(Theme song is I Fell In Love With The Devil by Avril Lavigne, Thank you @SupriyaYenpure for recommending this song to me, I love Avril since I was like 12 years old! But I didn't really hear this song till yesterday. It exactly describes the synergy between Ivar & Nova)

Ivar's POV

She can throw me in fire and I would dance in the flames.....

I watch her sleep, so beautiful and so ethereal

I rub the back of my fingers on her cheek as she smiles, semiconsciously

Her big brown eyes open almost immediately as I kiss her cheek, I tried not to but I just couldn't resist

"Where's Alfie?" Is her first question as she wakes up 

"I put him in bed, he is asleep" I reply

"But we have to go back" She says as she looks around the room

"Don't go" I say desperately, "Stay tonight"

"IT'S DARK OUTSIDE?" Her eyes pops out of the sockets

"You slept thought the afternoon and evening" I giggle 

But she looks at me as if I have cursed her..

"It is not funny, they would be worried sick about Alfie and I!" Nova gets up and wears her dress

"Who they?" I rub my chin

"Alfred and Jezebel" Nova replies as she adjusts her clothes

"Well they can fuck themselves" I laugh

"Everything is funny to you, isn't it?" Nova keeps her hands on her waist and looks at me like my mother

"Nova, listen" I say as I get up and walk towards her, "Alfie is sleeping and it's already dark outside. I won't let you travel these woods alone at night" I say as I keep my hands on her waist

"Alfie.." She says

"I am Alfie's father" I tilt my head to look into her eyes, "I know what's best for him, you should stay" I say but her eyes are still filled with worries

Once she starts worrying and getting anxious, there's no going back from it.

"Why don't you write a letter, informing that you intend to stay for tonight as you have been feeling sick" I devise my plan, "And then" I poke her with my finger, "They will calm down and you will leave tomorrow" I say

"Okay..." She says as she doubts my plan but sits and writes the letter

"Send it by the fastest horseman that you have" She hands me the letter and I nod

"Where is Alfie?" She says and I know she will not rest till she sees his face

I take her hand and guide her to Alfie's room, Alfie was asleep but as soon as he heard Nova voice or felt her presence, he got up

"Momie! wher hav you bean?" He asks as he clings onto her

"Me and dadie played, rode horsie and ate" Alfie says excitedly

"Oh really?" Nova says as her eyes gleam 

"Wher wer youi?" Alfie asks

"Well Mommy was.." Nova says hesitantly

"Juggling" I say without thinking as Alfie looks at me, and so does Nova

"Juggling wut?" Alfie asks

"Ummm" Nova scans my face for answers

"Balls" I giggle

Nova looks at me like it was me who crucified her Jesus Christ!

"Ivar!" Nova mutters as I want to roll on the floor and laugh but I just cannot, not at-least right now

"Wut kind of balls?" My son asks, making the conversation even funnier

"Alfie go to bed" Nova says but Alfie protests

"I wan to know!!!" Alfie says

"Big, hard ones" I giggle

"Ivar! Do shut up!" Nova says with her eyes glued onto mine

"Really?" Alfie jumps in excitement

"I am counting to three, If you don't you don't sleep. I will call the witch of the woods" Nova warns Alfie

Alfie immediately jumps into his bed and Nova tucks him to sleep

"Goo night momie, goo night dadie" Alfie says as Nova and I kiss him on either cheeks

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Nova's POV

"You really don't have to talk like that in front of a child that too your own!" I exclaim as we reach back to my room

"He's my child, he is bound to know this stuff" Ivar scoffs

"You will not spoil my child" I say as I climbs in the bed

My body feels as sore as ever, as I close my eyes a little trying to ease my exhaution

"You mean our child" Ivar says while taking off his clothes, but he keeps his trousers on

He sits on one knee to examine his sword collection as he talks to me

"Can we talk about us now?" I say as I half sit, half sleep on the bed

"What about us?" He says as he fidgets with his swords, his eyes glued onto them like they are the only thing that matter to him

"We are going into a war" I say, "You, Alfred and I" 

Ivar stops and looks at me while he smiles like a devil

"I know" He says as gets up with a sword and places himself on the chair

"If I defy Alfred. If I openly side with you, I lose the support of catholics and the Vatican. France loses it's status and people lose their food or their source of Income, which is the church. The country will go into crisis" I say as I think

"Hmmm" He says

"If I don't support you, I lose my marriage and my child's happiness. And most Importantly my love for you" I say it as directly as I can, without any frills

Ivar keeps his sword on the table and climbs into the bed as he keeps his one arm under my head and other on my waist and looks at me with his ocean blue eyes

"But" He says 

"If you take your own side, you won't lose either of it" Ivar says 

"How?" I ask as he kisses my cheek

"My Queen, you know exactly how..." Ivar says as his presses his lips onto mine.

(Damn... Any ideas what you think Nova will do next, to save her heart and her kingdom? ;))

Theme Song

https://youtu.be/XIw_e2B0AbE