WRATH OF THE NORTH [BJÖRN IRONSIDE]

CHAPTER EIGHTEEN

Vál hadn't told Björn about her previous encounter with Harald and Halfdan. She knew his annoyance of their presence and didn't want to cause unneeded drama. Not to mention the fact that she didn't have to, she could manage herself.

After speaking to them she had told Ubbe and Hvitserk it was enough for the day. She clenched her fists tightly as she had felt their eyes lingering over her body as she walked away. She had decided to walk down to the ships, to admire Floki's masterpieces. Her hand gently grazed over the rough wooden blocks that created the actual boat. Then she moved them to the engraved parts of the boat, her fingers following the black marks as her eyes roamed the large boats. She had never been on a boat, yet she could only imagine the feeling of the unsteady ground as she saw how they slowly and almost rhythmically floated on the water. Various of piles of rope, cages and such covered the floor.

"Scared of your first ride on the boats?" A voice spoke from behind and Vál quickly turned around as she placed a hand on her hip, over her clothed dagger. Her eyes met Rollos darker ones, his body language seemed rather relaxed yet she remained rather alarmed. "They've shipped us to various of different places oceans away so there's no need to worry." He continued as his fingertips and eyes traced the edge of the boat, as hers had done moments before.

"I'm not worried Rollo, but why are you telling me this? You never seemed to like the thought of me joining you." She questioned and his eyes was still glued on the boat before his eyes met hers again.

"You're going to be a good asset for us in Paris," He began and she frowned.

"Did they force you to say that?" She cut him off but he ignored her question.

"I just couldn't have someone come with us who could sabotage my goal with this raid," He mumbled and her frown didn't disappear, instead it got deeper. "I've seen your kind of people fight." Was all he said before leaving. Vál opened her mouth to speak, yet closed it again quickly as she didn't know what to say. She let out a sigh before walking in the same direction as Rollo had, before turning left to all the cabins of the royal family. Her way of fighting would make them win in Paris, clean, smoothly and quickly. A snort left her lips as she walked inside her cabin as she took Rollos words as an insult, even after beating him.

"What's the matter?" Björn asked as he sat by the fire with a cup of mead in his hands. He raised his brow and something deep inside her awoke but she shrugged it off. No matter how good it felt to have some casual sex with Björn in between the daily struggles of getting used to the life down here she didn't want to give him the wrong impression of their relationship. They would only remain friends, they had only known each other for a short amount of time. A very short amount of time where they had slept with each other a few times, she fought his uncle, won, gotten invited to a raid across the ocean with people that too easily took her in.

"Nothing," She shrugged and he only frowned as she sat down beside him, took the cup from his hand then emptying the cup easily. She let ut a deep breath as she handed him the cup again and his blue eyes looked inside the empty cup before looking back at her wiping her mouth with the back of her hand. "Probably the humid air here down south." She said when she noticed the look on his face.