SHE WOLF
— 7. Negotiations
It was nighttime and Ylva stood with Ragnar, King Horik, his son, Lagertha, Bjorn, and the rest of the usual group as they spoke of what Horik had done to the King's son and the rest of the men who had come to make negotiations.
"King Horik, your behavior has made it very difficult to talk peace or to negotiate with King Ecbert," Ragnar spoke up as he looked directly at the man.
"I never had any intention of negotiating with King Ecbert," Horik complained in a calm tone, "I thought you were aware of that. I only want revenge. I want to kill King Ecbert. And then, perhaps, I shall talk to him."
Sharpening her blade, Ylva briefly looked up at the man and rolled her eyes.
"If we defeat Ecbert in battle, he may be prepared to offer us more in terms not only of gold, but of land," Lagertha explained to the group as she glanced around.
"This was a gift of good faith," Ragnar argued as he held up Athelstand's bracelet.
"What is good faith?" Horik retorted as he turned to look at Ragnar, "Why should there be good faith between us and Christians?" He asked and turned to look directly at Floki, "What do you say, Floki?"
Floki made a weird face and nodded, agreeing with Horik, but Ragnar had already expected that. "They worship a false god. They're fleas and vermin."
"I will go myself and talk to him," Ragnar decided, causing Horik to turn to look at him.
"You will not divide our forces, Earl Ragnar," Horik argued in a stern tone, "You seem to forget I am King."
"How could he forget? You only remind us all of it every chance you get," Ylva suddenly spoke up and defended Ragnar, causing the man to smile as Ylva stood up from her seat next to Bjorn, "But tell me, if you must always remind us that you are king whenever things don't go your way, are you truly a king at all, Horik?"
Offended by her words, Horik stood up in a threatening manner, yet Ylva remained calm about it. He lifted the weapon and pointed it at her, causing Ylva to smile. "Am I supposed to be afraid?" She asked him casually.
"You should be," He responded and Ylva rolled her eyes.
"Well, I am not," She admitted as she crossed her arms over her chest and stared at him calmly.
"You dare defy me?" He asked her in a low growl.
"Yes, I do. Because you wanted so badly for the four of us to be equals, but you constantly throw it in our face that you are king and we are not," Ylva explained to the man with an attitude, "You attacked the Saxons who came to us peacefully, even though earlier that day, you complained that Ragnar did not consult you before making a decision regarding the Saxons. Yet for some reason, you went and did the same thing he did, which makes you no better than him. I do not understand it."
Horik began to walk even closer to Ylva in a threatening manner. However, as he attempted to do so, numerous men around her rose to their feet to protective Ylva, even those who weren't her men, to begin with. Horik glanced around, scoffing at the sight.
Noticing the tension, Ragnar immediately stepped forward and lightly pished Ylva back, stepping in between her and King Horik.
Horik glared at both of them, watching as the men lowered their weapons once Ylva raised her hand as a way to tell them to stand down.
"We will strike camp tomorrow, and, armed and ready, we will go to seek battle, as our Father Odin has taught us," Horik demanded in a stern tone and Ylva smiled in amusement.
"Is that so, King Horik?" She asked him tauntingly.
"Do you have to problem with that?" He snapped at her as he turned to glare at her.
"Not at all," Ylva replied, forcing a smile on her face.
With that, Horik left the group alongside his son and Ylva glared at him as he walked away.
_____
That night, Bjorn walked up to his father, who was sitting by the fire with a blanket wrapped around him.
"I can't sleep," Bjorn admitted to his father as he sat down across from him, "I am thinking about what it is like to die."
"Only those who have died would know," Ragnar commented in a calm tone.
"The Seer would know," Bjorn reminded his father as he looked down at the fire.
"He is not truly dead. That is his curse," Ragnar pointed out to Bjorn as he looked directly at him, "He told me something about you. That you would marry a woman who was a queen in all but name and sail round a sea that has no tides. If tonight has proven anything, I am sure that woman is Ylva. You saw it, didn't you?" He asked Bjorn, beginning to smile, "Even men who don't belong to Ylva rose from their seats to defend her against King Horik. I feel like I've never seen anything quite like it."
Hearing his father's words, Bjorn sighed and shook his head, "Ylva does not wish to marry."
"Because she does not want a man to steal her power. But at this point, I don't believe any man is capable of stealing her power because it does come from her title, it comes from the love and fear she inspires in everyone, not just the people of Ashton," Ragnar explained to Bjorn, who listened to what his father had to say closely, "She will soon realize that and I believe then she will marry you because I can see that she loves you, even if she doesn't say the word out loud."
"Then I shall not die tomorrow," Bjorn replied in a calm tone, "I will survive long enough to marry the woman I love."
"From what he said, it looks like you will live a long life. You will rule beside a woman I believe to be Ylva and you will have many children," Ragnar explained to Bjorn, who was deeply interested in what he had to say, "Children who will be as great and famous as their parents."
____
The following day, Ylva walked with the rest of the warriors to the field in which Horik insisted they have their battle on. Ylva stood toward the front, beside Horik, Ragnar, Bjorn, Rollo, and Lagertha.
"This is the place," Ragnar spoke up in a calm tone.
"How do you know?" Horik asked as he turned to Ragnar with a confused look on his face.
"Because they are already here," Ragnar informed him in a calm tone.
Horik glanced around in confusion, only to suddenly hear Saxon soldiers from afar. "A large force, but not large enough," He complained, earning an annoyed look from Ylva, "We will go down to them."
"I think we should wait," Ylva argued as Horik began to walk away.
"I'm not waiting!" Horik shouted as he turned to glare at her, "The enemy is there. We have the advantage of the hill."
"What if that is what they want you to think?" Ylva muttered under her breath and Horik ordered his men to walk forward anyway.
She turned, exchanging an annoyed look with Ragnar before they both gestured their men to walk forward.
Ylva turned, exchanging a look with Bjorn before continuing. She turned, looking ahead to see the Saxon soldiers charging at them.
"Why are you stopping!" Horik snapped at Ragnar and Ylva since them and their men were not joining them in charging at the Saxons, "The Gods are with us! Forward!"
Ylva rolled her eyes and walked as Floki joined Horik and his men in charging at the Saxons. "Idiots," She muttered under her breath.
"Hold your positions!" She yelled out as Horik's forces collided with the King of Wessex's, "Lock shields! Brace!"
The men quickly obeyed her and Ylva braced herself as men charged at her and the rest of the warriors. "Shieldwall! Brace! Brace!"
Ylva glanced around, an uneasy look on her face. There should have been more Saxons attacking. Something wasn't right. She could feel it.
A man charged at her and Ylva lifted the ax in her right hand, immediately knocking him to the ground before she slashed him with it.
"Hold! Hold the wall!"
Ylva lifted the sword in her left hand, using it to slash at two Saxons men, which ended up killing them.
Another swung at her and she quickly ducked, avoiding his form of attack. Her sword deadlocked with his and she used her ax to kill him.
Ylva continued to kill any in her path, only to turn to watch as horn blasted before another small army of men came to attack them.
"Ragnar!" She called out loudly and the two of them shared an alarmed look.
Ylva continued to fight any in her path, but felt uneasy when she saw many of her men being slaughtered by Saxons.
Fighting off two Saxon men, she killed them both and turned, only to feel uneasy as she watched Rollo knocked to the ground by a horse before two other horses trampled him.
She quickly ran in his direction, slashing numerous Saxons across the chest. She turned in a circle, finding many of her fellow Vikings being outnumbered and slaughtered by Saxons
She took a deep breath and her lips parted. "Fall back! Run!" She screamed loudly, seeing no other option, "Run!"
Ragnar walked to stand beside her, making the same order. The men and women obeyed them and the duo fought side by side, killing any Saxons who came their way.
Bjorn fought his way through, making his way over to Ylva and his father. The three of them began to fight side by side. Once a path was clear, Ylva grabbed Bjorn by the arm to lead him away.
He turned, feeling uneasy at the sight of his uncle lying on the ground, presumably dead.
"Come on," Ylva pleaded, her grip on him becoming tighter, "We must go."
Bjorn sighed and hesitantly nodded, just before running off with her and Ragnar.
_____
Walking back, Ylva was beyond enraged by their defeat. She stood near Ragnar and Bjorn, glaring at Horik since it was his fault.
"So, do you still think that we should not have talked to them first?" Ragnar complained to Horik, an annoyed look on his face.
"You always think you can second-guess the Gods, Ragnar!" Horik snapped at the man coldly, "What has happened today was fated. It had nothing to do with you or me."
"Are you so sure about that?" Ylva asked him angrily as she moved closer to Horik, "I believe it is was not fate. I believe it was occurred because of your stupidity."
Ylva shot the man a hateful glare. She walked ahead, shoving past numerous people. She stopped, however, watching as Bjorn angrily threw his shield on the ground before kicking over a bucket.
Ylva sighed and walked closer to him. She placed a hand on his shoulder, causing Bjorn to turn to her. "You fought well today, Bjorn."
"I was fortunate, that is all," Bjorn replied, not seeing it as a big deal.
"You were favored by the Gods," Ragnar spoke up as he walked closer to the duo.
"Favored?" Bjorn asked his father with an attitude as he walked closer to him and scoffed, "We were defeated!"
"Ragnar is right," Ylva added in as she grabbed Bjorn by the arm, "We live to see another day. There is no greater gift after a battle."
"Yes, we lived, but my uncle died," Bjorn complained as he glared at Ylva.
"We do not know if he is dead, Bjorn," Ylva reminded him as she shook her head and placed a hand on his shoulder, "It will take a lot more than some weak Saxons to kill him. I, for one, will not believe he is dead until I see a body."
Bjorn sighed deeply. He looked down at Ylva, who smiled softly as placed a hand on his bloody cheek. He grabbed her hand and relaxed, pressing a tender kiss to it.
Just then, Ragnar placed a hand on both of their shoulders, causing them to turn to him in confusion. With that, he led them over to where a group of warriors was resting underneath a tent.
"Since no ax, spear, or blade could touch my son today, he will now be known as Bjorn Ironside," He announced, causing Ylva to turn to the man and smiled since she knew she had been the one to call Bjorn that a few days before.
Ragnar patted the duo on the back before walking closer to the rest of the group.
Lagertha glanced around, an impatient look on her face. "We must make some decisions, and we must make them quickly," She complained as she looked around, eager, "Do we leave tomorrow and abandon this raid?"
"If my uncle is captured and wounded, I want to stay in this place..." Bjorn spoke up as he walked closer to his mother, "As long as it takes until he is free."
"As do I," Ylva added in, taking Bjorn's side.
There was a moment of silence before Ylva inhaled sharply and turned to look directly at Horik. "Well, King, what are we fated to do, since you seem to have all of the answers lately?" She snapped at him coldly and Horik remained silent, "What, you no longer all have the answers to everything?" She asked and immediately scoffed when he didn't answer, "Why am I not surprised?"
"Who are you to question me, little girl?" Horik snapped at Ylva as he walked closer to her in a threatening manner, "You have no right!"
"No right?" Ylva asked in disbelief before she began to shout at him, "I lost men today. Men I've known since I was a child. Men I promised victory and riches, which we would have gotten if it weren't for your stupidity! Because of you, many of my men only got defeat and death. If you had only listened to Ragnar, then none of this would have happened!"
Ylva glared at the man hatefully. She turned away from him, kicking over a barrel before she stormed off.
Moments later, Bjorn found himself walking to Ylva's tent. He found her pacing, looking to be filled with hate and rage.
"Are you alright?" He asked her and Ylva turned to him, her face softening.
"I'm fine," Ylva managed to get out as she tried to hide how she truly felt, "I let my feelings overcome me. I shouldn't have."
"You have every right to be angry that many of your men were slaughtered," Bjorn assured her as he walked closer to her and grabbed her hand.
"Men die all the time," Ylva admitted in a whisper, "I failed to remember that when I lashed out at King Horik. But I will remember it from now on."
"Why don't you want anyone to see that you care?" Bjorn asked Ylva as he stood in front of her.
"It's how I survived as long as I have," Ylva confessed in a calm tone, "This is war. People die all the time. If my father's cruelty taught me anything, it's that love is weakness. If I want to be a good leader, I cannot allow petty and meaningless things like love control me."
"Is that why you will not let yourself love me?" Bjorn commented, causing Ylva's face to fall, "Because it's meaningless?"
Her lips parted and as much as she wanted to tell him the truth, she didn't. She looked away and remained silent, causing Bjorn's face to fall.
He shook his head, clearly getting the wrong idea about her silence. Was that her way of saying she'd never love him?
Bjorn turned on his heel and left the room, causing Ylva to sigh deeply in defeat as she watched him leave.
____
The following morning, Ylva was standing outside her tent with a few of her men. Hearing some commotion, she looked around, only to watch as an unknown priest approached the camp on horseback.
She walked to join the rest of the men moving toward him, a curious look on her face. By the time she arrived, Bjorn was making conversation with the man as if he knew him.
However, the moment she heard call the priest Athelstan, she immediately knew who the man was.
"I want you all to know that Rollo is alive. Wounded, but alive, and being taken care of," He informed them, causing Ylva to smile and sigh in relief.
Athelstan glanced around. He stopped when his eyes locked on Horik and he nodded his head slightly. "King Horik."
"Why have you come, Athelstan?" Lagertha spoke up as she walked closer to the man, "Did you escape?"
"I came here to talk to you," He replied in a calm tone.
"King Ecbert sends you!" Horik exclaimed, making it loud enough for everyone to hear, "You do his bidding. You are one of them."
"He offers you a chance for peace," Athelstand informed them, ignoring what Horik had said, "He wants to talk of many things with you. Good things."
"Yes, and then kill us," Horik snapped at the man coldly.
"No. He will not, I swear," Athelstan argued and Ylva found herself feeling interested in what he had to say, "I know him."
"You are his dog. You lick his fingers," Horik complained, earning an eye roll from Ylva, "You lick his arsehole."
Hearing his words, numerous men began to laugh while Ylva simply looked annoyed.
"I really like your new clothes, Athelstan," Floki suddenly spoke up as he walking closer to the priest in a taunting manner, "And your hair. Very nice."
Ylva sighed, watching as Floki circled Athelstan.
"Is King Ecbert prepared to offer us a hostage?" Lagertha asked Athelstan curiously.
"Yes. He wants to reassure you, in any way he can, of his honest intentions," Athelstan replied as he tried to ignore Floki's antics.
"Then we shall meet him," She decided, causing Horik to turn to her in confusion while Lagertha nodded in agreement to what she had said.
"Who are you to say?" Horik snapped at her and Ylva turned to him without a care in the world.
"If you are too much a coward to come, you're welcome to stay here, King Horik. Ragnar, Lagertha, and I are more than willing to go alone," She explained to him as she smiled at him tauntingly, "And if Ecbert means to kill us, so be it. At least we'll die trying to succeed in what we came here to do, unlike you, who only wants to fight in meaningless battle and not use any common sense while trying to get what you want."
"I will give him your answer," Athelstan spoke up before things could get any tenser between Ylva and Horik.
Just then, Ragnar pushed through the crowds and made his way over to Athelstan. "I will accompany you, part of the way," He informed him before he began to walk with his friend.
After watching them walk away for a moment, Ylva sighed and walked closer to Bjorn, who was on the verge of returning to his tent.
"Bjorn," She called out, causing Bjorn to turn to her with an annoyed look.
"What do you want?" He snapped at her coldly.
Ylva's lips parted and as much as she wanted to speak the truth, she found herself unable to.
Bjorn sighed in frustration after waiting a few moments. He was on the verge of walking away, only to be cut off when Ylva spoke up.
"I am afraid," Ylva managed to get out, causing Bjorn to turn to her with a weird look on his face.
"What are you talking about?" He frowned at her in confusion.
"I am afraid to love you, Bjorn," Ylva confessed, tears beginning to form in her eyes, "I have been taught that love is weakness and I know if I grew to love you as I'm beginning to, you will become my weakness. I have many enemies. I do not want you to get hurt because of me."
"I am perfectly capable of handling myself, you know," Bjorn reminded her, a smile forming on his lips as he cupped her face in his hands, "I am Bjorn Ironside, son of Ragnar Lothbrok. I have as many enemies as you do, if not more. We'll be okay, Ylva. I know it."
Ylva sighed and nodded her head in understanding. Bjorn wrapped his arms around her, pulling her closer to him before he pressed a kiss to the top of her head.
_____
The following day, the hostage exchange occurred and Ylva stood with Lagertha, Horik, Ragnar, Bjorn, and a few others in the castle of King Ecbert.
The King soon entered, standing with Athelstan. "You are all welcome," He suddenly spoke up, causing Ylva's eyes to widen since the man was speaking her language, "Please sit down."
Ylva and Bjorn turned to each other, exchanging a look before they walked over to the table and sat alongside the rest of the group.
"Athelstan has taught me some words of your language. Forgive me for not speaking it properly," He explained to them as he spoke in their native tongue, "But we are here to make peace."
Ecbert gestured toward Athelstan, just before sitting down.
With that, Athelstan stood up from his seat and turned to address them. "King Ecbert desires me to set before you, outline, possible terms of a treaty. He is completely sincere in his wish for peace and cooperation and believe that Ragnar Lothbrok shares his wish. The King will agree to pay you monies and or treasures to prevent any further depredations of his territories. More importantly, he is prepared to offer five thousand acres of good land, for farming, in peace."
Hearing his words, Ylva's eyes widened and she turned to exchange a look with Lagertha.
"Finally, may I present to you Princess Kwenthrith from the Kingdom of Mercia," he continued as he gestured to the smiling woman sitting beside King Ecbert, "King Ecbert and the Princess are willing to pay any of your warriors a fat fee for fighting for her."
"What about my brother?" Ragnar asked in a concerned tone.
"The King will agree to release Rollo upon your acceptance of his offer, and upon the safe return of King Aelle," Athelstan explained to him.
"I accept the offer," Ragnar replied without hesitation as he turned to Ylva, Lagertha, and Horik.
"As do I," Lagertha spoke up next.
"I do too," Ylva nodded, agreeing with both Ragnar and Lagertha.
The group of three turned to Horik, who sighed in frustration.
_____
Back in Ashton, Freya was standing on the beach, sparring with a man Ylva had appointed to practice with her.
"Stand your ground," He demanded and Freya nodded, wasting no time obeying him.
Just then, Freya turned her head and watched Sihtric make his way over to them. "That's enough for today," He told the man, who nodded before leaving Sihtric with Freya.
Once the man was gone, Freya smiled and walked closer to the man who happened to be her uncle. "I see you are getting better as each day passes," Sihtric told the girl with a smile on his face, "My sister will be impressed when she returns."
"I want to be a shieldmaiden when I grow older, just like her," Freya confessed, a wide grin on her face.
"Why does everyone want to be like my sister?" Sihtric retorted, causing Freya's smile to fade, "I'm messing with you, Freya," He told her, an amused look on his face, "I don't blame you. If I were a woman, I'd like to be like my sister as well. She's the strongest person I've ever met."
"Will she return?" Freya asked, a concerned look on her face.
"Of course she will. It will take more than some Saxons to kill my sister," Sihtric assured her as they walked back toward the great hall, "Ever since she was a girl, they've called her a she-wolf. Ylva the Dread."
"And what do they call you?" Freya asked, an amused look on her face.
"Sihtric the Terror," He informed her, causing Freya to laugh since she couldn't imagine someone as kind and nice as him named that.
_____
It didn't take long for the ships to arrive back in Kattegat. Upon arriving, Ylva and Bjorn entered the Great Hall and greeted Aslaug.
Ylva glanced around in concern, wondering where her brother was. However, the moment she laid eyes on him and Freya, she immediately sighed in relief.
"Thank the Gods," She muttered under her breath before rushing to hug her brother.
"It is good to see you," Sihtric confessed as he hugged her tightly.
"I could say the same to you, brother," She replied, playfully shoving him before she turned to Freya and hugged her.
"Have you been training?" She asked her curiously.
"Every day," Freya assured her as she nodded her head.
"Good," Ylva replied in a calm tone, "Now, that I am back, we will continue."
The group turned their heads, watching as Bjorn made their way over to them. "Sihtric," Bjorn greeted Ylva's brother as he nodded his head at him.
"Bjorn. It is good to see you again," Sihtric replied, glancing between Ylva and Bjorn.
"I could say the same to you," Bjorn replied before he turned to Freya, "And who may you be?"
"I am Freya," She introduced herself, a proud look on her face.
"I've heard a lot about you," He informed her and Freya playfully rolled her eyes.
"I hope not all bad," She replied jokingly.
Bjorn chuckled at her words and shook his head. "Not at all," He told her and smiled, wrapping an arm around Ylva.