Signy was an orphan raised by the renowned boat builder Floki and his wife Helga. Growing up, she was best friends with the sons of the great Ragnar Lothbrok. However, when her half sister is to be sent to get married and Signy steps in to swap plac...
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"You're kidding me? Crossbows may be short ranged but in short range they obliterate the long bow!" I protested. Ivar sat at the other end of the table just sighing and shaking his head.
"A long bow takes far more skill!" He yelled back.
"That's because their not as good!" I answered.
"Not as good? Not as good?! You're joking? A long bow will obliterate its enemies from a mile away. Archers give you a distinct advantage in a fight because they hold off any oncoming forces! Can your crossbow do that?" He replied.
"can your crossbow do that." I mimicked him childishly. "Pfft look at me I know battle strategies."
Ivar just laughed at my annoyance and nudged my shoulder as I sulked at my defeat. "can we just agree that both weapons are useful?"
"Fine." I sighed.
We were sat in the Great Hall surrounded by drunk people as they danced and talked. The room was filled with a cacophony of sound. I didn't mind this though. It was nice to see it again. I'd missed being around people other than Eric, in all honesty. I'd missed being home. I knocked back another horn of ale and gave a small giggle to myself when I realised it was empty... Again.
"You're going to be hungover in the morning." Ivar commented with a chuckle at my intoxicated state.
"Signy! Come and dance!" Kari ran up behind me to yell.
"I can't dance." I laughed as she began dragging me away from my seat beside Ivar.
"Neither can I!" She laughed as we began to dance to the orchestra of loud noises that didn't seem to resemble a song at all. I looked back to Ivar to help me get out of this situation but he just shrugged and sat back in his seat to watch. I sighed. Of course he was going to be no help. Kari danced and I got away with just smiling at her supportively whenever she looked to me. She was completely drunk. After the song was finally over, I practically ran back to sit with Ivar.
"You didn't dance." He observed as I sat beside him.
"Like I said, I can't dance." I chuckled. At that point, I was tired. I wanted nothing more than to fall fast asleep right there and then. I too was incredibly drunk. I gently rested my head on Ivar's shoulder and yawned. "Ivar?" he hummed in response. "I love you." I yawned again and closed my eyes. I felt Ivar gently wrap an arm around me before whispering in return, "I love you too." I smiled. "We should go." He spoke again after a while. Though, he seemed unsure of whether or not to disturb me.
I giggled drunkenly, "Ivar Lothbrok asking me to his bed."
He sighed at my stupidity as we both made our way to his room. This of course made many people stop and stare at us, including his brothers. The crippled son of Ragnar Lothbrok and the Queen of a large Swedish army following eachother to bed would earn many stares. However, most people were too drunk to care. It was just those whom we had hoped most would not notice that did. Those who we knew would bring it up in the morning.
I lay down on Ivar's bed with a yawn as he crawled along the floor to join me.
"I wish I'd married you instead of Eric." I let slip from my lips. At the time, it didn't bother me to say such a thing but Ivar knew I would've never said it had I been sober.
"You're only saying that because you're drunk." He sighed as he lay down beside me.
I laughed and nodded, "That doesn't mean it's not true."
Gently, I rested my head on Ivar's chest once more. Only this time, I drifted off into a long sleep.
"What do you mean you don't love me, wife?" Eric hissed.
"I mean I don't love you! I'll never love you!" I replied in a yell.
Eric stormed over and grabbed my hair before throwing me to the ground. "So, who do you love? That Prince? You love a Prince when you could love a king?!"
"That's because I don't fall in love with titles or power!" I retorted.
"Perhaps we should go to war and I can kill him. Would that make you love me?" He spoke that sinister twinkle returning to his eye as I stood up from the cold wooden floor.
"You don't have the balls to try and kill Ivar. You couldn't even I f you tried." I hissed back, my eyes narrowed at the man before me.
"DO NOT SPEAK TO ME LIKE THAT, WOMAN!" He roared, slapping me back to the ground. I held my cheek gently. "How is that cripple more man than I?"
"All men are more man than you are, Eric. I'm more man than you are. You're a coward. You strike me because if you went up against a warrior in a real fight you would never win. You're pathetic." I spat venomously.
"Fine, then I will find your town and kill them all!" He bellowed.
"You wouldn't stand a chance." I growled.
With that, his foot landed into my abdomen. He grabbed me by the hair and dragged me outside, throwing me into the mud as people gathered to watch. So began another weak of torture as he burned and branded me.
"Signy?" I was shook awake to see Ivar looking down at me. He looked terrified, his eyes wide with concern.
"What happened?" I wiped my eyes and noticed wet tears covering my cheeks.
Ivar sighed and pulled me close to him so he could hold me in his arms protectively. I was shaking. "It was just a dream." He whispered, gently kissing the top of my head. "You're safe now."
After a long while of Ivar comforting me, I slowly fell asleep once more in his arms. This time, it was dreamless. For that, I was grateful.
