ＴＨＥ ＱＵＥＥＮ [KING HARALD FINEHAIR]

PROLOGUE

Nearly twenty-five years ago sharp metall clashed against sharp metall. Screams were heard from warriors, men, women and children. Panic had spread through the city when hundreds of boats had sailed in high speed towards the harbor. Yellow and red shields were visible on the sides of the ships. They hadn't arrived for peace.

The horn had blown, and the King Ultredson didn't have the men prepared for the surprise attack. With the sword in his hands he fought his way towards the main hall where his wife and newly born baby daughter were hidden. He saw a large group of men heading in the direction of the hall.

"Follow me!" The king ordered some men as they continued their way towards the hall. King Thor Ultredson saw the two guards outside the hall being struck down by the hoard of enemies. Anger and panic spread through his body. His eyes widening as he could see the men leave the main hall again yet this time with his wife beaten and tied up. Tears fell down the cheeks of Queen Signe Egilsdottír as loud screams left her muffled mouth. The cloth was soaked in tears and saliva.

"Signe!" King Ultredson yelled yet he couldn't be heard over the panic in the city.

The king fought his way through his body felt paralyzed when a man in a long braid and two younger ones walked outside with the small bundle of blanket in his arms. The younger men had stains of blood on their faces, evil eyes that looked for trouble and pain in their enemies eyes. Both men had some resemblance to the older man and to king Ultredson, a resemblance. King Ultredson knew the intruder. King Halfdan the Elder soon stood before him as he had reached the main hall.

An evil smile spread across King Halfdan's lips as pain spread through King Ultredson's chest. He fell to his knees yet his eyes never left King Halfdan's. The intruder smirked as he roughly handed the crying babe in his arms to a large man.

"Take care of her." King Halfdan said and the man only nodded before walking away with the young babe that kept crying.

"Halfdan! You can't do this!" The king finally spoke, voice laced with panic, fright, betrayal and anger. The old king laughed loudly, the two young men chuckled as well.

"Oh can't I?" King Halfdan laughed. "It was only a matter of time before the would happen my friend. You knew it." He continued.

"Give me back my wife and daughter!" King Ultredson demanded. "Do not harm them!" He yelled.

"That I can't. I don't respond well to disloyalty my dear friend. This is my example." King Halfdan said before arrows penetrated King Ultredson's body. A triumphant smirk spread across King Halfdan the Elder's lips as he had conquered Agder, one of the southern kingdoms in Norway. The previous Queen would be used and might sold or else she would be killed. The crying babe was left in the woods to die. Her desperate cried for love, comfort and security from her parents echoed through the forrest.

A farmers wife found the babe crying, cold and abandoned. Taking the child into her arms she made her way back home, not fully aware of how her husband would react. However she couldn't leave the defenseless child alone in the forrest. She had enough children, six of them. Suddenly she had seven.