In which Ragnar Lothbrok raids England for the first time and in the process, he not only spares a monk named Athelstan, but a slave girl he ends up naming Tova. However, he soon learns that things involving the girl are not what they seem and she i...
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In the Great Hall of Kattegat, the younger sons of Ragnar had just arrived from rolling Ivar around in his cart through the town. It was at that moment that Bjorn and Tova had arrived, which caused each of them to turn and smile happily.
"Ah, where are the little piggies?" Tova called out happily, leading to Ubbe and Sigurd rushing to hug Bjorn while Hvitserk had hugged Tova and smiled widely.
"Bjorn! Tova!" The three boys exclaimed, happy to see their older siblings.
"Let me see..." Bjorn trailed off as he held Sigurd in his arms while pointing at each of his brothers, "Ubbe, Hvitserk, Sigurd, Ivar."
"Ivar!" Ivar exclaimed, bearing his teeth as he stared up at Bjorn.
Bjorn and Tova laughed at the boy's actions before Tova walked over to Ivar. She smiled, bending down to kiss him on the head. "You are all so big!" Tova exclaimed, smiling as she wrapped an arm around Hvitserk and Sigurd, "How have I missed you all while I have been away."
Bjorn and Tova exchanged a look with each other before turning to see Aslaug walking over to them. "Queen Aslaug," Bjorn greeted the woman in a calm tone.
Moments later, Tova had walked away from Bjorn and Aslaug. She sat down beside Ivar and the other sons of Ragnar. Ubbe was explaining what occurred during her time away from Kattegat, but she was only half-listening.
Instead, she found herself too busy listening to the conversation occurring between Aslaug and Bjorn. It turned out that Porunn had left Kattegat while Bjorn was away in Paris, leaving little Siggy in Aslaug's care.
She knew Bjorn had every right to be upset about his wife leaving him and their child, but it also bothered her, too. He had constantly told her how he had planned to leave Porunn anyway to be with her so why did it matter if she was gone?
"Tell me," Bjorn insisted in a soft tone, "Why did Porunn leave?"
"Nobody knows. She just disappeared one night. It seems a long time ago now," Aslaug replied before gesturing for one of the servants to bring over Siggy, "She left behind your daughter."
Aslaug smiled, affectionately stroking Siggy's cheek with her hand. She turned to look back at Bjorn, who couldn't bring himself to look at his own daughter.
Unable to handle it anymore, Tova scoffed loudly and stood up from her seat. She walked over, glaring at Bjorn as she took Siggy from the arms of the servant holding her. "Don't worry, Bjorn. She'll be taken care of," She snapped at him coldly before she began to walk away with Siggy.
"What are you doing?" Bjorn asked Tova in an annoyed tone.
"I know what it's like to grow up unloved. If you won't care for this child, then I will," She declared and Bjorn sighed as he placed his face in his hands.
