— 6. Death of an Earl

It felt as though weeks had passed. Tova was standing near where her father sat on his throne when a man giggling was heard. She turned, frowning when saw Floki being dragged in.

"What is it?" Svein asked in an annoyed tone as Floki giggled.

"My lord, this man says he has a message for you from Ragnar Lothbrok," One of the men who had dragged Floki in informed Earl Haraldson.

Hearing the revelation, Tova frowned, beginning to feel uneasy.

"Let him go," Earl Haraldson demanded and his men immediately obeyed, "What is the message?"

"Ragnar Lothbrok challeges you to meet him in single combat," He informed the Earl, causing Tova's eyes to widen in shock.

Gradually, she began to smile, relieved that Ragnar was finally coming to get his revenge on Earl Haraldson.

"Ragnar Lothbrok has a very high opinion of himself," Svein complained, earning a glare from Tova.

"Well, he is a descendant of Odin," Earl Haraldson commented in a sarcastic tone and the men in the Great Hall began to laugh in amusement.

She turned, shooting the man an angry glare.

"Ragnar said that if you refuse his challenge, then shame would follow you the rest of your life," Floki replied as he gave the man a knowing look.

"There would be greater shame in accepting a challenge from a criminal," Earl Haraldson responded in a cold tone, "That would suggest that I take him seriously; that I see him as an equal."

"The challenge is declined," Svein announced in a loud tone, "When Ragnar Lothbrok appears in Kattegat, he will be put in chains."

Just then, Earl Haraldson stood up and walked toward Floki. "Tell Ragnar Lothbrok I accept his challenge," He suddenly stated, causing Floki to turn and exchange a smile with Tova before he was dragged away.

_____

A few days passed before Ragnar arrived. When he did, he walked down the docks and into Kattegat with his family. He pushed through the crowd before stopping.

He turned, smiling as he watched Tova running toward him. She rushed into his arms and Ragnar grunted at first due to his wounds, but immediately began to hug her back. "Tova. It is good to see you again."

From afar, Siggy and Thyra watched on, noticing how she gave more affection to Ragnar than she ever did with them.

"You're still wounded," She realized as she pulled away from the hug, staring up at him in concern.

"Don't look so worried," He assured her before he was forced to limp away and make his way over to Earl Haraldson.

As Earl Haraldson arrived, Ragnar turned and exchanged a look with Tova. He nodded at her, noticing how she was forced to stand with Siggy and Thri instead of with Lagertha, Gyda, and Bjorn as she wanted to.

The fight soon began and the men were allowed to use the weapons of their choice. They were given the allowance to have an extra shield in case one broke.

They were both handed swords and with that, the fight began. Ragnar was the first to swing at Earl Haraldson twice, but the older man was forced to block his form of attacks.

They continued to exchange several attacks to each other until suddenly, Ragnar's sword broke. However, despite that, Ragnar began to swing his shield at Haraldson until both of their shields ended up breaking.

The two men were then handed axes fight with instead and Ragnar slowly began to walk toward Earl Haraldson.

"Ragnar, you can do it!" Tova suddenly shouted out without thinking, causing Siggy, Thyri, and Earl Haraldson to turn to her in shock.

She was cheering for Ragnar instead of her own father.

Ragnar briefly turned to look at Tova, smiling before looking back at Earl Haraldson.

The fight continued and Ragnar tried his best to avoid Earl Haraldson's forms of attacks. Just then, their axes become deadlocked and the men struggled against each other's strength.

Ragnar shoved his ax forward and hit Haraldson in the face, causing the older man to stumble back.

Ragnar swung at him again, but Earl Haraldson deflected it before slashing Ragnar across the chest.

Tova gasped, placing her hands over her mouth as tears filled her eyes.

Ragnar placed a hand against his bleeding chest, limping around Earl Haraldson as he waited for the earl to attack.

Earl Haraldson began to swing at Ragnar, who shoved him back. As Earl Haraldson stumbled, Ragnar stepped back before slashing the man across the back.

Tova gasped, covering her mouths with her hands. Beyond that, she did not react as her father's body hit the ground. In truth, she didn't know how to react, she barely knew the man.

Ragnar knew in front of Earl Haraldson's body, whispering something to him before cutting the man's wrist.

"No!" Siggy screamed hysterically as she watched the sight. She rushed over, roughly shoving Ragnar out of the way before kneeling before her husband's dying body.

She began to cry and her husband stared up at her, his breath becoming weaker. "Tonight I shall be drinking with our boys," He told her in a whisper, "Take care of Tova. She might not see it now, but you are still her mother. You must care for her. She is still our daughter, not theirs."

As he took his last breath, Tova watched on, a single tear spilling down her cheek. She quickly wiped it, though, not wanting anyone to see.

"Kill him!" Svein suddenly ordered as he pointed his finger at Ragnar, "Kill him!"

Just then, Rollo picked up an ax before walking over to Svein. Before anyone could react, Rollo slashed him in the chest with the ax.

Tova watched on, smiling slightly at she watched Svein's body hit the ground. In all honesty, she was happy to see the man dead.

However, she watched as her mother walked over to Thyri, taking a knife from her daughter's grasp before she stabbed Bjarni in the stomach with it.

Tova watched on, her eyes widening as she watched the man's body hit the ground. She turned her head as Siggy walked forward, walking past Ragnar.

"Hail, Earl Ragnar," She spoke in a soft tone before becoming louder, "Hail, Earl Ragnar!"

With that, she knelt on the ground and alongside numerous others, Tova did the same as she knelt.

Ragnar glanced around briefly before he began to walk away. He stopped, turning to Tova. "Come, child," He insisted, causing Tova to lift her head to stare at him in shock.

She nodded, gradually beginning to smile before she followed after him.

Siggy lifted her head, watching the scene occur with an uneasy look on her face. Tova was more Ragnar's daughter than she was hers and her husband's.

_____

By the next day, it was official. Ragnar was Earl of Kattegat. It was noontime and Tova was standing outside, watching all that was going on around her. Athelstan stood near her, his arms crossed across his chest. The duo watched as celebrations and preparations were being made for Earl Haraldson's funeral.

Noticing someone walking up to her, Tova turned, finding that it was Ragnar.

"Do I have to call you Earl Ragnar now?" Tova asked, a smile forming on her lips as she turned to look at the man.

"Please, don't," Ragnar replied, causing them both to laugh.

"May I ask why you to agreed to grant Earl Haraldson such a big funeral?" She asked, a curious look appearing on her face, "Was he not your enemy?"

"Your father was also a great man and a warrior," Ragnar responded in a calm tone, "He earned his renown in this life, and now, in death, he deserves such a funeral. I might have taught you quite a lot about this world of ours, young Tova, but there is still more I must teach you."

"Like what?" Tova asked, a smile forming on her lips.

"Like how to fight. And how to be a leader," Ragnar informed her, earning a curious look from Tova, "I see a lot of potential in you. You could be great warrior one day, but not just that. You could a leader to these people around you. You could lead raids into foreign lands."

"You have a son for that," Tova commented, looking amused.

"I believe Bjorn has his own destiny that does not involve me," Ragnar confessed and Tova nodded in understanding.

_____

Later that day, Tova was walking through the crowd, smiling as she watched two men fighting. She turned her head, playfully rolling her eyes as she saw Bjorn walk up to her.

"You need a drink, Tova," He informed her and before she could argue, Bjorn grabbed her by the hand before dragging her over to where the drinks were.

He picked up two drinking horns, filling them with ale before he handed her one.

Tova stared down at her drinking horn, making not attempt to drink any.

Bjorn took a large sip of his, only to frown when he saw Tova not doing the same. "Drink," He insisted, only to become impatient when she took her time in bringing the horn to her lips, "Drink! Or did you become a bore while living with the Earl?"

Tova rolled her eyes at Bjorn. She shot him a glare, just before taking a large sip of ale.

"Are you not sad that your father is dead?" Bjorn suddenly asked, causing Tova's smile to fade.

"I lived with the man barely a month," She answered in an annoyed tone, "How could I be sad?"

"He is your father," He reminded her and Tova sighed in defeat.

"A father I only knew as the man who terrorized you and your family," She replied, lowering her head to look down at the ground.

"Our family," Bjorn corrected her and Tova smiled slightly, "My father says you are to live with us. He plans to take you in and raise you as his own."

"I know," Tova replied with an attitude, "Just don't think we're going to be brother and sister now. We won't be."

"Trust me, I know. You'll never be a sister to me," Bjorn responded, earning a weird look from Tova since she wondered if he meant it for a different than she would have expected, "And don't think about taking him from me. He is still my father, not yours."

"What are you talking about?" Tova asked, frowning due to the way Bjorn practically accused her of taking Ragnar from him.

"I'm not blind. He favors you. I am his natural son. I do not wish for the daughter of the Earl my father killed to replace me in my father's eyes," Bjorn explained, causing Tova's eyes to soften.

"I would never do that to you, Bjorn," Tova assured him, a genuine look on her face as she shook her head.

"Good," Bjorn replied before they both turned their heads to see a woman being led past them.

"Look. That's that slave girl your father showed me and Athelstan. She is the one who has chosen to die," She informed Bjorn, only to frown when she saw the woman entering a cabin, "What are they doing?"

"She is having sex with the men that live in there," He responded, causing Tova to frown in confusion, "Each one of them says to her: 'Tell your master I did this out of love for him.' Because she will soon be reunited with her master in death, and she will be able to speak to him."

"Interesting," She muttered under her breath, causing Bjorn to laugh at the priceless look on her face.

He grabbed her hand, beginning to pull her toward the docks. "Come, let us go see. You should already be over there. You are the daughter of the Earl, after all. We must see the sacrifice."

Not too long later, Tova stood with Bjorn, watching as her father's slave was brought to a woman who had white blonde hair and wore a helmet that had horns coming out of it.

"Silence!" The woman spoke loudly and the crowd immediately fell silence.

"Bjorn, who is that woman?" Tova found herself asking Bjorn with a curious look on her face.

"We call her the Angel of Death," He replied, causing Tova eyes to widen.

She watched as the Angel of Death held out her hands, allowing the slave woman to hand her all of her jewelry. She was handed a large cup and she immediately drank the entirety of what was inside.

Just then, the woman turned as her eyes widened. "I can see my master! He is in Valhalla," She announced with a large smile on her face, "He calls me. Let me join him, then."

The crowd cheered and Tova watched intently, curious about the whole ordeal. She watched as the Angel of Death raised the hand she used to grasp her blade and with that, she sliced the woman's throat.

Tova flinched at first, but gradually, a smile formed on her lips as she cheered alongside Bjorn.

When the cheering finished, Tova had walked away from Bjorn and made her way toward the boat where her father's body laid alongside his slave's. Siggy was already standing there and the woman didn't even look Tova's way when the girl appeared beside her.

"You should have been here already," Siggy snapped at Tova coldly as tears filled the woman's eyes, "But what can I expect? You are more Ragnar Lothbrok's daughter than his," She stated as she gestured to Earl Haraldson, "He adored you. He loved you. And how do you repay him? You loved Ragnar Lothbrok, his enemy, more than him, your own father."

Tova remained silent. She stared down at the ground in shame, tears beginning to form in her eyes. "I'm sorry," She spoke in a whisper, "You all expected me to love a family I didn't even know."

The crowd began to cheer Ragnar's name, causing them to turn to see Ragnar standing there with Lagertha, Bjorn, and Gyda. They exchanged a look with each other before making their way over to Ragnar.

"I ask permission to light the pyre," Siggy asked Ragnar the moment the crowd fell silent.

Ragnar stared at Siggy for a long moment. He smiled slightly as he stepped forward, using a stick as a crutch. He turned and bent forward, picking up a lit torch. He turned to Siggy once more, briefly holding it out in front of her before handing it to Tova instead just to piss Siggy off.

Tova's eyes widened at first, but took ahold of the torch. She turned, watching Siggy shoot her a glare before storming off with Thyri. Tova turned again, noticing how Ragnar smiled.

She sighed in front before walking down the docks. She stopped in front of her father's pyre. She stared down at his body, letting out a large sigh. "I'm sorry for not being Skadi as you wanted me to be. Skadi died long ago when she was left in England. For years I have wanted a family and perhaps if I had been returned to you sooner, we could have had that, but I had already found a new family. With Ragnar and a Lagertha and all the others," She explained to him in a soft tone and with that, she tossed the torch onto the boat, "I hope you can forgive me for that. I am sorry. I truly am."

She watched as the pyre erupted into flames and she sighed, quick to wipe the tear falling down her cheek.

____

Several months had passed since that day. Ragnar was walking through the Great Hall when he made his way over to where Bjorn and Tova were feeding the pigs.

"The pigs are fattening nicely," Bjorn informed his father and Ragnar smiled.

"Just like your mother," Ragnar commented as he glanced over at Lagertha, causing Tova to smile and shake her head. Lagertha was pregnant, after all.

"It's cold," Tova spoke up, rubbing her arms as she shivered, "Even in here. Is it always like this?"

"In winter, yes," Ragnar replied, chuckling as he picked up a cloak before placing it over her shoulders, "You must get used to it."

"I can't wait for the spring or the raids," Bjorn suddenly commented with a large smile on his face, causing Ragnar to turn to his son instead of Tova. Tova knew Bjorn had done it on purpose, too. He grew more and more jealous of the bond Ragnar had with Tova as each day passed, despite Tova assuring him that she wasn't trying to replace him and wasn't going to.

"I want to go to England," Bjorn declared with a proud look on his face.

"No," Ragnar answered after a moment of silence, causing Bjorn's smile to fade.

"What?" He asked, beginning to frown in confusion.

"I said no."

"Why?"

"Because I said so," Ragnar replied, causing Bjorn to look annoyed, "Don't be too impatient to put yourself in danger."

"But you cannot alter my fate!" Bjorn argued, earning an amused look from Ragnar and Tova as they both laughed.

"You sound like your uncle, when he doesn't know what to say," Ragnar replied, smiling as he wrapped an arm around both children, "In the meantime, you and Tova can continue practicing with each other as you have these past months. You are both getting better by the day."

Bjorn and Tova turned to each other, both of them smiling at the thought.

"Just don't go breaking his leg again while I'm gone, alright?" Ragnar commented as he looked directly at Tova.

"It was one time!" Tova complained, causing Ragnar to smile while Bjorn rolled his eyes.