SHE WOLF
— 10. Madness and Greatness

A year has passed since Ragnar Lothbrok had become King of Kattegat following the death of King Horik. Ylva spent most of that year traveling back and forth between Kattegat and Ashton.

She continued her duties as Earl of Ashton, but she also spared time for Bjorn. The two of them were happy as ever, though there were many times where they bickered like children.

Ylva was standing outside the Great Hall of Ashton. Freya stood in front of her, the two of them sparring with staffs.

Ylva swung at the girl twice and Freya was quick to duck to avoid the woman's form of attack. They had grown closer over the past year. They practiced sparring nearly every day and as each day passed, Freya got better and better.

Ylva swung her staff at Freya, but the latter was quick to block her with her own. "Good, Freya," She complimented the girl with a proud look on her face before she shoved her back, "Again!"

The two females began to deliver numerous attacks to each other until Freya suddenly gained the upper hand and struck Ylva across the face with the staff.

Ylva stumbled back, her lip beginning to bleed. She quickly wiped it and turned to Freya, surprised.

Freya stood in place, a part of her feeling proud of herself while also uneasy that Ylva wouldn't take it well.

Gradually, Ylva's lips curled upwards and she smiled proudly at Freya, who slowly began to smile as well.

"We'll continue tomorrow," She told the girl before turning on her heel. She walked closer to where Sihtric stood, watching the scene occur.

"Freya is ready," Ylva informed Sihtric in a hushed tone, "She's even better than I was before fighting in my first battle."

"She's only eleven," Sihtric reminded his sister in a hushed tone, "She is far too young to go to England with you. She is still a child. Do not ruin her childhood as ours was. It is decisions like that which cause people in our family to go mad. It runs in our blood."

Ylva stared up at Sihtric and sighed, knowing he had a point. While the two of them were taught to already be fighting at Freya's age, it was not fair that Freya had to do the same. She was a child. And she could still be a child, unlike them.

For generations, the children in their family had been taught by their fathers starting at age eight to fight, to kill, and to win. Some were not built for it and they died in the process. Others prospered in their training and became some of the greatest warriors the Vikings had ever know. Others, it unleashed a madness in them that could never be undone. Like their father.

He had been one of the best fighters in their family, all thanks to how young his training had begun. However, it was caused him to have a thirst for blood that could never be quenched. And that had been only the starts of the atrocities done because of his madness.

Erik once taught Ylva when someone in their family was born, the Gods flipped a coin. One side meant they were destined for greatness while the other meant madness.

While their father's and Erik's had landed on madness, Ylva's had been greatness. No one really knew which side the coin had flipped on when it came to Sihtric. He was so much different than the rest of their family. He was kind, loyal, and as much as he was a skilled warrior, he wasn't all that interested in having a life filled with raiding and fighting in battles, unlike Ylva.

If he had the choice, he would most likely choose a quiet life with a woman he loved and some children to raise.

It was matters like that that made their father always question whether or not Sihtric was even his. Ylva knew that it was one of the main reasons why when she was born a girl that her father killed her mother. He thought the Gods were punishing them because of her infidelity.

While Ylva was indeed her father's daughter, many questioned if Sihtric was truly his father's son. He was nothing like him or any other man born into the family.

Ylva didn't care, though. She never brought it up because she didn't care. It didn't matter if they actually did have different fathers, Sihtric was and always would be her brother, no matter what.

____

A day had passed and after returning from a hunt, Ylva entered the Great Hall to find her people cheering for her. She entered alongside Sihtric, stopping when she was standing in front of Freya.

"Freya," She greeted the girl, who she viewed to practically be a daughter to her.

Freya's expression remained unreadable as she bowed her head as a form of greeting the woman.

Ylva sighed and exchanged a look with Sihtric, knowing the reason for Freya's coldness toward her was because she wanted to go to England, but now thanks to Ylva and Sihtric, she couldn't.

Ylva walked through and entered a private room, where she and Sihtric sat to talk in private. "Will you come to Wessex with me, brother?" She asked him curiously as she held her hands over the fire in the middle of the room to keep warm.

"No," Sihtric answered, causing Ylva to give him a confused look.

"Why not?" She asked, not seeing any reason why he wouldn't want to go, "Don't you want to win renown, as I have?"

"Of course, I do. But if the past has proven anything, someone must remain here and look after all your territories. Not to mention, look after Freya, who always seems to be getting into trouble," Sihtric explained in a calm tone, "I hope you trust me to do this."

"You're my brother. Of course, I do," Ylva replied without hesitation, causing them both to smile, "Throughout our entire lives, I dare say you are the only one I've ever truly trusted no matter what. You have always been by my side and I may not say it often, but I love you, Sihtric, and I could not do any of this without you."

"I'm sure you could have. You're the strongest person I know," Sihtric told his sister, who playfully rolled her eyes.

"Did I tell you I have received another offer of marriage?" She asked him as she stood up and smiled in amusement, "Some man named Magnus up north."

"A pity for him," Sihtric commented, a smile forming on his lips, "You're already spoken for by Bjorn."

"It would seem many don't know that," She replied as she poured them both a glass of mead before she handed him one.

"I don't know how. It seems every other day, Bjorn comes all the way here to see you or you're traveling to Kattegat to see him," Sihtric explained as Ylva sat back down in her seat across from him.

"Oh, shut up," She scoffed, playfully rolling her eyes while Sihtric laughed, "That's not true. Bjorn is not the only reason I go to Kattegat. I also go because Ragnar and Athelstan have been teaching me the language of our Saxon enemies. I'm almost fluent now."

"Then, you're not off to see Bjorn once we're finished talking?" Sihtric retorted as he raised a brow at his sister.

Ylva remained silent, knowing he was right. Realizing that, Sihtric began to laugh while Ylva groaned and rolled her eyes, much to her brother's amusement.

____

In Kattegat, instead of going straight to see Bjorn after going over some of the Saxon's language with Athelstan, Ylva decided to sit on the docks for a while.

Many people in Kattegat seemed to hate Athelstan, especially people like Floki. Ylva, however, found herself like Ragnar, curious about the Saxon culture. She did not wish to go to England again without knowing the language of her enemies.

She had convinced Ragnar and Athelstan to help her learn. They had been surprised at first, seeing as though no one else seemed to attempt to do the same.

Even more to their surprise, Ylva had learned most of the language pretty quickly, quicker than Ragnar had. She had more of an open mind than most around her and her curiosity made the lessons work more efficiently than it would for most.

Now, she was practically fluent, but it was clear she could understand the language far better than she could actually speak it herself.

Noticing someone taking a seat beside her, Ylva turned her head, finding it to be Bjorn. She smiled slightly, noticing how he looked unhappy about something as he crossed his arms across his chest.

"What are you thinking?" Bjorn found himself asking Ylva curiously as he watched her look around with a large smile on her face.

"I am thinking about how it will be onboard one of these ships again," Ylva confessed as she smiled happily, "Sailing across the sea to England a second time. It was wonderful the first time. I cannot wait to do it again."

"We have not talked about it yet," Bjorn commented, causing Ylva to turn to him with a questioning look on her face.

She watched as he walked over to her and grabbed her hand. "What is there to talk about?" She asked him as she let out a large scoff, "Of course I'm going."

"Do you think it's wise?" He replied, a concerned look on his face.

"Why wouldn't it be?" Ylva frowned, not knowing what he was getting at.

"What if you're already with child?" Bjorn complained as he looked her in the eyes with an uneasy look on his face, "It isn't like we're careful about it. We are always bedding each other."

"I am not with child," She argued in a low tone as she snatched her hand out of his grasp.

"Are you certain about that?" He argued back and Ylva remained silent, knowing he a point, "If I lost you, I wouldn't just be losing you. I'd lose our child."

"I am coming with you," Ylva demanded in a low, stern tone. She shot him a glare before standing up, "You cannot stop me. No one can. I am my own person, an Earl in my own right. Who are you to command me?"

"Why are you so difficult?" Bjorn snapped at her, causing Ylva to whip herself around to glare at him.

"I didn't kill one man who tried to control me to have to deal with another," She complained as she referred to Erik being the first man.

"Ylva—" Bjorn began to call out as he sighed in defeat, only to watch as she stormed off.

____

The following day in Ashton, Ylva walked through the Great Hall, where every person she passed bowed their heads to her.

At the door, she stopped and turned to Sihtric. She smiled, hugging him tightly.

With that, she turned to Freya, who looked disappointed about not going. "Next time, alright?" She told the girl as she placed her hands on her shoulders.

"Fine," Freya replied as she sighed deeply in defeat.

"Don't trouble Sihtric too much," Ylva reminded Freya and hugged her, pressing a kiss to the top of the girl's head.

"I can't make any promises," She replied, causing Ylva to quietly chuckle.

___

The night, in Kattegat, there was a celebration being held the night before they were due to leave.

Ylva was sitting with Bjorn and Floki at one of the tables in the Great Hall when Torstein made his way over to them, looking uneasy.

"I have a problem," He informed the group of three in a hushed tone, "Two women. Both claiming to be carrying my child."

"Is it possible?" Bjorn asked, a puzzled look on his face.

"Of course it's possible," Ylva answered as she smiled widely, "Especially when you're Torstein."

Torstein scoffed softly. He glanced between them before taking a large sip of his mead.

"Why don't you marry both of them?" Rollo suggested in a calm tone, "Take one as a wife and the other as a....concubine?"

"No," Torstein argued as he shook his head in disapproval, "They hate each other. They want to kill each other. Or kill me."

Hearing the man's words, Ylva smiled and shook her head. "Please, just tell me when are we sailing out of here?" Torstein desperately asked, an uneasy look on his face.

"Soon, hopefully," Ylva sighed in frustration as she stood up from her seat, "I, too, cannot wait to leave."

Ylva turned on her heel, beginning to walk away as Bjorn sighed deeply in defeat.

___

The following day, at the boats, Ylva was standing alone when Floki came running in her direction, carrying his belongings.

"Ylva!" Floki exclaimed as he hugged the girl and placed a hand on the side of her face, "You cannot understand! I'm so happy!"

Floki giggled and made his way over to Bjorn, hugging him as well.

"Believe me, Floki, I understand," Rollo confessed as he turned to look at Siggy from afar.

"What have I told you, Torstein?" Floki spoke up as he made his way over to his friend, who was staring at the women he had gotten pregnant by him, "Always keep that ax in your pants, if you want to avoid trouble."

"Well, some of us have to bring our troubles with us," Bjorn complained as he looked directly at Ylva, whose back was facing him.

"What was that?" She suddenly replied as she turned to look at him. Bjorn groaned, clearly not expecting her to hear him.

"Nothing," Bjorn muttered as he turned his head and didn't look her in the eye.

"That's what I thought," Ylva retorted with an attitude as she smiled threatening.

Bjorn walked closer to Rollo and Floki, rolling his eyes at Ylva.

Rollo and Floki, however, chuckled as they glanced between the couple, who were clearly having problems in their relationship at the moment.

"That girl has you wrapped around your little finger, Young Bjorn," Floki commented as he patted Bjorn on the shoulder.

"She does not," Bjorn argued as he shook his head in disagreement.

"She does," Torstein spoke up, earning a glare from Bjorn.

"It is like seeing Lagertha and Ragnar together all over again," Rollo warned Bjorn in a calm tone, "Careful pissing her off, though, she is not called a she-wolf for nothing."

"Trust me," Bjorn replied as he leaned closer to his uncle, "I know."

The duo looked back at Ylva, who was adjusting the sword on her belt. Feeling eyes on her, she turned and Bjorn and Rollo were quick to look away.

She noticed what they had done and smiled, shaking her head.