In which after the numerous losses she was forced to experience, Ylva the Dread begins to lose herself, slowing descending into madness like her brother and father before her. Will she be able to save herself before she's far too gone to be saved?
V...
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A few days had passed and all seemed to be well in Kattegat. Ylva sat upon her throne with Ubbe sitting on Bjorn's and Torvi on Gunnhild's. Gunnhild stood near Ylva, her hand placed on Ylva's shoulder.
The Great Hall was filled with citizens of both Kattegat and Ashton, who had come to hear what Ubbe needed to say.
"I feel strange sitting here on this chair. It was once occupied by my father, King Ragnar, my mother, Queen Aslaug, Lagertha, and now, King Bjorn Ironside, my brother, alongside Queen Ylva the Dread, one of the greatest shieldmaidens I have ever met. I do so only temporarily, of course. Since King Bjorn will soon return, his mission accomplished. For who could doubt that? But, in the meantime, life goes on."
Ubbe stood up from his seat, beginning to walk down the steps as he looked around. "Important matters cannot be left undone or unattended. If you have urgent issues with one of your neighbors, your family, or you seek justice for a crime committed against you, you can come to me or Ylva privately. And as your Law Giver, and Ylva as your queen, we will do our utmost to resolve them. Now, looking at Kattegat and Ashton, I want to announce that I have organized trade missions with King Alfred in England and Duke Rollo in Frankia. My brother. Hvitserk..." He trailed off and turned, expecting to see him standing beside Halig.
However, he wasn't, which caused both him and Ylva to sigh. "Hvitserk is going to lead a trade mission along the Silk Road, trading along its long route, perhaps even to China," He explained, causing the crowd to laugh, "Why not, huh? China seems a long way away to us now, but one day perhaps it will seem a lot closer, almost like a neighbor. As will those countries that King Bjorn and Queen Ylva visited along the Mediterranean Sea. We are Viking! We are travelers. And we are traders. That is our destiny! King Bjorn was right. We must go out into the world, and the world must come to us. If you believe in our future if you believe in the future of our children," He paused, pointing to Ylva, who was pregnant, and Halig, who was her son, "Then I ask you to support and to join them. Together...we will make Kattegat and Ashton two of the greatest cities in the world!"
The crowd cheered and Ylva smiled, only to have it fade as she watched Ubbe walk over to Halig and Amma. "Where's Hvitserk?" He asked them both in a low tone and neither seemed to know the answer.
"I'll find him," Ylva suddenly declared as she walked over to them.
Ubbe was about to protest, only to sigh as she walked past him and toward the door.
______
In his cabin, Hvitserk was sitting by the fire, looking a mess as he frantically felt the need for drugs, which he didn't have. The sound of someone knocking on the door made him flinch, only to have him sigh when he heard Ylva calling out to him. "Who is it?" He asked angrily, only to have Ylva call him again, "Go away!"
