The lawgiver was the first to see the column marching into Kattegat. "They're back! Ragnar Lothbrok is back!" He started forward but was quickly overtaken by people running to the returning warriors. Eric's widow and Helga fell on Floki and he boasted of beating Borg to hell and back. Almost everyone wanted to touch Ragnar as he led the way into the village, and a few greeted Aslaug, but the source of the greatest admiration was Lagertha. The young women especially mobbed her and she would not have been able to proceed if Rollo and Bjorn had not made way for her. "They're going to want to celebrate tonight," she said, taking Rollo's hand.

"I feel like celebrating myself," he said, smiling at her. Bjorn rolled his eyes at them both, but coming in for a share of attention himself from the villagers who had not seen him since he was a child distracted him from teasing his mother and uncle and gradually Lagertha and Rollo fell back until they were among the last to arrive in the village.

Ragnar had ordered the killing of all of Borg's men left on the battlefield, keeping a single man for a sacrifice, but the people waited in vain for the earl to come out of his hall and finally they turned to Rollo. While reluctant to put himself forward, he took the axe and stationed himself in the square in front of the great hall as the prisoner was led out with a rope around his neck. "Release him from his bonds. I know he will want to die well."

The man's eyes thanked Rollo as the rope was removed, and he fell to his knees concentrating on remaining calm as the earl's brother set himself. "In the presence of the gods and in their honor, I offer this sacrifice." He raised the axe, and Ragnar came out of the hall at last.

"Wait." Ragnar stepped down into the square and took the axe from Rollo, handing it to Bjorn and smirking at Lagertha. Her jaw tightened but she remained silent as Bjorn stared wordlessly at his father, then turned to Rollo. The big man nodded his encouragement, and Bjorn took a deep breath, repeated the formula Rollo had just recited, and mercifully took the prisoner's head off with one clean stroke. There was cheering and laughter and clapping, and Rollo bent to dip his fingers in the blood and touch Bjorn's face. Their eyes met, and the young man drew strength from the sympathy in his uncle's face.

Lagertha was glaring at Ragnar, and Rollo went to her side and took her hand. "He did well."

"He got lucky," she said tightly. "It takes a practiced hand to strike a man's head off with one blow. Ragnar was hoping he would fail."

"Now why would he hope that?" Rollo bit his lip at the look Lagertha gave him. "He has no reason to be angry at Bjorn, only us."

"He wanted to use Bjorn to hurt me, Rollo." Lagertha held up a hand. "I don't want to talk about it."

Rollo took that hand as well and pulled her close. "We don't have to stay any longer," he murmured in her ear. "Let us go home in the morning." She looked up at him and nodded, then put her arms around his neck and kissed him. All around them villagers who were not aware of the altered relationship between Lagertha and Rollo stopped and gawked, and Ragnar went back into the great hall and refused to see anyone for the rest of the day.

Evening came and he finally came out of his bedroom to find Bjorn wrestling with his two little brothers. The children were climbing all over him and Ragnar sat at the big table to watch them, a pensive expression on his face. Aslaug came over to sit next to him and he smiled at her. "It is good to see them playing together."

She smiled back. "For you."

"They are all my children."

The princess was silent for a moment, then said slowly, "I know you still love Lagertha." Ragnar rolled his eyes but she persisted. "She is a shieldmaiden and more like you."

The earl put his arms around his wife. "I don't want to choose between you. I want both of you."

"I want to believe you love me," she whispered.

"Then believe it!" Ragnar was exasperated. "When first you came, you were willing to share me with Lagertha."

"That was a long time ago," said Aslaug. "Now you are mine. And Lagertha…"

"What of Lagertha?"

Aslaug locked eyes with Ragnar. "She is no longer yours." She nodded to the door where Lagertha had just entered with Rollo, hand in hand with the big man and smiling up into his eyes. The earl's jaw tightened and he started to get up, but his wife took his arm and held him back. "It is better you accept what you cannot change, my husband. You made your choice." She laid her head on his shoulder and he stroked her hair, but he couldn't take his eyes off Rollo and Lagertha.

They left in the morning, and this time Bjorn didn't have trouble with his decision. Though once again pressed to stay with his father, he chose to go with his mother. Filled with bitterness, Ragnar could not be prevailed upon to see the travelers off, and Rollo, Lagertha, and Bjorn left Kattegat amidst a hail of good wishes and small gifts, leaving the earl to brood in his great hall on what he had thrown away.