WRATH OF WAR [BJÖRN IRONSIDE]

CHAPTER FOURTY-SIX

Harald and Vál walked back to the town, small talking about anything that came to mind. Vál had warmed her cold shoulder towards Harald, beneath his hard shell he was a decent man. Astrid stood by the whalebones and both of them walked over to her. A large boat sailed into the shore, men getting ready to tie to boat to the dock. The dead whale by the side of the boat made Vál's eyes widen. She stood beside Harald and Astrid yet further away as they also watched the boat.

"I've barely seen you since we arrived here. It seems like you've been avoiding me." Harald said to Astrid as they looked ahead of them.

"You saw me earlier." Astrid said and Harald chuckled slightly. "I have been thinking about my situation. I've asked the gods for guidance and I've made up my mind." She said and Harald looked at her.

"What's your decision?" Harald asked after placing at Vál who listened to them, casually looking at them in the corner of her eyes.

"Why are we fishing whales?" Astrid asked suddenly much to Harald's surprise yet his eyes rested on the beast in the water.

"You can use all the parts from the whale. All the parts are exclusive and useful, nothing goes to waste. Everything from the oil and piece of meat it has to offer." Harald answered calmly. "What's your decision?" He asked quickly again, getting more desperate for the brunette's answer. Vál felt herself also getting impatient, desperate to hear Astrid's decision.

"I've decided to agree to your offer." Astrid said and Vál quickly turned her head to look at the woman who still looked ahead of her, not a single emotion in her eyes. "I agree to marry you." Astrid said and Vál's eyes widen as she looked at Astrid who looked unfazed by her decision. Vál looked at Harald with wide eyes and as their eyes met she couldn't understand the look in his eyes.

"Good." Harald said after a while as he looked towards the ocean again. "I could not have waited any longer." He added and Vál tried to process the words from Astrid's lip that kept echoing in her head. She never thought Astrid would agree to marry Harald since she was together with Lagertha, his nemesis.

"Let's not wait any longer, we shall marry today." Harald said after a while before turning to one of his servants and told them to fix for a royal wedding. "Follow Mathilda over there, she will help you get ready." He said to Astrid who looked at a shorter raven haired girl before following.

"Wilhelmina is fixing your clothes my king." Mathilda said to Harald as she kneeled. He gave her a nod and soon it was only Harald and Vál left by the dock. Vál smiled as she walked up to him.

"That was surprising Harald." She said too him and he nodded before meeting her eyes. "Guess you're not as unlucky with the women after all." She added before walking towards the main hall. Harald stood left by the dock alone, watching as Vál walked away from him, his eyes wandering over her body. He was glad Astrid had accepted his offer, she was attractive and skilled shield maiden yet he had hoped Vál had accepted it. He cleared his throat, taking one last look to the boat that was now quickly fixing the dock before the sudden wedding then left to the main hall to get ready.