⚠︎︎-𝗙𝗜𝗥𝗘 𝗔𝗡𝗗 𝗕𝗟𝗢𝗢𝗗-⚠︎

ᑕᕼᗩᑭTᗴᖇ 10

They were feasting in Ragnar's longhouse again. This time, King Horik and Jarl Borg joined the dinner, along with their children. Bálburunn had her hood up as she gazed around the room silently, listening to bits and pieces of conversations. Ragnar sat with everyone instead of feasting at his throne. Floki, Helga, and Bálburunn sat across from him. To the right of Ragnar was King Horik and his son Ari.

"How old are you, Ari?" Ragnar asked, eyes staring the poor boy down.

"Seventeen, nearly eighteen."

"Will this be your first raid?"

The boy sighed, "Yes. I can't wait to prove myself." Bálburunn's eyes narrowed at the shakiness in his voice. "I want my father to be proud of me."

"I have a son about your age." Ragnar's eyes flicked over to the redheaded girl, then back to Ari.

"Yes, I have heard. Where is he? I would like to meet him."

Ragnar looked back to Bálburunn. "I do not know where he is. That is by his choice." He faked a smile, staring down at his food.

"Your first raid, did you say?" Floki smirked at the brown haired teenager, "My daughter attended her first raid when she was just eleven years old." He giggled mockingly. The boy's eyes brightened with realization.

"You are Floki! That means your daughter must be Bálburunn the Bearslayer." Floki grinned at the boy. "I have heard many things about her. She saved the village of Botarskal with her own two hands. She is a fierce warrior, and she is said to be very beautiful. Her red hair looks like the hot coals of Odin's hearth."

Floki slapped Bálburunn's back. She glared at him before quickly looking over the boy. He would die in battle easily, she concluded. He did not have nearly enough muscle to hold up a shield for long. Ragnar let out a chuckle, reading into the redhead's expressions.

"Is it true that she saved your son during the raid of Lindisfarne, Ragnar?"

Ragnar's eyes twinkled as he leaned forward. "It is true. She has a scar from the battle, right..." He poked the boy's forehead, just above the eyebrow, "...here." He stood up, leaving to fetch some ale.

Horik's older son, Erlendur, laughed at his brother. "Do you fancy such a woman, brother? A woman who is a better fighter than you? A woman scarred by past battles?"

"She is a heroine. I do not see what is wrong about admiring someone who has accomplished so much at such a young age."

"She builds boats, too." Floki said, "She has built many of the ones we will take to England."

"That is not something a woman should be doing." Erlendur said.

"Why not?" Ari asked. "She is skilled in many areas. Tell me Floki, is she here? I would give anything to meet her."

Bálburunn leaned back. Athelstan was staring at her with a sincere smile as he sat beside her. "Do you see how much you are admired?" He said to her quietly as the brothers argued. Helga overheard, smiling and laying her hand over the redhead's fingers.

"This is annoying." Bálburunn stood up, but a hand had already ripped off her hood, releasing her wild copper curls. Her eyes grew wide as Ari gasped.

"You're her!" He said. The girl whipped her head around to spot Ragnar, chuckling into his horn of ale while holding a baby chicken to his chest. She gave him a heated glare. "It is an honour to meet you, Bálburunn."

"Thank you." She managed to spit out before slowly sitting down.

The night felt like it was never going to end. Ari was a nice boy, sure, but he did not know how to take a hint. The adults were staring at the two of them, fawning over them like baby kittens. It infuriated her. Horik was probably already planning their marriage with Floki. She would be sure to rub Ragnar's clothes in cow shit for taking off her hood.

"And who trained you? Surely it wasn't Floki."

"I picked up the bow myself. Floki would sometimes have friends over who trained me with the sword, but I trained alone for most of my life."

The boy stared at her with fascination.

"You are amazing." He whispered.

She heard Floki cackle from a few seats over. She chugged down her ale before slamming her drinking horn onto the table. "Would you like to go outside?"

She grabbed his hand, dragging him away from the chuckling adults. "Bálburunn, is something the matter?"

She stopped, leaning against the wall of the longhouse. "Do you not get annoyed by the adults talking about us?"

"Why would I get annoyed?" The boy breathed, "My father says he can set up a marriage between the two of us. Would you like that?" He held her hand tightly, staring at her with warm brown eyes. The redhead did not know how to respond. "Can I kiss you?"

She cocked an eyebrow. She had kissed many people in her life, but none had asked permission before. She wondered if Björn would have asked if they had still lived near each other. "Yes?" She managed to choke out. She did not want to laugh at the boy, but he seemed strange to her. She had never met a boy so unconfident in her life. He shook a lot and did not seem to take manners into his own hands.

His lips were soft when he placed them on hers. His hand reached up to cup her jaw. He pushed his lips into hers once more before pulling back. She stared at him with intense emerald eyes. He gulped.

"Not hungry, Björn?" Sigvard said as they sat at the dining table.

"No."

"Any reason?"

"No reason." The blond teenager refused to make eye contact.

"Are you unhappy?" He hesitated, staring at his mother. "What can I do to make you happy? Shall I raid one of my unsuspecting neighbours so you can show off your fighting skills, and maybe slaughter them all? Show that you are truly the son of Ragnar Lothbrok?" Sigvard's men laughed. "No, believe me. I do not like to see you so solemn. So tell me, what can I do?"

"You can let me go live by a cabin in the mountains." Björn said.

"By yourself? In the mountains?"

"Yes. I'd like to test myself. Get away from all these...all these servants. All these people doing everything for us. I want to know what is essential to life, what is really important." Björn's tone didn't hold mockery, but he and Sigvard both knew he was insulting the Earl. Lagertha smiled at her son. "Will you let me?"

"No, of course not." He said, wide eyed. "I am the Earl here. What would folk think if I let my beloved stepson starve or freeze to death in some mountain pigsty?" The Earl's men laughed once more. "You understand that, don't you, my boy?"

"When I was young, a girl named Bálburunn left to the forest for over a year. Now I hear about her great feats from others."

"Bálburunn the Bearslayer is unlike you Björn. Did you even know her? She would not waste her time with the likes of you, I'm sure of it." The Earl snapped. Björn clutched his mug of ale, staring at Lagertha. He could see her ears going red. "In any case, I have promised your mother that I shall take care of you, and I will."

Lagertha and Björn exchanged a look.