For several days after their love making, Ivar hardly spoke. His head always hidden in his cloak and his eyes always looking away from Nerida's. She knew he was more than overcome with sadness for the loss of not only his father, but his mother. Nerida had never liked Aslaug, but she did not feel that Lagertha's revenge on Aslaug deserved death. She knew that with the death of Ragnar, Ubbe and Sigurd were already fearing for their life, but Nerida assured them that she would always protect them.

"Why won't you talk to me?" Nerida asked in Greek as she sat down next to Ivar as he watched Ubbe and Sigurd swim in the pond. They were surrounded by Lagertha's shieldmaidens, so Nerida knew she needed to speak in her own tongue.

"I want revenge. She must die for what she has done, and I must be the one to kill her." Ivar spoke through gritted teeth, Nerida looking around her as she noticed the shieldmaidens moving in closer.

"I know my love, and you will have it." She smiled a she cupped his face and kissed his lips, their kiss once again igniting a fire in Nerida's belly. Ever since he had taken her virtue, she craved nothing but his touch. He had awakened a fire inside her that she never wanted to go out.

"Are you angry that we have not married yet?" Ivar whispered as he broke the kiss and rested his forehead to hers, Nerida ignoring the snickering from Ubbe and Sigurd. Nerida smiled and kissed the corner of his mouth, knowing full well that there were more pressing matters.

"When the gods are ready for us to marry, we shall marry."

"I need more of you, Nerida." Ivar whispered as a devilish smirk ran over his face, Nerida coyly smiling as she watched Ivar crawl from her and back towards the path. Nerida rolled her eyes as a young shieldmaiden cut them off, the young woman staring at Nerida as if she would ever be intimidated by a little girl with a shield and sword.

"Queen Lagertha is asking the entire city be present for her gathering." The young woman said as Nerida shoved her aside, the rest of the women readying their swords as Nerida stared them all down.

"Do try to fight me ladies. I need the practice." She hissed as she drew her throwing knives, Ivar smiling up at her as she met his gaze. "Move." She hissed again as she shoved the young woman to the ground and stepped over her, Ivar laughing as they walked down the path and back towards Kattegat.

***

"Why did you want to make love in my home." Nerida asked as she trailed her fingers up and down Ivar's bare chest. They had spent the entire morning in bed getting lost in the ecstasy of each other, the pain of giving her virtue slowly subsiding. The pain in her ribs was slowly fading, but Nerida knew it would constantly ache.

"It was closer." He laughed causing Nerida to playfully smack his head. She loved him more than she ever thought she could love another, and Ivar shared her love. He loved her, and she could feel it and see it in his eyes. She wanted to marry him as soon as possible, but she knew that Lagertha needed to be dealt with and swiftly.

"We need to attend that meeting, Ivar. You need to declare your revenge." Nerida spoke as she cupped his face, their eyes locking as she felt his heart start to race. She knew what she was asking him would start a chain of events that was inescapable, but Lagertha killed a woman in cold blood.

"I know you are right my love, but right now I only want to think of you." Ivar whispered as he gently kissed her once more. Nerida giggled and pushed back on his shoulder, her gaze meeting his as she hoped he would realize how serious she was being. As much as she wanted to lay there and make love to him over and over, they were needed elsewhere.

"I made you something." She smiled as she slipped from under the pelts and reached under her bed, her hands grasping too long iron rods shaped almost like an ax. At the ends of the rod was a point sharp enough to pierce even the toughest of armor.

"What are these for?" Ivar asked as she handed them to him, a smile working its way over her face as she saw him firmly grip the rods. Nerida grabbed the rods and flipped them upside down, positioning Ivar's hands perfectly around them as she hoped he would now understand.

"They are for when you must crawl. You stab these into the ground, or into someone's foot and move yourself along much faster. Your arms won't get as tired and your hands won't become bloodied." She smiled, her heart racing as Ivar planted a needy and grateful kiss on her lips.

"I have done nothing to deserve you. I swear on my arm ring, that I will never hurt you, I will always love you with everything that I have in my soul." Ivar vowed as he cupped Nerida's face with his hand, their eyes locked to one another as they heard scuffling outside.

"Everyone is gathering, we must get dressed." Nerida said as she slipped off the bed once more and tossed Ivar his tunic, her legs still shaking as she dressed herself.

"I cannot wait to see your belly getting swollen with our child. That will be my happiest time." Ivar spoke as Nerida smiled at him, a fear growing inside her that she might be with child. She wanted a child more than anything, but she also wanted to accompany Ivar in any battle that he might face.

"All with time, my love. Now get dressed." She teased as she tossed him the leather strap that went around his legs. Nerida felt a small ball of fear start to churn inside her stomach, since she knew that after this moment, her life and Ivar's life would never be the same. Moments later Nerida watched as Ivar used the rods to pull himself along the ground, a smirk on her face as she could sense the happiness growing in his heart.

She could also sense his anger, something that had become a permanent fixture on his handsome face. Ivar was constantly angry, and even though he tried to hide it from Nerida, she knew that anger had shaped him into the man he was.

"There will be no turning back once we are inside." Nerida whispered as they stopped at the doors to the Great Hall. Nerida felt a calmness wash over her as Ivar turned his body towards her, his hand grasping hers as he placed a small but comforting kiss on her knuckles.

"As long as I have you, I have no fear in my heart." He spoke as a soft smile tried to make its way over his face. The voice of Lagertha flowed through the large wooden doors and flowed around them like a harsh winter breeze. Nerida knew what a fierce warrior Lagertha was, but Nerida also knew that Lagertha had a weakness inside her.

"Those who share my belief, say I." Nerida heard Lagertha say as she opened the door, the entire room erupting in a joyous as she watched Ivar slowly started to crawl inside. She watched as the crowd parted for him, her eyes low and dark as she glanced at the people looking down on Ivar with pity. She listened as Ivar huffed and grunted as he quickly made his way closer to Lagertha, his brow breaking out in a sweat as his anger made his body grow hot.

Nerida motioned to Ubbe to grab Ivar's chair, her eyes locked to Lagertha as she tried to feel out the murderous Queen. Nerida detested Aslaug, but even Nerida had a code of morals to follow, a code that Lagertha broke.

Welcome Ivar, and Nerida." Lagertha said with a small smile, Nerida placing her hands behind her back as she felt the need to be violent towards the Queen.

"I have come here for justice, my wife and me have come here for justice." Ivar said as he motioned to Nerida, a small flutter rousing in her heart as he called her his wife. "Everyone knows that you killed my mother for no reason, except ambition, therefore I demand—justice." Ivar said as Ubbe walked over to him and placed his hand on his shoulder, while Sigurd placed his hand on Nerida's. She knew what they were about to do, and she could not blame them. She did know however that it might cause a rift between brothers.

"Do not touch me, and you Ubbe, take your hand off him. You two should be ashamed, letting her stand where your mother once stood." Nerida hissed at them as she pushed them both back into the crowd, a fear growing in the air as she witnessed a few frightened faces.

"Perhaps, your brothers understand something that you two, do not." Lagertha said as she walked to them, her hands resting on their shoulder as Nerida pulled her body back.

"I understand everything perfectly murdered my mother in cold blood. I want revenge, so I challenge you to single combat." Ivar said, Nerida furrowing her brow as she placed her hands over Ivar's shoulders.

"I refuse to fight you, Ivar Lothbrok, son of Ragnar." She announced as she walked back to her throne, Ivar's hand gripping Nerida's as she felt his anger and pain.

"Why?" Nerida asked with a smirk as she listened to the whispers and snickering behind her back.

"I don't want to kill him."

"Who says, that you will kill him? Ivar has been trained by me and less not we forget Lagertha, I made you cower in fear during our duel." Nerida spoke as the whispers grew louder around them, a smirk on Nerida's face as she saw the frustration in Lagertha's eyes.

"It is alright. Don't fight me then, but just know that one day, I will kill you Lagertha. Your fate is fixed." Ivar said with confidence as he slipped down from the chair, Nerida smirking at Lagertha as she turned to follow Ivar out of the Great Hall.

***

"I want to learn." Ivar said as Nerida hit the glowing Iron with her hammer, her brow raised as she turned to look at Ivar who had been watching her all morning. She knew that Ivar was fascinated by the work of the blacksmith, but she never expected him to want to learn.

"Why do you want to learn?"

"I do not want you on your feet when you are carrying my child. I want you resting. If I need something, I want to be able to make it myself." Ivar smiled as he placed his hand on the small of her back.

"I suppose that is fair. Here take this, and this." She said as she handed him the metal rod and her hammer." Now I am making this for your legs, they must be flat and strong. You see that turn in the corner of the Iron?" She asked as Ivar nodded his head yes, his eyes filled with the anticipation of learning.

"Beat it until it is flat." She smiled as she watched Ivar slowly knock the piece of iron into place. Her heart swelled as she watched Ivar take to blacksmithing as if it was second nature to him. A sadness grew inside her as she had not yet told him she had received her moons blood, but Nerida also knew that the gods were not ready to bless them with a child.