Querencia \\ Hvitserk Ragnarsson

Chapter 12: The happiest man alive

"Frankia," Björn said. "Home?"

"I don't know," Rollo answered. "Difficult to return."

"When we return, Hvitserk, Bjarke and I and our brothers, we will have to avenge our father's death," Björn said. "And that will be difficult for you too. You would not be welcome for what you did to all of us. And I would have to kill you..."

"Oh don't worry, Björn. I'd do it with pleasure," Bjarke smiled. Hvitserk grabbed her hand and kissed her left cheek.

After Bjarke had admitted that she as in love with Hvitserk things had gotten easier for her. She did not feel like she was drowning anymore. However, she couldn't wait until Rollo left them. Even though she felt comfortable in the presence of Hvitserk, Björn and their friends, she did not feel comfortable around Rollo at all.

Once a traitor, always a traitor, Bjarke thought. She had told Hvitserk many times that she didn't trust him and that she most likely never would.

She felt relieved when the time came to say goodbye to Rollo.

A Frankish boat was approaching and Bjarke could make out the word dad coming from it. She saw Rollo's eldest child and couldn't help but smile.

"Are you going to go home?" Björn asked Rollo.

"I know what I have to do."

Bjarke took a step closer to Hvitserk. Would this be an ambush? Was Rollo going to attack them after all? Unexpectedly? Bjarke had to admit that if he were to, it'd been incredibly smart.

But Rollo did not attack them.

"I want to make you all an offer. Anyone from our homelands who wants good, rich lands to farm can come and live in my kingdom. There will always be a part of Frankia which is a part of us," he said.

"Us?" Floki responded. "You are no longer a part of 'us', Rollo."

"But what is 'us', Floki," Rollo said, "is changing. Only you won't accept it."

Bjarke agreed with Floki. Rollo was no longer a part of that 'us'. However, somewhere deep down Rollo was right too. What was 'us' was changing.

Hvitserk wrapped an arm around Bjarke as if to protect her from her own thoughts and pulled her as close to him as he could. He then wrapped his cloak around her too. Bjarke hadn't noticed before how cold she was.

"And so I say the same to you," Rollo said towards Björn. "And you, Hvitserk."

"Too much bad blood, Rollo," was Björn's answer.

"Once a betrayer, always a betrayer," Hvitserk said.

Bjarke could feel his hands tighten around her body for a second. She already knew he had listened to her when she had told of her thoughts, but it was as if he felt like he had to prove himself to her.

Hvitserk did feel that way. He knew there were many men in this world for Bjarke to choose from and he had to make sure that when the time came she'd choose him.

"Goodbye, Rollo," Helga said while Rollo got ready to get off the boat.

"Goodbye, Helga. I won't forget. I won't forget anything."

They all watched Rollo leave. Bjarke felt safer every second, but there was a part of her that would never forget. Rollo would do anything for power and anything to get out of his brother's shadow and the Ragnarssons would be the ones to pay the price for it.

"We should've killed him when we had the chance," Bjarke said.

"Why would you say that?" Björn asked her.

"Because she has a bad feeling that he will reach more fame than any of you," Floki said.

Hvitserk knew that was not the only reason. He knew Bjarke's true reasons for saying what she had said. It was not only what Floki had said. She cared for them. She cared for him. At that point, it made him the happiest man alive. There were only a few things that made Hvitserk happier than food. Bjarke was one of them.

---

Björn had said that they would reach Kattegat pretty soon. Bjarke had been restless ever since. She hadn't slept well during the nights and had been absent-minded during the days. Hvitserk worried about her, so eventually, he pulled her down under the canvas they had strung across the boat to protect them from at least some of the rain at night.

Bjarke, however, had refused to talk to him about it. She said she didn't feel comfortable talking about it with all of those people around them.

Hvitserk knew Bjarke was having trouble with showing who she was to people she did not know. He didn't blame her, but she did blame herself.

Bjarke did not want to return to Kattegat. She wanted to go home, but now that Ragnar was gone there was really no home for her anymore. She'd have to create a new one, but she did not know how.

Hvitserk tried to help her the best he could, by providing her with all the care he could give her. He kept her warm whenever she was cold and made sure she'd eat. He cared for her too and he'd do anything for her.