#I finished whispering skull a few days ago but I can't stop thinking about this passage

[francesderwent]

“Across the room stood another chair, turned toward George. Here, to my brief surprise - I’d almost forgotten my encounter with the Fittes team - sat Quill Kipps. Like George, his hands were tied behind him. But he was awake, his hair streaked with cobwebs, his thin face gray with grave dust. His jacket was askew, and his shirt torn at the collar. He looked as if he’d had a rough time, suffered a few indignities. Mostly, though, he just looked deeply annoyed. His eyes glittered as he gazed around.”

[guigz1-coldwar]

'Our vision' : New chapter for "Redemption in a Spirit in a Cold War" is out !

"Our vision"

"Freya, people don't forget....nothing is forgiven !"

Chapter Summary : After having spent an peaceful night in an old cabin, Yirina & Park are ready to infiltrate the hidden soviet base in the Mount Yamantau but for the two of them....something's off....

To read it on AO3, click here !

Words : +3400

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Me & Park really did it...right in the middle of the USSR at the Mount Yamantau in an old abandoned cabin, the same place I presume I have done this with Freya before an long time ago. Honestly, both of us never thought that we were going to able to finish, thinking that at any moment, we could be jumped by an surprise guest but in fact, we were able to enjoy an moment of peace alone...an moment of passion we didn't really have made since some times...last time we did that was in an car, I can say that it's far better back on an bed.

Even with everything that happened since days, that moment was for releasing ourselves, to forget about all the things around us, like if we weren't spies at all...just women in love with each other. Directly that we finished our things that we went into getting sleep, me holding her like the person I wouldn't want to lose. That wasn't her fault at all to have me brainwashed....I can't be angry at her and I wouldn't never do this, knowing that after that, I will hate myself for what I did, I can't be mad at her because I'm in love with her.

All night, during my sleep, I was wondering of an lot of things, mostly about the mission that Hudson assigned to us : why only the two of us ? Why we don't have any radio support ? I couldn't answer those questions even if they were still in my head at the moment I woke up first, still holding Park in my arms. I got up and dressing up back in my clothes before heading to the little space in the cabin to prepare our two MREs, knowing that she will soon woke up.

"What an night." I could hear Park's slowly awakening voice behind me as I was actually preparing my MRE after doing hers.

"I'm seconding this." I smiled, turning around to look at her, her body covered by the white blanket hold by her hands. "You're looking like an angel." I exclaimed, watching her with great eyes, amazed by her beauty.

"Thanks." She whispered, passing her hand through her hair to make it look back to normal. "Which time is it ?" She asked, having finished.

"Almost noon, we slept for 12 hours straight." I replied, looking up at my watch on my left wrist before turning around to finish my MRE.

"Bloody hell." She exclaimed, sounding an bit stunned.

"Yeah, you really did sleep 12 hours." I scoffed, taking the two MRE in my hands, going to walk to the table where ours guns were posed on. "I've prepared your meal, get dressed and come eat."

"Yes, ma'am." She expressed in an fake lazy voice as she start to get up to put her clothes on. "I've been thinking now, that's an first." She said

"What ?" I stopped myself, almost getting an part of what I was eating in my mouth to look at her curiously on my chair. "An first to what ?" I added, wanting her to clarify.

"That you woke up first before me or anyone else." She replied, putting her jacket on and laughting about it.

"Really ?" I raised an eyebrow, slowly moving my arm to eat the meal I've got in my hands.

"Yirina..." She rolled her eyes around as she walked to get to the table. "You know what I mean, I'm always waking you up or you always waking after me." She clarified, sitting up in her chair to eat her own MRE.

"Is that an compliment ?" I chuckled, faking an incomprehension towards her.

"Well, since I'm always here when you woke up, yes." She winked at me before taking an bite of her MRE.

"So, thanks, then." I grinned, continuing to eat while exchangings some glares during the few moments after that little compliment.

"Apart of that, did you have any memories back ?" Park demanded after we both finished our meals together at the same time but I shook my head.

"No, didn't have anything this night." I fully responded, putting my arms in an crossed form on the table and looking outside through the window in front of me. "I was thinking of something else."

"And what was that ?" She asked me.

"At first, it was about you." I smirked back at her direction, causing an blushing from her on her cheeks before looking away. "But then, it was about that mission."

"You too ?" She breathed, putting her meal aside.

"I'm wondering why Hudson did sent only the two of us here." I started, taking an deep breath. "I know that saving Adler is important for the CIA but even if Perseus want an mysterious necessary data in that base, why he didn't send more people on it ?" I continued, knowing that she couldn't answer that question, no one couldn't right now. "

"I did propose to him to have some MI6 reinforcements but he wasn't allowing it." Park revealed, making me more curious about that.

"Why did he refused ?" I questioned her.

"He said that he wouldn't want to waste time and it must stay an discreet job." She answered, sounding like she wasn't believing his words at all. "You saw what the others tried to do, it was the same thing." She added.

"Yeah, you needed here, Adler's our priority number one." I sort of mimick Hudson himself and my impersonation did caused Park to laugh.

"You got lucky that he wasn't here." She joked with me laughing about my own joke about Hudson.

"I would have done it even if he was there to be honest." I admitted, leaning myself against the back of my chair.

"I bet you would do." She nodded with an smile before looking outside the window. "Do you think that our path will be clear to get to the base ?" She asked me.

"Since that the snowstorm ended as it seems, it would maybe take an little bit of more time to travel until arriving to the base." I responded, thinking about it even if we didn't set an foot outside to verify my claim. "We will scout out the entrance and when it's done, we will try to find an way to enter."

"The base must be lightly protected even if it's holding some dark secrets." She suggested, biting an part of her lips to me. "The soviets are maybe careful with that but as the base is deep inside the USSR, they aren't going to bring too much firepower." She continued, crossing her arms.

"Maybe but we don't have too much guns too." I exclaimed, making her look to our two MP5 on the table next to me. "An MP5 isn't going to blow up the entire soviet army arsenal." I scoffed.

"I agree with this." She stated before she got up from her chair. "We're going now or we wait for the afternoon ?"

"I think that we should go now." I replied, also getting up from my chair and grabbing my MP5 in the process. "More we wait, more it's possible that Freya & Knight can strike at any moment." I expressed, checking my MP5 current mag.

"You're right." Park said, moving to take her own MP5 and making sure that she got her pistol in its holstler. "Well, let's go." She ordered, moving to grab the other part of our very limited stuff in the cabin.

After we checked up that we got everything : guns, pistols, knifes and the map of the base with us, we were ready to leave and get out of that cabin, preparing ourselves to walk in the numerous path of the mountains to reach the hidden soviet base in the Yamantau. As we got out, we could see that the snow was much higher than the last time we were outside thanks to the big snowstorm that occured all night.

Once fully ready, we started to walk into an different direction from the path we took to get here and thanks to the snow, we had to peak a view at the map every 2 minutes to be sure that we weren't completely lost in the Urals Mountains. As I thought that we were going to woke up with the snowstorm still occuring, instead, we were greeted by an blue sky, some clouds and the sun, not even snow dropping on us and strangefully, the heat wasn't so cold, more moderate.

We walked almost 45 minutes on the mountains, trying to avoid any dangers in our path like maybe helicopters patrols or just ground patrols but by chances, the environement was calm...too much calm to be honest. Is it either me or it's just the ambience of the Urals everyday ? After that time, we finally arrived in sight of the hidden soviet base....that wasn't so hidden after all with an concrete entrance in the side of an mountain.

"Finally." I breathed, seeing the base in my sight before we start to walk on an path below it, Park taking the lead.

"This little storm should cover us." She told me, advancing as during our walk, an little snowstorm was happening and like she said, it was going to provide cover. "You didn't hear some shots before ?" She demanded to me as 10 minutes ago, we heard like two louds noises, echoing in the mountains.

"No, I don't know what he could be." I expressed sincerely as these sounds were like inaudible for me. "Do you want....

"Jesus !" Park cut me straight in my words and stopping herself and when I moved my head to look at what was in front of us, I could discover the dead body of an soviet guard. "That doesn't look good." She admitted as I moved past her to check the body.

"Someone shot him, must be the sounds you heard." I said, on one knee to observe the gunshot wound on the body. "One in the shoulder, one piercing his hand and his skull." I added, watching his left hand with an bullet hole in it. "He tried to protect himself but he didn't manage to survive." I then got up from it.

"That's means that we're not alone to have interest in this data." Park whispered, approaching me by behind.

"And also meaning that Freya & Knight are already here." I proclaimed, looking towards the path leading to the entrance of the hidden base. "We can't back down, it's maybe dangerous but it's too late to flee." I affirmed directly as I start to walk again.

"Do you think that they're still here ?" Park questioned me as I took the lead.

"If they're still here, we will try to stop them." I admitted before stopping at an few meters from an chained fance. "And if they're here, you will have to call me 'Bell'."

"To maintain the illusion that you're not aware of your true state." I nodded to her statement, she know that it's sometimes painful for me & her to pretend to be Bell but with Freya, I've got no choices.

"When our feets are inside, you're using Bell as my name." I breathed before moving to get through the fence that was already moved away, meaning that we were maybe walking in Freya & Knight footsteps.

"I know." Park chuckled, passing in the fence as I was making sure that she didn't have an scratch from the cut part of the fence. "There's more dead guys." She pointed at an direction and when I turned around, I could see this time two dead bodies, facing each other.

"Poor devils didn't see the two coming." I exclaimed, both walking to get next to the two bodies. "These two were slashed by something that's not an knife." I checked up the wounds on them. "The cuts are too large for an single knife." I verified that by putting my own knife above on the wound of one of the guys at his chest.

"Must be Knight's work." Park thought, making me look at her with an curious face. "Back at the time, Knight was using like ice pick for his job." She continued, kneeling with one knee on the ground. "Guess that it's still his tools of work."

"Bodies are still hot, meaning that the two are still here." I proclaimed, having checked the heat of the body only by touching his neck.

"No way to back down." Park whispered, getting up and looking at the big entrance in the inside. "It's maybe an trap but....let's do this." She took an deep breath before we start to move away.

With the guards already dead, our doubts about having to face Freya & Knight were confirmed, the two were still there and we will have to watch out. It's with guns up and checking our surroundings that we start to enter the hidden base, discovering some dead bodies on the way in. When my foots were inside, I was now 'Bell', I need to react & act like her and I will have no choices, Park knows it and even if it's painful for us.

"We should maybe check the security room." Park proposed, arriving at an sort of junction between two big hallways. "There's cameras around here."

"Good idea." I nodded, walking in the left hallway as the security room was in that direction. In fact, it was just at an few meters from the panels indicating its direction. "I'm going in." I told Park, taking my M1911 in my right hand, holding the door handle in the other before slowly opening the door. "All clear." I said as the room was quiet but with an dead guy on the ground, an knife on his back.

"Cameras." Park pointed at the control panel, discovering multiples TV in front of us. "There must be an way to rewind them."

"Let me check that." I volunteered myself, putting my M1911 on the table, starting to verify if we were able to verify our claims. "Got it." I breathed, 30 seconds after I start. Hopefully that I was russian...."Camera 5" I pointed at the TV in the middle of the others.

"That's the two, entering inside." She scratched her forehead as we were seeing Freya & Knight advancing while neutralizing the soviets guards on their path. "Wait, there aren't alone, there's an third person !" She exclaimed, putting her finger at the position of where she see them.

"Yeah but they're hooded." I muttered, seeing them now. "I will try to put the cameras back to normal, trying to see where the trio could be." I suggested as Park walked behind me to check that no one was coming in. "Freya is in the archive room." I expressed, looking at the TV right next to the middle one. "She's alone." I added.

"Bell !" I could hear Park's voice behind me, sounding an bit in trouble and some footsteps too but when I redressed myself, I could hear an click of an gun...pointed at the back of my head.

"Game's over, you fucking fuckers." This was the voice of an man just behind me, his pistol threatening me. "Tutututut....don't even think about it." He added, knowing that I was looking at my M1911 on the table that he decide to grab in his hands.

"You must be...the british Knight." I put my hands up while turning around him to face him.

"I'm an Irish, you wanker." He told me, pointing his pistol right between my two eyes, seeing that Park was hold at gunpoint behind him by the third person, still hooded. I could discover his outfit, an big Perseus white paint on his torso and an black helmet. "You are the lady Bell, it seems."

"Touché." I decided to joke around, playing what Bell would do in that situation.

"Pretty funny." He breathed, sounding annoyed before he moved behind me, still aiming at me. "Walk, we're going to join Wraith and don't try anything with your friend." He ordered as we start to walk outside the security room, Park at my side and our hands up as Knight and the third person was holding us at gunpoint. We then arrived in the archive room where I could see Freya, putting something in an bag. "You got the data, Wraith ?"

"Yes, our work is done soon here." She replied, sounding normal before she turned around to look at us, not even surprised to see us here. "Where did you find them ?"

"Been wandering in the security room, Freya." The third person responded to her....that voice was..familiar to me as they were moving in front of Park before removing their hood.

"Sonya Kuzmin !" I snorted, discovering them after all these times in front of us...."How was the arrest by the CIA ?" I scoffed but my words only provoked Knight to literally put his pistol behind my head.

"Seems that you didn't forget about me." They exclaimed, smiling at me. "But now, the roles are reversed, right ?" She was the one to scoff right now, aiming at Park's face. "We got luck that the CIA guy told us about them." They turned around to look at Freya with an smile.

"He sold us out..." I whispered silently, exchanging an glare with Park...this mission was an set-up from him...he gave us away to Perseus....that's why he never wanted us to have support.....

"What do you want ?" Park asked Freya directly.

"What I want ?" Freya started, moving slowly towards Park to face her. "I want to know why...you stoled my Yiri ?" She demanded, feeling in her voice an broken tone deep inside her.

"What are you talking about, Wraith ?" Park was faking an incomprehension at Freya before Sonya moved to put Park on her knees.

"Don't touch her !" I ordered to Sonya, feeling the angriness in my voice before Knight decided to do the same for me and then, Freya moved to face me, kneeling.

"What did they do to you ?" She told me silently, resisting the urge to put her hands on my face before she did it anyway.

"Hey, who is she, Freya ?" Sonya demanded, sounding an bit stunned to see Freya doing this.

"She wasn't just an 'sister' to me, Sonya." Freya answered, turning her head towards them as me...I was keeping an straight face. "What...did you do ?" She repeated to Park.

"Nothing !" Park admitted clearly. "No one is touching Bell or they wil suffer !" She affirmed in an angry voice and Sonya decided to hit her on her face with their pistol, not knocking her down entirely.

"You..." I was going to curse and threw myself on Sonya before Knight put his hands on me to stop me moving.

"You ain't moving an single inch, maggot." Knight said in an serious voice. "We kill them and we're off ?" He demanded.

"No !" Freya directly replied, sounding an bit angry to heard this idea to have us killed here. "We have to bring the two with us, we will try to save Yirina and....maybe persuade Park to change allegiances..." She revealed to us before getting up.

"In your dreams." Park taunted them.

"Sonya." Freya gestured to them to move to Park to maybe hit her again but then, Sonya took an syringue out of one of their pockets to inject it in Park's neck who in the seconds following the injection, lose consciousness before falling on the ground on her back...

"What did you fucking do ?" I exclaimed loudly.

"We just put her to sleep." Sonya responded, throwing the syringue aside on the ground.

"Sonya, you call the helicopter : they will took the two with you back at the hideout." She ordered in an serious voice before Sonya moved away to make that call. "Knight, we will have to arm the nuke to cover our tracks."

"I ain't going anywhere and you will not take Park with you." I proclaimed, sounding like an death threat.

"I'm sorry." Freya whispered before she took an needle too, causing me to struggle but it was useless as Knight was holding me until Freya injected me with the needle...in the neck..."It's the only way, I'm sorry."

"Things are done now." Knight said as I was slowly going into vapes, falling on my back, watching Freya & Knight on top of me, watching me & Park almost inconscious before Freya took an radio in her hands.

"Stitch, we got the data !" She started as she looked at us. "We also got Yirina & Park, the CIA guy was right."

"Good, bring them to me." I could hear Stitch's voice through the radio as Knight was moving to grab my & Park's legs to drag us on the ground and I could only look at Park, trying to join my right hand with her left one....she was...inconscious and I was soon going to be like her...before I could hear Stitch for the last time as my body was going asleep....

"They will soon understand our vision for an Greater Russia !"

[xbellaxcarolinax]

Forging A Heart (Ivar the Boneless) 24- Let Them Come

Pairings: Ivar x Artemis (OFC)

Word Count: 3134

Warnings: Corpse burning.

AN: I found this GIF a long time ago on tumblr and I have no idea who made, but credit to them.

23- Silver Fox

... The makeshift pyre was constructed in a matter of hours. Dabria was secured tightly against the wood with mountains of hay surrounding her corpse. Artemis's eyes followed the dancing flames as they licked at the dead woman's feet.

She stood beside Ivar and all the people behind them, to watch her burn. The colorful flames illuminated the night sky and the smell of scorching flesh lingered in the air.

Dabria's face was a mangled mess of loose beating red flesh. Her skull was visible under all the flapping skin, cracked and deformed. It did not bother Artemis in the least, not as it would have before. She assumed her heart would ache, or at the very least, grieve the death of a misfortunate woman. But she didn't. Her heart hardened and her eyes were blank. Perhaps it was because the woman was not alive, but merely a corpse. The dead could not feel anymore pain.

Ivar looked dissatisfied, almost disappointed, at the lack of torture and pain. He would have preferred the woman alive, begging and screaming for her life for daring to hurt his wife. Instead he watched a lifeless body become cinders. To him, it was a dull affair, but it was enough to send a message.

He turns to look at Artemis. Even with the hood of her cloak on he could still make out her expression in the night. Apathetic. It made him smile. She was becoming stronger.

"Let the people watch if they wish," She tells him, her voice low, "I tire of watching her burn." She absentmindedly places her hand on her wounded shoulder, the wrappings easily felt through the fabric of her cloak. Ivar nods, bringing her hand to his lips and placing a chaste kiss on her knuckles.

"As you wish, baby bird." The king raises a hand, signaling the guard of their departure. Walking away from the docks, Artemis takes one last look at the pyre. She was happy to see her burn.

...

"Strike me." Artemis raises a brow at Ivar, looking down at the sword in her hands. It was Hvitserk's, one of his prized possessions. She's worked on it more than a few times, the handle already familiar in her hands.

It had been decided that she should receive training in self defense. So far, she had done well on her own, but it had been sheer luck, likely divine intervention from the gods.

"Well?" Ivar smirks. He sat upon the tree stump located in the old training grounds of his youth. He held a blue shield covering his left side and his favored axe held in his right. He sat perfectly still, resembling a statue, legs bound together as he had no need for his metal cages.

"Do you think it wise...?" She begins to ask, and Hvitserk laughs, crossing his arms.

"My brother deserves a beating, use that strength," Ivar scowls at his older brother before smacking his axe against his shield.

"Come now, wife." Ivar calls out to her. Artemis was some distance away, but not far enough to ignore her husband's taunting smile. He wanted to raise an anger out of her, make her attack him like some kind of berserker.

She takes a cautious step forward, and then another before running at full speed in the way Hvitserk had taught her. She intended a quick strike, though she knew Ivar would block it with ease. Raising the large sword, she brings it down with all her might. It was an attempt at a slash, and just as she predicted, Ivar deflected the blow with his shield. The wood splintered slightly at the pressure of her force, and Ivar used his shield to smack it from her hands.

With a quickness he swings his axe, to which Artemis blocks with her own shield, pushing at him. She was heaving, chest rising and falling under her leather vest. Raising her shield, she attempts to strike him with it, but he was much faster, embedding his axe into the wood, successfully lodging it in deeply.

He pulls with all his might, bringing her forward with his brute strength. She lets out a yelp, body colliding atop of his, dropping her now useless shield.

"So, this is what you prefer, hmm?" Ivar says from under her, looking up at her with his infuriating smirk and sparkling eyes. He drops his weapons in favor of placing his large hands on her waist, using his thumbs to stroke her sides under her training tunic.

"Shut up," She retorts, pushing his face away from her own. She rolls off of him comically, body softly landing on the  grass. Hvitserk laughs something fierce, arms crossed and a smirk on his face.

Training would prove to be difficult.

...

The days began to shorten and the nights grew long. The cold swept over Kattegat unmercifully, changing its leaves into different shades of red, yellow, and brown until there was nothing left but thin branches.

Then autumn was set aside for winter, its icy grip coating every inch of the town in snow. Trade had decreased for the time being, children played about less frequently, and families remained inside their homes where their hearth would keep them warm against the harsh elements.

That did not stop their Queen from stepping out to speak with the people. Though she was never an admirer of Kattegat's winters, she was slowly learning to embrace her new home and culture.

Artemis shivers from the cold despite wearing her warmest fur lined cloak, a luxury she was grateful for. Her newest guard Tordis, a shieldmaiden, follows behind her. Tordis was stoic, tall and brooding just like Heahmund, with dark eyes and thin lips set in a tight line. She wasn't the best company as Dafi had been, but Ivar trusted her enough to be Artemis's new shadow.

The marketplace buzzed with activity despite the slow oncoming snowstorm. Light flurries fell from the sky, a welcomed distraction from the noisy docks. The people crowded by the pier, all pushing at each other to take a look at the ship nearing their harbor.

"My Queen," Tordis says to her, "I think it's best we head back to the hall." Artemis had just finished speaking with an elderly woman, the wife of a farmer.

"I haven't finished making my rounds," Artemis tells her, smiling in farewell to the old woman before peeking up at the tall shieldmaiden, "I haven't even spoken to the fishermen yet. One of the wives is with child, you know." Tordis sighs.

"But the ship, my Queen."

"Ship?" It was only then that she noticed the people rushing towards their small dock. She whips around to get a glance herself, but she was far too short to see over the others.

"The King would want you with him in the hall. The people can wait." Tordis urges. Artemis sighs but nods, walking the familiar path towards the hall.

Already Aria comes skittering out from the kitchens once she is informed of the Queen's arrival. The redhead seemed nervous, wasting no time in removing the snow covered cloak from Artemis's shoulders.

"What's wrong?" She asks Aria immediately, already sensing the girls discomfort. Before she can answer, Heahmund hurriedly rushes over to them, his steps matching a soldier's march.

"Queen Artemis," Heahmund greets her, the sound of his voice clashing with that of yelling in the background, "Perhaps we should take a walk together?"

"Bishop. I've just come from outside." She says to him with a roll of her eyes, but stops short after hearing more yelling. The recognizable tone was unmistakably Ivar.

"Why is he in a rage?" She attempts to walk towards the sound of her angry husband, but Heahmund blocks her way.

"Heahmund," She huffs out, "Move."

"He's merely having a discussion with Hvitserk." Something shatters.

"That's a discussion to you?" She raises a brow and makes to walk around him but again he blocks her.

"He is angry."

"Oh? I haven't noticed!"

"Hvitserk will deal with him."

"But there is a ship intending to dock soon." Artemis says exasperated.

"He knows. That is why he is in a rage."

"I did not see their banners, are they friend or foe?" She asks worriedly, turning to look towards Tordis.

"I could not tell, my Queen." The shieldmaiden says to her. Artemis sighs but dismisses her before turning to Heahmund.

"What are you not telling me?" She switches to her native tongue, in case he was worried about others hearing. Heahmund scratches at his cropped hair before dropping his hand atop the pommel of his notorious sword out of habit.

"His brothers are due to dock by tonight." The shouting continues, Ivar's and Hvitserk’s voices seeming to come from deep within the hall, perhaps from the council chambers.

"His brothers?" She asks in disbelief, "Are they a threat?"

"They come with one ship. A messenger was sent ahead. They wish to discuss things peacefully."

"Peacefully? The last time they all saw each other was during war!"

"Which is why your husband is in a rage." With a sigh, Artemis walks towards the council chambers, but Heahmund reaches out to grab her arm, halting her movements. She shakes his grip off and he rolls his eyes.

One could not miss the yelling that threatened to knock down the chamber doors. Thralls scurried about, frightened, just as Aria had been. Artemis knocks on the door before opening it slowly. Hvitserk rushes forward, attempting to close it back.

"Hvitserk, let me in."

"I'm afraid I can't do that, Artemis." He says hastily through the crack of the door.

"Artemis?" She hears Ivar question, already sensing his frustrations from the other side.

"I'm here, let me see you." She calls out to him, and after a whispered back and forth between him and Hvitserk, the elder brother reluctantly opens the door. He lets her and Heahmund through before softly shutting it.

The chamber was a complete mess. Parchments and maps strewn about and shattered pieces of things she could not identify littered the floor. The table was in disarray, with the candles used for nightly reading rolling off the surface. And in the center of it all was a very angry Ivar. He sat leaning over the table, body in a defensive mode, jaw clenched.

"Ivar," She begins softly, slowly making her way towards him as if he were a wounded animal. She carefully steps over the broken things that covered the floor, leaning up against him with a gentle hand on his back. This already seemed to calm him, though there was still a fire blazing in his eyes.

"They dare come to Kattegat!" He seethes for a moment, straightening his back to look her in the eyes, "They dare come here demanding peace?" His voice rose octaves, booming something fierce. Artemis quickly kneels to be at level with him.

"Do not strain yourself." She says, knowing fully well that he'd end up hurting his bones somehow. She places her cold hands on his heated face in an attempt to smooth out the angry lines, and for a moment it seemed to work. He then breathes out harshly, brows refusing to smooth over. He grits his teeth before speaking.

"You do not understand, wife." He was holding himself back, she could tell, from saying something offensive.

"I understand that you are angry, but your fury will cloud your judgement."

"I should execute them." He says suddenly, head raised as if he thought of the most brilliant plan.

"Ivar-" Hvitserk speaks up.

"I should have them executed the moment their feet touch the sand."

"They are our brothers!" Hvitserk roars, slamming both hands atop the wooden table.

"Yet they betrayed us, their kin!" Ivar roars back lurching forward, forgetting his own disability. The movement causes Artemis to step back with a frown. He turns to look at her, his wild eyes dimming at the sight of her. He plops back against his seat.

"I do not care for Ironside," He mutters, looking down for a moment towards the small dagger strapped to his side, "But perhaps I'll spare Ubbe." His tone was nonchalant.

"My king," Heahmund speaks up, "I believe you have a right to be suspicious," Hvitserk immediately turns to glare at the Bishop. Heahmund ignored him and continues, "But perhaps you should hear them out."

"And if it is a trap?" Ivar urges.

"We have the means to protect ourselves." Was the simple reply.

"They must be in dire need if they risk coming back to Kattegat," Artemis comments, flipping over a chair that was knocked over in Ivar's anger. She takes a seat beside him, grabbing his hand gently, making him look at her.

"Let them come," She tells them, "We shall then judge whether they come in pretense. What do you say?" She turns to look at Hvitserk, then Heahmund, who both look at each other, unsure.

"We can ready a few men," Hvitserk says after a moment, "And we meet them at shore."

"I will have your men at the ready, my King," Says Heahmund, "If you command it." Ivar drums his thick fingers against the table, his other hand in Artemis's grip. He then turns to look at her, as if searching her eyes for something.

"You need to be protected." He states.

"I need to be by your side, you mean," She counters, "I do not wish to appear weak."

"You are no warrior." His tone was finally softening, but there was still enough edge to understand that his decision would be final.

"I should be by your side to greet them!"

"Artemis is right," Hvitserk says, "If they do not see the Queen beside you, they will take it as a threat." Artemis smirks at Ivar's frown.

"She always gets in the way of danger," Ivar argues, "And it'll be more than an arrow to the ear or a slice to the shoulder. Lagertha's supporters rally with them."

"Tordis will be by my side," Artemis pleads, already setting that particular look she gave when she wanted something, "You trust her don't you?" Ivar huffs, sucking his teeth and ripping his hand away from her own to set it under his chin in thought.

"You are to come straight back to the hall with Tordis if danger does arise." Artemis nods her head enthusiastically and Ivar sighs.

"Very well," The king says, "Let them come."

...

The ship arrived late into the evening, just as the snow began to stick.

Ivar stood tall and proud, his eyes never leaving the sight of his brothers disembarking their ship. His jaw was clenched tight, his posture rigid and knuckles white from the tight grip on his crutch buried within the snow and through the sand.

Artemis shifts under the weight of her furs, the pelt of soft wolf hair heavy on her small shoulders. It was by far one of the most sumptuous articles of clothing that she had received. Ivar had made it a point that they were to be dressed in fine garments to display their wealth and power. It made her want to roll her eyes, as none of it was hers truly, but still, she indulged him. She stood to Ivar's right, the very vision of a beautiful queen with her dog beside her. Tordis stood behind her as agreed, one of the few things that eased Ivar's mind.

Hvitserk and Heahmund were on Ivar's left. Both were armed and ready incase of attack, though Hvitserk was far more apprehensive. He did not want to face his brothers in battle again. 20 armored men were lined up across the beach to protect their king. Some of the people stayed to watch while others scurried off home to avoid any potential conflict.

Torches were blazing along the edges of the docks to combat against the darkness. Only shadows could be seen disembarking the ship, one by one.

The tallest figure was Bjorn, who strides towards them with measured steps and a hand resting on his sword. He too was ready for any possible threat. He had hate emanating from his person, eyes a dead blue and lips tightly formed into a frown. He replaced his rope like hair with that of a shorter look, shaved down to his scalp. He looked frightening, as large as a bear standing on its hind legs. He quickly makes eye contact with Artemis, blue and grey clashing in an intense stare. Although his features did not betray him, there was a twinkle in his eye. He was surprised to see her.

Ubbe was behind him, hair as long as Bjorn's before he cut it, and a sadness in his eyes. Surely he missed his brothers. His eyes land on Ivar, though it was only for a fraction of a moment before he moves them to Hvitserk. They stared each other down for a few seconds, as if exchanging memories of their youth. Ubbe was not at all surprised by Artemis's appearance as Bjorn had been. Her cloak was finer than anything he'd ever seen her in. He knew she would elevate to her current position.

Behind him was Torvi the shieldmaiden and her children. She had a determination in her kohl lined eyes, a fire that could burn through all of them. Artemis focused her eyes on Torvi's children, afraid and gripping their mothers skirts. They had no fault in this.

"Brothers," Bjorn greets, crossing his hands over his front, "I see you've made the blacksmith a Queen." Bjorn's lips form a smirk, shifting his eyes to Heahmund, "And you've kept the bishop." Ivar snorts.

"Observant. Welcome back to Kattegat, brothers," Ivar's eyes land on the flaxen haired shieldmaiden, "And Torvi." The shieldmaiden glares, but does nothing more.

"To what do we owe...the pleasure of such a visit? Hmm?"

"Pleasantries." Says Bjorn, almost jokingly. If it weren't for the breeze and the loud crackling of the fires, anyone would have heard Ivar intake a breath of annoyance. He was certainly not amused.

"What do you want?" Ivar says, voice sharp as a whip.

"An alliance."

"I have enough of those. I don't need you."

"May we continue this inside? My children are cold." Ivar sucks his teeth, eyes shifting to the children in between Torvi's skirts. He feels Artemis tug on the sleeve of his tunic to get his attention.

"Don't turn the children away," She says to him, "They are innocent. Let them inside the hall." Ivar's nose flares, the furs wrapped around his shoulders making him look almost frightening. He licks his lips but nods reluctantly.

"You may enter my hall, but you must leave your weapons with my men."

Bjorn stares him down, before grunting and nodding his head.

"Agreed."

...

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[thebirdandhersong]

#I finished whispering skull a few days ago but I can't stop thinking about this passage#show kipps: a burly muscular Man weeping with his head in a bag#book kipps: a shrimp of a manboy who has been battered like a fried fish but is just pissed off about it and looking for revenge CATE I'm WHEEZING

“Across the room stood another chair, turned toward George. Here, to my brief surprise - I’d almost forgotten my encounter with the Fittes team - sat Quill Kipps. Like George, his hands were tied behind him. But he was awake, his hair streaked with cobwebs, his thin face gray with grave dust. His jacket was askew, and his shirt torn at the collar. He looked as if he’d had a rough time, suffered a few indignities. Mostly, though, he just looked deeply annoyed. His eyes glittered as he gazed around.”