I felt her hand curling around my wrist as the crowd of villagers began to disband. My eyes tearing away from my mother and father. Siggy's body still collapsed by her husband's lifeless body.
"Bjorn, will you come with me to find Eir and Porr?" She whispered. My head nodded immediately as my frame followed her body, pushing through the leftover crowd with grunts leaving their lips.
Her hand pulled through the centre of the village till we slipped off the path and began towards the forest. On the very edge of the forest, her frame pulled us to a halt. The foundations of a house cowered in the shadows. I could see the way her face changed at the sight of the flayed wood. I felt her hand release mine, her body sprinting forward with her blonde hair flying in the wind. She froze at the foot of the foundations, her eyes looking in to what used to be her home. Slowly, i made my way towards her. Seeing her cheeks turn red, my eyes moved to the now empty space. Two charred figures in the corner. Their hands were clearly entwined.
"I'm sorry." I croaked. Her head inched around, her cheeks bright red but her eyes were drying.
"They weren't my parents... But they were the closest to family that i had. Now what do i have?" She sighed, her body flopping to the ground in a hump.
I dropped to her side, my hand resting on her knee. "You have us. You can live with us, be part of our family." I exclaimed. Her head slowly tilted to me, the look of pain that was originally there slipping away. It was replaced with a growing smile of joy. "Come on, lets get back to the village." I sighed. My hand slipped around her wrist, pulling her to her feet. I watched her eyes take one last longing glance, like her first vision was wrong. But the two charred bodies were still there.
Olyvia's P.O.V
I could not weep. My heart would not allow it. We wandered back into town, my feet kicking in the dirt with each step. His hand pulled me into the Earl's home, Lagertha and Gyda sat by the fire while Ragnar was sat in the Earl's chair.
"Mother, something has happened." Bjorn muttered, running with my frame dragging behind him. Lagertha careful nudged Gyda away, her body rising to her feet as she moved to her son and I.
"What is it?" She snapped, pausing directly in front of us as she snatched her sons face and began to scan for any sign of pain or wounds.
Bjorn's head shook, wriggling out of his mother's grip with a groan. "It's Olyvia's paren-... I mean, Eir and Porr. They're dead." He exclaimed. Lagertha looked towards me, a large frown on her lips as she did, "She had no-one left." He sighed. Lagertha went to her knees, her hands gently gripping my upper arms with her eyes staring at me.
"Well, you must live with us." She gasped. Bjorn started to jump, grinning wildly. "You saved my son when we were escaping death. You helped Ragnar's recovery and were there for all of us throughout it all. How could we turn you away?" Lagertha announced. Ragnar appeared behind her, nodding his head as he joined his wife at her side.
"You will live with our family, Olyvia." He repeated. His head turned to Lagertha as he beckoned her up. "Lagertha will take care of you in my absence. Bjorn, you will be coming to Gotaland with me. We think you are ready." Ragnar muttered. Bjorn turned to me with the widest smile, his hand releasing mine as he followed his father like a puppy.
"You will stay here with me, Olyvia." Gyda giggled, tugging at my arm with a grin. My eyes moved to Lagertha, a smile growing on my lips.
"I'm grateful, Lagertha... I really am, thank you." I whispered. Gyda's hands pulled me to the fire, sitting me down beside her with my hands reaching out.
It wasn't long before Ragnar and his son wandered towards the door with arms full of of supplies and pieces of fur. Ragnar embraced the members of his family, kissing the crown of my head last before walking out the door. Bjorn followed behind, clinging to the frames of his mother and sister before coming to me.
"Take care, Bjorn." I whispered. His arm pulled me close, i could hear his breath in my ear as he took his last seconds and slipped out into the world. All eyes were on the pair as they rode out of Kattegat. Gyda was clinging to her mother with gentle sobs while i stood with longing eyes. I wanted an adventure... I wanted to ride out into the sunset.
A few days had passed since the departure of Bjorn and Ragnar. Lagertha had full charge of Kattegat with her daughter and myself at her side. I was sat in the doorway, listening to Lagertha and Siggy talking abut her dreams. But the conversation came to an abrupt halt at the sound of Siggy's coughs.
"Siggy, what is it?" Lagertha muttered, her body turning to Siggy with worry on her face. Her head rolled towards them, watching with curious eyes.
"It's nothing.." She whispered. Lagertha's head shook, her body moving closer to Siggy as comfort. "I visited my cousin a few days ago, she had just buried her young son. She said he was fine one second and the next he caught a fever that made him sweat and cry out through the night, and the next day... She put him in the ground." Siggy quietly said. Lagertha's eyes moved to me momentarily, Siggy's following close behind.
I was sat in the hall, Gyda at my side and a young boy from another family curled close to my shoulder. Gyda had already started to cough, and the young boy's face was beaded with sweat. My eyes moved to the wandering woman, Siggy walking in with a face as pale as the moon. She slugged forward, her movements becoming slower by the second till her frame fell to the ground. My hands carefully pushed the children from my side, my feet carrying me towards Siggy till i skidded to a halt beside her.
"Siggy?" I shouted, pulled her body to me as her head fell into my lap. "Her forehead is burning." I continued. Her daughter ran over, taking her mother's body from me.
Before long, the hall was overflowing with illness. My hand would regularly move to check my temperature, but like few others, it never seem to raise. But the amount the death did. Gyda was on the edge of Valhalla, as were so many others. I tried to help Lagertha, mostly trying to look after the young children. Lagertha would often pray to Frigg, praying for her daughter's recovery. I wished Bjorn and Ragnar would not return in a hurry. I could not bear to see my best friend's body on one of the many funeral pyres.