The large tent was filled with Harald's men, all celebrating yet another victory. A victory that took him one step closer to becoming the first King of all Norway. Harald and his brother raising yet another horn of mead, as they laughed at King Svein's death. At his crown rolling, along with his head, into the blood soaked mud.

It had been a long fought battle, Svein's troops had numbered many; Harald had lost more than his fair share of his own men, the ground knee deep with the bodies of friend and foe alike, by the time that Harald had been able to claim victory. But here he was, his dream one step closer to becoming reality.

Suddenly there was a commotion from outside; men shouting and a sound that was reminiscent of roar, stopped the celebrations. Harald and Halfdan getting to their feet, as the flaps of the tent were thrown open; some of the men making their way inside, dragging what looked like a bear towards the king and his brother. Heavy chains attached to its neck and wrists; the men doing their best to keep it under control, as they pulled the creature to its knees.

Everyone present had seen the creature during the fight; it cutting down Harald's man and shieldmaidens, as though they were little more than ripe wheat. Bodies falling around it, as if the goddess Hel herself, was right by its side. The sound coming from it, instilling fear even in the hearts of the bravest Northman. Yet not for one minute had the brothers thought that anyone would see it this close, and live.

"We got it............we got Svein's bear..............." One of the amassed group, called out. A cheer going up, as Harald and Halfdan looked at one another for a moment, before making their way over to the beast.

In truth, all present knew what truly knelt on the floor in front of their king and his brother. This was Svein's bear warrior, his berserker. The one that had killed more of the people that they had known and called friend, than any other of Svein's men. Harald placing his hand on the head of the bear skin that covered the person's flesh. Both son's of Halfdan the Elder knowing that they were going to enjoy killing this man, as much as they had killing Svein and his other men.

Suddenly, a murmur went around the group, as the skin dropped to the floor. They had all expected some huge, bare chested, wild eyed man, but what was revealed was certainly not that. Instead, what was before them, was a woman. A woman that was every inch a warrior. The area around her eyes had been smeared charcoal from an offering pit, so that the brilliant whites of her orbs stood out all the more; it hard to make out much of her other features, given that she was covered in mud and blood; but Halfdan could see that she was a beautiful as she was dangerous. A small smile pulling at the corner of his lips as he saw the fire in her eyes.

Female berserkers were rarer than their male counterparts; but they were no less feared. The females tending to be more loyal to the ones they served, and from what he had seen of her on the battlefield; how he had seen her fight next to Svein until they had been drawn apart, suggested to the younger Halfdan, that this woman was one of the loyalists that he had seen. It obvious that the frenzy still held sway as she bit at the air, doing all she could to get to the man that had killed her king.

"KILL IT!" A voice called out. That voice suddenly being joined by others. Halfdan finding himself reluctantly nodding in agreement. Harald grabbing at what was left of her once tightly bound braid, as he pulled his sword from his belt. The king raising his blade to strike the killer blow, his hand stayed, as in through the tent flew a flurry of black feathers. The men and women present watching as two great ravens flew about the Harald and his brother. The darkness of their wings and the sound of their harsh calls surrounding the two men, until Harald dropped his sword. The bear warrior smiling up at the brothers, as the tent fell silent.

                                                            >>------------------------------------<<

Harald and Halfdan looked at the woman that had been chained to a post in an empty tent. The bear warrior sleeping now, her frenzy gone, to be replaced with exhaustion. Neither brother knew what to do; Odin had sent his own, to save her. He had sent Huginn and Muninn to stop them from taking her life; and Harald was not about to tempt fate. He was not about to anger the allfather and have his dream taken from him, because of Svein's bear warrior. Though what they were supposed to do with her...............

"I'll take her............" Halfdan suddenly said, this brother looking at him.

"Don't think you can do to her what you do to the others. If Odin is watching her................."

"I need a slave, and what better one than a berserker. We might not be able to kill her; we might not be able to harm her, but there are still ways of making her suffer for what she's done, for all of our people that she has killed." Halfdan explained, a small smile pulling at the corners of his lips. Harald smiling before smacking his brother on the back.

"Then she is yours, brother. I just hope that you don't regret this............" The king chuckled, before placing his arm around Halfdan's shoulder. The two making their way out of the tent and over to where the celebrations were back in full swing. This time no one seeing the ravens that sat atop the tent that held the slumbering woman. Their black eyes locked on the scene; before the pair flew to the ground and made their way into the tent.