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CHAPTER TWO: THE CHOICES
SEASON 5A

VIKINGS | GAME OF THRONES
— BURN THEM ALL —

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| EVERYONE GATHERED AROUND THE DECORATED BOAT WHERE SIGURD' S LIFELESS body laid perfectly still against the interior. His arms were folded across his chest with delicate furs laid across his shoulders. Relics and gems along with some swords were placed in the boat alongside with him. Anything that made his funeral more memorable and more pleasant for him to cross over was added in.

She quietly wished to herself for it to be anyone but him. Little tears just barely bordered the edge of falling down her slim face. For out of all of her brothers, Sigurd was the one who had always stayed by her side and defended her when Ivar would throw his tantrums.

  Ivar sat in the middle where he was surrounded by Björn with Ubbe to the side as he knelt down and placed an axe next to Sigurd. Hvitserk was just to the side by Viserya with Uhtred and Finan cautiously standing behind her. She tightened her jaw as she glanced over to Ivar, the sign of regret was seemingly spreading across his face. One may have said she even saw tears just barely creasing over the edge. But on the other hand, he didn't regret doing it at all and that worried her.

Ragnar had always taught her that family was everything. But perhaps Ecbert had been right after all and this realization hit her hard. That one would betray the rest of the family.

She remembered that day so clearly, the pain and hatred she felt towards Ivar when she saw the axe dig deep into Sigurd's chest. The yell that Ubbe let out when it hit, the crunching it made as it pierced Sigurd's flesh. The look Ivar gave them when they all looked at him in horror and of course the eerie silence that followed. It was unexplainably horrible...

Ivar wanted to continue on through England whereas Ubbe wanted to farm like Ragnar wanted to do. And Viserya felt out of place between the fighting, what was she to do, choose between her brothers? She just wanted to go home, to her real home. Where the lush gardens grew and where a stone castle sat tall against the blue sea. Björn didn't help either, he just wanted to leave, leave her behind with the others. Maybe that wasn't such a bad idea to leave...

Viserya took pity on Ivar, not simply because he was a cripple but because he was an outcast just like her. Nobody ever saw her as the true princess of Kattegat, no matter how hard Ragnar tried to embed it into everyone's mind. Viserya often tried so many times to connect with him but to not avail as he would just push her further away.

In the end, she believed it to be the work of Floki and Aslaug. They both despised the Christians and wanted nothing more than to see them all fall, especially Floki after what happened with Athelstan and Ragnar. That could have been the main reason why Floki disliked Viserya so much. But Sigurd was the brother that had always defended her even when someone would say something offensive.

But death does not discriminate, it wasn't kind. It snatched where it could, taking people who were far too young, far too good. It didn't pretend to care, it didn't pretend to distinguish. The hooded vale of death had hung over the world for a long time, always threatening. It happens out of no where and takes whoever. And that person just happened to be Sigurd.

After the funeral, Viserya found herself jumbled into the little hut with all her remaining brothers. Something she didn't quite want to find herself in. Ivar sat at the head of the table, staring intently at his cup while Ubbe sat a ways behind him. Hvitserk sat in front of him, laid out on his chair resting just occasionally taking sips from his cup as the over growing uneasiness filled the room.

Viserya stood to the right of him, her silver hair was done up in some more braids making her look much more like her mother. She glanced to Ubbe then Ubbe glanced to Hvitserk. This continued going on back in forth like little children playing a game.

They all shared the same thought but no one had the guts or wanted to say it. Viserya gently swayed back in forth, the silence lay like poison on her skin. In a attempt to get attention, she crossed her arms and sighed, waiting for someone to say what she was thinking. But Ivar spoke out almost like he could pick up on what she was hinting. He squeezed the cup he held as his eyes then focused upon the table.

" I know what you all are thinking, but it is not true. I didn't mean to kill him. He made me kill him..." Björn walked in just as Ivar spoke, and paused before he walked pass Viserya and Harold into the other section.

Ivar fiddled with his hands, " He taunted me, he made fun of me, what was I supposed to do?"
Hvitserk looks over at him, concern crossing his face.

" You didn't have to kill him Ivar." Viserya speaks up. Ivar looks over to her intensely. " Tell me, what kind of a man turns and tells lies about his own brother."

" And what lies did he tell?" Hvitserk added looking down at his cup. Ivar glanced over to him, " oh you know that as well as I do."

" That you weren't a real man?" Hvitserk finally says as he takes a glance up to him. Viserya casts her sight to the ground, she could feel Ivar's pain and understood it but why act like this? There were other ways to solving issues and killing wasn't one of them. Ivar retreats back, still holding onto his cup tightly. He ponders for a moment before he glances back.

" And what would you have done if he had said that to you Ubbe? What would you have done if you weren't a real man." Ubbe takes a sip of his drink, ignoring him.

Ivar then looks to Viserya, " What about you? Hmm what if he said something like that to you?" Viserya shrugs her shoulders but doesn't answer instead looking over to Björn for help.

" I swear to the gods on everything that i didn't mean to kill him. Anger overcame me, I wasn't thinking." Björn simply rolled his eyes and continued readying himself to leave.

"Ivar but he was our brother. He was my brother." Viserya said as she glared at him. Ivar simply cocks his head slightly to the side , " Yes but you're not really one of us are you Viserya?"

Her jaw clenches as she stood back. " Anyway aside from that, we need a strong hold. We need a place to fight from." Ivar blurted out without any holding back.

" Father wanted to farm, I say we take the land given to us." Ubbe voiced out as he placed his cup down. But of course not everyone was for this.

Ivar tossed his head back in forth in a circle motion,
" We have a great army and we have dragons. Why not use all of this." He pointed out, looking between them all.

Viserya rolled her eyes, she wasn't having this, those were her dragons. "No, why don't we just sail home and leave the Christians alone. We have avenged father's death and caused enough harm to them. I say leave them be and continue on our way." Viserya replied, glaring at him.

Ivar chuckled, waving her off, " Why don't you just say it Viserya, if you love the saxons so much then why don't you join them? Maybe carry a Saxon pup in your belly."

" Maybe I will." Viserya sarcastically remarks to which Ivar narrows his eyes and grits his teeth before Ubbe steps in, " Alright that's enough you two."

" Besides, I have other plans," Viserya says staring Ivar dead in the eyes, " I'm taking my dragons and the rest of my army and we're going to Coccham. And once we are there, I guess conquer it. But I'm not going to harm the people that live there unlike you Ivar, I want to protect them from people like you and king Harold. We have caused enough harm to them already."

His name slipped off her tongue like poison. Ivar cocked his head to the side and chuckles, " Oh fine little sister, But what makes you think they'll be so accepting of you? Hmm?" Viserya huffed at his obscure accusation, the fire inside was just about ready to be let lose.

King Harold cuts in, " Ah yes Viserya, you call yourself a queen but you aren't one yet, there are procedures that have to be taken. Plus I've seen many queens in my lifetime and you aren't one of them."

" Alright that's enough." Ubbe says again, this time with more annoyance.

Viserya scoffs, " Probably because you weren't truly looking and those queens bow for any man whereas I  will bow to no man." She glared at Harald as she awaited a respond. Her amber eyes cutting into him like daggers, before shifting her focus back to Ivar.

" Your mother wasn't a seer and that's not why she stayed away from me... no, she was afraid of me just like you are."

Ivar slammed his hand down on the table, " No she wasn't and you definitely don't scare me." She narrows her eyes at him, " You will tear this family apart, Ivar. You will tear this world apart, But let me make this clear brother," She leaned over towards him, some of her silver hair dropping down around her face.

" When my dragons are grown, I will take back what is rightfully mine and what belongs to the people and Lagertha with fire and blood. I will lay waste to your army and burn your cities to the ground! And I promise you this Ivar and King Harold that when I see you both on the battlefield next, I will show no mercy, nothing. I will burn both of you alive."

Ivar glared at her, the anger boiling inside him. Viserya turned and started walking out when Ivar shouted back, " And I promise you this dear little sister, when I see you on the battlefield next I will kill your dragons. I will make them plummet to the earth, screeching and screaming as a spear is plunged into their throats and after that I will take the pleasure of driving my sword through your heart." He finished smiling like a maniac—his typical trait.

Viserya slowly came to a stop and turned to face him, " I am the mother of dragons, blood of the dragon, you don't scare me."

And with that she walked out, closely following  behind an already annoyed Björn. Finan and Uthred slowly followed in behind her. Viserya lingered behind Björn for a little while longer before stopping him.

She placed a hand on his shoulder, " Björn, You're not leaving are you?" Björn stopped and turned towards her, " Yes I am, I've waited long enough." He says repositioning the bags on his shoulder. She stands there in shock as she watches him, his words bouncing back in forth in her head.

" Björn, what about Torvi? And your children?" She blurts out as she walks after him. " What about mother?" She says positioning herself in front of him. He sighed, " They'll be fine Viserya, now let it go." The hint of annoyance echoed off of him as he pushed his way pass her.

"But You promised father that you would protect me." She shouted out to him. He stopped and turned again, this time Halfdan was at his side," You're 16, you are old enough to care for yourself. I've done my part." Viserya watched as Björn continued walking away with Halfdan to the boats. The mix emotions bounced around inside, just waiting to be let lose.

The feeling of happiness that she was free to do what she wanted without her big brother Björn hovering over her every second of the day was refreshing but it was mixed with sadness at the same time. He wasn't the same brother she had known, he didn't even wish her goodbye.

She couldn't take the constant bickering of her brothers, perhaps it were the best for her to leave. Viserya walked over to Sigurd's burial pile. A single tear slide down her cheek as she slowly fell to her knees. Why him? Out of everyone. She lowered her hand upon the grave, the soft overturned dirt mingled between her fingers as she gently rubbed back in forth.

" I'm so sorry Sigurd, I should have protected you." She glanced up to the sky, the clouds slowly passed by the sun casting an eerie overshadow on the grave. She then grabbed some dirt into her hand and squeezed. " I will avenge you brother, I promise you that." She sniffled.

Hearing the sound of approaching footsteps from behind makes her quickly wipes away her tears. " Are you alright ?" A familiar voice asked up from behind. She perked up just a bit knowing it was Ubbe. He slightly bent down right beside her, glancing to the grave, " I miss him too Viserya."

She nodded her head in acknowledgment, " What Ivar did is wrong..."Ubbe places his hand on her shoulder, " I know, We will have our revenge someday little sister, Sigurd was our brother. Our time will come, but it will have to wait. Your dragons are not yet fully grown and neither are you." Ubbe stated the obvious to which Viserya simply nodded.

Viserya willed herself to slowly got up from the grave. If she was going to do this, it had to be now. She had to be her own person no more taking orders.. She could finally see Uthred and Finan standing there with their arms crossed, awaiting patiently for her return. That considered her que, so Viserya along with Ubbe started making their way over to the others.

The distance calls of her dragons echoed above. They were never far from her. Viserya glanced up and smiled as she watched them fly over. As if on cue, Ragno quickly swooped down from above with lightening speed. This in turn, caused the people below to scramble out of the way as the young dragon landed with loud thud, almost crushing those that weren't quick enough.

Viserya eagerly walked over to Ragno, his little grunts of needing affection tumbled throughout his body as he placed his head down just low enough for her to pet. Ubbe stopped just to the side of her, " I guess this is farewell little sister." She glanced to him and meekly smiled, " I guess so brother, till next time."

"Till next time." He embraces her in a tight hug, "Goodbye Little dragon." Viserya hugged her brother tightly, perhaps tighter than ever, for this could possibly be the last time she'd ever see him. With a little grunt, Ragno shifted his entire body just enough for her to climb aboard him. Ubbe let go of Viserya and jumped back slightly at the sudden shift, believing the dragon to do something. Using his leg and wing as some sort of makeshift latter, she grabbed up and used the protruding horns of his neck to hoist herself up.

Ragno of course, being the young rebellious dragon he was, jolted his wing a little bit which caused Viserya to fall forward before he slammed it back down. She sighed heavily and chalked his behavior up to him showing his impatience with her.

Without a second more to waste, Viserya leaned down and tightly grasped onto Ragno's horns that protruding out just enough for her to hold onto as he slightly turned to the side. With a little call out to the others above, he started to run forward, first with his with his wings against the ground as he pushed pass the crowd of onlooking disgruntled Danes.

His translucent reddish wings then spread out, both slightly flapping away at the brisk air just enough to pick up the much needed speed to lift his ginormous body into the air. Viserya looked behind her just one more time to see Ubbe standing there with his arms crossed and look of sadness upon his face. " Goodbye brother.." she faintly whispered with a little tear forming in the corner of her as she slowly looked back ahead of her. Ragno hunched down at the last minute and using all the strength in his legs, hoisted himself into the air.

To feel the crisp morning air against her skin was enough to remind her that this was the start to a new life, a new beginning. Daenerys and Aegon both playfully called out when they saw their mother and brother approaching from below. They twirled and danced around each other behind them like little children playing trying to attract the attention of their mother's sight.

The army that she held command over then followed in pursuit with Uhtred and Finan as the main in command of the tiny makeshift army. It was made up of any Dane that wanted to start anew, to rid themselves of Ivar's obnoxious antics. To Viserya's  better judgement, there were quite a few that couldn't withstand Ivar anymore and wanted to rid themselves of him. All finding her to be the better and more kinder leader of the two.

The danish camp soon became nothing but little glimpses of what looked like tiny triangular tents in the distance. Her old life was over, there was no going back nor would she ever want too. Now as she laid eyes upon the vast wilderness below her, Viserya became the first Targaryen to have ever seen this land, and the first to be able to see the rich grasslands and farming communities from above.

Finan and Uhtred moseyed their way behind her, the dragons were a lot faster once in flight. But without their commander there, it was up to the both of them to keep the overall order of the small army. Thankfully for them, there wasn't many individual farms nearby, ones that could spark the interest of the Danes, but of course that also meant that Coccham couldn't have been far and the lord only knows what would happen than.

Uhtred kept a weary eye out for unwanted visitors, especially the one's he was not on good terms with. Finan noticed how overly cautious Uhtred was being with his constant surveying of the distance river nearby.

" Uh you ok Uhtred? You've been acting very fidgety since we've been on this route." Uhtred shrugged before motioning in the direction of the distance river, " The river over there is where Kjartan and his men roam, they're some of the few people I'm not on very good terms with at the moment." Finan simply did a little gesture of acknowledgement before returning his sight forward while Uhtred kept on high alert.

Little did they know that Kjarten's men would be the least of their worries for on the other side of the embankment of the river, King Æthelwulf and his people were slowly making their way to York to set up camp. Alfred still recovering from his illness rode proudly along side his mother Judith, both trying to keep their heads up after the defeat of Wessex...

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REVISED SEPTEMBER 14th 2019