SHE-WOLF | BJORN IRONSIDE

15

Bjorn turned to his mother, who was smiling at him softly. However, as Ylva let out a loud scream once more, he looked back at his wife.

Ylva pushed one last time before the cries of a newborn filled the room.

Bjorn's eyes widened at the sight and he immediately knelt on the ground.

Aslaug and Helga both looked down at the child, smiling widely. "It is a girl!" Aslaug spoke up, a delighted look on her face.

Ylva gasped softly as she turned, her eyes widening at the sight of her daughter. The baby cried as she was washed off and placed in a small sheet.

"Give her to me," Bjorn insisted, smiling softly as the child was placed in his arms. He began to tear up and he gasped softly as he tried to calm the crying child, "I am a father," He spoke softly as he smiled down at his child.

"You have a perfect daughter," Aslaug told Bjorn as she smiled up at him.

"She's the most beautiful child I've ever seen," Bjorn confessed as tears threatened to spill from his eyes.

"She needs a name, your beautiful daughter," Lagertha spoke up and Ylva turned, staring at the child Bjorn held in his arms. Their daughter.

"I have a name, if Ylva agrees," Bjorn replied as he turned to Ylva, who nodded, "I would like to call her Gyda, after my sister."

Hearing his idea, Ylva finally began to smile. She watched as Bjorn sat back down on the ground, holding his child. "It is alright, sweet Gyda."

Lagertha walked over to Bjorn, placing a hand on his shoulder while Helga walked over to Ylva. Ylva watched Bjorn closely as she held their daughter, but by the look on her face, it was clear she didn't know what she felt just yet.

"May the Gods watch and protect you, my sweet daughter," Bjorn continued to speak to his child while Ylva remained silent.

Lagertha sat beside Bjorn, smiling down at her grandchild. She leaned closer to her son, beginning to whisper something in his ear.

The moment she pulled away, Bjorn sighed and turned to Ylva, who was watching him with an unreadable expression on her face.

He moved closer to her, giving her a clear view of their daughter. "Don't you want to hold her?" He asked her and Ylva remained silent.

She slowly nodded and Bjorn looked uneasy as he placed the child in her mother's arms. Something wasn't right with Ylva.

Freya walked closer to the group and knelt beside Ylva. She turned to look Ylva in the eyes, noticing how the woman stared down at her daughter with a blank expression.

Little Gyda cooed as she stared up at her mother and while Bjorn and Freya smiled at the sight, Ylva did not.

After a moment of staring down at her daughter, Ylva handed Gyda back to Bjorn and turned her back to them.

Bjorn's smile faded and he gave Ylva a concerned look. He opened his mouth to question her actions, only to watch as Lagertha shook her head at him.

_____

    Hours had passed and while Bjorn was forced to go to the Great Hall to speak to his father, Ylva was left with Gyda for the first time.

Ylva was lying in bed awake, staring up at the ceiling. She was on the verge of falling asleep, only to have the sounds of Gyda's cries fill her hears.

She remained in place for a long moment, only to close her eyes briefly and sigh. She stood up and walked over to where her daughter laid. She looked uneasy, staring down at the crying child.