WRATH OF WAR [BJÖRN IRONSIDE]

CHAPTER TWENTY-FIVE

Vál stood with her bow aiming at one of the trees in the forest. Days had passed since she had asked Björn to never remove the necklace. She knew that Vidar and Ulvar with their men could arrive anytime now, the city of Kattegat had grown almost hysteric when everyone kept preparing for the biggest army Englad had ever witnessed. She released the arrow and hit the tree far away, a sigh leaving her lips when it was close to the hundredth arrow she had sent through the air. She had been out in the forest for hours, only giving Björn a peck on the lips as he woke up before leaving for the forest. She needed fresh air to clear her mind.

Everything was happening to fast even if she wasn't complaining about her current situation. Björn was friendly with her again, more than friendly. The younger Ragnarssons kept leaving lingering glances on her even if she flipped them off each time, especially reminding Ubbe to keep his eyes to his rumored wife to be. She had been told the news from Hvitserk when the sons were arguing about the woman, Margrethe, the woman she had yet to meet. Vál couldn't understand how everything would work out with Margrethe since she had been shared between them. She didn't know if they were still going to share her even if marriage then sounded rather stupid. She had noted some pained glances from Ivar when they had spoken about Margrethe and also seen Sigurds teasing eyes when he noticed his youngest brothers glares. She had yet asked them about it yet she knew she had to before Ubbe tied the knot.

Vál couldn't remember the last time she had seen a wedding. There was a few married couples in the mountains yet she had never seen them marry, they were all married before she returned. Some lived like married couples yet they never got through with it. Vál had never thought about getting married, even if she had a great candidate in mind she knew it probably never would've happened. The family life had never spoken to her, she had never thought about it in that way. She had never imagined herself as the woman in a family with a child by her hip and a husband providing for the family. It wasn't her.

"I've always thought living opponents to be more developing than trees." Ubbe spoke from behind her as she aimed her bow yet again. She peeked over her shoulder only seeing him without his brothers standing there with his sword by his hip and his cloak at home. She looked him in the eyes as she released the arrow, splitting another arrow from before.

"Ubbe, strange to find you here alone." She said and draped the bow over her chest as she turned to look at him. Ubbe shrugged as he walked up to her and the seconds it took she squinted her eyes as the daylight remembered her how much Ubbe reminded her of Ragnar, his father. Ubbe was almost like a striking copy of Ragnar Lothbrok, a man she had grown to love in a different way years ago. The same hair, eyes and beard. She had never seen a young Ragnar Lothbrok yet she could only believed he looked something alike Ubbe. He was the most alike son of Ragnar between his brothers and it sent shivers down her back. It felt strange to see him when she knew Ragnar was dead.

"I'm a grown man Vál. Not glued to my brothers." He said and she rolled her eyes.

"Sometimes you prove me differently Ubbe." She answered quickly and Ubbe rolled his eyes. "Where are they anyway?" She added and he shrugged.