Eyes of Fire

Odin Thunder

  "Today marks a new dawn for Kattegat. For all of us. We do not know King Ragnar's fate, or whether he will ever return. You have not been ruled properly for a long time, and many things have been neglected. Kattegat has changed so much in the last few years. It has grown and flourished. By all account, it is now the largest, richest trading center in Norway." Legertha declared, and the crowd whispered.

  "Which means that others are bound to be envious of our success. And they must look at us and wonder why we make so little effort to protect ourselves. It is my belief that we should begin to build fortifications, ditches, and palisades around this site. And it is my hope, as your Queen, that everyone, men, women, and children, the fit and the wounded, will contribute to this great work. Those who share my belief, say 'Aye'." Lagertha rose from the throne while looking over the people in the hall.

  "Aye!" The crowd clapped and cheered until they suddenly parted as there was thudding. Looking, I saw Ivar dragging himself across the floor with a spike in each hand. Ubbe set out a stool before the queen for Ivar to sit upon, and the woman's face hardened.

  "Welcome, Ivar."

  "I've come here for justice." The man stated. "Everyone knows that you killed my mother for no reason except ambition. Therefore, I demand justice."

  "Ivar." Ubbe put a hand on Ivar's shoulder.

  "Don't touch me, coward." The younger brother growled, pushing Ubbe's hand off of him.

  "He is not a coward." Lagertha stepped down from where the throne was to stand in front of Ivar. "But perhaps he understands some things that you don't." The woman set her hand on Ivar's shoulder, and it seemed as if she were looking down at him in more ways than one.

  "I understand everything perfectly. You murdered my mother in cold blood." His voice was eerily calm, and Lagertha dropped her hand to her side. "I want revenge. I challenge you to single combat." The crowd began to murmur.

  "I refuse."

  "You can't refuse."

  "I refuse to fight you, Ivar Lothbrok, son of Ragnar." Lagertha raised her voice, backing away with her hands folded in front of her.

  "Why? Hm?" Ivar tilted his head as Lagertha stepped back to her throne.

  "I don't want to kill you." She answered, and Ivar chuckled while scratching his head with one of the spikes.

  "Who says you will kill me?"

  "I do."

  "All right. Don't fight me, then. I don't care. Just as long as you know that one day, I will kill you, Lagertha. Your fate is fixed." Observing her face as Ivar's words struck her, she seemed to be trying to hide her unease, but those eyes of hers gave her away. She was scared of Ivar just like the rest of them.

  There was good reason to be.

~

  "Come now, is that all you've got?" I chuckled with my sword raised and in a fighting stance. I lacked a shield, but one wasn't really needed when our weapons were made of wood. I had been asked to spar by one of Lagertha's shield-maidens- the bravest one to approach me- because they were curious about my skills. However, the fight with the shield-maiden had long since passed as I was now fighting a man that had witnessed the fight and wanted a chance at battling me.

  "Just wait, I'm only warming up." He wiped his bloody nose with the back of his fist before raising his wooden sword and lunging at me with a roar. Diving under his arms, I swung my blunt sword at the backs of his knees and sent him to the ground. Hitting his upper back, he fell flat on his face as I twisted on my feet.

  Grabbing the back of his shirt, I yanked him up and placed my weapon against his throat.

  "I believe this is a win for me. Again. Do you wish for yet another round?" I grinned as he spat blood, and the crowd watching parted as Lagertha stepped forward.

  "Why are none of you working? There are things to be done." The people left with her words to go back to building the structures she wanted made to protect Kattegat. The queen turned to me as I let the larger man go, and she sighed through her nose. "Why are you fighting?"

  "Sparring." I corrected while handing my wooden sword back to the shield-maiden I had borrowed it from.

  "Sparring?" Her gaze drifted to the bruised and bloody man dunking his face into some water. "If you wish to spar, then please do so with those not in the middle of work." Lagertha nodded to me before walking away with the shovel she had in her hands. Watching her leave, I then gave a low whistle to Garmr and walked in the opposite direction she had gone.

  Stopping by the blacksmith, the wolf remained outside away from the sparks and fire.

  "Has my sword been finished yet?" I asked the dirty man hammering out some metal to straighten it. He placed the metal into some water, causing it to hiss and sizzle as he also set down the hammer.

  "Here it is." He picked up a sword and held it out to me. "You remember the payment?"

  "I do." Without even looking at him, I handed him some coins while inspecting the workmanship of the blade. I checked the weight of it in my hands and its balance. "This is good work. Thank you." The man only grunted in reply and went back to work after pocketing his pay. Glancing over at the other man banging on some red hot metal, I noticed it was actually Ivar. I didn't speak out, not wanting to bother him, and left to return to the house on the water's edge.

  "Garmr, what do you want to eat?" I asked the wolf as I walked through the door. "Do you-" I was cut off by his growling, and my head jerked up to see a man dressed in black standing in the middle of the room. I reached for my sword, but he raised a hand as if to stop me, and I paused. Garmr even stopped baring his teeth at the stranger missing an eye.

  "I came to see the sons of Ragnar, but I see that you are here now as well." His voice was low as he stepped toward me and reached out a hand. The man brushed some of my hair out of my face and cupped my cheek. "You are on the right path here, child. Do not stray from it. We are watching over you, little Hel."

  I blinked, and the man was gone. Falling to my knees, my gaze was directed to right in front of me, but I wasn't really looking at anything. Thunder rumbled outside as a storm was churning in the sky.

  "Odin." I whispered as rain began to fall.