⚠︎︎-𝗙𝗜𝗥𝗘 𝗔𝗡𝗗 𝗕𝗟𝗢𝗢𝗗-⚠︎

ᑕᕼᗩᑭTᗴᖇ 9

This chapter takes place after the four year gap.

"It is freezing," Floki moaned, clutching his thick coat to his body, "Why is it so cold?"

"That is because you do not have anything to heat your body – you are made of only bones." His redheaded daughter-figure said as they walked up the steps of Kattegat.

"Helga, why is my child so unkind to me?" He faked a whimper, rubbing his face on the blonde woman's shoulder.

Helga let out a laugh. "She is not wrong. You could benefit from more fat and muscle, my love."

"The women of my life are so cruel." He said, "I work, work, work, and all they do is abuse me!"

"The most work you did was carving the front of the boat!" The redhead argued, "I was the one nailing the wood together!"

Floki cackled. "Your father is not so young as he was before, child. I needed help!"

"'Help' implies that you were the one working in the first place."

"I wonder what the children will look like," Helga spoke, smiling, "It has been so long since we last saw them."

Floki hugged his lover. "They look more and more like Ragnar every time we see them. Don't you think so, Bál? Eyes of a conqueror."

The redhead didn't answer. She only nodded slightly. She still felt uncomfortable about Ragnar's children with Aslaug. Lagertha and Ragnar had always been the couple to aspire to be when she was younger, and his infidelity bothered her a lot. She could only imagine how Björn must have felt.

Bálburunn used to scream at Aslaug when she was younger, unable to fully communicate her frustration with the situation with words. As she grew older, she slowly realized that nothing would change what happened. All she could do was move forward. She was peaceful toward Aslaug, but nothing more.

Men cheered as Floki entered the longhouse, followed by Bálburunn and Helga. Bálburunn wandered off to a corner after she fetched some ale. Floki spoke with a couple men before Ragnar walked up to him, carrying his son Ubbe in one arm and a lamb in the other. Floki talked to the boy, who smiled back. Ragnar's eyes flicked the redhead in the corner. He squinted at her for a moment, before looking back to Floki.

Ragnar announced moments later that they would finally go raiding in the west again – to England.

"This time, we will not go alone, for King Horik and Jarl Borg have agreed to join us." The Earl said, grinning. "The world is changing, and we must change with it. We must act together." Ragnar stared at Siggy. Bálburunn did not know why. "For everyone's sake." He walked back to the middle of the room. "And now that I have put your minds to rest...who is hungry?"

The crowd cheered.

Food was served soon after, and Bálburunn sat beside Helga for the feast.

"Your hands are so calloused, Bál." Helga said to her, grabbing her greasy fingers.

"Is this a bad thing?" The redhead said. Helga was just as devoted to the Gods as Floki. She would not hesitate to tell Bálburunn if something was a sign. "Helga?" She was hesitating. Bálburunn could tell.

"It is just...when men think of a woman's touch, it is not something so rough and hard." Bálburunn frowned at her. It was unlike Helga to speak about men around Bálburunn – any time she tried to, the redhead would shut it down instantly. "You are almost eighteen years of age – you will need to think about marrying someone soon and starting a family. Tell me, Bál..." The woman's voice grew quieter as she leaned in to whisper into the redhead's ear, "...have you bled as a woman yet?"