In which Ragnar Lothbrok raids England for the first time and in the process, he not only spares a monk named Athelstan, but a slave girl he ends up naming Tova. However, he soon learns that things involving the girl are not what they seem and she i...
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"He's dead, isn't he?" Earl Haraldson had impatiently asked one of his men the moment they arrived back to Kattegat.
Tova stood off to the side, listening closely to the conversation.
"I don't know, lord," The man replied, an uneasy look on his face.
Earl Haraldson sighed in frustration and looked around at the rest of his men. "Seize his boat."
"Yes, Lord."
"He's a criminal! He's not entitled to property," He demanded in a stern tone, "And if you come across his family, bring them here so we can talk to them."
"Yes, Lord Haraldson."
"You let him escape," Earl Haraldson growled as he leaned closer to the man, "I will not forget that."
With that, he turned to Tova, gesturing for her to follow him out of the room. She sighed in defeat, glancing around before she did just that.
"Come. It's time to meet your mother," He insisted and Tova couldn't help but roll her eyes.
It wasn't long before they entered a room where Siggy stood. The woman turned, her eyes widening at the sight of Tova. "It is her, Siggy. It is our daughter."
Tears began to fill the woman's eyes as a small gasp escaped her lips. She gradually began to smile and with that, she ran over to Tova. She knelt before the girl, placing a hand on the side of Tova's cheek.
The girl flinched, unable to grasp the fact that these people were her true family. She had spent years longing for a family, but now that she had it, she didn't want it. She wanted to live with Ragnar, Lagertha, and the others. They had become her family. The people standing before her were strangers to her.
Tova remained in place as Siggy lunged forward to hug her, beginning to cry. "My beautiful baby girl. My Skadi."
Sighing, Tova pulled away to look the woman in the eyes. "My name is Tova, not Skadi," She corrected the woman who happened to be her mother in a calm tone.
Siggy frowned at Tova's words. She turned to look at Haraldson, who nodded in encouragement. She nervously smiled and looked back at Tova, affectionately stroking the girl's cheek. "Our baby girl is finally home."
____
That evening, a feast was being held and Tova sat at the main table with Earl Haraldson, Siggy, and Thyri.
She sat beside the girl who happened to be her sister, only half listening as the older girl talked her ear off about what had occurred in the last six years. She didn't want to be rude to her so she acted like she was listening, but in truth, she couldn't care less.
