Nova's POV
"Does that hurt?" Torvi says while taking out a glass splinter from my palm as I flinch , but I don't say anything
We are on my crystal encrusted bed and the peach walls looked better before, she is sitting next to me and I am laying down with my hand on her lap, all I see is the ceiling. She has placed a warm water bowl on my side table and a washcloth. she dipped my hand in the water and is now picking out the glass pieces carefully
"Is it hurting?" she asked me with great concern
"Alot is hurting," I say as I look at her big eyes but then fix my graze up to the ceiling and warm tears roll down from the side of my eyes as I place my head on the pillow
She picks out the pieces and apply a green paste on both of my hand a tie my hand with bandages which smell like paper and I let her do whatever she wants because somehow I have given up on everything - especially on happiness
"You need to change" she says, "Your dress is covered in blood" her eyes widens
"My birthday dress, you mean" I reply still looking at the ceiling
"It is unfortunate what happened" she sighs and says, "But you have to face the reality ouf our lives ; be strong"
"Be strong?? I raise myself and sit on the bed after lying down like a dead woman for hours and I stare at her with my bloodshot, "Do you know what you and your heathens have done to my life? You ruined it!!! everything was fine, we had peace and then you!" I point at her with my bandaged hand "Ruined it, Christ will never forgive you" I say "You took away everything, everything I knew of" and I fall back to my bed in complete defeat holding the cross across my neck
"We did what had to be done, we are vikings, we are the warriors, it's all we know of" she says and keeps her hand on my shoulder as I turn my back towards her and roll over to another side with tears in my eyes
"I will get you a new dress, at-least change if you want to be mad at me or us. That blood on your dress can infect your wounds" She says while leaning with a washcloth to wipe the blood of my busted lip but I shrug
"Okay, I will not touch you but at-least talk to me, I will keep you safe" she says, "Think about it" and she leaves my chamber to find a new dress, silence creeps in and I stare at the moon outside my window, I can hear the heathens laughing downstairs and my heart aches.
I miss my father today, If he was here he wouldn't have let this happen. As his thoughts come to my mind, Torvi returns with my white night gown.
"Change into this" she says and lays it on my bed "Please?" she says and sits by my side
My dress stinks of blood and misery, I might as well change it. Every part of my body hurts and my soul aches. I gather strength to get up from my bed and and change into my night gown, my body is covered in bruises as I undress. After I change into my night gown, Torvi comes closer to me and puts her hand on my shoulder
"Sit Princess" as she gestures towards to vanity chair, I sit down and I look at my face in the mirror, I have never looked so ghostly before. My lip is busted and my body is in bruises, my hair is shabby but my appearance is least of my concern right now.
"Let's get you cleaned up" Torvi says and sinks in the washcloth in the warm water and rubs it on my face and neck, I hesitate but I let her touch me because her touch is gentle on my skin, she then proceeds to brush my hair.
As I remove my jewellery from my neck and ears, and in the mirror I see the chamber door open and it's the Brutal Handsome man called Ivar, he has a piece of cake in his hand
"A moment Torvi?" he gestures Torvi to leave the room as he enters my chamber
Torvi nods, then smiles at me and leaves my chamber
I start shivering as Ivar steps closer to me
(IVAR)
I start shaking like a tree in autum wind, my eyes start to get teary and my blood in my veins become warm
"Shhhhh It's okay, I won't harm you" he says while placing the piece of cake on my vanity and standing next to me, I shiver and look at myself in the mirror to try and avoid any eye contact
"I got you piece of cake.... I mean your birthday cake" he says and tilts his face to look into my eyes but I ignore
I just feel so numb.
"Your lip is bleeding" he says and reaches his finger to touch my lip but I turn my face away, my heart rate quickens
He retreats his hand and gives out a smile and says "Should I take it as a protest from your side?"
I am silent
"You ate anything?" he asks with concern
I am silent
"I never wanted any of this to happen, but it had to happen. You might just want to make peace with it" he says with anger
And I look at him
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Ivar's POV
And she looks at me, with those big brown eyes which I have never seen before. Her eyes are teary and beautiful at the same time. I know she is breaking on the inside but is trying so hard to be courageous. She has the most beautifully kind eyes I have ever seen, like my mother's
"I want you gone" She says and her voice is soft and strong at the same time, "Leave me be" she says after a pause and looks at herself in the mirror. She is quite annoying, I let go of my ego to bring her a stupid piece of cake and she won't even acknowledge it
What a Bitch, I think to myself
"Okay" I try to calm myself down and not kill her, I turn to make an exit but I take one last look at her
She throws the cake on the floor and starts sobbing
I have better things to do than wipe her tears and I leave, I have a meeting with my brothers
Torvi is standing outside the door
"Sorry I couldn't help but overhear" Torvi says while biting her lip
"It's alright, there wasn't any conversation to hear at all" I scoff, "she is being a bitch" I say
"Ivarrrrrrrr!!" Torvi's eyes become 10 times bigger, "You cannot talk like that about her, we took everything away from her today, have some sympathy" she lightly punches my arm and I laugh
"Okay, Okay. I don't care about her" I say, "Her happiness or sadness is of no use to me" I start walking in the lobby and Torvi follows me
"But she will try and escape" I smirk at Torvi
"You can't be sure" Torvi says with concern
"Oh I am sure as anything, I want you to keep close eye on her. 5 men around the clock are to guard her chamber" I say and stop "She is not supposed to leave her chamber till I order"
"But Ivar..." Torvi opens her mouth to speak but I interrupt
"You do as I say" I say
"Anyways a God like me has better things to do than worry about a pretty princess in distress" I laugh and Torvi smiles
"I trust you with her" I say as Torvi nods and smiles as I make my way to the war room where Hvitserk and Ubbe are waiting foe me.