You rode back into Kiev, angry and tired. People were crying at the sight of the dead and the injured people from the army.
After Oleg addressed his warriors and his people, you sighed and picked up Yrsa.
-
"Ivar! Astrid! Where are you?!" Igor asks as the guards pushed him through the halls of the palace.
"Igor. Don't worry, we're here!" Ivar called, moving as fast as he can to catch up with them.
Igor was locked inside his room for some unknown reason. Two guards remained outside the door as you, Hvitserk and Ivar stared at the scene.
Hvitserk grabbed the both of you, pulling you down the hallway.
-
Riding out of Kiev, you rode alongside your husband's carriage and Hvitserk's own horse and into the woods.
Many men were there, digging what looked like a large ditch.
"Who are these men?" Igor asked
"They are the most important officers in our army." Oleg replied
"Why are they digging a ditch?" The boy asked
"They need to be reminded that they're not as important as they imagine themselves to be. They need to be reminded to be humble." Oleg said
You were shocked as you watched the men be pushed out of the ditch and forced to line up before Oleg. He was going to kill nearly 20 of his best men.
"I don't want to watch." Igor said
You pitied the poor boy and hoped Oleg wouldn't make him but all hope drained when you saw the look in Oleg's eyes.
"You will do as I tell you. These officers betrayed their country. They ran from the battlefield like cowards. I must make an example out of them. They don't deserve to be spared."
Ivar sighed at this as Oleg ordered his men to proceed. Seeing your frown, he pulled you to sit on his lap, hoping that he could help distract you.
The men were viciously slaughtered, their bodies thrown into the ditch they dug.
Only two men survived and tried to run, falling to their knees before Oleg, begging for mercy.
"One day, Igor, this will be your kingdom. Show them what you will do to traitors." Oleg said, handing the teenage boy a sword
"Ivar, stop him." You whispered
"I cannot do anything, Astrid." Ivar quietly replies
You watch as Igor grabs the sword and holds it tightly.
"Prince Igor, please. I beg you for mercy!" One man said. "In the name of our Holy Mother! My wife and children... I do not deserve to die! Please! Please, don't kill me."
Igor looked to you and Ivar, earning a slow nod from your husband. You watched with a frown as Igor swung the sword.
Igor, with a face covered in blood, watched as Oleg took the sword from him, cleaning the blade with the dead man's clothing.
"Good." Oleg says
The men were buried by guards as you all rode off back to Kiev.
-
"I have to go. I have an appointment with Prince Oleg." Hvitserk says, staring at the man who stood on the balcony
"What for?" You ask
"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.
-