"(Y/n)!" Hvitserk exclaimed, as he, Ubbe and Sigurd moved back so quickly, that they knocked over their chairs. Ivar just sitting in his chair, wide-eyed, as the shieldmaiden made her way into the hall, with her bow and quiver slung over her shoulder.

"Morning. What's wrong with all of you........?" She enquired, doing her best not to smile, as the sons of Ragnar reached for their weapons.

"There.........there........there.............." Sigurd spluttered, pointing with his sword at something behind her.

"There what.........?"

"Wolf.........." Hvitserk blurted out. The colour completely draining from his face, as the beast came to join her.

"Oh, that is just Myrkr. Don't worry about him. He and I are friends. I just came to see if there is anything to eat, before we go hunting." (Y/n) explained casually, as if having a huge black wolf by her side, was the most normal thing in the world.

"You have a friend? Now that I don't believe." Ivar finally said, as he looked up at (Y/n) who had just taken some mutton from his plate. The eyes of his brothers turning to look at him in disbelief. Finding it hard to believe that even Ivar would come out with such a thing, when a humongous black wolf was glaring at him. (Y/n) just chuckling, as Myrkr stalked forward, and growled at the dark prince.

"It's alright, he isn't worth it, Myrkr. I told you last night, that his heart was as black as your fur. Ivar wouldn't know what a friend was, if they slapped him around the face, which I have done on more than one occasion; and quite enjoyed doing, I must admit. He believes that he has never had a friend, you see. Most of the children were too scared of him when he was little, after he splint that poor boys head open with his axe, to go anywhere near him. He never noticed the one child that stuck with him; that watched over him, despite how he treated them. The only person that is and has never been scared of him; and would follow him to their death, if he asked. Now..........." (Y/n) said, as she looked between the dark prince and the black wolf.

"What say you and I go and get some fresh air. The whole place reeks of Ivar's breath, first thing in the morning." The shieldmaiden added, as Myrkr came to join her. The pair quickly making their way out of the Great Hall, and into Kattegat. Leaving the sons of Ragnar to just stare at one another.

                                                         >>----------------------------------<<

Ivar sat on the tree stump, picking at his fingernails with his dagger. Not listening to Hvitserk and Ubbe's clashing swords, or Sigurd complaining about something or another; his mind back on the events of that morning. Of watching as (Y/n) and a great black wolf had looked at him, and she had said that his heart was as black as the creature's fur. Yet it was not this obvious truth that stuck with him. Ivar always having believed that there was a dark hole where his heart should have been. No, it was everything else that she had said; everything that she had said and really meant. That he never believed that he had had a friend; but even if he hadn't realised it, one had been there all along. One that he had never noticed, one that had stuck with him. That had watched over him, despite how he treated them. The only person that was and had never been scared of him; and would follow him to their death, if he asked. Ivar thinking even further back to his childhood; to not only the times that he would sit listening to Flóki, but to the times when he had believed that there had been no one to help him, no one to defend him. But it wasn't true, was it? There had always been someone there, someone that had sat with him, that had helped and defended him; and that person had been (Y/n). The youngest son of Ragnar chastising himself for his stupidity. Wondering if all those words meant that she cared for him, as much as he cared her.

"Myrkr!" A voice called out. Ivar toppling backwards off the stump, as the black wolf came bounding over to stand above him. Its dark eyes seeming to look right into his soul.

"Don't eat Ivar. He'll make you sick............." The voice continued with a chuckle. Ivar and the others watching as (Y/n) came through the trees and into the clearing; a number of rabbits thrown over her shoulders. Only stopping as she came to join Myrkr, standing over the dark-haired prince.

"Odin only knows that he makes me feel sick every time I look at him........." She added, before offering Ivar her arm. Ivar finding himself smiling up at her, before letting her help him up, and back onto his stump.

"But you can eat Ubbe. I am sure that he would taste nice...........he is so sweet, after all." The shieldmaiden told the wolf. Laughing as Ubbe nearly dropped his sword. (Y/n) placing her hand on Myrkr's head and scratching behind his ear, before they both turned and made their way out of the clearing and back towards town.

"What about me.........? I'm sweet too.........." Hvitserk called out. Finding himself smacked around the back of the head by his older brother. Ubbe reminding him that he had just offered himself up for a wolf to eat, not (Y/n). Ivar once again hearing nothing, as he watched the wolf and the shieldmaiden disappear. The smile still on his face, and the black hole where his heart should be, beginning to feel a little less empty.