Devilborn: Ashes of Valhalla (GxG)

Two

Ásgeirr mounted her horse as the moon shone brightly through the clouds.

Agnar had assembled the finest men the kingdom had to offer.

"My father," Ásgeirr began, addressing the men. "Your king," she added. "...Needs us patrol the west-end village. There's been word of disturbances."

"The army? The one that's legions and legions large?" Asked Aghi.

Ásgeirr flinched at that comment. "Yes. They're the ones who've been supposedly causing a ruckus and burning villages to the ground."

Danr pulled a face. "That's supposed to be our job."

Ásgeirr sighed. "Yes. I know." She took a breath. "That's why it can't be allowed to continue. They need to be stopped."

A viking named Svenn then interjected, "If it's those damn Romans again, there's no telling what I'll do-" he trailed off.

One man--by the name of Ol Teirsson--smiled at Ásgeirr. "Well I'm sure whatever it may be, we can handle it."

She nodded. "Yes. I'm sure we'll be able to handle it as well." Ásgeirr paused before beckoning her men. "Now, come on. This village isn't going to patrol itself."

─┉─¡! • !¡─┉─

The sound of horses' hooves beating against the ground echoed through the night.

At last, they had reached the village.

The ruins smoked. 

"I don't get it," Svenn started, sniffing the air. "I don't see anyone. I thought the entire Roman army would be here."

Ásgeirr focused, gazing around at her surroundings. She tried to take in every single sound.

"Or... The Saxons..." Danr started saying.

"Or the Scots," Aghi added.

Danr pulled a face signifying his disagreement. "The Scots? Here? Yeah, no. That's not very likely. The Saxons would be more likely."

Ásgeirr had to try even harder to focus.

Svenn nodded. "Danr is right. There's no way the Scots would be here. I mean, what would they gain?" He paused before grinning again.

"Really? That's like saying it's the Parthians," Aghi commented.

"What are you talking about?" Svenn asked, confused.

"What? Did you take some mushroom again, Aghi?" Danr asked.

"No. I didn't. But, as you can see, what I said made no sense," Aghi said. He went on to say, "It makes just as much sense as saying the Romans or Saxons are here." But, of course, that last part was spoken over.

"Yeah. It didn't make sense," Danr began to say. "Because when aren't you eating things that fuck with your mind?"

"Hey!" Aghi angrily shouted.

"Will you blithering oafs shut up for one moment?" Ásgeirr huffed. She noted the confused looks she got from her men. "I could've sworn I heard something; so, I was trying to listen. Whoever did this could still very well be here. We still need to patrol for them though."

The warriors did nothing. They just sat, idle on their horses.

"Well, what are you waiting for?" Agnar began asking. "Get patrolling!"

"Yes, sir!" They all shouted in unison before heading of in various directions.

Agnar silently nodded to Ásgeirr before heading off to patrol the village himself.

Ásgeirr patrolled for sometime before she heard the sound a branch cracking. She stiffened and dismounted her horse before carefully and quietly slinking around a hut.

A cloaked figure--that was all alone--looked up, jumped, and dashed in another direction. They had been holding different herbs and flowers.

Strange, Ásgeirr thought, but she didn't pursue the figure.

Ásgeirr then turned away, heading back to her horse to continue searching for the culprits.

─┉─¡! • !¡─┉─

The patrol entered the town and dismounted their horses, letting the servants take them to the stables.

The group parted ways--most of them heading to their respective dwellings.

Ásgeirr and Agnar didn't head to their dwellings.

They both headed into the castle.

Agnar headed off to the armory to drop off his gear while Ásgeirr was heading toward the throne room where her father would be.

She was stopped outside the door.

"Well, did you guys find anything?" Hrafnúlfr, Ásgeirr's kid brother, asked. Hrafnúlfr was eleven-- far too young to lead patrols.

Ásgeirr shook her head. "No. The village was destroyed and deserted when we arrived." That was a lie. She had seen the cloaked figure. But, they didn't destroy the village, she told herself. They were most likely a druid. Wait...Could a druid do that? No. Druids are peaceful people.

Hrafnúlfr swallowed. "Father is going to be enraged when he finds out that you and your men couldn't find and ambush the culprits."

"I know," Ásgeirr breathed. "But I still need to tell him the results of the search, regardless."

Hrafnúlfr sighed. "Good luck." He then continued on his way, passing by Ásgeirr. He disappeared down the hallway.

Ásgeirr then sighed to herself and headed toward the large door that led to the throne room. She took a deep breath before opening it.