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Upon seeing Ubbe, Althena couldn't help but smile. She wasn't sure why shed been so scared for him, especially considering that the "battle" was more of an attack and would end in death for the innocents within and not their heathen attackers. Nevertheless, she couldn't help but feel anxious. She couldn't help but sit and pray that she'd see him again soon.
"Ubbe?" Her gentle voice dragged his bright blue gaze from the cold corpse that lay beside him. Instantly, Althena could tell that something was wrong - that he wasn't okay - and her head clouded with concern oncemore. "What's wrong?" She questioned calmly, sitting beside him on the alter steps.
They remained in silence for a moment as he contemplated what to say. Of course he'd killed before, but this felt different somehow. If it was his brothers he was talking to, they'd likely think him weak for feeling such compassion. But it wasn't. It was Althena. And her mind worked very differently to anyone else's that she knew.
"She asked me to kill her." He spoke decisively, looking back towards the nun.
A soft frown set upon Althena's tender features, her brows furrowing and lines of concern making themselves present. "Ubbe I-" She paused, thinking of what to say. Finally, her hand reached out to hold his, pulling the young Prince's attention towards her. "It is better that she faced death without fear than face degradation in the eyes of God."
"Like you?" He asked, and though she understood his feelings she wasn't sure what to think. Yes. Like her. But nothing like her. Though she'd hated her fate once, she'd come to cherish it. She'd come to see that this was no test or punishment for her, but instead it was God's way of making her see every side of this awful war. There were good people and bad people stuck on both sides.
And though she wanted to say all this, instead she nodded, "Exactly."
The pair sat in silence, Althena's heart growing heavy as it filled with everything she wanted to say but couldn't. Though the words formed on her tongue, they never seemed to leave her lips. Instead they played in her head on repeat like a song with only one line.
"I'm glad you're safe." She spoke up again, her voice barely above a whisper.
Ubbe nodded, sending her a small smile as they enjoyed the peace and quiet that followed the chaos. "You too."
But before either of them could say another word or share another stolen glance, yelling made both pairs of blue eyes cut towards the doors. Two familiar voices. Two incredibly confrontational voices.
"Ivar?" Ubbe sighed, knowing that he was going to have to go and calm his little brother down.
But Althena's ears and already caught on to the second voice. "Alwin." She groaned, both of them standing and making their way outside.
"You couldn't have taken York without us." Alwin protested loudly, his arrogance shining past all other features. "You need us."
Ivar did nothing but laugh, a dark laugh that quite visibly struck terror into Alwin and his men. His blue eyes were like ice, cold and harsh, and Althena could see his mind working towards Alwin's imminent defeat. "If I remember correctly, you came to us for help. You're the one who sold your sister because you were afraid."
"I am not afraid of the likes of you!" Alwin argued, his stubbornness making Althena roll her eyes.
"You should be." Ivar answered ominously, giving Ubbe much the same reaction.
"Boys!" Althena demanded their attention, pulling it away from eachother. "What on earth are the two of you arguing over? Are we not supposed to be allies?"
"Try telling him that." Alwin spat, slowly walking over to his older sister. "That is why you're with them, after all. You're still one of us."
At this statement, Ivar's cold gaze seemed to settle on Althena as if he was willing her to say it and betray them. As if he was waiting for her to break his trust. Instead, Althena folded her arms and looked directly at Alwin. "I am no longer a Saxon Alwin, remember? You made sure of that. And even if I was, I was not born to do your bidding. I was chosen by God to reign and, if I were you, I would be very careful how you address me." As Alwin squirmed, ready for his next attack, Ivar began to grin as though watching the interaction was more for his entertainment than anything else. But, of course, being her usual self, Althena was far from done. "And as for you, you may be a genius Ivar but you have the social skills and diplomacy of a cabbage. For once, could you avoid an argument? For the love of your Gods, the two of you are supposed to be working together. You have enough enemies outside these walls, why make enemies within them too?"
As silence fell on the two warring men, Althena gave a sigh of relief, her eyes moving back towards Ubbe who wore a small smile. He could see the tensions between her brother and his, and he could tell that it was only a matter of time before they too were at war. At that point, Althena would likely be taken away from them. And yet, even if this marriage was not of his choosing, he prayed to every god that he could think of that she would stay here. With them. With him.
