The cripple and the shieldmaiden

// 16 //

'Princess.' King Aethelwulf started.
'Torhild works fine.' She replied with a polite bow. Since the feast three days ago he still treated her like a guest. She had two guards with her all the time but she could go anywhere she wanted. Ubbe was less lucky, he still was locked up downstairs.
'One of my scouts noticed an army heading for my kingdom.'
'Told you they would come.' She replied with a confident smile. If he thought she was bluffing about it earlier than he was wrong.
'It's a good thing that you leave to offer that deal.' He clapped in his hands towards his soldiers. Torhild felt the threat hanging in the air as soon as she was surrounded by them. 'If they move further here your brother will die, same if you don't return within three hours.' He announched, nodding towards his man who took her with her arms and pulled her towards the stabbles.
'In so far the hospitality.'
'You now it was never sush a thing.' He replied right away. Lucky for her she changed those dresses for her usual viking outfit. Torhild got an horse, she pulled herself in the saddle and turned the animal towards king Aethelwulf. 'If it goes wrong, kill her.' He smiled to his men. Torhild give him a sharp look before she followed the others out of the castle.

It wasn't the whole heathen army who lurked out of the forest, it was hardly half of it, what meant that the strategy changed of it was some kind of trap. The soldiers were smart enough to not ride in the forest. They left their horses on the egde and one of them pulled his sword, pressing it against her throat while they pushed her the forest in like some sort of a shield. In that sort time she spotted the army earlier they all had vanished in the forest, the only thing standing on the road before them was Ivar and his chariot. She felt the soldiers around her tensing about it. 'We will kill her if you don't obay.' One yelled towards him.
'I see that.' Ivar replied, looking at Torhild instead of the men. His eyes were dark and fearless, every little bit of the emotion she knew sucked out of it. She gave him a reassuring look and he looked away to one of the soldiers. 'Get my brothers.' Ivar commanded a tree. Torhild looked at the man who came from after it and started running out of the forest. 'You know, you are just with just five, I have an army, you thing pointing a sword against her throat is gonna stop me from killing you all?' Ivar got back to business. Typical. Torhild carefuly turned her head to the soldier who threatend her.
'I know what the king said, none of you will die, not on my hand and certainly not on his hand.' She said while giving Ivar a promesing look.
'You serious?' He asked bored.
'If you want Ubbe to live through the day, yes, deadly serious.'
'Stand down.' Ivar commanded everybody withing distance. The soldier lowered his sword and Torhild gave thim a short look before she walked over to Ivar his chariot. He leaned over this egde, playing with a knife between his fingers. 'Why are you always the one in trouble?' He asked, softly pulling up the corner of his mouth. The cold looked maked place for something she knew, his cornerned look and it was only visable for her.
'You don't have to be worried about me, I live the princess life.' She said on a sarcastic tone.
'Ubbe?' He asked, his eyes travelled over her body looking for some injuries or something that would prove her words wrong. She laid her fingers under his chin and pulled his eyes back to hers.
'I'm fine Ivar. Ubbe is catching up with some sleep, he is okey.' She reassured him. He nodded and turned his head, looking at the soldiers who stood in a circle within the vikings.
'You know what I thought when I saw you riding towards us?'
'That you really wanted to kiss me?' She guessed.
'How do you know?'
'I tought the same. But, Ubbe said to the king that I'm Ragnars daughter so,' she bited her lip and turned her head towards the road where she saw Hvitserk and her brother gallop. She pushed herself away from the chariot and looked at the both of them. Hvitserk embraced her as soon as he got of his horse, Björn gave those soldiers a skeptical look. 'Don't kill anybody.' She warned the both of them.
'Spill, I don't think you have much time.' Björn began.
'Glad to see you to big brother.' She nodded towards him. He smiled and rubbed her head like she was a little girl, she slammed it away.