A/N: So I tried to write this up really fast yesterday so that I can just focus on my birthday today (24 sounds so much better than 23 to me, and let's hope that's true!), but I had LOTS to do and then my dad decided on some random road trip to nowhere so I finished it late and needed to edit this morning. So I hope it turned out well and that you all enjoy it (those of you that are still reading it?) You know what would make a REALLY awesome present for me? Reviews! Even just the smallest thing such as "good chapter" or "I liked _ but didn't care for _" lol Please?
Yea this is my confession, I'm leaving I can't be a priest anymore
There he goes, the man of faith
Left the church for a fiancé
Let him love, the man of faith
-The Lumineers
The Lothbroks' gathered up some belongings needed for the journey into Kattegat, more so for Ivar than anyone else. Athelstan stood back and observed as Helena rung her hands to the point of redness. While he was running nervous as well, he tried to keep it to himself so as not to upset the others but Helena was one of those people that kept her emotions on her sleeve. He walked over to her and gently wrapped his own hands around hers. She instantly relaxed from his touch but looked as if she was near tears.
"Everything will be fine," he whispered to her, rubbing circles on her wrists with his thumbs. He was not so sure of his own words but would not let himself panic her even more.
"You don't know that," she replied, biting her lower lip. "What if they take his side just because he's one of them? They don't care about our feelings or our stance on things; we're not natives."
"You'll make them see," Lagertha interjected, binding Ivar close to her chest.
"Fear is no way to plead your case, Helena," added Ragnar. He picked up the bound belongings and gave them to Athelstan to carry. "Arne will be asked to give his side for the villagers to hear, and then Athelstan will give yours. I will allow time for people to choose their side and then we will vote."
"What if they pick Arne, though? I can't…"
"We'll figure things out when or if the time comes," Athelstan said with finality and kissed her forehead.
Ragnar led the family out of the home and towards Kattegat. Athelstan would normally feel excited to go back to main town and catch up with old friends but at the moment he felt as if the weather was mocking them, for which he was not grateful. The sun was bright in the clearest of skies that he had seen in quite some time, the greenness that surrounding the road that they walked seemed to be reaching out for them ('Join us…ignore your problems and fall amongst us…we will keep you from ill will and all that threatens you…'), and the light breeze that rolled over him like the gentlest of waves beckoned Athelstan to take Helena and run in the other direction.
Ivar's cooing distracted him for a moment; the babe's fascination with the world around him made Athelstan smile, as well as his parents. Ragnar rubbed the little one's tuffs of white blond hair while Lagertha returned the smiles and coos, kissing the tip of his little nose. But as soon as the smile came, it left Athelstan's face. How he wished that this scene before him could have been him and Helena, the babe in her arms one with brown curls and green eyes. How could God have let this happen?
"You're already giving up," spoke Gyda. She was facing Athelstan as he watched Ivar, and her expression was that of anger. "I don't believe that you will be voted against, and neither should you. Either of you."
Helena grabbed onto Athelstan's arm, rested her head on his shoulder.
"Don't you believe in your god?" Bjorn asked, almost spitting the words at them. "Well even if you don't, we can't help but see that our gods have put this into motion. They will not let Arne win today. You cannot let the people see you like this, even if you feel otherwise. You look weak."
"Bjorn?" Gyda questioned, confused by his words. He was never a supporter of the couple, and the statement was quite the surprise.
The teenager rolled his eyes. "If anyone is to marry Helena, it is better that the priest does so than anyone else. He has proven himself to be one of us and you would be stupid to not see the way that they look at each other. It is if they are a younger version of our mother and father."
Athelstan felt the vibrations of Helena's giggles up his arm and shoot towards his heart, and he could not help but to join her. Gyda wrapped her arms around her older brother, joyous that he had come to his senses even if he was unhappy about it. Bjorn scowled down at her before ripping himself away.
"You're mad, woman."
"Be nice to your sister, Bjorn. You never know when you may need her," Ragnar said as the adults laughed at them.
Kattegat was bustling with its inhabitants and their animals, trading and selling for a bit of living. There were also villagers lining up to get into the old home of the Earl. The house had been redone to hold the town's meetings and other business that needed attended to. Athelstan squeezed Helena's hand as they made their way up the stairs to the door to reassure that, no matter what happened, he had her best interests at heart. She squeezed back and leaned slightly more into his side.
Arne stood at the very start of the line, and sized up both Ragnar and Athelstan as they drew near. His eyes darkened at the sight of Helena leaning on Athelstan, and she put a breath of distance between them.
"Arne, you don't have to do this," she pleaded, placing a hand on his arm.
The man looked down at the gesture but did not withdraw. "You promised yourself to me, Helena. I cannot just let this go."
"I did nothing of the sort!" she replied, growing indignant. "I told you that I would get to know you and decide from there. I cannot help that I love Athelstan. I wish you no ill will, and in fact I do hope that you find love. I'm just not that woman."
"We will see," he answered, pulling away from her.
"Come," Ragnar gently ordered, leading the family inside and thus allowing the villagers to follow in and settle before the hearing proceeded.
There was a long table in front of the fire that faced the group of peers that would vote. Arne took a seat on one side of Ragnar while Athelstan took to the other. Athelstan could feel his throat swelling with fear, and everything that he had practiced saying was erased from his mind. He looked to his left where his family sat; Lagertha rocking a sleepy Ivar, Gyda waving to friends that were across the way, Bjorn sharpening his knife with a rock he had found along the way, and Helena who gave him a weak but supportive smile, in which he returned.
As the people settled in, Athelstan spotted Rollo and his wife, Siggy, enter and take their seats to the right of Arne, a clear declaration of who they chose in the situation. He could hear as Ragnar let out a low growl, obviously angered by his brother's decision and yet at no will to tell him what to do.
Ragnar stood and announced the beginning of the meeting and the crowd quieted, anticipating what was about to happen. They had all heard rumors of Ragnar Lothbrok's slaves but the interest in hearing what was actually to be said had brought them here. Ragnar sat back down and glared at those few that continued to speak until they got the point.
"Good day to all. We have been brought together as per request of Arne, son of Grani, regarding the status of his engagement to Helena, slave of Ragnar Lothbrok. We will have Arne speak on his behalf, as well as Athelstan, former slave of Ragnar, who claims to be betrothed to Helena. Arne."
Ragnar sat as his fellow Viking stood to speak. Arne cleared his throat and tugged and the bottom of his shirt as if to make himself more presentable.
"I had seen Helena at a gathering in the early winter months as she is the slave of Ragnar, as was just stated. I had interest in marrying her, so during the late winter rest I went to Ragnar and asked for her. He said that she was to make the decision, as that is how he felt would only be fair to her. We met and talked, and she said that she would let me know of her decision shortly. I waited for several months only to find that…Athelstan had bewitched her and convinced her that she was in love with him. I had to hear of their betrothal through others even though Helena had promised me that she would give me an answer when we had returned from raiding only a few days ago.
"I ask that you all see that Helena is, in fact, due to marry me and not that priest."
Arne sat down with a thud and crossed his arms, giving a look as if to dare the group to vote against him.
Athelstan's disgust and anger with the man sitting down the table from him gave him the strength that he needed to plead his and Helena's case. He stood slowly, also taking the time to clear his throat but making the move not to smooth his tunic but instead to give a kind smile to the people before him.
"Good morning all. I hope you find this day well. Arne's story is that of truth to a certain extent. Yes, he did show an interest in Helena and asked for her, waiting patiently for her answer. But I did not bewitch her as he has so ignorantly claimed.
"Helena came to the Lothbrok home, a victim of abuse from Ragnar's brother. We cared for her, and they took it upon themselves to take her on as theirs. Over the past year Helena and I have worked side by side and I was the one who taught her the ways of this land and of its great people. I tried as hard as I could to keep my feelings from her because I knew of her possible betrothal to Arne.
"It was when we came back from raiding that her returned feelings towards me became apparent, and I would not want her unhappiness and, in my selfishness, my own unhappiness. Helena agreed to marry me on her own accord out of a mutual love for one another. I hope that you all can see that we belong together, and will allow us to continue our plans to marry in the fall. Thank you."
As Athelstan took his seat, he felt the weight lift off of his shoulders and a dizziness from it. He prayed that what he had said was enough to convince these people to side with him so that they could move on from this nightmare.
Ragnar stood once more. "Now that we have heard from both parties, I will allow anyone who knows personally of the situation to speak briefly for either side. Is there anyone who would like to do so?"
Rollo stood with a slow arrogance that was typical of him. "I would like to speak."
"I don't know that it would be best, brother," Ragnar said, biting out the words.
"I don't care." He turned to face the crowd. "I plead the case of Arne, son of Grani. As he stated, he had asked for Helena's hand first and allowed her adequate time in which to give him an answer. She went behind his back and agreed to marry a former holy man, and didn't have the courtesy to let Arne know that she was not interested in marrying him! And now her betrothed wants you to just let that go and allow them to marry as if no atrocities have occurred? I beg you, dear people, remember this when you are deciding."
Ragnar sighed and rubbed at his forehead. Athelstan saw his feelings of defeat evident in the family before turning his attention to the group in front of him, buzzing with ideas as to how they should vote.
A young woman stood up, someone that Athelstan knew in passing but of no interest to the case. His blood turned cold at the idea of one more person in favor of Arne; they would have no chance at all then, even if there was a glimmer of hope after the debacle from Rollo.
"Could we please hear Helena's take on all of this?" the woman asked, her voice strong and clear above all others.
The mumbling came to a halt and all eyes looked upon slave woman, who sat worried to tears in the corner. She looked surprised to see someone ask for her opinion and straightened her spine, waiting to hear Ragnar's answer.
"Of course. Helena?" Ragnar called, motioning her to stand next to Athelstan.
She walked over to him and Athelstan felt calmer with her near. "Hello," she started, her voice growing stronger with each word spoken. "Thank you for asking me to tell you my side in all of this.
"I was taken in by the Lothbrok's after Ragnar's brother, Rollo, raped and beat me nearly to death. Athelstan, as he has said, was the one to teach me the language and ways of this land. Arne is…normally…kind and would make a great husband to any woman. But it was already at the point of his proposal that I found my feelings for Athelstan changing, though I did not fully recognize it at the time.
"I considered Arne's proposal because I wished to be a wife and mother, and because I knew Athelstan's former life in England meant that he could not have relations with a woman. I contemplated for so long because I could not bring myself to finalize my life when, in the back of my mind, I knew that Athelstan loved me and I him. He has since denounced his monkhood, and so therefore we are free to marry. That is, if you all agree that we should do so.
"When Athelstan proposed, I was happier than I had ever been in my life. I had offered to tell Arne myself that I was not going to marry him, but Ragnar said that he would do it for me. I am sorry that Arne has been hurt in the process for it was not my intent, but I am not sorry for what I feel for Athelstan.
"Thank you for hearing our story. I trust you will all make the right decision."
Helena ran a hand through Athelstan's hair, granting him a smile before sitting back down with the family. The talk started up once more, this time louder and clearer. Neighbor seemed pitted against neighbor, man against woman.
"Why should I care that she was raped and beaten? She's a slave! That is what we do," argued an older man to his wife.
"We do not beat someone nearly to death, even if they are a slave!" shouted a young woman from across the way.
"Enough!" shouted Ragnar, bringing everyone back into focus. "We will vote now that you have heard everything and before you can change each other's minds."
Athelstan decided not to watch as the voting took place; his heart already wanted to give out from the stress and over excitement. Instead, he locked eyes with Helena, mouthing the words 'I love you' several times over.
"Everyone close your eyes. Now, those in favor of Helena marrying Arne please raise your hand."
A count was to be taken by several men at once, those trusted to keep an unbiased opinion on the matters at hand. Once Ragnar was given the nods of a total by all men, he continued on.
"All those in favor of Helena marrying Athelstan, please raise your hand."
Again, the counting and nodding took place. Athelstan still looked away from the activity in front of him as the men walked up to Ragnar and whispered their totals to him.
"All right. As confirmed by all five of our men, you have closely but rightfully decreed that Helena is to marry…Athelstan come this fall. Thank you for your contributions to this village and your fellow people."
Athelstan sat in disbelief; he had to be dreaming this. Certainly as kind as he had been to them all during his time in Kattegat, they had to have voted for Arne over him. His revere was broken by Helena tackling him in his chair and pressing kisses all over his face.
"I love you," she pressed into his lips. He returned the action, standing up and lifting her, spinning her around.
"I love you," he said, continuing to press kisses onto her cheeks and neck. "Is this real?"
Helena chuckled and wiped hair out of his eyes. "Yes, this is real. God has answered our prayers and we can finally be together without worrying. Our trial is over."
Athelstan closed his eyes, relief washing over him. "I wish he would stop giving me trials; this is getting old."
Helena laughed boldly and seared his lips with another kiss.