"Elena, would you like to pray with us?", proposed Canute, "I noticed you were praying during our travels but it seemed that you always preferred to do it alone."
Elena shrugged, "Sure, I don't see why not."
Canute gave a short nod and you followed Willibald and Ragnar to a handmade cross. The sun shone brightly as if God is favouring the day... ready to watch the bloodshed that will happen.
She took her place behind the group and listening on to the prayer. Her eyes closed, her hands clasped, and ready to kick some ass!
'Jesus, may I talk to you?', she said out in thought.
Our Lord and saviour, Jesus Christ, appeared in blinding light. This time his smile had sorrow dripping from it.
"Yes, child?", he responded.
In this whimsical dream-land, Elena avoided eye contact and started fiddling with her fingers, "Uhm... Sorry for what happened to the villagers. I could stop the killings but I... I wanted the story to progress and get on Askeladd's good side."
Jesus sat next to her, "It was already foretold. I already saw it happen before... Anything else on your mind?"
Elena gave a nod, moving her eyes to look at Jesus.
"For my water powers, does that mean anything that has water? Like snow, clouds, and... blood? Can I also change the temperature of the water?" She asked.
"Yes; anything that is water or contains water, you can manipulate. An example is snow. Once you wield your ability, it changes to water. You can alter the temperature to freezing and boiling. Regardless, you can't heat it until it becomes a gas or transform it so cold that it becomes a solid.", he explains.
"Okay... And my regeneration powers? If my limb were to be cut off, would I be able to grow it in an instant? And if I were to smoke, would it not hurt my lungs since my body is regenerating my lungs? Do I have slow or fast regeneration?", she asks, wanting to make sure she is ready for the battle. She wants to impress!
Jesus smiles, "You have rapid regeneration and your limbs can regrow back in an instant if they were cut off. Anything that would harm you on the inside-like a disease- will be treated immediately by your regeneration. However, you can not control this."
"And my powers of divination- is it like... observation Haki in One Piece? But I can see a bit farther into the future- like 15-35 seconds?"
"Aye."
"Oh really? Thank you! Uhm, sorry for bothering you but I think I have to go now..."
Jesus smiles and stands up, and in a flash, he disappears without her needing to say 'amen'.
Holy shit. That's cool.
She opens her eyes and her ears prick up to the sound of the priest.
"-Good men and bad men equally, why do you test us, despite our powerlessness? Father. Can you... hear my voice? Our father, I doubt...", he trails off a bit, and you silently sigh.
"Your love.", he ends.
"Enough!", Canute shouts, standing abruptly as his heart pounds. He takes a calming breath to calm down.
Elena listens to Canute, hearing how anger and sorrow seep into his voice.
Every father loves his child.
Canute has the absence of his actual father's love and only has Ragnar as his 'father'. Askeladd has the absence of a father's love while Thorfinn witnessed how far a father's love could go.
And Thorfinn will always have the love of a father or a father figure. Elena remembered reading one of the manga chapters when Leif Erikson said, "Follow your heart, my son.", the author drew Askeladd and Thors in the panel.
Elena remembers it since it's one of her favourite scenes.
Thors was the father of Thorfinn in his younger years, the kind of strict father who didn't want Thorfinn to grow up to be a killer. Teaching him kindness, the value of life and honour.
Askeladd was the father of Thorfinn during his adolescence and a bit before that. The strict father who didn't hold back on Thorfinn. Abusive, yes. But he was essential for Thorfinn's growth and survival in this harsh world.
Then Leif. He was the father of Thorfinn when he was an adult. The kind father who did his best to pull Thorfinn from his darkness. He was the father who taught Thoran a peaceful life and how to act like so.
A Father's love...
She turned to focus on Thorfinn who was eyeing his dagger.
She can't wait to see how this will turn out.
---
Elena walked around, listening to the music that was playing in her ear. She was far from the spot where Ragnar will die- but at the same time close enough to see everything.
She shrugged and proceeded to swing her legs. Looking at the sunset.
Time passed and the music was at its lowest. She noticed some splotches from the distance and knew it was time.
She placed all her things away into her breast and watched the show.
Elena could see Askeladd raise his hand as if doing an oath and she recognizes that the dialogue is closing.
She moves swiftly, silently; making sure they couldn't detect her.
Ragnar coughed up blood and fell onto the snow with a soft thump. The day is ending- a great symbolism of how Ragn own sun is ending.
As she was close enough, she placed her foot on the snow, a soft crunching sound seemed to be loud in this quietness.
Askeladd turned to her, his eyes calculating as always.
"I won't tell the prince. I understand that it's essential for him to grow," she answered, walking closer to the grim scene.
"How much did you hear.", he asked bluntly.
"Enough to know that Canute's shouldn't be around his father.", she replied.
Askeladd nodded.
---
Elena is next to Canute, comforting him in his time of shock. However, he was unreceptive at her tries of comfort.
Ragnar's death truly hit him hard. She pursed her lips and whisper words of consolation to him and kiss the top of his head.
There was a slight reaction but he had another sombre look. Elena patted his shoulder and rubbed it. She needed him to think of her as someone who he thinks like a mother or at least a friend he would gladly hug without a second thought.
She already established a friendly relationship with him during your travels, and he seems to think very kindly of Elena.
Elena stood up glancing at Thorfinn. A smile of pity rest on her lips, but Thorfinn grunted.
'Ungrateful brat.', she thought, fondly.
She left the cabin and hurried over to Askeladd and Bjorn. They detected her hurried footsteps and halted their stroll.
Elena slowed down and gave a toothy smile, "Hi, I just wanted to follow you- if that's fine."
Bjorn was about to protest as the place they were heading isn't an inviting scene, but Askeladd nudged him and gave a nod of approval.
Elena dusted herself off, even though there is no dust, and followed them, listening.
"Elena, why have you been following me?", questioned Askeladd.
She perked at this question, then shrugged.
"I'm only here for the adventure and experience. As I told you before, I'm here to see the history unfold and you have the prince with you. If this "Thorkell" person has the prince, then I'll follow him- if he likes it or not.", you explained.
"Then why don't you stay with the prince?", Bjorn asks.
"I already know how this might play out so I want to add more spice into the story, y'know?", she replies, forcing her to stop her hands make finger guns.
Bjorn and Askeladd raise an eyebrow. They had no idea what she means by " playing out" and "adding spice". Askeladd understands metaphors and shit, but not into the level of that much. He thinks he knows what she means, but not sure of it.
And Bjorn is like almost all other Vikings and take it literally.
They continued to walk until Elena sees and hears the sound of a loud thump, no doubt someone kicking a body.
She looks upon the scene with displeasure but steels herself.
"How's it going? Is he going to crack?", asked Askedladd.
"He pisses me off. He won't even scream. He thinks he's a martyr.", the man says in an agitated tone, "This is why I hate Christians."
Before anyone says or does anything, Elena struts up to the wheezing man. The men watch her, some scoffing as they presume that she will be helping the man or going to hold them off from this.
However, she wasn't going to help the man. She doesn't want to.
The man is on his side, a sound of pain falling from his mouth. She took a glance at his crotch, took aim, and kicked!
The English captain's eyes bulged as he groaned with pain, his hands holding his crotch. The Vikings winced at the thought of that happening to theirs.
She moved aside and gestured to Askeladd as if saying 'all yours'.
Askeladd gave a grin, "Ah. You're too cruel, Elena! How can this man feel the pleasure of having his way with a woman?"
Elena dramatically put the back of her hand to her forehead, tilting her head back as if she was to faint, "Oh no! What a complete shame, god must be so upset with me. Just kill him now so he can escape a torturous fate!"
"Go ahead and kill me.", the beaten English man says. "The Lord sees everything. He's seen all the evil things you Danes have done."
Askeladd looks offended when the man mentions the Christian God. Elena almost laughed at Askeladd's reaction if it weren't for the fact that a dying man is at her side.
"He still has some fight left in him.", Askeladd looks up and asks one of his men if they have a shear. One of the men leaves to get one for Askeladd.
Askeladd began to ask questions in a rather 'polite' manner until his men gave him a shear.
Things happened the same in the episode, Askeladd teaching the man some true-ish history.
Ear then rushes over and the episode happens exactly as it did, just the fact that Elena is there, watching everything.
Planning her fight with Thorkell.
---
Elena marches with the group, occasionally jumping into the sled. They are at the bridge and things go as the episode goes.
She is next to Askeladd and both glance at Torgrim and Alti. Askeladd calls for Thorfinn and Bjorn and the four of them are together.
"Bjorn. Move the prince over to this carriage here. You are the driver. Thorfinn, Elena, you ride with the prince. Be on standby.", orders Askeladd.
"What?", asks Bjorn, dumbfounded- until the realization slaps him in the face.
"Hey!" Bjorn turns to Askeladd, "Askeladd! Are you serious?"
Askeladd stops, eyeing the men.
"It's my special talent. I can tell what a man is like just by looking at his face. Whether he's an important man or a nobody. Smart, or dumb. I can tell that there are some traitors among the loyal."
The bridge soon collapses.
"They're going to have a hard time getting their sleds and cargo across,", states Askeladd.
"What if they abandon their cargo and keep chasing us?", Bjorn inquires.
"Then they're going to lose time finding food. They won't be able to follow us very far without eating,", answers Askeladd.
He then turns around and orders his men to march.
The march ceases, and Elena shuts her eyes, sighing. She can hear the spear whistling through the air and land into the chest of its targets.
Thorkell is here.
________________________________________________________________________________
I hope you enjoy the story. My winter break is ending so I might not write again. until February.
Thank you for voting/commenting/adding my story to your library.