In which Freya Ylvasdottir has been prophecied by the Seer to be destined to betray her mother, Queen Ylva the Dread and Bjorn Ironside, her mother's husband, and no matter what she does to try to avoid her fate, all roads lead back to the betrayal...
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In the river near Kattegat, Ivar was sitting on the shore as Sigurd, Ubbe, and Freya were naked in the water, bathing. Shieldmaidens loyal to Lagertha were scattered around the shores, keeping guard.
Sigurd sighed in frustration and swam closer to Ubbe and Freya, an annoyed look on his face. "What are we going to do?" He asked the duo in a hushed tone.
"If Father is dead—" Ubbe began to say, only to be cut off by Sigurd.
"Mother and Father," Sigurd corrected Ubbe, only to have his older brother spit water in his face.
"I said, 'If'," Ubbe argued in a stern tone, "It is possible that Lagertha might change her mind about keeping us alive."
"Of course she might," Sigurd replied as he suspiciously glanced around, "The only one we know for sure will survive this is Freya. After all, you are Ylva's daughter. How can we trust her?"
"We can't," Ubbe responded and shook his head, "But if we try and kill her, all furies will be released. And who would support us?"
"Mother and Father," Sigurd admitted quietly, a shameful look on his face as he shook his head, "I can't believe it."
"Even if it is true about Ragnar, we must all bide our time and tread lightly. We'd be bloody fools to give ourselves away too quickly. We must be wary," Freya explained to the duo quietly and Sigurd's eyes immediately went to Ivar, who continued to sit on the shore.
"So, what about Ivar?" Sigurd asked his brother and Freya curiously.
Freya sighed, shaking her head at Ubbe and Sigurd. "You can't. That is the issue. He is blinded by his rage after your mother's death. It will not end well. You know that."
Ubbe and Sigurd turned to each other, exchanging an uneasy look since they knew Freya was right.
____
On the hills near his brothers' cabin, Ivar was sitting on a rock, beginning to sob at the thought of his mother and father being dead. Suddenly, he looked up at the sky and roared loudly in emotional pain.
Freya, hearing his yells, made her way over to him as he wept. She immediately wrapped her arms around him and Ivar grabbed onto her. He began to sob in her arms and Freya held him close. "I'll kill them," He spoke lowly as Freya continued to hug him, "I'll kill them all."
"I know, I know," Freya spoke softly as she nodded her head. She pulled away from hugging him and knelt in front of him. She cupped his face in her hands, forcing him to look her in the eye, "And I shall help you, but we cannot act before thinking, Ivar. Lagertha will expect us to attack so soon. It will ruin everything. You cannot kill her. Not yet. Do you hear me?"
