The cripple and the shieldmaiden

// 2 //

Torhild followed her mother to the bedroom, glad to have some time alone. Most part of the time she had sit still beside her mother while she was discussing raids white some earls and low kings. Her dark eyes had gazed over the people she knew, some had changed, others weren't even around. 'What happend to queen Aslaug mother?' She asked as soon as they both were alone. Lagertha pointed towards a chair that stood in front of a mirror.
'I killed her.' She responded almost cold. Torhild knew about her mothers ambition to take back the throne in Kattegat.
'And king Ragnar?' Torhild asked while Lagertha started to braid her hair. It felt good, she had missed this kind of moments, mother daughter moments. But when Lagertha didn't answered she looked through the mirror to her mother. She looked sad and she knew it immidiatly. 'He's dead?'
'Killed in Engeland.' She nodded. Torhild looked down, to her hands in her lap. She knew how much her mother loved that men.
'Did you got your revenge?' Torhild asked carefull. Lagertha didn't look up from the braiding, she was lost in her memories from the great Ragnar Lotbrok. So Torhild felt silent while she tried to figure out what was going on around her. 'I can't imagine Ubbe was happy about you killing his mother.' She finally spoke after a short time of silence. Lagertha looked up and nodded her head.
'Ubbe is no threat, neighter is Hvitserk.'
'Ivar?' Guessed Torhild. Lagertha finished the braids en stroke her hands over Torhild shoulders. 'The seer foresaw my dead by one of Ragnar sons.'
'I won't let them.' Torhild immidiatly said. She would protect her mother no matter the cost. She was a warrior now, she would follow her mother everywhere.
'I can defend myself Tohild.' She said with a loving voice. 'But you have to be carefull with Ivar, I saw him angry and he is not to be trusted.'
'He is always angry mother.' Torhild responded softly. Lagertha looked at her but Torhild held her eyes on the many clips and crowns that now belonged to her mother.
'I mean it Torhild, Ivar is changed, I don't want to see you near him.' Warned Lagertha. Torhild looked over her shoulder towards her mother and nodded slowly.
'Offcourse mother.' She replied. Lagertha smiled.
'All your dresses are here, put something nice on, we have to celebrate your return.' Lagertha said cheerfull before walking out. Torhild looked to here mother walking out before she looked back in the mirror. For this night she had to be a princess, tomorrow she could be a warrior again.

Wearing a dress felt good for Torhild, she loved the dresses she had. This one fell around here slim body, with soft colors and a certain elegance. She putted a little silver crown in her dark brown hair before she returned to the great hall. Her hands fold before her stomach she stood besides the throne of her mother. People came in to feast her return, some of them had gifts she graciously accepted. 'You look beautifull little sister, not longer a girl.' Noticed her brother, walking from between the people, looking at her with that tender smile of his.
'You look strong big brother, not longer a boy.' She teased him back. He smiled and looked over his shoulder to all the people who came in. Slaves brought dinner and ale, everybody in a good mood because of her return.
'There are men asking if you have married someone in your time away.' He grinned. Torhild looked to her brother, frowing her eyebrows.
'That is fast.'
'You have changed Torhild, you look strong, confident, more beautifull and you are a woman now. They all want you.' He maked her blush. She looked at the ground before her eyes went over the people again.
'I'm not thinking about marriage right now Björn.' She smiled. He looked at her and nodded slowly.
'Are you ready to raid? Battle?' He asked while greeting one of his man with a strong pat on the shoulder. Torhild nodded before looking back at her brother.
'I didn't go two years away for nothing.'
'Than you come with uss, we have a settlement in Engeland, you could marry a prince there.' That last one one rather teasing. She pulled on the braid in his hair and he laughed while drinking from his ale.
'So you avenged your fathers dead?'
'We all did.' Pointed Björn towards the people. Torhild looked from her brother tot the other people in the great hall. 'But it's not about me.' He said before taking a cup, giving it to Torhild before he turned to the people. 'Yesterday we conquered Engeland, today my sister returned as a warrior and tomorrow,' Björn felt silent, everybody looked at him curious. 'Ragnarssons and Torhild will go raid again!' He yelles. Torhild brought her cup up before they both began to drink. Björn looked at her, proud. 'Welcome back home sister, it's good to have a female warrior among all those boys.' He winked.

The journey had exhausted her but it wasn't to compare with the formal talks she had with the earls and people her. She sat beside her mother when her eyes fell on Ivar, who was leaning on the chair of his oldest brother, a little smile to seduce her. She nodded to some men who were watching her before she walked over to Ubbe, Hvitserk and Ivar. 'The sons of Ragnar.' She greeted them with a little bow. Hvitserk looked at her as if he wanted to take her somewhere nobody could disturb them.
'Torhild.' Greeted Ubbe her with a little smile. '
Can I say you look absolutly stunning, all grown up, ready to marry.' Said Hvitserk with a seductive smile.
'Is that an invite Hvitserk?' She asked him friendly. He looked down her body and nodded slowly.
'I prefer you over every princess they would serve me.' He agreed before getting a hard pet from his older brother on his head. Torhild grinned, taking a sip from her ale.
'I thought at least one of you four would be married by now. Where is Sigurd?'
'Dead.' Ubbe said and both the brothers looked at Ivar for a moment. Torhild looked at the youngest brother who was ... always disturbed, angry. He clenshed his teeth together while looking away. Torhild knew him well enough to not go further on the subject.
'So did one of you get married?' She asked without asking after the dead of Sigurd. She didn't always liked that boy, but it was a shame, she hoped he died in the way the gods wanted it.
'Yes, I did.' Ubbe said. Now she knew why he wasn't watching her like he always did before, like Hvitserk did.
'With a slave.' Ivar said with a low voice, almost bored. It was the first time he said something and it was to annoy his brother. Torhild looked at him but he didn't looked back. Two years ago they could always talk with each other, he maked her who she was now. He never treated her like a girl, all careful and respectful. He treated her like he treated everyone else, he challenged her every time again and gave her the warriorspirit she now had.
'Do you want to dance Torhild?' Hvitserk asked. She pulled here eyes away from Ivar and smiled towards Hvitserk.
'Can you handle that?' She challenged him. Hvitserk drank his ale and gave his empty cup to his brother.
'Two years I have waited for this moment Torhild.' He said with a seductive smile. He stood up and held his hand up to her. She took it and he leaded her to the space they had. Her mother looked with narrowed eyes, Torhild had already forgot what her mother had said about the brothers. Hvitserk pulled her closer, she looked up to him a little smilling. 'Did you miss me Torhild?' He wispered in her ears. She felt the sensation of it slipping down her spine. She pulled her head a little back, danced under his arm on the real Viking way.
'Yes, maybe I have.' She nodded. In that moment she totally forgot that she had been two years away, that she was a warrior now. When she was younger she always had a crush on Hvitserk, seeing him like a man now brought that all back. She laughed with the dance they both did but when she looked toward the other brothers she saw the jealousy in Ivar's deep bleu eyes before he crawled away. He would never be able to dance with her and that saddened Torhild a little. She needed to talk with him, there was a lot bottering him and she was quite sure that the dead of his mother by her mother had something to do with it. There was also Sigurd who was dead and there was the fact that she missed him the most ... he had to hear it, before he destroyed something other than himself.