Grey Souls

Never Forget

Chapter Seven

Lagertha watched in amusement at the different reactions she received upon taking her seat at the table across from her ex husband who sat beside their daughter who was currently ignoring Lagertha all together as she drank heavily from her wine barely touching her food except for small bites of the meat and bread.

Lagertha sighed sadly she deserved such a cold reaction from her first born child but knew that she had no words to explain her strange behavior except uncertainty and fear, the now Earl Igstand as she was known and ruled by had become ambitious far beyond what she once dreamed herself to be she saw a great future with much wealth and power for herself so her children would be supplied with much including choices on both sides from both of their parents.

Lagertha stole another glance at her daughter who as she turned her eyes towards was already staring at her as if searching for something Lagertha did not know what seeing her eldest child's different colored eyes gazing back at her she noticed something else had once again shifted inside her daughter and she appeared even more powerful and commanding in presence, Lagertha smiled a small genuine smile that was met with a squint of glaring eyes that suddenly became wide as if realization hit before falling blank. Lagertha felt a cold shiver rush up and down her spine.

Oh Lagertha was no fool, since her meeting with the Seer she realized that the strange word sspoken to her that night could only point to one person. Her's and Ragnar's daughter, she would die by her own child's hand but the blonde Shield Maiden and Earl knew she had big plans and none of them included dying any time soon by anyone's hand.

If pushed came to shove she knew she would rather take her own life then allow herself to be dishonored by such a notion as having her life taken by her own daughter, Lagertha had grown jealous over the years as she watched her eldest daughter and eldest child grow so powerful and so beautiful and so beloved without ever having to even try. She possessed powers that no mere mortal could truly fathom and all though Lagertha was truly happy for her daughter for being so extraordinary she wanted her own greatness to be talked about and so she set forth and took matter into her own hands.

The Earl knew she still had many years until her own death but she couldn't help her slight unease and uncertainty around her child. Daga was far from a fool and picked up on that too.

"So exactly what is it that we are all doing here on this night?" King Ragnar drawled his voice strictly business as he refused to look at his ex wife once he got over his shock.

Ragnar was no stranger to screwing up with his children but he never intentionally set out to hurt them or ignore them, yes he had hurt them in the past but had never done what his ex wife and mother of his two eldest children had done. He had never shut them out even when they shut him out and left him. He stood strong and waited for when they would need him and the moment they did he would be there.

As his children's mother had openly ignored their first born and only living daughter and yet freely communicated with their only son, Ragnar knew his daughter well enough to know that all though she played it off as it being nothing or not being bothered in the slightest Daga was deeply hurt by her mother's neglect.

Ragnar took a calm steadying breath as he truly thanked the Gods at lest Aslaug had truly stepped up for his daughter then more then gladly placing herself in the younger woman's path and taking up the job of an adoring and devoted mother to his daughter that left him breathless and even more so when he noticed the pair becoming insanely close he couldn't hide the fact it warmed his heart especially to see his daughter smile so warmly and truly.

"We are all here King Ragnar because I have a deal and I'm going to need your help." King Ecbert said drinking from his wine leaning back in his chair leisurely.