I got an awesome review, and decided to do another chapter today already. So thanks to LauRa-ReaDinG-XoX for the nice comment!
Anyways, I want for those of you interested in listening to some typical Danish music IN ENGLISH, please listen to the man that a lot of Danes grew up with listening to: Kim Larsen - This is my life. You Tube *** /watch?v=mPbKRH7OuaM The comment section reveals that a lot of Swedes also enjoy this song, so I thought it appropriate :)
Enjoy and skål!
Frida could already hear the beatings of the drums down from the harbor that were to inform the whole village that yet another royal guest was to disembark in Kattegat.
Even though she had been out of her bed from even before the sun had risen over the Eastern horizon, the forenoon had flown by with lightning speed. The calm and serenity she had felt as the morning dew disappeared into the air because of the warming rays of the rising morning sun were no longer soothing through her body.
Now, hurt and determinatinon pumped alongside her flowing blood as she rose to her feet, her eyes falling to her husband that was placed next to her.
And she exhaled a small puff of air as she saw him sitting there on his throne, his lips pressed into a thin line and his eyes small and narrowed, deep concentration obvious from his expression.
Bjørn's leaving had surprised Ragnar even more than it had surprised her.
Because Ragnar had felt deep in his heart that Bjørn would actually do this for him. Not only for him as a father and for his legacy, but for the village of Kattegat and for all of the surrounding kingdoms of this land as well.
There are many things you can ask your children, Frida thought to herself as she reached out her hand for Ragnar to take, but asking them to marry a foreign woman, even if it is for the greater good of their family, is too much.
Frida knew that.
However, the circumstances were as bad as they could ever be. For currently, the ship that carried the daughter of the Götaland king was closing in on Kattegat's harboring bridge, here to familiarize herself with her father's strengthening alliance and her, potential, future husband.
And Ragnar thought Bjørn's choice of leaving in the dark of night an embarrassment to him as a king. For this slightly complicated the agreement he had made with king Eysteinn.
Frida had persuaded Ragnar to tell Eysteinn the immediate truth. He had rambled on in some delirious state of mind, thinking about telling Eysteinn and his daughter that there had been an accident during the night with Bjørn, reasoning his son's absence with a lie.
And when Floki had arrived, as called for by Ragnar in guidance, he had concurred: "It is always good politics to tell the truth… Unless, of course, you are a very skilled liar."
His eyes had shot to Frida's after the last word left his lips, and he had smiled manically at her, his eyes shining from behind the black circles around them.
But Frida had whispered to her husband, as hoping to whisper to his heart, that lies would always be exposed. Sooner or later.
Athelstan had suddenly stepped forth into their small circle around the fire in the midst of the long-hall, and he had put his hand on Ragnar's arm, speaking words that Frida felt like she had heard before somewhere: "The lip of truth shall be established forever, but a lying tongue is but for a moment."
And Ragnar had nodded, earning Floki to hiss out and turn away, but causing Frida to sigh out in relief, her heart suddenly pumping with new life and the child in her belly suddenly kicking vividly.
King Eysteinn reacted strangely enough not as strongly as Frida, and Ragnar even so, would have expected. Eysteinn had leaned back in his chair, letting it rest only on the two back legs, his feet on the table in front of him, while he had smiled in a brief sigh, simply asking: "Has he ever been on his own?"
Frida had looked at the Götaland king with big eyes, feeling a small tint of hope spire in the pits of her stomach.
"Not surviving alone, no," Ragnar had breathed from the other side of the table, his eyes piercing at the face of the Götaland king in front of him.
Eysteinn had straightened his chair, folding his hands over the table, and slowly lifted his eyes to meet with Frida's. She had felt her cheeks turning pink from his gaze, his clear blue eyes sparkling at her with a strange light, and she awkwardly shifted her stance, turning her eyes away from him and down to Ragnhildir in her arms.
"Bjørn will come around, I reckon," the Geat had voiced, "and if it turns out he doesn't, well then, our forces might still go together. I certainly wish to see the lands to the West, even if our families are not tied by blood."
Frida could not help but to feel her heart softening a little. This Götaland king had a large heart, she could tell by the sincerity in his air.
Whether he was willing to see past the events of the morning because of the earnings he eventually was to gain from his alliance with Ragnar, or if it was from a genuine and sincere hope of their alliance and friendship growing stronger was unimportant to Frida.
Honestly.
She was merely glad that Eysteinn had not taken offence to Bjørn's departure and seen it as a humiliation to him as a king, like Ragnar had feared would have happened.
But even though their situation had actually turned out much better than anyone would have expected, Ragnar still sat with a hard expression on his face, his eyes on the rugged floor below him, his shoulders down.
Frida still had her hand reached out for him to take as to go together to welcome the Götaland princess that was embarking any moment now, and she exhaled a small breath, her heart sinking a bit in her chest.
"He will return, Ragnar," she said in a small voice, taking a small step towards him.
He looked older than usual as he sat there in his chair, all sunken in and a face beaming with fatherly concern, and Frida furrowed her brows as she imagined the things he must be thinking.
"Don't blame yourself, my love, please. Come."
Ragnar's eyes finally rose to Frida's, and she sighed out in relief when she saw them softening from the sound of her voice, and he rose to his feet too, reaching his hand up to cup Ragnhildir's little head that peeped out from the wrappings Helga had done over Frida's chest as to carry her more easily. Ragnar planted a small kiss on his daughter's head before he bent over to place another one on Frida's lips, finally taking her hand.
They hurried down to the harbor, just in time to welcome the Götaland princess, Ingeborg, to their kingdom.
And by Freyja's hair was she one of the most beautiful women Frida had ever laid her eyes upon. Her skin was not as light as the villagers' here in Kattegat, it seemed to have been caressed more dearly by the sun, and yet, her hair was whiter than even Lagertha's, and her eyebrows too were of the color of snow. Even the lashes that surrounded her eyes were snow white, reminding Frida of the tales of the most beautiful god of them all, Balder, son of Odin and Frigg. Her eyes were like two pearls made from the bluest summer skies, encircled by a black ring that made her glare intense and exhilarating. She looked like a beautiful white dove, only with the sharp eyes of an eagle.
Ingeborg was dressed in a long deep blue dress that was decorated heavily across the chest with white pearls and silver threading, and she moved elegantly down from her ships to the bridge, where she was greeted shortly by her father, the two of them embracing each other in a loving hug. The smile that spread over her face from seeing her father again revealed a set of perfect white teeth that were as straight as pearls on a line, and Frida could not help but to stare at the Götaland princess, as she made her way over the bridge.
She could not help but to think that if Bjørn would have stayed for just a bit longer, he might not have wanted to go anywhere.
Frida clutched her fingers around the small leather sack she had in her hand, which held a gift from Ragnar and her to the newly arrived guest. The gift was a stunning golden necklace that had been brought from England, with big red crystals in it. Rubies, Athelstan had explained.
"Welcome, Götaland princess Ingeborg, to Kattegat. I hope your journey was not unpleasant," Ragnar voiced in a smug smile, reaching his hand out take hers.
When Ingeborg laid her hand into his, Ragnar bent a bit down and raised her hand to place a quick kiss on the back of her hand, before straightening himself, still a smug smile over his lips. "As is the custom in England," he smiled at her and her father.
Frida felt her throat constricting sharply, and she let out a small gush of air.
She watched as the cheeks of the Götaland princess reddened heavily, breathing out a little giggle before nodding with her head, accepting his welcome.
"Thor was very gentle with us, and he brought us a safe and quick passage. But the journey is not far, as you know," Ingeborg spoke with a bright smile on her lips, while she let her eyes wander around over the harbor.
Her tongue was Norse, but too with the same rushing of the words like her father, the curling of the tongue much more loud and quick than that of the language spoken here in Kattegat.
"Indeed, our kingdoms are not far apart," Eysteinn spoke, "but you must still be drained, my child. Come, let king Ragnar Loðbrók take you to his longhouse, so you can rest your feet."
Ingeborg waved a hand at her father, giggling: "Honestly father, I am not tired even the slightest. I am much more interested in seeing their training pits and weapons. All of the stories of you, king Ragnar, your sons, and your brother even, all tell of how great warriors you are. I am much interested in seeing how you prepare for the raids. Are you still strengthening your walls?"
Ragnar nodded his head, his eyes rolling in his head dramatically before a smug smile crept over his lips. "Naturally," he smiled smugly, narrowing his eyes at Ingeborg, "I will escort you there tomorrow, when our warriors begin at noon."
His eyes turned to Frida, and he curled his lips at her before bending over and placing a kiss on her cheek. Frida felt a strange thick sensation in her throat, and she all of a sudden had difficulties in remembering how to breathe normally, and she nervously started to turn towards the village.
Ragnar was quick to scoop his arm around her, nudging her shoulder slightly as he walked with her back towards the longhouse. Frida did not look at him, but kept her eyes at the cottages in front of them.
"I am glad I listened to you, my love," Ragnar voiced beside her and nudged her shoulder once more, "My clever, clever wife."
He pulled her in for a small hug, and Frida let him hug her, but she did not respond to his motion. She still felt sort of weird after the small greeting with Ingeborg, but she did not exactly know why.
"I hope Freke returns from his hunt soon," she stated in a flat voice, awkwardly changing the subject, "I'm getting the feeling he might have been hurt or something."
Frida sensed how Ragnar's muscles tensed for a quick moment, before he hugged her close again. "And here I am, hoping that he is following Bjørn. They will both return," he breathed, "I have prayed for their safe return."
Thoughts?