The Red Queen (Editing)

The Lost Moment

"PROPLE OF KATTEGAT! WE HAVE A GREAT SACRIFICE! THIS IS LAGERTHA!"

You smirked as the hood was ripped off the scared woman. It wasn't actually her. Only someone who looked like her. You knew that. If it were Lagertha, you wouldn't allow Ivar to go this far.

"THAT'S NOT LAGERTHA!" A woman began to shout, your smirk instantly falling as guards shouted at the woman who dared praise the previous Queen's name.

"TAKE HER AWAY!" Ivar shouted but you stood, taking out a knife and marched toward her, the guards already restraining her.

"My love!" Ivar called

You said nothing as you stabbed the woman in the chest, seeing blood already gathering at her lips. "Lagertha is no longer Queen. So, no. Not hail Lagertha. It's hail Astrid, now." You hissed to the dying woman, watching as she quickly fell to the floor, your knife still sticking out of her.

You didn't hesitate to pull the knife out before moving back to your husband who had been chuckling.

As more people shouted and praised the previous Queen, you went to attack them but Ivar held you back, shouting for the guards to take them away.

"ALL HAIL IVAR!" The crowd kept chanting over the rebels until the guards finally made them quiet.

"This is the witch who murdered my mother in cold blood! This is Lagertha!" Ivar shouted as he moved to stand in front of the weeping sacrifice.

"No!" The woman whimpered. She really wasn't Lagertha.

"Shut your mouth!" Ivar shouted.

"A danish King handed her over to us. She was trying to make a deal with him. To persuade him to join her in attacking Kattegat!" You explained as you stood

"Traitor!" A man from the crowd shouted

"Traitor, yes!" Ivar nodded in agreement at the word that he used for Lagertha. "Traitor!"

The woman whimpered and weeper in fear as Ivar continued. "She would do anything for power! Thank the gods, her plans have come to nothing. Her vile reign and blind ambitions end here!"

"No! I'm not Lagertha!" The crying woman said as she was dragged toward the boat to be burned.

"I sacrifice her in the name of Odin and in the name of my fellow gods!"

"Please, no!"

"I sacrifice her to cleanse this kingdom of its evil spirits!"

The drums began playing again as the woman was hung by her feet, sobbing and screaming. A priest of your people stepped forward, slitting her throat as everyone cheered for Ivar.

Her blood was gathered and the men got off the boat before it lit up in flames, a storm gathering above you all. You and Ivar relished in the glory and the feeling of the power and you smiled at the thought that your child would to.

-

"Here is the blood of the witch who murdered our mother." Ivar announces during the feast, the people of the town cheering as Ivar held the horn up.

"You know very well that wasn't the woman who murdered our mother." Hvitserk spoke up causing whispers to break out in the crowd

"You will drink to Lagertha's death." Ivar snarled at his brother

"She's not dead." Hvitserk said. "And you are not a god."

"Of course he is a god, Hvitserk." You spoke up.

"How dare you say that I am not a god? Huh?" Ivar asks as Hvitserk stands. "Can't you hear Thor beating his mighty hammer, welcoming me into the hall of the Aesir?!" Ivar asks as he to stands, and as if to prove his point, thunder and lightning crash in the skies.

The townspeople cheer loudly as Hvitserk pushes past your guards and leaves the hall.

-

You lay in bed with Ivar, his hand on your stomach, smiles on your faces. "I shall call him Baldur." Ivar says. "After Odin's beautiful son, the fairest and wisest of all the gods. The shining one."

"I believe he is so strong that he is already moving, my darling. But what if it is a girl? What will you call her?" You ask

"Yrsa." Ivar instantly answered with a chuckle

"She-Bear..." you smiled

"I hope that if it is a girl, she will be as beautiful as you are, little dove." Ivar whispers

"My Lord Ivar!" You heard a man call from the throne room

Both you and Ivar groaned as you stood, the man calling again.

"What?" Ivar asks as you both enter the room.

"We caught them. They have been trying for a while to raise a rebellion in the town against the rule of you and Lady Astrid." The guard said

"Ah..." Ivar said, walking toward the three kneeling men.

"You." Ivar said to the first man. "Is it true you want to rebel against me?"

The man remained silent as he glared up at Ivar.

"Why?" Ivar asks. "I am no ordinary man. I am no ordinary ruler. I expect you to rejoice for you are especially privileged for you are ruled by a god."

You sighed as you move to stand beside Ivar. "Help him to his feet." You said, not missing Ivar's confused face

The guards did as asked, making the man stand as you moved to look up at him. "Ivar is a merciful god. We love our people here in Kattegat. So, if you go into the marketplace and cover yourself with ashes, admitting your faults and your false beliefs, and beg my husband's forgiveness, he will let you live. How does that sound?" You ask

The man dared to spit in your face, the guards instantly grabbing him. You wiped the spit off, disgusted as Ivar growled.

"Hang them. Let their bodies be shown to the people as a warning." Ivar snarled as he helped clean your face.

"Hatred must never take the place of love." Ivar announced

-

"These are days for rejoicing, Ancient One." Ivar tells the wheezing Seer. "You know that. Wonderful things have come to pass."

"I know what I know." The Seer replied

"You cannot deny my divinity." Ivar chuckled. "You have known about it all along. The All-Father's blood runs through my veins. The Aesir have welcomed me into their halls." Ivar said.

"His time here shall always be full of praise and glory." Ivar spoke in Norse. "You will tell all who ask of this glad news."

"I tell only what I see." The Seer coughed

"That's all I ask, O Wise One." Ivar said. "Tell them the truth."

"You are Ivar the Boneless, son of Ragnar." The Seer wheezed

"I am the God Ivar." Your husband snarled

"All things are dark. we shall all go into the dark. Your chariot lies as broken as your legs and your wife as broken as your chariot. Because of your actions, you will lose a son but gain a daughter. A snake has settled in your skull and your eyes betray you! Your path is strewn with garbage and filth, the path of your wife filled with pain and suffering. Oh, the horror, the horror!" The Seer exclaims.

Ivar didn't hesitate to stab a knife into the Seer's head, ending the man's life instantly.

He was filled with anger but not at what the Seer said about him, no.

Wife as broken as your chariot. Because of you actions, you will lose a son but gain a daughter. The path of your wife filled with pain and suffering...