𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐒𝐓𝐎𝐑𝐘 𝐎𝐅 𝐔𝐒 - 𝐕𝐈𝐊𝐈𝐍𝐆𝐒

𝟏𝟏

- Brothers War

Later that night, a feast was held to welcome Aslaug to kattegat. Elizabeth was sat across from Ragnar and between Bjorn and Athelstan as there was an awkward silent around the group as Elizabeth watched as a small lamb climbed onto the table as it was winter and Ragnar and Lagertha had decided to keep the animals inside until summer. Elizabeth smiled picking up the lamb and placing him on her lap stroking its head before she looked up at Ragnar noticing how awkward Ragnar looked sitting beside Lagertha and Aslaug.

Ragnar looked at Elizabeth with wide eyes making her laugh quietly to herself as he had only himself to blame for the situation he is now in. Lagertha was the one who decided to speak up to stop the awkward silence looking over at Aslaug and curiously asked, " Bjorn told me that your mother was the shield-maiden, Brunhilde, of whom we've all heard?" Aslaug nodded her head in confirmation as she looked over at Lagertha and informed, " it's true. Although she died when I was very young,"

"And you're father?" Lagertha questioned trying to get to know the women who smiled proudly when speaking about her father, "My father was Sigurd" Lagertha frowned in confusion staring at Aslaug and inquired, " Sigurd...? Just Sigurd?" Aslaug shook her head lightly as she explained, " No, I mean the Sigurd who, according to the sagas, killed the dragon Fafnir"

"Then your father is also a hero" Lagertha added in with a bored tone in her voice not that Aslaug noticed as she continued talking sending a seductive look to Ragnar, "People talk about him, it's true. And I'm proud that he was my father...but I never knew him. What about your parents?" She curiously asked turning her attention back to Ragnar wife.

Lagertha took a sip of her ale as she hummed in response trying to keep calm as she informed, " They were just farmers" Aslaug furrowed her brows sending the blonde women a pointed look and smugly stated, " surely nobody is just a farmer"Lagertha turned her attention to Aslaug with a sweet smile as she hissed warningly at her, "Believe me, princess, that is exactly what some people are, and are happy to be"

"Forgive me" Aslaug muttered quietly with an apologetic look on her face before her eyes landed on Bjorn leaning forward slightly in her chair, "Do you remember me, Bjorn? Do you remember when we stood in front of the tree of life?" Bjorn shook his head with an annoyed look and grumbled, " it wasn't Yggdrasil. It was just a tree"

Aslaug smiled kindly at Bjorn not affected by his rudeness as she said, " you're right. We both know that. It creates a bond between us" Bjorn glared at the women coldly and hissed, "I don't think so. We don't have any bond. I don't want any bond with you" Elizabeth smiled in amusement turning away from from the table causing Ragnar to send his daughter a scolded look only for her raise her hands in mock surrender.

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"Why don't you just tell her that she has to leave soon? She can't stay here" Bjorn called out in an irritated tone as he was sat with Ragnar and Elizabeth outside who was watching Aslaug from afar as she explored the market place. Ragnar sighed running his hand down the side of his face and told the two children, "She is carrying my child"