WRATH OF THE NORTH [BJÖRN IRONSIDE]

CHAPTER THIRTY-NINE

Vál walked inside the great hall with Harald and Halfdan behind her. Both Ragnar and Björn smiled at her as they entered. She gave them both a nod before standing by the table, opposite father and son. Harald and Halfdan standing on either side of her.

"We're thinking about leaving for Frankia again after the winter. Look after our people but to try to succeed a third time." Ragnar said and they all nodded. "Since my brother is down there he might have gotten a good look around for potential flaws that could benefit us." He added.

"If not?" Halfdan asked and both Björn and Ragnar looked at him.

"The reason why we're telling you this now is because you will be handed a leading position, if you want to. Harald you are of course in command of your own people. Björn will have one, I will have one as well and Vál you will have one as well." Ragnar said and everyone nodded accept for Vál who's eyes were wide.

"We start planning in a few weeks and until then we need all the people we can get and all potential ideas of how to succeed this time." Ragnar said after a while, enjoying Vál's reaction. Björn had his arms crossed over his chest as he smiled at Vál's reaction. He knew he probably wouldn't tell her that he had been asking his father to give her the chance. Björn knew her potential, she had shown it various of times before. Ragnar dismissed them and she walked outside, walking behind Harald and his brother.

"Looks like sleeping with Ragnar will give you some advantages." Halfdan snickered. Vál clenched her jaw as her knuckles turned white. Harald chuckled at his brothers words, neither one of them knowing that she heard what they were saying.

"Looks like some people at least are handed a chance." Vál mumbled, yet loud enough for them to hear. They peeked over their shoulder as they walked down the porch outside the great hall. She stopped and crossed her arms over her chest. Harald looked at her and felt the shivers run down his back as her eyes made it feel like they saw right through him. She turned her focus on Halfdan, staring him down as she frowned.

"What? Am I turning you on as well?" Halfdan asked as he saw her gaze with an amused smile on his face. Vál only laughed out loud, almost not being able to contain her laughter.

"No, it's just that I've always thought you had some kind of illness seeing your ghastly pale skin but I just realized that it's because you've always been standing in your brothers shadow." Vál said with a frown before leaving them, deciding to look for the younger sons of Ragnar.

Vál soon saw Aslaug leaving her cabin with a familiar bundle in her arms. A smile formed on her lips as she walked over to the queen. The relationship between Aslaug and Vál hadn't turned into a blooming friendship but it had gotten less strained. At least when children were around, Aslaug was always by Ivars which she understood. He had grown a lot even if he was still like a newborn baby.

"How's Ivar?" Vál asked and Aslaug shrugged.

"Managing, his legs are hurting." She answered as Vál smiled down at the child in her arms. She looked into Ivar's eyes, those electric blue eyes even brighter than when she saw them the last time. Abandoned in the forest by his father. Vál hadn't seen Ragnar interact with his newborn son out in the open but Ragnar had seemed to be more at ease after she had talked to him about Ivar.