DIVINE [HVITSERK RAGNARSSON]

12: THE SWORD

CHAPTER TWELVE - 'THE SWORD'

Hvitserk had never seen Asta's home before. It was tucked away between towering pines, just on the outskirts of Kattegat. He'd had to find Asta's friend Thara in Kattegat and beg her to tell him how to find it. Now, he stood in front of it full of envy. Smoke billowed from the roof making it look homely and warm and a white horse wandered on the free ground beside it. Hvitserk was jealous; all he'd ever had was the longhouse and a distraction in the corner.

He shuffled slightly as he stared at the house - should he knock? Call Asta's name from out here? Why did he feel so nervous? Before he could give an answer to any of the questions he'd asked himself, the small wooden door to the cabin opened and Asta walked out, humming to herself and pushing her hair back behind her shoulders. She jumped slightly as she noticed Hvitserk stood in the clearing.

"Hvitserk? What are you doing here?" She furrowed her eyebrows, confusion clouding her face. She doubted she would ever see much of him again, for his dislike of her had probably grown even stronger since Lagertha took Kattegat.
"I wanted to speak to you about something, uh, before we go to England." He shuffled awkwardly and Asta smiled at his use of 'we'. She noticed how awkward he seemed too, but she couldn't pinpoint why.
"Okay," her voice sounded questioning, "let's go somewhere else." She moved over towards the white horse that was grazing at the side of her home.
"This is Old Boy." She smiled at the horse as she stroked her hand across his mane before hitching her dress up slightly and mounting his saddle. Hvitserk still stood in the same spot as before, staring aimlessly up at Asta.
"Well come on then," she chuckled and moved her head to indicate that she was waiting for him to mount the horse too. Hvitserk rolled his eyes and climbed up behind her, not believing that he was letting her be in charge.

"My father isn't too fond of you right now." Asta let out a chuckle as her horse walked along slowly through the forest. Hvitserk pulled a face, although Asta couldn't see his reactions as she sat in front of him on the horse.
"What? Why?" He scoffed, shaking his head.
"He knows everything. How I begged you to train me, how long we've been training, how being a shield-maiden is what I've always wanted." She stared into the distance as she spoke.
"He took me outside and made me fight Erik to prove I could handle myself." She laughed again and Hvitserk smiled to himself. He knew she could handle it.

"So why is he not so fond of me?" Hvitserk questioned, thinking of Asta's father as he spoke. He knew Sten had raided with his father, and fought in countless battles but he also knew of his injuries on the ships in Paris. Hvitserk could probably take him, if it came to it.
"It's just... I'm his only daughter. Arvid and Erik would always go into battle but me, I was his precious daughter. He's just over-protective."
"That is not my fault." Hvitserk scoffed again.
"Yes but you are the one that gave me the opportunity to fight. I think he's more uh, accepting to the idea now that he's seen me fight." Asta giggled as they approached a huge clearing in the trees and Hvitserk looked up.