"We are coming up on Kattegat Earl Sigrid" a member of your crew spoke to you.
You opened your eyes into narrow slits as the light seeped through the blanket you had positioned yourself under. The journey had been stressful with such bad weather, and you had tried to sleep before arriving at the City. You grunted and clambered to your feet. The hard wooden boat deck had done everything in its power to ensure each bone in your aching body would crack and creak as you stood.
"Thank you, Arne. Signal to the others to prepare to dock." you gestured to the fleet of around 20 boats behind your leading vessel.
You moved down to the bow and leaned against the base of the wooden structure adorned with a bear head. A symbol that represented your Earldom. Gazing across the water towards Kattegat, your tired mind began to wander. Most Earls approaching this city would feel inferior in its great shadow. Ragnar Lodbrok and his sons had managed to turn this once small village into a great trading post. You, however, had worked far harder to consolidate your position as Earl. Being a woman many a man had tried to overthrow and question your authority...your birthright. You were the daughter of the Great Chieftain Skoglar Toste. Upon your father's death, many saw fit to take this position away from you.
You had fought tooth and nail for many years to make sure this didn't happen. Men had tried to seduce you in order to gain power and prestige and because of this, you had grown to despise them. You were famed across the land for training the most dangerous and skilled shield maidens in all of Scandinavia. It was this fame that had brought you to Kattegat. The Sons of Ragnar upon hearing of their father's murder in England, are working to assemble a Great Army to avenge his death. The eldest of the Sons, Björn Ironside sent word for you and your army to join their cause. You could not refuse, you felt it a great honor to fight to avenge the legend of King Ragnar's death and to fight alongside his five sons who have all slowly began to grow their own fame.
Your boat now drew ever closer to Kattegat's wooden dock and you could see people beginning to notice your fleet and marvel at your jet black sails bellow on the horizon. Sometimes you forgot just how your fame had spread, but seeing the people of Kattegat react in this way brought back vivid memories. You remembered being a young girl and watching your Father return from a battle, the black sails on the horizon. You noticed the crowd begin to part and four men stood in the space. You then watched two of them part and someone crawl between them, sit upon a stall at the end of the dock and slick back his dark hair with both hands.
'The Sons of Ragnar' you thought to yourself as your boat crashed slightly against the wooden framework of the walkway. Your crew began to berth the boats, you and three of your most trusted and skilled shield maidens began to make way towards the brothers.
"Earl Sigrid the Haughty...we are honored you have come to join our cause" the tallest and eldest of the brothers stepped forward with welcoming expression. You walked until you were a mere few feet from the five brothers and replied.
YOU ARE READING
Sigrid the Haughty
FanficYou make way for Kattegat to fight alongside the Sons of Ragnar as they plan to avenge their late father's death. You are known amongst your people as a fierce warrior and great beauty. Having fought for your earldom since your father's death, you...