The seer prophesied the birth of a beautiful girl, named Freya, the daughter of a king and queen who will become known throughout the world as the most beautiful and fiercest shield maiden to walk the Earth. The seer said that she would marry a king...
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Kattegat, Norway
As the Swedes made their way through the streets of Kattegat, Harald and Halfdan were still at the same table in the great hall talking with Helga and Floki. All four of them gathered around the large table because no one else wanted anything to do with Floki after his public falling out with King Ragnar. Suddenly the all commotion in the great hall began to cease. And all the attention was now placed on the entrance to the great hall. The entrance was crowded with a large swarm of warriors. At the front stood a man tall and proud dressed in all black with long silver hair. He seemed to clearly be in charge. Beside the tall man with silver hair stood a girl. She was the vision of beauty. No one could take their eyes off of her. Her hair, silver as well, but tucked to the side in a detailed side braid. Although the man in black seemed to tower over the girl with the braid she had this confidence about her that she had seen things, she had been in battle before. She knew the sacrifices and the losses that you were bound to have. As she stood there next to the man in black, Harald was in awe of her and he hadn't even spoken to her yet. He had only seen her standing there for a couple of minutes.
"Who's that?" Halfdan asked the kattegat natives. Floki was the first to respond saying
"Oh now that is a dangerous one." clearly nervous and excited at the King of Sweden's arrival. "That's King Ulf the Bloody, King of all Sweden."
"Dear gods, what are they feeding him?" said Halfdan clearly impressed. The tales of King Ulf the Bloody have reached all over the world. He just couldn't believe that he was meeting him. "He's already twice the size of ironside!" While everyone laughed at Halfdan's comparison, Harald hadn't taken his eyes off of the girl that stood there. Changing the conversation he said.
"Nevermind him, who's the young lady standing beside him?" Everyone at the table then moved their eyes in the direction of the mysterious woman."
"I believe that is his sister. Princess Freya Erikdottir. The tales of her beauty and skills are legendary! I thought they were just myths, but clearly I was wrong." Helga said, taking a sip of her ale. Upon learning this new piece of information of who this mystery woman was Harald smiled from ear to ear. His brother, taking notice of the grin that adorned his brother's face, invited the pair to join them at their table.
"King Ulf, Princess Freya, please join us." Upon hearing Halfdand's offer the pair made their way to the table. Now that they were all sitting at the table there were now an even number of both men and women. On one side sat Halfdan, with Floki on his left and Helga next to him. On the other side sat King Harald across from his brother. Next to King Harald now sat Princess Freya, much to his excitement. And next to her sat her brother, King Ulf. Who was the biggest man he had ever seen!
"Thank you for having us." Freya said politely as her brother chose to remain silent on the end. It was usually like this, Ulf was a man of few words, and believed that they all should be chosen with extreme care. That's what left Freya to pick up the pieces of her brother's rudeness. Harald tried to contain his smile as she sat next to him. Then it was time to introduce the Swedes to everyone at their table.
"Alright, I'm Halfdan, this is my brother King Harald Finehair." he said pointing at his brother. With that gesture Freya turned her head to look at him, to put a face to the name. It was then that their eyes met. Harald was able to finally get a good look at her, only being inches away from her face. He studied her. Her green eyes and heart shaped lips. As well as the stray pieces of hair that fell in her face. Some might say that those pieces made her not look as beautiful, but Harald strongly disagreed. If anything the loose pieces of hair that framed her face made her appear even more beautiful than she already was. It showed that she was real, and not an illusion conjured by the gods for his own torment. She was real and she was right in front of him. Before Harald could say something to the Princess her attention moved from him to the other people at the table that Halfdan was introducing her and her brother to.
"This is Floki, the Boat Builder." Floki smiled at her, curious about the foreigners that sat in front of him.
"And this is his wife, Helga." Halfdan said, finally being finished with introductions. Helga shared Freya a friendly smile and Freya beamed one back in return. She was certainly beautiful. But it seemed to Helga after the short time that she had known the Swedish princess that her beauty on the outside was just a mirror into who she was as a person, a kind soul. With the introductions being done Halfdan thought that it was time to start to get to know the Swedes that sat right in front of him. Specifically, the one that his brother couldn't take his eyes off of.
"How was your journey here from Sweden?" Halfdan asked. Freya didn't miss a beat, when she spoke she had this ability not only to make everyone around her at ease, but to make everyone want to listen.
"Our journey here was no more frightening than anything we have already faced. The gods were with us." She said, taking a sip of her ale that her brother had just handed to her. After the pleasantries Harald felt that it was finally his chance to ask her a question.
"I heard that King Ragnar invited you both to join him in Paris." She turned her head to look at him again waiting for him to finish. "Whatever pro swayed you to come?" Freya took in the features of his face. How his tattoos went from his forehead, to his cheeks, and then to his neck, which was mostly being covered by his beard.
"My brother is the King. It is his decision of where we go. Back home the seer told me that this journey will change our lives in more ways than one. He said that it was the will of the gods that we allow this to play out." Her face turned stone cold serious. "How could I not come?" She asked him. What she didn't realize was the way that Harald, Halfdan and even Helga and Floki were staring at her. Ulf was just sitting there downing his drink.
He could not believe it! He had found her! And here she was sitting less than a foot away from him. Before he could ask her something else she asked him a question.
"King Harald, let me ask you why do you wish to join King Ragnar to Paris as well?" He liked her. Gods he really liked her. She was feisty, that was for sure. He turned his head down to the side, so that it now faced his brother. And he let out a slight chuckle, and turned his head so that he was now fully facing her again.
"I decided to come with King Ragnar to Paris for glory. Isn't what all of us crave? And please the gods, hoping that we don't fall out of their good will." Harald raised his cup to his lips and took a large swig thinking he had answered her question finley. So how come when he lowered his cup from his lips she was still looking at him.
"What is it?" he questioned her. With that her signature smirk returned, adorning her face.
"Well, although all that stuff might be true. There's something else that you're not saying. The other reason you want to go to Paris is so that you become a living name. A person that all men throughout Norway want to believe in. A man who holds the gods in the highest regard. But, unless it is fated then there is little use dreaming because then there is very little chance of your dream ever coming true." Everyone at the table stared at her. They couldn't believe that she had the courage to say that to a King. But, Harald and Halfdan couldn't believe that within less than ten minutes of knowing this girl. She seemed to know him like a book. She could not only tell that he was holding back part of the truth, but she was also able to practically spell out what it was that he desired. The only thing was there was now one other thing that he desired. More than he ever thought possible, it was her. Halfdan watched all of his brother's interactions with her and she was perfect for him. He had truly met his match. Now it was Halfdan's job to make sure that his brother didn't go screwing up the best thing that's ever happened to him.
———————————————————————- Hey everyone this's Elle, please let know what you guys think of this story and of what you guys think. I look forward to herring your feedback. Exciting chapter, our love birds just met!
