ELYSIAN ━ UBBE RAGNARSSON (ON HOLD)

CHAPTER THREE ━━ A LIFE WITH DIFFERENT RULES

( act one ━ a battle not yet won )
CHAPTER THREE
「 a life with different rules 」

── THEY MOVED AROUND SO MUCH THAT LILITH DID not exactly know where she was. For the most part, she was sat on a horse with Alaric held to her by cloth. One of her hands placed on the babes back and the other held herself onto the saddle to keep steady. Ubbe walked next to them holding the reins of the horse. Her headscarf was placed once again over her brown hair.

She had not uttered a word in days. Her blue eyes stared out into the open sky, wondering what in God's name she had done to deserve this. In the last few weeks, she had seen bloodshed and injuries that no man could survive. Ubbe's face had been beaten and one of his eyes was forced shut by swelling. She did not know if he would ever see from that eye again. That did not matter to her though as he had left with a group without his brothers, which was strange to her. 

Lilith did not know why for sure but she had a feeling. She was starting to understand their language and she was putting bits and pieces together, she had an idea of what happened and she was going to put it to use sooner or later. 

Although she was considered a slave she was thankful that she was not treated like the others. She was not being forced to do things she did not want to do. So in a sense, she owed Ubbe. She was thankful to him but that did not mean she would do what he told her. She only needed to do the things that would keep her and Alaric alive. Whatever that was.

She had never seen herself as a mother figure but yet here she was. Now a mother to a child she did not even bear. A child not of her blood but Alaric was now hers nonetheless. How tragic for her to raise a child when her childhood was ripped away from her. She was just an orphan but she hoped that Alaric would never feel that way.

Even though Alaric was not hers, she would take on the role of his mother. No matter what the cost, no matter what happened he was now hers. Soon the horse she sat upon came to a stop, her eyes glanced down to see the ocean and ships. Her heart sank and her eyes filled with tears and she turned to look behind her, although she was nowhere near her home this was still her homeland. She did not want to leave with these people.

She did not want to become a slave. She did not want any of it. Her eyes moved down to Ubbe who was staring at her and a single tear escaped her left eye. She knew he could feel her pain, it pained her to leave her home and her life. Ubbe raised his arms and motioned for her to come down.

Lilith closed her eyes for a moment saying a little prayer, hoping this would not be her last time in England. She opened them and with one hand still on Alaric's back, she placed the other on Ubbe's shoulder before he helped her down.

"I am sorry that you have to leave your home and I am sorry that I have to be the one to take you from here," Ubbe spoke, his hands still on her waist. "I do hope that one day, if the Gods will it, that you will return here." He finished.

Gods. That shook her to her core because to her there was only one God, not more than one. These people were pagans. And she could not stand it.

Lilith grabbed Ubbe by his jaw and drew him closer to her, her jaw clenched, "I find it funny that you of all people would leave. Leave your brothers high and dry. It's a shame you would turn your back on your family when they would not do that to you." 

She pulled him closer to whisper in his ear. "I hope your Gods welcome you with open arms because my God never will." She spat, before pushing him away from her harshly. She followed the few other captured women to the boats.

She thought about her options. She could either stay and leave or she could run. She had no idea where she was or how close the nearest town would be. It would be stupid to run, she had a child with her. She wouldn't even make it one hundred paces. She sucked up what courage she had left and boarded a ship that was going to take her far from her home.

She sat at the front of the small vessel and held Alaric close. She prayed to her God, hoping she and the baby made it across the ocean to wherever they were going. She hung her head and pulled her knees as close to herself as she could. Protecting the boy that continued to sleep in her arms.

Within the hour they were off, the ship moving further and further away from England until the land was out of sight.

"Lilith..." A voice spoke and just by the voice, she knew it was him. Ubbe. Slowly she looked up.

"What?" She breathed in.

"Where we are going it is going to be cold." He held up a cloak made of fur before he placed it around her shoulders. He then pulled it closed around her front, hoping to protect not only her but the baby from the wind and the water.

Before he could leave she grabbed his wrist. "Thank you..." She said. She felt bad about what she had said. This whole time he's only been trying to protect her. "I want to apologize for what I said. It was wrong and I was only angry but I shouldn't have let my anger get the best of me." She breathed in, looking up at his face as she did.

"I'm just afraid. Not only for me but for Alaric, who I have no idea how to raise. You've only been trying to keep us safe and although I am a salve I shouldn't have treated you the way I have." Lilith's mind raced, she did not know why all this was coming out now. But she truly was afraid.

Ubbe placed his free hand over hers that was wrapped around one of his wrists, he could see her tears that were threatening to spill over, "It is okay. I understand. I know that you are afraid and I know taking you away from your home hurts. And truly I am sorry about it. But you are right, your God will never welcome me." He sighed. "Because we are two different people who believe in two different things. But you will not need to worry, no one will touch you or him." He finished.

Lilith's brows knitted together, she did not understand. "Who exactly are you?"

He smiled slightly, "Prince Ubbe, son of Ragnar Lothbrok."

Of all the men that could have taken her and it was a prince, not only a prince but a son of the famous Ragnar Lothbrok. The one who had raided Lindisfarne and slaughtered so many people. She thought he was just a story made up by the people of Wessex. Now she knew the truth.

"What was he like?" She asked, "I've heard stories but I never thought that I'd be..." She trailed off.

"He was a great king and an even greater warrior," Ubbe spoke and he moved to sit next to her. Her hand still wrapped around his wrist and his hand still over hers. He started off telling her of when he was a boy to what he knew his father to be, as she listened intently.

Truly, she was thankful to know more about him, to have her mind taken off of the fact she was far from home now. She did not know if she'd ever see England again but at that moment she did not care.

AN

edited