Freya Ironside, Gifted by the Gods

Closer to the end

It had been twenty years of ruling Kattegat and Norway without inside wars or plots to get power or raids from Danes and Rus. Kattegat was flourishing, trading was paying off and they hadn't had too harsh winter months.

Somehow, many years prior, Rollo had been able to make sure his sons never broke the pact he had made with her, and perhaps knowing that the Queen of Norway never seemed to age made it quite clear to them that they should not test the 'devil' and her subtle ways, the pact favoured them as well anyway, they did not have to fight any Norsemen in decades. Now she only hoped that once William died, his children would not spit on that pact.

It hadn't been gentle years though. Torvi's fourth son, and Ubbe's first son, Ragnar, died when he was only five, their mother had had difficulties during his birth and he had always been weak, health-wise, coughing at night, and after losing him as well, Torvi truly was broken. Her and Ubbe tried and tried again but she just couldn't get pregnant. It had been devastating to see Torvi and Ubbe hollow.

As for Hvitserk, he had agreed on sharing his life only with her and not with their potential children as well. After returning from Frankia, as they had settled down and Aegir and his family had left for their new town, Freya had explained to Hvitserk why she did not want children, how she did not want to burden them with a life like hers, with abilities like hers, with a death before hers ... Hvitserk had been distant at first, but with Ubbe and Torvi's help he had come to understand his wife and had returned to her, more supporting than ever.

Her husband was staring at her, with her slightly grey hair wrapped up in messy braids. To him she was beautiful, in every form she took. He was never able to keep his eyes off her, "Care to join me on my walk today?" he asked dressing up, as he was done, he helped her to put her cape on. Freya smiled and turned to her thirty year old self, she smiled again, now with no wrinkles around her mouth and with her radiant eyes, "Let's go then" she said holding onto his arm. They crossed the length of the hall and walked out the doors to enter a lively Kattegat, it was still a bit cold but winter was about to end, more and more people would leave their homes now, especially children so they could play

"As much as you dislike the topic we will have to talk about it one day or another" said Hvitserk as he nodded with a smile to people passing by. The good people of Kattegat had grown to respect him, after everything he had done.

Freya sighed, "Have you brought me out here with you so that I can't shout back?" she asked sternly feeling cornered, "I would never –'' he lied with a smirk, "Just wanted to have a stroll with my wife" he said calmy, she eyed him badly with the corner of the eye and said, "I really have no idea what to do" she admitted, "So you have thought about it" said Hvitserk with relief, "Well, yes. I know one day you will die as well and I will be here alone ..." she said hopeless, "You won't be alone" he stated, he was referring to her family watching her from Valhalla. Freya chuckled, "It won't be the same and you know that" she said plainly.

They were now walking through the port, looking at the fishers coming back from the day out at sea.

"The fact that I will die stands, simple. Now, will you keep ruling over Kattegat even when you're supposed to be dead or will you leave the kingdom to someone?" he asked, "I will watch everyone closely to see who is fit to become the new ruler. Once you're gone I cannot see myself sitting on the throne of Kattegat and Norway alone for long" she admitted squeezing his arm.

*

In the middle of the spring, they saw the ship that had taken Ubbe, Torvi and some of their men to the Mediterranean as they had always wanted to travel there ever since Bjorn had told them about these new lands. This was their second trip there, this time they had stopped in the south of Spain, passing through the Pillars of Hercules.