VIKINGS IMAGINES [BOOK I]

Mourning Hvitserks death

a/n: I wrote this quickly like a few minutes ago, it's rather short but I actually cried when writing it.

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It had been a few days since a huge shadow had placed itself over Kattegat. A large amount of ships had sailed towards the shore filled with tired men with blood stained clothing. The people gathering by the shore stood and waited for their husbands, fathers, brothers and friends sailing towards them.

A young woman stood there in a way too large cloak with fur detailing with her lip between her pearly white teeth. She tried to contain her smile and the happiness that filled her body as she saw the boats. Her eyes big as she saw the large ships with great details that the great boatbuilder had given his soul into.

As the main ship stopped by the bridge and the rest by its sides at the shore her eyes furiously searched for the familiar brunett man with a light beard and a braid. Her smile widen as she waited for her eyes to meet his pale blue ones. Everything happened as relief entered her body that they were back.

She saw Björn step off the boat and onto the bridge to hug his wife. He held Torvi close and whispered something in her ear. As they pulled apart Björn's lightly tear-filled eyes met hers. Torvi turned around and also looked at the young woman infront of them. Björn's eyes looked at the ground as he swallowed hard before meeting her eyes once more.

"Where is he?" She asked Björn with a loving smile. Her eyes had been shining, filled with enthusiasm, anticipation and happiness.

"Y/n..." Björn had said in a serious tone but his cracked at the end. He walked over to her and as he did so she saw Ubbe with a broken expression looking at the ground with tears in his eyes. Margrethe had quickly walked up to him, placed a hand on his cheek to make him look at his wife. As their eyes met and Margrethe saw his pained expression she pulled him into a large hug, cradling his head.

When she had looked back at Björn he stood right infront of her and he placed a hand on her shoulder. Her smile had faded a long time ago, her face had almost seemed ashy and old as the realisation had hit her as a wave, drowning her, not giving her any mercy. Water filled her eyes quickly and as she blinked tears fell from her eyes.

"No....no. No, Björn where is he!" She yelled but Björn didn't answer, he couldn't since his voice had threatened to break if he said a word. Instead he pulled the broken girl into his arms as he almost could hear her heart shattering to pieces. People around them watched with shocked and broken faces, as the once married princess now had turned to a widow.

"He can't be..." She wanted to scream but her voice broke and Björn's furs muffled her loud cries. He hugged her closer as he felt her knees buckle, her body surrendering. It felt like if he would let her go her body would shatter to pieces just like the heavy beating heart in her chest. Her hands gripped his arms tightly as she realized that she would never be in her husbands arms again, smell his odor, look into those eyes and see him smile ever again.

Björn picked her up, carrying her bridal style towards his own hut, not taking her to the newly built hut that she and her previously alive husband had planned to build a happy future with kids. He had felt her nuzzle her head into the crook of his neck as they walked away from all the curious eyes.

Neither one of them new how long she had been crying in Björn's arms but he didn't mind being with his younger brothers wife. He had held her close as she cried and tears had left his eyes as well. They had dripped down into her hair and onto the bed.

A few days later she still sat completely empty on her bed. Pained eyes looking at the ground, still waiting for her husband to walk inside those doors with a big smile on his face and to pick her up into his arms, but it never happened. No matter how much she begged, wished or tired he wouldn't walk inside.

People had tried to speak with her but when she still hadn't said anything since she had gotten the news about her husband they had left her alone for as much as possible. However Björn and his brothers or their loved ones, her friends, Helga and Floki checked up on her daily.

Floki had tried to comfort her by telling her how the gods were watching her and would protect her but his words had entered one ear and left out the other. The gods shouldn't have cared about her when her husband had been out in battle and probably took pride in falling in battle to join them. She had cursed at the valkyries for choosing her husband out of everyone on the field. 

The transition from sadness to bitterness and hate were slow. Her body would probably be numb from sadness for years until being filled with hate and never being able to feel happiness again.

Slaves had to help her to eat, drink and clean herself. Her body had shut down. In the tub the slaves had to lift her arms to be able to clean her properly, she couldn't move herself. When it slightly felt like she was feeling something other than sadness it was disgust to feel their hands on her body. She didn't want to feel their hands on her body, only Hvitserks.

"Y/n, we thought about honoring Hvitserks memory tonight by the sea. I think if would be a good idea if you came," Björn had said as he and Lagertha came by. Lagertha clearly worried about the bony young woman infront of her. Yet she didn't give them an answer, instead she sat there quietly.

Björn and Ubbe had came by to escort her to the shore. She was dressed, in a long and black dress, cloak and black furs. The cloak was way to big for her small body, she hadn't just lost weight, it was Hvitserks. A faint smell from her husband was still lingering, tickling her nose and made tears well up in her eyes.

She looked up at the men by her door as her thumb stroked the cold metal around her finger. She wiped the tear that fell down her cheek before giving them a nod. They left the warm hut before walking towards the shore. Björn took a firm grip on her left hand and Ubbe her right as they walked.

Soon they were met by hundreds of lit torches and everyone had gathered by the shore. Björn and Ubbe led her to the center where people had left flowers, items, and fruit in a pile. Lagertha gave her a smile but she didn't care. The only thing she could feel and focus on were the extreme pain she felt in her chest, making it hard to breath as a the tears formed a stream down her cheeks. Björn squeezed her hand tightly, trying to reassure her as much as possible.

She carefully lifted her eyes from the ground to the people around her. She never stopped her eyes on anyone accept when she met a pair of very familiar and loving eyes, his. She thought she saw her husband there in the masses of people, her heart aching like if it felt him close. He smiled at her and the air left her body quickly. He mouthed something to her and it felt like she was going to pass out.

'Don't cry baby, I'll never be far away'

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