Querencia \\ Hvitserk Ragnarsson

Chapter 16: Blood eagle

Bjarke stood behind Ivar in his chariot. On the way to England Bjarke had become friends with most of the Ragnarssons.

"Ragnar!" nearly all of the Vikings shouted before they attacked.

Bjarke had never met king Ælle, but she knew exactly who'd be her target when the Northmen attacked.

She jumped off of Ivar's chariot and fought her way towards the English king. She was not the first one to get to him, but she would be the last.

Bjarke had killed at least eight men in the process. They were trying to protect their king, but the gods were protecting Bjarke.

Ælle tried to run from Bjarke, but she had already gotten to him before he could even turn around, pulling him off of his horse.

The king screamed when Bjarke punched and kicked him. She felt like he didn't deserve to simply die by a weapon. He had to suffer...

"Bjarke! Stop!" she heard Hvitserk's familiar voice when she was about to finally kill the man.

"He deserves to die!"

"I want to blood eagle him." Ivar calmly said.

Bjarke violently let go of Ælla's body.

"Fine."

---

"This is where our father was killed," Ivar stated.

"How the little pigs will grunt when they hear the old boar suffered," Björn said.

Hvitserk and Bjarke made eye contact.

Ælle started offering the Vikings money for his life, but they didn't fall for it.

"You are mistaken," Bjarke said. "My father was worth far more than gold and silver. That is not the price you must pay."

They waited until nightfall. Ælle screamed when Floki nailed him down. Bjarke couldn't help but feel satisfied. She'd finally get her revenge.

She watched closely as Björn cut open Ælle's back. Bjarke enjoyed hearing him scream.

She did not watch Björn cut away his ribs. Instead, she moved so she could now see Ælle's face. She grinned. A part of her didn't understand how she could feel so happy, but that was only very little of her.

She enjoyed Ælle's blood spatting onto her face. She enjoyed the terrible silence that came. She enjoyed watching the life leave the king's eyes.

---

Bjarke watched as the body was lifted into the air. Hvitserk stood behind her. His arms were wrapped around her waist and his head rested on top of hers.

"Are you satisfied now?" Hvitserk whispered.

"No," Bjarke said. "I should've cut off his head when I had the chance."

"Are we still talking about king Ælle?"

"Partly."

"You suck at hiding your emotions," Hvitserk said as he pulled Bjarke away from the others.

"Well, maybe other people just suck at minding their own business."

"If this is about Sigurd, then it is my business."

Bjarke sighed. "Is it that obvious?"

"Well," Hvitserk said as his hand up and down her back slowly, "you refuse to talk to him out of free will. Whenever he's in the room you only speak whenever you've been asked a question and you always keep your head down."

Bjarke tried to avoid eye contact with Hvitserk, but he pulled up her chin with two of his fingers.

"You know that he won't do anything to you, right?" Hvitserk said.

Without even noticing it herself Bjarke's hand moved towards her scar. It was the part that had remained from the day Sigurd had attacked her. The part that made sure she'd never forget it.

"How can you be so sure of that?"

"Because if he does," Hvitserk slowly said," I'll kill him myself."

It was not that Bjarke suddenly felt sorry for herself about what had happened. It had been months ago and she didn't really care anymore. The emotions were just too much for her right now. So she started crying.

"Hey, hey, hey! You're okay. You're okay," Hvitserk said as he pulled her close.

"I'm sorry, Hvitserk."

"For what?" He asked.

What was she sorry for. The fact that his brother scared her, even though she knew she'd be fine? The fact that she'd dragged him into the confusing way of her thoughts and life?

Bjarke didn't answer his question. She didn't have to. Even though the both of them couldn't explain it, they both understood.

It was then that Bjarke realised she was scared. Not just of Sigurd, but her own emotions were scaring her. The fact that she'd felt so happy when Ælle was violently killed. The fact that she'd been willing to do it herself. The fact that she still would...