Win a battle, win a war, all that sounds so easy when you have soldiers who fight and bleed for you doesn't it?

But stay by their side, lead them, guide them into their deaths if it is needed, make them believe that it is worth it, that they are heroes, survive, and then weep those who died on the battlefield, but still stay strong and hold your head up high. That is everything that a princess have to do for her warriors when she is leading them into the battle, in exchange, all that they need to do, is to be ready to die for her and her ambitions.

And people did die in the battle, not many of them, but the cold night was decorated with the slight number of the funerals, and the cries of the woman whose husbands didn't come back, echoed trough the Kiev.

Brynhildr stood outside as the snow gently fallen on her hair making it even whiter then it was, her blue eyes beamed with tears. She felt as if she had to bury someone of her own. Maybe fighting beside someone on the battlefield really creates a bond? Or maybe it was the painful cries of those who impatiently waited for their loved ones to come back from battle, and they came back, but dead.

"Warriors die in battles every day, that is not a reason for crying." Ivar whispered coming closer to her. He put the cloak over her shoulders. She only then realized how cold was outside.

"Is it wrong to weep for those that died for you?"

"No, but it is unnecessary to be that sensible when you are a queen."

"This is the first time I am starting a war, the first time I brought dead soldiers back home." Brynhildr answered and Ivar stood beside her.

"Don't. If you cry for every warrior that dies for you, then you will break." Ivar said.

"Did you cry when you thought that I am going to die?" Brynhildr asked him. Ivar looked away from her before answering her question.

"When Balder, Odin's beloved son died, not only did people weep.
But fire wept.
And iron, and all the other metals wept.
The stones wept.
Earth wept."

Brynhildr listened him, shivering on his words. She heard the tale of Balder's death before, but it was the tale that always made her sad.

"That is how I felt." Ivar said

"Then let me waste my tears however I want to." Brynhildr answered as her cold hand touched his.

The rest of the night was passing calmly, after the funerals were over, and everyone came back to their homes, Kiev became silent once again. Bynhildr went back into the castle. She felt lonely tonight, and once again she hated going to sleep when she was sad or angry, so she needed company. Also she was worried about someone else.

Dir.

The man who managed to corrupt her guards, to send a traitor inside her castle, the traitor that almost murdered her. Of course Dir knew that she was alive, the voice about her attacking the Norway and winning the battle already spread around the kingdom. But will he have the courage to attack again?

Brynhildr walked into the throne room and poured herself some wine, it always helped her deal with conclusively and calmly with everything that was bothering her. But right now she was ready to raise an army, attack Dir and lock him into the darkest and deepest cell where he won't be able to hurt her or anyone she loved.

Hvitserk sat there with Ivar and Igor. They noticed that she was quiet and upset tonight.

"When are we going to attack again?" Hvitserk asked.

"As soon as I make sure that we won't be attacked here while I am away. As long as Dir is free, I don't think it is safe to leave Kiev unprotected for such a long period." She answered.

"That crossed my mind lately as well, that man must die before we continue our war." Ivar said.

"That is the one who tried to kill you?" Hvitserk asked and looked at Brynhildr, even he wondered how is that man still breathing.

"Yes, he got away with what he had done for now. But that is the second time he threaten me, and I am not going to allow it to happen ever again." Brynhildr said.

"Are we going to kill him? His army is nothing compared to ours!" Igor said.

"Are you too bloodthirsty? Remember what I told you Igor. Put your mind in your actions we might need him. And I don't want to waste my soldiers on him." Brynhildr said.

"That sounds like you already made a plan and I want to hear it." Ivar said.

"His wife, Anna, she will bring him to me. She doesn't want any war between our kingdoms because she knows that they would lose. I promised he will stay alive, but I want him to use his political power to benefit me, instead of using it against me." Brynhildr said.

"If you think that is right, then I will not stop you, but I think he must die." Ivar said.

"Enough about death, we will keep our allies close to ourselves, even if they deserve to die." Brynhildr said.

"Then you will have to be more careful." Ivar said.

"Enough! I will fight my battles the way I want to do!" Brynhildr yelled putting her cup of wine down. Ivar watched her, as anger flashed into his eyes, she never spoke this way to him, she always respected him and his opinion. Hvitserk and Igor looked at each other, they felt the tension between Ivar and Brynhildr filling up the room as they spoke and they didn't want to be there when it finally explodes.

"Then I will not be there to weep for you, when you die again." Ivar said.

The man who always thought about his actions, about what he is going to do and say, wasn't thinking at all when he said those cruel words to Brynhildr, just then when he saw her blue eyes fill with tears on the corner of them he realized how much she was hurt. Once again Ivar was right, he didn't know how to love, all that he knew was to break people, to cause them pain again and again. He didn't deserve Brynhildr, he could never.

"Ivar!" Igor yelled at him.

"Then I will make sure you won't get invited to my funeral." Brynhildr answered and got up from where she was sitting calmly, not allowing anyone to see that she was hurt by him.

"Brynhildr, I didn't mean..." Ivar said but she didn't allow him to finish his words.

"Good night everyone." She cut him off and walked outside of the throne room. She made her way into her chambers, locking the door and ordering the guards not to let anyone to come even near the room. She wanted to be alone tonight, and if she was going to cry because her feelings were hurt by a man, nobody will be able to see that.

The morning came quickly. Brynhildr was simply too exhausted to spend it thinking about her feelings, or thinking about everything simply caused her too much pain. It wasn't easy to hear such a words from someone she allowed herself to love, after something people called "love" hurt her so many times. Brynhildr was getting tired of it, fighting wars and ruling the Kiev, even as a woman, was so much easier then being with love, especially with such an unpredictable man like Ivar the Boneless was.

As soon as Brynhildr woke up, she gotten the word that princess Ana was already on her way to bring Dir in Kiev. Brynhildr's words traveled fast enough. She needed to be ready for this visit because Dir was unpredictable as well, but he wasn't as smart as he thought he was.

Brynhildr got dressed and opened the door of her room to see that not only guards were in front of it, but Ivar as well sitting on the floor, it looked as if he spent most of his night there.

"They didn't let me see you." Ivar said.

"That is because I didn't want to see you. Not get out of my way. I have some work to do." Brynhildr answered coldly walking away from him as fast as she could, but Ivar followed her crawling.

"About what I said last night..." Ivar mentioned but Brynhildr didn't let him speak about that.

"I don't care." She said.

"I mean it." Ivar said and Brynhildr looked at him as anger was slowly building up inside of her.

"You mean it?"

"I do, I mean it, I will not be there to weep for you when you die, because I will die before I allow anyone to hurt you. Those who want to hurt you can only come to you over my dead body." Ivar said looking into her eyes.

Brynhildr shivered on his words. His words were powerful and in her mind she didn't doubt that they were true, but the time will prove.

"We will see about that Ivar."

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