Shieldmaiden | Vikings

02

"You shouldn't mess with the real Queen of Kattegat."

~

Ingrid ran forward attacking Ragnhild with her sword which she blocked quickly with her shield.
Ragnhild swung her sword right at Ingrid, which Ingrid blocked with her shield fairly quickly. Before slowly bringing her sword close to Ragnhilds stomach.
The two women were breathing heavily and both smiling at one another.
"You are getting good I must say Ragnhild."
"Thank you Ingrid."
"Plenty of more practice and you will be a well skilled shieldmaiden before you know it. I will also try and get Hvitserk to help out now and again."
"Thank you."
Ingrid patted the girls back before approaching the great Hall.

She could hear the laughter and chatter between people. She moved around the back of the room, to find Ivar holding baby Helga but he wasn't alone, a blonde woman was present with him.
Freydis. The two both looked up suddenly at the presence of the shieldmaiden.
"Queen Ingrid" Freydis greeted.
"What in the name of Gods is going on here?"
"Nothing woman" Ivar says casually.
Ingrid moved forward, taking her child out of her husbands arms. Baby Helga squirmed a little from being taken out of her father's arms.
"Seems like its definitely something" she grumbled to herself as she walked away from the pair.

"Don't worry about her Freydis, now tell me more about yourself."

~

Ingrid held onto Helga that evening as the guests were having another feast.

Ivar stood up along with a woman
A woman Ingrid disliked, Freydis.

"People of Kattegat I have another announcement to make!"
The people in the great hall stopped to look at their King.
"I will be taking on a new queen, a new wife for myself, her name is Freydis."
While many people cheered at their King, there were others who shook their heads and turned to Ingrid, who they believed was their real Queen of Kattegat.
Hvitserk looked at his brother then towards Ingrid who looked livid right now. Ivar had just shamed her in front of her people. He knew Ingrid would never agree to something like that, Hvitserk knew her well just like the rest of the Ragnarssons.
"Ingrid?"
Her eyes weren't focused on Hvitserk they were simply staring at Ivars smirking face.

"What?"

"He shouldn't have done that."
Ingrid ignored Hvitserk and approached the two who were laughing and giggling with one another.

"Ingrid" Ivar greeted cheerfully.
"What are you doing?"
Ivar smirked at his wife before leaning in close towards her.
"Punishing you" he whispered. He looked down at his daughter in her mother's arms before gently kissing her forehead. He turned away from Ingrid returning to Freydis' side.
"If you have her, then I refuse to be your Queen Ivar. Freydis can be Queen instead."
And with that Ingrid turned around and went back over to join Hvitserk and King Harald
Ivars eyes widened at her words . He wasn't expecting that to happen.

~

Ingrids eye's darkened at the pair who talked happily and exchanged a kiss with one another from time to time. Margrethe watched the shieldmaiden for some time. Eventually the woman got the courage to ask her the question.

"How can you let her be Queen?"
Ingrid turned to look at Margrethe.
"I refuse to be queen not when another woman is going to be involved now."
Margrethe giggled at that. She was loving this.
Ragnhild looked at the crazy woman before continuing to eat her chicken with Hvitserk.
"Why has never becoming queen ever struck your mind?" King Harald asks curiously.
"Because I'm not hungry for power like most people, power attracts the worst kind of people."
"That tis very true Ingrid" King Harald says. He liked the way Ingrid spoke, like a true leader. Shame that she is married to Ivar because King Harald would have made her his Queen right away. King Harald sipped his ale as he stared at the beauty next to him. While Ragnhild who sat across away from the King watched him curiously.
Margrethe chuckled next to Hvitserk.
"Everyone is hungry for something Ingrid, if yours is not power then it must be love."
"I can see why the Gods choose you, you don't think like other women.
I can see Freydis is trouble. She will not conceive a child with Ivar only you can Ingrid. That's what frightens her the most and also Ivar loves you more."
"Why are you telling me this?"
"Figured you needed to know. No matter how much we hate each other.
Us two need to stick together."

Ingrid looked to Ragnhild who just rolls her eyes at the crazy Margarethe. But Ingrid couldn't help but wonder about Margrethes words.

~

Late that night Ingrid found herself sitting on her mother's throne, thinking about the possible solutions.
She knew this would always be her mother's throne no matter what. And the other Kings and Queens throne before it too. Even the mighty Ragnar Lothbrok sat here, a man that Ingrid was fond of as he was like a father figure to her. How she missed him dearly, and wished he was here right now to slap some sense into his youngest son.
Ingrid watched as Freydis came out of the room.
"Have fun?" Ingrid questioned the young woman.
"Ingrid? What are you doing here?"
"Sitting on my mother's throne."
"Don't you mean Ivars throne?"
Ingrid chuckled at the woman. "It will always be my mother's throne."

"But your mother isn't here is she, she didn't fight hard for her throne."
"She did."
"Then where is she? That's right on the run from your husband, now my husband."

Ingrid moved forward, grabbing a hold of Freydis' hair before suddenly pulling out her dagger. She pressed the dagger against the woman's neck.

"You shouldn't really mess with the real Queen of Kattegat.
I will not hesitate to kill you Freydis."

"Ingrid!" Ivar shouted from behind them
"Let her go."
Ingrid brought Freydis close to her and whispered into her ear. "You will never be the true Queen of Kattegat."
Ingrid released her grip from the woman and turned to look at Ivar once more before leaving the Great Hall. Tears filled the shieldmaidens eyes, she rubbed her eyes quickly before walking out into the cold dark night.

~

She needed to leave she couldn't stay here.
Ivar had a new wife.
This was Ingrids punishment.
The young shieldmaiden approached Hvitserk that night who was in his hut along with Ragnhild who held onto baby Helga. Once the shieldmaiden stepped inside the hut Hvitserk looked up at the worried look on Ingrid's face.
"What tis the matter Ingrid?"
"I need you to distract Ivar for me."
"Ingrid what's going on?"
The woman moved over to her daughter, admiring her baby in Ragnhilds arms.
"I need to leave, to protect those I love."
"Ingrid you can't it's dangerous" Ragnhild tells her.
"So your not going to help me? Hvitserk? Ragnhild?"
"No, like Ragnhild said Ingrid, it's too dangerous" Hvitserk tells her.
"Fine I'll do it myself, and in my own way."

Hvitserk suddenly grabbed onto her arm.
"In the name of Odin Ingrid think of your daughter for once!"
"I'm doing this for her Hvitserk, everything I do is for her, for the love of my daughter I will always protect her even if it means protecting her from Ivar then so be it."

~

I'm so sorry if I have made Ivar into a complete dickhead, but this book needs drama right now.

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