The Red Queen (Editing)

Mercenary

Last year, a lot had happened. Your sister had been born. Kattegat had been attacked twice. Ragnar and his family became royalty. Ivar the Boneless was born.

Yet everything was still the same to you. You and your friends had gotten older yet nothing changed.

Every day, you're still with Ragnar and his sons and his wife. Every day, you dream of going on raids to prove yourself to the Gods. Every day, you learn something different.

But at the moment, you weren't learning. You were playing with Ragnar, Ubbe and Hvitserk.

You and the sons of Ragnar were running away from Ragnar who chased after you, all of you laughing.

"I'm going to catch you little piggies. I'll eat you for dinner!" Ragnar said in a playful voice. He held a large stick for the game.

You, Ubbe and Hvitserk ran into Ragnar's home. You heard the King shouting as he ran to the door yet grunted when he couldn't fit for the stick was to big causing you all to laugh more. Even Sigurd was laughing as he stood by the fire. He was 3 now.

"What are you laughing at?" Ragnar asked, taking slow steps forward. You all stopped laughing and prepared to run again.

Ragnar began chasing you once more as you circled around the fire until he stood at one side while you, Ubbe, Hvitserk, and Sigurd stood at the other.

The boys stopped laughing when Aslaug came into view, holding 1 year old Ivar but you waved and smiled at the woman who smiled back before her face turned into a scowl.

Ivar began crying as Ragnar looked at you all with a look like a child realizing that they were in trouble before he stood straight up and faced his wife and youngest son.

You walked over and took Ivar in your arms who slowly began to calm down.

"Please don't stop playing on our account." Aslaug said bitterly as she sat beside you and Ivar

"We... we had finished." Ragnar said. "How is Boneless?"

"Ivar is what he is. You know that. But he is better now that Astrid's here." Aslaug said with a smile as she stroked your hair while you leaned into the woman

"Me, Astrid and the boys..." Ragnar trailed off

"You, Astrid and the boys." Aslaug said

She wished that Ragnar would treat Ivar like he treated all his sons but Ragnar didn't. You and her treated Ivar as if there was nothing wrong him him.

"Yes. Me, Astrid and the boys." Ragnar replied, shooing the boys out of the home. You gave Ivar back to Aslaug, the baby boy instantly beginning to cry as you left the home and went back into the cold snow

-

Back at home, deep in the woods, you smiled as Angrboda stood up on her own. Floki was resting on the unfinished boat when Helga came over to her husband.

You laughed with Angrboda as she played around with the snowflakes falling from the sky while your parents had a hushed discussion.

It wasn't until you looked up that you realized Floki was walking away.

"Where are you going?" Helga asked

"Away! Just away!" Floki answered before he swiftly turned around. "You're so horrible good, Helga!" Then he continued through the woods.

-

After the ice had broken and the snow melted away, it became spring.

Floki already said his goodbyes to you, Angrboda and Helga as he left for the boats before he would be to late. Standing at the beach, you and Helga stood in the crowd, watching the men and women load the boats as people played drums and cheered for the warriors.

You saw Floki waving like he did the previous raid and waved goodbye as well.

"Goodbye, Papa!"

You saw Lagertha and Bjorn look towards you as well, waving like your father. They smiled when you waved back. Ragnar had made a funny face causing you to laugh. Torstien waved, along with Rollo, and Athelstan.

-