Ayana's Pov
I found the little smile staying across my face gazing at the scene that was right here. This was a real cause for my happiness and relaxation. "I see that you enjoy the snow don't you? It's also my favorite the winter." I chuckled a little holding Rùne up on my hip making sure I had her all buddled up with some furs.
It seemed the little things excited her from nature, to even animals to things she hasn't yet to see she loves going out by the lakes and watching Ivar hunt.
She released out a loud happy giggle keeping her small hand stretched out catching snowflakes watching them melt in her palm, she was fascinated.
"Pretty mommy." She giggled at me quietly making me melt from the softness. I watched her curious eyes look over to where a few shield maidens were training, even in the winter everyone was as busy as possible.
"Mommy what's that?" I heard her quiet voice question a bit. For her about to entering being one year of age she was extremely smart.
"That's called Shield Maidens sweetie, they are like dad when he goes out a fight they are the fiercest female warriors you'll meet." She looked with so much awe, a grin making its way across her baby face.
Something tells me you are gonna wanna be a shield maiden when you get older. I could hear someone was joining me from where I was walking outside their footsteps coming closer.
"Hello Bjorn." I called gently spinning around to face him flashing him a smile which he returned.
"Hello sister in law, and my cute little niece what are you guys doing out here, it's freezing?" I chuckled softly while Rùne was giggling.
"Just getting some fresh air showing Rùne around Kattegat she likes nature." I told him casually.
I handed her over for Bjorn to hold her which he carefully held her in his hip walking along side with me. "What's on your mind?" I flicked my eyes over to him a little surprised that someone could easily tell.
"You pace a lot when you are bothered by something, just something I noticed." He shrugged his shoulders back chuckling deeply supporting Rùne's back.
"Just Veronica the new thrall, I have never met a girl so disrespectful before it's already Winter she arrived during the summer and I'm very close to the end of the second pregnancy. She knows no boundaries, she flirts and pushes herself onto Ivar in front of everyone and Ivar sometimes does nothing or isn't paying attention. I never let her watch Rùne at all with the thought that she would purposely hurt her, and I want to get a new one, but I feel like that's just being picky, she calls me a whore and the last time she did it in front of Ivar he yelled loudly."
Bjorn was humming along deeply listening to me closely.
"It sounds like to me she is jealous that you are in a position she isn't in anymore, she was a princess, now she is nothing, you aren't a whore you were a second wife,and their duties are usually to have children, you however won Ivar over and Veronica can't handle that. She's doing it on purpose to push your buttons because she wants you to have a freak out."
I listened closely to Bjorn who was gently bouncing Rùne on his hips while she was giggling.
"I wanna tell her off so much but then I always stop myself because I don't wanna abuse my power or my status." Bjorn once again was nodding his head deeply listening to me.
"It's not abusing your power of queen, there's a difference between yelling at innocent people who did nothing, versus putting someone in their place that deserves it, so Ayana in my eyes she deserves it, so yell all you need." Bjorn smirked a bit.
"You are an amazing queen, but you are a little soft when it comes to stuff like that, you are married to a ruthless Viking and have Ragnar sons as brother in laws, stand up for yourself." I chewed harshly at my lower lip.
"Thank you Bjorn." I muttered I really needed that kind of talk I hated always bugging Ivar about every little thing.
"You're very welcome now come on, you are very round these coming months I have a feeling that baby will be born my next spring." I laughed a bit glancing at my very round stomach placing my hand over it before we made our way back inside to the throne room.
By the time dinner rolled around with all the brothers and their wives sitting around the large table. You could tell Ivar wasn't too much in a good mood sitting next to me rubbing his hand all over the bump while he was drinking keeping Rùne in his lap while he feed her.
"Look at how good of a dad Ivar is." Hvitserk chuckled quietly keeping Margrethe close to him who was giggling up a storm.
"Of course I'm a good father." Ivar smirked shaking his head.
"Plus my kids are beautiful." I snorted quietly, shaking my head amused drinking the rest of the water to wash out the taste in my mouth.
"How many kids do you plan on having?" Sigurd questioned looking quite bored actually.
"Like five, maybe six." I quickly shook my head so fast.
"Ivar are you trying to kill my body!" I exclaimed fast sending him laughing so loud the entire table started laughing a bit.
"Four." I gave him a stern look.
"Alright fine love four." He chuckled shaking his head he licked his inner he pinched at Rùne's cheeks softly while she was kept eating.
A couple thralls were spread around the room. Including Veronica and I saw her deeply playing with her hair a bit looking in thought.
"Four offspring not bad actually." Ivar chuckled leaning close to me nuzzling his head on my shoulder a bit. He waved Veronica over to fill his cup up. She came over grabbing the mug.
"Though I make speak, so Queen Ayana can actually keep her legs closed? More then four times." Everyone stopped what they were doing to stare at her quite in shock. I took a breather in.
"Oh no." Bjorn chuckled quietly staring straight at me fully his blue eyes showing curious eyes.
"Veronica I swear." Ivar grumbled loudly narrowing his eyes.
"But it's a genuine question my king, you have a whore for a queen." I quickly grabbed Rùne away from Ivar just when Ivar slammed his fist on the table.
"You will stop disrespecting her! You will know your place or I will have you killed in front of everyone." I quickly spoke fast handing Rùne over to Arya who flashed me a soft apologetic look.
"She will be safe with me my queen." She bowed her head at me.
"Veronica you keep disrespecting me, and I've let it slide it time, you call me a whore and you call me all these names with no proof at all." I let my voice stay calm and collected even though I was shaking with rage.
"You say I slept around to get my rank when that is impossible, when I met Ivar I was already a princess from my home land, when I married him, I never laid in bed with another man." I shook my head deeply.
"You spread absurd rumors about me, that I sleep around Kattegat when I'm always by Ivar's side or doing duties around the kingdom. Now I understand you are bitter about your new status. I know it must be hard going from being a pretty princess lazing around getting what ever you want." Her glare was so hard her body was shaking.
"That's were you and me are different, I worked my way to get here, not by sleeping around, by being myself, and by looking after other's as well. So I'm gonna repeat know your place Veronica, or I'll just have to put you in yours." Her mouth fell open so quickly and it seemed she couldn't say anything even Ivar looked startled staring at me his mouth dropped open.
"Taught her well." Bjorn snickered quietly.
"That was... Attractive." Ivar muttered a little kissing on my cheek, Veronica slammed the mug down storming off.
"I didn't even yell, was it bad?" I questioned confused.
"The worse way to make a person mad is to tell them off calmly by breaking them down, pointing out who they are and Ayana that's what you just did." Ubbe laughed quietly a little. Ivar chuckled.
"She deserved it.. I gotta get rid of her now causes she just annoying now. I hate having to find new thralls." Ivar grumbled a little.
"I don't need thralls Ivar I told you that." I chuckled exhaling a hard breath I didn't know I was holding back. I guess I really haven't stood up for myself since being here for almost a year.