Threaded Through Time|Vikings.

ten: with death comes life.

The issue of what to do with Ecbert had been what they had been thinking about for the past couple of hours since they took over King Ecbert's villa. Ingrid stood next to Aela who sat on the steps with Ubbe and Hvitserk, her hand on her swollen stomach as she looked up at the caged Ecbert. Ingrid had cleaned up any injuries on Ecbert and given him water, however, before anything else could be done Bjorn had ordered him caged, in the same cage, according to Ivar, Ragnar had been in. Ecbert looked weak and frail, no longer kingly more like a shepherd. He was at his lowest. But the problem was, Aela was sure no one could agree on what to do with Ecbert. Blood eagling him wouldn't be the route in her mind, he didn't directly kill Rangar but he needed punishment. Though she also believed they needed to gain something out of this. But what broke her heart most of all in the aftermath was Helga, she had been killed.

In an effort to protect her adopted daughter when a spare guard came upon them and tried to kill them, Helga pushed Tanaruz out of the way but the soldier had stabbed her and to save Tanaruz and kill the guard, she had pulled some of the burning building down upon them. Tanaruz was heartbroken, because of Aela, she had grown close to her adoptive parents and even bonded with Aela and Ingrid. She didn't think she would have but Aela's efforts to at least make Tanaruz comfortable worked. The girl had grown to love Floki and Helga, but she had lost the only mother she had left and Floki was devastated. Aela found herself broken by it and while Tanaruz had been around her frequently before, keeping an eye on her baby. Tanaruz was now either stuck to her or Floki's side, the only people left she loved. "We have to decide what to do with King Ecbert!" Bjorn exclaimed, his voice snapping Aela from her thoughts of Helga, her brother clutching the bars of Ecbert's cage hanging above them. Aela was silent but Bjorn could look at his sister and see the thoughts ticking through her mind.

"I don't understand." Ivar was the first one to speak after Bjorn, the two women glancing over at him. "What is there to discuss? We Blood Eagle him. Ecbert is as guilty as Aelle so we should do the same thing to him." He insisted and Aela sighed and Ingrid pinched the bridge of her nose.

"No." Aela vocally stated, her words surprising and taking the brothers off guard. "We can't get anything out of him that way, we can't bargain well for something to benefit us." She explained and Ingrid could see Bjorn's lips twitch at that, the shieldmaiden smirking to herself. Bjorn could be rash, arrogant, and jump ahead, but he and Aela would typically be on the same track of mind.

"No? No is your answer?" Ivar scoffed at the woman in disbelief, Aela rolling her eyes and Ingrid shook her head.

"My lady is saying we punish him but we benefit from it as well. Blood eagling him would gain us nothing but a thirst for revenge like we hold." Ingrid speaks up, defending Aela with no hesitation which made Hvitserk smile to himself. It was nice to always see a woman on her side that wasn't related to her. Aela needed that.

"What she says is what I am saying. Ecbert is in the wrong, Ivar, but unlike Aelle, we can benefit from Ecbert. Aelle had nothing to offer us...he does. Our benefit from him can help our people." Aela bobs her head before pointing to the king in the cage who was mostly following along. All of Ragnar's children knew his language yet they used theirs to put him at a disadvantage. Smart. Ivar huffed at that, gaining anything but revenge was not on his mind and Aela could understand that. "Ivar, I understand that you want-" She started to say sympathetically, but the angry boy cut her off.

"I've told you this too many times. I was here! I saw Ecbert hand father over to King Aelle." Ivar spat, Aela exhaling but saying nothing. Bjorn would counter him for her.

"We all understand those feelings, Ivar." Bjorn snapped irritably, Aela knowing Bjorn was probably feeling like Ivar was making this all about his grief only. Aela wouldn't blame Ivar for that as he had been the last of the family to see Ragnar. To see Ragnar take the first steps to the end of his path, his destiny. "No one is denying what you are saying. Aela is certainly not. But sometimes..." He started to rant at his youngest brother, stepping over to Ivar who glanced down for a moment. "Sometimes. We have to consider things beyond our feelings. And think what is best for our people!"