Lír walked begin Ivar with Leif in her arms, looking down and frowning. Before her entered he stoped and turned to her "Wife, so some happiness. This is a joyous occasion". He had that smirk that she grew to hate. It made him look evil. She looked up and gave a spitful smile. He turned an entered the hall, everyone cheered wanting to know what the sudden celebration was for. She entered after Ivar, her eyes immediatly finding Hvitserk. He was seated silently, and drinking. He looked away, he was angry with her though he understood the situation.
For the next few hours everyone except Lír and Hvitserk drank, laughed, and sang before Ivar finally stood to make his announcement. "People of Kattegat. My dear wife and I have a very important announcement. He looked down to her. Queen Lír is carrying the second of one our many future children." Everyone but Hvitserk cheered in happiness for the couple.
Lír looked down to Leif, lately he was the only thing that made her happy. Much to her pleasure, he didn't inherit his fathers features. He had his mothers sweet smile and soft eyes.
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Time passed and Lír took her son to bed. "Goodnight my boy" she kissed his cheek and tried not to cry herself to sleep for once.
The hall was almost empty, except for just a few servants, Ivar, and Hvitserk who drank until he passes out on the table. "I think it's your bedtime Hvitserk!" He shot up from his deep sleep wanting to kill his brother who laughed at him pitifully. "You-you insult the Gods!" "What are you talking about brother? The gods love me." He rolled his eyes at his brothers words. Hvitserk exited the hall before he did something he would later regret.
Ivar stood and walked to his room, crawling into bed with his wife. She layed on her side when she felt his hand slip under her gown. She pushed him away, "not tonight, I'm tired". He sighed in frustration, "in the morning, perhaps". "Maybe, if you let me sleep." She was cold towards him. He agreed and turned to his side, leaving her be. He eventually dozed off into a dream.
Ivar and Lír layed in bed, with their hands all over each other. She pulled back and looked deep into his eyes. He was lost in hers before he felt a sharp pain in his abdomen. Looking down he saw her hands around a dagger that was burried in him... He looked back up not to see his wife, by instead he saw someone he hated. Margrethe.
He shot up, relieved that it was all a dream. His wife was still asleep beside him as he crawled out of bed and through the hall, not caring about his braces. He went to his brothers door and pounded. Hvitserk answered the door looking tired. "What do you want Ivar?" Ivar pushed passed him and dragged himself onto a chair. "What are you going to do with her? Hmm?!" "Who?" "Margrethe! She is crazy! What are you going to do?!" Hvitserk sIvad, tired of hearing it. "I'll keep her away from you, I swear". "If she come anywhere near me or my family I will slice open her thoat". With that he attempted to leave until he heard his brother whisper "now you care about your family". "What was that?!" "You heard me Ivar". He was silent, resisting the urge to murder Hvitserk. "Do you love my wife?" Hvitserk turned to Ivar looking him in the eye, "Do you?" Ivar breathed out like a bull read to run, he turned to the door and crawled "Just keep her away!".
He crawled back to his room, he entered only to find Lír staring down at her growing stomach. His anger flared up once again. He sat himself on the bed pland picked up his son. "Where did you go?" "Nowhere of your concern." She didn't press it, "would you watch him for a while? I want to take a walk." He nodded without looking at her.
----------------------------------------------------------- Hvitserk walked up the snow covered trail, entering the cabin he heard a cry. "Margrethe, what is wrong?" "The Saxon woman, the queen of Kattegat. I-I saw her...they say she is with child." "Yes". He was ashamed to admit. "I cannot have children, not with anyone. It has broken me. I wanted to be a queen but Ubbe was too much a coward!" "I don't think so-" "I told him not to fight for Lagertha and Bjorn, he ignored me and betrayed me... but you are kind. I-Ivar is not kind".
"Listen-" "He is not kind to you and he will kill you. My love, the only choice is to kill him first. You know it is true. Don't be a coward." "No". He smiled down as if he was considering it.
"You have to do it, he will kill me and he will kill you. Do it, don't let us die." "Shhh... you need to rest." He put her in the bed and kissed her goodbye. Exiting the cabin, he was conflicted. He knew that she was right but he would never be able to kill Ivar.
Lír walked through the streets of Kattegat, everywhere she went she was greeted with smiles and congratulations of her pregnancy. For a moment in time she was happy. Only for a moment though, she looked up when she heard her name.
"Lír?" Hvitserk gazed at her. She became antsy and tried to walk away "Hvitserk you know we can't be seen together". "Lír please," she turned back "can we please speak?"
She nodded and they walked off behind a longhouse. "Speak quickly, if Ivar sees-" "Do you love Ivar?" "Why are you asking me this?" "Do you love him?!" "Hvitserk I-" "If something happened to him, could you carry on?!" "I-I would have to" "Good." He turned and walked away from her. "Hvitserk! What are you going to do?!" She started to cry, terrified of what he would do.
