"I meant to ask you. Who will be the leader of our great army?" Ivar asked
"Maybe there won't be one leader but many." Ubbe replied
"Father chose to take me to England. Me and Astrid."
Ivar said as he looked to your sleeping form.
"And what is your point, little brother? Hmm?" Ubbe asked
"He told me that he wanted me to learn at first hand something of the Saxon ways. The landscape, the building and defences. He said it would be useful when we returned to avenge him."
"Are you saying that he wanted you to be our leader?" Ubbe asked
Ivar smirked but remained silent altogether.
-
You stood beside Ivar as you watched the wedding between Ubbe and Margrethe. The man had freed her as a slave and she was now his wife. She didn't deserve a good man like Ubbe.
The crowd cheered as the two kissed.
"And now, the bridal race!"
Ubbe and Hvitserk instantly began racing each other, pushing and laughing as they ran around trees.
After completing a series of obstacles, Ubbe won and now Hvitserk had to serve the feast.
-
Helga had learned Arabic to be able to communicate with Tarazun. You sat and listened with a sigh.
"What are you speaking of?"
"How happy we are that we're together. And being alive." Helga answered
"Is her name really Tanaruz?" You asked
"Yes."
"And I think I know what it means. It means the one who brings hope." Helga smiled. "That is what her name means."
"Tanaruz." You called
The girl looked over to you, her face still blank. She still hadn't talked to you yet but it was good that she was starting to adapt.
You showed her the coin in your hands before you made a fist and blew on your hand gently. You then showed her that the coin had disappeared. Snapping, the coin reappeared as you handed it to her. The girl smiled as she took it, inspecting it curiously.
"Are you going with the army?" Helga asked
"Of course, mother." You said. "I have to avenge Ragnar. He loved me. He said so himself. But you should stay here with Tanaruz. You have new responsibilities now, Mama." You tried
"No. We are coming with you and your father."
"Mama-"
"Yes. We are going with you." Helga said. "We're a family and whatever happens, we must be together."
"But the Tanaruz still isn't eating properly." You hissed. "She doesn't seem settled or happy."
"It is you that is not happy, Astrid." Helga said. "Ever since Ragnar and Aslaug died, you have not been the same. What are you feeling? Talk to me, darling."
You looked back to the fire and sighed. "There is nothing to talk about." You said
"Nothing at all?" Helga asked
"Nothing at all." You confirmed.
"It's not difficult, Astrid." Helga said.
"You're right, Mama. But I don't want to talk about it."
-
Sitting at dinner, you chuckled as you watched Hvitserk serve the feast. It was entertaining to watch him feed everyone and fill their cups of ale.
Ivar whistled before laughing. "Come here, boy. My love needs more ale!"
"Mine to!" Sigurd said, dumping his drink on the ground.
The people at the table laughed again as Hvitserk filled the cups.
"However much we paid for this slave, I think it was to much, hmm?"
The people laughed again as Hvitserk glared at you all. "Let's drink!" Bjorn said. "To the newlyweds. Skol."
"Skol!" Everyone said as they raised their glasses.
-
You stood, watching as the man you were about to sacrifice walked down the aisle made for him.
The man got on the platform, wrapping his hands around the ropes and spreading his arms wide.
Lagertha came out, her owl on her shoulder, dressed in white. You held Ivar's hand after seeing his glare and watched Lagertha step onto the platform.
The woman grabbed a large and shiny knife, spinning it in her hands.
Looking up to the sky, you gasped at the shining light of two shooting stars.
You and Ivar smiled at each other before looking back to the sacrifice.
-
She quietly spoke to the man to be sacrificed.Lagertha said a phrase, the crowd repeating it.
Raising her blade, she pointed it at his chest before stabbing it into him. You watched the blade go all the way through his torso, amazed.
Ripping the blade out, Lagertha watched the man fall to the ground before her.
Such a beautiful sight, it was.
-
You got on a boat with your family while the sons of Ragnar spoke. They would be joining you soon.
You smiled when you saw Ivar and his brothers getting on your boat and instantly made room for Ivar as he crawled to you.
You placed a kiss on his lips after he sat beside you. Ivar smiled and placed kisses all over your face as you laughed.
-
With nearly 100 ships, you sailed closer and closer to England. It didn't take long to get there at all. A few days at the least.
Now, you were on the battlefield.
You and the others walked over the hill, revealing your great numbers. It would be an easy win. The Christians had hundreds but you had thousands.
From across the field, you could see that they knew they were royally fucked.
Ivar rode on his carriage, you following on your horse. The other sons of Ragnar came to stand next to you all.
Your people shouted their war cries while you remained silent. Ivar and his brothers shouted and shouted as you took out your sword, ready to fight.
"FOR RAGNAR!!!" Bjorn shouted as he led the way down the hill, everyone on foot following him.
You shared a glance with Ivar, gripping his hand before you let go and rode down the hill
-
It was an easy win. Now, you and Ivar dragged Alle by your horses as others followed after you two.
When you finally came to a stop, Alle was weak and tired. Ubbe untied Alle and the brothers forced him to stand.
"Show us where my father died." Bjorn snarled
When Alle didn't answer, Bjorn hit him.
"Show us!"
Alle nodded to the clearing nearby. The storm around you was loud as you all walked down, Ivar being carried.
Seeing a crack open in the ground, you pulled the wood back and revealed the pit where Ragnar was killed in.
"This... this is the place?"
Alle nodded.
"This is where our father was killed." Ivar said
"How my little piggies will grunt when they hear how the old boar suffered.." you whispered in the Christian language. Bjorn had been teaching all of you.
"How much gold and silver do you want to spare my life?" Alle asked. "Name your price. Anything. Anything!"
"You're mistaken." Ivar said. "My father was worth more then gold and silver. That is not the price you must pay."
Alle was whimpering as your father grabbed his shirt, getting in the king's face and forcing him to his knees.
"I've been told your god is a carpenter. And guess what? So am I."
-
By nighttime, you sat with Ivar, watching as the men nailed the screaming kings hands to a piece of wood.
He whimpered as Bjorn ripped open the back of his shirt.
Blood Eagle...
Bjorn took a red hot knife, stabbing it into Alle's back. The man's screams echoed loudly as you laughed. Bjorn cut down the king's back and soon peeled the skin to the side.
Ubbe handed him an axe. You all watched as Bjorn split the ribs and the man kept screaming endlessly. He would never make it to Valhalla or Heaven.
Ivar crawled to sit in front of him, staring the man in the face. Eventually, the screams went quiet, even if he was barely alive. He soon died as Bjorn continued the procedure.
In the morning, Alle was suspended and hanging in the air. Everyone was amazed at the horrifyingly beautiful torture.
You closed your eyes, taking a deep breath and looking to the sky.
"How my little piggies will grunt when they hear how the old boar suffered..."