WRATH OF WAR [BJÖRN IRONSIDE]

CHAPTER SIXTY-FOUR

a/n: I think Rasmussen - Higher ground fits when they head to battle.

Björn had gotten back to Kattegat and he stormed into the great hall where everyone was gathered. His body language was tense and radiated, hatred, anger and sadness. Lagertha looked at his son and so did the others around the large round table. Snaefrid looked at Björn and she could feel every emotion that oozed from his body. The black cloak and fur that covered his tall, well built body made him look powerful.

"How did it go, did Ivar listen?" Ubbe asked yet Björn didn't answer. He only walked inside and gripped the empty chair tightly with his hands. His knuckles turned white as his nails bore into the wooden chair. His body was almost shaking and he didn't look at anyone, avoiding anyone's eye contact.

"Husband." Snaefrid said and his stomach flipped as a bitter taste spread in his mouth. It pained him to head it. His heart ached and the pain was almost unbearable. Snaefrid tried again yet he violently pushed the chair in front of him making it crash against the table before he pointed at the door with shaking hands.

"Leave." Björn said without looking at her. Snaefrid looked at the others as she frowned. "Leave now!" Björn almost yelled at her and Svase. Lagertha rose from her chair and made her way toward her son yet she could feel how he drained her energy the closer she got.

"Please excuse us." Lagertha said to the Sami royal family. Svase looked at his daughter and nodded. They left their chairs and when they had left Lagertha motioned for the guards hidden in the shadows of the room to leave as well and close the door behind them.

"V—" Björn tried and Ubbe and Halfdan looked at the oldest son of Ragnar with a worried expression. "Vál is dead." He whispered before closing his eyes as if Thor's mighty lightning was penetrating his body, making ashes of his bones and organs. His bottom lip shook slightly and Lagertha's eyes widen as she placed her hand on her son's shoulder.

"What do you mean that Vál is dead?" Ubbe asked with wide eyes, right almost twitching as his mind had went blank. His hands clenched up in fists tightly and he wanted to know who had shoot the arrows that had hit Vál so he could kill them personally. Halfdan's mouth hung agape as the woman he had adored himself had died. Even if she had pinched his nerves sometimes she had saved his life and she had showed him another way of fighting with an amazing set of battling skills.

"She's dead brother!" Björn snapped angrily and took a shaky breath.

"Do you know for sure?" Halfdan said as he knew his brother and he knew Ivar would go far.

"No, yet it would be low for everyone to say it." Björn said. "All of them said so, even Astrid and she looked honest." He added.

"Guess we only know when we battle if it's true—" Björn said as he looked at the door then without saying anything he walked towards it. "Ivar won't negotiate about surrender." He said before leaving. Lagertha let out a sigh before following her son outside. She walked with him towards her cabin and closed the door behind them. She walked over to her son and when she saw the tears the formed in his eyes she embraced him. She wrapped her hands around his neck and shoulders as Björn cried into her shoulder. They had no idea how long they had stood there, Lagertha's heart ached for her son's broken heart.