DIVINE [HVITSERK RAGNARSSON]

32: FORGOTTEN

CHAPTER THIRTY TWO — 'FORGOTTEN'

some months later

"Why should I have to ask your permission? We are not married yet!" Asta yelled across the Jarl's longhouse as she threw the remains of her ale onto the floor with a splash.
"And that is your fault! I do not understand why we are still delaying." Jarl Thorfinn yelled back at the girl.
"I still cannot face the thought of getting married without my brother there to see it. And it is the middle of winter. I want to get married when the sun is bright and the flowers are blooming. We should be focusing on the Yol celebrations."
Thorfinn rolled his eyes at the girl. "It has been months since your brother died," he spat nastily, "it should no longer affect you."
Asta's eyes widened but she said nothing. She would never be over her brother being killed in the battle. Even if she had gotten better at faking a smile, she was miserable and she would push the wedding that she didn't want back as often as she could.
"So, I—
"Do not even ask me to go on the raid. The answer is no. Get out of my sight." Thorfinn didn't even look at her as he used his hand to shoo her away.

Asta flounced from the longhouse and out into the cold winter snow, the short sleeves of her dress instantly exposing her skin to the freeze. She slumped into the snow and sighed. She despised what her life had become. She had lost Hvitserk, she had lost Erik and she had lost her home. Halsarby was beautiful but it made her miserable, as did Thorfinn and she knew she could not delay their wedding any longer.
She missed Kattegat.

In the snow, she remembered the day that she'd ridden away, all the way back to the outskirts of Kattegat. She'd remained on her horse and watched for hours as people came and went, as smoke billowed from buildings and guards patrolled the outskirts. All Asta had wanted to do was ride into Kattegat's heart and find Hvitserk and let him hold her. But she couldn't. Ivar would have her killed instantly.

"You okay?" A voice pulled Asta from her thoughts and she looked up to see Maja sitting down beside her in the snow. She was dressed more appropriately than Asta was for the weather — a thick, long sleeved dress and heavy furs that cuddled her shoulders warmly.
"I'm fine," Asta sighed, "I just had to get away from that pig of a man."
Maja laughed. She was one of the only people that Asta could call a friend in Halsarby.
"They are still patrolling." Maja sighed and Asta nodded.
"I thought so. It has been months but Ivar won't give up."
"Why does he want you dead so badly?"
Asta scoffed, wishing she could answer that question. There were probably a hundred reasons. Ever since they'd escaped Kattegat after the battle, Ivar had sent scout after scout out looking for them. At first, they'd hidden at an abandoned farm with Lagertha, Bjorn, Ubbe and Torvi. But they'd gone their separate ways — Lagertha had Bishop Heahmund with her and Asta couldn't even stand to look at the man. Ubbe had been shooting her looks the whole time, making her bite her tongue, but when the Bishop had suggested they go to England she refused; even Halsarby was better than living amongst Christians with that Bishop.
And so, she'd lost Ubbe and Lagertha and Torvi too. They were in England somewhere, hopefully alive and probably fighting for Christians if they were.