The Way You Look At Me

Chapter 4 - Stay or Go

~ Chapter 4 - Stay or Go ~

I was getting ready for bed in my bedroom when Siggy, my sister, walked in. I knew as soon as she walked in, I knew that our conversation was going to be about how I accepted Ragnar's offer.

"Maia, we must talk," she said.

I sighed. "About what?"

"You should have not accepted Ragnar's offer," she said.

"Why not?" She was not my mother, she could not tell me what to do. My desicions were mine and mine only. I wanted her to understand that.

"You could die, my precious Maia," she said. "We both know that you do not want that and I do not want that."

I nodded. "I do not want to die, and I know that you do not want me to die. Because now we are the only family we have left. But I want to be a part of the Vikings that defend Kattegat. I want to mean something to Kattegat. Do you not want that for me?"

My sister nodded. "I do. But I do not want you to go out there and die."

"I will not die. Ragnar, Rollo, Floki, Bjorn, Lagertha and other Vikings will be there. They will protect me."

I knew that at least Bjorn and Lagertha would protect me. Lagertha was like a mother to me and Bjorn was a good friend.

"I know that they will. But what about the ones you will try to kill? I know that they will be older and stronger than you," Siggy said.

"I will keep practicing fighting so I can be as strong as them. Ragnar, Lagertha or Bjorn could train me so I can be better," I insisted.

She smiled and nodded. I knew that she was thinking and I prayed to the Gods to make her let me go on raids and attacks. Our parents told me that the Gods and Goddesses loved me as much as they loved me. That made me have faith and believe in the Gods more than before. "You are just like mother and father."

"Will you let me go?" I asked and smiled at her.

"That is your decision."

She left and a few minutes later, Bjorn walked in. I knew that we were going to have a conversation like the one I just had with my sister.

"Bjorn, my sister and I just talked about me accepting the offer from --- "

"That is not why I am here," he interrupted me. "I am not here to convince you to do something and I am not here to convince you not to do something."

"Oh," I said. "Why are you here?"

"I just wanted to talk." Did he think I was stupid? I knew that he was going to bring up the offer I accepted from his father.

I narrowed my eyes at him. "About what, Bjorn Ragnarsson?"

He sighed in defeat. "My father's offer."

"Bjorn, I want to go. Did you not hear your father? I beat Rollo in a fight. My first fight in four years. Do you not have faith in me? Do you not believe in fate?"

He groaned. "I only do this because I care about you, and so does Siggy."

"Or because I'm a woman?"

"No."

"Yes."

He looked away annoyed, while I had a smirk on my face. But I was not kidding, I was completely serious. I hardly ever kidded about battle, fighting and fate. But I did joke about other different things.

"Maia, you must listen to me," Bjorn said sternly as he looked me in the eye. "The raids are worse and more deadly than fighting Rollo."

"Then you must try your best to protect me," I said. "When is the next raid?"

"We are going to Mercia to meet up with the Princess."

I looked at him confused. "Why do you not want me to go?"

"We do not know what could happen or what she wants."

I looked away from him for a while and then looked at him again. I knew what I wanted to do and no one was going to change that. "You should go, Bjorn."

He looked at me sadly and quickly left my bedroom. But I groaned when Lagertha entered my bedroom only seconds later.

"I am sorry, did I bug you? Were you going to go to sleep?" she asked.

"Are you going to tell me not to go to Mercia like Siggy and Bjorn did?" I asked, annoyed.

"No, quite the opposite actually."

"Oh." I was glad that she was not going to try to convince me to stay. Because part of me was convinced and wanted to stay. "What did you want to talk about?"

"I just wanted to tell you that Bjorn and I will be training you. Some days it will be me who trains you and some days it will be him that trains you. We will how to fight, how to use a bow and arrow, how to protect yourself with a shield and how to properly use an axe."

"All right." I wished that I could start training now, but it was too dark and late. "When do we start?"

"Eager?" I nodded. "Training is after breakfast with me, just me tomorrow."

"All right." I looked at her and decided to ask her the question that was on my mind. "Why is Bjorn protective of me?"

"Because he is in love with you." I got pink at her words, and I sort of was in love with him too.

"Why does he not try to sleep with me like all of the other men I have encountered?" I asked.

"Because he respects you, he respects women. Unlike his father." I did not say anything. "He will be yours once you give him permission and show him that you are ready. Do you know what I mean?"

"I do. I know what you mean," I said.

"Good night, Maia."

"Good night, Lagertha."

She left and I went to bed with only one thing on my mind:

Should I stay or go?

A/N:

Picture of Lagertha above, if you can't see it please tell me and I'll send it to you.

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