𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐈𝐑𝐎𝐍 𝐌𝐀𝐈𝐃𝐄𝐍; vikings

chapter four; confusing threats

Seated in the Great Hall of Kattegat, where the people around started to dance, sing and drink the hearts out, Valdis wanted to hurry away and hide underneath the comfortable duvets of the bed, waiting behind the current festivities. While most attendants of the celebration enjoyed themselves, started to grope the slaves who served the ale, or even lured them out of the wooden building to release some anger, Ragnar sat around the fire pit in the middle. A cup of ale tightly in one of the calloused hands as the blue orbs followed Jarl Borg's steps.

Trust was an essential part of an alliance and after the usurpation and the spoken threats towards the Lothbrok's, the current Earl of Kattegat would never be able to put a tad of it into Borg again. Tension gathered between them and it was a sudden interesting sight how the latter started to make his way towards the blue-eyed Viking.

"Seating in a corner all night isn't the part of celebrating my father meant." The rough voice appeared out of nowhere, gaining the attention of the bored shield-maiden, who swung the cup of ale in small circles.

"And you should be somewhere with Thorunn, right?" Teasing comments left the mouth, before even taking a glance at the male who was seated beside her. She didn't care about unwanted attention, the lingering glimpses of Erlendur still caused the uncomfortable feeling in the pit of her stomach, wanting to stab herself into the abdomen many times.

"Jealousy doesn't suit your beautiful face, shield-maiden." Bjorn confessed with a chuckle, bringing the horn to the smirking lips and taking a long sip of the liquid.

"Oh, please, stop those accusations, Lothbrok." Pulling the legs off the bench and scooting away from the conversation about the slave girl again, Valdis drowned the ale left in the horn and raised one of her slender hands, calling for one of the servants. A young man with a metal jug in both hands hurried over to the corner and immediately poured the horn full with the light yellow mixture again.

"What's your name?" Valdis raised her head, a gentle smile plastered on the mouth as she realised that two people could play the same game. Last night, when the arrival of King Horik was celebrated in Kattegat, the Lothbrok's oldest son decided to leave the shield-maiden at the long wooden table alone, following the blonde slave.

„Asger." Bowing the chest to stay true to the duties of behaviour of a slave, the head snapped from left to right to acknowledge any requests for another drink.

„You look handsome for a slave." Valdis pointed the metal cup and a finger at the clothes, the young male wore. Nothing patchy or ripped, it actually looked quite valuable. More than he could possible afford which meant, Asger must be a slave of Ragnar and Aslaug. The latter likes to keep as many of them around as possible to assure all duties were covered by a pair of hands.

„Thank you, you do look dashing yourself." A compliment from a slave to a proud shield-maiden, and Bjorn couldn't keep the amused scoff inside of the mouth.

„What's the matter, Lothbrok?" Tilting the head over the shoulder to have a glimpse at the blonde's reaction, Bjorn stood on his feet, towering over the small statue of the servant. Muscular arms crossed over the leather vest on the chest, a one sided smile adorned the amused expression on the face. He didn't take a second to answer Valdis' question, too occupied with staring down the slave with squinted eyes.

„Slaves shouldn't try to flirt with such a lady. Do you know what she is?" Bjorn questioned the nervous boy, who answered with shaking head from left to right. A chuckle, a deep and very mocking one, escaped the smiling mouth. „She's a shield-maiden. One of the best after Lagertha, my mother. Another wrong spoken comment and the blade of her sword could cut you in half, right in front of every person in this hall and none would interfere."