Signy was an orphan raised by the renowned boat builder Floki and his wife Helga. Growing up, she was best friends with the sons of the great Ragnar Lothbrok. However, when her half sister is to be sent to get married and Signy steps in to swap plac...
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Over the last week, I had made it my mission to spend as much time with the few for whom I cared as I possibly could. I held onto that time as though it were a precious stone. To me, it was far more precious than that. I wandered through the streets of Kattegat, gently smiling to all that passed me. My eyes wandered across the market, the farms, slaves and stables. I took in every last detail of the beautiful town, knowing that this could very well be the last time I ever saw it. I took in a deep breath, inhaling the salty ocean air. The sweet smell of the forest wafted into my lungs alongside the salty air. My fingers trailed through the water as I walked up the pale sands to the docks. This was it.
The sun was setting in the distance and I sat on the docks just watching it slowly fade away. I smiled, my eyes closed as I just took in the sensation of the cool wind on my face.
"Girl." I masculine voice greeted gruffly from behind me. I stood, dusting off my long white gown as I turned to face him. Five men stood before me. Four of the men were the soldiers from last time but one of them was someone that I did not recognize. He sat upon a white horse, his clothing smarter. He looked weedy, nothing like and Earl usually would. Something told me he was more of a scheming man than anything else.
I bowed gently, "Earl." My voice was laced in a veil of bitterness as I spoke.
"Actually, my love, it's King now." He corrected. As I listened to his voice, I could tell that he was not from anywhere I knew. His accent was different, his men the only thing that defended him. I cocked my eyebrow up, wondering where on earth I was to end up. He couldn't be from Norway, not now. After all, King Harald was king of all Norway... Except Kattegat. And he could not have become King of Kattegat as Ragnar was nowhere to be found.
"Signy!" a familiarly feminine voice cried out, her blonde hair wafting in the wind as she called out to me. I looked over to see her running towards me and the familiar sight of Ivar crawling behind her. I smiled at the two.
"Kari, you should not be here." I sighed, giving her a gentle hug.
"We had to say goodbye!" She protested.
The King caught sight of the conversation that commenced before him, he watched intrigued before speaking, "You are the woman I was promised?"
Kari gulped. I turned to face the King and his men, placing my sister behind me in a protective manner. "You were promised a wife. She is a free woman and nothing to do with you. I am the one leaving Kattegat tonight."
"You are a strong woman, leaving your life behind. I admire that. You will make a good wife." He commented. Though his words were a compliment, I couldn't help but feel a shiver go up my spine. Something did not sit right with me. He was a sinister man of snake-like stature and mentality. That's when Ivar finally reached us. He looked up at the king from the floor with hateful eyes. "And who is this?" The king questioned.
"Ivar The Boneless, son of King Ragnar." I announced for my dear friend. We had always taken joy in telling people to whine they were speaking. The colour would drain from their faces as they realised who the man they'd been addressing as 'cripple' all night was. Ivar sat proudly, still glaring daggers into the man's skull.
"And why are you here, Ivar?" The bloodthirsty King asked Ivar as though the Prince was his subject.
Ivar soon turned to me, not at all bothered that the king was enraged by his lack of an answer. He looked up at me with pleading eyes, "I will not let you leave with him."
"Ivar," I warned. "I must go."
"And if you never return?" He raised an eyebrow at me, half knowing that this battle was fruitless.
"The things you love always come back to you." I answered. I gently knelt down, my white dress blowing behind me in the wind. Slowly, I leant in and pressed a gentle kiss against his lips. I smiled sorrowful as we parted, Ivar still trying to pull me back to him so that I would not leave. I stood up and stepped away from the Prince, pushing back the tears that threatened to spill from my eyes.
"Be careful." Kari sighed. "May we meet again."
I nodded before stepping up onto the back of one of the horses. I looked back at the two of them, the hurt expression smeared across Ivar's face making my heart break even more. I looked down to the ground, avoiding his pleading gaze before telling the men that I was ready to leave. We rode off into the dark abyss of night, the emptiness filling my soul as Kattegat became nothing more than a speck in the distance. This was my life now. There was no turning back.
