The colored powders were in Una's house. The older woman had gotten busy working in the farming fields outside of Kattegat, in order to keep the refugee house and keep her children fed. Magnus had been living with the family, and he had begun working the farming fields with Una and Alaric.
"I just want to learn how to work." Magnus told me when I asked about it. "Mother never thought it important. But how can you understand what the people go through, if you never make an effort?"
I didn't point out that Magnus was a prince of Mercia, so the way the Northmen do things could be very different from how Mercians do things. There were different vegetables and fruit used, but I didn't say any of this. Magnus had grown close with Una's eldest children, Kari and Alaric, and it was good that he had people close to him. He shouldn't have to rely on only me and the Ragnarssons.
The day I went to see Una's refugee house was a couple of days after Margrethe arrived. Thora and I walked down to the house together, arm in arm and talking about Kattegat. "I don't know about you," Thora was saying. "But I'm excited about the midsummer festivities this year. We lived too far out last year to come to Kattegat and participate. Have you ever celebrated midsummer?"
I thought about it. "I don't think so. We celebrated Easter in the springtime."
"What is Easter?" Thora asked, looking genuinely curious. The explanation of Easter lasted us until we got to Una's house, and we knocked on the door to see if anyone else was home.
The refugee house wasn't empty when we entered. Kari sat beside the hearth, baby Vigdis sitting on her lap. Ascrida was weaving, her red hair pulled into one thick braid going down her back. The twins were huddled together and playing with dolls made out of straw. When Thora closed the door behind us, every face looked up and smiled as we came farther into the house.
"Pleasure to see you, Queen Runa." Kari said, nodding her head in greeting. Vigdis wiggled her way out of Kari's arms and hobbled over, still unsure on her legs but able to walk heavily around the house.
"Hi!" Vigdis shouted, stopping short just in front of me and Thora. I squatted down to get on Vigdis's level as Thora walked around me to catch up with Ascrida and Kari. Vigdis started talking, her high pitched voice thick with young age as she struggled to tell me about her day.
I scooped up Vigdis and joined the others by the hearth. "You all are doing fine, right?" I asked, Vigdis giggling all the way. "Enough food?"
"We've been doing just fine, Runa." Ascrida promised. She was already feeling Thora's flat tummy and trying to feel the baby moving. "Gorm, the butcher, has been bringing us free racks of mutton." I noticed that Ascrida blushed at this, smiling bashfully. I pretended not to see and sat Vigdis down, and the three year old girl buried her face into my skirt.
I tickled the toddler's sides and smiled. "I can only hope that Bjomolf is this playful when he's your age." I said. Vigdis let out a high pitched giggle and ran away, clutching her sides to protect herself from my tickling.
Kari watched her younger sister go before turning to me. "Mother is planning on leaving. She's been talking to some others who work in the fields. I think they're planning on going to East Anglia."
"I assume Una would want to take all of you with her." I replied, meaning her children. "East Anglia wouldn't be so bad, I would think. If you all settle in Thetford where Sigurd is king, I'm sure there are other Northmen settling there as well."
Kari sighed heavily. "I don't want to leave though. We've started to make a life here. Mother just wants to leave because she doesn't want to be here without-" She cut herself off and looked at the fire in the hearth. I knew where she was getting at anyway; Una didn't want a life in Kattegat without Bjarni.
If Ivar had died before making it back here, would I want to stay, knowing what plans he had here? I didn't know the answer, and I didn't want to know. The thought of Ivar dying and leaving me and Bjomolf behind was too sad to think about. I couldn't imagine what Una has to go through everyday ever since Bjarni died.
"What about Magnus?" I asked, knowing he and Kari were close. "He's supposed to go back anyway. If you and your family go to East Anglia, Magnus would sail back with you."
The thought entered my head that Magnus was also supposed to come home with a Northern princess as a bride. But since Siggy was the closest thing to that, it didn't seem like Magnus would be marrying a princess of any kind. Siggy was the closest thing Kattegat had to a midwife; she was needed here.
Since the battle, Siggy had been busier than ever. It seemed that every other week, there was a new pregnant woman in Kattegat. From shieldmaidens to field workers to the thralls working around the city, women were getting pregnant quickly now that we were in a time of peace. Siggy's main worry was that more than one woman would give birth at the same time and that she'd have to choose one to take care of. Thora was just the latest woman to announce a pregnancy.
I looked over to Thora, who was sitting beside Ascrida and talking excitedly about the baby. Whoever got her pregnant, she was clearly more excited about the baby than the father.
Who was the father? Hvitserk was clearly upset by whoever it was, and he still wasn't eager to say anything. Thora seemed very good at hiding her emotions if she was upset by the father not letting himself known. The fact that Hvitserk was upset about it told me that it was someone we both knew. But who?
Finehair just left. Certainly had enough time to impregnate Thora and leave. Thora told us the day Harald left; and hadn't been upset when she told us. I thought back to any time Harald and Thora interacted over the five months he was stranded here in Kattegat. But they hadn't been near each other in public and when they had been, it hadn't like anything more than two strangers being a part of a mutual group. I doubted it was Harald.
Berglijot and Trygve weren't around, they were off hunting Bjorn and Bjorn's supporters. The idea of Bjorn coming back was always on Ivar's mind, so there was always at least one group out hunting where the trail went cold five months ago. I think Ivar was the next one to lead the next group, and that'll mean he'll be gone for a couple of weeks before coming back and the next group going out to try.
I couldn't help but wonder when it'd be a good idea to cut our losses and stop sending people out looking. It had been five months and the trail had gone cold a long time ago. Bjorn and his family were miles and miles away; as for his supporters, I had no clue. I wished they were here though, it had been a long time since I had spent time with them.
Ascrida showed us where the Seer's supplies were stored and we promised to visit again soon before heading back to the Great Hall. Thora took one side of the basket and I took the other, and we began the slow trek back to the center of Kattegat.
"If only there was more left at the Seer's actual house." I said, thinking out loud.
"You think he really had more?" Thora asked.
"Probably. Maybe he had some instructions on how to ask the gods what's happening." I chuckled darkly to myself and Thora frowned slightly.
"Did you sense something, Runa?" She asked. "Like, is something bad going to happen?"
"I don't know yet," I said truthfully. "I don't know what I saw, but I want to be prepared for it, whatever it is." I desperately wished that the Seer had told me a specific way to figure out the future. Was there a kind of method to it? Or did I just have to see bits and piece it all together? I wish there was someone I could ask, or someone to talk to who would understand.
Did the Seer ever feel this lonely? Or did he deal with the fact that when most people talked to him, they wanted something from him? These thoughts bounced around in my head as Thora and I made it back home and we set the basket beside the hearth.
"I'll go see how Bjomolf is doing," Thora announced, heading back there before I could respond. I dug the colored powders and brought them to the hearth as well. Thora came back soon after with the report that Bjomolf was soundly sleeping with the Frankish thrall watching over him. I grunted at that with a glare at the doorway before turning back to the supplies.
"Last time I used these," I started, pulling the yellow powder to me. "This showed me the sons of Ragnar fighting against Lagertha's forces."
"Maybe it can show you where Bjorn and his followers are hiding." Thora suggested.
"Maybe," I clutched a fistful of yellow powder in my fist and flung it into the hearth fire. The flames rose high and a blast of sticky heat whooshed into my face and I felt my eyes roll to the back of my head.
The ground fell away and I could see the mountains. A tiny village had a hearth in the center of it, and I recognized Torvi sitting beside the fire, little Refil on her lap. Nearby, Erik was playing with another little boy that looked to be around his own age. When I thought of them, I saw Bjorn and Guthrum walking a mountain trail with five other men. I tried to figure out where they were, and the scene zoomed away and I saw that wherever they were, there were miles away and had a full mountain range between us.
My thoughts drifted to the familiar faces I know that got away, like Gunnhild and Halfdan. A yellow mist clouded my vision and when it cleared, I saw Gunnhild apart of a group of some of Lagertha's old shieldmaidens. They had a makeshift camp somewhere in the forest; there was a mountain somewhere behind them. I squinted at the mountain and felt a jolt when I recognized it.
Wherever Halfdan was, I didn't get to see it. The jolt of recognition was enough to throw me out of the vision and when I opened my eyes again, I was laying down on the floor with Thora and Hvitserk both looking down at me.
"Are you back, Runa?" Thora asked calmly.
"What the fuck are you talking about?" Hvitserk snapped, grabbing my hands and pulling me up into a sitting position. I waved him away and glanced at the fire; the flames had gone back to normal leaving a faint aroma behind.
"I know where some of Bjorn's followers are." I said, rubbing my nose and trying to clear the thick scent from my nostrils. "And Bjorn and his family are alive. They're somewhere beyond the mountains, weeks away from us."
Hvitserk stared at me with confusion and he looked to Thora. "You saw them?"
I nodded. "I got some of the Seer's stuff from Freydis right before he died." My voice sounded thick and I could have been drunk. I sneezed a total of four times before my head felt clear again. "I'm fine, Hvitserk. Honest."
Hvitserk glanced at Thora and they seemed to have a full silent conversation without speaking. Thora drew herself up and said, "I'd never let my friend get hurt, Hvitserk." Her voice was firm and it felt like they were talking about something else entirely.
Hvitserk sighed and let it go, dropping her gaze to start looking through the Seer's supplies. "Be careful not to let Ivar see that. He'd lose his mind if he walked in and you were laid out like that and seizing."
"I was seizing?" I asked Thora with my eyebrows raised.
She shrugged. "You did that last time too. It's why Berglijot freaked out. It does look kind of scary if you don't know what's happening." Hvitserk snorted as if she was understating it. I hadn't thought about what was happening to me while the visions were happening.
"I'm sorry you saw that, Hvitserk." I said. He nodded without looking at me and I reached out and patted his shoulder. Hvitserk seemed to relax and he sat down, still looking troubled. "Where is Ivar? I need to tell him about the supporters."
Hvitserk scratched at his braids. "He might be at Ubbe's house. That Christian priest has been tasked with helping build it."
Ivar would delight in making Heahmund's life miserable. I thanked Hvitserk and left him and Thora by the hearth. The moment I entered my room, I heard the two of them begin to whisper. I thought about the secret that bound them together and I desperately wished they could solve everything out themselves, and with the father.
Bjomolf was waking up when I entered and the sight of his mismatched eyes made me smile wide. Bjomolf's own smile stretched across his face. I dismissed Cateline the Frankish thrall and took care of Bjomolf's dirty undergarments myself. When he was clean and freshly fed, I wrapped him to my back and left the Great Hall. Hvitserk and Thora were still at the hearth as I passed, their heads bent in a private conversation.
Bjomolf was in a position so that he could peek out right over my shoulder, and every now and then he'd make small noises of wonderment as he peered around Kattegat. He didn't really get to see the whole city, I was nervous just in case, and Ivar followed my lead. Whenever I felt nervous about taking Bjomolf around, Ivar immediately jumped on that opinion, trusting my instincts with our child. But right now, the air felt lighter and the world felt smaller, and I knew Bjomolf would be safe with me right now.
Ubbe's new house was being built outside the city walls, and when it's finished, it'll have enough space for a garden. It's like Ubbe wanted a tiny little farm right beside Kattegat. There were other houses being built out here too, for new families who want to stretch their legs for a change.
Ubbe's house was still months away from being finished, and the thralls were working hard on getting it underway. I quickly spotted Heahmund, sweating through his shirt and helping three other thralls lift the lumber needed for the house. The lumber being used were bits of old longships and newly cut down trees, and the scent of pine and salted wood filled the air as Bjomolf and I got closer to the construction sites.
Ivar was there, sitting on a tree stump near the site, watching Heahmund work with narrowed eyes. I glanced around and couldn't find Ubbe anywhere. Bjomolf made an excited squeal and Ivar turned around, his eyes catching us and lighting up.
"Good afternoon, Augusta." Ivar greeted, sounding genuinely playful. "Everything alright?"
"Quite," I replied, nudging him over and sitting down beside him with a plop. Bjomolf reached out a tiny hand and grabbed ahold of Ivar's coat sleeve. I quickly explained the powders and what I saw in the visions.
Ivar had listened in silence and now he was staring at me hungrily. "Augusta, you're a-" He cut himself off by grabbing my face and kissing me hard. When he let me go, he was smiling wide, not unlike Bjomolf just a few minutes ago. "We will find them."
He was so excited to go and capture Gunnhild's group nearby, he wobbled to his feet and we walked back from the site to inside the city. As we left, I glanced over my shoulder and found Heahmund watching us go, his icy eyes narrowed.
"I never thought I'd get used to seeing him around." I said dryly. Ivar had to stop walking in order to glance at him too. He snorted and we began walking again. "I mean, I honestly thought he'd be dead by now."
"He's more useful alive than dead." Ivar replied. "At least we can get some labor out of him. Ubbe gets his house out of him." He chuckled slightly and I smirked as well. Bjomolf let out a small shriek, as if chiming in with his own opinion. Ivar looked back to Bjomolf and said, "That's right, Bjomolf."
I chuckled at the way Ivar spoke to him. My husband had a habit of talking to Bjomolf like he was already an adult, and it never failed to amuse me. Whenever Bjomolf made a noise of any kind, Ivar would respond in kind.
Ivar himself led the hunt as they left around dusk. All three of Ragnar's sons left to go find Gunnhild and the group she was with. For six days, Kattegat went about its day to day business. And then they came back and it was like a spark had ignited through the streets.
The whole group wasn't brought back, and I assumed that either a couple got away or were already killed. But Gunnhild was alive, and she was the first one being dragged into Kattegat, Ubbe holding her with an iron grip around her upper arms. I spotted a long scar going down the right side of Ubbe's face, dangerously close to his eye. It looked like quite the fight had happened.
As they were put in cells, I began to hear loud whispers around me. Not natural whispers, but whispers that were magnified somehow.
They say she led them there...I heard she was possessed...She's a witch just like Aslaug...The new Seer...How did she know?...
These were whispers being said about me. Around Kattegat. I paused in walking to the Great Hall and looked around the people of Kattegat surrounding me. Most of them were cheering for the party that went and took Gunnhild's group. But there were some that were glancing at me with what? Admiration? Nervousness? Outright fear? I didn't know.
A figure in the crowd caught my eye and this time it didn't take me long to recognize her. Aslaug was watching me curiously from the edge of the crowd and she looked different from the last time I saw her. Her face was clear of powder or kohl, and her dress looked simpler than a queen's dress. She turned her back on me and began walking away.
With a tight jaw, I went after her with Bjomolf wrapped to my back. Could he see her too? I followed after Aslaug, wondering what she wanted to say. If she had only wanted to be seen, then all she had to do was disappear.
Aslaug moved steadily to the shore where there wasn't a crowd. She stopped at the edge of the water and I noticed that she wasn't really touching the ground. I walked until I stood right beside her and Bjomolf cooed down at the water.
"You hear what they're saying about you?" Aslaug asked, her voice sounding far away, even though she was standing right beside me. "They think you're a witch. Or the new Seer sent by the gods."
"I'm not that." I said mildly and Aslaug snorted.
"You're right, you're not." Aslaug agreed. "But if you want to keep them from burning you at the stake you might want to make them think you are."
"I'm sorry, but I thought hunting down Bjorn's supporters was a good thing." I retorted.
Aslaug didn't answer, just stared at the water. "It was. I don't care that much about you, Augusta of Wessex. But I care about my sons. And I know Ivar would burn this city to the ground rather than let you die. Don't get killed for his sake."
"I don't plan on it." I whispered. Bjomolf finally looked up and looked right through Aslaug, and I knew that he couldn't see her. Aslaug stared at him, a sad smile on her face and she gently reached out, her fingers passing through his cheek. Bjomolf shuddered and buried his face into the back of my shoulder. Aslaug's face got sadder.
"I always wanted grandchildren," She whispered and dropped her hand. "I've seen Sigurd's son. That boy will grow up to be a king one day. I've seen it. And this one…" She drifted off, gazing at Bjomolf with love in her gaze. "He will do good things someday, Augusta of Wessex. As will the others." I barely had time to register the word 'others' when she suddenly looked to me, her face suddenly serious. "Do you love my sons?"
I turned and faced her head on. "With all my heart." I said without hesitation, knowing it was true.
Aslaug nodded, looking distracted. "Good."
There was a sudden gust of wind and before I could question Aslaug about what she meant, she was gone and taken by the wind. I sighed heavily and stared out at the bay as if it could answer everything bouncing around in my head.