SHE WOLF
— 20. Rorik

     Nearly had ten months passed they returned from Paris. Since then, Ylva had given birth to a son and Gyda was now more than two years old. She had spent the last term of her pregnancy and the first few months of her son's life in Kattegat until she finally decided to return home.

    As she rode into Ashton with her men, her people cheered loudly, delighted by the return of their beloved earl and fighting men.

    Climbing off her horse, Ylva entered the Great Hall holding the hand of Gyda while a servant was carrying her son. Sihtric and Freya walked in alongside her, followed by numerous men carrying dozens of chests filled with gold.

   Ylva picked up a gold headband, smiling as she placed it on Gyda's head, which caused the young girl to smile.

"Good people of Ashton," Ylva announced loudly as she placed her daughter back down on the ground to address, "See what I have brought back from Paris."

The men cheered loudly, ringing bells as Ylva smiled. "But that is not all I've brought with me. While I was away, I gave birth to a son," She continued as she turned to face the servant, who walked over and placed her son in her arms, "May I present to you my son and heir, Rorik Bjornsson, named after his grandfather. The last great Earl of Ashton."

Hearing the news, the men and women continued to cheer loudly while Ylva's smile faded. "While I know that in the past, whenever an Earl died, his heirs took part in a battle for the succession and the last survivor would be named Earl, but I would like for that to change. The Battle of the Succession will no longer occur within Ashton. It will simply go to the firstborn male."

Hearing Ylva's words, Freya looked up at the woman, a curious look on her face since she had never heard of the Battle of the Succession before. What was it?

_____

    That evening, Ylva and Freya traveled to the woods to stay overnight and spend some time together alone. They ended up fishing for food and once they caught their evening meal, they found themselves sitting by the fire.

Freya sat in front of Ylva, smiling as her adoptive mother braided her hair. "What was the Battle of the Succession you talked about today to the people?" She asked Ylva, whose smiled faded, "Please tell me, Ylva, I would like to know."

    Ylva sighed in defeat and nodded, deciding to tell Freya the truth, despite feeling uneasy. "About two hundred years ago, the first Earl of Ashton from our bloodline came to be. As he laid dying, he already had fathered eight sons. Each of them had individual qualities that would make them a great Earl if he were to die. One was brave, one was wise, one was clever, and so on. He knew he couldn't just pick his eldest to be his successor. Not when the others had just as much potential. So as he laid dying in bed, he created a solution. He made up the Battle of Succession. When an Earl died or laid on his deathbed, his heirs, daughter and sons alike, would battle against each other for the Earldom and whoever was left standing in the end would become the new Earl of Ashton since it meant the gods favored them above the rest while the others would be dead and never threaten his or her claim to the Earldom."

"Is that how my grandmother won?" Freya asked curiously and Ylva nodded in confirmation.

"My mother won when she killed two of her brothers, but one brother ended up surviving. Her youngest. Henrik. But it wasn't because my mother spared him. He fled and never returned," Ylva explained and Freya rolled her eyes.

"Coward," She muttered under her breath, causing Ylva to smile and nod her head, "Why didn't you, Sihtric, and my father ever fight?"

"We never thought it was necessary," Ylva answered as she shrugged her shoulders, "We wanted to right the wrongs of our predecessors and I won fairly when I killed my father."

"Will your children ever have to do it?" Freya asked Ylva curiously and Ylva smiled, wasting no time shaking her head.

"I will make sure they never have to. I want them to live a better life than I ever did," She assured her and Freya remained silent, "Now, it's getting late. Let's get some sleep."

Freya groaned but nodded, knowing there was no point in questioning Ylva. The duo laid down together, sharing a small smile before Ylva began to drift to sleep.

    Freya, on the other hand, remained awake, finding herself thinking of the Battle of Succession. "Do you think your Uncle Henrik will ever return?"

"Of course not. He's had years to return and he hasn't," Ylva assured her in a calm tone, "And if he did, I'd kill him the same way I killed my father."

Smiling at the thought, Freya nodded her head in understanding. She turned on her side and closed her eyes, slowly drifting into sleep.

___

     The following day, Ylva walked back to Ashton with Freya. She smiled widely as she walked over to her daughter Gyda. She lifted her off the ground and placed a kiss to her cheek, causing Gyda to giggle. "Hello, my daughter."

Ylva placed her back down on the ground and picked up Rorik next, who was handed to her by a servant. He had only been born four months before.

Sihtric walked over to the group, a smile on his face. Ylva turned to him, smiling back at her older brother. "I will be going to Kattegat today. I hope you will be able to handle things here while I'm gone," She informed her brother, who smiled and nodded his head.

"Of course I will," Sihtric replied without hesitation.

"I doubt it," Freya muttered under her breath, causing Sihtric to turn to glare at her.

"What was that?" He asked the girl with an attitude.

"I said..." Freya trailed off as she became louder, "I doubt it. I wouldn't be surprised if we returned to see this whole place in ruins because of how weak you are. You are unfit to rule, even for a short time."

"Freya!" Ylva scolded Ylva as she gave the girl a look of disbelief, "Enough!"

"What?" Freya asked without a care in the world as she shrugged her shoulders, "It's true."

"It is not," Ylva argued in a stern tone, "Now, go pack what you're going to bring to Kattegat."

   Freya shot Ylva an angry look, sighing in annoyance before she stormed off.

Watching Freya walk away, Sihtric hatefully glared at the girl. "I regret ever convincing you to take her in and raising her as your own," Sihtric complained loudly, "She is worse than any child I have ever met. Sometimes I wonder if she's nothing more than a monster."

Ylva turned to her brother and glared at him as he walked closer to her. "She is not that bad," She replied as she shook her head in disagreement.

"She is. She's killed before, showing no emotion as she did so, and she's only twelve!" Sihtric complained and Ylva gave him a weird look since they were forced to do the same at Freya's age by their father and brother, "She's mad, Ylva. She's no better than our father and brother. Deep down, you know this."

"Watch your tongue," Ylva warned Sihtric in a stern tone as she walked closer to her older brother with a threatening look on her face, "That is my daughter you're talking about. She might not be mine by blood, but she is and always will be my daughter."

"The daughter that is prophecied to betray you in the future. I don't understand why you haven't gotten rid of her," Sihtric complained and it was the truth.

The old Ylva hadn't even wanted to keep Freya in the first place. The old Ylva would have gotten rid of Freya the moment she heard of the prophecy. Now, she was so attached to the girl that she refused to, even while seeing the clear signs of their family's madness. Sihtric feared for their lives.

"She is a child!" Ylva shouted at Sihtric, seeming to forget that their father's wife had said the same thing of Ylva before the girl killed her, "She is my daughter and I love her. Nothing will change that. Not even your opinion. So you better watch how you speak to me about her from now on, because next time, I won't be so forgiving when you call her mad. She is not mad."

"You're blinded by your love for her," Sihtric reminded her in a calm tone.

  "Maybe you'd know the feeling if you finally decided to marry and have children of your own. You're older than me and yet you have neither a wife nor children while I have a husband and three children." She shot Sihtric a glare before walking away.

Sihtric sighed as he watched her walk away, an uneasy look on his face. "Freya is going to be the death of you and you're too blind by your love for her to see it," He spoke in a whisper as he shook his head.

____

Upon arriving in Kattegat, it wasn't long before Freya ran off to find Ubbe, Hvitserk, and the others. Ylva was walking alone, holding the hand of Gyda while she held Rorik in her arms.

Bjorn soon spotted her walking through and walked over to her. "My daughter!" He exclaimed happily as he rushed to pick Gyda up and spin her. He placed numerous kisses to her cheek, causing Gyda to laugh before he placed her back down on the ground.

He walked closer to Ylva and picked Rorik up, kissing him on the head as his son smiled.

"Are you forgetting someone?" Ylva asked Bjorn jokingly and Bjorn turned to her.

"I don't think so," Bjorn teased her and Ylva gave him an annoyed look, much to his amusement. He smiled at her teasingly, pulling her closer before he kissed her, "You have no idea how much I've missed you."

"It's only been a few weeks," She reminded him and Bjorn smiled at her.

"Still too long," He joked before glancing around, a confused look appearing on his face, "Where is Freya?"

"She ran off to find your brothers," Ylva replied and Bjorn smiled at the revelation.

"Of course she has. The five of them together are nothing but trouble," Bjorn commented and Ylva playfully rolled her eyes.

"Tell me about it," She muttered under her breath, which caused Bjorn to laugh.

"Let's go find them," Bjorn told her, placing Rorik back in Ylva's arms. He picked Gyda up, the four of them making their way to Kattegat's great hall.

____

Across the city, the younger sons of Ragnar Lothbrok were laughing loudly alongside Freya as they pulled young Ivar around in a wooden wagon.

Ivar squealed happily, throwing his hands up in the air as he enjoyed the ride.

"Is it fun, Ivar?" Hvitserk asked his youngest brother with a smile on his face.

"Out of the way!" Freya shouted out, causing many people to step out of the way to let them through.

"Be careful not to break my bones!" Ivar yelled enthusiastically as he smiled widely. He laughed loudly, continuing to smile as they entered the Great Hall.

"You want to go again?" Ubbe asked his brother curiously.

"Faster! Faster!" Ivar exclaimed, only to have the whole group turn to see Bjorn entering with Ylva and their two children.

"Now, where are the little boys?" Bjorn shouted out as Ubbe, Hvitserk, and Sigurd rushed to hug their oldest brother and Ylva.

Bjorn lifted Ubbe and Hvitserk at once, hugging them tightly as Ylva hugged Sigurd and playfully messed up his hair.

Setting down Ubbe and Hvitserk, Bjorn hugged Sigurd next before turning to Freya. She tried to keep a straight face as she stared up at him, her arms crossed over her chest. "What, too old to be picked up and hugged?" He asked her jokingly and Freya began to smile, rushing into Bjorn's arms.

Bjorn lifted her off the ground and spun her as Ubbe and Hvitserk hugged Ylva.

"Now, let me see here..." Ylva trailed off as her arm was wrapped around Ubbe, "Ubbe. Hvitserk. Sigurd. Ivar." She stated as he pointed at each of the children.

"Ivar!" Ivar growled as he bared his teeth to Ylva and Bjorn, who smiled and laughed as they looked down at the youngest son of Ragnar.

"Ah, you are all so big!" Bjorn smiled widely, placing a hand on Hvitserk and Freya's shoulder.

Bjorn and Ylva looked ahead, finding Aslaug standing there, not smiling as the rest of them were. "Queen Aslaug," The couple greeted the woman in unison.

"Bjorn. Ylva," Aslaug finally spoke up, gradually beginning to smile.

    Moments later, Bjorn and Ylva were sitting at a table, drinking mead as Aslaug stood in front of them. "Now, now, let me see the little one," Aslaug smiled widely as she took Rorik into her arms, "What have you named him?"

"Rorik, after Ylva's grandfather," Bjorn informed her and Ylva nodded in confirmation.

"He takes after your side of the family. That is for sure," Aslaug replied as she gave Ylva a knowing look, "He has your dark hair."

"That he does," Ylva confirmed and Aslaug smiled slightly.

"There is something I've been wanting to ask you...about Freya," Aslaug informed Ylva, who gave her a questioning look, "I know her father was your brother Erik. But who was her mother?"

"A slave brought from England during one of Ragnar's first raids there," Ylva told her and Aslaug shook her head, "Why?"

"There were some slaves who arrived today from Paris," Aslaug replied as she gave Ylva a knowing look, "There were two that did not look like the rest. One was to have been born in a place called España. She had the same look of Freya. I do not believe Freya's mother was English. I think she was from this place called...España."

There was a moment of silence between the group and Ylva stared at Aslaug, wondering where she was going with the conversation about Freya. "Your daughter is already renowned for her foreign beauty, even at her young age. She was will grow up to be quite beautiful. My sons are already fond of her. Perhaps one day, one of them shall be marry her."

As she was drinking her mead, Ylva choked, her eyes widening as she thought of the prophecy. It was becoming more and more obvious that it was a son of Ragnar Freya would end up with and betray Ylva for.

Underneath the table, Bjorn grabbed Ylva's hand, knowing the reason for the way she reacted. "Maybe one day. It's all up to Freya. It will be her choice who she marries," Ylva answered, trying to hide her uneasiness.

    Moments later, the rest of the treasures from Paris was brought in. Freya was sitting with Ubbe, Hvitserk, and the rest of the younger sons of Ragnar.

Bjorn was standing with Ylva, both of them directing the men in where to put the chests of gold.

Aslaug sat on her throne, watching closely as numerous chests were brought in, filled with treasures. It was more than they had ever brought back before.

Freya smirked, picking up some gold coins before tossing them to Sigurd and Hvitserk. She picked up a gold cup, handing it to Ubbe before she walked over to Ivar and handed him one as well.

Bjorn and Ylva smiled as they walked over to Aslaug, who looked amazed by how much treasures there were. "So, Paris was everything Athelstan said it would be," Aslaug commented and Ylva sighed.

It had been more than two years since Athelstan was killed and Bjorn and Ylva now knew who killed him. Floki. Ragnar knew, too, even before he was forced into bedrest upon returning to Paris, he never did anything to punish Floki.

"Yes, and everything Ragnar dreamed," Bjorn answered in a proud tone, "And more beside."

_____

Later on, outside, Ylva and Bjorn stood alongside each other on some boulders in front of Aslaug. Servants were tossing the people standing below them gold coins. The crowd shouted and cheered, proud of how victorious their trip to Paris had been.

Bjorn and Ylva turned to each other, both of them looking proud of their achievements. They were already planning their own voyage that would occur in the near future. They planned to go together, to lead the journey as equals.

Ylva looked down and sighed, feeling uneasy as she spotted Floki in the crowd with Helga.

"Today we grieve for our dead, but we should all be proud of what we have achieved. This is a lock from the gates of Paris," Bjorn announced loudly as he lifted the large piece of wood and the crowd began to cheer, "Ylva and I hacked it off ourselves."

"Paris has made us all rich!" Ylva shouted out loudly and the crowd began to cheer even louder, "But to be rich only means one thing, my friends! To satisfy our dreams. Nothing can stop us now!"

The cheering continued and Ylva smiled down at them. "Now, Ragnar is dangerously ill," Bjorn continued, "It is true he may die. But who is our king?"

"Ragnar!" Everyone shouted loudly.

"And to whom do we owe our allegiance?"

"Ragnar!"

"And to whom do we owe our gratitude?"

"Ragnar!" Freya began to shout alongside Hvitserk and Ubbe, smiling widely.

"Ragnar himself has always shown his gratitude to those who have trusted and believed in him. For example, his loyal friend, the English monk Athelstan..." Bjorn trailed off and Ylva felt uneasy as she found him staring down at Floki, "Who helped him to understand many things. Ragnar always claimed we went to Paris because of Athelstan! Therefore...I order the arrest of Floki for the murder of Athelstan."

Hearing Bjorn's words, Ylva's eyes widened in alarm and outrage ensued amongst the crowd. "Bjorn!' Ylva scolded Bjorn as she grabbed him by the arm, "This is not wise. Don't do this."

People began to move toward Floki to arrest him but Floki began to swing his ax at them. Floki turned to look at Bjorn, who was glaring at him coldly while Ylva looked nervous.

"What I did, I did for the common good, for the sake of all of us!" Floki shouted out before lowering his weapon, "I have nothing to answer for."

Floki extended his arms out, allowing the men to take ahold of him. "Don't you remember, Bjorn? How we talked about that Christian priest, and how you also feared his influence on your father? Why don't you admit it? Admit it!"

Bjorn remained silent, causing Floki to look betrayed as he was dragged away. Ylva turned, sighing as she tried to hide her uneasiness.