Ivar hummed, as he felt fingers run gently through his hair. As he felt a soft, warm breeze ghost over his skin.

"Hello my prince.............." A soft voice came. Ivar slowly opening his eyes to be gifted with the sight of (Y/n) smiling down at him. The vision giggling, as she suddenly found herself on her back, with Ivar over her. His lips kissing her neck.

"She brought me to you..............." Ivar purred, as he pulled her legs up around his waist. Smiling as he pulled away and looked down at her.

"You will always come back to me, if Nótt is with you. The owl is my eyes and ears in Midgard. She is the way I can watch over you........protect you........."

"So, that is why she attacked Sigurd............." Ivar chuckled. Placing his hand on her cheek, as (Y/n)'s look turned angry.

"I do not like him. The way he talks about you. The way that he treats you. I........... Nótt was only doing what she thought was right. And she will do it again if he talks to you in a way that displeases me............" (Y/n) replied. Slowly smiling again, as Ivar laughed heartily. His fingers gently caressing her cheekbone. The dark prince hoping that Sigurd would tease him again, soon; so that he could witness his brother flapping around, screaming like a small child, as Nótt dished out her own brand of punishment.

"Don't think about my brother............" Ivar said softly, before kissing her on the nose. (Y/n) snaking her arms around the dark-haired prince's neck.

"No. The only one I want to think about, is you......." (Y/n) replied, before pulling Ivar to her.

                                                         >>---------------------------------<<

"Why me..................?" Ivar suddenly asked, as he and (Y/n) lay in her bed. (Y/n) raising her head so that she could look at him.

"What............?"

"Why did you not choose Ubbe, Hvitserk, Björn.........even Sigurd.............?"

"Would you rather it was one of them..............?"

"No............" Ivar quickly said, as he sat up and took her into his arms. Combing his fingers through her hair, as he saw the look of hurt in her eyes.

"No, (Y/n).......no. I just wondered why it was me when I was not.........."

"What? Not a man..........just a cripple..........? If I wanted your brother's, they would be here. But I do not, I only want you, Ivar. I care not for what you cannot do in your world, for here you can do everything that you have ever dreamed of. When I saw you on one of my trips to Kattegat to speak to the boatbuilder, I lost my heart. I knew at that moment I had never seen your like; that you are the one I have been searching for, waiting for. The one I would devote myself to.............." (Y/n) began to explain, as she pulled away from the youngest son of Ragnar, and slowly got up from the bed.

"You............you're Nótt.........?" Ivar asked in disbelief, as (Y/n) turned to look at him. The prince not sure what to say, as his lover nodded slightly.

"In your world, in Midgard, I can only be the owl that you named Nótt. I am the messenger of the gods, of the allfather. I whispered wisdom to Flóki as he slept; watched during the day as he built the boats for your father. I spoke to Ragnar, as he navigated the seas, over to England. I talk to the seer. He and I are your people's connection to the world in which you find yourself now. To the ears of Odin. But here, I am myself. As I want you to see me. Here I can be with you, love you as I wish I could in your world............" She continued, turning away from the prince, and wrapping her arms around herself. Ivar quickly getting up to join her, turning her around and pulling her to his chest.

"I didn't mean to hurt you, (Y/n).............." Ivar told her, as he held her close. The prince still surprised that the bird that came to him when he could not sleep, when his ire got the better of him. When he needed someone to talk to, was in truth the beauteous female that had made him whole. The woman that had shown him what it was to be a man. Ivar unable to thank her enough for that. It was just that he could still not believe that he, the cripple that for so long had to drag himself through the mud and dirt, had been gifted in such a way. That the eye of a messenger of the gods, had fallen on him.

"I did not mean to question you. I am just glad that you chose me. And you are mine, whether you are Nótt or (Y/n)................" Ivar continued, brushing the tears away from her cheeks, as she looked up at him. (Y/n) suddenly finding herself taken into the air, as her prince took her into his arms, and carried her back to the bed.

"Now, back to bed my beautiful little bird...........I have not finished with you yet.................."

                                                             >>----------------------------------<<

"(Y/n)........!" Ivar mumbled, as he slowly came around and turned onto his side. Opening his eyes, as he realised that the only thing next to him, was a bundled up fur. The prince looking up as he heard a noise; a broad smile coming to his lips, as he saw Nótt looking down at him.

"Good morning, my beautiful one.............." he continued, as he reached up and stroked the feathers on her chest; then pushed himself up, so that he could grab his shirt. Pulling it over his head, before moving his legs out of the bed. Nótt jumping from the head of the bed to Ivar's shoulder.

"Now, what do you say...........should we go and find Sigurd.................?"