Vál let her eyes wander of in the direction where she had seen the shield maidens walk Harald before looking at the great hall. She bit the inside of her cheek before starting to walk in the direction of the main building. Her eyes roamed the very developed city of Kattegat. The sound of her heavy footsteps against the wooden flooring on the porch filled her ears, her eyes casually roaming the pillars and she saw the hole her arrows had caused that night. Some things hadn't changed at least.
"Vál." Lagertha said once she walked inside the large room. Vál kept a neutral expression as she walked with determination in her steps towards Lagertha on the throne, looking like a powerful Queen with her shield maidens surrounding her. Women were dressing the walls, Astrid and Ubbe's wife, Margrethe, stood on either side of Lagertha.
"Lagertha." Vál said and greeted the women on the throne with a simple nod.
"Harald told me you had joined him back to us." Lagertha said and Vál remained silent. "I'm sorry my son couldn't sail back and tell me personally about his travels to the Mediterranean." She continued and she remained quiet. Astrid and changed a lot, she had a lot more ink on her neck as her body oozed more power and confidence. She could feel Astrid's eyes following her every move, making sure she wasn't trying anything. Astrid had probably been told about her discreet ways of combat and killing. Vál couldn't do more than to hope since she wouldn't want the new Queen to end up in a fight she couldn't win, Vál wouldn't let Lagertha lock her up again.
"I'm sorry about that as well Lagertha." Vál said truthfully, to have Björn with her would put her mother as ease which would be beneficial for herself. "Yet your son has an admirable adventurous side that I haven't been blessed with." She continued and the Queen nodded with a faint smile on her lips.
"I'm glad too see you alive and well Vál." Lagertha said and Vál raised her brow slowly as she looked into the Queen's pale blue eyes.
"Good for me I guess." She mumbled under her breath and Astrid tensed. "I hope you don't believe that I have forgiven nor forgotten our last unfortunate encounter which made me end up in that shed." She said out loud and the hidden, laced tone of anger was heard by both the Queen and Astrid yet Margrethe seemed oblivious.
"I hope you can forgive my actions." Lagertha said. "I hope you can understand my pint of view, it wont happen again." She continued and Vál only looked at her.
"Is this a genuin apology or are you only apologizing from a strategical point of view?" Vál asked and raised her brow.
"It's genuin." Lagertha begun. "I've spoken to my son and I know how much he cares for you. I also know about your future plans." She said and hinted at their wedding plans. Vál who tried to seem unbothered and neutral felt her cheek heat up at the mention of her wedding with Björn.
"I forgive you." Vál said causally as she shrugged her shoulders and their eyes widen. "Nothing good will come out of us fighting." She added. Lagertha gave her a nod yet when Vál took a step forward Astrid took a step forward as she placed her hand on her sword as did the other shield maidens in the room. Vál only held her hands up for them, showing that her actions wasn't about violence. When she stood close enough to Lagertha she held out her hand.
"I forgive you but I will never forget it. You can't ask for more." Vál said as she waited for Lagertha to shake her hand. Soon the older woman took a firm grip of her hand and she smiled at the Queen.
"It makes me happy to hear that." Lagertha said. "I hope you want to join us for lunch in a bit, the travel must have tired you out." She added and Vál nodded.
"It would be a pleasure." Vál said as Lagertha stood from her throne.
"I just have some errands to run beforehand. I hope you can find something to keep you occupied in the meantime." Lagertha said as she started to walk towards the entrance with Astrid following and all her shield maidens accept for Margrethe.
"I guess we haven't gotten the opportunity to introduce each other." Vál said with her arms locked behind her back, walking closer to Margrethe who stood by the throne. "Its good to officially meet the wife of Ubbe." She added and Margrethe sucked in a breath when their eyes met, Margrethe much shorter and she tilted her head back up to meet Vál's. Margrethe looked into Vál's very icy eyes that mad her want to look away yet she couldn't.
"Nice to meet you Vál." Margrethe said and Vál fought the urge to roll her eyes when she heard the bitter tone well lanced in her voice. "I never thought someone like you would bend the knee to Lagertha." She added which made Vál raise her brow.
"I never thought you would know so much about me since we've never met." Vál snapped back at her.
"Ubbe and his brothers have spoken about you." Margrethe said and Vál raised her brow. "A lot actually." She added.
"Don't be stupid" Vál snapped causing the shorter woman to look to the ground. "Margrethe, what's your mother's name if you don't mind me asking?" Vál said and she looked at her hands.
"Signe. Her name was Signe." Margrethe answered before looking back up at Vál.
"Your mother was good woman Margrethe. You've grown since I last saw you." Vál said and before Margrethe could let any sound slip past her open mouth Vál left the great hall to walk to find Harald. She walked in the same direction as the shield maidens from before and soon she stumbled upon a larger shed, she saw two shield maidens outside the closed door. Astrid was nowhere to be seen and Vál wondered if she was in there with Harald and Lagertha.
Vál snuck her way around to the back of the shed, pressing her ear to the wood to hear the voices inside better. She could hear Lagertha talking, and Harald occasionally answering. A frown soon broke out on her face when she heard the sound of moans. Lagertha's moans rung in her ears, making her throat clench in disgust. Her eyes roamed the wooden wall, searching for any crack, wanting to see for herself, wanting to see the opposite what her mind was imagining. She found a crack and her eyes almost left their sockets when she saw Lagertha straddling Harald's waist. Harald's hands was chained above his head and chest naked. One last loud moan left Lagertha's throat before she got off Harald's lap then she fixed her dress.
Vál stepped away from the shed with her nose scrunched up in disgust. She looked around, seeing that she hadn't been caught and she quickly ran away. She stopped in the alley between a cabin and the great hall, trying to sort her thoughts before she walked towards the porch yet when she were about to walk around the corner she saw Lagertha walk up the stairs with her shield maidens, looking unfazed with what just had happened as she entered the great hall.
"Are you alright Vál?" Astrid spoke as she appeared beside her, Vál looked at her and nodded. "Lunch is ready for us." She added and Vál answered with a simple nod before they made their way inside the great hall. The larger table in the middle and been filled with food that smelled delicious. Meat, vegetables and mead had been placed for them on the table by servants. Lagertha sat on the short end as Margrethe and Astrid sat on each side of her. Another unknown woman sat on the empty spot for her.
"Sit." Lagertha said and Vál walked over to the empty chair and sat down. She filled her plate and drank the mead that was poured into her cup. "I've heard that Ivar and his brothers are still back in England." She continued and Vál looked at her as she smoothly ripped the meat from the bone.
"Correct." Vál said shortly.
"As we all know they want me dead for my so called crimes. I was wondering if you Vál wanted to fight by my side as a celebration of our newly formed peace." Lagertha said and cut straight to the chase. Astrid looked at Lagertha before looking at Vál. "And by my son's side of course." She added and added pressure on Björn.
"Lagertha—" Vál said but the Queen cut her off.
"We have my forces, Björn's when he arrives, some other earls strengths and Harald's." Lagertha said and everyone looked at Lagertha with wide eyes.
"Harald?" Astrid asked quickly.
"Yes, he asked me to marry him." Lagertha said calmly as Astrid gripped the cup in her hand tightly.
"You can't marry him." Astrid protested loudly. "He's a disgusting thing who will overthrow you to get to the crown. He won't protect you against Ivar, he can't!" She continued and Lagertha remained silent. Astrid stood up and quickly left the table, Lagertha's eyes following her as she walked outside with loud steps filling the room. Vál only blinked before following Astrid, why she couldn't decide for herself yet she needed to get away from Lagertha who once again went at her. Vál hadn't forgiven Lagertha, she had lied and had no interest in the older woman yet she had Björn. He one and only true weakness. Vál walked quickly to follow Astrid who walked into an alley.
"Ast—" Vál said yet two men jumped out behind Astrid, muffling her protests with their hands before picking her up as she fought to get out from their strong grips. Vál were about to attack the men as a hand was placed in front of her mouth and her body was picked up from the ground. Two men got her legs, she kicked and screamed to no use. She reached for her daggers yet another man took her hands and tied them together yet not before she could hit him in the head. Astrid had been easier to tied up and soon hey reached the dock where Harald's boats was ready to leave. They threw Astrid onto the boat and soon Vál was on the boat as well. The large ships quickly left the dock smoothly as the sound of heavy footsteps hit the floor. Vál and Astrid looked up and saw Harald in his usual attire yet his face dirty and slightly scratched. He sat down in front of them and removed the cloths that had been forced into their mouths.
"Harald—!" Vál growled.
"You'll be coming with me." Harald ordered and both women looked at each other before looking back at Harald. "Lagertha's years as Queen of Kattegat are numbered."
+
I've never seen myself as a writer of quality yet I'm lacking more than usual. It's only because it's calm right now, much ahead and quite flat at the moment. Be patient.