In which Ylva Sigefridsdottir, also known as Ylva the Dread, had been an earl since she was a young girl, despite having two brothers, following the death of her mad father and power-hungry stepmother.
Hearing of the girl's feared reputation and...
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In the home of Sigefrid, Earl of Ashton, numerous men sat together, feasting, laughing, and drinking as they celebrated the news of Sigefrid's wife, Hertha, being pregnant with his child after numerous years of failing to become pregnant.
The hall was lively and filled with laughter, despite just below them being a small cell that contained Sigefrid's sons from his previous marriage, Sihtric and Erik.
Things weren't the same in Ashton since Sihtric and Erik revolted against their father, who was beginning to be known by everyone in Scandanavia as Sigefrid the Mad.
People in Ashton feared their earl, but were too afraid to stand up to him, despite his rule being unjust and illegitimate. After all, he only became earl when he married his first wife, Hild, who had been the only child of the previous Earl. Though when she birthed their youngest child, Ylva, he killed her because he had wanted it to be a boy and took the earldom for himself.
Ylva and her brothers had always been mistreated, but when their mother died and their father married his second wife, the power-hungry Hertha, matters only became first.
The two sons of Sigefrid rebelled after their father, but failed to succeed in overthrowing him. They were imprisoned as a result and had remained so for three years now.
However, the day it occurred, Ylva escaped with her life after her father sent men to kill her in her sleep. Her father didn't care, though. She was merely a girl of ten years. He didn't believed she was capable of anything that would do him any harm. In truth, she assumed she was dead after not hearing any word of her for three years and he was glad.
Little did he know, Ylva was the greatest threat he would ever face and the war against her would begin that same day.
The double doors to the large hall busted open and a man covered in the blood entered, nearly falling as he walked in.
Blood dripped from his mouth and there was an arrow embedded in his shoulder. He walked toward Sigefrid, who cautiously backed away from him.
"Who did this to you?" Sigefrid asked, narrowing his eyes at the man.
"Ylva," He announced, causing numerous men and Hertha to gasp loudly as their eyes widened in horror, "She has returned. She told me to say that she and her men are intent on slaughter. And that yours and your wife will be the first heads they take when they arrived at Ashton."
Sigefrid remained silent, his eyes widening in horror. He sighed, trying to hide his uneasiness as he exchanged a look with his wife.
Below them, after hearing the announcement, Sihtric turned, exchanging a shocked look with Erik.
