In which ten years have passed since the Second Siege of Paris and everything has changed for Ylva and Bjorn Ironside. Upon the sudden arrival of Ragnar Lothbrok, they choose to sail on their journey to the Mediterranean instead of joining the man o...
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In the throne room, Ylva stood with Bjorn, their two eldest children, Ubbe, Torvi, and Lagertha in front of Alfred as he gave them the news of what was yet to occur.
"King Harald and his army are less than two days away. Our army is ready and we will ride out tomorrow. If, with your help, and God's grace, we manage to defeat our enemies, then I swear to you, by everything most holy, that I will freely grant you the lands of East Anglia promised to you by my grandfather."
"You would have the strength to do so?" Bjorn suddenly asked after a moment of silence.
"I would have the strength and the determination to do so," Alfred replied in a stern tone as he walked down a few steps.
"Is that so?" Ylva commented in a sarcastic tone as she eyed Alfred closely.
"Indeed," Alfred replied, staring at both Bjorn and Ylva for a long moment.
Ubbe was the first to leave, followed by Bjorn, Ylva, and Torvi. Lastly, Lagertha walked away alongside Rorik, leaving only Gyda there.
She exchanged a smile with Alfred and bowed her head to him. She was on the verge of leaving when Alfred spoke up.
"Where do you think you're going?" He suddenly asked, causing her to frown in confusion as she turned to face him, "I thought we had training today."
Gyda smiled, wasting no time nodding her head at his words.
_____
Outside, in the woods, Rorik was walking down a path with his mother, who clearly wanted to speak to him about something.
"I hear Thyra and Erik caught you in bed with a maid," Ylva spoke up, smiling in amusement when her oldest son groaned loudly in annoyance.
"Those two need to learn how to knock," He commented and Ylva chuckled since she couldn't help but agree with that.
"I hear you've been busy in the Villa. At this rate, you'll have bedded more than half the women here by the time we leave Wessex," She explained as she turned to give her son a questioning look, "Do you believe that to be wise? What if one of them were to fall pregnant?"
"They'd have Viking blood to strengthen their line," Rorik jokingly remarked as he smiled, only to notice that his mother didn't find it funny, "I am careful, Mother. You needn't worry. I don't..."
"You what?" Ylva questioned, giving her son a questioning look.
"I don't fin..." He trailed off awkwardly, only to sigh loudly and look down at the ground, "I'm not saying it to you."
"You don't finish inside them?" Ylva asked without a care in the world and Rorik made a disgusted look as he couldn't bring himself to look at his mother. He nodded anyway, feeling beyond awkward at that moment, "I know it is weird to speak of with your mother, but you do realize I had two brothers, I lived closely with your father and his brothers for years, and I spent most of my life around men, some of which humped woman right in front of me in raids."
