Grey Souls

Betrayal Brings Change

~"The thing about betrayal is it never comes from a stranger."~

Daga stood at the foot of her father and step mother's bed and stared at the unconscious form of her father who was an absolute mess, his beard straggly and matted while his skin was ashen and sickly. His eyes held deep bruises under them and his cheeks were stained with the dried tracks of tears his body naked except for the fur that was thrown across his hips, the young Princess noticed the skin painting of a raven made of protection ruins sitting directly in the center of his chest causing her to frown. When had her father gotten this? Why had he? She wasn't arrogant enough to believe he got it merely because of her but she did know it was a strong possibility because of her father always associating herself with ravens.

She slowly walked up beside her father and lightly traced the inked design, she drew his physical and emotional pain through the tattoo into her fingertips and into her person causing it to evaporate into nothingness. He relaxed instantly under her touch falling deeper into a more sound sleep. Slowly standing back up taking a deep breath before walking back out of the room heading towards the main area of the Long House.

"Daga.." Ragnar mumbled causing Daga to falter slightly in her departure before continuing on.

Daga slowly shut the door so as not to cause a lot of unwanted noise before turning to walk further into the main room of the house when she stopped short at the sight that greeted her.
Bjorn was propped against the wall directly in front of her one leg bent at the knee with his foot pressed flat against the wall, his thick arms crossed tightly over his board chest and his handsome face pulled into a heated yet almost crazed look his blue eyes ringed with pulsating gold.

"Bjorn, You scared me!" Daga chuckled slightly before letting her face go serious when he did not reply "Is something the matter brother?"

Bjorn stared intently at her as if trying to see something within her "I know who killed Athelstan."

"Oh?" Daga raised a naturally arched eyebrow at her brother her lips relaxing against one another giving her a playful and almost careless sort of expression upon her face.

Bjorn kicked off the wall and walked over to stand directly in front of his older sibling towering over her "That crazed attack dog of yours that follows you around like a runt looking for high tit who salivates over your every fucking word is responsible for Athelstan's death and fully intend to bring it to our father's attention."

Daga's face went utterly blank turning Bjorn's insides to solid ice but he dared not show it as he tried to fight against the crushing feeling rearing up inside of him that wanted to cower and whimper in her presence he pushed it down with all his strength growling lowly in his throat instead. The older of the siblings stared at him with cold dark blue eyes appearing navy like the midnight sky with flecks of icee blue glittering in their depths. Daga suddenly smiled at Bjorn in a mocking manner "Come now little brother surely you can see the error of your assumptions. It is no secret Floki never liked Athelstan as it is no secret that Athelstan never fully gave up his old Christian ways. Isn't that right? Are you really this upset over the death of a Christian?"

Bjorn stepped that much closer but Daga didn't back down if anything she stood taller "Athelstan regardless was a member of our family and I would think you of all people would show more respect for that notion."

Daga smirked "Spare me will you? Athelstan was born a Christian and he died a Christian. Sure he gave our ways a shot but they didn't stick because of the guilt that his subconscious plagued him with as a result of the environment he grew up around. He was never a member of our family he was our slave and he wasn't strong enough to follow the true way and so our Gods sent forth someone who was strong enough to right that wrong. As a Pagan yourself that should not upset you unless of course you are trying to confess he converted you during his cursed stay with us?"

Bjorn snarled launching himself forward picking Daga up by the neck and spinning in a blurred motion before slamming her into the wall he had previously been braced against causing a loud bang to echo out upon impact, Daga's feet were lifted off the floor and her hand held her brother's wrist her face scrunched up in pain and her face tinted red from lack of oxygen. Her eyes held fear in them that suddenly shifted to pure undiluted amusement causing Bjorn to frown as she flicked her wrist snapping his with a loud crack causing her to be dropped back steadily on her feet before kicking out with a stiff legged kick directly to Bjorn's chest causing him to soar backwards into the door of her father's bedroom before crashing face first into the ground.

Daga stared down at him her face murderous as she stormed forward grabbing him by his hair and dragging him out into the main area of the house before flipping him onto his back in front of the hearth, Daga bent down over him getting nose to nose with Bjorn her deadly sharp teeth revealed by snarling lips her eyes pure pulsating gold that glowed so bright they hurt his eyesight but he dared not look away from the enchantment that they held, the pulsating effect of them seemed to fall in-tune with his rapidly beating heart.

"It would seem, little brother, that you have certainly forgotten exactly who the fuck, you are dealing with so I thought it best for me to remind you before you got yourself harmed further. You know just because you made a little bit of a name for yourself in my time away doesn't mean anything, in fact who are you really when it all comes down to it? The eldest son of the great King Ragnar Lothbrok? The Prince of Kattegat? A son, a brother, a husband, a father? Does it really matter? Of course it doesn't because you wouldn't be ANY of those things if it weren't for ME! If you don't have me, you are absolutely, nothing. Now that this little power trip of yours is over and you've shown me your true colors it would seem I'll have to reevaluate my need of you in the grand scheme of my plans, new world order and all that. Do give my love to that little slave of yours that you're so fond of calling your wife and tell my niece her Auntie still loves her even if her father is a useless fuckwit."

Daga suddenly snarled and swiped out with her hand letting her claws scratch hatefully across his face and down his neck, just deep enough to scar and remind him for the rest of his days exactly who the boss was. The Princess didn't bother to look back as she left her brother bleeding heavily on the floor from his new facial decorations before making her way through town and on the other side of the woods. She walked until she came across a small cliff overlooking the docking area of the town and the vast waters that laid around it. She took a deep breath when her face crumbled and her mask along with it, hot salty tears welled up in her eyes blinding her and her face paled while her cheeks flushed harshly with a red almost as vibrant as her hair color. She brought her tightly closed fist up to her mouth before hitting down upon it so hard she drilled her teeth deep into the flesh hitting bone in some spots but she gave it no thought relishing in the pain that radiated through her body keeping her grounded and gave her enough strength to beat back the monster that roared inside her head demanding she go back to where her brother laid and rip his throat out with her teeth before bathing in his blood as a punishment for his challenge and disrespect.

She was becoming a monster and she knew it was only a matter of time before the monster she was destined to become beat down what little humanity she held left and destroyed all that which she held dear.

It wasn't a matter of if, but when.
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Later that evening all those of importance gathered in the meeting tent and discussed the plans further for the attack on Paris, Ragnar who know seemed much more himself told them all they would be leaving in a week now that Floki declared his creation completed and worked out final details with everyone, Daga paid it all no mind though. Her mind was far away as she tried to understand what was happening to her, she would see flashes of crimson in her vision causing her to blink rapidly before it faded away. Her throat began to tighten slightly and her body felt sticky all of a sudden. She was exhausted and discreetly slipped away before stumbling to her bed where she collapsed in overwhelming exhaustion, she settled into restless slumber as images of the future rushed through her minds eye.

Paris was the beginning of the end for them all.
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A/N:- Hey Guys!! So this is a filer chapter while I work on the next chapter which is gonna be the attack on Paris where ALOT is gonna change and the really epic shit kicks into gear! Thanks for the constant support and please stay tuned for more awesomeness!!!!

YOU GUYS ARE EPIC!! <3