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"But mother," Baldr began. "I don't want you and father to go away."
"I know." Ailbe sighed, sitting down against the large old oak trees. The three children curled up around her, looking at her brightly. "Your father is doing something very dangerous." She spoke gently, her tone soothing even to a deaf ear. "And I'm going to keep him safe so that we all come home."
"But what if you don't come home?" Aslaug queried. "What if neither of you come home?"
Ailbe looked between the children, the fear in their eyes. She could feel their sadness at the thought of losing their parents, and she understood it entirely. But they were already so strong, so resilient. Young Aslaug was soon a woman at twelve, and she had such a bright future ahead. Gently she brushed back the girl's red hair with a small smile.
"Then remember that your father and I love you all so very much, more than anything in the world in fact. Remember everything that we've taught you. Remember to be strong, but kind as well. Listen to Hvitserk when he tells you to do something because, even if you're mad and it seems horrible, he is only doing what is best for you. And remember that your father and I would never leave you if we had a choice." Her answer seemed to satisfy the three
When Ailbe stood, the children followed in suit. Her usual smile grew as Floki, who'd cleverly managed to find his way into her arms so that he didn't have to walk, reached into the air to grasp at the brightly coloured fruits.
"What do we say?" Ailbe asked, waiting for a polite response.
"FRUIT!" He yelled so loud that for a moment she feared she may go death, climbing up onto her shoulder.
"Please, mother." Aslaug asked, giving Floki a look that made him slouch back down.
When the four of them returned to the Great Hall, they carried bundles of fruit that spewed from their pockets and out of their arms. Of course, volume control had never exactly been Ailbe's strong point. Much like with her candles, she often got a little carried away. And, when Aslaug had asked "what about father?" Ailbe felt guilty and decided that she suddenly needed to bring fruit to every person she knew.
Aslaug and Baldr ran in ahead of Ailbe and Floki - who had already eaten all of his fruit - and bounded into the Great Hall. As Ailbe finally approached, managing to knock the doors open with her shoulder, she realised that the Hall was rather fuller than she had anticipated.
Her cheeks flushed red as Aslaug and Baldr charged in, dropping piles fruit and the entire congregation - of her brother's men and Ivar's - stared at them.
"Uncle Corrin!" Aslaug smiled brightly, hugging him - her smile almost a mirror image of her mother's.
Corrin lifted the girl up in his arms and Ailbe could've sworn that she saw every muscle in Ivar's body tense, his jaw clenching and unclenching as he faked a smile - that always came off far too bitter to be misunderstood for real happiness.
"Sorry." Ailbe spoke nervously, quickly gathering the three children and shooing them towards the door. But before she could leave, Ivar's voice intercepted her.
"You should stay," He began, looking over at her with a look in his eyes that told her he needed her there to keep him calm. To stop him from just killing them and having done with it. "If you're coming, you'll need to know what's happening."
Hvitserk and Corrin simultaneously stared at the King in utter disbelief, as though he'd completely lost his mind.
"She's coming with us?" Hvitserk asked first, taking the words right from Corrin's mouth.
"Yes, she is." Ailbe interjected, walking back to Ivar's side and placing her arm in his.
"You're not even trained. It's dangerous, you could die." Corrin argued. For once, it was a possibility that he and Ivar both shared the same views on. The thought of losing her again was unbearable. "You told me yourself what happened last time the Saxons took you. What if this time you're not as lucky, hm?"
"Ivar saved my life then, and I still trust him with my life now." She answered firmly.
This made a proud grin grow on Ivar's features while Corrin looked over at them with insecurity. He didn't trust Ivar, not even with Ailbe. He'd lost her to him once and he couldn't stand the same thing happening again.
But behind the smirk, there was a million and one thoughts racing through Ivar's head that had never even crossed anyone else's mind. A million plans and tactics, but one thing prevailed over all. She trusted him with her life, so he couldn't let her walk into something that could get her killed. Even if it meant getting himself killed. It was something he should've understood ten years before. Something that could've saved her life. He made that mistake once and refused to make it again. And he knew exactly what he had to do. How he could keep her safe from him. How he could save her life like he'd failed to do all those years before.
