The Virtue

The Whore of Toulouse

(Theme song is The best you've ever had by John Legend)

Nova's POV

The water makes every part of my body feel numb, but not my soul. My heart feels warm when I look at Ivar who is floating in the lake with me, serenely

He looks at me admiring him and smiles back to me

"Come here" he says and pulls me closer in the water

"Nova" his pink lips mutter, "I love you" 

My heart halts as the fire in my bones ignite. The nature around is silent but the world within me is electric just by his three words. Does he know what he does to me?

"I...I" I stutter as Ivar pushes my wet hair behind my ear and tilts his head

"You what?" he asks innocently

"I love you too Ivar" I say as I avoid eye contact and look at the water while we float

"Look into my eyes and say it again" Ivar takes my chin as positions my face directly in front of his

"Ivar..." I hesitate as he doesn't know how much it took of me to say it the first time, and now he is asking me to say it again?

"Say it" His lips whispers and he stares at my lips while holding my chin

"I said" I whisper

"I love you" I say and immediately he kisses me with his warm and slippery lips, the water is frosty but his tongue is warm like a meal. He slides his tongue way behind and holds me tightly

Leaving marks on my body and my my soul is what he does.

"Was it 'French" enough?" He smirks and asks

"Ivar!" I say and push him a little back only for him to lock his arms and pull me closer

"Now" He voice turns serious, "Will you tell me what your soul is hiding? as now I am your husband" 

I knew he would ask me this today, I felt it coming.

"I never intend to hide anything from you Ivar. I just wasn't ready to say it out loud" I say as I look at the water again

"Now, can you say it loud?" He asks with kind eyes and I nod

"That day before the wedding, Adrian tried to violate me. As he wanted me to lose my virginity to a catholic man and not.."

"To a pagan?" Ivar continues my sentence

"Yes" I say as my eyes get teary

"And Medusa is my mother, not Catherine. I was lied all along by my family. I am a bastard, a love child" I say

Ivar's eyes widen as he looks at me in amazement and says, "Why didn't you tell me this? All the burdens you carry in your heart" 

"I didn't want to bother you with my pains" I say as Ivar puts his nose onto my nose and looks deep in my eyes

"Your pain is my pain and my pain is yours" Ivar says

"And I vow to you that I will always put your happiness first and never hurt you" He says as I smile

The christ has blessed me with the most beautiful man in the world

"Now come here" he says as he catches my lips with his and the magic begins

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Ivar's POV