𝐑𝐄𝐃𝐄𝐌𝐏𝐓𝐈𝐎𝐍 - 𝐁𝐉Ö𝐑𝐍 𝐈𝐑𝐎𝐍𝐒𝐈𝐃𝐄

𝟎𝟕

- Unforgiven

Freya, Bjorn, Ragnar, Aslaug, Ubbe and Hvitzerk all sat in the great hall with their closest friends, eating, drinking, laughing. Ragnar and Aslaug was sat together as they laughed and joked happily and next to them was sat Bjorn and Freya causing Ragnar to laugh happily as the two of them quarrelled and insulted each other meaninglessly. While Bjorn was happy in this moment being with his father and Freya a part of him was worried about his mother who had left Kattegat and returned to her husband and just hoped that she wouldn't take anymore of his abuse and leave him.

Suddenly, Bjorn turned his head to look at Freya grabbing her hand in his squeezing it in reassurance, " I will never leave you again" he promised the girl he's had a crush on since he was fourteen years old, " I've spent most of my life afraid and unsure. I mean, even when I decided to stay here it didn't get better it got worse because now I've actually got something to lose. I'm always going to be the guy that fights for you even when your pushing me away"

Freya stared into his icy blue eyes with a smile on her face as she rested her forehead against his as he placed his hand against her cheek before before he could lean in the doors to the great hall opened and King Horik walked inside with his son and a couple of men causing the two of them to pull away from one another as Horik and Erlendur sat directly across from Ragnar and Aslaug, " you'll have to forgive the poverty of the feast" Ragnar commented as he shared a look with his wife before turning his attention back to Horik, "It has been a hard winter. We had to burn our own grain stores to rid ourselves of Jarl Borg"

King Horik didn't look bothered by the news as he shrugged his shoulders with an nonchalantly expression on his face, " So I heard" Ragnar raised his brows exchanging a look with Freya who glared coldly at the father and son duo before she leaned forward in her seat looking directly at Erlendur, " Tell us, Erlendur, what happened in England, after we left?"

Erlendur let out a sigh as he took a sip of his ale turning to look at his father but before he could say anything he was interrupted by King Horik, " Ecbert never meant to honor his promises to you. We were betrayed, taken by surprise, there was a great slaughter. Erlendur and I barely escaped with our lives" Freya narrowed her eyes at him harshly moving her eyes to Horik as she had an worried look on her face when she noticed that Athelstan has not returned with him and his men, " what about Athelstan? Where is he now?"

" if he is fortunate, he died in battle. In any case, let's not speak of him. He was a worthless individual" King Horik informed causing Freya to look down at her hands sadly with tears in her eyes at the fact that Athelstan had gone missing and just hoped that he is okay, well and alive. Freya looked back up glaring harshly at Horik with angry tears in her eyes, " what is wrong with you? You didn't know Athelstan. He is kind, brave and Loyal to those he cares about and just because he's a Christian doesn't make him any less of a person like yourself"

Bjorn grabbed Freya hand in his own squeezing it in attempt to comfort her as he knew that Freya had saw Athelstan like a brother and both she and his father was both worried about him and missed him and knew if King Horik continued talking no matter who he was Freya would of leaped across the table and punched him in the face, " poor Athelstan" Bjorn spoke up with a saddened look on his face causing both Freya and Ragnar to turn their attention to him, " my sister, Freya and I grew to love him when we were children"