VICIOUS [IVAR THE BONELESS]

CHAPTER TWO

A groan left Hvitserk's lips as he slowly awoke by the sun shining onto his face from the multicolored windows. He saw his older brother Ubbe sleeping not far away, passed out and he let his eyes roam the rest of the large room to find his younger brother Ivar yet he was nowhere to be seen. Only other warriors were asleep in the room.

Hvitserk stood up, back cracking as he stretched his long body. He walked towards the doors, taking a random cup filled with wine before drinking the remaining liquid before throwing the cup away without awakening anyone. 

Some people were already up and had started to preheat the fires to cook whatever they had successfully hunted in the forest outside the kingdom. Everyone knew they were leaving the broken kingdom today. Yesterday Harald had left for Kattegat and his brother had joined Björn to the Mediterranean once again. He scratched the back of his head as he let out a yawn, letting his eyes follow one of the shield maidens as they walked past him and winked at him. He bit his lips yet soon the sound of shouting was heard.

"Get Ivar!" A man shouted and Hvitserk picked up his pace and ran towards the sound of voices. He saw the gates wide open and people rushing towards them. "Hvitserk!" The same man yelled and Hvitserk looked at him and nodded. He walked though the masses of people and stopped when he saw what they had brought inside with them.

"Where did you find him?" Hvitserk asked.

"On a pole outside the forest facing us." The man spoke. "It's Erik who was lost right after we got King Aella." He continued to inform his prince who nodded. His eyes roamed the bloody body, the opened eyes who was filled with pain and fear. He saw the deep cut by the throat which made the people around the rub theirs however what caught his attention was the bloody cross on the mans forehead.

"What's the matter brother?" Ubbe shouted behind him but Hvitserk didn't turn to greet him, his eyes was still on Erik's body. Ubbe walked up to them with a frown on his face yet his eyes widen when he saw the dead body before him on the ground.

"Hel.." Ubbe mumbled under his breath. Ubbe walked closer, stating over the mans chest to inspect him further. He noted the dried bloody cross, the eyes that burned into his head. Suddenly a high pitched scream was heard and a woman ran towards them, pushing people away when she noticed who was laying before them.

"Erik!" She shouted, her mother and a well respected shield maiden. She knelt beside her son and cupped his cheek, his coldness sending shivers down her back. Tears ran down her cheeks when she saw the pain in her sons eyes. "What did they do!?" She yelled at no-one in particular yet stared at the princes who looked at each other.

"Let's find Ivar." Ubbe said to his brother who nodded. "Men, cover this noble warrior up now, no need for everyone to see." He ordered them as Erik's mother was pulled away by a friend, immediately embraced in a tight hug. The gravel crunched under the feet as they walked back to the main hall to find their youngest brother. A thankful sigh left their lips when they found him in the throne with a pleased expression.