As the longboat drew near the dock of Kattegat, Rollo frowned, then bent over his sleeping brother and shook him. Ragnar came awake with a start. "What is it?"
Rollo shook his head. "I do not know, brother, but I feel something is wrong. Look." He pointed to the small town and Ragnar came to his feet. The dock and beach were usually crowded whenever a boat came in and now both were deserted. It was with a feeling of profound uneasiness that the men tied up the vessel and started through the empty street for the great hall, past houses with closed doors and shuttered windows. They found Lagertha sitting alone at the back of the big room, and it was a long moment before she slowly made her way to them, gazing at them silently.
"Lagertha, what has happened?" Ragnar's voice was rough with fear but she didn't seem to notice and he put a hand on her shoulder. At his touch, she blinked as if she were waking up and her eyes filled with tears.
"There was sickness." Floki moved and she managed a smile for him. "Helga is well." She would have said more, but he was already on his way out, Torstein and One-Eye with him, leaving Ragnar with his wife and son and brother. Lagertha took Ragnar's hand and held it tightly. "Husband, I must tell you that Gyda..." She couldn't finish but Ragnar read the truth in her face. His hand tightened convulsively on hers and he reached for Bjorn as if to reassure himself that his son was still there.
Rollo gripped his shoulder. "You have my sympathy, brother. If there is anything Siggy or I can do, you have only to name it." Lagertha bit her lip and the big man felt a chill. "Where is Siggy?"
The shieldmaiden took a deep breath. "Siggy was the first one to fall ill. Thyri and I cared for her, and then Thyri also took sick." Rollo was staring at her, his face white, and she had to force the words past a lump in her throat. "We burned all the dead the same day they died. It was the only way to contain the sickness."
Rollo's jaw tightened for a moment, then he said quietly, "Thank you for taking care of them." He gave Ragnar's shoulder a shake, tousled Bjorn's hair, nodded to Lagertha, and then he was gone.