Being the daughter of Ragnar Lothbrok wasn't easy. Let alone being the sister to the best warriors in all the lands.
Isi grew to be the best shield maiden that ever lived. Even better then Lagertha. Which was surprising because she was a great warri...
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The day had finally arrived. The day that the daughter of Ragnar Lothbrok was returning to the battlefield to potentially fight her own brothers, her blood.
To say she wasn't looking forwards to it would be an understatement really. How were you supposed to walk onto the battlefield to confront your siblings after being dead for years? Slightly impossible for people who haven't heard the back stories as to how she was alive, she couldn't exactly stop and explain it to Ivar and Hvitisirk midway through the fight now could she?
She felt odd staying back in Kattegat, her nights mostly consisted of wandering down by the water like she did as a kid, while her days spent discussing battle and ways her brothers planned to kill their other siblings. Though she wasn't really paying attention during these meetings, Isi could clearly see the nervous looks that appeared on Ubbe's face while Bjorn mentioned killing their brothers. Ubbe didn't want to do it that was certain.
Though the time she spent back in her home village felt strange, being there allowed her to connect with her family. She had gotten to know Torvi and would often babysit for her while she helped Ubbe train the younger ones, and she even spent time with Bjorn after everyone had gone to sleep. He was getting older and she knew his rein would not go on for much longer. He looked exactly like their father.
While intoxicated he would often let slip a few things that Isi herself didn't quite want to hear. Like how all three of his children had been killed and he was too old to produce anymore, or how this feud between brothers reminded him of their father and uncles battle in France, and he would always, always mention the many ways of how he would kill Ivar.
However that was all days ago now, today was a day for war. A day for loss and death, grieving and heartbreak, but above all today was a day that the past didn't matter. The brothers she would meet on the other end of the battlefield would not be the brothers she grew up knowing, she grew up loving. And that had to be the hardest thing she has ever had to imagine.
Isi braided her hair tightly, along with her sons and husbands before slipping into her war uniform. Two axes were held in the belt around her waste, her shield heavily sat on her back and one of Lagertha's swords in her hand. She refused to use Lagertha's sword but Bjorn insisted she did otherwise it would just be left to rust.
She felt the tears form in her eyes as she looked down upon her two youngest sons smiling up at her, swords heavily held with both hands. Alec stood proudly talking with his father as they sharped their axes on a rock nearby.
Allowing her mind to recast back the many bodies that were often left behind after a battle, Isi could help but imagine finding one of her sons lying amongst them. One day. She knew that one day she would have to feel the pain of losing a child, most of her siblings did, she was surely next. And she would curse the gods that day.
Their had to be every warrior in Norway gathered in this small camp, children and grandparents included. Everyone was here to safe their country from the Rus, perhaps Isi had underestimated the size of her brothers army.
"Isi, there's someone here who I think you'd like to see before the battlefield" Ubbe greeted, his hands resting on the swords the sat on each of his hips.
The raven haired woman was completely and utterly confused by this, she was sure she had greeted everyone in the army. Noticing the look on her face Eric gave her a slight nod of reassurance, as if he knew about this the whole time.
"Who exactly am I seeing? As far as I was aware I had seen everyone on this army" She asked, following Ubbe through the muddy trail towards the edge of the camp.
"An old friend."
Isi barely got to ask anymore questions before they had arrived at the tent where Bjorn had been sleeping. Even from outside she could see the many bodies that had been crammed inside, it looked a little too claustrophobic for her liking.
Following Ubbe as he pushed his way through the bodies, Isi's feet suddenly couldn't move causing her to nearly fall when her eyes locked onto the man sitting at the small table talking with her eldest brother.
He was old, as in way older then when she had last seen him before they had taken over York. The black ink that had once surrounded his eyes had now vanished, he looked underfed and boney, the exact person you wouldn't likely see heading into battle.
"Aren't you supposed to be dead?" He asked in his recognisable tone, though from the wholesome look in his eyes Isi could tell his tone and emotions were completely different.
"I have gotten that a lot, though by now I guessed you would have been too. What are you doing here old man" she laughed, crossing her arms playfully. Even by this friendly face her mods had lifted entirely and she had almost forgotten what today was.
"Old, now that is funny. I have survived far more worse things than you ever will my dear Isi."
Isi couldn't help but smile, a real smile and not some put on one just to seem like she had payed attention.
"Well, let me be the first to say Welcome Home, Floki."
