V̶i̶k̶i̶n̶g̶s̶: F̶i̶r̶e̶ & B̶l̶o̶o̶d̶

Cousin.

Training this morning went well. Kirin was surprised at how much I knew. She only taught me a few things. Even roughed me up abit. I step into the bath and wash off the dirt and grime, relaxing in the steaming water. I run my fingers through my hair and take a breath. I get out of it eventually and dry off. I pull on Ruperts clothing that I had asked for. I didn't want anything for free from these people. I'd feel bad. I leave it untied at the top and pull up the leather trousers as well as the boots. I tuck my long hair behind my ear and tie the boots tightly. I hear the door and look to it, my boot still propped up. I look to see Rupert step in. "Good. You are here." He is back finally from the Russ kingdom. I stand up straight and tie the pants tightly due to the amount of space. "I found something. From Ivar. Apparently Oleg had it."

I step over and he holds a scroll up. "We should go to the study." Rupert suggests and we make our way towards his study. Kirin and Lysander are sat down. Both have broader bodies. Rupert lays it out and I look to the writing. It's written in the Norse language. I place my finger tips to it and furrow my brows. I start to read aloud. "There once was a Princess to the curse kingdoms, one of the only few that wandered through it." I make a face and look to Rupert. "Keep reading.." I move around the table and turn the scroll, unraveling more. "The scaled creatures came, taking her away from her family. Burning it to the ground. Her name was Ursa Afvaldrdottir. The daughter of Afvaldr Skausson." I furrow my brows as I continue. "It is said that the wife of the dragon slept with Afvaldr, creating a child of dragon blood."

I take a breath to take in the information. Rupert sets a drink infront of me and I gladly gulp it back. It makes so much sense now as to why they treated me so differently. I was a bastard. I place my hands against the table and nod. "Like this makes a difference. I still have no family." Rupert clears his throat. "You're wrong.. you have a cousin who managed to escape the killings. He watched the whole thing happened." I look to Rupert. "Well where is he?" I hear Lysander clear his throat which made my head shoot to look to him. He just nods his head once and I feel sick immediately. Rupert looks to me and I place my hand to his arm. "Excuse me." I step by quickly and place my hands to my hips once I am finally outside. I undo the tie to my pants around my stomach because I feel confined.

I place one hand to my forehead and the other to my back. We didn't know. Or at least I didn't. Maybe he did? I look to see Lysander stepping down the steps. I nod my hand out towards him for him to stop. "Did you know?" Lysander speaks up. "No actually. I didn't. Until now." I look to him. "So the names did not intervene in your head?" He shakes his head. "The night it happened was the night your mother gave birth. We didn't know your name." I tilt my head to the side. "You knew you were from that village. You didn't tell me." He shrugs and looks to me. "Wasn't something to tell because I am a Christian Knight. If Rupert's people knew I was once a heathen viking, he wouldn't have support from everyone else who matters. The only two who knew was Rupert and his father." He places his hand to his hips.