The Valkyrie's Daughter | Vikings

Chapter Thirty-Eight

AUTHOR'S NOTE

1) First off, I can only apologise for the abismal quality of gifs in the chapter banner above. It's so hard to get good gifs of Ellisif.

2) In one of the following scenes I will have sentences/paragraphs in italics. This is to differentiate between Rona's physical reality and her vision. So the italics like this are Rona's vision and the regular text like this is her physical reality.

***

Rona makes her way to Princess Ellisif's tent. She slowly enters, announcing herself as to not intrude on the Princess and her ladies.

"Princess Ellisif?" Rona says.

"Rona. Hello." Ellisif says.

Rona enters. Ellisif is sat down. One of her ladies is packing her things while the other is braiding her hair.

"Please, sit." Ellisif says, gesturing to a stool opposite her. Rona does as she's asked. "Would you like a drink?" Ellisif offers. One of the ladies holds out a cup and jug to the young shieldmaiden. Rona shakes her head.

"No, thank you." Rona gives a polite smile to Ellisif's lady in waiting. "I wanted to see how you're doing. Ivar said you wanted to see me?" Rona says.

"That is right. I just wanted to ask you here to thank you for your kindness."

"My kindness?" Rona asks.

"Yes. You've been very kind to me and my fleet, especially after Vik..." Ellisif trails off.

"I've only done what any decent human being would have done, Your Highness." Rona says.

"In any case, I appreciate it and I wanted to thank you and just tell you that I really do believe you're going to do great things in the Viking world...perhaps even beyond." Ellisif says.

"How can you know that?" Rona asks.

Ellisif leans forward to speak.

"When I was a little girl, I wanted to be training with the shieldmaidens, fighting with the boys. But my parents were afraid of me being hurt and there's the small fact of me being a Princess. So I was not allowed. And so, when I heard about you, I was happy to know that another young woman, similar to my age was doing what I'd always dreamed of. I am only a few years older than you, after all." Ellisif explains.

"Well I really do appreciate your kind words, Princess. And you also seem to have achieved very much for someone so young." The Princess lets out a small laugh.

"Thank you. I don't think I've done that much good but, thank you."

"I really do appreciate your friendship. I realise we do not know each other well and we have not known each other for long. But I would love to stay friends, even after the mission is over." Rona says.

Ellisif smiles, a few stray tears falling down her cheeks. One of the ladies carefully wipes them away with a clean rag. Ellisif mouths her a 'thank you'.

"I would like that. You are always welcome in our Kingdom, for as long as it stands. My people will greet you with open arms, I'm sure."

As the conversation between Rona and the Princess fizzles out, noises can be heard outside. It seems it is time to move camp. Rona stands up.

"Well, it sounds like I must leave you, your highness. I shall see you at the new camp." Rona says, bowing her head in respect.

"Please, call me Ellisif. We are friends, rememer?" Ellisif says, bowing her head back at Rona.