"Приготовите еду, скоро придет принцесса. Ей нужна большая комната! Все должно быть готово к ее приезду!" Daria was shouting on her servants.

She was constantly running around and making sure that everything was clean, and that the food was prepared. Ivar couldn't understand much from what she was saying because she spoke so fast, but it was clear that she was expecting someone important to come soon. Prince Igor was right beside him holding a big, wooden puppet that resembled a king, and he chuckled at Ivar's reaction. Ivar and the boy got really close in a short period of time. The language barrier wasn't such a big problem for either of them because they were both learning new languages so fast.

Igor looked up to Ivar, he was so amazed by him, and if Ivar wasn't so young he would probably consider him a father figure. And for Ivar, that little boy was like a chance redemption, murdered his own brother once, her tried murdering the rest of them, but maybe he could consider Igor like his own little brother and be nice to him. Maybe he was just becoming too soft. Ivar noticed that he became so different since he came to Kiev. He wasn't so angry anymore. For the first time in his life, he had a chance to feel the other emotions so pure, not mixed up with anger that he had been feeling for his whole life. Ivar felt like he was healed from something.

"My cripple friend." Igor chuckled. 

"What?" Ivar asked.

"Dasha usually becomes like that when someone is coming for a visit." Igor said. He smiled when he mentioned a strange nickname that Igor gave to Daria. It made her sound rather...Endearing?

"And who is coming to visit? She didn't mention anyone."

"I don't know, some kind of princess. Probably her cousin, princess Katia. Those princesses sound boring, I don't want to merry any of them someday. They will always make me buy them expensive things..." Igor said playing with the doll he had in his arms and Ivar just laughed at him. 

"Oh I am sure when you grow up that you are going to find those boring princesses a lot more interesting then you do now." Ivar said.

 "Like Dasha is interesting for you?" Igor asked and giggled. Ivar looked at him and shook his head.

"You little..."

"What are you two doing? Princess is going to come soon. I expect you both to behave kindly. Her father contributed a lot to our army." Daria warned them. 

 "Don't worry, I will be nice Dasha." Igor said.

"Oh it's not you I am worried about!" Daria said and looked at Ivar.

"What? Me? You have nothing to worry about my princess." Ivar said with a smile on his face.

"Я убью тебя, я убью тебя Ивар" Daria mumbled to herself before walking away from the two of them.

"What did she say?" Ivar asked.

"Oh, she said she loves you." Igor laughed.

"Yes, she does have a strange way of saying that..." Ivar chuckled. 

After a few hours, Daria considered everything to be ready. The princess was awaited in the hall where the music was playing, as the food and drinks were served. 

"Is it safe to drink the wine this time?" Ivar teased Daria.

"I don't know. Find out for yourself." Daria answered back to him.

The woman with the long black hair and dark blue eyes walked inside and filled the room with her charismatic presence. She was beautiful, confident, and covered with a gold jewelry that complimented her attitude. The woman looked as if she just conquered the whole world. Princess Katia and Daria were always forced to spend time with each other when they were younger. But that didn't mean that enjoyed each other's company that much, especially after prince Oleg choose Daria over Katia. They were so different, they both were strong and gorgeous woman in their own way. Katia was two years younger then Daria, a lot of man wanted her, and begged for her attention, but Daria was the most powerful woman in Kievian Rus. 

The two of them hugged each other and started speaking something on Russian that Ivar didn't quite follow. For a moment he was unable to say anything, he wasn't able to move, or to do anything. It was like the black-haired woman enchanted him. He felt that she was the most dark and most twisted ghost from this past that the Gods could ever send to him. She looked just like her. Just woman he loved so much, the woman he trusted with his own life, and the woman that he killed. She represented Freydis so much that it hurt him.

"You look like you just saw a ghost." Igor whispered to Ivar.

"I think I just did." Ivar mumbled. 

"This is prince Igor, I believe you meet him before. And this is Ivar the Boneless, Viking king, and he is also considered to be their God." Daria said and Katia smiled bowing her head slightly.

"It is a great pleasure to meet you Ivar the Boneless." Katia said to him. 

"The pleasure is mine princess." Katia then sat right next to Ivar, ready to provocate him, and drive him mad like she did to every other male. 

Daria immediately noticed how nervous Ivar became because of Katia's presence. She noticed the way he looked at her, the way he listened her voice and the way his eyes softened. And she felt something she rarely did before, it was jealousy, and it started eating her from inside the moment she noticed the two of them together.For a moment, she felt so sick, that she wanted to throw up. But she decided to cover everything she was feeling with a smile. 

"So tell me King Ivar, what are your plans for Kattegat? Did you find yourself a proper queen yet?" Katia asked."

I will be able to think about the queen, when I become a king, princess Katia. And that didn't happen yet." Ivar answered.

 "You are already a powerful man, so when you become a king again, you will need a powerful woman by your side. Do not forget that." Katia said and touched his hand, but Ivar only smiled at her before starting to eat.

Rest of the evening was quite pleasant for everyone, or that is what everyone thought so. 

After princess Katia was escorted to her chambers, and prince Igor went to sleep, Daria sat alone on her throne holding a cup of half finished wine. She was exhausted, but also so deep in her own restless thoughts ,so she couldn't close her eyes and sleep. She hated going to bed when she was angry, it made her dreams bad, and the following morning as well, so she needed to calm down first.

"Can't sleep?" She heard Ivar's voice as he walked inside.

"It's not like your presence would help me fall asleep, so I would appreciate if you left the room." 

"And I would appreciate if you would put that wine down, and told me what made you angry."Ivar answered as he walked closer to her.

"Why don't you go to Katia?"

 Ivar then laughed and Daria felt ashamed for her own words and emotions, and she felt so furious that to Ivar, this seemed like a complete joke.

"And I thought you were the smart one. " Ivar said and Daria looked up to him.

"I am not stupid, or blind Ivar. I saw the way you looked at her. But don't worry. I can arrange a marriage for the two of you, I am sure her father won't mind and that she would be happy as well. " Daria felt the pain while she was only thinking about this. Saying it out loud was even more painful.

"And what about me?" Ivar asked.

"You won't be happy?" Daria raised her eyebrow.

"No." Ivar whispered.

"Then what will make you happy?" Daria asked, slowly losing her patience with this man. 

Ivar didn't answered to her question. He went closer to her, and with effort he got on his knees in front of her throne. The most proud man, the scourge of the whole world, was on his knees in front of a woman, terrified by his own emotions, and unsure of what he was doing. He was on his knees in front of a Christian. He was completely defeated and he had lost all his pride to her. 

"I am happy enough just to be yours." Ivar whispered.

Приготовите еду, скоро придет принцесса. Ей нужна большая комната! Все должно быть готово к ее приезду (Prigotovite yedu, skoro pridet printsessa. Yey nuzhna bol'shaya komnata! Vse dolzhno byt' gotovo k yeyo priyezdu) -prepare the food, the princess will arrive soon. She needs a big chambers. Everything needs to be prepared when she arrives.

Я убью тебя, я убью тебя Ивар (Ya ub'yu tebya, ya ub'yu tebya Ivar)-I will kill you,I will kill you Ivar.

Hello everyone, I really hoped you enjoyed this chapter, thank you all for reading. Please leave a comment and tell me your opinion about my story.