The Boneless and The beast

Chapter 5: perhaps my fate is fixed now too

~three weeks later~

Fiadh POV

Since what happened that night in the bath with Ivar, we've both pretended to be distant with each other. After all I am still a slave or a thrall, he's used both terms towards me. I've enjoyed training with Ivar and his brothers, it was easy to see how each of them fight. Although tension between Sigurd and Ivar have been higher than ever, any minute they could stab each other or pay for someone to shoot them with a both like when people go out to hunt deer and boar for the people of Kattegat but we are still Vestfold, I've been getting fed better but I still steal shark and whale scraps to give to people that were left to starve most days, I even stole some money to give the poorer people too. I do this even though they talk down about me when I pass them by in the day, I mean why wouldn't they, they don't know that it is me helping them with food and the money.

On the positive sides of things Ivar have had many a night like that night in the bath, he always kept me close to him in his sleep, he'd let out little whimpers of pain because of his legs, I'd try to take his pain but I couldn't, I usually can, it's just a wolf thing...well at least I think it is a wolf thing to take the pain of someone, I did it all the time on the battlefield back home, it take a lot on my body.

"Ivar ignore him.." I hear hvitserk raise his voice, pulling me out of my thoughts. Ivar, his brothers and King Harald with halfdan were all sat at a large table, Sigurd was at the other end really starting to taunt Ivar, you could see in Ivar's eyes and body language that he was ready to kill....when wasn't he. "Well maybe that because your not really a man, are you? Boneless" Sigurd says, Ivar looked down embarrassed, his hand gripping the arm of the chair tightly. 'It appears the only that kept the sons of Ragnar together...was the death of there father' bjorns voice rang in my ears, thinking back to when we were still in York. 'Poor bjorn...it is you who doesn't want to keep the army together, IT IS YOU...who wants to go away to sunny places..' I remember Ivar arguing back.

"Everyone can follow me..." I hear Ivar says pulling me out of my thoughts again, sigurd stood up clearly annoyed "I do not want to follow you Ivar, you are crazy...you have a mind of a child" he stated, "and you do is play music Sigurd.." Ivar spat through his teeth, "I am just as much a son of Ragnar as you are.." Sigurd says before bringing his goblet to his lips. "I'm not so sure...as far as I remember Ragnar didn't play the oote (sorry if spelt wrong) and certainly didn't offer his ass to other men" Ivar stated gaining more confidence, the crowd of people all went 'ooh' and some laughed. "You make me laugh, just like you do when you crawl around like a baby" Sigurd said resting one of his hands on the table,
"SHUT YOUR MOUTH!" Ivar roared thumbing his fist on the table making cutlery shake on it. "Enough.." Hvitserk said calmly already over with this petty argument. "This has nothing to do with you.." Ivar said, he looked as it if could throw fire past his lips. "What's the matter Ivar? Can't take it?" Sigurd carried on. "Do not listen to him brother" Hvitserk say looking over to Ivar. "No yes it must be hard for you now that your mum is dead, knowing she's the only one who ever really loved you" Sigurd say thinking this was the end of the fight and took another sip of his drink. "Ivar.." Hvitserk was about to speak as Ivar picked up his axe and through it and it landed in Sigurd chest. "IVAR!" Hvitserk yells seeing what just happened.

Ivar POV

I just lost it, anger took over and I threw the axe. Only seconds later for me to realize what I just did. Sigurd was still alive as he took the axe out from his chest and came towards me with it raised in his hand, I sat back bracing myself for the axe should he throw it at me but he collapsed dead Infront of the table for all to see. "No!" Hvitserk yelled jumping over the table to see Sigurd, blood spilling from his body through his light blue tunic and onto the ground below us. I was now shocked and saddened, hvitserk looked up at me with so much and anger and disappointment, 'What did I just do' I thought to myself.