Chapter Five - The Broken Pledge

"The Lothbrok brothers, always in my way. I didn't expect any less of you, to be honest."

The Earl Haraldsson was standing before Rollo and Ragnar both on their knees. He was eyeing them malevolently, an expression of anger locked on all of his face. His eyes were red and his jaw was clenching in a menacing way. Rollo almost hit his brother in the back of the head when he smiled, but he couldn't. Their hands were bound.

Almost ten men had found them in the forest, back at that night, and had dragged them through the darkness until they had reached Kattegat. There, Rollo and Ragnar had been thrown in the Earl's cell and had waited for three days. Three long days of obscurity, blood, thirst, hunger and filth. Ragnar had peacefully slept while Rollo was trying to figure out an escape plan, but it was just a silly way to make time pass. The Earl's cells were too well guarded to be escaped. He kept wondering how he would kill them. Beheading, stabbing? He thought he would never see Gudrun again.

And now they were on the floor before Haraldsson, dirty, filthy and tired, waiting for the sentence to fall.

"I hope you know you're going to die here. But first, I want you to tell me what you know. And especially you, Rollo Lothbrok."

"I have nothing to tell." said Rollo fiercely.

"I think you do." The Earl smiled.

Rollo held his gaze and glared back. The Earl's jaw tightened and he pulled out his sword, slowly drawing it towards Ragnar. He placed it under his chin, forcing him to lift his head and look at Rollo annoyingly.

"Speak. Or your brother shall pay."

"You told us we weren't going to leave this place alive anyway..." uttered Ragnar.

The Earl smacked him with the flat of his sword. Still, a bit of blood escaped from his lip. Rollo's brow furrowed and his teeth clenched. He looked at the Earl again, the eyes full of pride and frustration.

"I shall speak, but you have to promise me my brother won't be touched by any of you..."

"Granted. Now speak." quickly said the Earl.

It seemed a little bit too easy to Rollo. The Earl still probably wanted Ragnar more dead than him, and he was obviously lying. Rollo hesitated in lying, or telling the truth in order to acquire more information. After all, maybe it could be useful. They still had a chance to get out, since there were only three warriors in the room, excluding Haraldsson. But first, they had to cut their bounds in some way. Haraldsson's sword seemed perfect for that purpose.

"Speak, Lothbrok!" raged the Earl.

"I want to have word with you, but in private. Your men can't hear what I'll say." Rollo strongly asserted. He hoped it would work. For once, he would have to use cunning, as his brother always did. As he was in a position of weakness, strength was of no use. He had to be wise.

The Earl looked at Rollo for a minute, staying silent. He considered Ragnar evilly, then flicked his hand in order to make his men leave. They did so, and dragged Ragnar with them by the hair. Ragnar didn't scream, but Rollo saw the apparent pain in his brother's eyes. He swore he would kill Haraldsson, but first things first. He had to think wisely.

"So, I am waiting." said the Earl.

"I have spoken with the seer..." began Rollo. "He told me about the origins of my servant. He told me her mother was from Kattegat, but I believe you already know all of this."

"I do."

"So why do you ask me to tell it again?"

"I want to see how far you know, obviously. Your brother is smarter than you, they all say. I see it is true." the Earl chuckled.

Rollo inwardly smiled. If he kept on sounding dumb, Haraldsson would loosen his guard. And then, he would strike.

The first fight he had to win was yet the eye dominance of the Earl. Both were glaring bitterly at their enemy, not frowning, not a muscle twitching in the process. Finally, to Rollo's great pleasure, the Earl looked away and sighed. He was sweating and breathing nervously, but suddenly he raised his voice.

"Speak!" he thundered in his angry voice.

"Fine." answered Rollo deeply. He glared at him one last time, then spoke what came to his mind first. The truth.

"When we found her, it was in Northern England. But you surely know we went there, do you?" he ironically accused. "She was a prisoner in a cellar. We took her with her, got her strength back. She became a good slave."

"The only good slave is the obedient one!" Haraldsson said loudly.

"She was obedient!" fought back Rollo.

"Can't you see when she finds out who she really is she will turn her back on you and leave? Do you really think she will stay?!"

"I don't care. I'll let her go." he took a deep breath and glared at the Earl. "She already knows."

Haraldsson raged in fury and grabbed a knife that was on the table, and pointed it at Rollo. "I'll kill you, Lothbrok!" But as he uttered those menacing words, he fell on the ground. Rollo had tackled his legs with his own, and made sure he had dropped the knife. He then hit the Earl hard with his own skull, only feeling a slight pain because he was used to fight that way. He didn't care. He quickly leapt to his feet and grabbed the dagger from behind, with his tied hands, and began to cut his links. When they fell on the floor, he then tied up the Earl, who had regained full vision and was now glaring at him evilly.

"I will kill you! My men will kill you!" he screamed.

"Your men are dead."

Rollo pulled the heavy wooden door open, to see with satisfaction a puddle of blood quickly pouring from the floor. He opened the door more, and was relieved when the two bodies that were on the ground were those of the Earl's men. He then began to search for his brother, ignoring the red and the massacred limbs. On the corner, Ragnar was lying pitifully, his body trunk leaning on one side. When he saw Rollo, he lifted his chin and had a cheeky smile.

"There you are, brother. I thought you'd never come."

"Ragnar... Where are you hurt?" hastily asked Rollo.

"Not a "thank you Ragnar?" You should know better of me." Ragnar winked, then winced painfully. He showed his leg to Rollo, uncovering it. It was bloody, the wound was wide.

Rollo smirked at his brother's remark, then began to lift him. Ragnar gritted his teeth and sweated heavily, restraining the noises of pain to come out of his mouth. Rollo could feel his muscles tense as he wrapped him with one arm. Ragnar hopped on one leg, Rollo leading both of them outside. He dropped Ragnar for a few moments, just grabbing a torch hanging on the inside wall. He threw it onto the straw wall of one side of the Earl's house, waiting for the flames to run high up in the ink black sky. His eyes were deep and were getting lost in the lecherous flames wrapping around the wood. Ragnar watched too, supporting himself on his brother's shoulder. His stunning blue eyes were filled with the flames, and his face held no expression. All of both of them was lost in the flames. As the heat began to burn their skin, they got away. Before disappearing into the woods, Rollo planted a stick in the body of one of the Earl's men. When it got bloody red, he walked to the wall of another house. Ragnar watched him trace a rune, the well known rune for "defence of those we love". It was shaped like a Y , but split in the middle by a straight vertical line. Just like a crucified man. Just like what would happen if anyone was to plot against them again. It was threat.

After that, Rollo and Ragnar slowly disappeared in the forest, going to Floki's house. They knew it was far and had to walk without stopping at all for a whole day if they wanted to get there on time. Before it was too late for Ragnar. One of them hopping, the other one supporting his weight, they walked as the darkness of the trees swallowed them.

"They're here!" screamed Athelstan at Gudrun and Floki, storming into the room.

"Ragnar? Rollo?" said Floki, his cheeks still wet but his mouth wide. His eyes were full of hope.

"Help me!" shouted Lagertha's voice from outside.

Floki rushed out, and gasped at Ragnar's state. His old friend was bleeding from a large wound in the leg, and seemed to have passed out. He was pale and bloody, but he knew he was alive. He quickly helped Lagertha and Rollo to carry him to Gudrun's room.

"Move!" yelled Lagertha.

Gudrun sprung off the bed, pushing herself against the wall to let the more space possible for everyone. The gently deposed Ragnar on the bed, who suddenly opened his eyes and moaned in pain. His eyes found Gudrun, and he smiled. His eyes were twinkling with both pain and joy.

"I see you're still alive!" he managed to say to Gudrun.

"You too..." she muttered, a half smile on her lips. She couldn't help but be horrified at the state he was in.

"For the moment..." Ragnar uttered before groaning again.

"Get out! I'll heal him." said Floki in a haste, pushing Gudrun out. She noticed how his grip on her back was gentle now, how he cared. Lagertha got in the way too.

"I'll stay!" she violently argued. "I'll help you." Floki looked about to strongly disagree but he noticed Ragnar's hand gently holding his wife's. He smiled and pushed Rollo, Gudrun and Athelstan out.

"Leave, all of you!" he said before shutting the door. A few seconds after that, his head peeked out from it again: "Athelstan, fetch some water. Please."

Athelstan almost smiled at the "please", if Ragnar's life wasn't currently in danger. He quickly ran out, struggling to find a bucket. He looked for it in the wood pile, behind the house, and began to panic.

"Athelstan!" called Gudrun. She handed him one that was hidden under a pile of hay. He thanked her with a sign of the hand, and ran to fetch the water at a stream.

When Athelstan was gone, Gudrun let out a long, deep sigh. Of relief or anxiety, she did not know. She passed a hand through her raven hair, so uncommon for people from here to have. She wondered if it came from her father. Her eyes watered at the thought of Ragnar, currently in terrible pain, maybe hanging between life and death. She looked around and noticed Rollo, sitting on a large log, his head between his hands. His elbows were on his knees, and she could see he was breathing heavily. She hesitated, then decided to walk to him. She sat on the ground next to him, and saw he was completely still. As a crow waiting for the Gods to come. Unless he was not a crow. She thought about her dream again. The one she had been having while she was laying in bed, recovering from her wound. Her head still hurt a bit, but that was fine. The giant wolf that had appeared was scary, but didn't seem that menacing. She had the same feeling towards Rollo: a tall, imposing man, strong, that could break her with a simple touch. But yet, he didn't. He even stood out for her. He didn't seem like the kind of person who would do that. But he did, and it surprised her as much as it surprised him.

Seeing her sitting on the ground at his side, Rollo turned his head to look at her. He didn't utter a word, too lost in his thoughts of pain and fear for his brother's life. As the forest around them was still as a graveyard, he could hear a breathing, almost the beating of her heart. He could almost hear her thoughts, an aura of stress and gentleness was coming from her. Suddenly, with a little voice but full of courage, she broke the fragile silence.

"I'm glad you're back." she said.

He took in a deep breath, and forced his lips into a small smile.

"Me too."

"I... I want to thank you. You know, for finding out I was in fact not a slave, and all..."

Rollo stared at her in amazement. That was totally not the moment to say that, but she didn't seem to care. A real smile now formed itself on his mouth, and he looked at her as if he was discovering another person.

"I did what was right. I think that's what your mother would have wanted."

"Yes... I think so too. May Go- the Gods thank you for this."

"It's still hard to get used to many Gods I see?"

"Y-Yes... It's not my fault, I was raised like that..." she muttered. It still made her blush when he spoke directly to her. His voice was so deep, he was so tall and broad...

"Never said that. Maybe you could talk to the other, that priest. But I think he still doubts too."

"Doubt is normal..."

"I never doubt."

"Oh, I think you do."

"No, I don't." Rollo had lowered his voice in an impressive way, which made something in Gudrun stir. She cringed and looked him in the eye.

"Sorry, I can't believe that."

Rollo smirked, and painfully slowly stood up. Gudrun swallowed hardly at his height. He lightly smirked.

"Look at that. Already one of us, and you're ready to hold a grudge. With me."

He walked away, not leaving her enough time to answer back. He walked in the house again, even if Floki had said not to see Ragnar. Maybe he wanted to find Björn, or Gyda. Or maybe she was too annoying... She realised with anger that her cheeks were burning. She mentally slapped herself. Stop thinking about that dream.

She opened her hands tensely and closed them again, sighing deeply. She prayed whatever God most likely to help her to save Ragnar, she asked every God she knew. Odin, Thor, Freyr, Tyr, Sif, Sigyn, Aegir, and even Loki. She didn't know them very well yet, and a tear escaped her eyelid. It angered her that except stupid prayers to gods she didn't know, she couldn't do anything to help Ragnar. She let her head fall in her hands as she released a painful sob. She choked all of her sadness back, knowing there was no room for tears in the Viking world. She got to her feet and began to go to the house too, when she took a look around Rollo's log. She turned around, and saw a dagger planted into the bark. She took it out, and watched her reflection in it. She suddenly realised she could be so much more than that. So much more than a simple girl with Viking ancestry. She wanted to change the course of things, to change the world. She wanted to do what she wanted, and despite the violence and cruelty of this place, she knew it was the same everywhere. Only here, women could fight too. A part of her dreaded fighting, and she decided on that day to let that part win. Yes. She would become a shield-maiden.

[A/N: I am so, so sorry for the long wait! But as I said before, I promise I will NEVER abandon this story. You have my Northman word.

First of all, I'd like to thank you for the MASSIVE follows I've been receiving, thank you. So much. I'd also like to thank Natalya Rose and wabi-sabi1090. Also the lovely Lagertha Lothbro. (I believe you wanted to write Lothbrok but that the limitation of characters didn't let you do so, am I right? ^_^

Anyway, thank you a lot for all the support. I've seen a lot of people are currently reading that story, and please, let me know if you liked it! I'm not pleading for reviews or feedback here, but i's always improving our work as authors to know. It makes us happier to write and the stories come out faster. So if you have any thought, I would be more than pleased to discuss it with you!

Have a very nice day, night, whatever, and don't forget to REVEW!]