In which after the numerous losses she was forced to experience, Ylva the Dread begins to lose herself, slowing descending into madness like her brother and father before her. Will she be able to save herself before she's far too gone to be saved?
V...
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At King Harald's kingdom, in the Great Hall, numerous Kings and Jarls sat at a long table as they spoke of what would come next. King Olaf, Bjorn, and King Harald were among those sitting at the table.
"I, uh...I would like to propose a toast to Bjorn Ironside," Jarl Thorkell announced as he stood up from his seat and raised his cup, "This is our first meeting, but over the years, I have heard about you and your wife's exploits from the wanderers and poets in my Great Hall. It's a great honor to meet you in person at last. Though it is a great shame that I don't have the opportunity to meet the legendary Queen Ylva the Dread as well on this day. But at least I am able to meet you. Skol."
"Skol," The rest of the men repeated, raising their cups.
"You are too kind," Bjorn replied, smiling slightly at the man, "But I too have heard stories of Thorkell the Tall and his brothers Herring and Earl Sigvald. And in a country such as ours, as small as ours, fame spreads easily."
"So they say, Bjorn Ironside," Harald replied before mockingly looking around, "Though I, too, like Jarl Thorkell, wonder where your wife is. I have known you two since you were both practically children still and since then, I have never seen either of you without the other."
"My wife had other matters to deal with," Bjorn replied in a calm tone but as if on cue, the doors opened.
The men turned and their eyes widened at the sight of Ylva standing before them. "Sorry, I'm late," Ylva announced, and within seconds, each man there had risen from their seats, including Bjorn.
He smiled at the sight of her, despite feeling surprised to see her. Upon laying eyes on her, a weight was lifted from his shoulders.
Without her, his strength, he had felt like a piece of him had been missing but now, she was at his side once more.
Little did he know she wasn't there to support him in the election. She was there to support herself.
"Mother!" Rorik exclaimed and rushed over to his mother, who tightly hugged him.
Despite being practically an adult man now, the sight of his mother arriving made him into the little boy he once was. He was relieved to see her. The whole ordeal occurring with Bjorn, Harald, and Olaf had become a mess and he knew if anyone could fix it, it was Ylva.
Despite being a man himself, he knew his mother had a point when she said all the men around her thought with what was in their breeches instead of what was in their head. It was why she always ended up cleaning up their messes. This time would be no different.
"Ylva the Dread. What an honor it is to meet you," Jarl Thorkell spoke up, smiling in admiration at the sight of Ylva.
The Wanderers weren't wrong. When Ylva walked in, everyone's head turned. She was charismatic and most of all, her appearance seemed to have made everyone forget why they were even there in the first place. All they could think about was how they had been lucky enough to be in the presence of Ylva the Dread. Who knew she carried so much fame?
