Chapter 65// Battle of Kattegat

                                    

                                          
I felt it long before it arrived. The pure chaos, the agony, the utter tragedy of Ivars choices as they were slowly coming back to us. With our most prized possession out of the way, we watched the distant hills of our kingdom awaiting the traitors we used to call family.
After everything that has happened I was ready for our final battle, the last battle we would stand against together. Either we die or we will kill our enemies and live in peace. The result would be revealed sooner than I'd like.
When my journey here began I was so willing to burn the whole Kattegat to the ground and now I'm ready to burn down with it. All in the name of love.
"You're ok my love?" Ivar asks, kissing my hand tenderly. I look over at him, his cheeks slightly reddened as we sit on the watching tower looking over the quiet forest as we warm ourselves with hot ale and blankets.
"I'm thinking..." I sigh seeing my hot breath swirling in the cool air.
"So am I, but I don't look half as sad as you." He sighs scanning my face warily.
"It's just... it all changed so much since I first came here..." I try to explain how I'm feeling. The small town I saw had already grown quite a bit under Ragnars control, but Ragnar didn't care about growth of wealth or status. Ivar made Kattegat a Kingdom of its own.
"It did but you changed a lot too." He adds, his crystal blue eyes skipping over my face as his lips pull up to a satisfied smirk.
"I mean it's kind of obvious that I've changed I'm a mother and a wife now." I remind him as I raise my hand to show off our wedding band.
"You're forgetting the part where you're a queen as well but that's not what I meant. You've grown as a person apart from me and Mel. I'm proud to call you mine. And if the gods will I'm even prouder to tell your tale in Vallhalla tomorrow." He chuckles as he takes my hand to place a soft kiss on my ring finger.
"You're not going to die Ivar. I won't let it happen." I huff out feeling tired of this discussion.
"The gods made their decision and I'm ready for whatever will come. You can't stop them." He reminds me as his eyes wander to the reddish morning sky like he already sees the gates of Vallhalla.
"Are you sure about that? I escaped death more often than Ragnar himself probably. I will do all it takes to save you Ivar, I mean it." I remind him stretching out my tired bones. It was way too early to watch the sky together. But if Ivar want something he will do everything in his power to get it.
"Love I don't want you to. If I'm slaughtered, let me be. I already have plans for you if you need to escape. I won't put you in danger because of my safety." He barely whispers avoiding my glare as my heart drops a little. Is he beginning to question himself? 
"I won't run away like a coward. If you die I do, till death brings us apart remember." I recall, getting angry at his sudden cowardly attitude. Ivar, scourge of the world, afraid of a little battle???
"I knew you'd say that but I'm your husband after all. I have to protect you and the baby, and I won't let Mel grow up without her mother." He pleads grabbing my cold hand.
"And I won't let her grow up without her father." I bite back ready to get up and leave. What has suddenly gotten into him??
"Stubborn thing." Ivar chuckles, wrapping his arm around my neck to pull me close to him, kissing the top of my head tenderly. I try to push back but his upper body is much stranger than mine. It makes me grin a little, his warmth flowing out of his clothes and right to my cold cheeks.