Her name is Saga. |Lothbrok brothers| Vikings|

Thunderstorm

Tears had been brought to her eyes with an intense pressure in her chest. All the pain replaying in her mind, things she couldn't forget. Her body would forever be marked by the pain. No matter how hard she tried she couldn't escape it, it was relentlessly tormenting her.

She stood from the bath grabbing a cloth to wipe the water off her body, she started with her arms gently soaking away the water drops on her skin.

She hadn't heard Ivar enter the room, he had came to talk to her he had a lot to say.

He froze still, and his eyes were drawn to thick pink scars that covered her back, inches thick.

When she turned around she quickly covered herself.

"Ivar! Why didn't you say anything?!" She said attempting to cover her nude frame.

"I- I just figured you would be laying down I'm sorry for not knocking." He said looking down giving her the chance to cover herself completely with the cloth.

"I will give you a second." He said crawling towards a chair in her hut and sitting down.

Saga dressed in a comfortable gown and made her way to sit across from Ivar. She coughed a little embarrassed.

"Those- Those scars on your back, are they from battle?" Ivar asked curious to know.

Saga looked down, her facial expression heavy and upset.

"No, they are not. Though I wish they were." She sighed heavily.

"Can I ask how you got them?" Ivar questioned.

Saga clenched her jaw, wondering if to tell the full story to Ivar.

"Well," Saga began, "After my village was burnt down I had been wandering around for days, no shelter or food or even water, so the first village I crossed paths with I begged for shelter, and they agreed to allow me in," She paused clearing her throat. It was hard for her to remember these things.

"I was lied to, and taken as slave. My master was a brutal man." She said with a few tears escaping her eyes. Ivar put two and two together about how she got those scars. He felt so sorry and helpless because he didn't know how to ease her agony. He could only imagine the horrible things she was exposed to.

"Who could be so cruel to you Saga, who'd even want to hurt you like that." Ivar scoffed he was in disbelief about how horrible someone could be to her. She was kind hearted, and delicate and after hearing the suffering she went through it made him
want to protect her even more.

He leaned forward, looking her directly in the eyes, "I won't ever let something like that happen to you ever again." His eyes were determined and she stared in them lost. His outbursts had her in so much confusion, how could he seem like he hates her but then vow to protect her.

"How do you feel about me Ivar? you either ignore me, are rude to me or look at me with hatred. And now you say you want to protect me. Which is it?" She pleaded with a sad laugh.

Ivar looked down. He was afraid to get close to her, he didn't want to be rejected or looked down on and so he pushed her away, and pushed away his admiration for her. He thought it would be easy but he couldn't stay away from her.

"That's what I came to talk to you about, Saga. I know that you must be so confused and possibly resent me, even. Soon enough we will spend a long time together on the sea with no escape from each other's company. I'm sorry. I'm sorry for my behavior. I am frightened of you. Frightened of you rejecting my friendship." He sighed heavily it wasn't easy for him to be transparent about his feelings.

"I care profoundly for you, Saga. I refused to believe you could feel the same."  His voice was low. Saga started intensely at him, finally he was opening up to her.

"I want you to accept my friendship, and this time I won't be such a bastard." He dryly laughed, Saga smiled.

"I will eagerly accept your friendship Ivar." Ivar smiled at her, his eyes flickered to her lips and back to her eyes. Saga watched this gesture. The air around them was passionate. "Goodnight Saga, see tomorrow." Ivar smiled slightly and left Saga alone.

She sat puzzled by this interaction. Who knew Ivar could be so vulnerable and she had been wondering that for so long. Here she sat with some sort of explanation from Ivar and it filled this void in her. They were friends he finally said it himself after so much of ignoring her and being cold with her.

Saga thought to herself about how he was scared she'd reject him but it was her who wanted to be around him most. They still had a long way to come with each other, but this was the biggest step they ever took and it made her smile. These months on the sea were something she couldn't be more excited for.