Nerida smiled as she saw the large fleet of pirate ships sailing behind her in the distance, the air turning cooler as she knew they would soon be home in Kattegat. Fifteen ships were now under her command, and hers alone, something she knew Bjorn would for sure be envious of.

"How is your eye my love?" Ivar asked bringing Nerida out of her thoughts, a smile forming on her face as she sat down next to him. Her hand rose to her bandaged eye, knowing that she would never again be able to see from it, making her nervous about going into battle.

"It will heal—but I cannot see from it."

"I could have lost you Nerida, and my heart could not bare it. If I lost, you in battle—" His words cut off by Nerida's finger as she cupped his face in her hands.

"You will not lose me my love. I promise that. It would take Odin himself to pry me away from you my love." She smiled as Ivar leaned in and kissed her, Nerida's heart beginning to race as a part of her yearned for him. They had not been able to get a moment alone since leaving, and Nerida's body was aching for him in a way she had never felt before.

"Where will your pirates sleep?" A young shieldmaiden asked as Nerida shot her an annoyed look as a tender moment was just ruined. She stood and looked out at the horizon, their home just in a distance as she noticed dark clouds approaching.

"They will sleep on the ships and along the beaches. Fear not little shieldmaiden, your virtue will remain intact." She smirked as she saw a blush on the young women's face before pulling herself up on the ledge of the boat, her arm holding the stem post as she heard a familiar song on the wind.

The men on the ships were singing a familiar song that she had heard many times in her life, a song that she would sing to her brother during his time of fear. She hummed the song as she looked out into the distance, her heart beginning to race as she felt that they were now on the edge of a great battle, a battle that she knew would change the very path of her future.

***

Nerida screamed as she tossed her blade aside, her head resting in her hands as she tried to calm her anger and frustration. She huffed and stood as she felt Sigurd place his hand on her shoulder, her anger growing into a white-hot fire. "Maybe Ivar is right, I should just stay behind." She hissed as she picked up her blade once again, her eyes rolling as she saw the look Sigurd was giving her.

"Stop speaking like that. Your men and the men and women of Kattegat are behind you, and if they see you faltering like this—they will also. Try again. Your left eye is gone, so you need to be faster than us all." He said as he moved his blade, Nerida effortlessly blocking it with hers, a smirk on her face as she blocked another and then another.

Nerida unsheathed her dagger and in one swift move had it up against Sigurd's neck. She pushed him away as he tried to kick her leg out from under her, Nerida kneeing him in the stomach moments later causing him to fall to the mud below. She smiled as she glanced at Ivar who had been watching her, a sternness about him as his eyes were dark and his mind no doubt filled with horrid thoughts.

She knew that her husband was having restless nights full of dreaming of nothing but revenge for his mother, but Nerida explained to him, that his revenge must wait. "What is wrong Ivar. You have barely spoken to me in days." She asked as she sat down next to him, the silence between them almost deafening as Ivar just looked out into the distance.

"I know you are angry that Bjorn has not yet returned, but in this time, we are becoming stronger dear Ivar. With the help but my men, Kattegat is becoming more fortified than—"

"Then what? Better than when my mother was Queen?" He hissed as he shoved past her and angry crawled away, Nerida sighing as she stood and placed her head in her hand.

"Leave him be, he needs to be alone." Sigurd suggested as Nerida scoffed at his tone and began walking after Ivar, her frustration growing as he ignored her pleas for him to stop. Nerida breathed in deep as Ivar slammed the door shut in front of her face, her heart racing as she balled her fists and tried to calm down.

"You and mother never liked each other, but when I see you laughing with Lagertha, it disgusts me." He screamed as Nerida opened the door, her heart racing as she tried to remain calm, but Ivar was proving to be more than difficult.

"A wise man once said, to keep those you love close, but those you hate closer. I would stab Lagertha in the throat if given the chance and you know this Ivar! I am not your enemy. Sigurd is not your enemy; your family is not against you Ivar! Why are you acting this way?" She yelled as he refused to look at her, Nerida sighing after several moments of silence.

"Are you returning with those pirates when they leave?" His question catching her off guard, as she felt a heat flush her face, clearly, he had eyes and ears all over Kattegat.

"They have invited me to journey to a new land, a land they say is rich with gold! Ivar we could ensure that no person of Kattegat ever goes hungry again. We could build more ships and become feared all over this known world." She smiled as she knelt in front of him and took his hands in hers.

"Pirate!" He hissed as he shoved her hands back, his hand grabbing the necklace he had given her and ripping it front her neck and tossing it into the fire. Nerida slowly stood, knowing full well that Ivar was not himself, and something or someone had corrupted his mind and turned him against her. Nerida gathered up her things and set them outside, the wind turning bitter cold as she tried to hide the tears that were streaming down her face.

"Nerida I—"

"No! Stop Ivar! You have made it clear that there is no room for me in your heart. I do no not know what has corrupted you, but when you find the man that I fell in love with, then I will rejoin you in marriage." She said sternly watching as a tear fell down Ivar's shocked face. The moment she picked up her belongings and left, her heart shattered, each step away from him becoming heavier and longer. She did not want to walk away from him, but she also knew that the Ivar she loved, was no longer there.

***

"The last of the ships are arriving." Nerida said as she looked out into the distance as she stood next to Ubbe and Ivar, a tension around them so thick it was making her breathe heavy. Being around Ivar was proving difficult since she was carrying a very big secret.

"This will be the greatest army the world has ever seen, and they will be our instruments." Ivar said as he turned his gaze to Nerida, a chill going down her spine as she could feel his gaze upon her.

"Our instruments of wrath." She answered as she locked her gaze with him. It had been several weeks since she had left him, each night and day without him becoming longer and longer. Her blind eye was healing and now covered with a small black patch made of leather and wool, a thought gift from Lagertha, a gift with darker intentions.

"Nerida—can I have a moment with you?" Ivar asked as Ubbe took his leave from the uncomfortable moment that they had created. "I miss you. Please come back to me my love. I am so lost without you." Ivar said as Nerida gazed down at him, her hands clasped behind her back as she held the silence.

"Who is Freydis?" She asked as she raised her brow watching as his mouth dropped open and his face drained of blood.

"A slave girl, she is nothing."

"We shall see, Ivar." She smirked as she walked from him and back towards the blacksmith hut, her stomach in knots as she thought about what Ubbe had told her. He had warned her that a young slave girl was trying to poison his mind and convince that he was a god among men.

"Did you tell him?" Ubbe whispered as he rushed to her side, Nerida looking at him shocked as she knew Kattegat had eyes and ears all over.

"No, I did not, and I wish you would not be so stupid like that." She hissed as she popped the side of his head with her hand. Ubbe took her by the arm and lead her to a safe and quite spot behind the Great Hall, both looking around to make sure no eyes were on them.

"He deserves to know that you are carrying his child, Nerida. You need to rest of protect this precious gift, and still you want to join us in battle? Nerida this is madness." Ubbe whisper as she looked away from his gaze, a gaze he no doubt inherited from his father Ragnar.

"Not yet. He deserves nothing right now, and you should know better than anyone—that I will protect myself and my unborn child. Please do not speak of this again!" She whispered in an angry tone as she rushed from his side, her body shaking as part of her knew he was right. Ivar, despite how he had become, deserved to know that she was carrying their child.