The Valkyrie's Daughter | Vikings

Chapter Forty

AUTHOR'S NOTE

This Chapter is LONGGGG, I'm taking 5000+ words. I plan on Chapter Forty-One being the final chapter of Season 4B!

1) In the following chapter I will have sentences/paragraphs in italics. This is to differentiate between Rona's physical reality and her vision. So the italics like this are Rona's vision and the regular text like this is her physical reality.

2) This chapter and indeed this story may include language that isn't considered acceptable in our modern times. I do not agree with this language but for a lot of the dialogue where I weave Rona's story into the show I do quote the dialogue from the show word for word. These words are not mine. This is a FanFic after all. 

3) This chapter includes depictions of violence and quite a lot of death, including ch!ld death. If this topic is something you are not okay reading, please do not read this chapter. 

***

Everyone had congregated in the middle of the camp. Bjorn and Rona are stood on a small mound in the ground, standing over their fleet. The rest of the Ragnarssons are dotted around the crowd as well as Floki, Helga, Harald and Halfdan.

"Today is the day we finish our revenge mission, for our Father, your king, Ragnar Lothbrok!" Bjorn says, passion in his voice. The crowd erupts into cheers. Some bang their axe's against their shields.

Bjorn gestures towards Rona. It is time for her to make her speech.

"Make sure to stick with your groups. Look out for each other. This battle will be fierce. If your comrade falls, pick them up. This battle will test us all to our limits: physically, emotionally, mentally and spiritually. You may feel as if the God's have deserted you, but know that they have not. They have a plan for all of us and I know that they are with us now!"

The crowd erupts into cheers once again. Bjorn watches Rona with pride.

"Let us get ready! Take care of each other." Bjorn says.

The crowd cheers again before dispersing. Bjorn turns to Rona.

"Are you ready?" Bjorn asks. Rona nods.

"Yes."

Bjorn and Rona share a tight hug, knowing that this would be Rona's hardest battle yet and she was being thrown in at the deep end once again, leading her own troops. 

The two friends part ways. Bjorn heads over to his soldiers over the mound and Rona to hers in the trees. On her way towards the nearby woods, Rona passes the rest of the Ragnarssons and Floki. Each of them nod at her in respect. Rona returns the nod, feeling proud of herself for the speech she had made and proud of her efforts she put into this battle plan, along with Ivar. But only time would tell if Ivar and Rona's plan would succeed.

*

The battle field is stretched out along a very large area, just as Rona and Ivar had planned. There is a sort of winding path around a large mound in the ground, a flat section of boggy, muddy land and a lot of woodland nearby. A small distance past the mound was the road to Repton.

Prince Aethelwulf leads his troops up the path and past the mound of grass. Most soldiers are on horseback and of course Aethelwulf is too.

All of the Ragnarssons plus Floki, Harald and Halfdan come over the opposite side of the field, lead by Ivar's chariot. Floki is sticking close to Ivar and vice versa. Harald and Halfdan are of course sticking together as well.