You're a shieldmaiden raised by Ragnar and Aslaug, who went to the world for your raids and exploration. Now, your godfather is dead and it's time to come home to join your "brothers" and avenge him.
And maybe notice your brothers aren't the little...
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Hvitserk was lost as the puppy he was, looking from you to Ubbe then to Ivar, without a single word. Ivar smiled, but before his irony allowed him to complete that arrogant smile on his lips, you sighed looking at him.
"It doesn't mean I'm by your side, Ivar." You said, catching his eyes on your "You must stop trying to overthrow Ubbe of what he is. He's the older son of Ragnar here and he is right: your father's will wasn't you to be raiders. He wanted more, so if you want to be a raider and want to have your own will respected, you should start trying to respect your brother's will to follow your father's dreams. But I don't even know why I'm trying to tell you anything... You're a grown man now. And you know pretty well how to take care of yourself." You completed before he had time enough to catch the air for an answer to your words "We'll go to York. And as soon as you have your stronghold, I'll quit."
Now it was time for Hvitserk and Ivar to look at you, both with surprised expressions on their faces.
"I'm tired. I lost too much. As Ubbe, I want to settle down, but not here. I want to go back to my homelands, find a place guided by my gods out of the reach of that usurper queen hands. I want to stop, Ivar. I want to have a home, to go back to the same place every day and sleep in the same bed. A bed, not a pile of furs. Instead of you, I have been traveling for years enough and I just want a place to call home."
Ivar rolled his eyes but Hvitserk lowered his glance... You knew he didn't want to stop yet. But you also knew you needed some peace. And even if he wanted to keep raiding with Ivar at England, you would go back and stop. You needed to do it for yourself.
"We should go to our tents and have some rest. York, as we said, is a stronghold and is not gonna be that easy to take. Good night to you all."
You left the tent, walking to your own, feeling when Hvitserk touched your shoulders, turning you to him.
"Do you really..." he started but you didn't let him go forward.
"Yes. I want to settle down and have a life, Hvitserk. Not like Ubbe. I don't want to farm forever. But I want to have time from swords and blood. I need it. And I will understand if this is too soon for you. I'll be waiting when you decide it is your time to come back."
Your fingers touched his face and you felt when he leaned into your touch. He would stay and gods it would be so hard to leave him. But you needed...
You needed to pull down your sword, not to come back to old times as Ubbe desperately wanted but to create new times, new moments, to build your own word again. And you were ready to make your world a safe base for him to come back when it was his time... You would only pray to the gods to guard your heart and bring him safely to your arms once again.
As you were waiting and according to Ivar's plans once again, the raid on York was a tremendous success. The city fell easily than you were expecting - good touch from Ubbe, by the way, remembering your godfather Ragnar and his knowledge about the Christian towns and their saint days.
