will become desperate. He will redouble the guard on the Prince, for if he loses Prince Igor, he will lose any claim to be the legitimate ruler."

"We understand." Ivar said

"You are the rightful King of the great land. I will see you crowned." Dir said, looking to Igor.

"Thank you, Prince Dir." Igor said. "I love you."

With that, Dir smiled and put his hood back on before leaving the tent

-

Ivar's happy eyes drifted away from Yrsa towards Oleg and Hvitserk who were walking into the palace with Igor.

Suspicious, Ivar watched them closely until they were hidden inside.

Hearing Yrsa squeal, Ivar grabbed his knife, ready to attack anyone who dared hurt his child but smiled when he saw that you had picked Yrsa up and spun her around.

Ivar dropped his crutch and crawled up behind you, sitting up and grabbing your waist with a shout, laughing as you shrieked. Yrsa herself was laughing while you sighed loudly.

"Go get papa." You smile, putting your daughter down who play wrestled with her father.

"I don't want to fight you. You're to strong for me." Ivar said as his daughter hit his chest

"I'm the strongest in the world!" Yrsa cheered in victory as she sat down

"Yes, you are." You chuckled

-

You awaited Ivar in the room that you shared with him, laying in bed.

When he walked in, you both smiled at each other. "Hello, my love." You say

"Hello, little dove." He replied, shutting and locking the door behind him

You watched as he sat down, crawling to sit behind him and wrapping your arms around his waist.

Ivar smiled as he faced you, placing a kiss on your lips. "And how was my darling wife's day?"

"Long and tiring." You whine

Ivar chuckled as he maneuvered himself to lay against the head rest, looking to you and you crawled on his lap.

"Now, now, my love." Ivar says, placing a loose piece of your hair behind your ear. "What are you doing? Are you teasing me, wife?"

"Perhaps." You smirk

"So you are not so tired yet after all." Ivar chuckled. "Let me change that, darling."

Ivar rolls you over and proceeds to pull up your skirt to your hips when he heard a knock at the door. "Mama, Papa. Let Igor and I in." Yrsa whined

Ivar groaned, laying his head on your chest as he lowers your leg back to the surface of the bed while you hurry to fix your skirt.

"Sometimes, I wish that they could just play outside like normal children." A frustrated Ivar huffed as you stood up

"Yes, darling. I know. But they are not normal children." You chuckle

Opening the door, the two children quickly walk in and smile at you, each giving you a hug.

"Hello, my dears." You smile, shutting the door.

"Hello, Mama!" A happy Yrsa cheered

And for the next hour, you and Ivar were stuck to take care of two hyper children until you all fell asleep.

-