The Son Of Ragnar



The boats were off as they left the coast of Norway but the number of warriors was easily over 300 men and women.

King Ragnar was joining the expedition and that meant that the morality of the army would be at an all-time high.

Ragnar left Vestfold in good hands, as they were all on separate boats.

Tyr and Bjorn hid their excitement, they had to because their men would pick up on this.

Their father was going to join them for the first time in forever and they were eager to prove themselves.

This was a fragment of their army but it would do to send a strong message that they were not to be messed with, Ragnar also wanted to see the threat that they possessed with his own eyes.

Bjorn journeyed on the same boat with his brother even though it was not advised as he needed to watch over his men but also because he needed to talk to his brother.

Tyr was instructing his men how to navigate the sea, the waves were gentle enforcing the belief that the gods ordained this quest.

"Tyr, you have been acting strange…" Bjorn said as he sat beside his brother but Tyr wasn't paying him much attention.

"Strange in what sense?" Tyr asked, the tone he used was unfamiliar. It was like he was talking to a stranger.

"You have been strange ever since our expedition," Bjorn muttered.

"Hahaha! It is all in your head brother but I want to know if there is anything you would like to tell me," Tyr said, changing the conversation and shifting the momentum against Bjorn.

"I actually do but I want to know that it is still my brother I am talking to," Bjorn needed reassurance that his brother was still with him.

"It is I. Tyr the undead and kingslayer!" Tyr tried his best to be upbeat but this was an act Bjorn saw through. He did not want to push further as what he wanted to tell him was far more important.

"It is about Askild and Kattegat…" Bjorn said and this had Tyr's attention.

"Askild? No more King?" Tyr asked in a mocking tone but Bjorn could sense the hostility in this joke.

"I have a plan to get rid of Askild. I have made allies that support my cause. I also have a feeling that Liv would be on our side," Bjorn said. Tyr was surprised that his brother was still on board despite renewing his loyalty to Askidl but what was more surprising was that he was letting this information loose with anyone willing to listen.

"What the fuck is wrong with you?" Tyr asked the moment he heard this, this was not the reaction that Bjorn was expecting and the surprised look on his face was evidence.

"What?" Bjorn involuntarily muttered.

"Liv!? Why would you tell the woman that is most loyal to the man I want dead?" Tyr questioned Bjorn but if he was mad at this then he did not know how he would react to the other news.

"Tyr, you can be mad later but there is a lot more I still need to tell you," Bjorn was taking a firm stance, he was not going to let Tyr's tantrum or attitude throw him off.

Tyr was not the only one allowed to have a say in these things, Tyr had his way and Bjorn had his,

It was about time his younger brother realized this and Bjorn had enough.

"King Xenophanes… King Xenophanes had a son," Bjorn said but Tyr did not believe this.

"That is impossible," Tyr shut it down immediately, he was not going to entertain this foolishness any further.

" I did not believe this too at first but he had more to lose than gain revealing that information to me because if Askild found out his identity…" Bjorn said, pausing momentarily.

"Tyr, I have one more thing to say…" Bjorn was dropping all the information he had accumulated since they last saw in the icy environments of a distant land.

"I am afraid your life might be in danger," Bjorn said and for the first time, he saw fear in his brother's eyes.

"W-What do you mean?" Tyr looked panicked and Bjorn picked up on this.

"Are you okay brother?" Bjorn asked but Tyr did not answer his question.

All he wanted from Bjorn was the answer to his question and now.

He did not need any other thing because that was the most pressing matter.

"Tell me!" Tyr exclaimed and Bjorn heaved a frustrated sigh as he proceeded to tell him everything that Reidar told him about the Berserker clan and the prophecy that they believed would come to pass.

Tyr knew without a doubt that his dream was connected to this but it made him anxious because if he was dying in these dreams then there was no doubt that his strength was not enough to survive the threat that his future self was about to face.

Tyr just chuckled, Bjorn also told him about the condition that Reidar had given them and how he would side with him and this was when Tyr cracked.

"Bjorn, do you think me a fool?" Tyr questioned him but this caught his older brother off guard.

"Never! You are a lot of things but a fool is not one," Bjorn was stern.

"So why do you continue to lie to me?" Tyr asked, looking his brother right in the eyes.

"What the hell are you talking about?" Bjorn questioned his brother.

"You sided with Askild against me, you not only renewed your vow with him but you also informed him about my plan to take his head," Tyr finally spoke about things that have been building up inside him.

"I did that because Askild requested it, not because I wanted to. That is not surprising considering I am the one he has entrusted to lead this expedition… I never spoke to Askild about you, he never brought you up and I never had a need to either," Bjorn responded with a raised brow.

Tyr did not give him a verbal response and simply rummaged through his pockets to bring out a crumpled piece of paper.

It was the message that Askild had passed onto him, he showed Bjorn and Bjorn looked even more confused because this could mean multiple things but the fact that Tyr thought that it was Bjorn betraying finally revealed how little he trusted his brother.

"That has nothing to do with me," Bjorn said bluntly but something told him there was no need to verbally say so because Tyr already looked like he believed him.

"That cunning bastard…" Tyr muttered under his breath with a grin.

"He knew I would react this way if he did what he did… Fuck, he is good!" Tyr looked proud of Askild.

"Bjorn, my dear brother, I am sorry for ever doubting you but it seems that our belief in each other is not as strong as we believe," Tyr said and Bjorn looked disappointed in this.

"I know… I do not believe ou-!" Bjorn was cut short as Tyr did not allow him to finish his sentence.

"We will have to work harder on fixing that broken bridge but I am going to start by trusting you. Deal with Askild as you will, I give you my full trust. And I believe everything you have just told me," Tyr said. Bjorn was about to suggest that they both walk away from each other if they could not build the trust but Tyr was not letting go of their bond.

"There is something I need to tell you too," Tyr said to which he proceeded to tell Bjorn about his nightmares, the dream where he was cut down by a warrior mounted on a horse.

This warrior was a silhouette, it had no distinctive feature that was identifiable.

"The dreams started ever since we got back from the raid.." Tyr said.

"Maybe the Christian God is punishing you," Bjonr joked but this was a joke that Tyr did not find funny.

"Too soon…?" Bjorn asked.

"What do you fucking think?" Tyr fired back prompting his older brother to laugh, the tension in the air had been cleared and all it took was something as simple as communicating.

The misunderstanding had been cleared up and this was excellent because something told Tyr that they would need to trust each other for this expedition to be a success.

-

Northumbria had strengthened its borders with their warrior bishops waiting on standby.

But this was not the only worrying thing because these people had boats and not just any kind of boats, they had ships, warships.

These ships were equipped with weapons and this meant that they intended to take the battle to the sea, a battle that the Vikings were ill-equipped to handle.

And the man in charge of this fleet was known as Bishop Calvin and he was a very dangerous man who took his religious beliefs to the extreme. 

"Praise God…" These were the only words that left the mouth of the mysterious bishop.