Querencia \\ Hvitserk Ragnarsson

Chapter 29: Lies

"Skol," nearly everyone said.

Harald was the first one to turn around his cup without drinking the mead.

Bjarke raised an eyebrow at him.

Ubbe took a sip but was soon greeted by the containment of Ivar's cup.

After having a discussion about the colour of Ivar's eyes. How the colour of his eyes apparently had a say on how likely he was to break a bone.

"I might break a bone, but I can never break a promise. I can never forgive Lagertha for murdering our mother. How can you? Mmm. How can you?" Ivar said.

He then hit Ubbe. "OUR MOTHER! OF COURSE I'M GOING TO KILL HER!"

"You can try," Lagertha said.

"Oh, I will," was Ivar's answer.

"You said you wouldn't fight your brothers," Ubbe said.

"You are no longer my brother. You were once my legs, but not anymore."

Harald laughed.

Bjarke sighed. "This was all a waste of time."

"No. It wasn't. You can surrender Kattegat now. You've all been talking about how terrible the slaughter will be. How we will kill our nearest relations and members of our family. I don't want to do that, let us not do it. You, Björn, Lagertha. Just go away. Leave this place. Do not put your men to the test."

In the blink of an eye, everyone had drawn their weapons.

Bjarke and Hvitserk hesitantly stared at each other. Neither of them knew what to do.

---

Ivar split his army up into three groups. One of those groups went with Hvitserk, so that was also the moment Bjarke lost sight of him.

Bjarke took her sword in hand and stepped forward.

She'd been told several times that she should leave the battlefield, but she just couldn't. Something drew her there.

When the battle began Bjarke was one of the first people to reach the other army. She was young and even though she was pregnant, she was fast and strong.

She saw lots of dead warriors and shield-maiden around her. It didn't matter whether they were on Ivar's side or on Lagertha's. They were all dead to Bjarke.

Bjarke struck, killed someone and then charged at another. Not even once did she get hurt. However, her strike was soon to be ended by King Harald. He struck not once, but twice and both of those in her stomach.

Bjarke gasped.

Her baby.

She tried to go on, but she couldn't. She was badly wounded and in terrible pain.

"No," she whispered.

Her suffering didn't last very long. She soon lost consciousness.

---

"Uncle Rollo once told me, on his ship on his way back from the Mediterranean. He said that if I ever needed a support. All I had to do was ask."

Bjarke recognized Hvitserk's voice.

She didn't catch what they said after that, but she did hear Ivar say: "I think you are to leave at first light tomorrow."

Bjarke had not been in the same room as Hvitserk and Ivar, because they weren't there when she opened her eyes. But Hvitserk entered the room soon enough.

"Hvitserk?" Bjarke softly moaned.

"Thank the gods you're awake. I thought I was going to lose you too."

"What do you mean lose me too?" Bjarke unknowingly asked. "Why am I even here."

"Don't you remember anything?" Hvitserk asked.

"What am I supposed to remember, Hvitserk?!"

"Lagertha and Ubbe won. You won. But Harald wasn't very happy about that. You were close to him when he realized we were losing. So he let his anger out on you," Hvitserk explained.

He then kneeled down next to her and carefully lifted up Bjarke's shirt. She could now see what had happened to her stomach.

"My baby..."

"You've been bleeding since I got you here."

A tear streamed down Bjarke's face.

"Bjarke, I'm so sorry. You should know that I'll never forgive King Harald for this."

"If our baby is dead, then it was the will of the gods, but I was the one who decided to fight, so I'm just as responsible as they are."

Hvitserk kissed her tears away and tried to lift her into his lap without hurting her. He failed miserably and Bjarke moaned as he moved her.

"I should've protected the both of you, Bjarke. I could not save you and now look what has happened. If anyone is to be held responsible for this then it's me."

Bjarke cupped his cheek with her hand.

"Don't say those things."

There was a comfortable moment of silence.

"Why am I here?" Bjarke asked.

"I took you away from the battlefield. I took you here. I have made sure that someone can help you give birth today so we can leave for Frankia tomorrow. You can rest on the ship. I will not leave you here, unprotected," Hvitserk said.

Bjarke knew she had to give birth anyway. She was glad that she wasn't that far along yet, so it'd be easier.

"Go get them. Let's just get it over and done with."