MADNESS | VIKINGS

27

"I'm sure you're right," Freya replied, forcing a smile onto her face as Ivar turned to glance at her, "But what you must do will surely be revealed to you soon enough. The Aesir will send a messenger to you. The Valkyries will descend down from the sky, beating their luminous wings. And you will hear them. And you will know, Ivar. That I know for sure."

Ivar listened to Freya's words closely as he laid down beside her, smiling with his eyes closed.

____

Days later, the Great Hall of Kattegat, Freya was sitting on her throne beside Ivar's as a man informed him of what had occurred in England. He walked away and with that, it wasn't long before Hvitserk entered.

"Hvitserk, I have just received some very interesting news," Ivar informed his brother with a smile on his face, watching as Hvitserk made his way over to him, "It seems King Harald was defeated in Wessex by the new King, Alfred. But with the help of Lagertha, Bjorn, Ylva, and Ubbe."

Hearing the news and the mention of Ylva, Hvitserk turned and exchanged a look with Freya, who looked uneasy. He sighed and glanced back at Ivar, looking annoyed. "Then you knew all along that you didn't sacrifice Lagertha. Did Harald survive the battle?"

"Yes, he retreated to York," Ivar replied as he inhaled deeply before sighing out, "It seems to me that now it is time for us to return to England. Harald has learned his lesson. He cannot win without me."

Hvitserk chuckled, looking down at the wooden piece Ivar lightly knocked against the wood of his throne. "What is that?"

"When our father took me to England, and was imprisoned by King Ecbert, I played chess with Prince Alfred," He explained to Hvitserk, smiling slightly, "Now, I would like to play chess with him again. Only this time, on the battlefield."

Hvitserk slowly turned, finding himself exchanging an uneasy look with Freya, who had been silent the entire time.

___

In Hvitserk's cabin, the entire room was lit with candles. He and Freya were lying on their stomachs on his bed, staring at the small wooden figurine Hvitserk had been given to a man that same day.

"Everything in One. And only the One is," Hvitserk began to inform Freya of what he had learned, causing the girl to smile.

"Is that so?" She asked playfully as Hvitserk turned to glance at her.

"Life is a bridge, build no house upon it. It's a river, but don't cling to its banks," He continued to explain to her in a fascinated tone, "You're on a journey."

"This weird old man told you all of this?" She asked him curiously.

"And many other things I've already forgotten," He admitted, causing Freya to smile.

"How could you forget? It sounds so..." She trailed off, her lips curling upwards as she glanced back at the figurine, "intriguing."

"Perhaps it's all a joke," Hvitserk pointed out as he shrugged his shoulders, "Floki would have said so."

"You have a point there," She admitted, glancing between him and the figurine of the Buddha, "What does it mean, though, Hvitserk? A journey to where?"

"He told me I can go talk to him again," He informed her, smiling as he shrugged his shoulders, "That he would enlighten me. What do you think?"

"I think you should," She encouraged him as she placed a hand on his back.

"Then maybe I will. But for now..." He trailed off, leaning forward to plant a light kiss to her shoulder before he pressed his forehead against hers, "Let's just have sex."