With Yol being celebrated, everyone is Kattegat was celebrating. Drums were playing, people were cheering and dancing. Children ran around but you and Helga didn't want to participate. Not after everything that happened. Your father refused to leave the house.
You had noticed that the sons of Ragnar, as much as they want to, also won't participate. Not unless you did but you were still angry. Not with all of them. Ivar, Aslaug and Sigurd were the only ones you weren't angry at. Ubbe and Hvitserk hunted your father and Ragnar falsely punished him.
You had been standing in the hall, alone as you watched the festivities. You looked towards the back room, seeing Ragnar trying to make Ivar feel better by getting him involved in the celebration but Ivar refused to help decorate.
Ivar threw the mistletoe to the ground causing you to sigh as you walked over.
"Astrid!" Sigurd cheered, running to hug you as the family smiled at you. They had missed you dearly.
"Where have you been for so long?" Ivar asked with a frown as he reached out to you. Ragnar quickly handed his son to you as you smiled.
"Away. But I'm back now." You answered before you bent down to pick up the mistletoe. "Can you please try and put the mistletoe in? For me?"
"Fine." Ivar grumbled as he took the mistletoe from your hands. You lifted the boy up high and he put the mistletoe up causing the family to cheer.
"Good job!" You told a smiling Ivar.
"See? Was that so hard?" Ragnar asked his son, the boy shaking his head as you sat down with him. You glanced at Ubbe who smiled hopefully at you. You smiled back causing him to sigh in relief. Finally, he got his best friend back.
-
The next day, you sat in your home, by the fire, weaving when a knock sounded at the door. You and your parents froze as you looked to it. Helga rushed to open it and saw Aslaug standing there, Ivar in her arms.
"Helga." Aslaug greeted
"Come in!" Your mother exclaimed. "Come in from the cold."
The Queen walked in causing Floki to step forward in confusion.
"What do you want?"
"Papa, just wait, please."
"And listen." Helga added. "Isn't it enough that the Queen has come to our door?"
You smiled as you crouched in front of Ivar who rested by the fire. Sitting beside him, the small boy curled up beside you, playing with a knife he found.
"Careful with that, Ivar." You whispered
"Well?" Floki asked, crossing his arms
"Floki, I came to deliver my precious son into your hands." Aslaug said, shocking you all. "This is Ivar, who I love more then anyone else alive. And Floki, I know he is clever. I want you to teach him the ways of our Gods. Teach Ivar the true path as you did with Astrid. Teach him to hate the Christian God as you hate the Christian God! Only you can do it. Not Ragnar." Aslaug said
"Astrid is the only one who can comfort him. As Harbard said when he visited, her touch soothes Ivar more then my own. Her voice makes him happy." Aslaug continued as your father looked to you in shock. "I will bring him to you every day. Teach him to be a Viking. Teach him the deep and ancient ways."
Floki glanced back at you and Ivar, seeing you playing with him. Looking back to the Queen, he nodded.
-
Later that night, it was time for the celebration. People of Kattegat carried torches as they marched their way through the kingdom, chanting and dancing. Ivar rested on your side, both of you waving a torch around as you chanted.
Arriving in the centre of Kattegat, everyone gathered around the bonfire. Ragnar stepped forward and lit the fire.
"Yol!" He shouted, the crowd repeating the word.
-
A stranger had arrived in Kattegat. He arrived with a boat full of warriors.
"Aslaug! Aslaug!" You called, running into the great hall.
"What is it?" Aslaug asked in concern.
"A stranger has come."
"A stranger?" She asked as she stood. "Where is he then?"
"He is here!" The man announces as he and his men enter the room. "Queen Aslaug. Allow me to introduce myself. My name is Harald, but my people call me King Finehair."
"A King?" Aslaug asked from her spot beside you. "Then you are most welcome to our hearth and home. Come and warm yourself by the fire."
"My men-"
"Will be taken care of." Aslaug said as she interrupted Harald. The servers led the men outside, leaving the King in the hall. "Are you hungry? Fetch King Harald a drink."
"No one travels in winter." Aslaug said as she and Harald sat by the fire
"Unless they have to." Harald answered
"Where are you from?" Aslaug asked
"Trunderup." Harald answered proudly. "My kingdom is small. You will not have heard of it."
"I've heard of it now." Aslaug smiled politely. "Tell me, King Harald. Why have you come here?" She asked
"The wanderers sing praises of your husband." Harald answered. "They tell stories of his journeys far and wide. His raids upon England and Paris. He is a famous man. Why would I not want to meet him in person? Sit at his feet and talk to him? But where, may I ask, might he be?"
"You will see him soon enough." Aslaug answered.
-
The feast that night was grand. Everyone gathered in the hall but Ragnar was yet to arrive. Both you and Ubbe were suspicious of the stranger that had arrived that day as you both made your way to Aslaug who handed both of you two cups of mead.
"Let's play hnefatafl!" King Harald said. Hnefatafl was a Viking version of chess. It was different then Christian chess.
This excited you and your friends. They knew that not one person could beat you at this game. Not even Ragnar.
"Yes!" You hissed in excitement
"Yes?" Harald asked with a smile
"Yes!"
"I'll get the board." Hvitserk said as he stood and rushed to get the game
"We're playing hnefatafl!" Harald said, the crowd cheering in excitement
Such a game between a King and a famous child shall always be celebrated. Vikings took this game very seriously.
"I'll play the king!" Harald said, the crowd laughing and exclaiming in excitement
Hvitserk set up the game as you and Harald sat down in the thrones. Ubbe and Hvitserk looked over your shoulders in excitement.
"You start, Astrid!" The foreign King said.
Of course, you made the easy move and soon, Harald made his own move. The game continued until Aslaug picked you up and sat on her throne before placing you on her lap as you made another move.
"I'm going to ask you once more. Why have you really come here?" She asked, looking to the King.
"I made someone a promise." Harald huffed, making his move and stealing one of your men
"Who?" Aslaug asked
"A girl. A Princess. I wanted to marry her, but... she turned me down."
You groaned as he stole another one of your men causing the King to smile as he tapped your nose. "Be smarter."
"Why did she turn you down?" Aslaug asked
"I wasn't important enough. She had other offers."
You soon made a move, managing to steal one of his men and got closer to stealing his King.
"Why didn't you just take her?" Aslaug asked
"That's a good question, Queen Aslaug. But, I don't know. I liked her spirit. I decided I had to be worthy of her." Harald answered
"How could you do that?"
"By making myself King of all Norway!" Harald exclaimed to his men who cheered. "Then she would marry me for sure!" He laughed
You and Ubbe shared a look before you looked to Aslaug who stroked your hair with a soothing smile on her face.
"But in order to become King of all Norway, you would have to overthrow my husband." Aslaug spoke
Harald didn't speak as he drank from his cup.
You smirked, making the move and taking Harald's King.
"His King..." you said, facing the crowd and holding the playing piece up. "is dead!"
The crowd cheered, raising their cups to you.
"You lose, King Harald." You smirked as the man laughed.
"Good game, children. Good game."
You saw Ragnar pushing past the crowd and slowly walking to the throne with a strange look on his face as he looked to Harald.
The two Kings had a stare down before Ragnar spoke.
"And you are?"