"Ubbe, leave your mother alone." I sighed. My frame wandered over to where Aslaug sat with Hvitserk on her lap, and Ubbe was jumping around in a plea for attention. My hands snatched the child's waist, swinging his little frame through the air as he giggle and squirmed. His arms clung to the top of my shirt, pulling his little frame into my body as he nuzzled into the crook of my neck. Aslaug's head gave me a quick nod of gratitude before i began to make for the door with the little boy in my arms. "How about we go and watch the fish again?" I gasped, looking down as his little face light up with delight.
I watched his little body running through the water after the shimmering fish. The forest echoing with his giggles. My body lent against the same tree that i had sat under for seven years. My fingers began to trace around the runes that had been carved into the bark... Bjorn and Olyvia. A soft sigh trickled through my lips, i could feel Ubbe's little body push in front of my legs, his pale eyes gazing at the runes.
"What does it say?" He whispered. My eyes slipping from the writing to his little orbs. A smile forcing onto my lips as my mind wondered.
"It says Olyvia and Bjorn." I sighed. His body turned around with his arms cuddling around my legs. I wondered where Bjorn was. If he was even alive. I wondered what he looked like now. Would i recognise him if i saw him? Did he miss me as much as I missed him?
"What was he like?" Ubbe whimpered. My hands pulled his little body up and into my arms again, cuddling him close to my chest. Looking at the sky, i knew it was time to return to hall. I wanted to hear where we would be raiding this year, and hopefully, they'd be taking me.
"He was a lot like you, Ubbe. He was curious and brave." I whispered, pretending to nibble on his ear as he giggle out loud. We wandered into the hall, Floki's eyes immediately falling upon us with a grin growing on his lips.
"There they are! Little Ubbe!" Floki gasped, moving to our side as his hands reached out for the little child. Ubbe's hands grabbed out for him too, my grip loosening as the two began to play. The hall was full of hopeful men and woman, all as eager as i was to hear about the summer raids. Helga came to my side, her arms embracing my body as she smiled wide.
"Welcome everyone." Ragnar shouted as he raised himself into his chair. The crowd became quiet. Ubbe and Hvitserk running to my side as i sat at the edge of the raised platform. "As you all know, it has taken a long time to prepare ourselves. To build our ships and to replace the young men that we lost to the plague. But now, we are ready. And this summer, we will finally go west again." The crowd began to cheer, i did too. Ubbe, who was curled close to my chest, cheered too. "We will return to England, for that land was so generous to us last time. But we will not go alone. For we King Horik and Jarl Borg have agreed to join us. And perhaps, we will not have to return to quickly, but stay in their lands for a while. Explore it. Maybe even winter there." Ragnar's speech was captivating everyone. All eyes were wide and all ears were perked. "The world is changing, and we must change with it."
And with that, the feast began.
Hvitserk wriggled close to my body as he nibbled on a leaf of lettuce. Ubbe was sat at my feet, leaning his weight on the flats of my shoes with a bowl of food in his hands. My mind began to wonder yet again, memories of my time with Bjorn spinning through my head. It had been four years. I could hardly imagine how much would've change if he had stayed. Would we've still been friends? I'd like to think so. Would we've been something more? My head shook, breaking those thoughts from my conscious.
"Sorry boys," I sighed, shuffling away from their little bodies with their eyes on me. "I must go speak with your father." I finished, planting a kiss on Hvitserk's forehead which was followed by Ubbe's lips planting onto my cheek. My frame carefully weaved through the crowd till i reach Ragnar's side.
"I wanted to speak to you, Olyvia." Ragnar announced. I felt my face light up, thoughts of joining him on the summer raids brightening my spirits instantly. "Whilst we are on the raids, i want you to rule at Aslaug side. If anything were to happen, i want you here to protect this village." He announced.
My head shook, my face stiffening with shock. "No, i should be with you on the raids." I pleaded. I had waited eighteen years for that chance, but my chance was being taken away.
"I cannot leave this village with no protection, Olyvia. And, do you forget that you are only eighteen. You are yet to bare sons." He sighed. I felt my heart cracking in my chest as a frown appeared on my lips.
"Ragnar, we made a deal." I growled with a sigh. I had almost left four years ago. I had no reason to stay in Kattegat. I was ready to go looking for my family. I didn't know if that meant Tyr and Nikolai or Lagertha and Bjorn. The only reason that i stayed was because of a promise he made. Promising that i would be part of the raids, promising that he would be father to me.
"We did, but i never said when. I will take you when you are ready... Until then, you will rule with Aslaug and protect the people." He snapped. My eyes drifted to the ground in shame. A few heads turning to us. I felt like a child being scolded by her parents. "Please, do this for me." He sighed with a hand resting on my shoulder. Reluctantly, my head nodded.
I knew that i was meant for more than a babysitter, but i knew he would take me one day.
The whole village stood on the docks as the ships slowly sailed into the distance. Ubbe clinging to my frame with gentle sobs being muffled in my shoulder. Hvitserk curled into his mother, crying uncontrollably into her breast.
Walking through the village, Ubbe skipped close at my side. His hands playing with a toy sword that had been made for him. I felt hands clenching onto the back of my bodice, pulling my frame back with a force.
"Boats. Olyvia! There are boats coming." A bearded man cried. I quickly slapped his hands away, gesturing to the young boy at my side as my frame sprinted towards the shore. He was right. Five ships sailing towards the shore... But they were not ours.
"Get Rollo now!" I shouted to a passerby. The young woman running off to the village whilst my eyes scouted the area for a weapon. A lucky rack of weapons catching my eye. Running towards it, my hand snatched the closest blade before sprinting off in the direction of the hall.
"Olyvia, what is it?" Aslaug gasped. The two boys clung to her side like a bear to it's mother. My eyes glancing to Rollo who knew exactly what was going on.
"It's Jarl Borg, we're under attack." Rollo snarled. Every able body became armed. Ubbe's tearful eyes resting on my body as I collected as many knives as i could carry, as well as the sword in my right hand and a shield in the other.
"Don't go, Olyvia." Ubbe whimpered. My head shook as a small smile appeared on my lips. My frame crouched in front of his weeping eyes, pulling him into a hug.
"I've got to keep you safe. But you, Ubbe, have to make sure no bad men hurt your mother or Hvitserk. Think you can do that?" I whispered. His head nodding with tearful orbs. After planting a gentle kiss on Ubbe's temple, i left the hall, armed and ready.
Barricades were created on the water shore. Old men, weak women and young men assembled with swords and shields.
"Rollo... We cannot win this, Ragnar has all of the best men." I exclaimed. His head glanced out to sea, he knew what i said was the truth. Siggy appeared at our side, blade in hand.
"No, Siggy. You are no shieldmaiden, i need you to take Aslaug and the children away from here." Rollo pleaded. My head nodded with his words, Siggy glancing at me with a sigh before returning to the Princess. "This barricade won't hold." Rollo growled. My head nodded as i took a ready stance.
My fingers curled tight around the handle of the shield with the blade swinging at my hip. "My first taste of battle, and it isn't even on English soil." I growled. Rollo laugh slightly, his arm nudging at my frame with a nod.
"You're a shieldmaiden, you're going to be fine." Rollo insisted. My head nodded against but my eyes watched as the barricades went up in flames. Both sides began their battle cries, axes banging shields and wails of anger. Rollo and I paced behind the first line of defence before we jumped onto the dock. "You ready?" He sighed. His orbs glanced towards me, a gentle smile wriggling onto my lips.
"Jump ship!" Jarl Borg screamed. Men leaped from the boats in every direction, some onto the platform and others into the water. Our archers fired towards them, a good count finding their mark. Men began to run down the platform. Rollo sprinting forward as i held my position.
A shielded man leaped in front of me, a wide grin on his lips as he skittered around in a circle. His body lunged, my shield smashing against his frame. He lost his balance, my shield lowering to catch his legs and putting the man onto the flat of his back. His eyes filled with fear before my sword plunged into his chest. The fighting continued. My hand eventually releasing the shield to be replaced by a short axe. My body leaped from the platform, dropping in front of a charging man. His shield bashed against my arm, knocking my frame to the ground. His sword jabbed aimless towards me, but every lunge landed in the sand. I swung my body round, kicking the feet out from beneath his before my arm swung the axe onto his throat.
"Fall back!" Rollo shouted. I repeated his words, pushing a few bodies towards the village. "To the market place!" Rollo commanded. I followed close to his side, keeping the crowd of fleeing villagers in front of me. I took a bow from an outstretched hand, sheathing the sword at my waist. Docking an arrow onto the string, i waited for Rollo's command. Borg's men started to appear ahead of us when Rollo's command came. Every arrow shot from the bow hitting it's mark. Men dropped down. But arrows began to hit shields, missing their targets.
"Rollo, you and Olyvia must go and find Princess Aslaug. There is no disgrace in the gods to save your life to fight another day. Your first duty is to save the sons of Ragnar." A man uttered. His hands rested on Rollo's arm with eyes pleading for us to flee. Rollo sighed, grabbing my wrist as he dragged my frame from the marketplace.
I could see the flames from the mountainside. Ubbe refusing to vacate my side from the moment his eyes laid upon me. Siggy took the bow from my hand, draping it over her shoulder with the arrows in her grip. Ubbe climbed on my back with his arms curled around my shoulders and his head resting in the space between my shoulder blades. We wandered for miles till we laid eyes on a building.
"Aslaug, it isn't much in the eyes of princess, but if we carry on walking, the children are going to freeze." I growled. I could feel Ubbe's shivering frame clinging to my back. My own body trying to resist the shivers as i gave my body heat to the young boy. I watched Aslaug shake her head, still reluctant to take refuge in the barn. My body pushed past her slim frame, walking towards the building with Ubbe on my back, as well as Rollo and Siggy at my side.