We could hear the commotion occurring outside. All of the women and children all rushing to the docks with gleaming eyes.
"They're back." I gasped, my head snapping to Lagertha with a wide grin. I did not wait for her to follow, my frame rushed for the door. I sprinted towards the growing crowd, pushing round bodies to get to my best friend. "Bjorn!" I shouted over the buzz of the crowd.
"Olyvia!" I could hear him shouting. My frame wriggle through the bodies, fighting my way through closer to the boats. A force hit into my body, arms curling around my shoulders as i was pulled into a frame. Bjorn's frame. My fingers clung to the material that covered his torso while my head nuzzled into the crook of his neck. "I missed you, Olyvia." He whispered. The crowd turned silent, replaced with a weeping woman. Helga. My body untangled from Bjorn, pushing my way to her side. Floki's body lying still as the men carried him through the crowd. Behind him, Rollo, chained to a post with a shameful face.
"What happened?" I cried, turning to Bjorn. His eyes avoided mine, a frown growing on his lips with a sigh.
"Roll betrayed father... And almost killed Floki." Bjorn muttered. My head shook, my eyes on the man that was like family to me. How could he do that to us? Betray us like we were nothing to him. The crowd hurled abuse as two men dragged Rollo's body towards the barn beside the hall.
The crowd lessened, those close to Ragnar all congregating in our home. Ragnar taking his seat with us surrounding him. My body lent against a tall column with Bjorn's head resting on my thigh, already asleep.
"Rollo killed him. And Floki may not survive for he is so badly wounded." Ragnar sighed, rubbing his hand against his forehead.
Lagertha shook her head, her frame turning towards her husband. "This was not your quarrel, you should not have got involved." She said with certainty in her voice. Lagertha was wise, i believe that a lot could've been avoided if she was in charge. "Look what has happened because of it." She raised her voice.
Ragnar's eyes avoided his wife's like they were disease. "No man can walk through life without things happening to him." He snapped. Bjorn's eyes edged open, his frame shuffling around but his head planted solidly on my lap.
"You chose." Lagertha growled.
"Yes, i chose and Rollo chose. And it was Rollo's choice that has led us to all of this." Ragnar insisted. Both made valid points, but, in my eyes, Lagertha was right. They should not have got involved.
"Don't argue you two." Bjorn shouted, his body rose from my lap. Both heads snapped around to see the two children sat together, both of their faces softening instantly. With a soft sigh, his body flopped back down with his hand resting on my knee. His eyes snapping shut.
"Who is Aslaug?" Lagertha quietly said. I watched Bjorn's face stiffen, a single eye peak out at his mother and father. Ragnar's breaths became heavy, his hand throwing away the bone in his hand as he growled towards his wife. Lagertha's frame flinched, her eyes widening at her husband. "Who is Aslaug?" She repeated with a stern voice, Ragnar's eyes filling with fury as they turned to his wife.
"She is a GÓ§taland princess, we met her over there." Ragnar insisted. I could see Bjorn's eyes snap shut, hiding himself from the world around in shame. My hand rested on his shoulder, his stiff frame calming beneath my touch.
Lagertha's head shook . "You just met her?" Her voice calmly said, but you could hear the anger that was being hidden.
"Lagertha." Siggy whispered, her head shaking with a sympathetic look.
"What has a boy told you?" Ragnar growled. His eyes moved to his son in my lap, his eyes firing daggers towards his son's 'sleeping' frame.
"I doesn't matter what Bjorn said... What do you say?" She hissed, leaning towards her husband. I wanted to leave the room and hide. I had no idea what was going on with this Aslaug woman, nor did i want to know. Ragnar rose to his feet, barging past his wife as he stalked around the room.
"I say that we should not wash out dirty clothes in front of others." He snapped. Ragnar's head shook as he moved into their room with Lagertha following close behind. I could see the fury in her eyes as she walked.
Bjorn's body curled against mine, his breaths unsteady as he whimpered his words. "He had sex with her." He growled. My head shook as a sigh trickled passed my chapped lips, my head rolling on the fur beneath us to see through the small gap in the wall. I did not know what i could say to consol my best friend. Instead, the silence seemed graceful as we drifted into our dreams.
The crowd had gathered by the time Rollo was dragged up the hill to receive his judgement. I took my place at Bjorn's side with his hand slipping around my wrist as a comfort.
"As your lawgiver, I have been asked to determine the fate of this man. This man chose to fight with our enemies, chose to fight against his brother. He killed many of our sons and brothers. What hope is there for him?" The lawgiver shouted. The crowd cheering at his words as they shouted towards Rollo. You could see the shame on his face, he knew that he was a dead man.
"He has no defence." Torstein exclaimed. The crowd's cheers continuing with his words. I could feel Bjorn's grip tighten, this was his uncle, and everyone wanted to see this man die.
"This man deserves to die, we all know that." The lawgiver paused, his eyes scanning the cheering crowd. "But, i have decided to spare him." He announced. The cheers turned to shouts of anger. Men and woman shouting at the top of their lungs in fury. "I have taken the advice of the gods. If they had wanted him dead, he would've died in battle. However, they spared him. He came forward and threw himself upon the mercy of his brother. Therefore, i conclude, that the gods have made their own judgement which i cannot overturn." He sighed. My body was pushed back as Torstein ran to Ragnar, his hand gripping Ragnar's arm as Torstein whispered his plea to him.
"Is that a ship?" I muttered, my blue orbs staring out at the calm sea. Bjorn's head turned to follow my gaze. It was a ship. But who's ship? "Go and get your father." I told Bjorn. His head slowly nodded before his body sprinted off towards the shoreline where his father slept. My frame wandered down the dock, waiting for the ship with eager eyes and a cautious hand near to a plank of wood. I could see Ragnar's body raise in the sand with Bjorn at his side. From the look on his face, Ragnar knew who was drifting towards our shores.
The pair ran towards side, Bjorn standing with his hand on top of the wooden plank while Ragnar held back at the foot of the deck. As soon as the party stepped onto the deck, i could see the disgust in Bjorn's eyes. It became clear who this woman was... Aslaug. She wandered past us like we were nothing more than common dirt. The roundness of her stomach only made his anger worse.
"She is giving him a child." Bjorn growled, his fingers curling around the plank of wood. My fingers rested upon his hand, feeling his grip relax slightly.
Ragnar assembled his family into the hall, Bjorn and i standing close to the fire whilst Ragnar pleaded with Lagertha near to the doorway. Aslaug strode in with shieldmaidens surrounding her. No words were exchanged, only eyes full of fury.
A feast was created, Ragnar sat at the head of the table with a woman either side of him. Bjorn and i sat opposite, his words mumbles as he quietly cursed his father's name. We watched as the woman quietly exchanged words, Ragnar sat silent in the middle of the talking pair.
"Do you remember me, Bjorn? Do you remember that we stood in front of the tree of life?" Aslaug gasped. At the mention of his name, his eyes turned cold. All faces turned to the child at my side with his face flushing pink.
"It wasn't the tree of life. It was just a tree." Bjorn snapped. I could feel his tense body brush against my arm, my blue orbs turning to his with a sympathetic smile.
"You're right, we both know that. It creates a bond between us." Aslaug exclaimed with joy in her voice. Bjorn's head shook wildly with his brow furrowing.
"I don't think so. We don't have any bond. I don't want any bond with you." He growled. His head turned away with his gaze meeting my eyes. I could see the anger and frustration in his gaze. My hand grazed his cold fingers, feeling his hand wrapped around mine. His face slowly began to calm with his pink cheeks fading.
The sun had risen high in the dull sky as my eyes inched open. My hands pulled at the fur that lay over my body, expecting to feel resistance... But there was none. My frame rolled over, expecting to fine Bjorn... He was no-where.
"Bjorn?" I said out loud. My body sat up with the fur blanket dropping to my lap. Siggy's head poked around the corner, tears present in her eyes.
"Siggy, where's Bjorn?" I muttered. Her face dropped as she moved into the room.
"You do not know?" She whispered. Her eyes moved towards the large doorway of the hall. I did not wait for her words. I knew where he was. My frame leaped up and began to sprint. Straight through the centre of the village I ran and straight through the meadows. There my eyes rested upon it. The cart carrying my best friend and his mother. The hunched over body of a crying Ragnar left in the centre of the field.
"Bjorn!" I screamed. I could see his head snap around, his hand stretching out for me. My feet continued to running, till hands snatched at my body.
"You'll never catch them." Ragnar whimpered. I writhed in his arms, my hands grabbing out towards Bjorn as the tears streamed down my face.
"Let me go! Bjorn!" I cried, my body dropping to the ground with whimpers echoing in my ears. I watched as the cart inched further into the distance till i could no longer see my best friend. Till I was all alone. More alone then i ever was before.