The tension had increased in the main tent. Björn only glared at Ivar with more than one emotion present on his face. He tried to tell himself that Ivar was just fooling around, pushing his greatest weakness. Björn knew it would take a lot to kill Vál Thyrsdottír however he saw the arrows. They could've hit badly and she could've bled to death. It could've been true since he knew Vál wouldn't do that to him, yet he had broken her heart when he married snaefrid. He had seen the emotions in her eyes when she had spoken about it, how her voice had cracked as her heart had broken in her chest. The loud crack straight through her heart had almost been audible. He had seen her cry, the strongest woman he knew had cried before him and he knew she wouldn't, couldn't, if it wasn't for real.
Björn turned his head to look at the other and everyone avoided his eyes which made his heart beat heavily in his chest. It felt as if someone held a tight grip of his head, squeezing the hard working muscle, making it impossible for it to beat, to spread the icy blood through his veins.
"What are you saying?" Björn asked, forcing out the words to sound as unfazed as possible.
"Vál is dead." Ivar said as he stared at the ground, jaw clenching. "The only one who's supported me and saved me." He added, pushing all his sentimental buttons.
"How—" Björn had nearly time to question before Ivar quickly glared at him. Venom oozing out from his eyes, slowly creeping closer to Björn before suffocating him as it strangled his body.
"It's your fault!" Ivar said as he slammed his fist onto the table loudly, making them jump in the chairs. "Vál loved you and when she heard that you had gotten married to someone else you fúcked up her mind completely. She made mistakes she has told me and my brothers not to do; to die stupidly." He continued and blamed his oldest half brother.
"You broke your promise to her." Hvitserk said before gulping. Björn only looked at him, clenching his jaw.
"She has broken more promises to me than I ever did to her." Björn spat angrily and Harald glared at him with anger in his eyes.
"Yet you did the same to her and you chained her up for it." Harald growled back. "There's no excuse in doing the same to someone when you know the pain you will go through!" He added. The tension in the room was almost too much, Björn started quickly to regret him even bothering to speak about peace yet he wanted to come and speak to them so he could look after Vál and might even had the chance to speak to her. His heart was aching painfully in his chest when images of Vál flashed before his eyes. How she laughed, how she smiled at him and those delicate words had left her mouth.
"I hope this isn't the last time I speak to you. I will do everything to protect you Björn."
" I will always love you Björn. Nothing could ever change that."
"Vál declined my offer to become my wife since she didn't want to break the promise she had given you. She didn't want to hurt you again." Harald said as he looked Björn in the eyes. "I even think she was pregnant." He added and Björn's eyes widen slightly, is black pupils decreasing in size.
"Pregnant?" Björn asked quickly. The tables had turned, all the power was in their court and Björn's defenses had crumbled down.
"She had been sick for a few weeks now and rather moody." Astrid said and joined them. Harald squeezed her hand in his larger one. "She apparently hadn't bled either." She added.
"I love you bear slayer."
"I can't wait to become your wife Björn. It will truly be an honor."
Vál's voice had grown louder in his head, her words echoed loudly in his head. Björn didn't want it to stop. He didn't want to forget her voice and how she so passionately had spoken those delicate words to him. He couldn't believe it, Vál had always oozed somewhat an immortality around her. It was almost as if the gods had given her the gift of being able to see everything before it happened. He clenched his jaw in anger and disappointment, everything directed towards himself.
"However no one can expect me to just yield my way to my death. I will fight for as long as my heart is beating."
"I think there's many wars to win by your side Björn."
They had won one battle together and it was the battle to avenge his fathers death. He had counted on for them to conquer and win even more battles together. That's why had had wanted to bring her over seas to explore everything the world had to offer them yet he knew she wasn't meant for a life on the boats and he accepted that. He wanted to make her a princess, to give her everything, to show the int he love she deserved and had lost the majority of her life. Yet now she had died thinking he loved Snaefrid more than her, probably thinking that he loathed her for fighting against him and that he choose the travels over her. He loved Vál and he would always love her. He didn't want her to be gone.
"I love you bear slayer."
"I actually came to ask you to rethink you decision to battle against us Ivar." Björn said after clearing his voice. Ivar only raised his brow at him, trying to seem surprised that he ignored their words. "It's against everything we lived for and especially everything our father had wanted." He added and Ivar sucked ont his teeth.
"We're doing it for justice, what's more important than that?" Ivar asked Björn. "We're equals now on the field, you saw the soldiers outside." He said.
"Where is my uncle? His soldiers are here." Björn said as he looked at his brothers.
"I went to meet him." Hvitserk begun as he locked eyes with Björn. "He sent his love for you Björn Ironside. He hopes you're not willing to fight his soldiers." He continued.
"Then why did he commit his forces to you?" Björn questioned with a frown on his face.
"He didn't tell me, that's the truth." Hvitserk answered quickly as he looked his half brother in the eyes.
"I can tell you Ironside. He believes just like us that it is time for justice for Lagertha when she killed my mother and usurped on the throne and the Kingdom." Ivar said and Björn let out a huff.
"Thats in the past now Ivar." Björn said and Ivar clenched his jaw.
"I must avenge my mothers death Björn and I think you would do the same if it was you." Ivar said as a matter off fact.
"As I said, for the love of our father and his legacy. Do not put those lives at risk." Björn said as he stared Ivar in the eyes.
"The only reason you are saying this Björn Ironside is because you're afraid. I will avenge my mother nothing you say will change it." Ivar spat with great venom dripping from each word.
"I'm not afraid Ivar." Björn begun and Ivar moved slightly closer. "I'll never be afraid of you." He cleared.
"Men." Ivar said and six men walked closer tot he table with larger daggers in their hands. Harald's eyes widen and he quickly rose to his feet.
"No!" Harald said with his hand raised, glaring at Ivar. "This is not how we do it. It's not what we do!" He raised his voice as he glared at everyone in the room. The men put their daggers away as the King looked at Björn.
"I just can't understand why Rollo would get involved in this, doesn't he got enough battles to conquer." Björn said as he got onto his feet yet he stopped before walking outside. "It's funny Ivar when you say that you will do as Vál said, to not die stupidly. When your throat is cut on that battle field you will do just that. You will die stupidly as you disgrace everything our father worked for. If you're even welcome in Valhalla he will look down on you." He said while glaring at Ivar then leaving. Ivar only laughed at his words.
"Everyone knows that the next son of Ragnar that will die is Björn. His head will be rolling on the ground." Ivar said. "And that's after I've killed Lagertha before his own eyes, he's going to watch as I slowly and painfully take my revenge. Then he will see what we have been through." He added and a deep void like venom dripped from each word. Astrid tensed slightly from his words and the tone yet Harald squeezed her hand in his, calming her.
"Why did you say Vál was dead?" Astrid asked. "You've said that she will be back and Hel might break loose." She added.
"To get him out of balance." Ivar said as he glared at the ground. "Now he won't be able to think about anything else and when she steps onto the battle field he will be out of balance again. One less functioning brain on that field." He added.
"What if she won't come?" Hvitserk asked again. "She might have been killed along the way." He said and Ivar scoffed.
"It's Vál you are talking about." Ivar said.
"Yes, but she's human and not an immortal goddess." Hvitserk said to his youngest brother. "One day she will die and nothing is going to stop it from happening."
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Yes this is slightly shorter I know!