⚠︎︎-𝗙𝗜𝗥𝗘 𝗔𝗡𝗗 𝗕𝗟𝗢𝗢𝗗-⚠︎

ᑕᕼᗩᑭTᗴᖇ 14

As soon as the sun set the next day, Bálburunn, Ragnar, Björn, and a few other men headed into Kattegat. Ragnar led them, crouching low as they crossed a small stream near some fencing. They huddled inside the gates of a chicken coop, staring out at the village.

"Olrik, Erik, sneak through the water to the docks." Ragnar said, eyes wide. "Once there, create a... distraction, something that will lead the guards away." The men nodded. "The children and I shall do the rest."

Olrik and Erik snuck off, wading down the stream. The trio ducked when they spotted a guard walk past them. They slowly stuck their heads back up, peering at the guard who was now talking to another man.

Ragnar turned to Björn. "Don't fear death. If it comes, embrace it as if you're lying down next to a beautiful woman." Ragnar winked at Bálburunn at the end of his sentence. She frowned at him. He turned to his son again. "Ever since you were eight years old, all I heard was 'father, father, I want to come with you, I'm ready. Father, I want to fight.' Well, here we are." He clapped a hand on Björn's back, and reached over with his other hand to rustle Bálburunn's hair. "And with Kattegat's greatest fighter, no less." He breathed in deeply, grinning.

Björn and Bálburunn followed Ragnar around a building, stalking gently as to avoid making any noise. Ragnar peered over his shoulder to the other side of the building, sighing as they waited for Olrik and Erik's distraction. Their horns sounded and Ragnar gripped his axe. Hounds began barking as the three of them crept through an alley. Bálburunn nocked and arrow into her bow. A man came running over to the dogs, asking them where the horn blowers were. The redhead released the arrow, hitting the man in the skull. They snuck across the dead body, keeping low. Bálburunn heard Erik's pained screams in the distance. Björn slit another man's throat, covering his mouth. They unhinged the mill doors, sneaking in while the guards were yelling.

Ragnar jumped up onto the mill, pulling out some grain and hitting flint to start a fire.

"Ragnar." Björn said, grabbing Bálburunn's arm and pointing to a man approaching them.

"It's me," Olrik said.

"Come quick! Help." Björn said. Bálburunn was blowing on the grain, trying to get it to light. She looked up when she heard the uneven footsteps of Olrik. His leg was slashed and bleeding. "How bad is it?"

"I'm fine. Don't worry about me."

The grain finally caught, and Ragnar joined the redhead in blowing air into the fire. They began throwing the flaming stalks into the mills, but the guards' voices were getting louder. The mills began to glow from the inside.

The four rushed over to the exit, but Olrick collapsed, grunting in pain. Björn rushed over to him. "Come, come." He threw Olrick's arm over his shoulder. Bálburunn helped the other side while Ragnar ushered them out.

They managed to escape the town, avoiding the guards. They rested Olrick on a large boulder in the forest for a moment, catching their breath.

Ragnar started laughing, staring up at the branches and leaves above. "That was fun. Having my son with me gives me strength."

Björn smiled. "We should do more of this."

"Yes, my son. And so we shall."

Bálburunn was hiding in a small wood with the rest of the men, waiting for the signal that Jarl Borg arrived. She crouched beside Björn, who held a steady glance in front of him. Askel was behind her, burning a hole into her head with a stare.

Floki blew his horn.

The men jumped to their feet, grabbing their shields and weapons, walking out of the forest. Floki stood in front of them, smirking at Jarl Borg. Ragnar walked up to the boney man, standing beside him. The men formed a long horizontal line.

Bálburunn let out a battle cry, shoving her sword into the air. The rest of the men yelled with her, bumping their weapons against their shields. Jarl Borg ordered his men to charge.

Bálburunn cut down three men in a row, swiping her sword with precision as the men around her yelled. She blocked a man's axe, which became embedded in her shield. She used it to her advantage, shoving the shield into his face before slicing at his chest.

"Bál! Over!" Ragnar shouted at her. She nodded. She grabbed a spear from overhead, using it as leverage to climb over a man's shield. She jumped onto the man, stabbing the sword straight through his gut. She raised her shield just in time to block a woman's strike. She kicked the woman in the shin before striking her down. Fighting her way from the back of Borg's wall back into her own shield wall, Bálburunn cut down five people swiftly, for they were not facing her. She grabbed a spear from a woman, headbutting her quickly before throwing it at a larger man, piercing him in the back.

The large man looked over at her, eyes red with anger. He huffed, pulling the spear out and stalking over, flexing his muscles. She raised her shield, hitting it once with her sword and yelling. The brute threw his axe down on her, but she blocked it easily, slicing at his legs. He smacked the shield again, woodchips flying around. Her arm shook from the impact. She rolled inbetween his legs, standing to slice the small of his back before hacking away at the rest of it. The man roared, kneeling. She finally shoved her sword through his neck, killing him instantly. Bálburunn ran back over to the wall.

Björn was swift with his axe, but was attracting too much attention to himself. Bálburunn ran over, fighting off two of the three men that had surrounded him. She slashed one in the spine, hacking at the other's shield before kicking it away and slicing his face.

"Brace!" Ragnar shouted. "Hold the shield wall! Brace!" Björn looked at Bálburunn before raising his shield, facing the wall. Borg's men plowed through the wall, knocking the two of them over. The redhead's sword flew out of her hand, landing a few feet away. Björn landed halfway on top of the girl, scrambling to get up. Bálburunn reached for her sword quickly, preparing for the man bounding towards her.

"Watch out!" Björn shouted at her, diving to block the man's axe. He quickly slashed at the man over and over again, finally hitting him deep in the shoulder, knocking him to the ground. He grabbed Bálburunn's hand, lifting her up quickly. "Shield up." He gave her a small smirk.

"I was fine. Don't get distracted." She huffed, getting back to battle. She stabbed a man in the leg, pulling the sword out and slashing him in the stomach. She saw Ragnar approach Borg. Bálburunn pulled an axe out of the ground, throwing it at one of the Jarl's guards.

Björn was hit to the ground again. "Get up! Get up!" Ragnar screamed at him, fighting off the men who were after the blond boy. Björn jumped back into action, bashing another man with his shield and cutting him down.

Whistles sounded, and Borg's men began to retreat. Bálburunn and Björn walked up to Ragnar.

"Well fought today, Björn." Rollo panted.

"Thank you, uncle."

"You have a lot to learn." Ragnar grumbled at the boy, storming off. Björn stared at his father's back. Bálburunn placed a hand on his shoulder.

"You scared him, that's all." The redhead said to him quietly. He shrugged off her hand, marching after his father.