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Alfred studies Ivar and the other's response tempts a smile from him. He isn't bothered by the coldness in Ivar's eyes. He knows there is more to Ivar than meets the eye. There always has been and he thinks Ivar doesn't even truly know the depths of himself either. It's interesting in one way and maybe sad in another.

"You can choose anything, Ivar. You deny yourself even considering a viable option. We could accomplish much more if we were not warring with one another."

Ivar, perhaps, too sees things in Alfred that others don't. Most everyone else who gives into kindness is weak. Not him. He's one of the strongest and smartest people Ivar knows. Not every ruler had to swing a sword to lead their people wisely. Truly, he had become a good king.

Ivar cocks his head. "Enlighten me as to what that could be." He's not stupid. He knows very well what might happen if two such kingdoms aligned. But he wants Alfred to humor him, for he's in one of his particular moods.

Alfred continues to study Ivar but he leans forward, there's an eagerness in his expression when he answers. Perhaps it's not wise to show it but he is serious about the idea of peace between them and an alliance.

"We could rule all of England for one. Perhaps even further."

It's not a power-hungry desire. Alfred had always believed that a United England would be better, he believes that there is good that he can do for people but he also knows that he needs help and that England might be too small a goal for Ivar.

Ivar's face doesn't show any of what he's thinking. It's a tempting offer. Alfred's basically giving him leave to pillage his way across the rest of the kingdoms until they've all been wasted and brought under control.

But then what would happen when all was said and done? What would happen when the Vikings were no longer useful to the English monarch?

He counters the idea. "And what is my motivation in conquering England, hmmm? I already have my own kingdom in Norway." He's seen already what happened when one man wanted to unite a country. Harald Finehair's goal had been an admirable one, but he'd lost all desire for it after losing his wife, brother, and unborn child all in one day. The work of a lifetime had all come to naught.

"What is it that you want?" Alfred asks instead of making an offer. It's not that he didn't have things in mind. He would hope that Ivar would know that he would be honorable if they made an alliance but then again there is plenty of reasons that the Viking would have not to trust the English despite Alfred being the King.

"Power." Of course, what else would an ambitious Viking warlord want? After a pause, he adds. "And land." Ivar wasn't stupid. He knew many of his people desired land to farm. Ubbe had often thought that way, but the way he'd wanted to go about getting it was too soft. Ivar would take what he wanted whether it was given to him or not.

"Do you not think that we could come to a fair agreement of how to divide conquered lands?" Alfred asks with a raise of his eyebrows and then a smile. "You have plenty of power already and I do not seek to lessen it for you, our power together is bigger than the sum of its parts."

"My father thought he had come to a fair agreement with King Ecbert when they agreed to let Viking settlers have land. And instead the English massacred the settlement that had been set up." So Ivar wasn't putting too much faith in words he was spoken. Actions spoke much louder.

"As for sharing power--" He just gives Alfred a look that's a little amused. "--I don't share well.

Alfred looks troubled at that, he'd not always agreed with his grandfather -- or his father for that matter. He looks away from Ivar briefly but when he looks back and speaks the sincerity is clear enough. "I am not my grandfather. He was often a good king but not all of his actions were honorable. He cared for power which was why he wanted to unite all of England but that is not the reason I seek it and to harm your people would not be in line with my goals."

Alfred's expression grows a bit amused as well.

"Do not think of it as sharing, think of it as a weapon added to your arsenal."

"And what is the reason you want to unite all of England? You haven't fully explained that to me." Ivar was genuinely curious as to why Alfred wanted a united country. If Ivar had wanted the same for Norway, he would have done it so that he could have gained more power and had an army bigger than any before.

He laces his fingers together, looking interested no. "You know how much I enjoy having more weapons."

Alfred takes his time before answering, knowing that his reasons aren't ones that Ivar would likely understand or appreciate. "Kings have always been selfish and have never cared for the people that they rule over. I want to create a better life for those that were not born into fortune," in this way he's probably most like his father, it certainly didn't come from Judith.

"I do. England and I would be powerful weapons, Ivar. Better that you can use them than have them be used against you."

Ivar doesn't exactly see the appeal of the idea. He wanted to be king for the power and glory attached. His way of keeping his people happy was by letting them wreck havoc as they waged war. Things like letting them peacefully farm were an afterthought.

"You seem smart enough to know that screwing me over is a very bad idea." Alfred knew exactly what Ivar was capable of if he felt he had been wronged or cheated. He was extremely vengeful and wouldn't hesitate to attack when angered.

"I am very smart. I have never crossed you and do not intend to start now," Alfred says simply, studying Ivar carefully.

"I have more at risk in trusting you, would you not agree?" After all, it is Alfred's lands that would be under siege, his people slaughtered while tending to their farms.

Ivar wants to trust Alfred. He knew the other teen well enough to know that much of what he said was genuine. But he also knew Alfred was a king with an agenda and Ivar has been burned enough times in the past to know trusting him might not be the smartest idea.

He leans towards Alfred, trying to peer into his mind, and figure out what he was really thinking. "And yet you're willing to risk your life, those of your people, and your lands all for an alliance. Why?"

"I cannot afford to wage a war on two fronts, Ivar," Alfred meets his eyes. The answer is frank and honest whether Ivar chooses to believe him or not. He cannot win either war if he's fighting the Vikings and the other kingdoms at the same time. It is strategic folly.

Being that he wants to unite the kingdoms making peace with them to fight the vikings is counterproductive if he can make an alliance with the Vikings instead.

"I would need something a little more than just your trustworthiness to fall back on. I want something in writing." Granted, they'd thought of the same thing when dealing with Ecbert, but at least this time he could be certain that Alfred wasn't going to abdicate the throne anytime soon.

There is a moment, brief as it may be that the relief showed visibly on Alfred’s face. He of course was tying to aim for confidence and surety while dealing with Ivar but the other was dangerous and Alfred had known that this would quite possibly be an extremely difficult feat.

“That can be arranged. Anything else?”

Ivar was well aware that he was the one holding most of the cards in this deal. If Alfred backed out, he could still tear up England to his heart's content, or even pillage most of Wessex. "We'll need to come an agreement about land. My people will want areas they can farm and settle down on."

Alfred nods. This is what he had expected even if he knew Ivar didn’t understand the desire to farm and settle down with land. He looks contemplative.

“Mercia and Northumbria could be yours once the latter is conquered...” there’s a brief pause. “I think that it goes without saying that you and your people would refrain from slaughtering innocents and we can divide the land fairly amongst everyone but they would be under your control.”

"I like this idea." He folds his hands in front of his face before resting them under his chin. Alfred seemed like he could be trusted, inasmuch as any Englishman could. Ivar could do great things for his people, achieve that status he longed for where they would remember him for long years after the fact.

"When do we get started?" He asks.

Alfred again tries to mask his relief at Ivar’s seeming acceptance of his offer. “We can have it written for you shortly. When would you be ready?”

"Give me a few days. I'll need to organize my warriors and let them know exactly what's going on." There would likely be one or two naysayers among the Vikings, but Ivar would soon quell them. He was their absolute monarch and would make all final decisions.

He wants very much to trust Alfred. He'd been a friend to Ivar when he'd been lonely and vulnerable. He'd like to think some part of that played a part when he called Ivar into this meaning.

Alfred smiles a bit more openly and he nods. It's a risk to trust Ivar not to end up slaughtering innocent people but in all honesty Alfred believes with this plan he can prevent more bloodshed than not.

"Would you like to drink and eat first?"

He'll follow through with his end of the bargain. If this allows him to plunder and wage more war, then all the better for it. Ivar nods. "I would."

Hospitality was always a good way to seal a formal deal. Plus, it allowed him to spend more time in Alfred's company, something that he would never say no to.

Alfred is pleased when Ivar agrees and he doesn't bother to hide the fact. The truth that they enjoyed one another's company despite their differences is one that Alfred had never been bothered by. There was no shame in it and perhaps in their similarities, they could find a way to make peace between their people's lasting.

So, Alfred called one of the servants and requested meal and drink for the two to share. He thought that maybe he should allow others to join but decided against it. Ivar is far too volatile and there are those in his court he can't trust.

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