Crown | Vikings | Valkyrie Queen Novel

Chapter 6

The path to the seer was long with twists and turns at every corner. Fog swept in on a chilling breeze with each step, discolored fall leaves crunching under her feet as they blew across the ground. The sun was hidden by the tall oak trees on each side of the path. Their branches stretched overhead of her, forming an intricately woven web.

The house was nothing more than an old wooden shack. She could see smoke rising from the chimney, the smell of burning wood flowing under her nose. Various fauna had overgrown around each side but any bloomed flowers were absent. Vines with thorns crept along the wooden pillars in an attempt to reach what little sunlight they could. Everything appeared lifeless. Death lingered in the air.

"Enter Riyah, daughter of Vyserah. Give me your hand." The Seer called out to her, his voice rough and low. It was unsettling yet full of wisdom and knowledge.

She opened the door, her fingers sliding along the uneven wooden slate. The Seer stood in the middle, tending to an ongoing fire. Coals, blood red, had been spread out amongst the ashes of the burning oak logs. Flames burned an iridescent blue as smoke rolled off the tips. Flowing black fabric draped down his body, a hood covering his distorted face. Blind eyes were shaded grey and dull.

Riyah held out her hand nervously. The Seer took it in his own as she could feel his tongue lick her palm.

"What do you wish to know?" He grumbled, letting her hand go and turning his attention to the fire once more.

"Ragnar has returned. Bjorn wishes to sail the Mediterranean." She said.

"You are unsure of your own fate in life." He interrupted her and then paused, waiting for her to agree. She could only nod under his stark gaze, blind eyes piercing through her soul. "Bjorn Ironside has asked this of me as well. Ragnar's return will only lead to darkness, death, war, betrayal, chaos...But the Gods have so much in store for you."

'What would the Gods ever have in store for me?' She wondered.

A harsh chuckle rumbled from his chest and through his lips, almost as if he could hear what she had thought just moments before. "Valhalla has witnessed the birth of another valkyrie. Now it is time to see her rise. With fire in her eyes, she will take the crown, both old and new. People will fight for their chosen. Enemies will fall on the sword. Kings will bow at her feet. Favored by Odin, the Valkyrie Queen they will call her."

"The Gods must be mistaken." She said. She refused to believe such words, but she knew the Seer's prophecy were almost permanently etched in stone.

A grin spread across his lips, his white, jagged teeth slightly showing as he spoke. "The Gods are never mistaken. The path you choose to take may be different but your fate will remain the same in the end."

Riyah shook her head. No.

"Choose to believe what you want, my dear. You cannot outrun your fate. Now leave, for I have nothing more for you here."

He turned his back to her, attention focused on the fire once more. He listened for her footsteps as they faded away behind a slam of the wooden door.

The sun had begun to set along the horizon, leaving behind an eerie orange hue among the desolate oak trees above her. A chilling breeze had settled in around her as she hugged the cloak furs closer to her body for warmth. Her feet carried her along the path, her mind wandered.

The feast would begin soon and with that, a decision was promised. Deep down, she had already made it. Ragnar had no intentions of returning home. He would surely die in Wessex, a feeble attempt to right the wrongs he made. This much she knew. With Bjorn, she would sail uncharted waters. Her name would be famous amongst the sons of Ragnar, even more so than what it already had been. It was a consequence she wasn't sure she could live with for it meant that the Seer was right.

She could hear loud laughter and cheers of 'skol' as she rounded the corner to the great hall. The large wooden doors had been left open to the people, revealing the cooked smell of recently killed wild game and fresh produce pulled from the gardens. Cups made from animal bones were filled to the brim with ale and mead. A large fire had been started inside the hearth, bright flames dancing to warm the air.

"It appears you are like me after all. Always arriving late." A women's voice. Feminine yet deeper than the average.

Riyah smiled. "Lagertha. It has been too long."

"Yes, indeed. I assume you are here to see my son off?" She smiled back, her blue eyes reflecting love at the familiar sight before her.

Riyah turned to face Lagertha. Another woman with short, disheveled black hair stood behind her. Astrid. Several other shieldmaidens stood behind them. She extended her arms out and wrapped them around Lagertha. She met Riyah's embrace, holding her tightly, cherishing the tender moment between them. She had aged, but unlike Ragnar, she had aged gracefully. There were minimal wrinkles along her smooth porcelain skin. Her hair was mostly comprised of grey, a few strands remaining the platinum blonde Riyah had seen her with years before.

"It seems Bjorn has asked me to accompany him." She said, pulling back from the embrace. Lagertha rested her hand on the small of her back and guided her inside.

A thrall stood by the door, handing her a cup of ale which she graciously accepted, the smell of fermented wheat hitting her nose. She sipped from it, letting the bitter tast cover her tongue and slide down the back of her throat.

"You accepted?" She questioned.

"She has yet to tell me her decision. It is nice to see you, mother." Bjorn yelled over the commotion of the feast. "Astrid." He kissed Astrid's cheek out of formality and she nodded in acknowledgment.

"Is that so?" She teased Riyah as she embraced her son.

"If he would have waited patiently, he would have heard my answer." Riyah teased back, taking another sip of her ale. She smirked as the golden liquid graced her lips, eyes looking up to the bear of a man. "Yes."

Bjorn laughed wholeheartedly with a wide smile, icy blues melting with joy under her own green orbs. He placed his arm around her shoulders, his touch making her shiver, sending electricity coursing down her spine and her blood pumping heavily through her veins. He led her to a table on the far side of the Great Hall where his brothers sat, cups in hand and plates of food placed in front of them.

"Bjorn Ironside. It has been too long!" A man bellowed, tattoos intricately placed on his face. A single braid laid in the middle of his back, long and dark, with facial hair to match. His stature tall, yet shorter than Bjorn. His physique was muscular yet well hidden under his cloak and tunic.

Riyah noticed another man stood by his side. A brother perhaps? Similar in appearance, but with dirty blonde hair and a taller frame. She did not recognize either of them.

"King Harold!" Bjorn greeted. "My brothers Hvisterk and Ubbe. Hvisterk has agreed to sail with us."

"I see you're brothers have grown. They are no longer boys, they are men." He turned his attention to Riyah. "And who is this beauty beside you?" Harold asked, intrigued. "I imagine you would not let her leave your bed. She must be your wife."

Bjorn answered before Riyah could speak. "Do not be mistaken. Torvi is my wife." Bjorn pointed towards Torvi across the hall, earning a wave from her and one of his children. "Riyah is a shieldmaiden. I could not tame her if I tried. She has agreed to sail to the Mediterranean with us."

"A shieldmaiden of your beauty is always welcome upon my ship." Harold winked at her. "Come let us discuss our course."

Riyah took yet another sip of her ale. If she were to go through with this, she need not be sober.