There is a link in my profile for the song Frigga sings in this chapter. Warning fluff and family drama ahead …
Chapter IX – Marked
Serenity for the Vikings had finally come in the form of a slaughtered Irlandian village; their anxieties thus far were wiped away like the dripping blood from Floki's face. Even if they were unwilling to admit it, each man and woman was glad to stretch out in a proper room though the sheets were stained with red. The discovery of the innocent town had felt serendipitous with the festival of Lithasblot and was now put to good use. Food and comforts were gathered from the homes, fires were built and the mead was poured. Most of the company took turns bathing in the river's inlet before settling around the blaze for an evening of merriment. Blankets and cushions were laid around the fire where each person imagined they were celebrating under the moon that shown back in Scandinavia. Their stomachs were filled with all they could withstand, their heads hummed with the excitement and song that swirled into the night air. The heat of the night discouraged the practice of clothing after the cool river had ridded the appalling smell of sweat and blood from their bodies. For a brief moment they pretended they were not on a strange new island in search of a possibly fictitious sword and countless riches while many of their lovers waited alone each night back home.
Laughter and embers rose through the trees and around the moon that hung overhead while Floki entertained his fellow Vikings with his usual antics. The rascal rounded the campfire acting like a gruesome troll scouring the lands for his next meal while teasing his intoxicated comrades. Floki's cheerful tricks had even Rollo grinning by the time the ship builder fell to the ground in a puffing cloud of laughter.
"Who will entertain us next?" Ragnar demanded, spiritedly clapping. The rumble of hilarity slowly melted until only the crackle of the fire was heard, each man turned to the next searching for a brave soul.
"I will." Frigga said from across the fire's glow, until now no one noticed Frigga shared the same mischievous smile as her younger brother. She stood and walked to the opening in the semi-circle of Vikings, "I have a song my mother used to sing to my father." She twisted the stray hair that hung in front of her face around her finger and tucked it behind her ear before she began. "I have seen you leave the shore at sunrise, I have felt your oars as they glide. I have poured you honey from the morning sun, heard you call to the other side." Frigga's gaze fell gently over each man and woman; her voiced pulsed through the night. "I have carried your voice along the wind, I have tumbled it on the tide." Until finally, her eyes fell upon Rollo who had grown bewitched, body and soul by this striking woman. "I have lifted it as its sound grew dim, swallowed it as it died. You may row the boat forever, believing you are free. You cannot cross the water-" their eyes never left each other, "you can only row to me." As her song ended a volcanic applause sounded from the Vikings, the memory of home heavy in their hearts. When the last beautiful note trailed off into the wind so did Rollo's gape, having turned away in embarrassment his unwashed body scorched like hell fire from under the weight of his clothes. What was this woman doing to him?
"I do not think any one can argue," Lagertha shouted over the cheering, "your sister carries a much better tune than you, Floki!" The roll of joy continued to sweep through the company of Vikings while drinks met welcoming lips and rhythmic dancing dizzied every man into a stupor.
The haze and heat had twisted the red ring of the moon even more viciously around the beautiful glowing sphere as it plummeted deeper into the night. The crew showed no signs of slowing their revelries by the time Frigga removed herself from the crowd. She strode undaunted through the silver light that threw her long shadow over empty houses as she passed. Rollo had noticed Frigga quietly excuse herself from the circle and disappear towards the small inlet of the river where the others had bathed just past the nearest homes. He had only been half listening to Erik when he threw down the tinder he was playing with and inconspicuously followed her. The sound of the large, rowdy group of Vikings carried along the wind though it seemed of no consequence to anyone.
Passing into the meager tree line that traced the river's edge, Rollo was sure Frigga had vanished like the dark bird she was when he did not see her standing near the inlet. The black water churned idly around and around like a whirlpool, slowly pulling in new water while pushing out the old. Blinking away the dizzying sight Rollo pressed the balls of his hands into his eyes trying to rub away the lethargy. Upon opening them he discovered Frigga standing nude, waste deep in the pool before him, her black hair hung over her angular shoulder and down between her breasts. The water twisted around her slender waist and wrists while the moon cast shadows all along her body.
"Do you know the story of Candaules and Gyges?" She asked unmoving.
Confused, Rollo struggled to comprehend the scene laid before him, his shoulder stung and the pleasure the mead once brought was now turning into a fearsome headache. Steadying his breath, he replied, "I do not." With a smile Frigga extended her hand to him letting the water slash down around her.
"Maybe someday I will tell it to you." Rollo knew he could take this woman at will as he had so many others through threat and force but something stuck him about her, Frigga's presence was so remarkable at times he felt he would break her with a simple touch. "Come." He heard her say from the water. Before Rollo could stop himself, he was removing his clothes one by one, trying to summon the same courage Frigga had to stand before another completely naked without trepidation. Feeling vulnerable for the first time in his life, Rollo's terrified heart slammed heavy against the inside of his chest as he took his first exposed steps into the blackness.
Wading in to the river Rollo felt the mud squished beneath his bare feet as the water rose higher up his legs and passed his waist. The cool shock purged whatever headache had formed and the smell of cinnamon made stronger by the water had eased his trembling nerves. The moment Rollo stood before Frigga, their toes nearly touching, he was able to see just how intricate her black tattoos really were, they snaked around the right side of her body, up her shoulder and along her collarbone. The moonlight bounced off the water and glistened over their exposed beings.
Frigga examined the broad, barrel chested man; each mark on his skin, whether from ink or from battle, was part of his story – just like hers. His face was still hard and hesitant though his brow and jaw were relaxed and his mouth was slightly agape. Frigga's eyes traveled to the shoulder she had become so accustomed to only to find his wound beginning to turn, his sweat had started to disintegrate the stitches. Rollo glanced down to his arm then back to Frigga though she was still transfixed on his wound. Frigga inched closer to the eldest Lothbrok, looking into his eyes and placing her right palm over his shoulder. Under the trickling of cool water over his chest her hand burned with a heat he had never felt before, he wanted to pull away but his eyes were lost in hers. Finally, he was able to break away when he noticed one of the tattoos that snaked along her collar had twisted around and grown up the back of her neck. Rollo's eyes widened in disbelief, thinking the moon was playing tricks on them when she removed her hand from his wound and in its place a delicate, black tattoo remained.
"Whether for ourselves or for others," Frigga said tracing the design with her fingertip, "every choice we make leaves its mark, Rollo." Rollo brought up his hand to touch the design this woman had marked him with, it was still warm beneath his fingers but the sting of his injury had vanished. This was the first time she had called him by his name and he had never heard something so familiar sound so foreign.
The morning brought with it tired bodies and heavy minds, alas the company could not pause any longer and began packing their gear for the remaining journey. Floki stood along side his sister who, like others, was readying one of the town's horses with supplies to take with them; Erik and Athelstan prepared a few others for Ragnar, Lagertha and Rollo to ride. Rollo had not been seen all morning, thought to have fallen into a drunken sleep beside the river or even fallen in. Though like a phantom Rollo reappeared just as the company set to depart, his face was clean, his beard tidied and his hair was combed neatly back into a ponytail. Rollo approached the fences where his brother and sister-in-law waited with confused expressions and mounted his horse.
"Yes?" Rollo grumbled at Ragnar. The young Lothbrok fought the impending grin and quickly shook his head before straddling his own steed.
A storm could be seen looming in from the west when they pushed past the cliffs and along the river's edge, the forest grew up around them. Half of the day had gone when the sky broke and torrents fell in sheets over the earth. The Viking Company could hear the river grow louder to their left as the rain pummeled everything though they could no longer see it through the trees. The needles and leaves that littered the forest floor made each step slippery and uncertain, the blankets of water were almost blinding turning their progress into a crawl. Frigga could feel her legs growing weary with every step that sunk a little more into the soft soil. Many of the crew took their fare share of falls, covering themselves head to toe in the brown sludge, Frigga included though they pressed on. Taking rest beneath the shelter of fallen oaks, Frigga pulled gently on her brother's sleeve as she looked at the sky.
"Would you say we are still on course?" she asked. Floki looked to the sky with his sister, the clouds above them traveled from right to left as they had been throughout the journey though now they passed almost straight overhead. He grabbed her wrist and pulled her through the mud to Ragnar, Lagertha and Rollo who stood with their horses. Floki repeated the motion his sister had done and directed Ragnar's eyes to the sky.
"The river has pushed us too far west, my friend." Floki said. Ragnar wiped the dripping water from his brow in a wash of frustration after noticing the sky's movements. "We must cross back over." These were the exact words the young Lothbrok did not want to hear, the current the rain had created was nothing short of perilous. He could see his men were fatigued and by the time they reached the river again the night would be upon them. Catching their breath once more, the order was given to forge their way back east and prepare to cross the river.
From atop his horse Rollo could see Frigga struggling to continually pull her feet from the mud; this usually graceful, unfaultable creature finally appeared human. He slid from the back of his steed and trudged to her side.
"Here," Rollo said holding out the reins to her.
"I do not need charity, thank you," she said obstinately though her thighs were on fire.
"Do not be foolish, you will need your strength to forge the river." Again shaking the reigns at her.
"I will manage," she answered without looking at him.
"Not very Chieftess-like to tramp through the mud."
"You forget, I have also been called a ship builder's sister, a Nióingr and Sigyn," she provoked finally turning to him. Rollo gritted his teeth and bit the inside of his cheek.
"Stubborn woman." He growled close to her ear before mounting his horse again.
Erik was handed a length of rope, being the largest and strongest he was given the honor of crossing the surge first and tying off the rope so the others could follow. Wrapping the rope around his wrist, Erik waded into the water that nearly reached waist height, his mighty legs pushing him forward across the river's span. With the rope anchored firmly around a large pine the horses were sent across next, the water only just reaching below their shoulders each made it safely across with all cargo intact. The sun was sinking over the trees behind them prompting an ever quicker coarse of action, the men and women one by one took hold of the rope and began their trek across the raging river.
The water pushed at their sides and weaved through their exhausted legs forcing their ribs into the taut rope as they crossed. Frigga reached hand over hand trying to ignore the pressure in her side; each terrifying step through the water was magnified by the increasing lack of daylight. The moment was almost too quick for Frigga to think, the moment her hands slipped from the wet rope and she felt her feet pulled from under her by the current. The black water swallowed her fiercely, shoving water into her throat for an agonizing moment until a massive force caught her by the wrist and pulled her up. Rollo's colossal grip was nothing short of painful but was undoubtedly instinct when he pulled her back above the waterline. Tucking her under his arm the company made their way across the rest of the river. Rollo pulled Frigga by her bicep up the slippery bank and practically threw her to the ground with a thud.
"Ouch!" She yelped when her back slammed against the earth.
"Quiet!" he snipped back at her while their fellow Vikings looked on in unease. Rollo looked up to them before angrily pulling off his heavy cloak and throwing it to the ground.
"Rollo," Ragnar called to deaf ears. Rollo slicked back his loose hair, reached for Frigga once again yanking her from the mud and dragged her into the wood.
"Release me right now!" she yelled at him but his grasp didn't loosen. Once they were a distance away Rollo pushed her under the shelter of a thick pine out of the rain.
"What an unconscionable burden you are." He growled at her.
"You insufferable man," Frigga rose to her feet, "I have spent half this journey nursing your idiocy, next time I will just let your arm rot and fall off."
"I knew you the first moment I met you-"
"You know nothing about me or my brother for that matter, you treat him like scum!"
"It appeared to me you and your sister do not treat him any better. The only reason we are in this mess is through your sisters self-indulgence." He stepped closer to her as lightning clapped.
"My sister? It seems to me your brother's greed is what brought you here and correct me if I am wrong but you did not seem burdened last night." Frigga snapped following his advance closer; their voices rose over the rain.
"Your stubbornness nearly-"
"Nearly what, cost me my life? The only reason you need me here is to lead you to Fragarach, now what does saving me say about your intentions?"
"I should have let you been swept away!" He yelled into her face
"You know where Fragarach is so why didn't you!" Frigga shouted matching his volume, their faces inches apart. She was almost certain his hand would fly at any moment but it never did. Rollo's eyes softened for an instant when he looked down to the rain dripping from her lips. Something drew him towards this infuriating woman; he wanted to take her right there in the rain except his breath was caught in his throat. Frigga's heart shook in her chest as thunder boomed overhead causing Rollo to pull himself from her spell. Rollo pulled the collar of his shirt aside revealing the black mark she had left on his shoulder, rain dripped over his strong form and through his hair.
"We are even now," he sighed.
"You were never indebted," she answered dolefully. Rollo was afraid to look into her eyes once more for fear she was telling the truth. That someone would help him for the sake of sincere kindness without wanting anything in return. This unfathomable thought caused him to turn from her and walk away.
The storm above had finally passed when the Vikings pitched their camp on the east side of the bank. The water had risen more than half way up the steep incline by the time they laid their clothes out to dry. Brooding next to his brother, Rollo watched Frigga from across the smothered campfire as she gathered two bowls of nettle soup and give one to her brother. Floki sat on a log a distance away from the rest of the group where the horses were tied when his sister took her place next to him. Several silent moments passed after they finished their food.
"Do you remember the pony we had in Oslo?" She asked, "She was the most brilliant creature..."
"Please stop."
"Excuse me?"
"You expect me to sit and reminisce with you after all this time. I do not know you, stop trying to know me, girl."
"That is enough, you may not speak to me that way."
"I loved my people with every ounce of compassion I could give, I would have led them as the rightful heir now simply looking upon you sickens me to know that I could not save them from Freydis's reign."
"Our people are happy and content-"
"She has beguiled them, do not thing me a fool sister."
"I can not change what has happened or why you left-"
"Left! Left?" He shot to his feet, "I – WAS - EXILED!" he screamed at her. "Your beloved sister turned me out of my own home and into the wilderness. Left?" He paced back and forth "She blames me for mother and father's death, you knew this and you did nothing to stop her!" he shoved a finger in her face. The rest of the group couldn't help overhearing.
"I was only fifteen!"
"I was ten years old and you let her turn me away. I am of just as noble birth as you and now you see what I have become..."
"Oh stop, stop this act, this portrayal of a mad man that you so cleverly trick everyone else with." Frigga jumped to her feet pointing to the men behind them.
"Act! Do you have any idea what sixteen years alone in the wilderness can do to a man?" Floki stooped down closer to her. "You know nothing!" Frigga straightened tall until their noses were practically touching. "I loved them and you more than you could ever imagine, damn you for abandoning me when I needed you most."
A/N: #ohrollo. #poorfloki
I will try to have the chapter 10 up by next Monday but it's giving me some resistance.