WRATH OF WAR [BJÖRN IRONSIDE]

CHAPTER EIGHTEEN

Ivar didn't seem to mind the challenge from his oldest half brother yet Ubbe and Sigurd held him back. Both of them knew they couldn't kill Björn or wanted to. Björn were a skilled fighter and someone they had looked up to when they were younger. Ivar moved but Vál glared at him, knowing he would put himself in a situation he would be killed.

"Ivar." Vál warned him but he didn't look at her yet Björn and Lagertha did. Rage was burning in Ivar's eyes and before she knew it he was angrily crawling outside, not bothering to look back. Ubbe and Sigurd greeted Hvitserk as Björn walked up to her. She could feel Lagertha's eyes burn on her temple but she was still very disappointed in the new Queen. Not for killing Aslaug but for taking away her freedom and locking her up.

"Why are you in my brothers clothes? I'm sure you haven't shrunk since I last saw you." Björn mumbled to her and she looked down at her clothes, the cloak was rather big even if she was slightly taller than Ubbe. However Ubbe was a prince and who ever made his or the princes' cloaks didn't scrimp with the fabric. Björn's eyes roamed over her body, stopping at the rolled up sleeves. She almost winces when he took her hand in his, his blue eyes seeing the red wounds around it, destroying some of the ink that was on there. Björn frowned but she only raised her brow before she pulled her arm away.

"Why don't you ask your mother?" Vál said before walking towards the exit. Björn's eyes followed her as she walked only to land on his mother when Vál was out of sight. Björn walked up to his mother before taking her to the side.

"What happened?" Björn asked and looked his mother in the eyes.

"I killed Aslaug." Lagertha said, stating the obvious and Björn rolled his eyes.

"I understood that but what happened to Vál?" He said and Lagertha let out a sigh even if her facial expression remained calm.

"I had to do it." Lagertha said and Björn frowned.

"Had to do what?" Björn asked.

"I asked Vál if she could kill Aslaug for me but she refused." Lagertha explained and Björn was still frowning. To have someone execute a murder instead of doing it herself didn't sound like his mother.

"Why? She's got nothing to do with Aslaug." Björn said.

"Because of your brothers Björn, if Vál could've handle it in the dark they wouldn't had started a rampage to kill me. We might've gotten some peace for once." Lagertha said but Björn wasn't buying her excuse. His brothers rampage would've happened anyway when their mother died.

"Why is she injured then?" Björn asked.

"They would've turned her against me." Lagertha looked towards the women in the corner of the room, the ones who had taken care of Vál. Björn looked up and saw the women as he clenched his jaw. "Guess they turned her against you instead." Björn said and Lagertha remained quiet. Björn's eyes roamed the room again and stopped when they met Astrid's blue ones. Björn moved closer to his mothers ear as he looked at Astrid who looked back at him before leaving the hall.