The Story of Brae Lothbrok

Chapter Three

We were practically pushed into the castle by the guards. The Frankish soldiers did all the travel for us. I lied to Thorunn, for I did have a plan. Since the day Bjorn and his men attacked me and Hvitserk, I've always kept a small knife strapped to my wrist and inside of my boot. That is the one place they did not expect me for weapons. If they did find them, I would have plan B. I cannot warn my men of everything I do or plan, it would just cause confusion and doubt.

For the first time, I gazed upon my new home as we were forced into it. Upon the throne sat what will forever remind me of a lizard. She was thin, too thin for a Viking, a tall woman with long red hair, and fingers. Her eyes were sharp like an eagle. They were not pure by all means, she was lustful, and she used it to her advantage, a skill I've never seen my own mother use.

"Queen Freydis..." She stepped down from her throne and came towards me. Her body reminded me much like a snake as it wiggled walking towards me.

"Prince Brae, I've been expecting you," her voice came like roses with thorns.

"Not Prince, I'm the rightful King of Frankia and you're sitting on my throne," I said.

She chuckled turning to her subjects, my subjects as they laughed. The guards behind me tightened their grip on me much more causing me to grunt.

"I don't remember anyone telling me this throne was to be preserved," She said.

"If anybody knew Ivar the Boneless and his story you know very well then that throne is for me," I hissed.

She cooed, putting her finger to her lip, she came over to me and pressed her lips to mine. It took me by surprise, but I did not engage.

She pulled away and smiled, I felt vulnerable, but I tried not to show it. "Now, now, there is no need to sneak around my kingdom to take this throne when we both can share it," She said.

"Lady, I don't share, I take what is mine," I said. I felt my temper flaring slightly. 

Her smile quickly disappeared and a coldness took over her face as she pushed her lips behind her teeth. She stormed off back to the throne as she grunted.

"We can go about this in two ways, you give me my throne peacefully and you can slither back under the rock where you came from or we can wage war," I said, as I shrugged my shoulders, "those are your choices."

Her eyes glared at me, once she knew she couldn't read me, she sighed sharply through her mouth.

"Sif!" Her voice called. Sif is a name, but not a common name. It's a paulper's name. Once the person did not come, I began to wonder if the Queen is crazy, I could use that to my advantage. I've seen Uncle Ubbe go mad before. I know what insanity looks like.

"Sif!" Her voice grew harsh.

A woman for what appears to me in rags and very dirty came rushing out to her. She had auburn hair and blue eyes; not Viking. She kneeled down to Queen Freydis as she put her feet up on her. People snickered quietly as I turned to my men who shook their heads in disgrace. Sif looked embarrassed but used to the embarrassment. Even we Vikings don't treat our thralls harshly. I tried not to let Freydis know this was bothering, my goal is not saving Sif from the tyrant.

Freydis then kicked Sif as she rolled down the steps. She rolled over to me, she looked up at me. Up close she was pretty. Soft blue eyes, soft face, and her hair was reddish-gold. I could see her wrapped in silk and the finest clothing in Kattegat. She glared up at me and got up. She went back over to Freydis and bowed.

"That'll be all, Sif." Sif did not hesitate to rush out of the hall. Rushing out, I could hear her cry.

I turned back to Freydis who sat as if she won a great victory, "I'm not going to be threatened by some small-town prince," she said.

"I'm not a Prince!" I shouted, "I'm King of Frankia!"

She stood up, "You're not the King here, boy!"

My cheeks burned as I tried to loosen myself from the guards, I could tell my men were getting impatient as some of them were doing the same.

"Away with them!" She waved her hand and sent us away. She had us put in a cell. My men lost faith in me, but I did not lose faith in myself. I took the small knife from my wrist and began to cut the ropes she had me tied with. I left my men tied up so no one would be suspicious.

"Any bright ideas?" Thorunn whispered to me.

I grunted, continuing to cut loose, "Working on it." Only Thorunn knew what I was doing.

Soon, the men fell asleep, no doubt from exhaustion. I was the only one awake, I stayed up examining my surroundings and seeing what I can use to my advantage. I have a secret I must tell. Everyone knows the story about Ivar in the Christian camp and how he made his great escape by himself. I know how he escaped. During his time held captive, he made notes of his surroundings, studied schedules, and made aware of who is weak and not. That is how he managed to escape.

I, on the other hand, don't have that kind of time. I must know what I can use and do. I can always knock a soldier unconscious and use their armor to get upstairs. Ivar did the same thing. He only had to kill a few men.

A strange figure came from the darkness, too short to be a man. It crawled over to my cell and laid it's head down; ready to go to sleep. It was only Sif. She couldn't see me because of how dark it was. I chuckled softly.

"Sif?" I whispered. She looked up startled and began to move away from me, fearfully.

"No, no" I held my hand through the cell.

She stopped and looked at me, "Come..." I whispered. I gestured to me when I realized she did not hear me. She crawled over to me and sat by her small, pitiful bed.

"Don't be afraid..." I whispered. She looked at me when strangely, I then realized she does not understand me.

"Don't be afraid..." I said in Norse. Again, she could not understand. The only other language I do speak is Frankish. She had to speak that.

"Do you speak Frank?" I said in Frankish. She began to nod, fear began to erase from her once she heard how soft-spoken I'm.

"I'm Brae Lothbrok..." I said.

"I'm Sif..." She said, her voice is like an angel. "I know who you are, I didn't know you spoke Frank."

"My great-uncle was once a Count here, this land belongs to me by right."

She nodded, looking down at herself, "An educated Viking, how unlikely." She adjusted her dress.

She yawned indicating her fatigue. A small bruise was on her upper cheek that wasn't there when I saw her today.

"Did Freydis give that you?" I asked. She put her hand to her cheek and nodded. I sighed sadly. I then removed my cloak and offered it to her.

She looked at me and then the cloak, she looked back up at me again, "Please take it..." I said. Her nose wrinkled and her soft eyes hardened as she laid down and fell asleep. I was only trying to be nice.