Thorfinn's brother (Vinland Saga)

Karlsefni

Five days later Canute, Askeladd, and the brothers were in York. The leader had approached Bo and Thorfinn, giving them a mission. It included getting of the boat early and taking down an assassin aiming to kill the prince. Not caring too much, they both followed the order.

Hopping off and landing on the dock, the brothers became one with the shadows and walked to the place the assassin would be. Looking at his brother for the corner of his eye, Bo took notice that the swelling his his wounds had gone away, leaving nasty bruising in its place.

"He didn't promise a reward." Bo said, breaking the silence. Thorfinn scoffed. "Don't care, I just want to be far away from that asshole." Nodding, the older brother saw a cloaked figure holding a crossbow. 'That's the guy.'

Nudging Thorfinn with his elbow, Bo tilted his head in the direction of the assassin. Bo's arm was still recovering so he wielded one knife, while his brother's shoulder was fully recovered.

There was an uproar, Askeladd shouting that the prince had been killed. The cloaked man began to walk away with a smug smirk, walking directly in front of the twins. The man looked ahead, face morphing into confusion as Bo glared.

"I'll take him." He muttered running at the assassin, getting a large slash on his cheek. The cloaked man turned to run for it, but Bo was faster. Kicking the man in the back, sending him to the dock below.

Feeling some pent up rage, Bo jumped down and plunged his knife into the mans back. Standing up Bo scoffed. "Tch. Waste of our fucking time." Thorfinn jumped down to join his brother.

Feeling eyes on him he looked to the side making eye contact with an old man, looking like he had just seen a ghost. He had grey hair that was balding that exposed the top of his head. He was short in stature, still just barley taller than Bo and Thorfinn.

The townspeople above shouted slander, the brothers paying them no mind. "YOU THERE!" A man with long black hair shouted, looking at Bo. "YES YOU! What's the meaning of this?!" He demanded, Bo saying nothing.

Taking his silence as defiance, the man deducted that the brothers -or at least Bo- was the prince's assassin. "Seize those miserable rebels, men!" The long haired man commanded.

"It wasn't us, it was him." Thorfinn said unbothered, kicking the dead body. "He had a weapon. You can ask the other witnesses." Bo said. The men didn't care, surrounding the boys and old man.

"Hand over your blades!" One man demanded. The main accusatory man scowled. "Heh! A likely story! So you think you can pin the deed on your fellow there and escape justice?!" He gestured to the old man.

Bo tried to keep a level head, tried to get logic through this mans thick skull. "Quite making up stories you scum! I told you, it wasn't us!"

Bo's words went right over the man's head. "Not so! I can tell from your eyes! Both are dead inside, that's clear to me! You've got the faces of wicked men, anyone would agree!"

Before anyone could speak Thorfinn punched him square in the jaw, making his eyes spin as he fell to the ground unconscious.

A man with a helmet drew his sword, scowling. "You dare resist us, you little-" He shouted, only to be stoped by the man who took their daggers. "Wait, wait, wait!" He looked at the knives carefully, then the brothers. "Two knives, short, young, twin brothers. Are you, Bo and Thorfinn Karlsefni?"

With just the mention of their names, people went wide eyed and took a step back. The brothers looked at each other, confusion on their faces. "Karlsefni?" They said in sync. "What kind of name is that?" Bo muttered. "Hell if I know." Thorfinn muttered back.