FLAMES OF DREAMS SERIES: GODS & MONSTERS [READER x IVAR]

CHAPTER 7: DANGER IN YOUR EYES

It broke your heart to see your sister in pain.

At night, she would wake up with a loud scream, followed by tears that never seemed to stop flowing. Your tight hugs did barely nothing to help her, and the loud sobs broke your heart. You were helpless and forced to witness her sadness without no power to help her ease the grief she was feeling.

At day, Darelle wasn't any better. She didn't show her tears to no one, but the redness of her eyes was one the many indicators of what the girl spent her time doing. Not that anyone cared for her. The people of Harald's kingdom barely paid you two any mind. They seemed to be more focused on Heahmund, especially after his declaration of whose side he was now fighting on.

You understood his reasoning and didn't view him as a traitor like Darelle did. She was quick to accuse him of betrayal; you, however, couldn't force yourself to agree with your younger sister. If Heahmund was a traitor, then who were you? He had been a captive just like the two of you, and his situation was not any different. No matter how hard you tried to make Darelle see that, the girl stayed true to her beliefs.

Fortunately for you, Harald had granted you permission to walk around the kingdom without any escort, much to Ivar's dismay. You took every moment you could to get away from everyone; there was a secluded spot near the docks that you liked to visit often. The view it provided reminded you of Essex and the sea surrounding it. It even managed to make you falsely believe you were home until your mind reminded you of the truth - you were too far from Essex.

It was early in the morning when you sat at the same spot, your mind clouded by the mass of thoughts going through your mind. Most of them featured Darelle, and the fact that soon you would be leaving - once again - to a new place the Northmen had called Kattegat. A part of you worried over the fact that you were dragged to a fight you had no part in; the other part of you dreamed of the possible outcomes of the fight. If Ivar was to fall, whose to stop you from leaving and returning to Essex once more?

You jumped up when you heard a branch snap from behind you; in an instant you were grabbed by a pair of hands while another one stopped you from screaming out loud. You tried to do as much damage as you could to the assailant, but failed to do so. The bearded man in front of you suddenly took out a dagger and placed it onto your throat, his eyes burning with fury while yours were filled with fear.

"Christian bitch." He hissed with anger, the tip of his blade dragging across your exposed neck. You were sure he would use his weapon on you any time soon; startlingly for you, the fear you had felt had disappeared and was replaced with much more ferosity than his.

You were about to dare him to act when another dagger landed on his neck. You were instantly released as the other man was about to attack your savior, yet he didn't manage to draw his sword before one pierced through his body. You stumbled away from the falling bodies only to see that it was Ivar, his face covered in blood and a worried look that was only focused on you.

"Are you alright? Did they hurt you?" He asked hurriedly, taking a step closer to you. His hand gently stroked your cheek, an action that took you by surprise. You shook your head, and for a second the two of you didn't say anything, simply stared into each other's eyes.

It was the first time you truly noticed him. His eyes were definitely the most striking part of him; what surprised you the most was to see worry in them, but behind the worry there was sadness. The man in front of you was not whole - as much as you tried to, you couldn't understand what could possibly be missing in his life. He had already achieved so much, and you were sure he would do many great things in the future.

You hated yourself for thinking him handsome. He had taken everything from you, and yet, you couldn't stop thinking how in another reality perhaps you would have even been happy to marry him.