Grey Souls

A Father's Choice

Chapter Nine

Daga searched the many hallways and rooms of the Castle in search of her father finding him in a large glorious room filled to the brim with books of every kind, her father gazed in wonder at all the different subjects that lined the spines of the books, the Princess couldn't help but smile at the sight of her father who was ever thirsty for knowledge.

A never satisfied thirst that was passed down to his eldest children and grandson.

Silently creeping into the room she sat at one of the many tables and gazed at her father, she didn't make a sound or say a word she simply memorized everything that made him her first love.

His eyes which always seemed to have a glow to them one which to others was frightening but to her was comforting when nothing was, his smile which could range from blindingly joyous to cunningly charming to cruel-fully malicious, his hands which she knew for a fact were rough and strong from many years of hard physical labor working on a farm from a young boy to a full grown man and years of hard dedicated training in order to hone his skills as a warrior.

She adored the way his eyes would flutter when he learned of something new, she adored the way his grin could make her feel like the tiny girl she once was who used to follow after his every move desperate for his attention and to prove she was worthy of his devotion and love. She left him for four years before and saw first hand what her departure had done to him, could she really leave him for another four? Would he survive it?

Ragnar turned with an open book in hand gazing intently down at the pages as he took small steady steps flickering his eyes over the page taking in every detail as he went. Suddenly he stopped short and his head snapped up to gaze at the young woman who was watching him so intently tears silently streaming down her face, with out hesitation Ragnar threw the book away from him and rapidly took long purposeful strides before falling to his knees in front of his beloved first born child.

"What is the matter? What has happened?" The King of Kattegat asked his voice deeply concerned and cracking with slight panic at the sign of his daughter's destress.

Daga put her fingers to her mouth and rapidly shook her head as she squeezed her eyes shut trying keep her mouth shut, she couldn't tell him. He wouldn't understand.

"I won't make it home." Daga blurted causing Ragnar to frown in confusion his body seizing up in internal panic "What do you mean?"

"The other boat, it's going to crash in a storm and I will be on it. I will be lost from you and from our home for a long time, it is Odin's will. He is trying to prepare me for something, something that is much worse and yet to come."

Ragnar felt his own head shake back and fourth as his mouth dried and his throats constricted "No, no I will not allow such a thing!"

Daga smiled sadly down at her father leaning closer to study his face as she gently brushed her fingers over his frowned brows "It is neither up to you nor I. It is the will of the Gods."

Ragnar's breathing picked up rapidly in pure agony as his chest damn near caved in on its self "How long?"

Daga hesitated.

"HOW LONG?" Ragnar screamed causing Daga to jolt at the unexpected loudness "I was gone from your side for four years the Gods will take me away for four more."

Ragnar threw himself onto his feet as he began to rapidly pace back and forth his breathing picking up to extremes as his heart rate beat into double time. Panic coursed through his very veins and his mind scrambled in a fear unlike anything he had ever felt before, Ragnar wonder was this what dying felt like.