The Cripple and The Shieldmaiden II

// 32 //

'We are all gathered here today to witness God his will on this crowing day.' The priest announced. Torhild looked around in the throne room of Aethelred his kingdom; there was hardly any room to move around for the people were so curious. Everybody looked out for this day since Torhild made her decision. What already was a month ago. But in a month lot needed to be repaired throughout England. The settlement, the kingdoms, everything needed to put in place before this crowning day. The people were tensed, a lot of this building contained Vikings. Torhild felt anxious to get on with it and Raynor carried that subconscious with him.
'Hush, you made the right decision.' Ivar whispered. Torhild looked aside to him, he sat on a chair, proper clothes, his hair braided, he looked descent and even more mature now.
'Did I?' She asked. But before he could say anything else the priest got further with the ceremony.
'May I present to you, the future ruler of England.' He opened his arm but it wasn't to Torhild. 'King Edward.' And the people started to clap their hands. Torhild smiled, looking how the former lord became a king until Aethelred was of age. This was everything for her, hearing the people cheer, whistle to their new king. She didn't belong up there, she belonged here, between the Vikings she was born within. Torhild squeezed her hands into Raynor his shoulders who stood before her, looking aside her to Hvitserk who smiled also. Even the Vikings found this the good way to end a year's long tension. The priest crowned him under gods guidance and when Edward stood up and turned around everybody shouted his name.
'Long life the king!'
'Long life the king!' Raynor yelled. Torhild looked down to her son before she looked back to the throne where Edward stood before. In that moment she knew she made the best decision. She was eager to get back home, to find some rest after all of this. The new king raised his hands and everybody fell silent.
'On this day I want to remember what happened. We found strength and unity on the most unexpected places. We always found Vikings to be our enemy while they stood by our side in the end against our own people.' Edward laid out, gesturing his hand to Torhild and all the others. 'I want to remember this day as the day of a new beginning, new leadership and a fresh start. I promised to lead this country by loyalty and trust. We shouldn't be standing her if it wasn't for them. But we surly wouldn't be standing her if it wasn't for her.' Edward pointed to Torhild. She bow her head and looked to the ground, overwhelmed about the appreciating he shared with his people. 'We harbor a new race within our community, a strong Viking race capable of defensing us, in exchange they get the honor to use our lands. To avoid any future problems I got a request from the leader of the Heathen Army, Björn Ironside.' Torhild looked over her shoulder to her brother who stood in the back. Her look was puzzled before they trailed back to King Edward. 'It is a little unofficial to do it here.' Edward laughed, pointing his direction right at Torhild. 'The Vikings get a new queen, the heathen army gets a new commander. Today we not only crown the king of England but also the queen of the Vikings. Torhild, if you please will come forward.' He asked her with a smile. Raynor looked hopefully up but the only thing Torhild could do was look back at Edward, stunned.
'Go.' Ivar said with a little push in her back.
'You knew?'
'Off course I knew.' He smiled with that devilish grin before Raynor pulled her over to Edward. Everybody laughed because of the little boy his initiative.
'My king.' She bowed before Edward.
'I wouldn't be doing this if it wasn't for you. If you would kneel.' He pointed out to the stairs. Torhild took a deep breath and kneeled down, knees resting on the stairs.
'In the name of all the gods that are looking I crown you Torhild, daughter of Ecbert to the ruler over the Great Heathen Army and the Vikings back home. May your rule be flawless and fruitful.' The priest announced while placing the crown on her head. Edward helped her up by offering his hand before they both turned to the people. And they said just the same for her; 'long live the queen of Vikings.'

With a king within this land there wasn't any reason to stay any longer. Torhild looked how they loaded the boats from onto her horse. She held the reins loose in her hand, eyes watching Raynor who was running over the beach after Ubbe. She looked aside to lady Elisabeth who walked over, her dress lifted up while she fought her way through the sand. 'Queen Torhild.'
'Please don't call me a queen.' Torhild protested, coming down from the horse. Elisabeth smiled softly, looking over the ships that got ready for departure.
'Can I come?' She asked all of the sudden. Torhild looked over to Hvitserk and simple nodded.
'Who am I to deny you that. You and Hvitserk seem close.' She stated her own observations. The girl aside her tensed, shaking her head while she started to look for a way out of it. 'I don't mind Elisabeth. There happened a lot of things between me and Hvitserk but I think we finally got to the point we understand each other. I don't know what will be waiting back home, I just hope he will be happy again. I won't stand in the way of that.' Torhild whispered while looking at Ubbe, Hvitserk and little Raynor. She signed and looked aside to the fragile girl she first met at Ivar his side.
'It's hard to love a man that loved you before.'
'He isn't Ivar.'
'Maybe, maybe not.' She smiled and walked away. Torhild looked the girl walking over to Hvitserk and Ubbe. She saw Hvitserk looking her way before he pushed Raynor over.
'Are we almost leaving?' Raynor yelled enthusiastic. Torhild smiled, crouching down to catch him in the hug. The horse walked away without her even noticing. 'Are we leaving?' Raynor asked again. Torhild sat him down on the ground, looking at him with that proud smile.
'You made me very proud.'
'I'm a prince now.' He reacted with those sparking deep blue eyes. That boy came here to meet his real father, he endured a lot, this was a lot for him. Thinking back at the fire and the way he looked she knew Raynor would turn out just to be his father. That was a gift in some way, but it was also something that scared her. 'What is it mother?' He asked concerned, his black brown pushed together in a questionable look.
'Nothing, just admiring your strength.'
'I got that from you.' He spoke wisely.
'You have a lot from her.' Torhild and Raynor turned around to Ivar on his chariot.
'But he has a lot from you to.' Torhild whispered, stroking her fingers through Raynor his hand.
'I have a question Raynor.' Ivar began, leaning over the edge of his chariot. Raynor looked up to Ivar before he turned back to Torhild who gave him an encouraging nod. The boy rand around to crawl onto the chariot. Torhild waked over, standing aside it to watch her son as much as she could watch Ivar. 'Do you want me to come with you, back home?' He asked seriously. Raynor didn't understand, he looked to his mother before he looked back to Ivar.
'You are my father, why wouldn't you come? You love mother, right?' He asked. Torhild her mouth dropped open with those words and when she looked to Ivar she saw how he looked at the boy in disbelief. Father ... Raynor said for the first time father to Ivar, he admitted it and she hardly felt her heart cracking open in proud by the look that Ivar was giving him.
'Yes.' He answered, totally disarmed by what the little boy just said.
'Go, look if you have everything you need before we leave.' Torhild said, helping him down before he ran right back to his uncle. Torhild looked towards his fast legs through the sand, enjoying the joyfulness Raynor showed.
'I demand another one.' Ivar began after a short time of silence. Torhild was still looking at Raynor running around from boat to boat.
'Another what?' She asked a little dreamy in the moment.
'A child, I want another.' He insisted. Torhild pulled her eyes away from her son and turned towards Ivar.
'Do you demand something else?' She asked rather amused by his way of speaking.
'Yes.' He pulled her by her neck over to the chariot. She needed to push her hands against the wood to not get hurt by impact. 'You.' He hissed, like he was irritated by her question. She laid her hand on his wrist and looked up into his blue eyes. 'I want another son, I want to have you pregnant.'
'The one surly can't survive without the other.' She joked.
'Don't mock me.' He warned her, way to playful. 'If I ask nicely?' He stroke his fingers over her skin around her neck and she closed her eyes.
'Maybe.' She whispered. She fell how he pulled her closer in to him and when she opened her eyes he was hardly inches away with his lips from hers.
'I want to have a son or a daughter I can be with from the beginning. Let me have this.'
'Maybe I'm already pregnant.' She whispered, placing her lips softly against hers. He opened his, pulling her into a tender kiss she hardly recognized him in.
'Tell me what to do.' He said, desperate for guidance on this new part in his life. Ivar never settled before, he never cared enough before. But he was willing to commit, he was willing to stay around her, care for her and care for Raynor.
'Stay with me.'
'Always. I promise.' He opened his eyes and Torhild looked at the most vulnerable bleu she ever saw before.
'Good, let's go home.' She stroke his jaw before turning back around to the ships. After more than four years Ivar would go home.

She placed Raynor in the boat with Floki and the Ragnarssons before she turned around to King Edward and his man standing on the beach. Björn stood aside her, crossed arms, small grinn. 'We will maybe never see each other again.' She stated the possible. Edward left his formalities and pulled her in for a hug.
'You are an amazing woman Torhild, don't ever doubt that. Thank you for what you did, thank you for everything.'
'I need to thank you. Take care over here. If I can I will come back, until then try to keep it in order.' She winked while turning towards the boats.
'Ready sister?' Björn asked.
'To take the throne back hom, why did you do it?' She asked while he got into the boat.
'Because you deserve it more than anybody, more than mother. She can stay up there if you want, I can lead the army if you want but it the end it will be all yours.' Björn pulled her in and Torhild looked back to the beach, looking towards the king.
'Farewell king of England.' She said Farwell to what became one of her best friends and loyal advisors through this journey.
'Farewell queen of Vikings.' He bowed for her. Torhild fell the ship hit sea, but she felt that the sea hit her heart to. After all those months here she would finally sail back home and face her mother and Kattegat again without Ase. Back to the normal life. And when she turned around and looked towards Raynor and Ivar who were ready to embrace their sickness over sea she knew that nothing would be normal with those two around. Floki came to stand before her, pulling her in a hugh without she asking for it.
'It's alright my child.'