Peeks carefully around the corner, hey guys. I'm so sorry about the long wait. I feel just terrible. I won't waste your time by giving you one lame excuse after another, but I do have one good one. My computer crapped out on me (twice) and I decided to completely change the ending to this story because the more I thought about it, the less I liked it. Anyways, I do hope that you'll forgive me and let's get on with the chapter!
The village was bustling with activity, fishermen and women in the sound with their nets, craftsmen sitting outside making their goods, children running wild everywhere, and farmers coming and going to their fields. No one spent much time indoors now. The summer sun and wind were just too tempting to do anything else but be outside. Lagertha roamed the village, feeling proud of her people. They may not be the wealthiest, but she couldn't imagine a more beautiful place to live. The wind gently blew her hair back. She closed her eyes and breathed deeply. The smell of wood smoke, cooking, and brine lifted her spirits like nothing else. But she missed her husband. She worried about him. She had no idea whether or not he would return from the raids. It wasn't that she doubted his ability as a warrior, but everyone had their time to die. She hoped that it would be anytime soon.
"Lagertha", Kava greeted as she walked up.
"Hello, Kava," Lagertha replied. "How are you?"
"Well enough," Kava said with a shrug. She then leaned in close and whispered, "Any thoughts about our problem?"
"Maybe," Lagertha answered. "Do you remember that trader that came through a while ago?" Kava nodded. "He mentioned an Earl that had just recently lost his wife in childbirth. The babe survived and now he is looking for a new wife." Kava nodded again. It was clear that Siggy wanted to be an Earl's wife again. But getting her to accept a possible proposal without raising suspicion would be the tricky part. If she suspected that they were trying to get rid of her, Siggy would most likely dig her heals in and refuse to move an inch.
While Lagertha and Kava schemed, Bryna spent most of her time in the woods around the village. She was either collecting herbs for her medicines, or trying her hand at hunting. She used to hunt with her father when she was younger. Well, technically, she just set up the snares. But still, she liked being in the woods. There was something calming about how quiet the woods are. The soothing energy she felt as she walked beneath the trees, and the way that the rivers and streams played their own brand of music. Plus, she was alone when she went into the woods. Most of the people stayed near the village, few ever ventured out into the woods unless they needed meat or firewood. This gave her time to think.
Bryna thoughts often drifted towards Rollo. She wondered if she had made the right choice. More than once, she questioned the truth of what Siggy told her. She knew that they lived together, but Rollo never seemed too keen with that arrangement. He often spent most of his nights either with his brother, or in the company of his other friends.
Perhaps, Bryan thought, Siggy saw how close we were and wanted to come between us? She shook the thought from her head. She felt like she was being petty. Rollo wasn't an overly affectionate man, but he did show Siggy affection in his own way. No, she was just being jealous.
England
Blood sprayed into the air as an English man was cut down by a Viking's axe. Rollo watched satisfied as his foe fell to the ground, hand clutching his throat in an attempt to stop the bleeding. The other Vikings commented on how ruthless Ragnar's brother had become. He had always been a fine warrior, but now, there seemed to be something else that drove him to new and terrifying heights of skill.
They were right. During every battle, every skirmish, Bryna flashed in Rollo's mind. Every Englishman he cut down was payment for every mark on her body and her soul. He still had no understanding of his feelings towards her. It had hurt him when she turned away from him. And there was also Siggy. He cared for her, but he always carried the suspicion that she was only with him because there was something else that she could get for him. She never showed any indication that she was using him, so he often wondered if it was his own paranoia.
Rollo turned his mind back to the battle raging around him. For now, he needed to focus on not getting himself killed. He would sort out his indecision on the way back. Perhaps his brother or their friends would be able to give him council and help to choose which path to take.
Kattegat
The calm of the village was disrupted when a cry rang out. Ships had been spotted! Soon the docks and the shoreline were lined with people as they anxiously waited to see whose ships they were. Did they belong to their people who were returning victorious? Or did they belong to raiders who were taking advantage of the lack of warriors to protect the village due to raiding season? Only Lagertha and Kava knew the truth. The ships actually belonged to Earl Soren; the earl who was looking for a new wife.
Lagertha had reached out to him purposing a trading pact between their people. Earl Soren's lands were high up in the mountains. It was difficult for the people to farm, but what they lacked in agriculture; they made up for it in other areas. The wool and dyes were renowned and the mountains that protected the people were rich with silver and copper. However, getting these goods out was a difficult process. Roads are often full of bandits and trading ports could be costly. That's where the deal came in.
Lagertha would allow the earl to use their harbor as a stop along their trade route. She wouldn't tax them heavily like other port towns. Instead of taxing them, her people would be able to purchase the goods on the ship at a reduced cost. That way, everyone would be benefit.
Earl Soren had come to inspect the harbor and to further discuss the deal with Lagertha. She wouldn't fully commit to anything until she had an opportunity to discuss it with Ragnar first, but deals like this would often take months, if not years before they were finalized. The only thing that took just as long was marriages between kingdoms.
Lagertha stood at the end of the docks with Siggy, who she had asked to accompany her. She had run the idea by the other first before she sent the messenger. She claimed that she needed her knowledge before she made her move. They stood together, dressed in their finest, ready to make a good first impression.
Earl Soren was a handsome man. He was still in his prime, but there were a few strands of silver in his black hair. He too, was richly dressed and smiled widely at the women who had come to greet him.
"What a sight," Earl Soren exclaimed as his ship docked. "What goddesses stand before me?"
Lagertha allowed herself to smile, quickly sharing a glance with Siggy who looked equally amused. "Welcome to Kattegat, Earl Soren," Lagertha said, holding out her hand towards the earl. He took it and leapt to the docks. "If you will follow me, I have arranged a small meal for you and your men." She turned and led the earl towards the village. Earl Soren held his arm out and Siggy hooked her arms through his.
"How long were you planning to visit Kattegat, My Lord?" Siggy asked silkily.
"Three days at most," replied Soren. "As I understand, your earl is away raiding."
"Yes, my husband is raiding," Lagertha stated. "But I assure you, he is as interested in this venture as I am."
"No doubt," Soren mused. "Sailing east! He does have some balls doesn't he?" Earl Soren let out a loud laugh at the look on the two women's faces. "I hate being overly formal," he stated, releasing Lagertha to wipe his eyes. "And if we are to be going into business together, we should be easy with one another. Don't you agree?"
"Oh yes," Lagertha said quickly. She was pleased that he had chosen to release her and even more pleased that he continued to hold onto Siggy. She took it as a hopeful sign that he found her interesting.
As they walked through the village, Lagertha pointed out details about the daily lives of the people, making sure to note the craftsmen and anything else that would show the earl that Kattegat was a prosperous village.
They had just reached Kava's home, when Lagertha heard the earl gasp. As she turned, following his gaze, she inwardly groaned. Bryna was walking out of the woods, looking wonderfully exotic as always. Soren released Siggy's arm and continued to stare.
There's no helping it, Lagertha thought. She forced a smile, and then said, "That is Bryna. She is one of our healers. She is very gifted."
Soren could say nothing. He only nodded, star struck by Bryna's white hair and golden eyes. Lagertha pleaded silently with Kava to help her. But before the older woman could do anything, a small boy came running up from the village.
"My mother!" he cried. Lagertha silently thanked the gods for sending the boy. His presence finally brought the earl back to his surroundings.
"What's wrong?" Kava asked as Bryna hurried to her side.
"Her labors," the boy gasped.
Kava nodded and took Bryna's bag, calling for a slave to bring her healer's bag. "I'll take care of these," she told Bryna. "You see to the mother." Bryna gave her a quick nod before urging the boy to lead the way.
"I do hope the mother will be alright," Earl Soren said in a gruff voice.
Siggy placed a consoling hand on the earl's shoulder. "Bryna is gifted by the gods," she told him. "She has saved many lives since she came to us. Why don't we retire to the main hall? You must be weary from your travels."
Lagertha smiled as Siggy led the earl away. She lingered with Kava. "I hope this works," she said.
"As do I," Kava replied.
As it turned out, they had nothing to fear. Earl Soren and Siggy were entranced with each other the entire night and in the days that followed. The only time Bryna was brought up again was when the earl asked about the birth. Other than that, the two of them shared their life's stories. Both of them rattled with losses. However, when the earl began to describe his home and what a wife of his could expect by living there, Lagertha hoped that this meant that he would broach the subject of marriage in the future. She was even pleased to see that Siggy seemed to be measuring the earl, which would have normally bothered her.
On the day that Earl Soren was set to leave, Lagertha and Siggy were there to see him and his men off. The trade talks had gone well and Soren had promised to return before the snows came to talk to Ragnar and hopefully seal the deal.
As the last of the goods were loaded, Earl Soren took Siggy by the hand and led her to the very end of the dock. Lagertha, sensing that he wanted to talk to her alone, tactfully retreated.
"You are a remarkable woman," Earl Soren told Siggy. "You carry yourself like you are a queen and not a woman who has lost everything she once held dear."
"It could have been worse," Siggy commented. She didn't like to be reminded of her losses.
"I know," Soren said softly. "I also know that you have formed a relationship with Ragnar's brother, Rollo." Siggy looked up at the earl alarmed, but he didn't seem angry. In fact, he seemed impressed.
"You positioned yourself right amongst the family that had stolen everything from you. You made yourself indispensable. You made yourself a friend. Not many people could, or would, do that. But you are squandering yourself here. You were made to rule from the front, not from the shadows. I can give you that. Agree to be my wife and I will give you everything you had before and more."
Siggy stood dumbfounded. While she was knew that many people didn't like her or trusted her, she hadn't expected anyone to see what she was actually doing. She couldn't help but be impressed. She studied Earl Soren closely. He was healthy and strong; he would give her more sons. From what he told her, his land was fertile. But in his eyes, she noted something that she had never seen in anyone else's besides her own. Ambition. He wanted this deal because it would make his people even richer. He wanted her because her mind ran the paths that his did. Here was a man that was her equal. He would give her more than Rollo ever could. If she stayed with him, she would never be the wife of an earl.
"Yes," Siggy said with a cunning smile on her face. "I will leave with you to be your wife."
Earl Soren let out a whoop, and then picked Siggy up, twirling her around. Briefly, Siggy wondered what Lagertha would think but she saw that the other woman was happy for her. She wondered if Lagertha had arranged for this to happen, but then she noticed that Lagertha's face was also sad. She didn't know that it was for Rollo and not for her leaving.
"I hope you find everything that you are looking for," Lagertha said to Siggy, hugging her.
"Thank you," Siggy said. She then turned to her new husband to be and asked, "My things?"
"You will have new things when we reach your new home," Earl Soren said with a wave of his hand. Siggy smiled at that and with one last embrace with the woman with whom she thought a friend, she walked up a plank unto the boat that was going to take her to her rightful place.
Lagertha waved from the shore until she couldn't see the people on the ship anymore. Poor Rollo, she thought, letting her smile fall. He's not going to like this, but it is for the best.
oOo
There was nothing more beautiful than one's homeland. It was made even more beautiful by a long absence. The men and women of Kattegat lean anxiously over the edges of their ships, looking for the first sign of their home. It had been a long, hard, and profitable raiding season. Their ships were bursting with treasures – gold, silver, gems, silks, and slaves. But they did not think about these treasures as they searched for home. A cry went out when the edges of the harbor was sighted, followed quickly by a thunderous roar from the Vikings on the boat, and then the steady beat of a drum.
In the village, the people heard the roar and the drum and they knew that it could only mean one thing, the raiding party had, at last, returned. Everyone dropped what they were doing and ran towards the harbor to see who had returned, who had made the journey to Valhalla, and to see what treasures had been brought back.
On the ships, Rollo kept fiddling with a beautiful gold necklace with a large green stone in the middle. He planned on giving it to Siggy. After much deliberation, he had finally chosen. Siggy had been there for him in some of his darkest hours. He could not turn away from her, no matter how beautiful Bryna was. No matter the way she looked when she fought. No matter how her eyes glowed in the firelight.
Rollo shook his head and put the necklace into his pocket. He put his hand in the other and pulled out another one. This one was silver and just as comely as the golden one but instead of a green stone it held a strange black stone. He planned on giving this one to Bryna telling her that the English had paid for their crimes against her.
Rollo ran his thumb over the stone, thinking about how it would look against her skin. With a heavy sigh, he put the necklace back. It was time that he stopped thinking about her. She needed to move on and he needed to move forward with Siggy.
As the ships drew nearer, the villagers yelled until their throats were raw. Once the ships reached the shallows, sever men on board leapt into the surf, eager to reach their families. Husbands kissed wives. Fathers picked their children up and tossed them in the air. Mothers and fathers embraced their children grateful for the safe return. There were also cries of grief when some realized that their loved one would never return and was buried in a distant land. But that is life. There is often sorrow mixed in with joy.
Rollo scanned the crowd. He saw that Kava and Bryna were already busy ushering the wounded back to their home to treat their wounds. He would talk to her later. He searched the crowd for Siggy, wondering where she was. He had seen Lagertha. She had already welcomed his brother home and he couldn't help but to smile as he watched his brother kneel down to talk to her belly. He walked over to greet his brother's wife.
"You look like you're ready to pop," Rollo joked, embracing her. Lagertha laughed, pounding him on the back. "Where is Siggy?"
Lagertha's face fell, causing ice to form in the pit of his stomach. "She's gone," she said softly.
"Illness?"
Lagertha shook her head. She cast a quick look towards her husband, letting him know that she would explain everything later. "An earl came to visit while you were gone. He had come to talk about a trading arrangement. He and Siggy grew close and she left with him…to become his wife."
Rollo's heart dropped. The world around him ceased to exist. The only thing that ran through his head was she left with him…to become his wife…the wife of an earl. Ragnar placed his hand on his brother's shoulders.
"Let us drink," he said. "We must pay tribute to those who have gone to Valhalla." Rollo followed his brother numbly.
That night while the village celebrated another successful raiding season, Rollo slipped away into the night. He drank deeply from a bottle of wine and let his feet carry him where they will. He walked through the dark forest, heedless of its dangers. By the time that the moon sat high in the sky, he had found his way to the cliff that Ragnar had fallen from when he had fought with the former earl's men. He walked to the very edge of the cliff and looked out to the sea.
Somewhere out there, Siggy was wrapped up in the arms of another man, a man who could give her the things that Rollo never could. She would warm his bed at night, bear his children, rule by his side, and grow old with him. Those thoughts made his stomach turn in a way that had nothing to do with the bottle that he had just finished. From his pocket, he pulled the necklace that he had planned on giving her. He wondered if he had treated her better, would she have stayed. Or was it only his position that she had loved?
A black fire flared to life in his heart, chasing away the numbness that had been with him since Lagertha had given him the news. He clenched the necklace so tight that a few links had broken and had pierced his hand. As the dark fire grew, he raised his arm and with a might roar, threw the necklace into the air. He watched as it soared through the sky. He watched as it started to fall towards the sea. He watched long after the necklace had disappeared into the black waters below.
Rollo took a deep breath and then shouted into the night, "I hope you are happy woman! I hope you are happy!" But he didn't mean a word of it. His heart was now nothing more than a pile of ash. He was now a shell of a man. All the light and life had left his body the moment he had thrown the necklace. His toes teetered on the edge of the cliff. He was a man with nothing left to live for. First born, but always second. A man that no woman loved. A man without a place or purpose. The world spun wilding around him. The darkness pressed in on him. He allowed it to take over and his body fell to the ground. He didn't fall off the cliff like his brother had. The Gods still had plans for him. He just didn't know it yet.
Well there it is. I hope it made up for the long way. Sadly, there is only one more chapter left and then this story will be at its end. '
