The meeting starts today. The day where we either delcare war or end it. That is probably not going to happen. Everyone here is very strong headed people. This is their weakness, at least I'm not that.

I am afraid Geir has found out my plan because for the entire morning him and Harald have been whispering and eyeing me. I sit down on a bucket outisde the Grand hall, letting the cold wind hit against me. I have a thick fur blanket wrapped around me given to me by Geir. All the horses are being packed up and people are grabbing and sharpening swords.

Astrid, with a very tight hair-do, walks over to me and sits on the ground next to me. "I'm surprised you aren't getting ready." "Why would I, Geir and Harald wouldn't let me go anyways. So there is no point in trying."

"When has that ever stopped you?" I turn my face towards her. She has a smirk on her face, but looking into her eyes i can see concern. My old self withering away from me. "It's hard to fight a battle when there is no chance of winning." " That doesn't sound like you Alca."

"What can I say guess all of you have brought me back into reality." "Hmm."

Astrid gets up and walks away and I too leaving the fur next to the bucket and going back inside. There i see Geir, with hair braided back and around it his head shaved. He kind of looks like a younger looking Bjorn, but when he turned towards me, there was no mistaking it, he looked just like Halfdan.

He looked at me with a confused expression. I placed a smile on my face and walk over to him fixing his belt so that his sword wont make it sag. "Mom You aren't dressed yet." "I have decided not to go to the meeting at least. I am very tired now adays and really dont want emotions i don't need creeping forward."

He smiled at me patting down some of my hair that has been sticking up." I am glad to see you are coming to your senses Mother, I dont want you getting hurt." Harald comes over to both of us and places a hand on Geir's shoulder. "I see you are not coming Alca." "No i rather not. I do not feel like riding on a horse for at least another month."

Geir turns towards me. "I have backed your stuff for the boat ride though. It is in the room." "What a perfect son your are. Now i have to go and find Ivar now."

Both of their smiles go away. They turn towards each other and give each other an anxious look. Yeah they know of my plan. "What is wrong, am i not allowed to speak to my friends?" "Harald puts a hand on back and walks me away from Geir. I turn back and see him with a concerned expression. He walks away towards my room, probably grabbing my stuff for me. Harald walks me outisde and i flinched from the cold air, but it seems to not affect Harald. I grab the fur from the ground, where I have left it, placing it on me. "We know of your plan."

We stopped walking in the middle of the village. A smile forms on my lips and for once it's real. "And what would that be Harald?" "You believe only one person is worthy of killing you. Sent by the gods themse;ces to talk you down. You believe that person is Ivar."

" I do not believe it, I know it. The only reason I will not go to the small talk of yours is because of this infomation i knew you have figured out. There is no stopping this outcome. Ivar will kill me and I will not have to choose a side in this battle. The choice i will make is death and it will be by Ivar's sword." I start to walk away but he grabs my arm. His entire hand able to wrap around it. He let's go immedtaly, probably shocked he was able to do that.

"Alca you are sick, withering away from this world. Clearly the gods are killing you day by day as a punishment instead of getting it over with already." "You know nothing of my future or my life. I have accepted my death, so why can't everyone else? Why Can't you?" He sighed

"You know I am now married Alca." I am pretty sure everyone knows that, but i decided to play nice, since he actaully looks concerned. "Yes."

" That doesn't mean i have never loved you and i dont want to see you get injured." He starts to lean closer to me. We are out in public, is he not concerned with that. "But i love my brother more and he claimed you first. Everyday I have to keep myself from getting closer to you, but it is hard." "I thought you loved your princess."

" It started out that way, but once i saw you in the great hall in kattegat, you became my new princess." "I do not love Harald and you know that so why does my life matter to you when i am a constent reminder of something you can not have?" He grabs a piece of hair that fell into my gentley. Overtime my hair has become frail. He observes it and pushes it behind my ear.

"Like i said I love my brother more and he loves you, you concieved his child, the only one he would care for and love for sure. So if i can not love you I am glad he can and if you being alive is the closest i will be with you then i will take it."

I looked directly into his eyes. I lean forward and stand on tip toes. I turn my head to the side and kiss his cheek. "Thank you for concern Harald, but this is my destiny. I will see you on the boat." I walk away towards the dock where everyone is packing there things. There Ivar sits, probably waiting till we leave for Kattegat. I get to the boat and a man holds his hand out for me and helps me on. "Hello Ivar, I see you are ready to go." "Hmm i am. I was surprise to hear you didn't want to the meeting."

"Yes well someone trustworthy must stay at camp to oversee it." "I guess you are right or is it because you cant make a choice right away, or because you cant say goofbye to Halfdan?"

"so many questions Ivar and i'm sorry to say i don't have an answer." "Alca!" I turn to see my son. He looks upset probably because I have been talking to Ivar.

" I have brought you your blanket and armor just in case." "Thank you." I look down to see he has my sowrd on his belt. It makes me smile seeing it. He looks down to see what i was looking at.

"I would never go into a fight without it." "That makes me happy to know, but i feel like you need a better weapon suited for you." "Are you saying I am not suited for your sword, my grandfather's sword." I laugh "No Geir, I believe you are worthy, but your name means something else. I named you after a dream the gods sent me. If you were to fight, then you main weapon must be a spear."

"I've always wondered why i was given this name and why the gods spoke to me in Wessex. Thank you for telling me." Stomping sounds were heard on the docks and the trumpets blew. There walked King Harald and Astrid. They came over to us. "There has been a change of plans.", says Harald

"And what will that be", asked Ivar. "We are exchanging hostages first so no war starts immediately and then later we will have a meeting." Exchanging hostages, that means it will be people close to us. " who are we sending", Asked Geir.

"I'll go", said Hvitserk. Will Halfdan come to our camp, I can't spend a night with him knowing I have betrayed him. "I will go."

everyone turned to me. No one spoke a word, but only looked at me shocked that I even considered myself for this job. "No you will not, if needed I will go," said Harald. " What is so wrong with me going?"

"I thought you didn't want to be involved," said Ivar. "I have my reasons for this, like you have your reasons to start this war." Harald laughs, "Okay everyone who disagrees with Alca going raise you hand." Everyone raised their hand. "Then its settled Hvitserk and I will go if their is an exchanged. Sound the horns we are leaving." The horns blow and sit down at the end of the boat with my furs covering me. Ivar is talking with everyone on the other side of the boat.

In a short while, a war will begin, but I am not afraid of that. What I'm really scared for is how will I react when I see you Halfdan.