brave in the heart. vikings

𝐶𝐻𝐴𝑃𝑇𝐸𝑅 23

𐂂

Merida stepped out upon the wooden dock, weaving between the people who pulled ropes from the ships that were already bobbing on the water, filled with supplies for the coming weeks. There was no briskness to the air, or at least not as there had been, and the sun, an icy tinted yellow shone upon open waters, free of a frozen layer. Rollo stood by one of the first boats, hanging onto the side as Floki hopped around him as light as a bird's feather.

She had hardly spoken to Ragnar's brother- there was something off about him. But Merida was just happy to be leaving, to be setting sail across the sea once again. Though she wasn't as happy as Floki, it seemed, as he was almost dancing across the boats in the water, meeting Bjorn at the other side. Helga had spoken to her the previous day, telling her how happy he was to be with a family, but also how angry it made him. Merida understood, she loved her family but the whole nature of it made her feel trapped.

Tall blonde hair caught her eye among the men that sorted out the boats. Merida hurried her way over, meeting Lagertha with a smile.

"Lagertha."

The woman smiled, meeting her broadly with hands on her shoulders.

"Merida," Lagertha greeted. "I did not think you would be coming with us."

She felt a hand at the base of her neck. "No one could stop her."

They walked together toward the ship they would be boarding, the first one that would leave the beach.

"I did not come to Kattegat just to stay in one place as I would do in Dunbroch. I came to explore," she said, stepping over the gap and next to where Floki pulled the sail.

"Wessex? It's on the same land as your kingdom, is it not?" Lagertha asked.

Merida nodded. "South of Dunbroch. But we do not trade or converse between Kingdoms."

Lagertha looked as if she would speak again, but Merida shook her head, following as Bjorn lead her to the bottom of the boat. "I want to put all of our training to use, Lagertha."

"As I said, I could not stop her, even if I wanted to," Bjorn laughed, watching as Merida pulled the bow from her back.

"And would you want to?" His mother asked.

Bjorn shook his head, looking away with a chuckle. "Never in a million years."

"I am glad. You are a good shield maiden, Merida" Lagertha said, placing a hand to her shoulder. "I would be honoured to fight alongside you."

"As would I," Bjorn said.

Merida turned to look to where he was standing, finding him closer than she expected. He was smiling, hiding a smirk behind amused eyes. There was flint behind his gaze too- something deep and unlike she had ever seen before. It was a look behind his eyes that she didn't understand. She smiled in return, looking away, not able to return his stare.

"Let's sail," he said, ducking his head and moving away.

The journey was far more difficult than the one that had taken her to Kattegat in the first place. Sweeping and ferocious, were the waves that crashed down upon their boats, after only a day of sailing through the oceans west. Even the sun never peered down for too long, taking ominous glances from behind thick, charcoal clouds that hid it well.

Merida didn't believe in fate- she had made that obvious enough- but there was something about the timing of the thrashing weather that sent shivers up and down her arms. Perhaps it was a sign. A sign that going to Kattegat was the right choice, and leaving was the wrong one. But from who that sign was from, she didn't know and didn't wish to guess.