— 10. Corrupt

A battle had occurred between King Horik and Ragnar against Jarl Borg. Ragnar had won, but that didn't mean he wasn't defeated in another way. Rollo had betrayed them and sided with Jarl Borg. And during the battle, he had killed Arne and fatally wounded Floki.

When they arrived back in Kattegat, nobody seemed to be happy. News soon reached them that Thyri, Siggy's daughter, and Tova's sister, had died. The saddest news of all, however, was that Gyda had died from the plague as well and that broke Tova's heart most of all.

Rollo had been taken back to Kattegat as well as a prisoner, but Tova knew for a fact that Ragnar would not be able to bring himself to kill his own brother.

It was nighttime and Tova sat in the Great Hall with Bjorn, Ragnar, Lagertha, Siggy, and Athelstan.

"One-eyed died," Ragnar informed the group, causing Athelstan's eyes to widen in shock.

"Arne?" Athelstan asked in disbelief and Ragnar nodded.

Ragnar inhaled sharply, turning to look directly at Siggy. "Rollo killed him. And Floki may not survive for he is badly wounded."

"This was not your quarrel," Lagertha argued in a calm tone, "You should not have become involved. Look what has happened!"

"No man can walk through life without things happening to him, Lagertha," Ragnar complained in annoyance.

"You choose," She reminded him, causing Ragnar to slam his bowl down before he turned to her with an annoyed look on his face.

"Yes. I chose. And Rollo chose," He replied in an aggravated tone, "And Rollo's choice led to all this!"

"Don't argue you two," Bjorn scolded his parents, causing the duo to turn to look at him.

"Bjorn is right," Tova spoke up in a soft whisper, "Now is not the time."

"I am weary and I'm blood-sickened, and that is the truth," Ragnar told Lagertha after a long moment of silence.

"Who is Aslaug?" Lagertha suddenly asked, causing Tova to lift her head as her eyes widened in shock.

Ragnar grunted angrily, throwing his plate to the ground. "Stop," He demanded in a low tone.

"Who is Aslaug?" She asked once more, clearly not going to stop until she got her answer.

"She's a Gotaland Princess," Ragnar responded in a calm tone, "We met her over there."

"You just met her?" Lagertha questioned Ragnar accusingly.

"Lagertha," Siggy spoke up, giving Lagertha a warning look.

Lagertha glanced at her, just before looking back at Ragnar.

"What has the boy told you?" Ragnar asked before turning to Bjorn, who was avoiding eye contact with his father, "What did you tell her, boy? You and I both know it was not Tova who told your mother. No. Tova would never do such a thing. I know where her loyalties lie. So tell me, boy, what did you tell her?"

"It doesn't matter what Bjorn says," Lagertha argued in a stern tone, "What do you say?"

"I say..." Ragnar trailed off and stood up, leading to Lagertha standing up as well. He walked past the group, throwing around numerous pieces of furniture before turning to face Lagertha once more, "We should not wash our dirty clothes in front of others."

Ragnar walked out of the room and soon enough, Lagertha followed after him.

Once they were both gone, Tova sighed and turned to look at Bjorn. "Why did you tell her?" She asked him softly, a betrayed look on her face.

"She needed to know," Bjorn responded and Tova shook her head.

"You have no idea what you've just done by telling her," She whispered to him, sighing as she stood up and left the room.

____

It was nighttime and Tova entered the room where Siggy was sitting. She took a deep breath, just before walking toward the woman who happened to be her mother. "I didn't know Thyri well, but I am sad that she is gone. I am sad that I didn't truly get to know her before she died. She was my sister, after all," She spoke up in a soft tone, causing Siggy to turn to face her, "My real father is dead. My sister is dead. But you are my mother and you are still here."

"What is it you are trying to say?" Siggy asked, looking confused as Tova walked over to her.

"I do not want to make the same mistake again. I want to know you before it is too late," Tova confessed in a calm tone, "I ask that you be patient with me, though. It may take a while before I actually begin to call you my mother. For at this moment, you're only a little more than a stranger to me."

Siggy nodded in response. She smiled sadly and Tova walked closer to her. She took a seat beside Siggy, who cried softly as she hugged Tova. She pressed a kiss to the top of Tova's head and Tova remained in place, allowing the woman to hug her.

_____

The following day, Tova was walking with Ragnar through the marketplace in Kattegat. "Why are there such problems between you and Lagertha?" Tova asked Ragnar in a concerned tone.

"You know why," Ragnar replied calmly as he gave her a knowing look.

"But I don't want there to be problems. I hate conflict. You know I do," Tova confessed, sighing as she stared down at the ground in disappointment, "Can't you just say sorry for what you've done and all will be better again?"

"It's not so easy with Lagertha," Ragnar replied as he began to chuckle, "She can be quite difficult at times, but I suppose that is one of the reasons I fell in love with her in the first place."

"What about Rollo? What are you going to do about him?" Tova asked, a curious look on her face.

"I cannot judge my own brother. We will have an assembly and the law-giver will judge," Ragnar began to explain to Tova as they walked toward, "We will take Rollo up to the law rock and that is where his fate will be decided."

They stopped walking and Tova turned to face Ragnar, noticing the coin he grasped in his hand. "What is that you are holding?"

"A gold coin. From England," He responded, holding it out to Tova, who tried to take it, "Ah, ah. Not so fast."

Ragnar glanced down at the coin before holding it out for Tova to see. "You see? It even has King Aelle's face upon it."

Tova squinted, locking eyes on the carving of Aelle on the coin. "Fat pig," She grumbled at the sight and Ragnar smiled in amusement.

He took the coin back and bit down at it, clearly trying to tease her. "Stop it. I want to see," She complained, yanking the coin out from between his teeth.

She looked down at the coin, admiring it. "This must be worth a fortune around here."

"It is," Ragnar answered in a calm tone as he nodded his head.

"And what is it you want me to do with it?" She asked, a curious look on her face.

"There is something you must learn, young Tova," He began to tell her, placing a hand on her shoulder, "Any person can be bribed if you just offer the right thing to them. In our case, this gold coin will ensure that Rollo's fate will be decided by us and not the gods. Though the people of Kattegat won't know that."

"Why must I give it to him, though?" Tova questioned as she furrowed her eyebrows in confusion.

"I cannot be seen anywhere near the lawmaker. You are a child. You blend into the crowd. I want you to give this to the lawmaker for me and tell him what we want him to do. Can you do that?" He instructed and Tova immediately nodded her head in agreement.

"Good girl," He praised her as he patted her on the back, "Now, go."

____

That evening, at the Law Rock, Tova stood with Ragnar, Bjorn, and Lagertha, watching as Rollo was placed before him. The crowd shouted, demanded Rollo be killed.

Tova sighed, staring down at Rollo for a long moment before she turned to look at the Law-Giver.

"People, as your law-giver, I have been asked to determine the fate of this man. This man chose to fight without our enemies; chose to fight against his brother. He killed many of our sons, brothers, fathers. What hope is there for him?"

"He has no defense!" Torstein shouted as he stared up at the Law-Giver.

"This man deserves to die. We all know that." The law-giver announced and the crowd cheered in agreement, "But...I have decided to spare him."

The crowd began to shout in disagreement and Tova felt uneasy as she exchanged a look with Ragnar.

"I have taken the advice of the Gods," The Law-giver tried to shout over the rowdy crowd, "If they had wanted him dead, he would have died in battle. But they spared him. He came forward and threw himself upon the mercy of his brother. He behaved in an interesting and unexpected way, and therefore, I conclude...That the gods have made their own judgement, which I cannot overturn."

The crowd shouted in anger and disbelief and Tova sighed, staring down at the ground uneasily, "I, therefore, order this man be set free," The lawgiver continued on and the crowd continued to shout angrily.

Enraged, Torstein rushed over to Ragnar with a desperate look on his face. "We should kill him anyway! You are the Earl," He insisted and Ragnar shook his head.

"No. We must obey the law," Ragnar replied in a stern tone.

"Who is the law-giver?" Torstein questioned as he looked up at the Law-giver, "Just an ordinary man."

"Not when he stands on the sacred stone," Ragnar replied, remaining silent for a long moment as he turned to Tova.

As everyone began to walk away, Ragnar walked over to Tova and patted her on the shoulder. "It worked. And you did not tell anyone of our plan. You are learning quickly. I am proud of you."

Tova nodded and with that, she walked away, not knowing if what Ragnar made her do was because he wanted Rollo to be spared or because it was the right thing to do and Rollo deserved to be forgiven.

_____

It was morning time and Ragnar laid asleep on the sand when Bjorn and Tova ran over to him, kicking him awake. "Father! Father!"

"What?" Ragnar asked the duo, still half asleep.

"There is someone coming," Bjorn informed Ragnar, causing the man to immediately stand up.

The group of three looked ahead. However, Bjorn immediately shot Ragnar a glare the moment he saw Aslaug on the boat. He turned on his heel and ran off, clearly intending to tell Lagertha.

Tova sighed in annoyance, turning to face Ragnar. "You idiot."

"Shut up," Ragnar snapped at her as they both began to walk away, "Come on."

The duo ended up making their way to the docks. Ragnar tried to hide behind a wooden post while Tova stood beside them, both of them watching as Aslaug walked through, guarded by numerous shieldmaidens.

The shields the women held moved slightly, giving Tova and Ragnar a clear view of Aslaug's pregnant belly.

Tova turned, her eyes widening in disbelief. "Lagertha is going to kill you," She complained and Ragnar silently cursed to himself as he tried to hide behind the wooden post when Aslaug locked eyes on him.

"Do you truly think hiding is going to work?" Tova asked Ragnar, who turned to shoot her a glare.

"Do you truly think what you're saying is making anything better?" He retorted in a mocking tone, causing Tova to glare back at him.

_____

The moment Ragnar and Tova returned to the Great Hall, Lagertha had already learned from Bjorn about Aslaug's arrival.

Lagertha's eyes widened at the sight of Aslaug, especially when she noticed that the woman was pregnant. She turned to Ragnar, a betrayed look on her face.

Tova turned, exchanging an uneasy look with Bjorn. They watched as Ragnar uneasily glanced between Lagertha and Aslaug, just before speaking up. "Lagertha, Princess Aslaug. Princess Aslaug, Lagertha."

"I know who it is, Ragnar," Lagertha spoke up shakily, trying to contain herself as she took a step toward Aslaug, "Princess, welcome to Kattegat."

"Thank you, Lagertha," Aslaug replied, smiling as she watched Lagertha walk over to Bjorn and Tova.

"This is our son Bjorn," Lagertha informed Aslaug as she placed one hand on Bjorn's shoulder and the other on Ragnar's back, "And this is our adopted daughter, Tova," She continued as she placed a hand on Tova's shoulder next.

"I know Bjorn and Tova," Aslaug responded, smiling as she turned to look at the two children, "Hello, Bjorn. Hello, Tova."

"Hello," Tova spoke softly, forcing herself to smile nervously while Bjorn shamefully looked down at the ground.

Tova sighed in defeat and turned to Bjorn, who couldn't bring himself to look Aslaug in the eyes.

"You must have had a tiring journey. Come and eat," Lagertha told the woman kindly as she forced herself to be nice.

"Thank you. You're very kind," Aslaug told Lagertha as she smiled at her, "I knew you would be."

Tova turned, watching as Lagertha briefly stared at Aslaug before walking away. She turned again, exchanging a look with Ragnar before she followed after Lagertha alongside Bjorn.