The Valkyrie's Daughter | Vikings

Chapter Eighteen

TW// This chapter includes relatively graphic depictions of violence and a scene of attempted SA. Please read at your own discretion.

***

The reality of what Rona was about to do sinking in. She was about to engage in her first battle and she would most likely be killing people in cold blood. Rona did not like this idea despite knowing that these people would probably kill her without hesitation if they had the chance.

As much as Rona knew that raiding, fighting and war was part of the Viking way of life and even though Rona wanted nothing more than to be a great and powerful shieldmaiden, she did not like the idea of innocent people being killed. Rona's mind went back to a conversation herself and Hvitserk had not so long ago about what being in battle felt like (since Hvitserk had already engaged in a few). Hvitserk was right. Rona had began feeling the buzz.

The whole fleet soon were in the middle of what looked like a market place. There were so many different stalls and there was lanterns all around. They were selling all different types of food that none of the Northmen or women had ever seen before. There was a smell unfamiliar to Rona in the air. The smell of spices and incense. The people there were all dressed in bright and bold colours. Reds, oranges, gold, silver and many more.

As soon as the fleet had entered the city gates, the killing began. Floki quickly made his own route into the city. Bjorn very quickly stabbed a man through the stomach with his sword and pushed him to the ground before running off deeper into the city with Rollo, who began laughing as he cut person after person down. Harald and Halfdan went off together and began fighting anyone they found. The majority of the poor locals didn't stand much of a chance as they seemed to be unarmed. Despite the buzz Rona was feeling, her heart ached. But she did not have time to process her morals before one of the locals came lunging towards her with a curved sword.

Rona managed to knock the man's sword form his hand in one quick blow. She barged towards him and knocked him to the ground with her shield before stabbing her sword through his abdomen. Her first kill. Rona suddenly went into survival mode, cutting down anyone who dared to approach her.

Hvitserk had become distracted and had began looking through some of the different food stalls. He took a bite of some sort of fruit. He soon turned to look at Rona, who was currently fighting off three men on her own. She did not seem to be struggling whatsoever. She was fighting like a valkyrie! The scene unfolded almost in slow motion through Hvitserk's eyes. He was entranced. He stared at Rona as she cut the three men down with ease.

After a moment or two, Rona's head turned towards Hvitserk's location. Rona's eyes widened.

"Hvitserk! Look out!" Rona yelled before quickly cutting down one more man who had come out of nowhere trying to slice her throat. Hvitserk turned around to see a man running towards him, shouting some sort of war cry and just managing to block the man's sword with his shield.

Rona was about to start running towards her friend but thankfully Bjorn swooped in out of nowhere and defended his brother before knocking the man to the ground. Both of the brothers stabbed the man with their swords, killing him quickly. The two brothers then went on their way, following the rest of the fleet.

Rona suddenly felt that all too familiar pain in her temple. She brought her hand towards her head. Her sight disappearing quickly along with her hearing.

***

Rona was back in the clearing where Ragnar had been caged and tortured. It was day time. The english soldiers were surrounding the cage along with Aelle. Some other people seemed to be part of the crowd also. They were all chanting some sort of Christian prayer. Rona recognised it. The Lord's Prayer. Her father had taught her the prayer when she was young after he had turned back to the Christian faith. Rona could also hear bells tolling in the distance.