The Valkyrie's Daughter | Vikings

Chapter Seventeen

It had been a couple of hours and it was now night time. Rona and Bjorn still had not said a word to each other. Bjorn was busy occupying himself talking to Rollo about their plans for the battle while Rona stuck with Hvitserk. 

When everyone was going to sleep (apart from a few people to man the boat) Rona and Hvitserk found themselves a spot at the back of the boat where the furs and blankets were kept. They wrapped themselves up and huddled together, Hvitserk putting his arm around Rona and Rona laying her head on Hvitserk's shoulder. 

Before going to sleep however, Hvitserk had a question for the young shieldmaiden.

"Why have you been avoiding Bjorn today?" Hvitserk asked. 

"We are not on speaking terms right now," Rona replied. Rona heard Hvitserk chuckle. She sat up and looked him dead in the eye. "What's so funny?" Rona asked, frustrated. Hvitserk soon stopped laughing, seeing Rona's expression.

"Lately it seems if you are not fighting with me, you are fighting with Bjorn and if you're not fighting with Bjorn, you're fighting with me." Hvitserk explained. Rona rolled her eyes.

"Well that is only because you Ragnarssons are so stubborn. I do not know where you get it from. Your Father is never this stubborn, at least not with me." Rona replied as a matter of factly. Hvitserk smirked.

"Trust me, he is very stubborn, as is my Mother," Hvitserk said. "Father just always had a soft spot for you. I am not surprised about that though." Hvitserk explained. Rona's heart sank.

Talking about Ragnar was making her very upset. Not that she showed it though. She could not let Hvitserk know about anything she had seen. Not yet. Rona took a moment to gather herself before speaking again.

"Why do you think he has a soft spot for me? I think he just treats me as he would you and your brothers." Rona said. Hvitserk shook his head and smiled slightly.

"Well it probably has something to do with the fact that your Father and my Father were so close. You are essentially all that is left of your Father now and I know for a fact that Ragnar still misses your Father a lot. Every time he looks at you it is as if he is seeing a ghost," Hvitserk noticed Rona's sudden solemn expression. "Sorry." Hvitserk said. Rona shook her head.

"No, it's alright." Rona replied. Rona's thoughts returned to her half-brother. So she wasn't the only thing left in this world of her Father. There was her brother too.

Hvitserk sighed and laid back against some furs. Rona follows and laid her head on her friend's shoulder. Hvitserk laid his arm back around the young shieldmaiden. 

"Anyway, we need to sleep. We will be going into battle tomorrow," Hvitserk said. Rona let out a deep breath she did not realise she had been holding in. Hvitserk noticed this. "Are you nervous? About the battle?" Hvitserk asked, lifting his head slightly to look at Rona. Rona shook her head.

"Not anymore," Rona sighed. "I just have a lot on my mind..." Rona admitted, sitting up slightly.

"What is on your mind?" Hvitserk asked. "As I said back at the camp, you will have to talk to me sooner or later. I know there is something you are not telling me." Hvitserk said with a slight chuckle. Rona smiled wearily back at her friend. 

"I cannot tell you...not yet at least." Rona explained, looking away from Hvitserk and towards the sky.

"Why not?" Hvitserk questioned.

"Look, Hvitserk." Rona began. By now Rona had fully sat up, as had Hvitserk. Rona took Hvitserk's hands in hers. 

The two friends never really showed such obvious affection towards each other, but at this moment in time, Rona could not stop herself. She had to make sure Hvitserk knew how much he meant to her and how much she wanted to tell him everything, but she just couldn't. She hated not being able to tell her dearest friend about what was going on, especially about Ragnar and Ivar.