It had been a month. I sit at the table with Ivar, Oleg, Hvitserk, and Eerikki. My hair is braided back and my armor is heavy. I watch at they speak about the plans. I purse my lips and watch my son. His first true battle. I take slow breaths and they all stand. I stand as well and nod once. We make our way to the front, the beach to be exact. We arrived back to Kattegat only a few days before to retrieve it back from Bjorn. I pull my sword from its sheathe and look to my son. I place my hand to the back of his neck and my forehead against his. "Do not be afraid to die. Do not be afraid of anyone who steps foot on that sand. You are my strong Son." I speak and he nods.
"I will never be afraid." He speaks and I nod, turning to the battlefield. Ivar looks to me and I to him. "May the Gods be on our side." I speak and he nods as well. Oleg stays back because he cannot dare to have blood on his hands because he is the epitome of a sad man.
I look to Hvitserk. "Whatever happens. I love you." He speaks and I nod. "And I you." He kisses my lips and then pulls back. I purse my lips and wait on the sand. Bjorn has yet to show but that's when we hear the stampede of horses and footsteps. Alfred is stood there as well as Bjorn, Ubbe and others. "Brother. Why have you come to lose? Kattegat will never be yours." Ivar laugh and nods. "That's what you think." Bjorn looks to Hvitserk. "You will die for what you did to my mother." He says and I watch him. He looks to me and then Eerikki.
"Another husband already?" I make a face and Eerikki speaks up. "Do not speak to my Mother that way." He holds up his sword and Bjorn looks to him. "It's okay." I speak and place a hand to his arm. "Mother?" I watch Bjorn and then bow my head once. "Now would be the time to change sides Isabella." I suck a breath in through my teeth. "Queen Isabella to you Bjorn Ironside." He chuckles. "King." I hum and nod. "Not for long." I say suggestively as I look to the hilt of my sword then back to him.
He furrows his brows and Alfred speaks. "Queen Isabella. I suggest you are to join us. Your kingdom will be in shambles if you are to continue with this." I shake my head and purse my lips. "If I am to die. My son will lead my legacy. No one else. He is just here to fight. He knows no side." I speak and Alfred nods. "As you wish. Who will begin the fight. We can set a duel. Whomever is stricken first, we fight."
I look to Ivar and then back to Oleg who is far Back. He nods once and then I look to Hvitserk who also nods. I look to my son and take a breath as he steps forward. I pull him back by his arm chain mail. "I will." I speak and step forward. "I will fight." Bjorn takes a step forward as well. "So will I." He speaks and I swing my sword around as we step around each other. I have a feeling Oleg is looking at me with pure anger for my decision to fight instead of my own son which was the original plan.
Bjorn strikes towards me but I hit his sword against mine, gritting my teeth to hold my ground. I push him off and swing again with him deflecting it. This goes on for longer than we though. Until I strike and draw blood from his thigh. He drops down and lets out a yell, hitting it. He runs and practically tackles me and knocks all the air from my lungs. I gasp my air and try to reach for my sword. "No!" Eerikki yells loudly. He runs to Bjorn and starts lashing at him. That's when everyone charges.
Hvitserk helps me up while hitting someone with an axe. I take a breath and swing my sword at the Vikings and Saxons. I easily shove my sword into the chest of one, kicking him off of my sword. I look up as another group is running towards us. I look over to Eerikki and he looks to me then them. "For your father Eerikki, for anyone who will ever do you wrong in this world. We never fray from a fight. It's in our blood even if that is to lay on the sand in this battle." I yell to him and he clenches his jaw.
We charge into the next group and I pull my shield up and slice through another. As I continue I meet Ubbe face to face. He looks to me and I grip my sword tightly. He nods once. "Duck." I turn around and quickly do as he throws his axe into the head of his own. I grab it from the skull and toss it to him.
I look back at him and then tirelessly continue to fight this horrid battle. I look back at Bjorn covered in blood of my allies and his enemies. I look to my left and see Alfred. If this doesn't stop. There will be no one left to even fill the towns or kingdoms. I start running through the sand, the tension of trying to get through it. Someone ducks down as they stab someone and I jump up and over their back. I slice through someone and continue going. I finally reach Alfred and clash my sword against his. "We need an agreement and I'm willing to give one if we stop this." I yell to him and he looks to me and then around at all of the dead corpses. He take heavy breaths and I lower my sword. "Draw back." He yells commandingly.
I start stepping back and yell. "Draw back!" I pull someone back off of another and jog towards the other end. Ivar furrows his brows and Oleg rushes to me on his horse. "I did not give this command." He gets off and looks down to me. "I don't care Oleg." I speak and watch him. He places a hand against my throat and I gasp for air. I'm sure his anger is getting the best of him.
I hit his chest and grip his wrist, seemingly weak. I raise my knee and grip the knife from the thigh and shove it into his thigh, twisting the knife. He take a breath and coughs up blood onto my face. He falls to his knees and I grip my sword. I pull his head back to look up at me and I look down at him. "Your reign is over." I speak and step back, pulling my sword back and then hitting his jugular and then straight through. His head rolls clean off.
His body falls flail to the ground and I grab my knife. I wipe it clean with my sleeve and place it back in. "Anyone else going to detest this?" I say and look to them. No one says anything. Not even Ivar. "Then lets go." I yell and start to make my way to Kattegat. We move a distance behind Alfred and Bjorn's army. Eerikki catches up to my side and looks to me. "Mother. Is this the right thing to do?" I nod once. "Yes. I believe it is. Trust me." I place a hand to his arm and he moves next me to.
Ivar looks to me and clenches his jaw. "Ivar. I know what I'm doing." I speak and he doesn't say anything. Just looks ahead. We arrive finally and we walk through the familiar walls. Hvitserk is terrified. I can tell. I look to him and grip his bicep. He looks to me and smiles lightly. We walk into the hall and Bjorn is sat on the throne. "Bjorn. Come down and join us." I speak and he shakes his head once with a flick of his hand. "No weapons." I hum and nod once, tossing my weapons to the table. "Where is this.. Oleg." I let out a laugh and Bjorn looks to me. "I be headed him." I say seriously and leave my knife concealed on my thigh. I tilt my head to the side and sit down. Everyone gives up their weapons.
Bjorn finally steps down and takes a seat next to Ubbe and Alfred on the smaller circular table. "Kattegat is mine." He speaks and I nod once. Ivar tilts his head and then straightens it. "That's why we are here brother. You are to give it to me. You stole it from me." He laughs and leans back in the chair. "My father wanted me to rule it, I am suppose to carry on his legacy." I shake my head. "That is where you are wrong. He was nothing but a mere sailor. If anything. Between you all, Ubbe is the only one who merely resembles him the most out of you all." I say and look between the brothers. "Just makes me glad I'm not like king." Ubbe speaks and leans back.
Alfred looks between us all. "This has to stop." I nod once. "I agree." Ivar looks to the ale they give them and then speaks. "Then give me Kattegat." Bjorn clenches his jaw and goes to reach for an axe on the table. I quickly stand and stab the table in front of his hand with my dagger. He looks to me and I back to him. "I have a deal for you. You want to spread the world of Ragnar Lothbrok, I have land in Italia that would be yours. Great farm lands. And when it gets cold when it rarely does you shall have crops all year around."
I watch him and he takes the thought. "But if you are to try anything I will storm your small kingdom and burn everything to the ground." I speak and Alfred watches us. "I think that is an agreement Bjorn." I nod and sit back down. "Blood is all we have Bjorn. Why do we constantly have to fight over such stupid things?" I ask and crosses his arms. "I swear to you. And you can keep tabs on Ivar." I look to Ivar. "You are to take Kattegat but you cannot be this horrible ruler you once were." I speak and then look to Alfred. "You need security Isabella. If you go back home without a king, you're done for. I'm sure any will hold them off for now." He glances to Ubbe and I furrow my brows. "He has a wife. I can marry Hvitserk." I suggest and he shakes his head. "Ubbe has a connection to God."
I look to Ubbe and he looks down. "I cannot." He speaks and Alfred looks to him. "She can go with you. She would just be your mistress." I shake my head. "This is wrong." I speak and look to Ubbe. "But it would work." Ubbe says and looks back to Torvi. She looks down at her children. "They would have a nice home and education." I speak toward her and she looks to me. "It's just an agreement. Love isn't on the table." I say and he nods. "Alright." Two men write down contracts and agreements. King Alfred signs, I sign, Ubbe signs, Bjorn and Ivar sign. "Hvitserk will stay with me." Ivar speaks and I look to Hvitserk.
He nods once. "I know brother." Eerikki looks to Alfred. "It's lovely to meet you Prince Eerikki. But I think Erik will better suit a king like you." He nods once. "Thank you King Alfred." I look to my son. "Erik." I speak softly to myself.