Destiny Enslaved (editing)

part 57

Part 57

The whispers of the fichfich caressed my mind as Ivar waited behind me.

Destiny awaits

I was stunned by the electric fear coursing through my body. A feeling that had me trembling beneath my pretty wrapping. I watched as the shield maidens inched forward but they were hesitant; keeping Aziza and the others enveloped and unaware of the situation.

As the thoughts of the gods and visions churned in my head, I heard a male voice demand attention

Look at me.

The voice had to be in my head...

No one else reacted to its force.

The others stared at me, then at the floor behind me. My breath shuddered in my chest.

A tingling coursed through me as I turned around to look down into Ivar's eyes.

They were blue as sapphires under a Mediterranean sky... his black hair made them shine even more. His expression was stony as he stared back at me.

But the eye contact was brief. As soon as I had turned around, Ivar took me all in, and then he turned away to continue his trek.

I was immobilised.

For my hopes to have soared so high- for something ineffable- what was I even hoping?

''and what is this treasure you have brought back my son?!''

The woman, lagertha, called out above the stunned crowd.

I was reluctant to turn and look at her until the doors were closed as Ivar crawled out into the night.

When I did all eyes were on my veiled form.

Bjorn stood before the woman with a strange tension about him as he was the only one who did not stare at me expectantly. Instead, he faced Lagertha waiting patiently for her attention to fall on him again. I could not see his face, but Lagertha's expression softened before she wrapped her arms around Bjorn.

''welcome home son.'''

He hugged her back though it was stiff- aware that all eyes now fell on him with the same expectancy.

Bjorn unwrapped himself from his mother before turning to address the crowd.

''I have come from the south- from the shores far beyond Frankia- '' I could see people had become awed by the prospect of there being more to the world than they had known- if only they knew the truth.

varangians; men of the oath- warriors of the north had stalked the eastern palaces for decades...

A stabbing pain shot through my head making me feel dizzy.

Though I managed to keep my footing, my eyes searched for Aziza or Magda – I didn't feel right... I felt unsteady and nauseous as lagertha stalked towards me

Bjorn still Enthralled in his speech as the crowd were slack-jawed did not notice his mother. She stopped a few feet away looking me up and down.

''take off that veil. I want to see your eyes.'' She commanded steadily as her son continued to rave about our lost home.

Another stab to my temple and I crouched placing my palms on the floor to steady myself. But I said nothing. I couldn't because the world was spinning as Bjorn raved and lagertha stared menacingly down at me. if I spoke, I was going to vomit.

Lagertha waited for a beat before stepping forward and removing my veil from my head and throwing it away.

The cold bit my bare flesh. I had been ordered to dress for this meeting and now I was revealed... Lagertha looked down her nose appraising my pathetic and vulnerable state.