In the burning ruins of an ancient city, Ragnar Lothbrok's eldest son with his second wife Aslaug, Ubbe, found one lone survivor. A young girl. A girl with deep and dark and red eyes, and hair black as night with a single streak of white.
"Aila." Ha...
Sigurd's funeral had been just a tad tense. Even if the sons of Ragnar trusted her, there were still some vikings who wanted the red eyed girl dead.
Prayers had been prayed and sacrifices had been made. The son of Ragnar Lothbrok was given a true warrior's funeral, and now the bond between the remaining brothers was threatening to break apart.
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Now, they were all gathered. Björn entered the tent as Ivar began to speak. "I know what you are all thinking," The youngest said. "but it is not true." Ivar looked up and met Björn's eyes. "I didn't mean to kill him. He made," Boneless inhaled. "me kill him. He taunted me, he made fun of me." The poor boy was in such distress, even if he did his best to hide it. "What was I supposed to do? What kind of a man taunts and tells lies about his ownbrother?"
"And what lies did he tell?" Hvitserk asked in a low voice, a cup of ale in his hand.
Ivar turned his eyes and met Aila's. She shook her head, even though she wanted nothing more than to be there for him, but Ivar was no longer a child, he had to stand accountable for what he had done.
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"Don't turn to her for help, Ivar." Hvitserk said to his baby brother. He met Ivar's vulnerable blue eyes and his baby brother straightened his back.
"Well, you know that as well as I do, Hvitserk."
Behind him, Ubbe spoke up. "He said you weren't a real man."
Ivar took a deep breath. He grabbed the cup in front of him and looked down, swallowing a lump in his throat. He nodded. "And what would you have done if he had said that to you, Ubbe?" He asked. "What would you have done if you were a real man?"
Ubbe simply drank.
"I swear to the Gods and everything that is sacred that I never meant to kill him." Ivar shook his head. "Anger," He said. "overcame me. And I wasn't thinking. I am truly sorry."
