MADNESS | VIKINGS

24

"What?" Harald replied, placing his cup down.

"There is no reason for you to stay here," Ivar complained in an annoyed tone, "Unless you plan to kill me and Freya and make yourself King of Kattegat and Ashton."

"No, I don't want to do that," Harald admitted as he began to chuckle, "I don't want the...the mess."

"Then why do you stay?" Ivar asked, eying the man suspiciously.

"I'm not going to stay," Harald assured him and shook his head, "Believe me. I have made new plans on raiding England. All the others are raiding there. I don't want to miss out."

"Well, that fits perfectly," Ivar replied as he let out a large sigh, "My wife Freya is already with child."

As he was drinking his cup of ale, Hvitserk nearly choked. He looked down at the ground, trying to hide his uneasiness as he knew what the news meant. He was the father of Freya's child, not Ivar.

Harald turned his head to look at Hvitserk, noticing the genuine fear in his eyes. "Congratulations," He spoke up, taking his time in turning to look at Ivar instead of Hvitserk as he spoke the words, "That business doesn't always work out so well."

____

In her room at her family's old home, Freya was sitting alone in a room, brushing her hair when Halig entered the room.

"You shouldn't be here," Halig complained and Freya scoffed, turning to look at the boy.

"And why is that?" Freya asked, eying the boy curiously.

"You are Queen of Kattegat and Ashton now. Don't you think Ivar will find it suspicious if you continue to come here every day for long periods of time?" He complained and Freya smiled, shaking her head at Halig.

"I have Ivar wrapped around my little finger. I have more freedom than any wife of a king that came before me had," She confessed, a smirk forming on her lips.

Halig walked over to her, taking the brush from her hands before he began to help her brush her hair. "When will I get to go outside?" He asked her curiously.

"When I feel you won't do something foolish and get yourself killed," Freya replied in a calm tone.

"Maybe I want to die," Halig retorted, causing Freya to sigh deeply in frustration.

"Now, why would you want that?" Freya asked, giving Halig a puzzled look.

"My family already thinks I'm dead," Halig replied as he shrugged his shoulders, continuing to brush her hair.

"I don't," Freya admitted softly and for a split moment, Halig looked saddened.

"You no longer count as family," Halig argued coldly and Freya tried her hardest to contain her sadness.

"I need you, Halig," She responded softly as she shook her head, "I can't let you die."

"Why do you need me?" Halig found himself asking Freya as he eyed her suspiciously.

"I'm falling apart here. I need someone I trust around me," She explained, causing Halig to scoff.

"And you trust me?"

"More than I'd like to admit," Freya confessed, her lips curling upwards.

Before the duo could react, the door to the room busted open, causing Freya to immediately stand up.

She turned, her eyes widening at the sight of Hvitserk. "Hvitserk. What are you doing here?" She asked calmly as Hvitserk moved toward her with an angry look on his face.