Freya Ironside, Gifted by the Gods

Broken ties and loss

Ubbe and Hvitserk went to negotiate with the Saxons without Ivar or Freya knowing during the night but were sent back in the morning. She was extremely worried, all she wanted to do was going to Hvitserk and hold him but she could not, they would have looked weak if she had shown to be too upset, so she remained calm and waited next to Ivar for them to walk into the hall. When they showed up and she saw Hvitserk in good shape she felt relieved, but Ubbe had cuts all over his face and black eyes, she looked at him in distress.

As they stopped in front of Ivar and everyone else, she walked to them and kissed Hvitserk, she then held Ubbe by his arm and sat between them and Ivar trying to look unperturbed and emotionless.

"Welcome back, brothers" began Ivar, "Oh, you look thirsty. Are you thirsty?" he asked and the people around them all chuckled, "I know you shouldn't say 'I told you so' but I told you so" and the crowd laughed again. Freya was beginning to anger, he was making them look like idiots, untrustworthy to lead the army.

"Ivar we went ..." began Ubbe, "No, no, no. Let me guess. You went to the Saxons and tried to make a deal. They spoke sweet words to you" and he laughed, "But of course you were brave – you fought back" and the crowd laughed at them, "You fought back, right?" asked Ivar ridiculing them, "Ivar" warned him Freya with a hiss, he glanced at her for a moment but continued, nevertheless, "You didn't let them get away with that, uh?" "I was just trying –'' tried Ubbe, "You made a bad call!" shouted Ivar against him, "You showed yourself to be weak. You two are lucky to be alive and now, it is finally time for you to recognise me as the rightful leader of the Great Army" said Ivar eagerly.

Freya turned to him at once, horrified he could have turned against the brothers he liked best like that.

Ubbe stood up and began, "As your older brother –'' but Ivar's bodyguards stopped him from going any closer, and once Hvitserk stood up as well they let them through, closer to him and Freya and Ubbe went on, "As your older brother, I will never, never, accept that", Ivar chuckled, "In any case, it would be a dereliction of duty" he continued before turning to the rest of the hall, "And after all, doesn't one have to be responsible for the care of our people?" he asked, "Hm, it doesn't seem to me that you have taken good care of our people so far" said Ivar and he began to whisper something in one of his men's ear.

"You cannot –'' said Ubbe turning around, "Ivar –'' but he did not listen, "Ivar – IVAR!" he shouted for his attention, "You cannot continue to fight in England without Hvitserk and me" said Ubbe, "I think that you will find that more of our warriors and shieldmaidens want to fight with me" argued Ivar calmly and he glanced briefly at Freya, "Than go farm with you two" he finished and the men in the room murmured in agreement with Ivar.

Ubbe waited a moment than said, "Then Hvitserk and I will go back to Kattegat tomorrow with our forces" "If that is your decision" said Ivar bitterly knowing that Freya would have gone away as well.

Ubbe and Hvitserk turned their back on him to leave but then Ubbe spoke one last time, "Our father would have hated you for sundering and splitting his family" "I don't think so" said Ivar calmly.

Ubbe gestured to Freya to follow them, she stood up, Ivar stared at her, he was sorrier to lose her than his brothers; one of his guards interpreted the look on his face like he wanted her to stay so he grabbed her arm. She stared down at the man and wiggled out of his grip, with Hvitserk staring apprehensively and then she slapped the man, "Never put your hands on me again" she threatened him and she followed Ubbe and Hvitserk outside with tens of eyes on them.

Ubbe ordered her to prepare the boats to go back. She couldn't believe they were really going to split, it seemed unnatural to her, she had never left Ivar before. She walked up to a group of men loyal to Ubbe and Hvitserk and their idea to colonise the land, "Prepare three ships, we are sailing tomorrow" she said with a strong voice, they went to get things ready. She had no chance of saying anything else to Ubbe or Hvitserk, to ask them what had happened to them, whether they had met with Aethelwulf or not. None of them spoke a word, not during dinner, not ever.