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"So, you'll fight with us?" Hvitserk asked, a little confused by Alfild's sudden interest in helping them.
"Those are my terms. If you all agree to them, then yes I will fight with you." She declared.
The brothers all looked around at eachother, but all their gazes soon ended on Ivar. He sat calmly but soon spoke up. "Your terms are that you will kill me when we return. Why would I agree to that, hm?"
She smiled coldly, her eyes holding a cruel gaze, "Because that is what will happen. Whether you agree to it or not. I will kill you."
Soon enough, Ubbe spoke up cutting the two off from continuing their argument. "Alfild, you cannot kill our brother."
"Blood must have blood, Ubbe." She replied. "My mother's murderer cannot be allowed to live. Now, you can all agree or disagree but what you chose depends entirely on whether you want my help or not."
"I agree." Sigurd shrugged, making his little brother sneer at him.
"Shut up." Ivar responded. But, after a while of silence, he soon spoke again. Alfild was getting tired of waiting for a response when, from nowhere, Ivar decided to answer. "I agree."
"Good. Then I will return to Kattegat in three days with my warriors." She decreed, and soon disappeared.
The following days were long and arduous as Alfild and her men prepared for battle.
"Are you sure you wish to leave me in charge, my queen?" Arvid asked the young woman. Avid was still quite young, but to Alfild he seemed much older than he was. The ten years he had on her seemed to give him the kind of wisdom that other men her age did not poses. He was tall with dark hair and hazel brown eyes. Alfild didn't know anyone else with brown eyes, and his lured her in and intrigued her.
"Nearly, thank you Arvid." She smiled gently, giving out a sigh.
The man walked over to her, sitting beside her on her bed and gently placing his hand on hers. "It's okay to be a little stressed." He reassured her.
"I'm not. I know I'm leaving my kingdom in good hands with you. Just please protect it, I do not trust Lagertha." She explained gently.
"With my life." He assured her.
Slowly, a small smile crept onto her lips before she leant up and kissed him. It was gentle and small, but enough to make the man look at her in confusion.
Of course, Alfild could have any man that she wanted. Many men wished to marry her. But she refused to marry. Instead, she enjoyed the company of a small number of men whom she deemed acceptable. Arvid would soon become one of them.
She'd thought of choosing one man. Perhaps she would if she didn't believe she would be betrayed. Before the death of Brunhilde, the thought had even crossed her mind that Ivar was adequate for such a position, but that was quickly swept away by her newfound hatred for him.
When they returned to the port town, Alfild was greeted by the information of an upcoming sacrifice. A human sacrifice.
Alfild had always enjoyed sacrifices. The blood, the last breaths of the victim, it all made her feel closer to the gods. And though Alfild was unsure what good the gods had ever really done for her, she still loved and trusted the implicitly. She knew that all the good in her life came from her. But she knew that all the gods had put her through made her stronger. And strong she was.
She'd never seen a human sacrifice before, though she believed the man to be very courageous. He would give his entire life to the gods? That was admirable.
As she stood in the crowd, she was not the only one who managed to be both mesmerized by the sacrifice while hearing at the queen who performed it. Her eyes widened as the man grasped Lagertha's shoulders and pushed himself onto the blade, her heart now beating in her throat. The sight was truly magnificent, like the first time she had killed. It filled her with ecstasy and excitement as she watched the blood pour down the man's chest.
This would surely mean the gods were with them. How could they not be after such a show?
