Vikings-The Trick Of The Gods

Nine.

She guided me through the streets he hands never moving from my shoulders. It made it difficult to walk but I dare not ask her to stop as the comfort it brought me was immeasurable. We spoke of trivial things to distract me as we dipped in and out from in between houses and buildings but eventually our talk moved on to her meeting with Ragnar and as she began to speak I could hear her voice change. She still definitely had feelings for Ragnar though I could not tell the exact nature of them from just her tone. They had come to an agreement and we were in fact going to raid England.

Upon hearing these words my heart leapt into my throat and I began to tear up. I had not realised how much I had missed home until now. Lagertha was like an adoptive mother to me but she was nothing like my own mother. During this time mothers did not express their love like they would do at home Lagertha's love for me was expressed through the occasional hug after not seeing each other for a while but mostly by giving a job, protection and preparing me for later life. Though I did not wish to leave Lagertha and Bjorn, I did want to go back home more than anything. There was so much more I could learn about medicine and healing if I went back but if I went back would I ever be able to return to this time?

So many thoughts whirled around inside my skull to the point where Lagertha's talking became no more than a soft mumble to my ears and before I returned to focus we were back at our home.

"We leave in a days time. Get some rest."

As I sank into my own bed, Lagertha went to hers and though I was exhausted all my thoughts and the terror from only a few minutes prior stuck with me. I was restless. I did not know how long I had been awake for until I noticed the gaps between the wooden walls begin to brighten and Lagertha begin to stir. Hearing her climb out of bed, I did the same and we both began to silently get ready in different rooms. Breakfast was skipped as the preparations began immediately.

Boats were filled with various items and shields lined them port and starboard. The streets were full of the clang and scrapes of metal, whether it be warriors practicing or weapons being created and refined. Food stores were near emptied and crated up before being hauled into the boats. Birds in wicker cages were passed gently and placed in the boats also. Upon Lagertha's request I began to ready myself also.

I took my axes to the weapon smith to have them sharpened thought it was a struggle to get him to do it at all. Word of the incident last night had traveled fast and, though it was not I who killed him many still blamed me for his death. I collected the armor I had though it was not very substantial as I had, not yet, not been in a real battle. I braided my hair as best I could to get it out of my face but the strands were still short and stuck out in odd places once I was finished. Carefully and decisively I began to fill a box of the medicine I thought would be most useful to take though I knew there would be some plants I could find also in England so packed them lightly. Inevitably the sun began to set and warriors piled into the boats till they were brimming with dirty excited faces. I grabbed the last of my things and was pulled into a boat with Lagertha and her more trusted warriors, or at least those who were on my side.

Lagertha assured me she left Einar, a man she trusts, in charge for the duration of our leave. I knew of this man but I did not trust him as of yet. He had given me no reason to and since being here I have discovered it's always better to wait till someone gives you a reason to trust them than to wait until they give you a reason not to.

As we began our journey to Kattegat, I turned to look back at the only place I had ever known in this time shrink to no more than a dot in the fading daylight.