We're Real Vikings Now, Darling

Frenemies

After arriving and setting up camp in Wessex King Ragnar and his closest confidants - plus the Mikaelson twins - travelled by horse to King Ecbert's royal villa.

"I bid you all welcome." King Ecbert announced loudly stepping down from his outdoor throne. "Earl Ragnar." He greeted.
"King Ragnar Lothbrok." Athelstan corrected.
"What happened to King Horik?" The English King questioned in confusion. "He met with an unfortunate accident." Ragnar explained to his frenemy and Bjorn snickered quietly from the back.
"Then we are truly equal." Ecbert said to Ragnar.
As the 2 kings began discussing other things Kol leaned over to Bjorn asking what the 'unfortunate accident' was. Bjorn quickly explained that it was Ragnar's head smashing Horik in the face until he died causing Kol to chuckle psychotically garnering King Ecbert and his court's attention.

"I see you have some new faces in your party, King Ragnar." Ecbert noted. Ragnar turned around to follow his gaze "Ah yes, Thorunn, my son Bjorn's girlfriend; and those two are King Olav of Oslo's grandchildren, Kol and Rebekah, they are staying with us for a short while."

'Oh, so that's what our 4 or 5 times great grandfather's name is. Good to know.' Rebekah thought.

"Oslo? I don't believe I've ever met anyone from there, is that another part of your country?"
"Yes, it's part of Norway." Rebekah answered in the Saxon language causing Ecbert and his court to stare over at her in shock.

'And I thought I'd be the troublemaker on this trip.' Kol thought to her as he struggled to contain his laughter.
'Well you know how much I love upsetting and annoying the patriarchy.' Rebekah thought back as she bit back a smirk.
'Oh I do.' Kol thought remembering those many other times throughout the millennia.

King Ecbert slowly walked over to them and Kol tensed up shifting his weight to his left side as he prepared to switch to Rebekah's left side in case of an altercation. "No." She said softly reaching back to grab his tunic and hold him in place. As Ecbert got closer Rebekah dropped her hold on Kol so as he wasn't perceived as a threat.

"Your majesty." Rebekah greeted before bowing, looking back up at King Ecbert she introduced herself "Princess Rebekah Mikaelsdottir, charmed."
"Princess, what a delight to meet another Scandinavian royal I do hope that upon your return you will tell your Grandfather, the King, of your time here and we can also build a bond."
"Of course."
"And this is your brother..."
"Kol. It's Norse for dark." Rebekah answered after a moment of silence and intense glaring on Kol's part.
"And is he mute?" Ecbert asked quite rudely recognising the fact Kol refused to greet him. Rebekah saw the thought of sinking his teeth into Ecbert flash through Kol's mind and quickly reached behind her back for his hand. "More like biting his tongue." She replied "He's a fan of the old ways."
"In contrast to you, clearly." Ecbert noted as he looked around at some of the gaping and disgusted faces watching Rebekah speak so boldly to their King and a man in general.
"I do enjoy annoying them."
"Yes well, as entertaining as it may be you might want to be careful what you do and say here."
"Was that a threat?" Kol finally spoke up.
Ecbert held his hands up slightly scared by Kol's menacing tone "A warning." He defended. Leaning forward to Ecbert's ear Kol spoke quietly but deadly "Well if any of them, or you, lay one finger on my twin I'll kill you all. Slowly, painfully, in ways you've never imagined possible, you'll wish one of our friends here had killed you on a previous raid."

Kol's threat scared Ecbert but one word from it scared him more "T-twin?" In most medieval and Christian cultures twins were seen as a bad omen and a sign from the devil. However in Norse culture they were seen as a good omen and a gift from Odin and the Gods.

"Yes we're twins." Kol clarified to the whole courtyard.

"Can't you tell?" Rebekah smugly asked poking her head around Kol who had moved in front of her to speak to Ecbert.

"Honestly, no. You don't even look like siblings." Ecbert answered slowly and slightly afraid of their reaction. "Oh, that's ok. Lot's of people make that mistake. Kol actually looks more like our older brother, Elijah, and I-"
"Am an exact copy of our father." Kol finished "Although Elijah does say to people that if they spend an hour locked in a room with us they'll realise we are the exact same person."
"Well we are descended from the same person. Two halves of one whole." Rebekah reinforced.
"And who might that be?" Ecbert asked curiously.
"Hel, goddess of death and ruler of Hel, obviously. You see her appearance is split into two: the dark death you see, and a light side you would never expect to kill you. I'll let you figure out who's who." Kol explained sounding more and more manic as he went on.

'Ok Kol, that's enough. You've really scared them now'
'That's the point darling.'
'Remember we're not supposed to change anything. Just lay low until either we or our siblings find a way to bring us home.'

King Ecbert led them all inside to the dining hall where a feast he'd been prepared for their arrival. During the meal he and Ragnar negotiated the terms to claim the land Ecbert had promised; in return Ecbert wanted them to fight for Princess Kwenrith against some of her family in Mercia:

"Unfortunately, the forces of my uncle and younger brother have prevailed but if you, Ragnar Lothbrok, and you Lagertha, would join with us I am sure of victory." The princess explained. Ragnar was the only one of the vikings who spoke the Saxon language but unbeknownst to everyone the Mikaelson twins also understood the language.

"What does she say?" Lagertha asked hearing her name mentioned. "She wants us to fight for her for the throne of Mercia." Ragnar explained.
"We came here to farm." Lagertha protested "She asks us to fight and die for a quarrel which is not ours."

"King Ragnar, I have given you land, some of you at least must fight for Princess Kwenrith." Ecbert pleaded sensing the Vikings hesitancy.
"That is not part of our original agreement. But it good faith, and in hopes of creating a long and prosperous... friendship... I will fight." Ragnar agreed "But I can not speak for the others."
"I will fight." King Ecbert's son, Aethelwulf pitched in extending an olive branch "Alongside these pagans. For Mercia."

After Ragnar translated what had been discussed Rollo said "If my brother goes then so do I."
Bjorn was next to decide: "When the spring comes, and my blood heats up, I want nothing more than to raid and fight."
"I will fight too." Thorunn added from beside him which Bjorn did not look pleased at.
"Between the plough and the axe, I will always choose the axe. You know me." Torstein announced quite happy not to return to Kattegat and his problems there.
"Mercia is not our quarrel." Floki complained. "It is part of something much bigger." Ragnar pointed out - still having bigger dreams.
"Not for us. Maybe for him." Floki argued not trusting the Christian king.
"Will you come or not?" Ragnar asked exasperated.
"Yes, I will come." Floki easily stated "The fly will always follow the dead meat!" Floki exclaimed speaking in riddles about his and Ragnar's friendship.

"Twivlinger?" Ragnar questioned.
"I could do with a bit of murder and mayhem." Rebekah said.
"Oh, I'm always up for a slaughter." Kol confirmed.

Last but not least it was up to Lagertha to decide. Ecbert saw she was unsure and asked Athelstan to speak to her and persuade her to lead the farming side of their expedition "I will help you. My parents were farmers, Ragnar and I were farmers. I will help my people to plough and sow and harvest, and make a place to live."
"She agrees to remain in Wessex to establish the settlement and to help farm the land." Athelstan translated.
"And you also must stay, Athelstan. You can speak for all sides - we need you." Ecbert announced having missed the former monk "I need you." He said with a creepy smile.

Athelstan quickly consulted with Ragnar on what he should do: "I trust you more than anyone else. I think you should stay." Ragnar advised.
"Then I shall stay." Athelstan told him.

"Skol." King Ecbert toasted having been taught that word by Athelstan. "Skol." The Vikings toasted back.