"Floki, I do not understand. Why must we meet with Ragnar and his son?" The child prodded, following her spindly guardian through the dense forest. She gripped the string of her bow as she steadied it while she walked, arrows of her quiver shuffling. Her copper curls fell behind her as she tried to keep up.
"It is a secret, my child." He giggled. "Do you not like Ragnar?"
She frowned. "Ragnar is strange but I do not dislike that about him. His child will be stranger."
"He is only a few years older than you. Björn is a strong boy, from what I hear."
"I am stronger." Her piercing green eyes met her father figure's. He gave a grin that stretched all the way across his face. He kneeled, placing a hand on the young girl's shoulder.
"Odin blessed me when he crafted you from the flames of his forge. You will indeed grow to do great things, Bálburunn." He searched through the small cloth bag he had been carrying with him, pulling out a wooden mask. "Now, put this on."
The two hid behind a wide tree as footsteps approached. The high voice of a child could be heard.
"Floki? Like Loki, the God?" The child asked. Floki snickered.
"Yes, only different." Bálburunn recognized Ragnar's soft voice.
"How is it different?"
"Floki is not a God."
"Why did he not come to the Thing?"
"Because…" Floki turned to the redhead, nodding as he slowly crept up to the path. Ragnar's eyes flicked over to the movement, twinkling mischievously. "Because he is shy."
Floki and Bálburunn jumped out, shouting, causing the small boy to look up with wide eyes. Floki removed his mask, letting out a high-pitched giggle.
"Floki," Ragnar smiled, "this is my son, Björn."
"Hello," Floki grinned, walking close to the boy. "How are you?"
"Well, thank you, sir." The boy's eyes darted over to the redhead, who remained masked.
Floki's eyes darted between the two children. "Take off your mask, child."
"Björn, this is Bálburunn. Floki's daughter." Ragnar smiled at the girl as she removed her mask, revealing freckled skin and sharp, green eyes. She stared down the boy, causing him to shift uncomfortably. "Her fury is much like your mother's when she was that age. You would be wise to make friends."
The blond boy stared at her. "Pleased to meet-"
"Let me see you," The skinny man's bony hand hovered over Björn's face. "Ah, you have your father's eyes, unfortunately."
Ragnar's eyebrow twitched. "Why 'unfortunately'?"
"It means he will be like you, and therefore he will want to do better than you. You will hate him for it!"
Björn frowned as Ragnar playfully hit Floki with his hiking stick.
"How can you know all that just by looking at my face?"
"I know many things about everything just from looking at them. I can tell which trees make the best plants for boats. I can look inside the tree." The lanky man whispered.
"Floki is a boat builder, among other things." Ragnar's eyes twinkled as he looked at his friend.
Floki rushed over to a tree behind them, rambling on about what boat it would help him make. Bálburunn heard a snap from the other direction. The men were busy chatting. She slowly grabbed her bow, nocking an arrow, staring in the direction of the sound. Suddenly, a large, brown bear made an appearance, lazily scourging for berries. Its ears twitched at the sound of the men's voices. The bear stood up on its hind legs, looking for them. Bálburunn quickly released her arrow, hitting the bear right in the neck. It roared, causing the men to look up.
"Child!" Floki scrambled towards the ten-year-old girl. Ragnar followed suite, eyes wide. The redhead had already fired another arrow, hitting it in the front right leg. It roared again, stomping towards the girl at an alarming speed. She released one more arrow, hitting it in the eye. It collapsed onto the ground with a moan. The men behind her stared.
"A bear." She spoke plainly, staring at the men. "None of you heard it." The child walked over to the defeated beast, pulling out a knife.
"Does Bálburunn do all the hunting for you, Floki?" Ragnar joked with his friend.
"Of course. She is quick with an arrow and strong with a sword and shield."
"She can't be that good." Björn spoke from behind them, "You are both skinny."
Floki cackled, running up to the girl. "Did you hear that, Bálburunn? Björn says you're bad at hunting."
The redheaded girl turned to glare at the blond boy. "Has that boy even picked up a bow?"
"Of course," The boy replied, walking toward her.
"What will you do with the pelt, Bálburunn?" Ragnar asked, arms crossed, with a smile upon his face.
"I will make a cloak so everyone will know of the bear I slayed."
"Such a feat would be worthy of a tattoo. Slaying a great bear at only ten years!" He rustled her copper hair. Björn frowned.
"Maybe." She spoke as she sliced through the animal's flesh.
"Ull has blessed you with a great gift. Bálburunn the Bearslayer is what we should call you."
"Bálburunn the Bearslayer!" Floki cackled once more, raising his arms to the sky. "Men will fear you! It will be hard to find you a husband as you grow older."
"Someone who fears me is not worthy of being a husband." The girl spoke with a frown.
"There is a fire that burns within you." Ragnar stared at her with his piercing blue eyes. "You will make an excellent shield maiden. I can introduce you to my wife, Lagertha. She is a powerful shield maiden. I could convince her to train you. Would you like that?"
Bálburunn stared at the handsome man before nodding her head.
She gathered up the pelt from the bear, rolling it up and wrapping it with twine she packed in Floki's bag. The little girl carried the bundle with her as they all descended to the lake. Floki all but ran to his half-made boat. He began talking to himself about the structure as he touched the planks. He turned to Ragnar and they began discussing the boat further. Bálburunn gazed at the blond boy, frowning as he grazed his fingers over a statue that Floki had been working on for the past few months.
"Don't touch that." The girl stated, causing the boy to jump back. "It is too late. Now you will be cursed with funny ears for the rest of your life!"
The boy's ears turned red as he frowned. "You lie."
"Maybe so. Would you risk touching it again?" Her emerald eyes had a wild look to them as she widened them – a trait she no doubt developed from her father figure.
The boy swallowed. What a strange girl, he thought.
"Faster!" The blonde woman's shield was raised, protecting herself from the sword-wielding child. Bálburunn swung her sword down hard, Lagertha blocking it easily. The copper-haired girl quickly tumbled to the right, swinging her sword once more, stopping it at Lagertha's neck. "Good." Lagertha huffed, staring down at the fierce girl.
"Good enough to go on a raid?" Bálburunn asked, dropping her sword. Lagertha opened her mouth, closed it, then shook her head. "Why not?!" The redhead yelled, running to the woman.
"You are far too young."
"Björn is going!"
"I do not want Björn to go either!" The blond woman yelled back, causing the child's mouth to zip shut. Lagertha was one of the few people Bálburunn respected.
"If you will not let me go, maybe Floki will." She spoke, intense green eyes challenging the older woman. She darted off, crimson curls bouncing behind.
"He will not let you go if I tell him you are not ready!"
"He knows I am ready!"
She ran into the small cabin she and Floki built near the town. The skinny man was sitting by the fire, Ragnar standing by his side. The two men looked at the huffing redhead.
"What is wrong, child?" Floki stood up, wild eyes staring down the girl.
"Let me raid with you!" She marched up to them, turning to Floki. "Lagertha says I'm not ready, but you know I am!"
Floki grinned. "My child, I am not the one who decides." The gangly man turned to his friend. "Ragnar is the one to ask."
She turned to Ragnar. "Lothbrok! Let me raid! I am ready! If Björn is going, I can too!" The man stared at her with a wide smile. He clasped a hand on her shoulder.
"Bálburunn the Bearslayer, born of Odin's flames, I would be honoured to have you aboard my ship to run with into battle." His eyes twinkled as he spoke, causing Bálburunn to smile.
I made her name mean 'fire child' or something, but now I'm wondering if I screwed up and it means 'child on fire' instead or something. That would be hilarious lol. Welcome to my trash fanfic. I'm always a slut for Bjorn lmao. I'll try to get them up to age asap, but so far i have fifteen pages on word and I haven't even finished season one. My badddd. Anyway fav/follow if you like this. I apologize if anything is inaccurate - I haven't watched the early seasons in a long time.