Melt The Ice In My Heart | Vikings

My Hatred And His Love

"Good. Your messenger will take several days. So in the meantime, why don't you and your men go and visit our famous ash tree? It is famous not only for its size, but because if never loses its leaves, summer or winter. Some people even say it's Yggdrasil, the tree that holds up the sky. And I will provide you an escort. I only have one very small request. I would like one of your men, or woman, to stay behind here as a kind of security. You understand, I hope?"

"My brother Rollo will stay behind." Ragnar confirmed and quickly stood up, leaving before Rollo even had the change to go against his respond.

~~~

For Rollo I had decided to stay as well, giving him a little company as his other friends left to the so called famous ash tree, Yggdrasil. Finding myself into the hallways of the building, I suddenly heard Jarl Borg speak up and it made me stop to listen.

"So, Rollo, how do you get on with your brother?" The curious asshole asked and I knew which path the conversation let to.

"We get along fine. Why shouldn't we?"

"No reason. But not all brothers get on so well. I know that from personal experience." I rolled my eyes and tried to find a hole or a crack in the door to see what was happening, only to see Rollo sitting down with the Jarl throwing some sticks into the fire.

"What do you mean?" Rollo had asked while looking up.

"I, too, had a brother. I loved him. We were very close, as befits blood brothers. We fought together in the shield-wall. We shared the same women." In disgust I shook my head, I never had understood why you would want to share your woman with your brother, but it was their business either way. Jarl Borg had sat down on the opposite side of Rollo and leaned onto the wooden table they had taken a seat on with Rollo listening closely and carefully.

"When my father was killed, there was fierce competition to replace him as Jarl. And although I was his eldest son, I was not sure I was going to succeed. However, I was elected at the thing. We had a feast to celebrate. My wife was there. My young, beautiful wife. We'd just gotten married. And all the others who had stood for the election against me. My brother poisoned them all. I only survived because my wife took the cup I was about to drink from and drained it herself in celebration. I will never forget her screams. It's my wife's screams that will haunt me for the rest of my life. My brother denied responsibility, but his guilt was to obvious-..."

I somehow felt bad for the Jarl and silently sighed before switching my gaze back through the hole to spot the two men. I could see Rollo raising an eyebrow while his face turned into a confused expression when the silence was broken again.

"So I blinded him with my own hands, and then I burned him alive. Although he laughed while he was burning. That's what I know about the love between brothers." The man stated as Rollo shook his head in denial.

"Ragnar would never do such a thing."

"Of course not. No, your brother is different. Your brother's a great man, a great warrior." I silently started to hate the man who spoke like that against Rollo, I had already noticed what kind of game he was about to play and I found it rather concerned that Rollo hadn't noticed it himself yet. His jealousy had always taken a big role in his decisions and it seemed like Jarl Borg had find that out too.

"As am I." Rollo growled at the blond haired man.

"I'm sure you are. And yet I've never heard of you." The Jarl stormed off to another group waiting for him and I could see Rollo seeking a way to leave. He had found the door I was watching from behind and I quickly backed off, acting like I was just passing.

"I knew you heard everything." A rough voice followed me from behind.

"Don't let him get to you, Rollo."

"Easy to say. You don't have any family to deal with." I quickly turned around ready to attack him when he outran my punch by grabbing my fist.

"Never say that again." I hissed through my teeth and I spotted regret in Rollo's eyes which were not that long ago filled with jealousy and rage.

"I'm sorry. I knew what you had been through with your father. That's why we had came those years ago." I never had the full explanation why they had invaded my home to kill my father. I had no idea how they caught the information my father abused me badly, nobody knew. Besides I had never been outside before their attempt to rescue me. Either way I had been grateful for it and never dared to ask why and when I was ready to, I was taken by the storm. But now, in this moment, I lost my tongue again, still not wanting to know why they had saved me from him or how they found out about the situation I lived in at home in that moment.

"How..." was all I managed to roll off my tongue when Rollo his arms wrapped around me and pushed me against a hard wall in a side hallway.

"I had heard you scream... a young girl, begging to stop hurting her. It had haunt me the same way Jarl was haunted by his wife's. I had stormed in-..."

"Ragnar followed and you killed my father." I silently whispered as I stared up at Rollo while continuing the story we both had taken a part in that day. I could see his eyes glancing down at my lips as I had spoken up at him and knew what to expect. If I wanted it... that was another question....