DIVINE [HVITSERK RAGNARSSON]

5: WHO WANTS TO BE KING?

CHAPTER FIVE — 'WHO WANTS TO BE KING?'

A sea breeze carried itself over Kattegat, biting at the skin of it's residents and leaving a salty taste on their lips. Asta's auburn hair sat damp, tangled and salted, the wind carrying small droplets of the sea and settling them in her hair.
On the outskirts of Kattegat, sat quaintly at the edge of the forest, was Sten and Signe's farm. Their home was a large one, made good through their strong farming trade and through the spoils Sten had achieved from years of raiding.

Asta climbed off of her horse, returning from the market in Kattegat. It was only a short walk to the centre of Kattegat, but she enjoyed the ride with her horse. She hitched him outside her home, patting the side of his white coat and stroking his midnight mane.
"There you go, Old Boy." She smiled as he neighed in appreciation at her attention.

Asta removed her cloak as the door of the house closed behind her, finally shutting out the cold sea air.
"Perfect timing, my child." Her mother rushed to her, kissing her forehead gently and taking her cloak from her hands, hanging it next to their door.
"Is everything alright, mother?" Asta questioned, watching her mother act frantic and strange.
"Your brother says he has something to announce." Signe raised her eyebrows, trying to decide whether to expect good news, or something ridiculous.
Asta looked away from her mother to see her father and her eldest brother sat around the wooden table.
"Arvid?" She asked him as she walked towards them. "What is it?"
Arvid stood up, smiling as he did so and placing his arm around his sister.
"I went to see the Seer. He foretold me flowers, and lots of them." Arvid smiled at his family, expecting them to know of the Seer's prophecies. They stared back at him blankly, waiting for him to explain further.
"He told of small things. Small things, he said, that will take over my life soon enough."

"Flowers?" Signe looked at him, blankly still. "And small things? What are you talking about, Arvid?"
"I'm going to be married." He exclaimed, beaming as he did so.
"Married? Oh Arvid, that's amazing!" Asta shrieked, throwing her arms around her brother.
"Oh my son, how wonderful." Signe smiled, embracing her son too. "But who will be your wife?"
"Inga, the fisherman's daughter."

Asta frowned slightly, remembering her brother's quarrel. "But what of Margarethe?"
Arvid scoffed slightly. "Margarethe? She was just a girl to pass the time. Inga will be my wife."
Asta rolled her eyes. Why is she worth fighting over, then? She asked herself.
Behind them, Sten cleared his throat and his family turned eagerly to him.
"We must drink to this, my son." He exclaimed, gathering drinking horns and filling them with ale, spilling the drink all over the table as he did so. "Skål." He smiled, raising his drinking horn towards his son.

As they stood and celebrated together, the wooden door of the house flew open, banging itself back onto the wall. Asta turned her head to look quickly, seeing Erik stood in the door way, his chest rising quickly to catch his breath.
"You have to come, quickly." He huffed, speaking to all of them at once as he held onto the door frame.
"Erik, perfect timing," their mother began speaking calmly, "we were ju-"
"No Mother, all of you, you have to come now, into Kattegat."
"What's going on, brother?" Arvid frowned slightly, placing his drinking horn on the table.
"They're saying he's back." Erik said, with a strange tone about his voice. "Ragnar Lothbrok. They're saying he's come back."