Freya Ironside, Gifted by the Gods

The end of an era

Kattegat and the former reign of King Harald had already many ships, it was only a matter of how fast they could start preparing and loading them up. Freya was walking through the pier and found Ivar sitting down, overseeing the men and women working. She walked up to him and sitting down by his side, she passed her hand on his back. He smiled faintly at her but didn't meet her eyes, "What is it?" she asked him, "Hvitserk says you're not going to fight when we reach Wessex" said Ivar unimpressed, Freya looked away, "Why are you coming then?" he asked, "My fate lies with you two, that much I am certain of" she stated, he turned around to face her, "How can you be so sure? With Harald gone, you could take Kattegat from Erik and Ingrid in no time" said Ivar in a whisper, Freya stared back at him, "I will take over Kattegat when the time is right" she reminded him, Ivar nodded and they remained there to look at the ships for another while until King Harald arrived and Freya left the two of them alone and returned back to her place and on her way back there she met Hvitserk.

He stood tall in the middle of the road, smirking at her, she walked to him all childish like. She gave him a kiss on the cheek. The people of Kattegat had learned to embrace having him and Ivar back, mostly because of Freya. They saw that her and Hvitserk spent most of their time together.

"Have you seen Ivar?" he asked walking with her, "I have. We've talked – he seems different" she let out, "He is" admitted Hvitserk, "You should have seen how he was with Igor" he added, "The young Prince?" she asked remembering the boy on Ivar's chariot in their last fight, "Yes – he was almost like a father to him" he added, she smiled. The perfect son he couldn't have had; she had been told by maids serving him and Freydis how his wife had mothered a child like him, how a few days later after the child being born, he had been found dead in the woods, killed by wolves – she knew Ivar had disposed of the child, she knew he believed him to be his and she knew why he had disposed of him ... no one could be like Ivar ever again, ruthless, vindictive, strong-minded like him to survive a life as a cripple.

He noticed her pensive look, how she had got lost in her thoughts, he liked her frown. He brought her back to reality brushing his hand against her arm, she looked up at him and smiled, "Shall we go?" she asked, he nodded.

They walked past a group of women, all of them waiting and, as soon as they saw Freya, they leapt off their feet and walked to her. They circled her and Hvitserk.

"Lady Freya" said a couple of them, they were prevented from walking any further. She smiled to all of them and so did Hvitserk, "We were wondering if you could bless our children" said a woman slightly older than her, she was caught off guard. No one had ever asked that before.

Erik walked to them all and asked surly, "What is happening here?", all the women seemed ready to stand their ground, "We were asking Lady Freya to bless our children" said the woman who had spoken before and three of them showed their toddlers to them, Erik smirked, "The King and Queen will be happy to do so, come with me" he said curtly.

"They want Freya to do it" said Hvitserk challengingly. Erik stopped and turned around again, "It is a duty of the King and Queen" argued Erik who clearly still held a grudge against them for how he had been put in his place a week prior.

"We want Lady Freya to do it, she is Gifted by the Gods" said the woman, "What is your name?" asked Freya, "Toril, my Lady" said the woman, she smiled to her, "Toril, I will bless your children but you should have the King and Queen bless them first. Go with Erik, you know where I live and where you can find me" she told them all. They nodded, relieved that after all their babies would have had her blessing.

Erik gave her a nasty look and guided the women to the great hall.

Hvitserk looked at her as she watched the group go away and told her, "You've been wise" "You had doubts?" she asked jokingly, he chuckled, "Never" he let out.