Shield maiden ~ Vikings

»36«

Kiev

Prince Oleg put his hands together, smiling softly. "I was told you wanted to speak to me." He said and stretched his arms out in a welcoming gesture.

"I would like to see my other companions. Are they well? Are they still alive."

"Hmm." Oleg narrowed his eyes. "You want to kill me."

Aila shrugged. "Well," She pursed her lips. "not kill."

"To hurt me, then." Said Oleg. "I see it in your gaze. I recognize that look too well. I've often casted it at my brothers, that look of hatred and bloodlust."

Aila hummed. "They do call me Bloodeye, after all." She said, her voice as calm as the calm that would fall before a storm.

Prince Oleg laughed. "Well then, Bloodeye, come with me. Your friends are alive and well."

For his sake, they had better been.

*

Ivar the Boneless entered the young Prince's chambers, grunting with each step he took. "»Prince Igor, how are we today?«"

The boy's head popped up from high above, in the large version of a bird's nest Igor had built. "»We are very well, Ivar the Boneless. Good day to you.«"

Ivar smiled. "Now, in my language."

"I am delightful, my friend, my cripple."

He laughed. "We can talk!"

"Yes." Igor smiled wide. "We can talk."

"Now we can discuss serious things. Important things."

"Like what?"

"Like what do the Gods look like?"

Igor frowned. "There is only one God and He looks like Oleg." He huffed.

"Mhm. Do you know who you are?"

Shaking his head, Igor said, "I don't understand."

"Everything here." Ivar motioned around them. "Everything belongs to you."

"In this room?"

"No, Igor. In this whole town, Kiev. And Novgorod, too. And everything in the whole of Rus. The land. The sky. The villages. The town. The people. It's all yours."

"You make me laugh. I know it really belongs to Oleg."

"I'm happy that we can talk because now I can explain things to you. I can explain how you have been betrayed. Nothing belongs to Oleg. Oleg is not a God. Oleg is nothing, but you, you are everything. And everything here belongs to you." He said, tapping Igor's chest. "Remember that."

*

Tamdrup

With their camp surrounded by King Olaf's, there was nothing Björn and his warriors could do other than wait. "We're surrounded. Let's acquit ourselves well. I don't intend to miss out on Valhalla."