Torvi's Point Of View
I've been married twice in my lifetime and I'm not even twenty yet, what a great start to my life. But once my first husband Jarl Borg was killed I moved to Hedeby with my second husband Erlendur who was once a prince but now nothing. I work for all of our money and I've become quite close with the Earl of Hedeby Lagertha Lothbrok the first wife of King Ragnar Lothbrok, sure it's a little hard being close with a woman who helped kill my husband but it's not like I loved my husband he focused himself on me, hit me and did so much more all because I was sold to him by my father King Harald Fine Hair and then I was sold to my husband now Erlendur because my father wants nothing to do with me and if it was up to him I would be dead just like my mother.
"I do not understand why you are with a man who only wants to have your face?" Astrid asked me while moving from her brother's house and to walk with me so we could train.
"It is because I love him." I told her knowing that it was not the case at all but no one knew who I was but Erlendur and I liked it that way because then I'm treated like an equal and not some young girl whose been sold to two different men in her short life.
"If you say so Torvi but I know you and if that's what you call love then I'm guessing your father hit your mother." She told me while picking up an arrow and bow before shooting it at the target and missing it.
"It's not like that I just love him, okay?" I told Astrid off while shooting my arrow and getting it right in the middle of the target.
"To the gods why are you so good at everything?" She asked not wanting to know the real answer which is that I've had to look after myself since I was only a child because my mother dead after my third birthday, and seeing as I have three brothers and two sisters but myself being the youngest they didn't care nor did my father so I took care of everything myself.
"I'm not sure." I said before we packed up for the day and started getting ready for our trip to Kattegat where we would be seeing our people off for the summer raids though I would not be going because someone has to stay here and watch over Hedeby and I volunteer to because staying meant that I was away from my father and husband I would be free for the next three months all I had to do was get through the next two days.
Once we arrived at Kattegat, Lagertha showed Astrid around while I was walking around looking for Halfdan who said in his letter that he would be looking for me but why I did not know only that he wanted to speak with me for some reason. That's when he found me though it was not my brother but my ex lover who I was forced to leave for my first husband and once he died we where together for a the time that we could but then once again I was sold... Bjorn Ironside.
"What are you doing here?" He asked while pulling me into him in between two houses on the busy streets of Kattegat where I've lived a few times over the years and ever time that I'm back here I somehow end up in his bed once again, I've tried telling myself that it wouldn't happen again but every time I did it would just happen for longer so I've given up and just let my self go around him.
"I'm here to see off my husband and then I'm going back to Hedeby to watch over it and our sons." I told him and yes we had sons though everyone thinks that my sons are to Jarl Borg and Erlendur but they are not Erik and Guthrum are both to Bjorn Ironside and that is why his always In Hedeby another reason why I'm so close to his mother so she can know her grandchildren.
"How are our sons, healthy?" He asked while walking us back further into the gap between the two houses trying to hide us.
"Yes, they keep talking of you and how they wish to move here to be closer to you but I know that your seeing someone and that I'm married so we will not work out." I told him and then I just walked away hoping he would let me go... he did.
"Come join my feast, eat all you want, drink as much as you can, welcome to my hall." King Ragnar said while the doors behind him opened and let everyone in, the Great Hall in Kattegat was a lot bigger then the one In Hedeby but my father's great hall was bigger then the both of them but I haven't been there since I was only a mere girl now I'm a woman with children and a husband who hits me but you must do what you can to keep a little power in this world, and that's what I do.
"Torvi?" Someone said while tapping on my shoulder I looked up at them and saw that it was my elder brother Halfdan The Black, I smiled getting up and hugging him. He hugged me back and didn't let go for at least a good few minutes but once he did he grabbed my face and said,
"Oh how much my little sister has grown up but I see your still small." He said while standing up to his full height and having a good head and a half of height over me, I was just like my mother I've been told short but not one to mess with.
"And my older brother still as tall but more ugly then before." I said before looking over at my husband who was not even bothering to hide that his leaving with another woman, just what I needed more shame.
"Haha, you are so funny my little sister but I hear that you've had children since the last time we spoke and that you've made our father a grandfather..." Halfdan just trailed off watching me with his eyes of concern because he knows that my husband has just left with another woman.
"Yes, yes I have two sons Erik the eldest and Guthrum the youngest, but I see your still unmarried and no children." I said while looking around the room only to find Bjorn sending me a death glare but what ever that was about it could wait because right now standing before me was the only person in this life other then my sons that has not abandoned me nor sold me.
"Did you bring them with you?" He asked me while guiding me out of the Great Hall and down to the docks.
"No, but how about you come and visit them in Hedeby after the summer raids?" I asked my brother who just looked out over the water and then back at me before saying,
"If I make it back then it will be my pleasure but may I ask why you do not want to bring them to Kattegat?" He asked me and I have wanted to talk to someone about this other then Bjorn for years now but I've never felt safe enough to till now.
"I keep them at Hedeby so there away from Ragnar Lothbrok, you se-" Halfdan cut me off with him asking,
"Wait please tell me you didn't have Ragnar's children?" He pleaded with me and I just looked up at him shaking my head no before finally saying it out loud to someone who wasn't Bjorn.
"No nothing like that, I have Bjorn Ironside's sons and no one but him and I know and now you not Lagertha nor Ragnar but if Lagertha figures it out then I may have to go into hiding with both my boys. That's why they stay in Hedeby." My brother looked at me but before he could say anything someone was grabbing him by the shirt and pulling him to his feet, I looked over my shoulder at Halfdan and our attacker only to see Bjorn Ironside, why does he always have to be so jealous all the time.
"Bjorn Ironside I swear to the gods if you don't put him down I will make sure that you can never have another child again!" I yelled at him but not loud enough to have anyone not on the docks hear but Bjorn did not listen only looked at me and said,
"You have to leave let me deal with him." I just looked and Bjorn and walked right up to him before saying,
"He's my brother, Halfdan The Black meet my baby daddy Bjorn Ironside." I've never seen Bjorn Ironside put someone down so fast,
"Thank you now good night boys I have children I need to get back to in the morning." Then I was off leaving them alone knowing that Bjorn and Halfdan would not be fighting with each other for the rest of this night...
