Querencia \\ Hvitserk Ragnarsson

Chapter 6: Goodbye, Ragnar Lothbrok

Bjarke didn't know what to do.

Hvitserk and Bjarke had spent a lot of time together lately. Bjarke did not know what to think of the guy. He was very kind to her and yet she didn't know whether or not she could trust him.

The same night a sacrifice had been made for the Mediterranean raidings Hvitserk had asked her to come with them. Bjarke had told him that she had to think about it and Hvitserk had said that she had to make her decision quickly.

So later that night she had asked Ragnar. Ragnar had told her that she should go with Björn and Hvitserk and not worry about him. He was just another man she had met in her life and she should not think of him.

Eventually, Bjarke made the decision that she would go with Björn and Hvitserk. Ragnar had said that is was okay for her not to be there when he died, so she came to terms with that.

On the day that Björn's ships left she went to say goodbye to Ragnar. It turned out to be an emotional moment, which neither of them had expected.

"I'm so proud of what you've become," Ragnar said. "To be entirely honest, when Lagertha showed you to me I thought you wouldn't even last a week. But you've proven me wrong, Bjarke. So many times you showed me I was wrong about you."

Bjarke had a really hard time saying goodbye to him. She knew it was going to be the last time she ever saw Ragnar. The last time she'd ever talk to him.

"I hope you find happiness, Bjarke. I hope that you will one day enter Walhalla," Ragnar said. Bjarke wrapped her arms around the old man.

"We shall meet again, in Walhalla, Ragnar. May the gods be with you."

Ragnar smiled at her.

"Now go. I never want to see you again unless it's in Walhalla," he smiled.

"Goodbye, Ragnar Lothbrok," Bjarke said while turning around and walking away from him.

---

Hvitserk was saying goodbye to his mother and brothers while Björn was saying goodbye to Torvi and Lagertha.

Bjarke didn't really have to say goodbye to anyone because she had already said goodbye to Ragnar.

She turned towards Helga, who was preparing one of the boats, and tried to help her.

"I'm very happy to see that you've decided to join us, Bjarke," Helga said.

Bjarke smiled at her but remained silent. Her thoughts were with Ragnar. He was going to die, but she wouldn't be there for him because his stupid son had asked her to join them.

Someone then gently touched her arm.

"Oh, hello Hvitserk," Helga said.

Bjarke turned around to see the young man smiling from ear to ear.

"Well, someone seems to be happy to see me," Bjarke said.

"It's a great honour to have a girl like you join us on a journey like this," Hvitserk told her.

"A girl like you, huh? And what is it you mean by that."

"Well, I really don't know anything about you," Hvitserk said. "You're mysterious."

"Well, she's not mysterious to me. Maybe you should just get to know her a little better, brother," Björn said. Bjarke had not even noticed him until he had said that, but it made her smile.

"Hello, Björn. Beautiful day to sail isn't it," Hvitserk said.

"It seems the gods are with us."

---

"Francia," Björn said.

They had been at sea for a long time now. The first few days Bjarke hadn't felt well. She had thrown up several times and people had laughed at her, but after a few days she had gotten used to the feeling and she was now doing quite alright.

Björn, Hvitserk, Floki, Helga and Bjarke were all in the same boat together. Hvitserk had tried to get Bjarke to tell him something about her past and who she was, but she had told him that she didn't feel like talking about it when other people were around them.

Truth was, Bjarke hadn't decided yet whether or not she would tell Hvitserk. After the past few weeks, she knew she could trust him, but she didn't know whether or not it was a good idea to tell him.

Not telling Hvitserk had caused some tension, but Hvitserk had later said that it was totally okay and that she could tell him whenever she wanted to.

"Are you going to try to contact uncle Rollo?" Hvitserk asked his eldest brother.

Björn turned around to face Hvitserk but did not say a word. Bjarke took that as a yes.

Ragnar had told Bjarke all about Rollo. About how he betrayed Ragnar more than once. How he killed one of Ragnars best friend and how he had tried to take Lagertha. Not that Lagertha wanted Rollo, but he tried to anyway. Bjarke hated betrayal.

"Our main concern right now is getting past the Francian coast without being attacked by them," Bjarke said. "One way to do that is by trying to reach an agreement with Rollo."

Hvitserk, Björn, Floki and Helga were all looking at her. Bjarke was proud of herself. She was not going to let him down. He had taught her all about strategies and politics and she was now using it.

"Like you know anything about these kinds of things, Bjarke," Floki said.

"I can hold my own in a conversation about strategies or politics. I can also take care of myself during battle. I might even be useful, Floki," Bjarke said.

"Trust me," Björn said, "she might be smarter than any of us present."