The Cripple and The Shieldmaiden II

// 29 //

The whole ways back to the settlement she could think of nothing more than Ase and Raynor. She hardly noticed the exhaustion of her horse; she hardly noticed the tension going around in this group traveling back. She knew that on some point somebody would state the obvious ... the horses needed to rest, so did they. But Torhild didn't care, she didn't care about anything, she wanted to get to Raynor. After losing Ase she shut down most of her emotions, her love, her sadness and brought only her anger up. Angry because she couldn't safe her best friend, angry because she trusted on Ivar his plan to defeat the lords ... angry for leaving Raynor behind. And that anger was so consuming, she felt wat Ivar possible felt for years, she wanted revenge and for once she didn't care about to casualties. Why did she did this? Why starting a war over a crown she didn't want anymore? 'The horses are exhausted; we need to let them rest.' Lord Edward announced. Somebody had to say it. Torhild waked out of her own thoughts and looked aside to the lord on his dark horse, the animal panted, hardly getting one hoof before the other.
'We need to move on.' She react neutral, kicking her legs even a little harder in her horse that hardly reacted on it.
'Edward is right Torhild, they won't make it if we don't give them some rest.' Ivar stated, siding with Lord Edward. She was surprised he dared to say anything after holding back the plans that could cost Raynor his life. She pulled her horse harshly around and looked at him. Ivar tried to keep his eyes steady.
'It's Raynor!' She hissed.
'And I wouldn't let anything happen to him.' He fired right back. Torhild got from her horse and threw him the reins before walking away. Her fingers curled up to fist while she tried to shut her emotions out. But there were so many and she felt so lost when she let them through the barrier. Her body found some support on a tree, her cheek brushed against the hard unequal wood of the tree. She hardly looked aside when she saw that white horse walking over, knowing his chariot would drag after it. The stallion pulled his nose forward, trying to make contact but she ignored him, just as she ignored Ivar. 'Somebody said to me when I was nothing more than a boy that I couldn't let my eager interfere with the task at hand. Ignoring that advice got my brother killed.' He said. Torhild gave him that advise ... she thought back to Sigurd, not fully understanding how deep Ivar was in his anger when he threw that axe. She regretted that, not being there on that moment. 'Listen to your own advice.' He followed. She turned around to him and he pulled away the emotions he showed on a defense on her hard look.
'You know that if something happens to Raynor this,' she pointed between her body and his. 'will be all for nothing again. It will be over, for good. Do you realize that? I would never forgive you.'
'And when are you gonna realize that I would do everything for you and Raynor. He is my son Torhild, for years I thought I could never have that and now I have it and won't bring it in danger.' She turned her head away not letting any of his words take impact on her. She lost Ase, she was angry with herself and the world and that was something everyone needed to handle from her, even the ones she loved. 'Do you trust me?' He asked after some silence, like he anticipated on her thoughts. She looked back up to him, pulling up her shoulder before she shook her head in despair. All those emotions she tried to hide slowly showed up again and she got more angry with herself. But what he ask was self-conscious reflexing towards her. She trusted him with her life, so why was she doubting him now?
'Yes.' She whispered. He held his hand out over his chariot and she walked over, laying her hand in his and willingly let him pull her closer, his blue eyes only showing his true nature for her.
'Than trust me Raynor will be fine.' He cupped her face on one side. She curled her fingers around his wrist and closed her eyes.
'If something happens to him,'
'I wouldn't gamble with his life, or our love. I rather give my own life if it means both your safety.'
'I can't bear to lose two people today.' She said hardly loud enough. Ivar pressed his lips against her forehead, snuggling his nose against hers.
'You won't.' He promised her.

The black smoke rising up to the horizon just meant one thing. 'I think you just lost your title as a lord.' Ivar noticed. Everybody looked at the defeated kingdom of Lord Edward, what only meant the settlement was next. The thick clouds coming from it would alarm Floki, looking at Ivar he realized the same thing.
'What about the people?' Elisabeth asked. Torhild looked aside to her, annoyed with her presents and her judging in this fight. Even in the most tensed situation she couldn't shut her mouth for a minute. Seeing her so close to Hvitserk really didn't do her something, maybe she should be getting jealous, just like she did when she saw her with Ivar but no ... her body didn't react on the looks they changed.
'I lost their sympathy when I sided with the Vikings so,' Lord Edward didn't finish his sentence, he just looked and toke his defeat. Torhild hardly said anything when they walked the last hours back to the settlement. She only repeated in her head that she trusted Ivar, she trusted Ivar, she trusted Ivar. And when she looked aside to him she knew he wouldn't bring her or Raynor in danger, just like Ase never did.

Their slow travelling caused that Björn and the ships arrived sooner, causing a whole army to stand against another one. Torhild was almost glad to see at least two Lords in the frontline of it, she would even be gladder to see them dead. The whole settlement was surrounded, in a large circle around there wasn't any change on going inside, to Raynor. That meant that Raynor couldn't get out either. Torches throwing shady lights over the darkness of the setting night. The small army left from Lord Edward immediately positioned their horses before Björn his heathen army. The Vikings who traveled with Torhild took their place among the others. 'They have Raynor hostage.' Björn said when they got within hearing distance. Torhild looked aside to Ivar.
'Get the shield wall in another circle around them, keep a distance, you don't want to get close on them when I'm done talking.' He commanded Björn. Her brother looked slowly aside to Torhild and she nodded softly.
'What are you planning brother?' Hvitserk asked him impatient. They were all kept in the dark. Torhild could only think of Raynor, sitting there somewhere with Floki and a hand full others, guarded by a lord possible. The thick burning clouds coming up from Lord Edward his kingdom in the distant realized her that this was a fight for a throne, wat looked like some small negotiations in the beginning turned out to be one big war.
'A feast.' Ivar reacted. Torhild didn't look to him, she jumped from her horse and let the animal go, looking how all those Vikings made an even bigger circle around.
'He is waiting for you.' Björn nodded. Torhild followed his gaze to the few horses that stood waiting before the army. She counted two Lords Gregor, Elisabeth her brother and Lord Ballard. What meant that Aethelred wasn't here, just as lord Cameron wasn't here either.
'Torhild!' Lord Ballard shouted. They looked so confident, having Raynor give them that and she had to do everything to not get scared for his life. Lord Gregor on the other hand changed looks with his sister who stood aside Hvitserk. 'Any attempt on a attack will result in your son's dead.' He followed.
'Don't go further.' Ivar stopped her. Torhild looked down to the ground before she looked aside to Ivar who shifted his attention.
'How do we know you have him?'
'Do you want to hear him scream?' Ballard asked.
'No.' Torhild hissed, turning her body to look up to Ivar. 'Tell me this goes according to plan.' She almost begged him. But Ivar ignored her and Torhild turned back to Lord Ballard who was really to far away to even talk normal. 'I want to see him and Floki.' She shouted. The lord grinned, putting his hand up to one of his man, they made a path through the army so he could walk his horse to the settlement.
'I won't ask your permission to kill your brother.' She heard Ivar say. Torhild pulled her gaze away from the enemy and looked over to Elisabeth who stood there in discomfort aside Hvitserk.
'I saved your lives by warning you.'
'No, you just stated the obvious. Next time you come to spill the beans don't forget that your pretty head isn't compatible to mine.' He sneered.
'Ivar.' Hvitserk warned him.
'You should kept her in chains.'
'She did good.' Hvitserk started to argue.
'You fall in love quickly brother.'
'Will the both of you stop!' Torhild warned them. Hvitserk and Ivar gave her a short glance, obeying by looking back to the enemy. Torhild squeezed her own hands when she saw Lord Ballard again, walking to the gate of the settlement with a torch in his left hand while he dragged Raynor on his collar forward in the right. Floki got forced down by two soldiers and Torhild her heart crimped by the sight that her son was in that kind of danger. But Raynor, even from this distance looked calm, he wasn't even looking at her, he looked to his father. Torhild looked aside to Ivar who asked for a torch himself. 'Ivar.' She whispered, scared that something he would do would cost Raynor his life.
'He will be held hostage for the rest of his life here, on English soil if you travel home now. If you want to fight this he will die. If you come back here he will die.' Lord Ballard yelled.
'Where is the rest of your army?' Ivar asked amused.
'Burning down another kingdom.' Ballard grinned, throwing Edward an filthy look.
'Do you have children?' Ivar shouted back. What? Ballard started to laugh about the stupid question Ivar asked.
'What is that of your concern?'
'I will take that as a no. You know that boy you are standing aside is my son, fathers learn their son's things. A word of advice, never underestimate a child.' And Raynor pulled himself lose on the same time Floki caused a scene. Torhild wanted to run but Ivar grabbed her, pulling her against the wood of his chariot.
'Ivar let me go!' She hissed, looking to her little boy climbed a cratle, getting one of the torchs out of the wall before the settlement.
'What is he doing?' Hvitserk tried to get himself out of the grip Ubbe held him in.
'Attack!' Lord Ballard commanded. The army started to move forward but Torhild could only look at Raynor, standing there with the torch looking at his father with that dark smile around his lips. He lowered the torch to the ground without looking away from his father. And when the fire ticked the ground flames started to spread around in a circle around the settlement. Ivar held his hand out with the torch.
'You want to do the honors?' He asked her. She grabbed the torch and threw it in front of her, causing the ground to catch fire and cover all the ground between her and the settlement. That whole army caught fire and the screams of men burning alive filled the air. 'Kill everybody who comes through. Send a group to kill down the rest of his army. Bring the lords to me.' Ivar commanded coldly. A burning man ran through the fire, Torhild grabbed her axe and threw it right at him. Some got through, the battle broke loose on the other side of the settlement because the fire didn't spread that fast but it was an easy fight. This was his plan? This was what he and Floki worked on the days before the travel? Torhild looked to the fire before she slowly looked up to Ivar. 'Let's get our son, let's go kill some Lords.' And for a change it didn't sounded that bad. But the fact lingered in her head, Raynor was four and he killed with one twist of his hand a whole lot of people. And he didn't hesitate; he didn't look scared he just looked ... as Ivar. She same darkness covering his blue eyes as his father did, the same potential, the same amusement in the little smile. He was just his father and she didn't knew what to do with that ... fear him or love him.