Late in the night, while many were asleep, you took an axe that your father had once owned. Quietly, you snuck through the streets of Kattegat until you reached your father. He was awake, starving, dehydrated and shivering.
When he saw you and the axe, he was about to ask questions but you placed a finger to your mouth and signalled for him to keep quiet
Raising the axe, you swung down hard and the chains were cut clean around his neck. Then it was the same with his hands and feet.
With your father free, you handed him furs and weapons. "Go, Papa!" You said
Knowing that there was no going back, Floki quickly got himself ready and placed a kiss on your temple before fleeing out of Kattegat.
Without hesitation, you went back to where you, your mother and sister were staying and pretended to sleep until you heard guards shouting. It wasn't even dawn yet.
Dogs were barking over and over as guard searched but found nothing.
You and your family had awaken due to the racket as you moved outside. You pretended you knew nothing until you saw Ubbe looking for the man as well. Rushing toward your friend, you grabbed his hand and dragged him behind a barn urgently as he sighed.
"What do you think you're doing?" You hissed as you turned to face him
"Finding Floki." Ubbe answered with a heavy sigh.
"No. Let him flee. I beg you." You said, grabbing onto his tunic. The boy stayed silent for a moment as he stared down at you. At first, his face showed suspicion. Then, his face went dark as he glared at you.
"You let him go, didn't you?" He asked. "And don't even think of lying. I know you better then you know yourself. You can never lie to me."
"Yes. Please. I couldn't bare to see him suffer so." You frowned.
"I won't tell my father." Ubbe sighed. "But I will go find yours."
"No! No, Ubbe! Please!" You begged.
The boy remained silent and turned to leave but you made him face you again as you kept begging. Seeing he wasn't changing his mind only angered you as you began pushing and hitting his chest. Ubbe groaned loudly in frustration as he grabbed your wrists and held them together with a tight grip as he began dragging you out from behind the barn, ignoring your pleads and shouts.
After finding your mother, he soon gave you to her, the woman holding you tightly as you shouted insults at Ubbe.
The boy said nothing and left, feeling sick to his stomach, knowing how much you were hurting.
-
Later, in the day, you sat with Helga and Angrboda in the boathouse which your father owns. You heard Ragnar before you saw him, the clunck of the staff he used. He was still healing and couldn't walk without support yet.
You didn't dare look up to meet his gaze as he limped into the room, to scared that he knew what you did.
He sat down between you and your mother. As you went to stand, he grabbed your wrist with a tight grip and forced you to sit back down.
"Helga, did you free Floki?" Ragnar asked, still holding your wrist
The woman didn't answer.
"What about you, Astrid? Did you free your father?"
"I don't know. Maybe I did, maybe I didn't." You shrugged. "Angrboda, come." You gently called
Your little sister quickly did as told as you wrapped her in a blanket and placed her on your lap, you mother moving to hold the both of you. Angrboda rested her head on your shoulder, hungry and tired.
"I don't blame you, Astrid." Ragnar said as you looked back up at him. "It was a brave thing to do, freeing your father."
"Floki loves you." Helga spoke up
"He only loves himself." Ragnar joked. Helga chuckled before her smile slowly dropped from her face as you looked down at your baby sister.
"You know that better then anyone." He spoke again as he looked to Helga. "Winter is coming. Whatever will happen, you will all need to eat." Ragnar said, reaching behind him and holding out a big bag, filled with god knows what.
"It's food."
Instantly, you dig into the bag and pulled out fresh bread. You were starving, having not eaten for days. You broke the bread into pieces and shared with your family, eating hungrily as Ragnar stroked your hair, placing a kiss on your forehead before he stood with a pained grunt.
Just like Lagertha, you helped fill the hole in his heart after his daughter's death. He cared for you like he does with his own children.
"Thank you, Uncle Ragnar." You said
He turned and nodded with a smile before he left the room.
-
Ubbe and Hvitserk returned with the hunting party, your father tied as they dragged him. People shouted in victory or shouted insults at Floki.
You and Helga rushed towards the scene, pushing past the crowd. There your father was. You had failed to free him.
"The great Floki... captured by mere children." Ragnar chuckled. "Why didn't the Gods protect you? Why didn't they hide you better from such innocent eyes?"
Floki remained silent as Ragnar addressed the crowd.
"Could it be that the Gods were not interested in saving him? Because they are angry at you, Floki?"
Silence.
"Is there anything you want to say to that?" Ragnar asked
Your shivering father looked to you and Helga before looking back up at Ragnar. "I've said it all."
Ragnar scoffed as he leaned back in his chair before he stared down at you and Helga's pleading eyes. "Bring him forward, please."
Floki was forced forward until Ragnar thought it was close enough.
"You made me suffer... and now, I shall make you suffer. And I've got such a wonderful punishment for you." Ragnar said. "You'll probably appreciate it, too. See, I borrowed it from the Gods. It's very imaginative. And it goes on and on and on. Nothing heroic. No chance to impress the Gods."
With that, Floki was taken away to be locked in a cell until it was time for his punishment. Helga held you back as you went after your father again but she refused to let you go.
Soon enough, after you calmed down, Helga went to talk to Floki as you glared at Ubbe who sat nearby, staring at you in guilt.
Sighing, he stood and walked over to you. You instantly stood and went to leave but he grabbed your wrist and pulled you back into his chest, wanting nothing more then to speak again.
"Astrid-"
You cut him off as you pushed him away, smacking him across the face. The boy barely reacted as his head swung to the side. Slowly, he brought a hand up to rub the now red spot.
"You hunted my father like an animal, Ubbe." You growled, pushing him away again. "I hate you."
-
Angrboda had gotten sick with a terrible fever. Nothing helped your sister. Nothing at all. No medicine or amount of warmth.
She died days after the start of Floki's punishment.
At the moment, you were digging a hole, in the middle of the woods, in the freezing snow while Helga sobbed behind you, holding your sister's body. You had wrapped Angrboda in a tarp and ever since, Helga would not stop sobbing. Not that you could blame her. The loss of a child caused great pain to everyone close.
"What are you two doing up here?!" You heard Ragnar ask. Looking up, you saw him wrapped in furs as he shouted over the chilly wind.
Angrboda had died in your home, deep in the woods. Nobody knew yet.
"I'm trying to dig a grave! Can't you see?!" You cried, tears falling like a waterfall from both you and your mother. "For my sister!"
Helga sobbed louder as you let out a frustrated cry, falling to sit beside her. "First, you arrest my father and have him hunted like an animal. Then, you punish him like the Gods punished Loki. Now, Angrboda died from a terrible fever!" You exclaimed, throwing a rock at a nearby tree
You stood and tried to continue digging the grave until Ragnar grabbed the shovel. "Have either of you told Floki?" Ragnar asked
"No." You answered for your mother. Helga had been in a depressive state ever since Angrboda took her last breath. She never stopped crying and refused to eat anything. You had hand feed her so she didn't die either. You had no time to visit Floki.
Ragnar remained silent as he took the shovel from your hands. He took off his cloak and wrapped you and Helga in it before he took over digging the grave.
When he finished, both you and Helga cried as you carried her body towards the hole. Shivering, you handed her to Ragnar who gently placed her into the ground.
With that, all of you stared at the small body.
How were you to tell Floki that his youngest daughter died?