#hubbe

Ivar used to hear the murmurs, the whispers of others. On this defect, this handicap that makes him suffer every day a little more and that nobody can understand. He was often told that he was handsome, very handsome even hot, but that it would be of no use to him with legs like his. This was his shame and he was afraid that no one would ever love him in his life because of it. Even today after 19 years on this earth.

He had to go to the supermarket to buy what his mother missed for dinner. It's a long and tiring journey for his legs and he regrets a little that his brothers were not there to help him with his wheelchair on his own he couldn't make this journey and then when he was accompanied by one of his brothers or his mother nobody dared to say anything.

When he finally entered the doors of the supermarket he sighed, a part of the ordeal had passed although he already had his legs on fire and red hands to lean on his crutches. Luckily for him his mother hadn't asked him to buy much so he wouldn't have to cross the shop back and forth.

He received a message from his mother, apparently she had everything he needed so he didn't have to go to the shop anymore. Ivar was angry, very angry, all this pain for nothing, red hands and throbbing legs that are the result of absolutely nothing. So he decided not to give back that day, that outing and that pain for no reason and he went in to browse the shelves.

The books were undoubtedly what he preferred here, the historical books, especially those on the Viking air... He didn't really know how long he had been flipping through the pages of these books, although standing upright it didn't hurt, it was as if the books overshadowed the pain. But the one he was most interested in was the one entitled "The Old Story of Danemark- Kings and Conquests" as he grasped it and began to read a voice that made him turn around:

"Those who ruled over Denmark were remarkable, especially the great king Ragnar Lotbrok, but my favourite was the berserker Ivar".

It was Lily one of his classmates, although Ivar doesn't like his classmates he has to admit that she is different from the others, she was always nice to him by saying hello and asking how he was. He never answered her, he never asked her how she was, he just listened to her tell him about her life, so unlike her, he knows everything about her.

"Hi Lily" his tone wasn't what he wanted it to be, he didn't want to be nice to you, he never liked any girl because they all made fun of him and none of them are nice and sweet like you, none of them can hold a candle to you. It's hard to find someone when you've already found perfection, or so he thought. "You seem to know your way around."

"Of course, I love the history of Denmark and the Viking civilisations even more, and you knew that you bear the name of one of the greatest kings Denmark has ever known, so it's a subjective opinion since it's the one I find the most interesting" she smile, she smile was all that wanted to see, a real smile just for him.

"By the way Ivar, you remember that we have an old Norse exam next week so I wanted to ask you if you would help me to revise. I have trouble with the vocabulary and you are undoubtedly the most gifted student in this subject that I know at the time. ..." she sighed, she was afraid that he would say no and that would mean that her plan to get closer to the boy she has loved since primary school would fall through, although she didn't lie as she has real difficulties with old Norse. So she was stressed about whether she could spend some time alone with him.

Ivar was thinking the same thing to her, what a joy that the girl he's been watching for quite some time asked him that. He could be with her well, whether only for his excellent practice of old Norse in her opinion, only him and no one else to distract her from him, no one to steal her attention.

"Yes, don't worry, let's say Saturday afternoon at my place?" at that moment he regretted not having proposed to her because at his place there will be his brothers and probably his mother and the gods alone know how indiscreet his family can be.

He had been looking forward to it all week, Ivar has been telling his family about you since primary school for a long time, but when they get to high school, they will finally meet the girl who has made their brother's son's heart skip a beat. Aslaug was just as happy and impatient as his son, because after all Ivar never brought a girl home even for a simple check-up, while the brothers thought that she must be very different from the others to please their little brother, except for Sigurd, who didn't believe in her at all and thought that the younger one wanted to make himself more interesting. Unfortunately for him, Lily who was due to arrive at about 13 am was a little late which stressed him even more, what if she didn't come in the end? Maybe this is just a joke... It was buried in his thoughts and sitting on the sofa in the living room that Ivar didn't hear the doorbell and to his dismay his brother Hvitserk went to open the door for him. Hvitserk was undoubtedly the most flirtatious in the whole family and although it was funny most of the time Ivar couldn't stand the thought of her brother flirting with you right in front of her eyes.

"Hi, you must be the famous Lily?" said Hvitserk.

"I don't know if I'm famous but I'm Lily" you laughed, Ivar's heart shook at the understanding of your laughter "Excuse me, I didn't ask you what your name was?"

"I'm Ivar's beautiful Hvitserk brother, normally you should meet our other brother Hubbe, he'll be back soon and then there's Sigurd, but let's just say he doesn't like Ivar's company."

"Oh, nice to meet you Hitserk, is Ivar there?"

"Yes, of course. Come on in. He's waiting for you in the living room."

I walked towards the only open door I could see. It was indeed the creamy white living room, a red brick chimney in the middle of a large wall covered with a photo of the family, in the centre a large brown leather sofa where Ivar was.

"Ivar, I am happy to see you, I am really sorry to be late, I had some problems on the way and it delayed me more than I expected" I smiled.

"That's all right..."

"Oh you must be Lily, I'm so glad you've arrived", he was cut off by a young blonde woman with big silvery eyes that I guess was his mother.

"Hello Mrs. Lotbrok and thank you again for welcoming me into your home".

"It's nothing my dear, I'm not going to stop you from studying for your exams" she laughed, "Go to Ivar's room, you'll be more comfortable studying together".

We were heading to her room which is on the ground floor, Ivar was desperate to get upstairs but her legs won't allow her to do so. It was a fairly large room painted in blue which I find strange as I know Ivar's favourite colour is red, with large bookcases running up and down the walls full of books of all kinds but especially Viking books. A bed that must be twice mine and just opposite a desk worthy of big companies.

We soon got to work, although at first his brothers were strangely watching us at the door frame. The minutes went by and Ivar helped me to learn a bit more vocabulary when I looked up.

"Tell me, Ivar, how come you know so much about old Norse?"

"My family is descended from Vikings and when we were kids me and my brothers uncle Floki taught us Old Norse and said it was a valuable heritage, and personally I think he's right."

"All right, I suddenly understand better."

I wrote something on my sheet of paper in Old Norse of course, 1 hoping not to make a mistake in writing because otherwise it's a shame and 2 crossing my fingers so that his answer was a YES. I turned to him and tapped him on the shoulder.

"I would like you to read this and tell me what you sincerely think about it" I handed him the paper and quickly closed my eyes, his reaction frightening me too much. I was bent over the desk waiting for him to say something in response to my short message.

                                                                               "Ivar, ek elska þik."

He didn't say anything for several minutes, so I opened my eyes to fall on the same sheet of paper plus a sentence written on it.

                                                                                "også mig Lily"