You 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...
"They have been gone for hours..." Frigg speaks to you and Siv. Both stood behind her on the tall battlements as she looks across the rolling fields and forest line on the horizon.
"Not again" Siv grunts under her breath.
"We should have gone with them!" Frigg says turning to look at you.
Her forceful tone causes you to pull your gaze up from your folded arms and move away from the wall you had been leaning on. Trying to search your thoughts for something to say other than the truth. It would have been the right and best thing to do, to go with the hunting party this morning. Or so you had thought, before speaking to Ivar. But he would not allow it. So you told Siv and Frigg that you needed their help planning for the next Saxon attack. The Saxons had been successfully cutting most food supplies to the city and Great Army for weeks now. Illness was beginning to take hold of the warriors, who were not being fed as they should and many of them were growing weaker day by day.
You were determined to go with the hunting party this morning to ensure this wouldn't happen again. But Ivar had a way of persuading you to do as he wanted. You hated how weak you were around him, but you struggled to defy him. Unsure of how to respond to your friend, you repeat the words Ivar had spoken to you this morning.
"If the Saxons have their eyes set on our hunting parties, that is not where we should be. We must remain safe here, in the city, and plan for the siege ahead" you speak calmly to Frigg, whose fists are clenched in anger.
Siv sighs and looks down at the floor. Unsure on who is right. With this, Frigg pushes past you, huffing murderously as she makes her way down the watchtower stairs. She speaks to someone fleetingly... the sound of voices echos up the staircase to you and Siv. Turning to face in this direction, you watch as Hvitserk climbs the last few steps.
Siv stands and holds your shoulder. "I will speak to her..." she says before giving you a reassuring smile and squeezing your shoulder. You smile back to her in response before she makes her way past Hvitserk, nods to him, and trails down the stairs after Frigg.
You let out a long and pained sigh as you make your way over to the watchtower window, the cool breeze attempting and failing miserably to soothe your nerves. You rest your hands on the sill as you scan the fields and forest for the returning hunters. Yet deep down you know, they will not come...
"Is there still no sign of them?" Hvitserk questions, moving closer to you, before leaning in the same way next to you.
"No..." you mutter. Eyes still fixed on the forest.
Trying to persuade yourself with each word you say and each breath you take, that Ivar was right, and that if you had gone with the hunting party, you would have all perished. But you could not help yourself from wondering that perhaps, if you three had traveled with them...that you would have all returned, unharmed, having been able to fend off the attacking Saxons. You just hoped Ivar was right. A few moments of silence pass over you both, watching the horizon intently. Before Hvitserk turns to look at you with a wide smile...
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