Vikings: The Truth about Thora and Ragnar

Prologue

If only Bosi hadn't slain Sjodur.

Herrud had muttered this under his breath often on this journey. As they travelled across open plains that turned into undulating foothills, Herrud eyed his companion. Bosi was his oldest and dearest friend. They were so close, in fact, that his father had, at one stage, treated him like his own son. Herrud looked at Bosi, remembering the mess of their lives and wondered what had been the inspiration behind the murder.

As they started their climb into the mountains of Bjarmaland where Herrud's father, King Hring of East Gautland, had sent them, he questioned Bosi about what had happened. At first, he was gentle, hoping Bosi would open up. However, as the incline steepened, and his breath and patience came in angry huffs, he became short with Bosi and demanded to know the truth.

Oh, he knew why Bosi had murdered Sjodur. He just wanted his impetuous friend to say it out loud.

His father had always hated Bosi and Herrud could understand why. There had been plenty of times when they were younger and Bosi had been a brute and always unnecessarily so. Hijinks, Herrud had always justified it as to his father.

This death had been the last time his father had taken that answer as an excuse. Instead, he had exiled them to Bjarmaland on this ridiculous quest for a unique vulture's egg. He supposed his father thought it would make Bosi finally understand the error of his ways.

Their journey had been arduous and endless. But it was preferable to the civil war the pair had been embroiled with prior to this. Herrud wasn't even sure whose side he was really on anymore, and, he supposed that was the way one likely felt after fighting their own father rather than side with him against a dear friend. Between the war, his subsequent capture by his father, and this new adventure, Herrud felt like he couldn't even remember what his home country looked like.

"Why did you do it?" He had asked Bosi twice already this morning.

"You know why," Bosi replied. His words jagged as he spoke them while he pulled himself up over a rocky outcrop. When he reached the top, he stood and waited for Herrud, gazing back the way they had come.

Did he mention already that Sjodur was also Herrud's half-brother? His father's preferred son.

Herrud's brother's death had brought only sadness instead of his father's tribute and care. For that reason, Herrud was in the middle of nowhere with Bosi, about to steal a vulture's egg in order to get back into his father's good favour.

"I can see one!"

Herrud looked up, his gripe with Bosi forgotten for the moment. Bosi stood tall, alert. His hand was shading his eyes as he watched something further up the mountain. Herrud followed Bosi's gaze.

A vulture circled a nest.

After the sighting, it still took them the rest of the morning to reach the location. Neither of them spoke but their quickened pace was an indication they were excited by the find.

It wasn't often they raised their heads to scan the land in front of them. Instead, they watched their feet and the treacherous path they climbed. Pebbles and jagged rocks were their foes as they tried to reach the top. However, every once in a while, Herrud risked a glance upwards as he attempted to gauge just how long it would take them to reach the top.

What he saw disturbed him.

He knew that vultures never laid eggs with letters inscribed on them. However, in order to get back into his father's favour, he hadn't questioned why Hring sent them all the way here—specifically—to find a particular egg.

Now, Herrud understood he should have asked his father more questions about the task. They also appeared to be approaching some kind of settlement. He hadn't seen any buildings yet but there were certainly signs people lived here.

Then, not long before they reached the top, he sighted the roof of a building. Did their father have an ulterior notion behind this quest? Had he sent in his own sons to do some sort of dirty work he didn't want to do?

While Bosi had insisted his mother, Busla, used magic to save their lives after King Hring caught up with them, it actually made more sense to Herrud that Hring used his own son in order to further his agenda. Herrud felt rage brewing away under the surface, as it had for so long, and he became angrier still with his father over this little "adventure."

With breathy anticipation, they finally reached the nest. Even as they neared it, the vulture they saw circling above earlier that day was ready. Taking aim, he snapped at Bosi, who was out in front.

Reaching for his bow, Herrud positioned an arrow and took careful aim. He breathed slowly, once, twice, as he pulled the arrow back. As he let it go, he could hear the distinctive sound of feathers fighting the air as the arrow sliced through it.

Then, a solid thunk as the arrow hit its mark. The vulture dropped, but complained, not quite dead yet. Taking no heed, Herrud and Bosi ran forward, their exhaustion forgotten.

Their forgiveness hinged on finding a special egg, an egg that also had an inscription on it in gold lettering. Herrud had no idea what it would say; only that his father wanted them to bring it back to him and all would be forgiven. Maybe forgiven was the wrong word. Hring would not likely speak of it directly but he would use it as an example for the rest of Herrud's life. He shuddered at the thought.

"Who did this?"

The voice was shrill and Herrud's head shot up as he tried to work out where it had come from. A woman stood next to the vulture. She looked down on it, horror evident on her face as it blanched out, her lips a thin line as her gaze bore into him. Herrud leaned a little closer and confirmed that she also appeared to be trembling. Was it fear or anger, though? Herrud couldn't decide.

"Hello." Bosi's voice sounded confident as he strode towards the woman. "My name is Bosi and I have travelled from a long way away. What's your name?"

"I am called Kolfrosta and I am the mother of the king in this land." She stood taller as she spoke and Herrud noticed the spear in her hand. Even from this far away, he could see her white-knuckled hold on it. Carefully, Herrud eased out another arrow. Bosi was still talking, asking Kolfrosta about this place. As Herrud loaded the arrow into his bow and got ready to pull his weapon up quickly, he heard the woman say that it was a temple to the gods and that she knew their language because there was a woman present there that also spoke it.

Bosi asked another question and Herrud was aware he was biding time. He knew Herrud was an excellent shot, even when he didn't have enough time to sight in his prey.

And that is what this woman was now, his prey.

It only took a moment for Herrud to raise his weapon and fire the arrow that would strike Kolfrosta.

It only took a moment for Kolfrosta to crumple to the ground.

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