Eyes of Fire

Irreparable Damages

  The makeshift war camp that had been quickly put together to shelter the vast army was bustling as I sat on a stool while sharpening my sword by a pit where a goat was being cooked. Sigurd was cutting out the meat not worth eating as Floki came over and poured himself a drink.

  "It seems to me that the Saxons are as timid as frightened women. Their hearts are faint. I don't think they can truly trouble us." Ivar smiled before eating some meat.

  "You don't know enough, Ivar." Bjorn spoke up. "You haven't seen enough. These are brave men. I've fought against them, you haven't."

  "I can only see what my eyes tell me, Bjorn. And what I see is frightened people running before us."

  "I mean, have you seen your face, Ivar? Hideous. Gives even me nightmares." I popped off, and some of the people around the fire laughed.

  "You're just jealous of my beauty, you pale snowflake."

  "You look like a donkey's arse, I am jealous of nothing." I smirked, and Ivar threw some bits of meat at me. "Child."

  "Skeleton."

  "For once, why don't you just listen to an older, wiser brother? These people who are running away, they're not warriors. They are not the ones who will stay and fight to defend this kingdom." Ubbe handed a cup to Ivar.

  "And protect their honor." Sigurd added. "For what is a warrior without his honor?"

  "Or her." I piped up.

  "Or her." Sigurd nodded.

  "I don't know. You tell me, brother. And, tell me again, how many battles have you fought?" Ivar chuckled.

  "Same as you, brother. Except I don't ride around in a comfortable bloody chariot!"

  "What you have to learn, Ivar, is that if you break up this brotherhood, we shall not succeed." Bjorn stated. "We have many challenges ahead of us. So, if you want to keep arguing and whining like a little girl, then I suggest you leave. We don't need you." I stopped sharpening my sword and looked at Bjorn.

  "Oh, but you do need me. Why do you think father chose me to come with him to England? He had a reason for doing so. He told me I was the one who would act for him, who would make sure he was revenged." Ivar glanced at his brothers, and the eldest held up a deer's head in front of his face.

  "If that's what you want to think, then think it." Bjorn mocked, and the men laughed.

  "I understand it must be hard for you to accept that the true heir to the great Ragnar Lothbrok should turn out to be a cripple and a reject." Ivar glanced at his legs, and Ubbe spit.

  "So this is what the grunting of the little pigs was about." Floki spoke up from where he sat after chuckling, and the brothers all looked at him. "Don't forget to eat, Hel." My father gestured at me with his cup before getting up and leaving.

~

  "Halt!" A man shouted as we were walking along a muddy road, and an old man on a smokey horse rode up. It was the scout that had been sent ahead, and the brothers went to speak with him to learn what he had. They didn't talk long, and Bjorn turned to the army and whistled while waving his hands. A horn was blown as people were shouting to pass the message along to the mass of people.

  "Make camp!"

  "Make camp here!"

  "You can make camp. I want to take a look at where we're going to fight." Ivar told his brothers.