Ivar clung to her; how he had let her talk him into this......well, he would say he didn't know, but he did know; he knew all too well. She had kissed him and whispered into his ear that if he trusted her, if he joined her, she would let him do whatever he wanted. A wicked grin pulling at his lips, before he had nodded.

So, here he was, in the lake, with (Y/n) holding him up as they moved through the water.

"(Y/n) its too deep........."

"Too deep, my feet are still touching the floor. Stop being a baby, Ivar Ragnarsson; I am not going to let anything happen to you........" She replied, shaking her head slightly, as his grip on her tightened.

"Big, bad, scary Viking warrior, afraid of a little water........" The look she got from the man in her arms, making her laugh out loud.

"Here........." The shieldmaiden coming to a stop, as the water finally reached their chests. Ivar letting out a quiet sigh of relief as (Y/n) stopped moving further away from the edge of the lake.

"Now..........."

"What are you doing......." Ivar scrabbling as (Y/n) tried to pull herself away.

"You are going to float. You don't need to worry about your legs, you just lay back and let the water carry you.........."

"I'm too heavy..........." The dark prince tried to argue, his brows furrowing as she laughed at him again.

"For one so smart........Your brothers may say you are heavy when they have to carry you to the training area, but the water is not so judgmental, Ivar. Now trust me and close your eyes.............."

"Close my............?"

"Trust me............" Ivar finally nodding before doing as she asked. The prince letting her slowly move him, until all he could feel was her hands under his shoulders, the rest of his form floating effortlessly in the lake. Ivar feeling strangely at ease, oddly free. A smile coming to his lips, as he slowly opened his eyes and looked up at the endless clear blue sky.

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

Ubbe and Hvitserk looked at one another in disbelief, as Ivar sat in his chair with his head in his hands. When he had woken that morning, Ivar had felt as though his head was being trampled by horses; yet it only got worse, as he reluctantly sat up to see both of his oldest brothers, glaring at him. It only taking a little cajoling, and one or two threats, before he had finally told them what he had said to (Y/n). Neither Ubbe nor Hvitserk able to believe that he would say such things to the beautiful shieldmaiden; that he would treat her with such disrespect, such disregard after everything she had done for him; after how much she had cared. Both of them sure that if Björn learnt of what Ivar had said to his beloved sister; there might be one less son of Ragnar going to England to avenge their father.

"Ubbe...........?" Hvitserk asked, as their brother got to his feet and headed for the door.

"You deal with him, Hvitserk. I can't even look at him........." Ubbe replied, before leaving the cabin. The oldest son of Aslaug now knowing why (Y/n) had done, what she had done; why she had been acting as she had at the feast. And now he wanted to speak to her, to apologise for his brother because he knew Ivar wouldn't.

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

(Y/n) sat in her rooms; both Björn and their mother had come to see her when she did not join them to eat that morning. The shieldmaiden assuring them that she was well, just suffering from the excesses of last night; and though she was sure that neither believed her, they had still given her the time she needed. Her brother kissing her on the forehead and telling her that he would be there if she wanted him, before leaving her room.

She had barely slept the night previous, but when she had, all she had seen was the forms of two men; Ivar and Harald fighting as she screamed for them to stop. The fight not ending until they both lay dead on the floor. (Y/n) waking with a gasp, sweat clinging to her body, as she tried to shake the awful images from her mind.

She had no idea what to do; she loved Ivar, she had loved him for so long, that she could not just turn off those feelings; but she was not about to forgive him for what he had said about her, what he had called her. He had been cruel, cold, vile; he had taken out his anger, his hatred for Lagertha on her. Her future, her marriage, her happiness taken from her, because of their mothers. Because Ivar could not see that Lagertha's actions, were not hers.

And then.....then there was Harald. The way that he had touched her the night before, had sent her mind reeling. As much as she had felt guilty at the notion of betraying Ivar, she had wanted the older man. She had wanted him to continue kissing her, touching her; and if the image of Ivar had not come to her mind, she was sure that if it was what he had wanted, she would have surrendered herself to him; she would have happily gone to his cabin and given him everything that she had once given Ivar.

Slowly she sat up on her bed, the shieldmaiden knowing that if she survived, she would have two choices when the death of Ragnar had been avenged. She could either stay in Kattegat and watch as every day Ivar slipped further and further away from her. Watch as he found someone else, and she was left alone. Or, and if Harald really did like her, perhaps he might agree to take her away with him. Take her to his home, where she could have a new life; find a new purpose. Where she could escape the actions of her mother, and the hold that Ivar had on her.

Suddenly there was a soft knock at the door, her shoulders slumping as she slowly got to her feet. She had hoped that she would have some peace, that she would have time to work things out; but it seemed that the gods have different ideas. That she would have to face the world whether she liked it or not. (Y/n) slowly opening the door, to find Ubbe. The older boy stepping hesitantly into the room; (Y/n) not realising that she was crying until he brushed the tears from her cheek with his thumb.

"(Y/n)......what..........?" Ubbe saying no more as she threw herself into his arms. The oldest son of Aslaug simply holding her to him, as she began to sob.