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"If you get yourself killed I will never forgive you." Althena spoke stubbornly, glaring at her husband.
"I'll be fine," He chuckled in response, her caring still hidden behind the stubbornness that was laced into every fiber of her personality.
"You better be." She narrowed her gaze. "Don't think death will stop me from making your life a misery."
"I know," He laughed as she passed him his sword. "Just stay here and I'll come back for you when it's over."
Althena nodded, looking up at him with a slight vulnerability in her blue eyes. In her gaze, there was every emotion that she couldn't express, every emotion that she couldn't comprehend. Only weeks ago, she'd planned to kill Ubbe while he slept, and here she was terrified that she may never see him again. Terrified that she'd be alone again. "Look after your brothers." She spoke again, avoiding eye contact. "I know you're all warriors but you're also fools."
"Thank you for the concern." Hvitserk spoke up from behind them, nodding to Ubbe and informing him that it was time for them to leave.
"Don't leave here, no matter what." He told her finally, looking down at her to make sure she agreed.
"I won't, I promise. You have my word." She answered. Before he could leave, she grabbed his arm to stop him, gulping harshly as every terrifying outcome raced through her mind. Slowly, she reached down to her boot and pulled out the knife that Edith had given her to protect herself. As she placed it in his hand, she looked up at him with every emotion bare on her face. "You'll need this more than I will."
Ubbe smiled softly at her gesture, nodding in response. "Thank you."
As she watched him leave, she didn't notice Edith walking up behind her. She didn't notice anything at all. Not the birds, not the soft breeze, her mind was only focused on what was about to happen.
Not the bloodshed of innocent lives, not the destruction of sacred Christian sites. No, that wasn't what terrified her. Not at all.
As Ubbe walked with his brothers, he couldn't help but think about the fear in her eyes. No, it was more than fear, she was petrified. Maybe it was because of her God, he didn't know. But seeing her so afraid was unnerving.
"Hvitserk?" He asked his brother. Of course he wasn't afraid of dying here and now, there was no need to be. Inside York were defenseless citizens who couldn't hurt him. But it did plague his mind, the idea that at some point he could die. And it wasn't dying that scared him, for he knew he would only be reunited with his father in Odin's great hall. It was what he left behind. Who he left behind. "If I was killed...." He began calmly. "You'd look after Althena, right?"
Hvitserk gave him an odd look, as though he was speaking madness. Why would he die? Nevertheless, he nodded. "She's family now, right?" He shrugged in response, easing his older brother's concerns.
From just in front of them, Ivar spoke up as well. "It's not like we'd just leave her with her brother." He spat, as though it was obvious. At this, Ubbe couldn't help but smile. It seemed the princess had earned more hearts than just those of her people.
"Althena?" Edith's voice startled the girl, her blonde hair swaying as she jumped. She turned, features softening as she saw her dear friend, but her gaze quickly drifting back in the direction of York. "What troubles you?"
Althena looked towards the ground, small sorrow in her eyes. She shook, as she'd done the day that she'd arrived in this wretched place. What had happened to her since then? Truly caring for heathens? Even Ivar had crossed her mind, a fear welling in her stomach that he may not return.
"I don't- I-" She stammered, pausing to take a breath. "I don't want them to die."
"Alwin?" Edith asked in confusion, looking genuinely befuddled.
Again, Althena shook her head and turned back to York. "If Alwin died, not a soul on earth would miss him." She stated plainly. "No. I mean them. Ubbe, Hvitserk, Ivar."
"The cripple?" She chuckled. "I thought you hated him."
But in truth, Althena couldn't hate any of them anymore. They'd done nothing to her. The only one she truly loathed was Alwin, and she swore that some day he'd pay.
