Melt The Ice In My Heart | Vikings

I Don't Need You

Rollo, the murderer of my friend, threw him to the side and that was the moment Ragnar stepped in front of his brother, immediately the whole crowd became silent when Rollo wasn't able to kill his blood brother and hesitated in surrendering to him. Surrounded by us and Jarl Borg's warriors he fell to his knees before throwing his weapon on the ground, just like he did to Arne, my friend. He didn't even have the courage to look up at us as I marched towards the circle too, groaning in pain, the pain he gave me. Psychical and mental. He had hurt me every way possible. My guardian, now my torturer.

~~~

"We have grown weary of the slaughter of our young men. So Jarl Borg, I offer you one third of the profits from the disputed lands. Unless you continue to dispute my claim to it." Horik calmly stated to the murderer of our friends and family and I wasn't exactly hoping this had happened. We all fought because there was no agreement last time and now suddenly he wants to offer it again after starting an unnecessary war.

"I would rather go back fighting, than receive such scant justice." Horik couldn't believe what he had heard and slowly rose to his feet while Ragnar kept his head lowered to the ground.

"So, you will not accept my fair offer?" Horik unbelievably questioned the blond man.

"No." Ragnar sighed before slowly standing up as well, walking towards the two stubborn men.

"Why do we continue looking inwards? WHY?!!" Ragnar's voice echoed through the valley we were in as his voice grew louder. "WHY DO WE FIGHT EACH OTHER ABOUT THIS PIECE OR THAT PIECE OF LAND? Why are we not looking outwards.   I have already found a passage west. We, we have seen rich and arable land over there. And there must be more. We must stop this. If we raided together, we would not need to fight amongst ourselves. We would not need to kill any more of our young folk. But instead, offer them land, land that they can farm." Ragnar stated strongly and I smiled slightly.

"My mind tends the same way as Ragnar's. It is my intention to join with him and sail west. What do you say, Jarl Borg?"

"Yes, I will raid with you, and so I accept your offer."

The man hugged each other the way we made pacts and finally Rollo was brave enough to look up and face his brother as Ragnar approached him. "Not that you'd care, brother, but your niece, Gyda, is dead. Time to go home." Ragnar spit the words out like it was poison and Rollo's eyes secretly bottled up with tears as I myself became sad over the fact Gyda, Ragnar's sweet daughter, had passed away as well.

~~~

"HE IS WITHOUT HONOR!!" A man shouted while the crowd was clamoring. I had seated myself onto one of the smooth, big rocks and closed my eyes to take a deep breath as I spotted Rollo being dragged onto the hill of judgement. Bjorn seemed to care a lot, as did I, but Rollo had, like everybody said, betrayed us. He tried to lock gazes with me, but I glared away, jerking my head back to the Law Giver.

"People, as your Law Giver I have been asked to determine the fate of this man. This man chose to fight with our enemies, chose to fight against his brother." A man, again, interrupted the wise one, but the Law Giver continued, not minding him being interrupted. "He killed many of our sons, brothers, fathers. What hope is there for him?" Everybody scream at Rollo, yelling he had no defense which was true. "This man deserves to die. We all know that! But, I have decided to spare him. I have taken the advice of the gods. If they had wanted him dead, he would have died in battle. But they spared him."

I shook my head, I was relieved, but furious as well about the gods sparing him. Though, perhaps the gods saw the good in him behind the poison, perhaps he was given a second change to do better than he did before.

"He came forward and threw himself upon the mercy of his brother. He behaved in an interesting and unexpected way, and therefore, I conclude that the gods have made their own judgment, which I cannot overturn. I therefore order this man be set free." Closing my eyes, I heard the people angrily yelling and shouting, even begging to kill him, but the gods and the Law Giver had spoken to us.

~~~

"Lagertha, Princess Aslaug. Princess Aslaug, Lagertha." I stood at the left of Ragnar, staring at the woman who had been seated on the opposite side at Jarl Borg's place while dinning awhile ago. Ragnar seemed to enjoy both women as I knew this would never be excepted by Lagertha, which I could understand. Nobody ever liked to be set aside so easily when another one acts like they are better.

"I know who it is, Ragnar." She calmly spoke up while glaring at Aslaug's stomach before taking a step towards her. "Princess, welcome to Kattegat."

"Thank you, Lagertha."

"This is our son, Bjorn."

"I know Bjorn. Hello, Bjorn." Bjorn didn't seem to like the woman as he watched me while rolling his eyes. Bjorn and I became pretty close the moment at the temple and I had taught him much with a sword before I stayed behind with Rollo and Borg so he didn't mind to show how he thought about Aslaug.

"You must have had a tiring journey. Come and eat."

"Thank you. You're very kind. I knew you would be." We were escorted towards the feast and I was afraid how this triangle would end.