Chapter 18.
At this day the sun shone more brightly and warmer than any other day. Ivar gazed at it from the tops of the cliffs above Kattekat. He spent a sleepless night revoking any scenario involving Llucia and the attack, the great opportunity they had to ransack them when the Queen Lagertha was absent.
It was an organized bunch lead by a few men with various shields and banners. It wasn't an army but it was something close to it. The Earls and the smaller lords were brewing something, with King Ragnar dead and Queen Aslaug killed, they sensed a new wind. Lagertha couldn't hold Kattekat AND Hedeby on her own and Bjorn...
Bjorn had other things on his mind, to be King yes, to rule it now no. He felt as fickle as a spiders web, easily destroyed if you applied just enough strength. He seemed twitchy, ready to strike at any moment. Ivar saw his ships still ready to sail at a word's notice. The oldest Ragnarsson didn't want to be tied to one place it seemed.
Hvitserk, his brother was smelling power, he liked it and he wanted more but he was foolish. The idiot wanted women and tales of his honor.
Sigurd isn't brave enough and Ubbe... Ubbe has to balance too many cups on his hands to be able to handle him.
Which only left the allies they sailed with. The brothers and a few bigger earls.
The Vikings wanted a new King.
It didn't make any sense what's over to him if Llucia killed them here, she'd be killed by the first chance someone would come by. Maybe by a berserker or a random fool. She can't even face battle yet.
To Ivar everything smelled like a setup but he couldn't go back on his word. What man could he be if he retook it now? No honor not strength in his oaths. No matter how much it hurt him to watch her leave the hall, he had to let her go.
Hedeby had it's torches lit brightly when their former Earl Ingstad, now Queen Lagertha arrived. The shield maidens cheered as the crowd gathered to welcome her. Lagertha smiled at them all, letting her maidens take the stallion on which she rode to the barn and be fed and rested.
Her eyes saw the raven haired at the entrance of the halls of Hedeby. She recognized her and the pained expression on her face.
The betrayal of the man you loved. Being cast aside.
Lagertha approached her with open arms, inviting for a hug. She was denied with stern eyes. ˝We need to talk˝
˝Very well.. inside?˝- She nudged to the now empty hall of Hedeby. Everyone was outside, gathered around a pyre, dancing and singing. Drinking and eating to their fill, their earl had become the Queen.
Llucia had nodded and walked ahead. In her mind there were numerous excuses, reasons and lies swirling like a giant stew. She had to find a way to reinvent herself, yet again. In her mind she had resolved a few things.
She wouldn't be useless.
She wouldn't loose her place her.
She wouldn't loose him.
It may take a few months even years but in the end she'd have him and she'd used everything she had to get back at him and make him realize, no one will be as perfect as me.
˝I have a few things I must confess but first let me ask you˝- Llucia said sitting beside the fire. She saw an image of a woman, smiling at her and closing her eyes. A good omen. ˝Were you responsible for the attack on Kattekat?˝
Lagertha smiled and sat down beside her. ˝There are many things you still need to learn, politics are one of them˝
˝Surely you can't be talking about politics to the child of one of the greatest empires of the whole world?˝ - Llucia snorted. The older women raised an eyebrow
˝So the kitten finds its claws˝
˝I may be young Queen Lagertha but there are things that I know way better than you and my gods and even your gods stand beside me˝
˝I will pray they do, you will need it˝- They both turned to the fire, enjoying the warmth. Llucia felt the heat rise as she spoke.
˝You enjoy the safe heaven here, my father always said peace was the time to prepare for war.˝- she opened her eyes to the fire, letting the yellows and oranges blind her for a few moments - ˝ When there is a rising tide, build your house higher˝
˝Threats child?˝
˝Promises? I wouldn't wager myself as a threat to you˝- She smiled with the fire in her eyes.
˝Do you remember your words to me?˝
˝I do, clearly but do you remember your promise to me when I came to you the first day? When I came in as a slave, confused and afraid?˝
Lagertha lifted her chin slightly. Her eyes focused on the woman beside her. Llucia felt the rush of her blood in her ears. The fire was spreading through her body. ˝Accompanied by a valkyrie and sheltered by fire you will be a sight to behold and not to reckoned with. I remember those words you uttered while you watched me. You spoke of greats and things women couldn't achieve, you blamed yourself for the loss of your daughter so you took me in. The southern slave. The southern orphan that everyone just wanted a piece off. You took me and trained me, honed me but then you used me as a shield. I guess it really makes you a shield maiden then.˝- Llucia chuckled. ˝Let me remind you of the laws your people use and uphold.˝
˝The same laws you have to uphold˝
˝Which I am. I am not lying nor am I deceiving, merely using the same tools the northern people use. Cunning and wits, strength under the banner of the gods˝
˝Careful with your words, you may never know what you invoke˝
˝I shall invoke only the deeds that my body can take on. I shall take the wove to make myself the vesell of the gods. Wasn't that you said during the ritual? When you slit the goat's throat?˝ - Llucia kept her voice even, steady as she spoke to Lagertha as an equal. For the woman to break the tinniest bit she needed to pound hard and fast, search for any imperfection to plant her seed.
˝I suppose you're still siding with the Ragnarsson˝
˝Your own son is a Ragnarsson˝
˝Bjorn is not in your heart, he isn't even in your mind right now. Revenge, maybe. So ask freely what you want Suddjottir˝- Llucia smiled ever so slightly. It was the term used for a daughter of the south, she learned to love the term. It meant she had shaken her, she had prodded through the thick armor of the great shield maiden.
˝YOU may already see it˝- She mentioned it to her body and Lagertha nodded. It was painful not to notice even if her own body wasn't capable of it anymore. ˝I want my own land, a small hut a bit of the forest, a bit of water, that is all I shall ask of you˝- Llucia stared at the fire awaiting the answer.
˝I shall find you a patch and you can be on your way, tomorrow stay for the feast and eat your fill, you will need it. Suddjottir, may the gods watch over you because they people don't˝- Ouch. Llucia felt the low blow but focused her face to stay still. She wouldn't show emotion, just nod her head in agreement.
The doors opened and Llucia heard the cheers and rumble of the festivieis as Lagertha exited. She smiled to the fire. It would turn out her way..eventually.
a/n : anyone getting weird vibes from the last episode? It kinda reminds me of a soap opera a bit, who's fucking who and wae ?Or rather fucking over who? And yes I know this chapter is short, it's a filler chapter, sowwwy
** Snow flakes**
With the breeze in the wint something tickled Ivar's nose. He lifted his eyes to the grey skies and saw the clouds thick together, clustered on a pile. They were white and grey, fluffy and small, a stacked mess of fluff. He imagine clouds to be as soft as sheep wool.
He watched the skies as another thing tickled his nose. Frowning he noticed snow flurries falling down. They were barely visible. Another one hit his cheek and one landed on his forehead. He stared at the frozen fluff falling down.
It would snow soon. He grinned at the thought.
Never in a million years would he admit he loved the snow. Everyone had to slow down with their lives and walk slower or just fall down on their asses which amused him to no end.
It was also the time he'd first notice the other children didn't want to play with him, during the summer and warmer seasons they would be busy playing together and helping the grown ups, but when winter came they'd leave him alone with his mother and Floki. He was scary during the colder months, crueler and mean they'd say.
But he liked it that way, it was like the winter winds and the snow on the ground, nature was cruel and so was he. He tried the same approach when winter came and Llucia was still in that hut. What he didn't account for was the resistance she'd put up. She cursed and yelled at him, in that broken tongue of hers.
The snow was falling steady now, flurries mixing with bigger flakes. He let them cover his head and shoulders, the chill was welcome.