The Northmen

Chapter 4: You Know I've Heard

Harald's Point Of View
"You know what I've heard from one of the Vikings settlers?" Troels told me as he sat down across from me.

"What have you heard?" I asked trying to keep my mind off what happened the last time that we where all here.

"That your daughter is still alive and that she has a son, eight years of age. And has the King wrapped around her little finger because he laid with her a few times."

"Do not say that to another soul because if that is not true then it will hurt a lot of people because that hurts me so not another word of my daughter and if you wish to speak of her do so away from me." I told him and he nodded, leaving me with my thoughts, tears and the knowledge that my daughter could still be alive and that I left her here alone for the past eight years. Part of me has always hoped that she is still alive because we never saw her death nor a body but if she is still alive then why did she not come back. I could not think of this now I needed to sleep because we go to Wessex tomorrow morning.

Bjorn's Point Of View
"You know something that I heard from the Vikings settlement that your sister still lives, in a small village outside of Winchester. The King gave it to her and now all of her people live there with her and her son, Ironside's son."

Someone said to Halfdan and I was in shock because I have been told for years that she was dead but now she could be alive and have my son with her, I need to know. Once Halfdan was finished talking with the man, I let him walk a few steps away before pulling him off to the side.

"What have you heard of Torvi?" I asked and he looked down then up before resting on my face, he looked into my eyes before saying,

"That she lives in a small village outside of Winchester, she has a child, your child. The only reason that they are all alive is because she opens her legs for the King but he does not know who the father of her child is. That is all I know, Bjorn Ironside."

"Leave me, now!" I told the man who left with his head held low. Torvi could still be alive, she had a child my child, she has opened her legs for a King and she lives in a village out side of Winchester and I will find out if it is true, even if it means going through all the pain again.

"Why do you look like you've seen a ghost, Husband." Gunnhild asked me while I was sitting by my self on the hill looking over Winchester.

"My child is in there and I want him back." I told her and she looked shocked because I've never mentioned having a child or almost being married in the last eight years.

"You have a child?" She asked me while looking over Winchester with me.

"Before I met you I was with King Harald Fine Hair's daughter, Torvi but I'm guessing you would know her as Torvi Princess Of The Danes. We where going to get married but then she died or so we were all told but I have just heard she is alive with my child, I need to know." I told her and she just sat there looking over Winchester, she then looked at me then said,

"If she is alive will you go back to her?" I knew that she would not like the answer to this but it is what I will do if it is true.

"I love you, I really do but she is the love of my life, for years I was not the same and I'm still not the same as I was when she died. That is why Harald and I have not spoken in years that is why I'm never in the same room as Halfdan or Harald now because we have not spoken in almost ten years. If what they are saying is true then I have missed out on eight years of my son's life." I told Gunnhild who said,

"I understand that and I guess this is the end of our marriage, Bjorn Ironside. For your sake I hope that she is alive and still loves you the way you love her." Then she left but I stopped her saying,

"Thank you for understanding." I said and with that she left me sitting on the hill watching Winchester.

Alfred's Point Of View
"Their back, King Alfred and they know who your father is, they will want your head if they find out about the one you call Lady Torvi. I heard from one of her people that she is the daughter of King Harald Fine Hair, sister of Halfdan The Black, Queen Lagertha Lothbrok's most trusted as well as being known to have Bjorn Ironside wrapped around her little finger. Is she really worth keeping and if was with Bjorn Ironside then that means that her son Erik is royalty, they are important but not that important, My King. " Steapa said as he joined me in my throne room.

"I did not care who her child's father is I need her more then I need my brother." I told my wife who just nodded along with my mother, but I could tell that my wife was not happy about this.

"My Husband if they want her then give them her son if you want her. Because the son is more important then she is seeing as he is the heir to the throne not her." But my mother stood up and said,

"They will be a packaged deal because you should never take a child away from their mother and never a Viking child seeing as Torvi is a warrior, I've seen her fight and if she wishes to then she could kill us all but she has not. But if you take her son then she will."

"Leave me. All of you!" I yelled and then I was left to be alone with my thoughts and a choice to make.