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As Alvina left Ivar's cell, her eyes kept travelling back in its direction. His small grumpy 'thank you' made her smile widely as she walked back through her home to return to her day.
She was looking behind her, back towards the heathen, when she walked into something - or, more specifically, someone. She stumbled back, and then her eyes shifted to the figure.
It was, of course, her father.
"What are you doing here?" He asked with furrowed brows.
Alvina gulped, a guilty expression written all over her face as she failed to make eye contact with her father. "I was talking to the boy." She answered quietly, her eyes staring into the ground as she knew her father's burned into her.
"The heathen?" He almost yelled, a voice of concerned fury. Alvina only nodded, making Aethelwulf quickly grab her arm to make her look up. "Listen to me Alvina, you are not to go near that boy again. He is dangerous, a Viking! You are not safe with him here."
"Will you kill him?" Alvina spoke gently as her father let go, her gaze still wandering over the ground sheepishly.
Aethelwulf frowned, looking towards his daughter. "That is for your grandfather to decide." He answered, though she knew he would if it were his choice. She knew everything in this villa. And, not only did her father loathe the heathens, but he often disagreed with his own father's decisions. Perhaps some of that stemmed from Judith's indiscretions that the siblings often chose to ignore.
Nevertheless, Alvina returned to her usual tasks of daily life. She read and wrote, played music and even went for a ride on one of the horses. By noon she had almost completely forgotten about the heathen who inhabited their prison. That was, of course, until Æthelred caught up to her.
"Father said he found you leaving the heathen this morning." The word heathen left his lips with a certain venom that she found unjust. They were people, just like he was were they not?
Alvina nodded, "I didn't like to see him suffer."
Her face was sorrowful at the thought of any pain they may have caused the Viking while Æthelred seemed only amused at her naivety. She thought that was suffering? Perhaps he had misjudged the situation after all. She was not sympathising with heathens and turning her back upon her faith, but rather she was the same girl he had always known. The girl that stood in front of a pheasant when he tool her hunting, the girl that cried because some old woman she never knew had died. Although she was courageous and confident, and spoke of having the stomach to fight like any man, she was still the kindest soul that he'd ever known. He believed thoroughly that she would've died for that stupid bird, just as he believed she would give her life to protect any living creature - even if that creature was a Viking.
"Dear sister," He gave an amused smile. "You know he is our enemy?"
Alvina nodded mournfully, "But why must we be enemies?"
"They kill our people." He spoke flatly.
"And we have killed theirs." She retorted.
"You're not on their side now are you, Alvina?" He asked with a worried look that told the girl he was sincere. Æthelred had always taken after their father and she could see that familiar concern flaring in his ocean eyes.
She smiled, shaking her head. "I am, as I have always been, a Christian Princess, brother." She walked backwards, her confidence shining through again. "Only my God says not to judge others and condemn them falsely. My God teaches us to be kind, no matter who it is before you."
HAVE Y'ALL SEEN SEASON SIX?!!!!! HOLY CHEESEGRATER I DIDN'T THINK I COULD LOVE IVAR ANYMORE. I WAS SEVERELY WRONG.
