I was seated at a hall where fast-strung music was being plucked. The occupants inside the hall were slamming their cups against the table to the music's beat. Cara stood in the center of the hall with a few other women holding the end of her dress, dancing to the fast rhythmic beat.

A large man with ginger hair and a wild beard approached me, putting his monster grip on my shoulder shaking me.

'What are you Ímar, Dane or Irishman? Say it!'

The crowd stopped talking but kept banging their cups against the table. Cara stopped dancing. She was smiling at me, and all eyes were on me, waiting for my response.

'I'm an Irishman!' I shouted in the Irish tongue. 'What about you, Olaf the White, are you Norseman or Irishman?'

'Irishman!' shouted the huge ginger man throwing his arms up in the air.

We hugged one another, shouting our war cries to the crowd. Cara was laughing as she walked up to me.

'Ímar, I am with child.'

'With my?'

'Yes,' said Cara smiling at me.

Olaf walked behind me, wrapping his arm around my shoulder while holding a cup up in the air with his other hand.

'Ah hah! You pumped your heathen seeds into the Uí Néill's bloodline. Wait till they find out the bounty on your head will double. Here's to the Ímar dynasty, may you have lots and lots of sons!'

The crowd erupted in applause.

I shot up awake, coughing from a dry throat. I gasped for breaths as the sickness rushed up. I quickly leaned over against the snow and belched. Heaving in anguish gasp of air, I sat up, wiping my mouth. There was a small campfire next to me and I had Hvitserk's fur cloak wrapped over me.

'Look who came back from his visit with Hel in the underworld,' said Leif laughing obnoxiously crouching next to me.

Leif, he's here. Glancing around, it was just my housecarls and Gerlak.

'How long have I been out? Where are we? Where.'

'Lord, calm down, we had to make a stop to rest the horses,' said Leif smiling. He pointed in the direction of Egil. 'And since someone doesn't know how to check over their horse properly. We had to nail on another horseshoe.'

'We were in a rush,' cried Egil.

'Lord, why didn't you tell us about Leif?' said Skul walking over with Egil to the fire.

I grabbed Hvitserk's cloak and tightened the fur around my body, resisting a shiver.

'Because if you didn't believe it, Ubbe and King Harald wouldn't either.'

Leif laughed, shoving Skul playfully.

'Lord, I found you a few hours ago. I rushed back here after I completed the task. We came across a priest that had news of Yorvik.'

'What happened in Yorvik?'

Leif nodded his head to Egil.

'Lord, the priest said, the ealdorman of Northumbria had conspired together to overthrow Yorvik.'

I growled. This is what I had feared.

'Was the attack conducted? Who rallied them up?'

'All the priest told us was a lot of disapproval was coming from the fyrd. He said they were furious about being kept from their harvests to guard Yorvik. Hvitserk left with our men riding hard to Nottingham. He said he would take your fleet there and restore stability,' said Egil.

I nodded my head at the last bit of information. I'm glad to know my brother has been stepping it up and making these decisions independently. I was pissed though, what did I do to anger the gods. I'm weak and sick, I'm recovering from being poisoned, and now my kingdom is being attacked.

'Lord,' said Gerlak handing me a bundle of cloth.

Taking the bundle, I unwrapped it to reveal Bishop Heahmund's sword. Sadness washed over me as I stared down at the beautiful steel. Holding onto the blade for some reason confirmed my friend was dead. I strapped the sword behind my back just in case I had to crawl. I wouldn't be dragging the blade over the snow.

'Thank you, Leif, Gerlak. Do I want to know how?'

Leif and Gerlak laughed, grinning at me.

'King Harald loves his woman, so we found him a woman. A slave named Hilda we exchanged her for the sword.'

Hilda?

'Did she have huge feet?' I asked, remembering that day under King Edmund's bed.

'Massive lord,' said Leif moving his hands over his chest. 'Along with a full bosom. Oh lord, she was quite the woman I'll tell you that.'

'Huh, I might have to see this, Hilda. That witch at the nunnery was poisoning me. What happened to her?'

'You killed her lord,' said Skul grinning. 'And I slaughtered the ones that assisted her. It was Egil who noticed the herbs that witch was grinding up. When Hvitserk and I went to confront her, she was dead on the ground beside your bed.'

I gritted my teeth and clenched my fingers into a fist. I try and do the right thing and help these Christians, but they immediately turned on me at the first sign of weakness. I won't be making that same mistake again.

'Thank you, all of you,' I said, tightening Hvitserk's cloak around my body for warmth. 'My parents and Sigurd came down from Valhalla.'

'Lord, you were mumbling nonsense for a good two days,' said Egil smiling at me.

'My mother gave me a prophecy. Here soon, I'm going to be betrayed and lose everything. Lose Yorvik, lose the Great Army, everything ripped from me. Even the Ancient One said my name would be as broken as my bones.'

'That prophecy is a lie. The army would never tolerate anyone else commanding them,' said Leif.

'Lord, who do you think will betray you?' asked Egil.

'Freydís,' said Skul cheekily.

I laughed, shaking my head.

'Freydís is just power-hungry which is why she tolerated putting up with me,' I said smiling. I fix my gaze over the flames trying to recall what my father had told me. What my instincts were telling me. 'I must've been too ambitious here lately because no one could come close to stopping me. My brothers, King Harald, and the earls all want what I've accomplished. They want the power I have claimed the reputation. It's inevitable, and they will betray me.'

'Lord, they won't succeed. I'm telling you the army will never turn their back on you. Will all protect you. You're our one true leader,' said Leif looking firmly at me.

'All men can be corrupted when power is offered to them, but it's not real power. I alone in their minds is preventing them from reaching it. If they remove me, then they have a greater chance of becoming powerful. They have a chance of becoming a king of one of these kingdoms. Those Vikings are the ones that march with me into battle. They sit in my hall. They cheer for me when I'm victorious. They receive my plunder and ride under my banners. When an opportunity arises, they'll strike and turn on me. Because that is what power does, as my father said, it attracts the worst and corrupts the best.'

Skul grabbed onto my hand, looking me in the eyes.

'We will never betray you.'

I gave a half-smile my loyal housecarls a loyalty that will place them in danger. When I was announced dead, Hvitserk wasted no time imprisoning them.

'My fate has already been determined. We are, after all, only entertainment for the gods. But I will have control over my fate. I refuse to simply release my grip and bow down so easily towards everything I sacrificed and fought for. I won't just amuse the gods I'm going to give them a saga that'll be told for all eternity at Odin's Hall.'

'Then we will stand beside you as well,' said Egil.

I shook my head.

'This is my destiny, and when the time comes, all of you will need to leave my service.'

'I refuse, lord,' said Skul gripping onto her sacred arm ring I gave them the day they had sworn into becoming my housecarls.

'You have all served me well, and I'm honored to have had all of you in my service. Where fate leads me to on this next journey doesn't involve any of you. I must do this on my own I'll place all my plunder onto my ship. Split it amongst yourselves and find a new earl to serve.'

'But lord, that's your gold,' said Skul.

'I want something far more than gold and silver.'

Birds began flapping their wings flying off from a distance. I grabbed onto my crutch, pushing my body up and pushing the dirt over the fire with my crutch. Leif and Gerlak had unsheathed their swords. I glanced over in the direction, not seeing anything but full well knowing a threat was coming.

'We should get going to Nottingham,' I said.

Leif and Gerlak helped me onto a horse with Skul holding my reins. We rode alongside the Trent River. I was concentrating on keeping my breathing even through my exhausted body.

An arrow flew past me.

'Shields!' I shouted.

My housecarls quickly responded, pulling their shields up. We circled, turning from where that arrow had strung from. Nine horsemen rode out of the woods into the clearing. We were outnumbered two by one but seeing ships off to the distance made me smile. The horsemen approached the leader in front with a cocky smile.

'I'm the lord of these lands, and if you wish for safe passage, you must pay for a fee,' said the leader. He was a fat man in his forties with gray hair that was balding. He looked at Skul with hunger. I gripped tightly onto my seax. 'I can reduce the fee for a service. But you'll also have to hand over your weapons and armor.'

'You can take my weapons, or you can live and ride back to the worthless shithole you came from,' I said.

The horsemen all laughed at my remark. The leader guided his horse. His eyes fixed on my leg braces. Tapping a finger on his lip, he grinned at me.

'I know you. You're Ivar the Boneless, the feared Warlord of Northumbria. So, the rumors are true, the Danes most feared Viking leader is a crippled,' said the leader. His horsemen responded with laughter. 'I'll tell you what I'll do. I'll let your men and whore leave, but you, my crippled, is going to make me a rich man.'

This sack of scum shit just insulted me not once but twice.

I gestured for Skul to help me down. Striking my crutch into the frozen soil, I walked towards them as they eyed me uncertainly. Stopping between them and my men, I leaned back from my crutch, standing tall.

'Where I come from if you're going to insult someone. You get off your horse and look them in their eyes, Christian,' I said, spitting out on the ground in front of me.

I was goading him in front of his men if he took the bait. He'd blindly attack me without any thought but fighting a crippled. The leader held up his hands, halting his men. He dropped from his horse, holding his hands up with a grin he swayed towards me laughing. The man stopped in front of me. He placed his hand on his sword's hilt, staring down at me.

'Once I exchange the weight of your head for the coin, I'll turn your skull into my drinking cup.'

'I have a rather boneless head to use as a cup.'

I was tired and cold, and for some reason, I was wondering if I'd ever see Cara again. It's funny how our minds wander before we go into battle. Maybe it's our bodies' way of calming our nerves. It was like playing a game of hnefatafl. I knew exactly where my opponent would place his piece on the board.

I released my hold from my crutch and unsheathed my seax with my weak hand parrying the sword strike coming at me. I reached back with my strong hand, drawing the bishop's sword. The blade sang in the air as I swung her, tearing into the man's thigh, ripping apart flesh and muscle.

Arrows were flying past me from both directions.

The man screamed out, grabbing onto my collar shoving me to the ground with him. Horses were trampling around us as we fought on the soil. I had snow kicked up against my face as the man pressed down on my collar with both his hands. He had mounted on top of me, pinning me down by my collar. I flipped the handle of my seax with little movement and rammed the blade into the man's side tearing apart chain mail.

A tip of a blade sprung out from the man's throat, striking me in the collar forcefully. The edge retreated out of the man, and he fell forward on top of me. I gasped for air, coughing while shoving the corpse off me.

Torvi stood above me, grinning. It must've been her sword that just impaled the leader. If it wasn't for my collar, that bitch could've killed me too.

Coughing, I sheathed my seax and sword. Snatching my crutch, I looked over, watching my housecarls chase off the last of the riders.

Ubbe's ship anchored alongside us, and some of his men, including Torvi, joined the fight. A few of the riders were dead near us. He had six ships that displayed King Harald's shield colors.

Torvi reached out to give me a hand, but I smacked it away, glaring at her as I picked myself up. I knew that damn woman was conspiring with Lagertha to murder me.

Ubbe was holding onto the steering oar, waving at us. I walked over towards him, frowning as I massaged my throat. Fletcher was on the ship smiling up at me. He looked better than I did. He was seated next to Freydís with a fur cloak wrapped around him. Ubbe walked over when I approached his ship, giving me a hand. I collapsed at the stern of the boat from exhaustion. My housecarls had boarded onto one of King Harald's ships, leaving the horses behind. Ubbe stood next to where I sat, pulling his ship back out to the river.

'We received word of a possible revolt at Yorvik. Some of our settlements in villages at Northumbria were attacked,' said Ubbe keeping his eyes ahead.

I clenched my fist. I should've never left Northumbria. Ubbe probably only came here to help because he felt guilty knowing this was his fault.

We arrived in Yorvik early in the evening. I was just relieved to see my village wasn't burnt to the ground yet. There was a wary feel to the air as I stepped off the ship. Hvitserk met us at the docks.

'Rumors are the fyrd had rallied as soon as you left,' said Hvitserk pointing at me. 'Led by a priest after he witnessed a harvest sacrifice to Frey.'

'They attacked our people because of the gods we worship,' I spat.

Hvitserk nodded his head.

'A few widows now, and children were able to make it here for safety. They've been telling us everything that happened.'

I wanted to scream out in a fury. I was so pissed I shoved past everyone walking into my village. Whatever hope I had earlier that the rebellion never made it to Yorvik soon dissipated. Houses were trashed, furniture was broken, blood painted the walls, and my stables were burnt. The uprising made it into my village. Where was the king during all of this? The church wasn't destroyed, go figure, but surprisingly the statue my men built of me remained untouched.

I entered the hall with Ubbe and Hvitserk trailing behind me. King Egbert sat at the front table on his throne, looking timid when we locked eyes. He began rambling on, reciting everything that happened. Already beyond pissed, I was ready to punch my puppet ruler in the face. I wanted to shove Ubbe to the ground.

Holding in my anger, I walk over to the king, thrusting him into his throne. King Egbert flinched back, and his crown fell off his head, rattling against the stoned ground.

'Ivar,' growled Ubbe.

'Did you even try and defend your kingdom?' I said.

'Earl Ivar, they attacked too quickly to respond. I never even received word until the revolt already passed.'

I unsheathed my seax, placing the sharp-edged blade against the side of his face. I leaned into his throne, placing my lips next to his ear. The king trembled beneath me.

'Ivar!' shouted Ubbe.

'Don't take me for a fool, King Egbert, or I'll soak this throne with your blood,' I whispered while applying pressure to the knife. The king yelped. I pulled my seax back and took a step back but keeping my eyes on him. 'I smell piss. You may want to change your robes, king. I will be like Vidar, the god of revenge and seek what our people deserve.'

I turned around, facing Ubbe and Hvitserk while sheathing my seax. King Egbert scrambled away from me, retreating out of the hall. I stepped off the damn steps walking to the benches. Taking a seat, I adjusted my legs in front of me, muffling a cough.

'We should organize a scouting party and see the damage,' said Ubbe.

I nodded my head. Hvitserk walked over, placing his hand on my forehead. I swatted it away, glaring at his stupid grin.

'I'll lead one of the scouting parties,' said Hvitserk, chuckling.

I reach down to my pocket, pulling out my map. The poor leathered map was stained with my blood and dirt when I had traveled through East Anglia. I had stolen this map from Prince Alfred, but now that I think about it, I'm pretty positive he allowed me to take it. I gazed over at Northumbria, remembering my settlements' locations. All while ignoring Hvitserk who was tightening the straps of his fur cloak that was wrapped over me.

'Here are the settlements we had established. You should travel this route here,' I said, guiding him on the map. 'Collect as much information but stay away from any monasteries. I don't want to provoke any trouble just yet.'

Hvitserk and Ubbe nodded their heads at my proposal.

'And you little brother should take it easy and get some rest. You still have a fever.'

'Hvitserk, shut up. I prefer you to be a berserker instead of being a nurse to a crippled.'

Ubbe walked closer, frowning at me as he eyed me up and down.

'Ivar, go rest. You need to take better care of yourself. We can't do anything tonight.'

I rolled my eyes. I would rather have my brothers arguing at me instead of nursing me.

'I had no control over this sickness, especially since I was poisoned. But my sickness had been very informative, even if it had delayed me from Northumbria. I saw our parents, and they shared a vision with me.'

Hvitserk looked at me as if I were crazy. Ubbe was smiling sadly, shaking his head and placing a hand on my shoulder.

'Ivar, our parents are dead, and occasionally I think I see them too, but they're gone.'

I frowned, shoving his hand off my shoulder.

'I'm not crazy. They came to me. I saw them with my own eyes. Are you both not curious what our mother's vision was?'

'What did she see?' asked Ubbe calmly.

'That I alone can be the only one to conquer all of Britain successfully. Without me, Wessex will strive,' I said, smirking. 'And eventually, I'll be named king of all our people.'

Ubbe shook his head, spreading his arms out and groaning.

'By the gods, Ivar, where does all this madness come from, this nonsense that plagues your mind! Can't you see Hvitserk and I are here to support you? We have the same ambitions for our people,' said Ubbe pacing in front of me, holding onto his head.

It's going to be one of my brothers that'll betray me. I clenched my eyes shut, frowning as I cursed the gods for their entertainment. I could never kill my brothers. I still hate myself for killing Sigurd.

The door to the halls swung open, snapping me out of my thoughts. King Harald had walked in accompanied by a Saxon man around my age. He had blond curly short hair and a poorly trimmed beard.

'Ragnarssons and Lothbrok, this Saxon here is claiming to be a son of Ragnar Lothbrok.'

Hvitserk spitted out his ale he was drinking and began coughing.

'What?' I said.

I stared at the boy in disgust, sizing him up. I don't see any resemblance. This is Loki's doing.

My name is Magnus Ragnarsson, and may I be the first to say how honored it is to be with my true kin. I've been an outsider my entire life, and now here before me is the Great Ubbe, Halfdan, and Sigurd Snake in the Eye, my older brothers.'

Ubbe took a seat next to me, smiling at him. I recognized that expression so many times did he give me that same smile. A smile of pity.

'Magnus, we've been told about you,' said Ubbe slowly.

Hvitserk began circling Magnus like a wolf finding its prey. Magnus stood still, not bothered as his eyes shifted around the hall. Hvitserk grabbed onto Magnus's chain he wore, showing Ubbe and I the Thor's Hammer amulet.

'I'm glad you heard about me, and yes, I'm a Viking. I believe in only the old gods, the true gods. I've also brought news for my baby brother Ivar the Boneless, news from Mercia,' said Magnus.

I waved my hand lazily as I leaned back into the bench, resting my elbows on the table.

'My uncle King Burgred is refusing to pay the taxes until he has Ivar's head on his table. Our little brother has impregnated the king's wife during her imprisonment.'

'What!' I shouted, squinting my eyes in disbelief. 'That's impossible. I knew I should've burned his children alive in front of him.'

Hvitserk laughed at the accusation taking a seat on the other side of me. I'm happy my life is nothing but entertainment for everyone. Ubbe shook his head and rubbing his eyes. Then he pointed at Magnus.

'Magnus,' said Ubbe calmly. 'Our father told us about you. He said all your mother, Queen Kwannetha did was piss on his wound.'

'Of course, our father would say that. No doubt he was in front of his wife at the time.'

'What is it you want? I find it very suspicious you're seeking us out suddenly,' said Ubbe.

'I want my revenge on Wessex for murdering my mother. I have a blood feud, and I want to rule Wessex alongside my brothers. It's my right. I'm a Viking just like you.'

Curse Loki I'm over this drama for tonight. I put my weight onto my crutch, lifting myself and grunting from the discomfort. I gave Magnus an annoyed look.

'I've heard enough excitement for one day, little brother. I'm going to sleep before anyone else starts claiming to be related to me. By the way, my name is Ivar the Boneless. Sigurd is dead. I killed him.'

I walked past Magnus shoving him out of my way. I'll let Ubbe handle the Saxon. Hearing footsteps trailing behind me caused me to groan silently. King Harald had followed me out of the hall to my greater annoyance.

'I had my doubts about that little runt,' said King Harald smirking at me. 'Ivar, your seeds are quite potent. To be a father of a son and to have another one on the way from a royal lineage. You are truly crazy, clever, but crazy.'

I glared over at the king.

'I never had sex with the queen. All I did was keep here chained up with her whelped children in my room at night,' I said, snapping my finger. 'And if we're on that matter, I never had sex with Freydís either. So there is no Ivarsson.

King Harald laughed loudly, pointing at the bishop's sword strapped to my back.

'That's a fine sword. If you had wanted it, all you had to do was ask.'

'And now it's my sword, plus let's be honest with each other, you would've never given it to me.'

King Harald laughed again, this time smacking me roughly on the shoulder.

'Ivar Lothbrok, I truly am going to miss having you around. Being around you is like reaching towards a venoms snake. You never know when it's going to strike, but the adrenaline of provoking it is too tempting to pass up.'

I forced a smile that didn't match my eyes. I'm going to kill this man. I pointed my finger at him but retracted. Shaking my head, I walked away from him. I have no ambition to be king of Norway. But with how things are going, Norway may get a new king, King Ivar the Boneless.