Hi guys! This chapter is kind of a boring one, and it's pretty short... But, next chapter will be about their return to Kattegat. I am super excited! It will be a good one, and I will do my best to start writing it tonight!


Chapter 11- The Traitors

"We did well, brothers," Ubbe said as the crowd shouted in victory.

"We?" Ivar questioned.

"Yes," Ubbe answered. "I saved your life."

"It was all my strategy," Ivar argued. He obviously believed that he deserved the majority of the credit. "And you know that."

"We all did very well, though," Hvitserk chimed in. "Why do you argue?"

"I'm not arguing!" Ivar shouted in defense.

Brynja looked at the youngest brother and immediately saw his bloodshot eye. It had been wounded in battle, and the sight of it seemed to make her own eyes water.

"Good," Ubbe retorted. "The most important thing is what we do next."

"And isn't that obvious, Ubbe?" Ivar asked.

"Yes," Ubbe answered. "We have defeated the Saxons. Let's make good our claim to the land. Let's all make peace."

"I have no interest in peace," Ivar stated. "Peace is a dirty word. "

"More of our people can cross the water," Ubbe ignored his brother's comment. "We can all farm, huh? Now, it is time to negotiate."

"And, that is the wrong advice, as always Ubbe," Ivar's tone was harsh.

"So, Ivar, what do you suggest?" Hvitserk stood as he spoke.

"The Saxons lost the battle, but they have not yet lost the war. I would beware of trying to negotiate with them."


Brynja awoke by someone gently grabbing her arm.

As her blurry, tired eyes cleared, she could clearly see Ubbe's bright, blue eyes despite their dark surroundings.

He put a finger to his lips, signaling for her to remain quiet.

"We are leaving," He stated before helping the pregnant woman get on her feet.


Brynja entered the tent slowly behind Ubbe and Hvitserk. She had a bad feeling about Ubbe's plan, but she trusted that he would never put her in a dangerous situation.

The king began to speak in his own language, and though Brynja could understand the language, she was not good at speaking it.

"You are the victors," the man stated. "Why do you come to see us."

"We want to make peace," Ubbe stated. "We don't want to fight anymore."

Brynja rested her hand on her stomach as she listened.

"We want to claim our land," Ubbe continued to explain.

The man standing beside the king spat on the ground as Ubbe finished speaking—showing that he didn't want them to take the land.

Brynja looked him over. She couldn't help but think that his large ears made him look foolish.


"They want to make peace," Aethelwulf chuckled. "Claim the land that my father gave them. Ubbe and Hvitserk, two sons of Ragnar Lothbrok, offering to lay down their arms."

"They are very brave warriors," Bishop Heahmund stated. "I saw that today."

"We must consider their offer," Alfred spoke up.

His thoughts were still plagued by the pregnant woman that had came with the sons of Ragnar. He wondered why they had brought her with them. Was she a wife to one of the brothers? Did she just follow her husband as he raided village after village? Was she a warrior? Would her child become a warrior as well? Had they only brought her because they thought her swollen belly was more likely to convince his father to agree to their offer?

He knew that his father could easily decide that they would kill their visitors, including the soon-to-be-mother and her unborn child.

"My father had no right to grant them that land," Aethelwulf stated. "He was no longer king."

"But now you are king. And you can offer it." Alfred pointed out. "As a man of God, do you not advocate peace and mercy?" Alfred directed his question towards the bishop.

"Yes," Heahmund answered. "Of course, my prince."


Brynja sat beside Ubbe in the tent as they patiently waited for word from the king.

She jumped when she heard the sound of a guard scream in pain from behind her.

Before she could move, a sword was placed against her throat.

She sat there frozen—terrified to move, but also terrified to just sit there.

The bishop then appeared in the tent. Brynja watched as he slowly walked closer to them. He kneeled in front of Ubbe, picking up the knife that laid on the grown.

He turned as if he were going to speak to the guard beside him.

Quickly and unexpectedly, he hit Ubbe in the face with the blade.

Brynja screamed loudly as Ubbe fell to the ground. Every inch of her wanted to check on him and see how bad the damage was, but the sword placed against her neck was a reminder that a child's life was in her hands.

As Ubbe pushed himself back up to his knees, he was quickly struck down with the blade again before the bishop spat on him and left the tent.

Tears silently fell down Brynja's cheeks. She worried that she and the baby wouldn't make it out alive. She worried that she would be forced to sit and watch as the man she loved was beat to death. Her mind rapidly spun as she tried to figure out how she could save them. She couldn't fight them. She wasn't armed. She considered begging for their lives or even pleading to the Christian god. But, she knew nothing would help.


"Welcome back brothers," Ivar chuckled. "Brynja."

He smirked as he stared at the dirt-covered woman. Brynja had to look away from him. She had never felt so much public humiliation in her life.

"Oh, you look thirsty," Ivar stated as the men in the room laughed. "Are you thirsty?"

"I know you shouldn't say 'I told you so'," he began to gloat. "But I told you so."

Brynja's cheeks turned red as fire as the laughing behind her grew louder.

"Ivar, we went—" Ubbe began to speak but the youngest brother quickly interrupted him.

"No no no," Ivar's voice seemed too cheerful. "Let me guess. You went to the Saxons and tried to make a deal, and they spoke sweet words to you. Hmm?"

He began to laugh.

"But, of course, you were brave. You fought back," The men once again to laugh loudly as Ivar spoke. "You fought back, right? You didn't let them get away with that, huh?"

Ubbe looked up at his brother in defeat. "I was just trying—"

"You made a bad call!" Ivar screamed.

Brynja closed her eyes tightly. Her heart ached for Ubbe.

"You showed yourself to be weak," Ivar continued. "You three are lucky to be alive. And, now it is finally time for you to recognize me as the rightful leader of the Great Army."

Silence filled the room.

Ubbe stood from his seat slowly. Brynja guessed that, much like herself, his body ached from the night before.

"As your older brother," Ubbe spoke softly as he walked closer to Ivar. He was stopped by the guard in front of him. He glared at the guard for a long time before he finished speaking. "As your older brother, I will never, ever accept that."

Hvitserk rose to stand beside Ubbe.

"In any case, it would be a dereliction of duty," Ubbe stated as he turned to face the people behind him. "And, after all, doesn't someone have to be responsible for the care of our people?"

"Hmm, it doesn't seem to me that you have taken that good care of them so far," Ivar interjected.

Brynja could see the hurt in Ubbe's eyes as he turned to face Ivar.

"You cannot—" Ubbe began to speak but quickly noticed that Ivar was whispering to the guard beside him.

"Ivar," Ubbe called out to gain his brother's attention, yet Ivar acted as if he did not even hear the man calling for him.

"Ivar," Ubbe called again. His tone came out more like a growl. Ivar still seemed to be ignoring him.

"Ivar!" Ubbe shouted.

Brynja could not remember a time that she had ever heard his voice filled with so much rage.

She slowly stood from her seat and made her way towards Ubbe. She felt as though every inch of her body was sore. Once she reached Ubbe, she stayed slightly behind him, but rested her hand on his shoulder so that he would know that someone was still on his side.

Ivar finally looked over to acknowledge the angry man before him.

"You cannot continue to fight in England without Hvitserk and me," Ubbe stated.

A large grin formed on Ivar's lips as his brother finished speaking.

"I think that you will find that more of our warriors and shield-maidens want to fight with me, than go farm with you two," Ivar's tone was cold.

"Right?" He asked the crowd. "Right?" he asked again in a louder tone.

"Then Hvitserk and I will go back to Kattegat tomorrow with our forces," Ubbe announced.

"If that is your decision," Ivar shrugged.

Brynja followed Ubbe as he turned to leave.

Suddenly he paused and looked back at Ivar.

"Our father would have hated you for sundering and splitting his family," Ubbe glared up at the youngest brother.

Ivar smiled at the harsh comment he had received. "I don't think so," he replied quietly.


"Look at you," Brynja heard Ivar shout as she got on the boat. She was determined not to acknowledge his existence. "Trying to sneak away to avoid your shame. Surely you must be embarrassed that nobody else is with you. Now, why is that? I can't understand it, can you?"

"Ubbe!" Ivar screamed loudly. His older brother ignoring him seemed to be grating on his last nerve. "Nobody is with you!"

Brynja made her way to Ubbe as Ivar continued to scream.

Once she had reached him, she wrapped him in a hug.

"I think you have grown even bigger than you were yesterday," Ubbe chuckled.

"If I was not with child, I would drown you for saying that," she joked.

She stood on the tips of her toes so that she could whisper into his ear.

"Do not doubt yourself, Ubbe," she said to him.

"Let's go," Ubbe said once Brynja had released her hold on him.

As Ubbe looked over at Hvitserk, he could see in his eyes that something was wrong. He could see that his brother was suddenly having second thoughts.

Brynja was shocked as she watched Hvitserk jump off the boat to go be with Ivar. She could not understand what would possess him to do such a thing.

The sadness in her heart grew as she looked at Ubbe. She admired his ability to stay strong in such circumstances. She wondered how he did it.

"Hvitserk will regret it," she told him. "He is making a foolish choice. Once we reach Kattegat, you will have many supporters."

Ubbe nodded his wounded head.

"When do you think this child will be born?" he asked—changing the topic.

"Hopefully for all of us, not until after I am off this boat." She chuckled.

"Are you ready to see Margrethe?" Brynja asked. Despite her own feelings towards the woman, Brynja hoped that the memory of his wife would cheer Ubbe up.

"Yes," Ubbe answered, but his face seemed to hint that the thought of his bride did not excite him.


Again, next chapter will be a super exciting one. So, you don't want to miss it!

Please leave a review! You guys know how much I love them! And, I am so thankful to have such loyal reviewers. You are noticed and appreciated.