Melt The Ice In My Heart | Vikings

Punishment And Protection

"And...uh... eat these." Shaking my head I tried to sign to Rollo it wasn't a good idea, but he completely ignored me. He too had eaten it so it didn't matter anymore.

"Athelstan, you don't have to eat it."

However, he wanted to proof himself, which I was afraid of. Raising his arm and opening his hand, he grabbed the content that was laying into the bowl and had put it between his teeth, chewing onto it.

~~~

Everybody was smiling and giggling at Athelstan as he took a sip from his drink, with the liquid still dripping off of us lip he wiped it off with his sleeve. Shaking my head, I watched the priest blink a lot, trying to get the sight out of his eyes, but as everybody knew, you couldn't, it had to fade. I had done it the last time I was here, but I didn't had the need now. Though, I had drank a lot and wasn't sober, I could think more clear than the rest around me. In the corner of my eye I spotted Rollo kissing Siggy and I turned my head around again, secretly hurt and I suddenly noticed that Athelstan had weirdly disappeared before my eyes.

~~~

The next morning I woke up, pushing myself off a wide and big tree trunk I had been sleeping on. With a hazy vision I tried to examine my surroundings, only to spot one figure standing by the fences who formed as a cage for the sacrificed animals and while stumbling through the trees, I joined him.

"Athelstan, Njorun! I want you to meet someone."

Pushing the fabric opening from the set-up tent aside, we made our way inside and my ability to walk properly had returned with luck.

"You must be Ragnar Lothbrok."

The loud man embraced Ragnar and couldn't hide a big smile.

"I must tell you it is my privilege and pleasure to clap eyes on you. Your reputation goes ahead of you, Ragnar Lothbrok. I know this because so many have told me how you killed Earl Haraldson, and then built a new kind of ship, were the first to sail west, and defeated a king of England. In fact I can hardly believe my eyes that you are standing right here in front of me. Please, please." The amused man, who seemed king Harold as Floki just told me, had signed to us that we could sit down before him.

"Travelers and storytellers have described how you came to your throne by defeating, one by one, the six uncles that killed your father-..."

"And my mother, and all my sisters and brothers."

Rolling my eyes, I could already feel what this conversation was going to end up in. Bragging about how they became big and what had happened in their pasts, like every other normal powerful man. Sitting myself too, I stared at Athelstan who had took a seat next to me.

"So, everything went well yesterday?"

"What... oh.... um yeah. I don't remember everything in detail, but I can almost confirm I wasn't killed."

A small smile was painted on his face when the two men before us started to speak again.

"I also know how you favor the poets at your court, and your people respect your law making, your justice and your rule. And as a consequence, here, on this site, in the living presence of the gods, I offer you my fealty and my service."

"I accept your pledge with a glad heart. What can I do for you in return?"

"Hmm. You could join forces with me. I am not satisfied with what I have achieved so far. I want to send in bigger raiding parties to the west. Yes, to plunder, but also to explore new lands."

"There are other lands to the west?" The king's eyes sparkled by the big news he had heard.

"There is a kingdom called Francia. A kingdom far larger, far richer, and far more powerful than England. Athelstan come. Come." Athelstan slowly rose to his feet, nervous about what would happen. "This man had seen it."

"I was a Christian monk in England. I traveled as a missionary."

"I have heard of Christians and of their god. And are you still a... Christian."

"No." Athelstan confirmed the king.

"Of course not! How could you be a Christian and walk among our gods? I share your appetite for new adventures, Ragnar Lothbrok, and I will gladly join forces with you, since, as king, I am naturally not in favor of individual enterprise by my earls or anyone else. But believe me I will be happy enough just to have my name linked with yours when the poets tell the story of how we Norsemen sailed west and discovered new worlds." They embraced for a second time and I just shook my head, it was all so overreacting. "Please, come. Eat, eat."

~~~

"I have come to tell you that the sacrifice of this man will not please the gods. He is neither willing nor is his faith acceptable to Odin. His heart is corrupt. He has not renounced his false god." Seer continued. "Instead, one amongst you must agree to take his place tomorrow at the sacrifice. If not, then all shall fail. The gods, in their anger, will punish everyone... and withdraw their protection from all of us."

'I think they already did that for me." I spoke up in a harsh tone so only Rollo and Ragnar could hear me and the next thing I felt was a elbow in my rib.

"Sshhh."

"See!" I silently growled at Ragnar. "Maybe I should go, only I don't think they want me." I chuckled when the pain faded.

"No, not yoo, Njorun." To my surprise both Rollo and Ragnar yelled at me at the same time, truly not willing to let me go. Maybe because they finally got me back. Backing off a bit, I could hear everyone whisper and murmur about who would do it when suddenly Arne tried to raise his hand, only to also be cut off by Leif, another friend.

"Before anyone else can claim this honor, I desire to be sacrificed. For the sake of my family, for the sake of all of you, my friends. But even more, for the sake of all humans in Midgard. I trust that the gods will find my sacrifice acceptable. In which case, I look forward to it joyfully." Leif nodded at the Seer as the Seer returned the nod to him.