The fury and rage that Ivar felt intoxicated his senses. Watching Yasmeen, gorgeous, dependable, perfect Yasmeen, be taken away, in nothing but rags, with a thrall's chain around her neck, enraged him. Yasmeen wasn't meant to be in filthy, overworn rags. She was meant to be in the finest silk, decked in the most lustrous gold. So simple was Ivar's mistake--but it cost his happiness--even if it was only for a month. But with Harald, Ivar knew that Harald would sooner rape, mutilate, and torture her, and incite war in the process, for the thrill of power it would give him. Ivar didn't look at Harald. He didn't need to; smugness radiated from the cunt.
Ivar snapped his head to the shriveled lawmaker, the hatred in his chest suffocating him.
"She was to be my wife," Ivar couldn't help it, he needed to say something--but he couldn't say it.
"Then it would have been better to serve her punishment now--rather than after you have bonded," Midrigar said, unsympathetic and unconcerned.
"Then I would like to bring forth a complaint," Ivar bit out. "I have the right--same as him."
"You do," Midrigar said. "Against whom do you bring forth this complaint?"
"Against several culprits, you may decide for yourself, if you proclaim yourself just. The Allting is held, ceremonially, three times a year, as is our custom, after the three named norns. Once in the Autumn solstice, once in the Summer solstice and once in the Winter Solstice, officially. It can be held no more than nine times a year, unceremoniously, for the worlds that our Yggdrasil holds, once for every mother of Heimdall, our great overseer, at the beginning of each month save for the first three of the year, in consideration to our raiding seasons. No exceptions can be lawfully made, since this Allting is held today, on the 8th eve of the eighth month. No Allting can be lawfully held on the eighth day of any month, certainly not the eighth month. On this matter, the law has been violated. Do you deny, Lawmaker?"
"Ivar," Ubbe hissed behind him, "Do not--"
"Shut up," Ivar hissed back.
"I do not," Midrigar said stiffly, his beady eyes watching Ivar coldly. The old fart really thought he was getting away with this.
"That means that every decision you made here today is unlawful, do you deny?"
"I do not." Midrigar said stiffly. "I will resign my seat to you as lawmaker for today, so this trial may proceed justly. I trust you Ivar, as a Lawmaker, trained and trialed under the Allting and the Former Queen Aslaug, and a Prince of State yourself, to be just and mindful.""
"As it should," Ivar nodded approvingly. Now he played all the cards. Ivar turned and looked the Shamed King dead in the eyes--the man looked livid. Furious even. "I shall not disappoint."
"Proceed," Hargur, another Lawmaker croaked.
The people murmured uneasily. "Then Harald's claim has no bearing--nor does your verdict. Your punishment towards Herfna is unjust and unfounded then. Do you deny?"
"I do not," Midrigar said, seemingly unfazed, but clearly uncomfortable.
"Are there any objections or commentations towards this claim?" Ivar called out, looking towards all the witnesses.
"You cannot disregard a King's claim!" It was Prince Halfdan who spoke. His face was red with displeasure. Good.
"Is a King not held accountable for his own folly? King Harald called an unlawful Allting, to which you all answered, unlawfully, and caused the unlawful injury of one of my citizens on an unlawful claim. Does that sound lucid to you, my Prince?" Ivar sounded cold, even to himself, and he was surprised. That quickly turned to satisfaction when everyone shifted.
"An unlawful Allting is punishable by the giving one third of the Caller's assets to the injured party. The Lawmaker who proceeds with an unlawful Allting must have his position revoked for the turn of 27 days and must pay 50 silver ingots to the injured party, as it was recited by Midrigar himself, in the beginning. Every person who willingly answered the call and attended the unlawful Allting must pay 10 silver ingots each to the injured party. The injured party includes, but it not limited to, the person who stood on trial before the witnesses, the witnesses called forth for the injured party, the defense for the injured party, and the one who bore the punishment. As it is, the Caller's claim is immediately voided and all the assets taken from the Injured party are returned, and the claim cannot be brought forth again at any other Allting."
Ivar continued, delighted in the power he wielded. For the better half of his youth, Ivar had apprenticed under the Lawmakers, because Aslaug felt it was important, given the circumstances of his condition. Everything was paying off nicely now. He revelled in the souring faces of the crowd.
"Do the Lawmakers deny?" Ivar turned, looking every lawmaker dead in the eye.
"I do not," came the chorus.
"Does the crowd deny?"
"No," came the petulant chorus.
"As Acting Lawmaker, presiding over this unlawful Allting, here is my Verdict. King Harald, you and yours will immediately return Yasmeen back to me along with this compensation: 90 silver ingots from yourself and Prince halfdan, each, and 1 third of your assets in the form of Cattle and Gold. You will continue to provide Herfna compensation for unlawful punishment under your unlawful command. You may not retaliate against me or mine for this verdict, for it is lawful, and nor may you recall your same claim as it is voided and can no longer be lawful under any circumstances, before the Gods and all the Witnesses. You will sign this pact with blood, as is our custom.
"For every witness here today, you will each pay 10 silver ingots to the injured party, my betrothed, Yasmeen, as well as 5 silver ingots to every witness brought forth here today. It is the price to pay for desecrating the holiness of the Allting's custom.
"To Midrigar, presiding Lawmaker of this unlawful Allting, you will resign your position as lawmaker for 27 days and pay 50 silver ingots as compensation to the injured party, as is our custom.
"As personal compensation for bringing forth claims against me to dishonor me and defame me, I will demand that each one of you attend my Wedding with good will and hearts free of malice and vengeance, a moon from today. In the future, you may not retaliate against me nor hold a grudge against me for today's happenings. I also demand that each and every person swear fealty again to our Lawful King Harald to remind us of our places and remind us of our laws and customs. This is my personal compensation and it is lawful and reasonable.
"Do any of you deny?"
Silence met Ivar.
"Do any of you deny?" Ivar turned to look at Harald and Halfdan, both faces sour and finally, Harald uttered a single 'No'.
The then rest followed--no, no, no, no.
"Then let us proceed," Ivar called out, flipping out his dagger and making a long, shallow cut across his palm, holding it out and planting it against the altar of the Allting. "First, I will have my betrothed returned to me and redressed in the clothing befitting her status."
*
I felt numb as I shuffled on to the ship. I also couldn't help but feel betrayed. Why didn't Ivar do anything more? But what could he have done?
Still, he could have done more than kiss away my tears and hand me over like a lamb to the slaughter.
The feelings of betrayal pent up inside me, I was almost shuffling to the longboat. I didn't have it in me to resist. But my stomach churned so violently, I doubled over and before I knew it, acidic barf climbed up my throat and splattered onto the floor.
"Stand up straight," the guard behind me pinched my shoulder blade, making me cry out. "Hold yourself together."
"Don't touch her," the other guard muttered, "She still belongs to the Boneless Prince."
"Not for this month, she does not," the other guy muttered and I rolled my eyes.
"Stop right there!" It was Sigurd's voice. Was I imagining things?
I turned around quickly, hope flaring in my chest. Even in the dark, all I could see was the tall frame of Sigurd astride his great black steed. He got off his horse and held up a scroll.
"By order of Ivar Ragnarsson, Acting Lawmaker, Yasmeen' thralldom has been voided. She is not yours to touch, norseman. That woman is officially and uncontestedly a freedwoman."
I dropped to my knees shakily. Was I imagining things? From Sigurd Snake-in-the-Eye no less?
"Where is he?" I croaked weakly, almost falling flat on my face if Sigurd hadn't bent and lifted me up like a little doll. "Where is Ivar?"
"He is busy gathering compensation for you," Sigurd said curtly, gently setting me on his horse and then unsheathing his sword. "Any insult to the house of Munsö is an insult to me and mine. You will do well to remember that, soldier."
"Yes, Prince," the man sneered stiffly. Sigurd elegantly topped his horse behind me, gripping the reigns and riding away from the port.
I was safe. I wasn't going to hell.
Ivar saved me.
He didn't sit back and hold his silence.
I fainted from the relief.
*
And then I woke up when the horse jostled me and by then we had arrived in front of my house, in Ivar's protectorate. All the fires were open, all of our banners were raised and there, Ivar stood at the top of the stairs, feet apart, wearing nothing but his titular suit. In the pillar of the torches that he stood in between I could make out the brightness of his eyes, fluorescent and I could have sworn that blue steam was permeating from his eyes. I felt goosebumps go down my back at the sight. I could barely wait to get off the horse. Once Ivar saw us in view, he stepped down and the horse came into a halt, with Ivar meeting us halfway.
"Thank you, brother," Ivar acknowledged Sigurd curtly. "I will remember this."
"As will I," Sigurd said solemnly. "I must return to my spouse now."
I jolted in surprise. Sigurd was married? Huh, I never knew. I didn't really know much about Sigurd to begin with. Ivar never really spoke of him. Still, I was grateful.
"Thanks," I muttered.
"Speak no more, Yasmeen," Ivar warned me curtly, wrapping an arm around me and lifting me from the horse and gently setting me on the ground. In my dizziness, I swayed and very quickly, the floor rose up to meet me. Good grief but I felt awful.
I woke up again, this time I was on soft furs, completely naked, covered in a light blanket, considering the coolness of the summer night. I blinked blearily at the ruinated ceiling and then turned my head--I was back in our room, this was all just a nightmare.
"Ivar?" I croaked. My face felt swollen and I felt sick.
A rustle and in my view came Ivar, shirtless--naked even.
"How are you?" he asked me.
"Not bad," I nodded. "Did we both have the same nightmare?"
"We lived it," Ivar corrected coming to lie down next to me on top of the covers. I shamelessly let my gaze glide over his body. "But luckily, now I am substantially wealthier as a result. An unlawful Allting can alter the course of fate. Drink."
I guessed at that. At the time, it seemed hopeless and irreversible. Ivar, my hero, my husband, he fixed everything. He was the only one who could have fixed it. I was powerless and helpless in a world like this, with a status such as mine. My size and lack of muscle definition alone couldn't have hoped to execute an escape from Harald. Even if I tried, Ivar would have paid the consequences and in every scenario, it was infinitely easier to just go with what happened to me. But no, Ivar let no one else become master over him. Ivar did what he did best. Ivar handed me a small horn. When I drank it, the flavor of cold, sweet mead, watered down with lemon and ice filled my mouth and refreshed me significantly. I sighed joyfully and Ivar took back the horn from me, finishing the rest, putting his lips where mine were. I flushed at the vulgarity of the act.
"I was so afraid," I whispered numbly. "I know it was going to be for a month--but I was ready to kill myself before that."
"Even against my explicit command?" Ivar's voice took on a cold edge. The lack of empathy and compassion surprised me. I didn't expect him to think so highly of me and expect me to not lose my brain in a moment like that.
"Halfdan would have incited war to rape me and torture me," I said flatly. "You didn't see the look in his eye when Midrigar gave his verdict. He was ready to go to hell for his victory."
Ivar remained silent.
"I believe you," Ivar finally settled on saying, one large, calloused hand moving to cup me between my thighs, beneath the sheets. I cried out when I felt one finger ease into me. "For that, I will raise my defenses even more--I will ensure the loyalty of my men. The next time, you will obey me regardless. I wasn't going to leave you at their mercy."
"Ha," I moaned softly, turning to bury my face in his chest, throwing one leg over his hip. Ivar took the invitation and eased another finger into me. Honestly, that man was a criminal for this. "To protect--?"
"You," he finished for me, swallowing my moan with a scorching kiss. "Help you sleep in peace, allow me to love you in peace, have children with you in peace, allow you to flourish in peace, rule in peace, and help me live lawfully so I can be beyond reproach--so that you may never be used against me."
"How romantic," I giggled bashfully--the giggles stopped when he curled one long finger within me. I nearly screamed from the pleasure.
"You lost your touch," Ivar said dryly, holding up a soaking wet hand, "It took two fingers and a few sweet words for you to come like a landslide."
"Sincere words," I corrected breathlessly. Ivar gently stroked my lip with his soaked fingers. I pressed a soft kiss there and he quickly removed his fingers, replacing with his lips.
"Sincere words," he agreed, slowly peeling away the furs from my body and rolling over me. "Now turn around and raise your ass."
"No," I pouted, "That hurts more, you know that."
"Exactly," Ivar said coolly. "So the next time you think of leaving me or disobeying me in difficult circumstances, you will remember this feeling."
I pouted harder, already knowing it was going to happen but still fighting it. "It was a moment of weakness, Ivar, please."
"I would have burned the world for you," Ivar snarled. "I would have dragged you from Hel to stay by my side. You cannot afford to be weak."
I stared at him, my mouth slightly open. "Is that a declaration of love?" I was half-flattered and half-nervous so here I was, half-assedly teasing the psycho.
"Turn around," Ivar disregarded my question. "If I have to do it for you, it will hurt more."
I huffed, feeling dread boil in my stomach. Ivar would never seriously injure me. Anal sex was not my favourite. I was never lubricated enough and with Ivar, his monstrous attributes made that particular act nearly unbearable. I reluctantly turned around to my hands and knees, not missing the way Ivar's fingers scraped against my nipples.
"Face down, ass up," he snapped. I followed his command, feeling a different sort of heat gather below. Only with Ivar. It didn't help that his voice was deep and effortlessly commanding. I was such a sucker for that guy. He was never my ideal type, but somehow, he made himself my ideal type.
Ivar's hands, large as they were, when they rested on my buttcheeks, nearly took up my entire bottom effortlessly. Enough that he could easily slide one thumb all the way inside me. I cried out at the foreign intrusion. Not painful yet, just surprising.
"That didn't even hurt," Ivar snarled from above me, giving a squeeze to one cheek.
"Oh," I gasped when he slid his thumb out, letting it drag along my slit.
"Shameful," he hissed, his voice laced with enough smugness that I can physically feel it. I rolled my eyes, knowing he was talking about how wet I was.
"Roll your eyes one more time and I won't bother to spit in your ass before I take you," Ivar warned me, giving me a light slap on my thigh. I straightened out. "Sorry," I cleared my throat.
"Angle your hips outwards more," Ivar commanded me, "Spread yourself more."
I obeyed and Ivar wasted no time. In a second after I shifted myself, Ivar's lips were pressed against my opening, doing sinful things that made me horrified to think about. I cried out in pleasure, tears building in my eyes from how good it felt. I could feel it building up and spazzing inside me.
"Please," I begged. I was so close--
Why did he pull away??
Before I could turn around and demand an explanation, Ivar's impressive and regrettably large girth pushed inside me, meeting a ridiculous amount of resistance, even with Ivar's aid.
White flashed in my vision. I couldn't even scream. A choked sound came from my throat but that was all I could make, even when he began thrusting. So fast, so hard, so deep. Hitting places inside me that made my eyes roll backwards and my legs tremble. Pleasure? Pain? I couldn't tell.
"Slower," I panted, feeling a little, embarrassing strain of drool flow from my mouth.
Ivar picked up an even harder pace and set it. I was seeing stars in my vision. Like a snake to its prey, one hand came forward and pulled me up by my shoulder, slithering to hold me up by one heavy breast. "Gently," I begged, almost delirious with the overwhelming pleasure and pain. I tried to angle my hips away from his thrusting but catching on quickly, Ivar set a firm hand on my pelvis, holding me in place, setting an even harder pace.
I screamed in pleasure when that same hand trailed down and rubbed me into sweet heights. This time, I angled my hips to his thrusts. My senses were sizzling with awareness. I came like a fire hydrant and I could feel his chest rumbling with satisfaction.
"Once more," he insisted. "Then I will take you against the wall."
"I can't," I whimpered, tears streaming down my face. In a few moments, another orgasm ripped through me, more painful than the last. "Arrgghhh---did you come yet?"
"I'm still going to take you against the wall," Ivar grunted, roughly pulling out of me, all the hard length of him. I screamed from the pain of it, falling forward, knees buckling. Before I knew it, Ivar flipped me on my back, lifting me up and forcing me to wrap my limbs around him.
"Ivar, please, my love," I tried to speak in one strangled breath, but almost choked on my drool, which was now trailing to my collarbones, euch. "Gently this time."
Ivar made no sign to tell me that he heard me. Instead, he pressed me against the wall, gentler than I expected, and entered me in one hard thrust. It was more pleasurable this time. My front was wetter than my behind, and I got to look at his face, tight with effort. He was gorgeous. A beast.
"Don't drop me," I whimper under my breath and Ivar let out a breathy chuckle.
"Come first," he commanded me and I shook my head weakly. "I can't--arggghh."
In the span of one really long fuck, I already managed to cum thrice before that guy could. Was he an incubus in disguise? At this point, the thought of another orgasm was almost despicable. Forced orgasm...that was a form of punishment, apparently.
One last, raw thrust, hot fluid filled me and I went limp in his arms. By then, Ivar's arms were shaking with the effort to keep me upright. He slowly led us both back to bed. He put one hand down next to me and then held it back up.
"Did you drool?" he asked me incredulously. I opened one eye, shooting him an annoyed glare.
"So what if I did?"
"Very uninspiring," he said dryly, pressing a kiss against my shoulder
"And I will do it again," I promised, turning over before all the fluids gushed out of me and ruined the furs. "Can you pass me a wet cloth or something?"
"Hmm," Ivar grunted, rising up from the bed and shuffling around. I heard some water splashing and for a moment, nothing happened but then I felt his gentle hand against my hip, slowly opening my knees and the cool, wet cloth gently hit my center. The sensation of the cold wet cloth against my raging center made me moan in relief. It felt so good, I could almost hear it steaming. Ouch.
"Thanks," I sighed, moving my arm aside to let him fondle one breast. "You were too rough today."
"I was furious," Ivar said curtly, offering no more explanation.
"My fear made me think silly things," I told him honestly, as placatingly as I could. I raised one arm and gently stroked his shoulder. I glanced up at his hooded face in the firelight. "I would do just the same for you, Ivar. But please, never doubt me."
"Good to know," he said curtly, finally cleaning me and raising the covers over the both of us. He pulled me over his hard, steaming body and the moment I rested my head on his shoulders, I fell asleep.
*
"Ivar," I hissed, my knees on the floor, tears streaming down my face. Down below, everything felt like an open sore, I was raw. "Ivar, I can't walk."
"This isn't your first time," Ivar looked down at me, simultaneously disdainful and satisfied. I glared at him and grabbed a slipper, aiming for his head. "Throw this and I will make sure you won't sleep for a week."
"You deserve it," I hissed, absolutely infuriated. I was so furious I was in tears. I had so much to do. Yesterday's traumatic happenings couldn't come in my way. "If you punish me for throwing this at you, I will emasculate you, Prince."
Ivar laughed cruelly, bending down and tucking his hands under my arms, effortlessly lifting me up and straightening my dress. I had originally fallen after trying to take a step out of bed. This was honestly humiliating. "I'll get you an ointment from Helga."
I paused. Speaking of Helga, our local 'healer,' was Herfna at her station? The thought of Herfna soured my morning. She wasn't likeable, but what happened to her last night made my stomach churn--horror, disgust, injustice? I couldn't tell.
"Ivar," I whispered weakly, holding my stomach. "I think I will be sick."
"Don't say that," his face took on an alarmed expression, quickly sifting through the room and pulling a chamber pot towards me. The stench made me glare at him but I had no time. Soon, I was bent over it, retching, with Ivar holding my hair away from my face.
"What is it?" Ivar was concerned. "What did you eat yesterday?"
"Goat cheese and rice," I huffed.
"Rice," Ivar furrowed his brows. "Makes you sick?"
Rice wasn't a thing in their culture, but I managed to buy it from an exotic merchant and it reminded me of home. Ivar didn't believe in rice and thought I was silly to have it. I shook my head. "That is a raw product, it never made me sick. The thought of Herfna did."
"Herfna," Ivar repeated, incredulous. "She is under Helga's care. I am sure she will recover well."
"No she won't," I shook my head weakly. "She won't recover fully. Her legs will need to be rebroken into place and splinted tightly for a few months with no activities using her leg. They might need to take her leg! She will hate herself."
"She was a disrespectful little chit," Ivar snapped.
"She didn't deserve what happened to her," I shook my head weakly, allowing Ivar to help me up again. Slowly, he helped me limp back to bed. "She was overzealous in obeying her King. He was a terrible king to begin with."
"Regardless," Ivar shook his head. "That is the decreed punishment. Save your compassion and sympathy for your servants, wife, not for your enemies."
"We have to take good care of her though," I furrowed my brows, the guilt eating me alive. It was because of me that Herfna may never properly engage in combat, the one thing she took enjoyment in, clearly.
"The expense of her recovery will come from King Harald," Ivar shook his head. "She is lucky she is even allowed to reside in my protectorate."
"Ivar," I pouted, sitting down and violently flinching. I was incredibly sore. I still felt nauseous but it was slowly receding. "Ivar don't be so cruel. Give her a chance."
"I cannot give traitors a chance," Ivar said. "Even if I wanted to. She was of my ilk, and yet she chose to betray me before everyone, and she made her allegiance clear. I cannot grant her forgiveness. She will face exile once she has fully recovered."
"Ivar," I whimpered. "Don't do th--"
"This is not up for debate, Yasmeen. Study our laws and cultures first, then you may speak of such matters," he admonished me and I blushed with shame. "You do not understand enough of either if you can still speak such sentiments."
"Sorry," I muttered, thoroughly mortified. His reasoning was so sharp, I hated it.
"Don't be," Ivar sighed, rubbing the bridge of his nose. "Just focus on the wedding for now. I will begin your tutelage afterwards."
"Thanks," I muttered.
Ivar kissed my forehead, rising from bed and departing the room after picking up the chamberpot.
This morning went terribly, was all I can say.