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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It was nighttime and Tova stood with Ragnar, King Horik, Erlendur, Lagertha, Bjorn, and the rest of the usual group as they spoke of what Horik had done to the King's son and the rest of the men who had come to make negotiations.
While Aethelwulf and the other men had been leaving after making negotiations with Ragnar, Horik had sent some men, including his son, to ambush the Saxons.
"King Horik, your behavior has made it very difficult to talk peace or to negotiate with King Ecbert," Ragnar spoke up as he gave the man an annoyed look.
"I never had any intention of negotiating with King Ecbert," Horik complained in a calm tone, "I thought you were aware of that. I only want revenge. I want to kill King Ecbert. And then, perhaps, I shall talk to him."
Hearing the man's words, Tova turned and exchanged an annoyed look with Ragnar.
"If we defeat Ecbert in battle, he may be prepared to offer us more in terms not only of gold, but of land," Lagertha explained to the group as she glanced around.
"This was a gift of good faith," Ragnar pointed out as he held up Athelstan's bracelet.
"What is good faith?" Horik retorted as he turned to look at Ragnar, "Why should there be good faith between us and Christians?" He asked in a cold tone.
"Don't you ever think that in the next hundred years, perhaps there will be no Christians or Northmen? That we'll all be one and united?" Tova complained in an aggravated tone.
"Says the girl raised by Christians half her life," Horik snapped at Tova, just before turning to Floki, "What do you say, Floki?"
Floki made a weird face and nodded, agreeing with Horik, but Ragnar and Tova had already expected that. "They worship a false god. They're fleas and vermin."
"I will go myself and talk to him," Ragnar decided, causing Horik to turn to look at him.
"You will not divide our forces, Earl Ragnar," Horik argued in a stern tone, "You seem to forget I am King. We will strike camp tomorrow. And armed and ready, we will go to seek battle as our Father Odin has taught us."
With that, Horik stood up and left with his son, causing Tova to sigh as she turned and exchanged a look with Ragnar.
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Later that night, Tova was sitting with Ragnar, who had himself wrapped in a blanket. It wasn't long before Bjorn made his way over to them and sat down across from them. "I can't sleep. I am thinking about what it is like to die."
"Only those who have died would know," Ragnar commented in a calm tone.
"The Seer would know," Bjorn reminded his father as he looked down at the fire.
