The Valkyrie's Daughter | Vikings

Chapter Seven

The next morning Rona woke up to the sound of commotion coming from the great hall. Rona was sure she could hear voices. Shouting. Rona rubbed her eyes and stretched in an attempt to make herself fully awake. It only took her a moment or two before she was out of bed. Rona looked around the room and saw that Hvitserk was not in the room. "He must be with his brothers or something." Rona thought to herself.

Rona looked down at herself and realised that she was still in her clothes from the previous day. Rona quickly ran her fingers through her hair to try and make it semi-tidy before putting on her boots and picking up her things. After this, Rona left Hvitserk's room and made her way towards the great hall.

Once Rona was at the door leading into the great hall she waited a moment and put her ear to the door. She could hear the voices more clearly now.

"I forbid it! You cannot be with her!" Rona heard Aslaug yell. Rona was confused. Who could Aslaug be talking about when she says "her"? Margrethe maybe? But more importantly, who was Aslaug yelling at?

Suddenly, Rona heard a male voice...Hvitserk's voice.

"Mother, we were simply sleeping in the same bed!" Hvitserk yelled back.

"Shit. They're talking about me." Rona thought. Rona creaked the door open only a little so she could now see Hvitserk and Aslaug. Aslaug looked angry. Really angry.

"If you were to marry her it would be a disaster!" Aslaug yelled. Hvitserk scoffed.

"Mother, nobody is saying I'll marry her. I understand she may not be your ideal choice for my marrying, that's besides the point. But she is a good person. Why do you think I'm always around her? I do not understand why you hate her so much." Hvitserk explained calmly. Aslaug shook her head and just walked away from her son in a huff.

Rona took a moment to try and wrap her head around what she had just seen and heard. They were arguing about her.

"Dammit." Rona thought. She'd caused an argument simply by sleeping in Hvitserk's bed so how would Aslaug react if Hvitserk and Rona ever did get together? Granted Rona disliked Aslaug...a lot (which Hvitserk knew) but Rona also knew that he would want his mother's approval for anyone he was to have a serious relationship with.

Rona couldn't stand still anymore. Plus, she had to go and see Bjorn that morning. She had promised to assist him with finalising a route for their journey. After that Rona had chores to do back on her farm.

Rona opened the door into the great hall and walked in. By this point Hvitserk was sat at the table drinking ale. He looked towards Rona as soon as she entered.

"Morning." Hvitserk nodded. Rona smiled at her friend.

"Morning." Rona replied as she sat down opposite Hvitserk at the table.

"I assume my Mother's yelling woke you?" Hvitserk asked. Rona nodded.

"Yes..." Rona said. Hvitserk nodded. Rona didn't want to cause any awkwardness between herself and Hvitserk, so she did not elaborate or ask questions. She wasn't ready to tell him how she felt. Plus, she had more important things she had to sort out.

"Sorry about that. I wanted to let you sleep. I know that you have a busy day today. Bjorn says that Harold and his brother are coming to Kattegat to begin prepping for our journey to the Mediterranean." Hvitserk said.

"I'm aware. I have to go and see Bjorn this morning actually. He asked me to help him with the map. He's still struggling to find a route that will avoid any of Rollo's territories." Rona explained.