Disclaimer: I don't own any of the noticeable Vikings characters, just a fan of the show!
Plot: Taking place after the Paris raids in Season 3, we follow Lagertha. Kalf was killed shortly after their return in a riding accident when his horse spooked and threw him, so Lagertha regained her title of Earl. WARNING CONTAINS SEASON 3/4 SPOILERS. One moon equals one month.
NEW with Season 4 now underway, I'll be adding elements of the new season to the story!
Chapter 4
The following morning Ragnar departed Kattegat with Kwenthrith in tow since she begged to see some of the countryside of her new home. She hadn't left the fishing village since arriving four months prior with Magnus and was curious of the surrounding villages and its people. Kwenthrith had even taken it upon herself to learn the local language from one of the attending slaves.
They travelled for a day and a half before they reached the end of the forest that surrounded the valley which held Hedeby and its farms. Riding the wide dirt path out of the wood, Ragnar couldn't help but be taken aback by the formidable walls that surrounded and protected the heart of Hedeby which sat atop a hill. Underneath the hill were fields of crops being tended to by the people. Proud farmers showed their sons how to pick the best seeds of wheat and barley so they could be planted, women stood at their moveable looms while they had their drooling infants strapped to their backs. Young children kicked a rawhide ball around, enjoying the warm sun after a bitter beginning to spring while the older children helped their grandparents wash clothing. Hunters flaunted their newly killed catch of deer, fox and weasel. The Hedeby he was looking at now was much different than the Hedeby Ragnar had seen as a child. Before it had been dull and lifeless with crumbling homes…but now, now it was a much different place of life, light and promise.
Eyes scanning ahead for the familiar head of finely braided locks, Ragnar's attention was set upon not his ex-wife, but a bloodied and wounded man half limping and half running towards the villagers. As the king strode closer, he could see that the man had been slashed along the face and arms, and he held his hands over his abdomen…he had been attacked…. but by who? Suddenly the light, and happiness of Hedeby turned to a panicked frenzy. Ah, of course when I arrive something has to happen, thought Ragnar. Two of the men took the injured hunter to the healer's home for him to rest and hopefully recover. With the attack, warriors armed themselves with their broad swords, bow and arrow and shields. The swiftness of the warriors did not surprise Ragnar and he knew their efficiency was due in part to being trained by Lagertha. She was a stern teacher who demanded discipline, but this ensured only the best, most loyal warriors. Continuing on to the center of the village, Ragnar couldn't help but feel the eyes of some of the warriors watching him, one in particular began to jog over to what can he assumed was Lagertha's home. A large, sturdy home that almost mimicked that of his own back in Kattegat. Listening in on the villagers' conversations, the hunter who had stumbled out of the wood had been attacked by a bear. He had managed to slit its throat and needed its body recovered.
In her home, Lagertha tended to her loom. It had been a while since she put herself to task and she had decided to make a new blanket which would keep her baby warm at night. Hearing the screams of women coming from outside, Lagertha peered through her window which overlooked the fields. She saw the injured hunter, a man named Sigmund being helped to the healer's and seeing no one follow Sigmund out of the woods, Lagertha's instincts and intuition knew there was no human threat, especially given Sigmund's favorite pastime of hunting. But something else caught her attention. About 200 yards away from where Sigmund exited the woods, on the main path into Hedeby there was two, maybe three travelers on horseback. Focusing in and looking harder, Lagertha's heart began beating faster, and as if in an annoyed response, her child kicked furiously against the walls of her womb. The shieldmaiden could tell it was Ragnar. Why had he come? Did he see that she was with child when she was in Kattegat? Hearing a knock on her door, Lagertha strode over and quickly answered. In the doorway stood her most trusted warrior, a woman named Magnhild. The tall, red headed woman was a member of Lagertha's trusted guard and had accompanied the Earl to Kattegat weeks prior. The entire guard knew of the situation Lagertha found herself in. "Earl Ingstad, the king is here." Nodding, Lagertha contemplated her options. She could hideaway and refuse to see him, but she knew he would find a way around the guard. Or, Lagertha hesitantly thought, she would greet him and reveal her condition. Bjorn was right, she couldn't keep away. She had done a lot of thinking to herself after arriving back from Kattegat. While Ragnar was a man of many faults, she knew he'd never forgive her for keeping his child away from him. He might not have been the perfect husband, but he was always a great father who loved each and every one of his children. Following Magnhild out of the house, Lagertha walked towards Ragnar's anticipated path. Hearing the horses' hooves against the brown dirt, the shieldmaiden swallowed hard and collected her courage, this was probably the most terrifying thing she had ever done…and with the life she has lived and the battles she has fought, for the first time, Lagertha was second guessing what she was doing. She didn't know how he would react. They both still loved each other, but when Ragnar cheated and then impregnated Aslaug shortly after Lagertha had miscarried their third child in the seventh month, she'd never forgive him. He had broken her heart.
Riding towards the meeting hall in the center of Hedeby, Ragnar sat quietly in the saddle. He wanted to see Lagertha, they had always been connected in some way and now that invisible force that attracted the two of them was pulling him closer and closer to his shieldmaiden. Rounding the corner, his eyes fell upon her. She was as stunning as she always was, her golden locks weren't in their normal braids, but the long gentle waves fell on her shoulders to the middle of her back. Her azure blue eyes were outlined in the black charcoal eyeliner, making their color seem sharper and more alluring. Clothing her body was a blue dress that matched her eyes and a brown leather vest with brown armguards. But what Ragnar saw next, made his whole body go numb and his heart metaphorically stop beating. He could tell Kwenthrith had already noticed from how her posture changed. Outlined perfectly by her dress, the swollen belly of a women in her seventh month of pregnancy. Underneath of her abdomen she had her hands interlocked with a thumb caressing a spot just underneath of her belly button. Lagertha was noticeably nervous and Ragnar knew that the child she was carrying was his. He didn't need a verbal confirmation; her body language spoke volumes. "Welcome to Hedeby King Ragnar" Magnhild quipped, supporting her Earl in a time when Lagertha needed her most. "Hello. Could you please give Queen Kwenthrith a tour of Hedeby? She has never been here before. I'd like to speak with Earl Ingstad…in private." Magnhild looked over for permission, and Lagertha nodded while another of the guard took the two horses to the stables. Ragnar gave Kwenthrith a reassuring nod before following his ex-wife into her home.
While he was angry with her for hiding her condition, Ragnar's first instinct was not to yell but to ask if Lagertha was feeling well and if she needed anything. He wanted to reach out and place his hands on her belly but did not want to invade her personal space without her consent. Instead, he just watched her move to a sitting area to the right of the front door. Taking a seat next to her, Ragnar looked first at the shieldmaiden's belly, then into her eyes. He saw nothing but nervousness, fear and maybe just a slight hint of love. Her hands had already found their instinctive spot on her belly and from the slight movements coming from underneath the fabric of her dress, Ragnar knew the child was kicking up a storm that would make Thor proud. Wanting to feel the little life growing, Ragnar finally broke the silence that had filled Lagertha's home, "May I?". Getting the permission he so desperately hoped he would get, Ragnar moved closer and gently placed his palm over the spot where the child was kicking. Receiving a welcoming thud against his hand, Ragnar chuckled and then met Lagertha's gaze. "Why didn't you tell me?" Lagertha's breath hitched a little before she spoke, "A long time ago, The Seer prophesized that I would never have another child. When I found out that I was indeed expecting, I anticipated another loss. Waited for it to happen. But here we are, and in about two moons I could give birth." Ragnar's brow furrowed a little. "What do you mean, could? You will." Placing her hand over Ragnar's, Lagertha gave a gentle squeeze and for a short while they sat like that; Ragnar with his hands over Lagertha's belly, and Lagertha with a hand over Ragnar's. Whatever disagreements they had had all but disappeared and their focus was solely on their child. Ragnar, no matter how fierce a warrior he was, was able to place himself in Lagertha's position and he emphasized with the shieldmaiden. He knew that with their unborn son's death and then her struggles to conceive another child, Lagertha was truly frightened. He couldn't be angry with her, being angry would only give her a reason to keep their child away from him. And it was also in that moment that Ragnar decided to stay in Hedeby until the birth of their child.
Hi everyone! Here is chapter 4! ALSO! if any of you are on Instagram, follow my account shield_wall where you can interact with me on an almost daily basis!
