You strolled through the castle looking for Ivar. It was odd to be in a place like this. You'd never been to England before and everything seemed odd. When you found Ivar, he was staring at a little model of the town Ivar planned to attack.
"Why are you playing with toys?" You asked and Ivar chuckled as he accepted you onto his lap.
"I am not. This is the whole town. I do not have to be inside the town to see how to position my army because of it." He explained, showing the figures and where he would be placing them.
"They look like Floki's toys." You insisted and he chuckled. "I want to try." When he glanced at you and then his plans he sighed. For several long, silent moments, he tried to decide between his unwavering desire to comply with every single wish you voiced and his victory.
"I am not sure. This is no game (Y/N)." He said carefully and you nodded, completely fine with his answer, after all you'd never planned or been in a war beyond a few sword fights as amusement.
Ivar, however, had imagined disappointment and frowned. He was unsure at what point he'd become docile and under your whim. Ubbe and Hvitserk would say since you'd married. Floki, who was far wiser in such things, would have said the day Ivar had seen you and forgotten how to speak for a moment.
You giggled and brought him out of his thoughts, kissing him softly, he leant into the kiss and chased it as you pulled away. "Here." He decided, pulling the little model over, the table it'd been sat on scraping over the floor.
He showed you his plans, smiling when you rested your head against his. There were a few sections of his army he had yet to place and you grabbed at the models. "I would put the smallest one here." You mumbled, talking about the groups Ivar had made.
"Why?" He asked, watching the beautiful look of you thinking and plotting. He kissed you again, just because he had the urge too.
"You have two just here so not many would get out of the gates. Those who do would tell someone what happened. But these could stop them. Or as many as they can." You offered and Ivar hummed.
"What else?" He asked curiously. Enjoying having you sat with him as he strategized. You moved several more parts and while Ivar could spot holes in the plan, that he planned to fix without telling you, he agreed to use your plan. "Perhaps you are better at this than I am." He said with a wide smile.
"Maybe I shall be better at battle too." You teased and he kissed your neck before chuckling.
"Maybe. But I will not let you get that chance. Train and learn all you wish. I would not want to lose you. And most battles are not even on the field." He smiled when you frowned and clearly didn't understand. You spent the rest of the evening with Ivar and his plots, stroking your hair as you rested your head on his shoulder.
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"(Y/N)." Someone called you and you jogged out to the small gathering of warriors who'd been left to protect you and keep hold of the land he'd taken. "Ivar and the army have returned."
"We will go to meet him." You decided, happy and excited to see Ivar again.
He was sat waiting for his men to gather again, people greeting each other, thanking the gods for being alive. As soon as Ivar saw you he smiled, looking a little worse for wears but content at least.
"Ivar." You hummed and ran to him. He caught you as you threw yourself at him, clutching you and glowering at anyone who should make a joke at his wife's utter dedication. "I was so worried."
"Why, how many times have I lost, hmm?" He asked and you smiled as he stroked your cheek.
"But you used my plan... and after you left I realised that." You stopped and stared at him for a moment before laughing. "You fixed it!" you accused.
"Perhaps. But your plan worked better than mine. We claimed another crop of land and the new arrivals will be able to hold it for me when they arrive in a few days." He said. You smiled and hugged him, Ivar's orders rumbling through him pleasantly as he stayed in his place, happy to sit with you and watch over everyone.