Tyri was an orphan with no home. She never really knew her parents and barely managed to survive in the woods alone. She was fierce and strong, she had to be to survive, but people still scared her. All she wanted was to be left alone. After years o...
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For the previous week, Hvitserk had traveled back and forth between my little sanctuary in the woods and his own home. I saw him almost everyday during this time. Some days, we spoke about his brothers. I often listened to the outrageous fights they would have and wondered how he coped. Although, by the sounds of it, his older brother Ubbe sounded fairly reasonable.
I mostly enjoyed listening to tales of his world. He'd tell me about the people, about the town, and every detail I would soak up. His world was so different to mine. There were so many people, so much intrigue, so much to tell. Everyday I fell more and more in love with this brave new world. This place of dreams where it seemed anything is possible. Of course, nothing is ever as you imagine it to be. And in this world, there were no happily ever afters.
As much as I enjoyed tales of his world, Hvitserk also wanted hear about mine. I told him about my years alone. He asked about my carvings on the walls, about the stories behind them. And so, I told him each of them.
As every day passed, I trusted him more. I felt as though I could tell him anything. And then, I found a stranger at my door.
It was a windy Tuesday morning when I met him. I was returning home from another hunt, ready to skin it and make food, when I returned to find a young boy sat in front of my door. He looked a few years younger than me, but his ocean eyes were far wiser than his age. His hair was raven blacks and he watched me with an intensity that I'd never before seen.
"Have I met you?" I asked after a moments silence.
He gave an ominous grin before speaking with a gentle but chilling voice, "No, but you've met my brother."
The dots suddenly connected. Dark hair, vibrant blue eyes, no use of his legs, and mildly terrifying. This must be Ivar.
"You're Hvitserk's brother. Ivar, right?" I tried my best to not sound afraid. Although, the fact he'd found me and decided to sit outside my secret home was a little intimidating to say the least.
"You're the witch he found in the woods, right?" He answered my question with his own. As people went, he was not the easiest to talk to.
I tried to remain totally calm but, in all honesty, he was beginning to piss me off. It wasnt difficult for me to lose my temper, and this boy didn't exactly help. I raised my eyebrows, my hand gently making it's way towards the knife on my belt. "Nice to meet you too."
"Why do you live out here alone? Did you kill someone?" He asked curiously, although the cold undertones in his voice made each sentence sound like a threat.
I gave a fake smile, "No, but there's still time for that." For some reason, that made him laugh. I wasn't really sure how to react, I just assumed I was dealing with an insane person. That being said, I also felt there was far more to this boy than just "insanity". He seemed smart, cunning. "How did you find where I live?" I asked, gripping my knife now.
"I've been following Hvitserk. He's nice but he was never very smart." Ivar responded instantly. "You know," He continued. "I'd prefer if you didn't stab me like you did my brother." He gestured toward my knife.
Slowly, I looked down, and then back up toward him. Without a second passing by, I took out the knife and pinned it up against his throat. I grinned proudly at the sight, thinking for a moment id won. That was until I felt his knife pressed against my stomach. I looked at him, before making the decision to step back.
"See, why don't my other brothers lie with women like you. You're far more entertaining than the slaves." He shrugged.
Again, I wasn't sure whether to take his words as a compliment or an insult. Instead, I merely sighed and said, "Well, I'm glad I could entertain you."
"Do you mind if I go inside?" He asked. Before I could even respond, however, he'd already began crawling inside my home.
Again, I let out a deep sigh, trying my best not to murder him on the spot. "Sure. Let yourself right in. Not like I care anymore anyway. In Loki's name, where do I find these people?" I grumbled to myself.
