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Diana Wessex is tired. It is clear for all to see. All the makeup in the world can only cover up the stress in her shoulders and the sadness in her eyes so much. She is trying to wrangle one screaming child while holding another crying one in her arms. The other stands off to the side apparently deciding the wall is much more interesting to look at than the spectacle his family is making. Her wavy red hair is in a bun. she is wearing a pale green dress. Sleeveless with a sweetheart neckline is is lace wi a corset top and bottom that flares to knees. Freckles decorate her shoulders. Classic black pumps adorn her feet. Pearls in her ears. Her wedding and engagement rings hang on a chain around her neck. A soother in in one hand. A diaper bag on her shoulder. You could show Ivar a supermodel and nothing would come close for him. Diana Wessex is still the most beautiful thing he has ever seen.
He is thirty-three years old. He is a mobster with a penchant for violence and a flare for the dramatic. He runs his own crew and hates Sigurd. He would kill him if he had the chance. Some days he wished her had. He despises and admires his father in equal turn. His onetime mentor hates the woman he yearns for. He dislikes Ecbert immensely and Aethelwukf even more so. His mother has never like Diana. His Mother is one of the only people he loves.
He has never wanted children. They have no place in his world. They are annoying, noisy, and generally unneeded. But Diana comes with three of them. Evidence she had one point loved and belonged to another man. Ivan hates them for that.
The eldest is ten and is named Charles. He has brown curly hair and hazel eyes. One eye curtesy of the accident that robbed him of his father. Sullen, guarded, and resentful of his mother for bringing them to London after the death of his father.
Freya is the middle child and only girl. She has red hair like her mother and big blue eyes like her father. Her is loud, manipulative, and obsessed with pink. At five she is his nightmares incarnate.
Owen is the fifteen month child born seven months after the death of his father. Dark hair like his brother with the blue eyes of his sister. Owen smiles and cries and poops. He is like any other young child Ivar can surmise. And at this,the reception for the anniversary of Bjorn and Torvi, they are making a scene.
The girl does not want to walk inside. The eldest got refuses to help tame his sister. And the youngest is obviously tired given the way he keeps falling almost asleep and then jolting himself comically awake. Ecbert stands but the door with his daughter-in-law and lover Judith ready to intervene.
Diana looks away from her daughter for a moment and her eyes meet his own. Those hazel eyes look into his eyes and Ivar could drown in them. He is not a man to be ruled by his emotions. Well certain ones. Vengeance and power and hate yes. But he has never let love or anything close to it be entertained. Anything close to is was buried after Diana had left him and gone to Paris. Paris was where she got pregnant and married within seven months of leaving him behind.
So he had told himself he hated her and buried himself in learning to walk again and being a mad man. A man who could rule London and finally prove to his father and everyone else his worth. And for years it had worked. And then Diana came crashing back into his life pregnant with two children in tow seeking protection after a car bomb went off robbing her of s husband and Charles an eye.
Ecbert had called in every favor he was owed and Ragnar Lothbrok took the family into his compound to keep them save. It was here Ivar saw her for the first time in years and his heart began to beat again. Longing for her and everything she could offer. It was here she broke down sobbing and he cautiously took her in his arms, holding her until the end. It was here she apologized for running and he gave a semblance of regret for the words that caused her to.
A truce was laid out. And slowly but surely over the past year and a have been growing closer. Late night phone calls. Old fashioned letters. A coffee for him and a tea for her every other week. But she has been holding back. And he knows she will never let anything more happen between them. They have resumed their verbal sparring and sarcastic comments. But Diana has always wanted children. She now has them and she loves them with every bit of her being. Ivan knows she will never choose him. He knows she knows his opinions on them.
He had tried to kiss her once. She had angrily told him she did not need fuck buddy. She needed a man. Someone who would love every bit of her including the children. She said Ivar would resent them. That he was possessive and jealous and she could not go down that road. Since then things had been tense. And ivar knows she is right.
As their eyes lock in that I stand Ivar sees everything. Her exhaustion of being strong for the children. Her worry. Her fear. But he also sees a warmth in them. And he knows it's for him. She looks at him like Ragnar still looks at Lagertha and Judith looks at Ecbert. It ignites something with int him when those hazel eyes lay bare her soul. But then she catches herself and shutters her eyes. She looks back at her children and raises her walls once more.
Iver knows he must make a choice. If he does not he will risk losing the one chance he has at being happy. Being wanted and loved completely. They will fight and scream and struggle. But oh how they could love. He could belong and accepted.
He looks at the children once more. He sees Diana's eyes and smile and pout. And he knows there is no going back. He is s jealous and possessive man. Diana should have been his. Now she will be. And everything she cares for he will defend and protect and kill for. He thinks he may have been theirs the moment he destroyed the men that took her husband. An eye for N eye. A life for a life. And she has always held his in the palm of her hand. Oh how he resents her for it. But fighting and denying it has brought him nothing. It is time for change in tactics.
He approaches the family and he sees Diana tense and look at him in shock and her children follow suit. Her father moves to say something but Judith stops him. Ivan knows his father is behind him and it means nothing. He looks down at the little girl dressed in a horrendous grown of tulle. And something in his softens at her watery eyes. He knows Mark, her blasted father, used to carry her everywhere. Diana had told him once it was a comfort, a coping mechanism in an unfamiliar environment.
So Ivar bends down and scoops up the girl in her arms. She is small for her age and not a great stress of his bad leg. She speaks slightly and looks at him. "Stop crying." He softens his voice. "You mother has to hold your brother. Look. He is falling asleep. I will carry you. Alright?."
The last part is both statement and question directed at the mother and daughter. Freya looks at him with awe and nods her head. A smile much like her mother's graces her face as she winds her arms around his neck slightly choking him in the process. Diana is still in shock until he clears his throat. The questions in his eyes are answered as a small yet stunning smile works it's way onto her face. She nods and adjusts the grip on her youngest child.
Ivar looks over his shoulder and says in a firm tone that makes his minions obey, "Boy take the bag from your mother. Can't you see she is struggling. Be a man and help." When Charles down nothing Ivan raises the volume, "Now!!!!" It makes the boy glare at him but move. Grabbing the back he stalks towards the open doors of the mansion where music is blaring and laughter heard.
Ivar listens as Freyabbegins yammering on about a pony and uses one hand to carry her while the other comes to ret on the small of Diana's back. Gently he users her inside and she moves slowly. They walk in tandem and just as they reach the doors she stops and turns to look up at him. Before he can move she stands on the tips of her toes to kiss him. It is a quick and gentle meeting of lips. Only lasting a second. But he chases her after it ends and kisses her this time. Pouring everything he can't and will never say into it. He hopes it will be enough.
By the blush on her cheeks and the smile on her face he thinks it may be. He knows they statement they have made. All of his associates are here. Their families are here. He looks and see the anger on Floki's face and the disbelief on his mothers. The anger on Ubbe. The smugness on Judith. The annoyance on Gilsa and the laughter on Rollo. He cares nothing for him.
He follows Diana to her table and pulls out her chair. He drags on and sits down next to her putting the girl down next to her brother. Her hand finds his under the table. Their hands intertwine. He does not leave her side all night.