"ѕнe waѕ тнe ғιre тнaт ĸepт тнe world вυrnιng."
She was a girl, outcast by her home in England and imprisoned for her crimes. That is until Earl Ingstad, (otherwise known as Lagertha Lothbrok) the ex wife of Ragnar Lothbrok, freed her and took her b...
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"ARE WE NEARLY THERE YETTTTT" I yelled over to Bjorn, whom was only a few feet away from me.
"If you ask me that one more time, I'm leaving you on the mountainside." He announced, completely over my childish jokes.
"Can't leave me here if I follow you." I grinned like an idiot.
"Can't follow me if I stab you." He replied, jokingly.
"Melodramatic much?" I chuckled in return as our horses plodded along the uneven mountainous ground outside Kattegat.
"Just please stop talking." He sighed.
I pouted, "fine."
The icy breeze settled over the moorlands, gently blowing the horses towards the friendliest stable. The sky was blue and cloudless like a calm ocean that was biding it's time to break into a triumphant storm. My long brown hair gently blew in the wind, a small strand cascading down my pale cheek. The world went still as my cold orbs settled on the town below us in the harbour. Kattegat. It was buzzing with life. I could see why Lagertha adored it so. It seemed unique, like it had so many stories.
"Wow." I breathed out in amazement.
Bjorn merely smiled at my reaction, leading his horse closer to Kattegat.
As we made into the town, people greeted Bjorn with smiles and "hellos". He was clearly well known around these parts. Although, at this point, who didn't know Bjorn Ironside? He was definitely taking after his parents in that aspect.
A slave took our horses to the stables as my eyes travelled around Kattegat in amazement. There was nowhere like this back in England. It was so different to everything I was used to before.
I followed behind Bjorn, although he probably eclipsed me as I walked behind him due to me being so tiny. We walked into the great hall, my mouth still agape, my eyes still absorbing every detail. I was suddenly pulled out of my thoughts at the sound of a man.
"Brother!" They bellowed.
Bjorn looked behind me, noticing my startled and confused expression. "These are my brothers." He explained. "This is Ubbe, Hvitserk, Sigurd and Ivar." He gestured to each of them. "Brothers, this is Aneira. A shieldmaiden of my mother's."
I gave a small and timid wave.
They all sat around a table, I took a seat beside Bjorn.
Once people got to know me, they would usually see that I was quite sarcastic and humorous, even if I preferred to speak with a sword over my words. However, first came the biggest hurdle of them all. They actually had to get to know me. I was painfully shy whenever I first met people. Often, I found it rather difficult to speak. Most of the time when I spoke to people I knew it would just be the odd sarcastic one liner- Bjorn being the exception as I enjoyed annoying him - however I couldn't even do that when I was like this. It scared most people off as I'd usually just sit silently and observe everything. I was very observant, a scrupulous eye. It was one of my many gifts. It didn't, however, come in useful for meeting people. I'd often scare people away with my thorough gaze. The idea that nothing escaped my notice usually terrified people.
When I was born, even my own grandmother refused to be near me. She told my mother that I could "see into her soul". I rather like the sound of that though, to be honest.
"So, what brings you to Kattegat then Aneira?" Hvitserk asked after the brothers' talking died down a little.
I gave a small smile, "I've never been here before. I suppose I was a little bored of Hedeby."
They all nodded in understanding. Well, all except Ivar. He hadn't said a word to me since I walked through the door. I just figured that I wasn't the only one with a scrupulous eye for detail and a habit for staring at people.
"If you'll excuse me, I want to go and catch up with Torvi." I said matter of factly, making my way outside the great hall.
I walked over to Bjorn's hut, letting myself in. Torvi looked up from her children, instantly surprised to see me.
"What are you doing here?" She smiled as I gave her a hug.
"Oh, you know, the usual." I shrugged.
"Lagertha sent you?" She guessed and I merely gave a knowing chuckle in return.
Torvi and I sat and talked for hours catching up. She came to Hereby often to see Lagertha as the two got on rather well. I'd always got on with her, knowing I would've liked her even if she wasn't married to Bjorn.
After a few hours, the sun had gone down. The stars glistened in the sky like little slices of heaven bleeding through the night sky. I'd left Torvi by now, deciding to just wander along the beach. I absentmindedly strolled, my head in another world entirely as my feet wandered across rhe Sandy ground. The moon shone on the water leaving it in a violet light as the stars reflected in its vast mystic depths. I hummed a tune which my mother had always sung to me as a girl. Her flaming red hair and mossy green eyes flashing before my eyes as a distant memory that was just beyond my grasp. I knew that I would never see her again. I knew that the last time I saw her compassionate smile was the last time. I knew that the last time I felt her arms around me in a loving embrace, or smelt her floral scent that engulfed ever room of the house, was the last time. My ice eyes mimicked the ocean, turning dark with a deep sorrow as I hummed gently, imagining my mother's loving arm around me. I plopped onto the ground, sand spraying up as I fell down. I didn't bother to take a seat, I just let my body fall and looked out into the ocean as a pain found it's way up my back. If only my mother was here. If only she could've seen the woman I had become, the woman Lagertha helped me to become. She'd be so proud... Or so disappointed. Would she really want my dreams to come true at the price of my soul? Most likely, no. I knew I should stop living for my mother. She was dead and there was nothing I could do about that. I saw no issue in who I was now. I embraced the life of these heathens, I prefer it. I never was a Christian, always deep down believing that they were all wrong. I had never been religious, I never would be. When everyone else prepared for the after lifetime knew I'd just be left in the dirt. It was a depressing life to lead but I couldn't change what I whole heartedly believed. I loved my mother but if she knew this about me, she likely wouldn't love me.
