When Ivar meets a girl with flaming red hair and eyes that cannot see, he begins to wonder how a sightless girl can see so much beauty in the world... And in him.
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"You mean you've never even picked up a weapon?" Ivar asked in utter shock at Ailbe's declaration. The two had spent endless hours talking about their lives until the dark evening skies turned into dawn again.
"Well," She smiled brightly. "Not all of us can be scary Vikings."
At this Ivar gave a reluctant hum of agreement. Perhaps what he liked about her so much was her gentleness. But then his brows furrowed a little. "So what did you do?" He asked, waiting for the end of her story. "To the ones who treated you like that over your sight?"
"Nothing." She answered honestly, her features filled with compassion. "What could I do?"
"Kill them." He answered without skipping a beat.
"Ivar!" She chuckled, gently hitting his arm.
"What?" He spoke again. "They deserve it."
On this, a small part of her agreed. But a much larger part said that no one deserved that no matter what they'd done. She sighed a little, pushing a strand of hair behind her ear in that way she always did when she felt nervous. "I couldn't." She spoke firmly. "Everyone deserves the chance to change."
"Some people don't change." He returned. "Some of us just aren't good people."
At this, Ailbe took his hand in hers again. Her eyes were almost sad as she spoke, never quite making eye contact with him. For someone who couldn't see, she held so much expression in her eyes. "You're not a bad person, Ivar." She said with the gentlest of voices, as though she was sent by the Gods. "You are what the world has made you."
"Then the world is shit." He spoke flatly. And though it was usual for him to make these brutally sarcastic jokes, Ailbe couldn't help but hear the pain behind it.
"No." She said with a tender smile. "The world is a complicated but wonderful place." Her hand gently squeezed his in reassurance as she moved ever so slightly closer. "And so are you."
"I'm wonderful?" He asked dryly, but Ailbe could hear the hints of a smirk evident in his voice.
At this, her cheeks heated up and, even though her hair was already behind her ear, she tucked it back anyway in habit. "Yes." She answered shyly.
She seemed so genuine, so compassionate. It was odd to Ivar, to know that she cared so much when she'd known him for such a short time.
For a moment, Ivar just stared at her in awe. No one had ever seemed to care about him except his mother, and now this beautiful girl that understood his pain like no one else. He moved closer, only inches away from her now, as his hand moved to her cheek. He wasn't sure why he felt so drawn to her, but she made him feel even stronger than he had before. She made him feel loved. Ailbe leaned into his touch, now leaving them with mere centimeters of distance between eachother. Her soft cheek was pressed against his hand, eyes closed due to her comfort in the situation. No one had ever been so close to her before, they always preferred to keep their distance. And as Ivar looked up at her he seemed just as shocked as he was at her comfort. She wasn't afraid of him. She didn't tremble or shake. No, she enjoyed being near him. But why? Why would someone so perfect wish to be near someone like him? Perhaps because she wasn't perfect and she never would be. She was like him, broken and alone.
He'd never felt like this before. His life had always been consumed by bitter loneliness or mockery. But there was no bitterness here. She did not fear him and she did not hate him. The only sentiment that he could find behind her was compassion. And the only feeling he got from her was warmth.
His vibrant blue eyes watched her every move. Her eyes fluttered, lips gently trembling as she remained silent and still. Her cheeks reddened as she moved ever so slightly closer.
Before he could make another move or say another word, a knock sounded at the door.
"Hey, have you seen my brother?" Hvitserk asked through the door.
Ivar quickly gestured for her to not say anything, to let his brother leave and never know that he was there. But, of course, she saw none of his frantic gestures.
"He's here." She answered, making him angrily tap her shoulder to convey the look of frustration that she couldn't see. She only sent him a smile as she stood and opened the door. "I was just leaving anyway."
As Hvitserk entered and Ailbe closed the door behind her, Ivar fell back onto the bed and groaned. "What do you want?"
"I came to see if you were still alive. No one's seen you all night." His brother commented, conveying with his expression how the situation appeared.
But in that moment, Ivar didn't really care how he appeared. He didn't really care about anything - anything except the scarlet haired angel that had found her way into his otherwise darkened life.
Wow me posting another chapter? Yeah, more likely than you'd think.
