You walked into a tent filled with sick people, poor people and thralls. Sighing, you frowned when Amma rushed to Hvitserk. "Hvitserk. Hvitserk, get up! Get up, please." She said
"Out! GO! NOW!" Ubbe roared, the people scattering
"Hello, Hvitserk." You said after the tent was empty. "I wanted to see you. I have some news for you."
"News? What news?" The confused drunk man asks
"Good news. I want to give you some responsibility. I don't think people have ever truly recognized your talents." You smile, crouching beside your brother-in-law.
"Really?" He asks, seeming happy for once.
"Yes. You know very well. So... I want you to lead a trade delegation to the East. You will travel along the ancient Silk Road, making trade deals and contacts all the way. I do hope that you agree, Hvitty. I'm trying to help you." You sigh
"I know. I know. I'll get better. I'll get better." He promised as Amma helped him stand. "I won't disappoint you, Astrid. Please believe me." He weeped, praying that you would finally began to accept him.
He regretted everything bad he had said about you. He only wanted for your friendship back.
"I believe you-"
You were cut off as Hvitserk threw his arms around you, holding you close in happiness. "Thank you." Your friend sobbed
"Shh. You're alright."
-
You were surprised when Hvitserk was dragged in by Ubbe and sighed when you saw his red eyes.
Standing, you handing Yrsa to a pregnant Torvi before walking to your brother-in-law and making him look at you. His eyes were red again. He was drunk.
"Why, Hvitserk? Why?" You ask
"I..."
"I tried to give you a chance." You sighed, turning and going to walk away.
"I don't think he meant to disappoint you." Torvi quickly said, stopping you from walking further. "He can't help it."
You said nothing, facing the crew that Hvitserk would've been leading. "You will have to leave without him. Appoint a leader among yourselves. Remember that your mission is vital to us. May the gods speed you along the Silk Road."
"No. No." Hvitserk said, grabbing the men and trying to stop them only to be pushed to the ground.
"Astrid. Don't be to hard on him." Amma said
You sighed and crouched in front of Hvitserk. "I tried. I tried, but I can't. I can't." He said. "Can't you see that? I tried, and I can't."
"I love you, Hvitty. I always have and I always will. You are one of my greatest friends. But you have just betrayed me for the second time in your life. The first was joining Bjorn and the second is now." You said, growing sad and angry.
"Look at you. Look at you. Get up!" You said, forcing him to stand as he continues to weep. "STAND UP!"
"I'm sorry, Astrid." His weak voice said. "I'm sorry."
"No. It's to late. I don't want to see you anymore and I have nothing left to say to you." You hiss, turning his toward the door.
The man didn't hesitate to walk out, glancing back at you in sadness.
"Mama?" Yrsa's little voice called. "Will Uncle Hvitserk get better?"
"I hope so, darling. I hope so."
-
You cried as you ran through the rain in the dark of night. You ran along the walls of Kattegat, hearing him call out for you.
His voice came from every direction. You did not know where he was and it terrified you.
"Astrid. Astrid. Astrid." He kept repeating
"Go away! Please leave me alone, Ivar! You're frightening me!" You sobbed
"Astrid. Astrid. Astrid. ASTRID!"
His voice was getting sharper and louder by the second. As he shouted your name in anger, you fell to the ground, whimpering in fear as his evil laugh filled your surroundings.
"I'M HERE, MY SWEET! I SAID I WOULD COME HOME, DID I NOT?! MY DEAR, SWEET LITTLE DOVE!"
Growing even more scared and angry, you screamed, covering your head to try to get the voice out as you slithered through the mud.
You regret looking up, seeing him slithering right in front of you, knife in hand as he grinned.
Screaming, you cowered against the wall.
"You think that this is your fate. To suffer a horrible life, scared of your own husband after what he did, killing your son and nearly killing you. I know your fate, darling. Your fate is to be with me, fighting side by side with our daughter following in our footsteps." Ivar hissed
"Please. Please, leave me alone. You are scaring me." You weep
"No, no, no, no, no. I will never leave you alone, little dove. You are mine. And when I return, we will be happy. You won't fear me, you won't hate me. We will live in peace with our child. But for now..." your husband hissed. "you wait for me."
-
You jumped awake, hand around your throat as you took deep breaths. You whimpered in both fear and pain as you replayed the words that had been said to you.
...wait for me.
You loved Ivar so much and couldn't wait until he returned like he promised. But you feared him. He killed Sigurd. He killed your son. What was to stop him for killing you or Yrsa next?
-
Ivar jolted awake, taking a deep breath as the nightmare finally finished. He was so ashamed. How could he scare you like that? How could he say such things when you were so scared to the point where you were hiding from him?
Why did he scare you further instead of comforting you and holding you close until you were alright?
-
"What is it?" Torvi asked
Last night, you had a second horrible dream but not of Ivar. No. It was of a village, ablaze as people ran from Bandits.
"I had a dream." You said. "And in my dream, I saw a village all ablaze. I saw women dying. A young boy pierced by an arrow, high up in a tree."
"What do you think it meant?" Torvi asks
"I don't know." You sigh.
"You must have some idea." Torvi said
"I think it might've been..." you trail off, seeing Ubbe hiding in the shadows, listening in. "I think it might have been Lagertha's village." You sigh
"Lagertha's?" Torvi asks. "You mean it was attacked?"
"You've never been to Lagertha's village, Astrid." Ubbe said.
"No. But I had a feeling." You frown
"My children are there. And why did I not see or feel anything?" Torvi asks
"I don't know, Torvi. I feel I should go there and find out." You say
"No. You have Yrsa to care for. It is a long way." Ubbe warned
"I don't care." You hiss.
"Then I must go with you." Torvi says
"No." Ubbe sighs. "No, I need you here. I will send someone to discover the truth. I'm sure that Lagertha's village is fine. I would've heard."
"I'm going." Torvi stubbornly said.
"Believe me, I would like to go to. But I cannot leave Kattegat for a simple dream and neither can you. I have to be responsible. I am trapped here by responsibility. And as my wife, so are you, Torvi. That is how it is."
-
After a long discussion with Ubbe, he has finally agreed to allow you to go see the village, along with many guards he had assigned to you. He was to take care of Kattegat and Yrsa while you were gone and you had no problems with it.
"Astrid!" You heard Torvi shout
You and the other warriors slowed, turning your horses to see her running after you all. "I still think I should come with you." She panted
"I'm sure Ubbe is right. It cannot be her village. I just need to-"
"Give these to Hali and Asa." She said, handing a small bag to you. "Tell them that I love them."
"Of course I will, my friend. But we must go." You say.
Torvi nodded and backed up, watching as you and your warriors rode out of Kattegat.