— 17. Patience is a Wonderful Thing

It wasn't long before Ragnar and Tova had learned about what had occurred in Wessex. King Ecbert's men had attacked King Horik's camp soon after they left. Many warriors were slaughtered and Horik and Erlendur were forced to flee with their lives. Yet despite all of this news, they seemed to have learned nothing about Athelstan's whereabouts, which worried them the most.

While Lagertha had decided to return back to her husband, Bjorn had decided to stay, which seemed to relieve both Ragnar and Tova.

Ragnar was glad to have his son back while Tova was happy to have her old friend back with her, someone who was actually her age.

"You'll have to forgive the poverty of the feast," Ragnar spoke up, glancing over at his wife before back at Horik, "It has been a hard winter. We had to burn our own grain stores to rid ourselves of Jarl Borg."

"So I heard," Horik replied, not seeming to be interested in what Ragnar had to say.

Ragnar turned, exchanging a look with Tova. The girl sighed and turned to Erlendur, leaning forward in her seat. "Tell us, Erlendur, what happened in England, after we left?" She asked as she looked directly at King Horik's son.

Erlendur inhaled sharply, taking a sip of his ale before looking over at his father.

"We were betrayed by King Ecbert. We made contact and your Christian friend Athelstan arranged for further talks, or so he said," Horik answered for his son in a calm tone, "In retrospect, I wonder whose side he was really on."

"Ours, of course," Tova replied, beginning to glare at the man.

"In any case, a trickster was at work. Ecbert never meant to honor his promises to you," Horik continued, looking directly at Ragnar, "We were betrayed, taken by surprise. There was a great slaughter. Erlendur and I barely escaped with our lives."

Tova leaned forward in her seat, a concerned look on her face. "What about Athelstan?" She asked worriedly, "Where is he?"

"If he is fortunate, he died in battle," He replied and both Tova and Ragnar's face fell at the thought, "In any case, let's not speak of him. He was a worthless individual."

Tova remained silent for a long moment, beginning to glare at the man coldly. "How dare you."

"Poor Athelstan," Bjorn suddenly spoke up, causing both Tova and Ragnar to look at him, "My sister and I grew to love him as Tova did when we were children."

"He fooled you, young Bjorn," Floki commented, causing Ragnar and Tova to exchange an annoyed look, "He never denounced his Christian god. He was our enemy. And we should rejoice at his death."

Ragnar rolled his eyes at Floki, turning to look over at Horik once more. "So, what do you intend on doing now?"

"What do you think, Ragnar?" Horik answered in an obvious tone as he sat, "I intend on gaining revenge on King Ecbert. We should plan a raid as soon as possible."

"I would be very happy to take part in it," Rollo spoke up in a calm tone, "King Ecbert should certainly be punished."

"I agree," Tova replied, nodding her head in agreement.

"As do I," Ragnar added into what Tova had said, "We should return to Wessex. But first, Jarl Borg must pay the price for what he did to my family and to our people."

A slave walked over to Bjorn. She was in the middle of filling up his cup, only to accidentally spill it. Her eyes widened in alarm and Bjorn turned to her, a calm expression on his face. "Forgive me," She fearfully told him, assuming he'd be angry.

"No, it doesn't matter," Bjorn assured her and Tova tilted her head, watching them closely.

The slave walked away and Bjorn's eyes remained on her, causing Tova to roll her eyes. It would seem he had a thing for slaves. After all, she herself had been one once. Only Bjorn was foolish enough to be viewed as though he were a prince and yet fall in love with a slave, even when he could get any girl he wanted as the son of Ragnar Lothbrok. She didn't blame him. The slave his eyes lingered on was quite beautiful. If she were a man, she'd probably be staring at her, too.

"I understand completely," Horik continued on, causing Tova's attention to turn back to him, "If I were you, I would feel the same, but we must remember our agreement and what it was for. We would sail west to raid and to colonize. That was your dream, Ragnar. And I have come to share it. We have neither the men nor the ships to reach our dreams."

"What are you saying?" Ragnar asked, giving Horik a curious look.

"I think we should go back to Jarl Borg," Horik suggested, causing Tova's eyes to widen in shock, "He's licking his wounds. He is no longer as strong as he was and yet, we need him. We cannot go west without his ships. And so once again, we should ask him to join our alliance.'

"I don't understand," Tova spoke up, causing Horik to turn to her with an annoyed look. She was sixteen, after all, taking part in the conversation as she was a grown adult and a man.

Ragnar let her, though. Everyone knew that. In truth, he valued her opinion above anyone. He trusted her above anyone. If anyone could take part in the conversation between him and Horik, it was her. But Horik didn't feel the same.

"What don't you understand, Young Tova?" He asked her, looking impatient.

"Ragnar wanted Jarl Borg in the alliance in the first place. You were the one who said he could not be. Because of that, my father refused to let him come with us to Wessex. In the aftermath, it led to Jarl Borg taking Kattegat while we were gone. And now, you want him to join our alliance? I do not understand," Tova explained and Ragnar turned, exchanging a look with Aslaug since they both knew she was right.

"Of course you don't understand. You are but a girl," Horik complained and Tova sighed, immediately falling silent.

She avoided eye contact with the group and Ragnar, who sat to her right, leaned closer to her.

"Don't listen to him. He is wrong. You are right," He whispered to her and Tova turned to look Ragnar in the eyes.

"Then what are you going to do?" She asked him in a soft tone so no one else could hear.

"I will invite him here, but not for an alliance," He informed her and Tova smiled at the thought, "Did you expect anything less from me, Tova?"

"Of course not," She replied and Ragnar smiled, patting her on the back before he looked back at King Horik.

"Who should go to Jarl Borg?" Rollo suddenly asked, causing the group to turn to him.

"I think it should be you, Rollo," Horik suggested, causing Tova to frown in confusion, "After all, you know him better than anyone," He paused, turning to smile at Ragnar, "What do you think?"

Ragnar smiled slightly, taking a bite of his apple.

____

That night, outside the Great Hall, Tova was standing outside, her arms crossed across her chest as she looked annoyed. She turned, watching as Erlendur walked over to her.

"What are you doing out here alone? Shouldn't you be with that boyfriend of yours?" Erlendur asked her as he walked to stand beside her.

Tova turned to him, smiling slightly. "He is...elsewhere," She informed him and at the same time, they turned their heads to see Finnr in the middle of talking to two women from afar.

He and the women were laughing and one of the women ran her hand down his chest as she did so.

Erlendur scoffed, looking back at Tova. "Now, why would he look elsewhere when he has such a beautiful woman already?"

"Perhaps you should ask him," Tova suggested, smiling in amusement.

"Don't you ever want to pay him back?" Erlendur asked, moving closer to her.

"Of course, I do. I am a woman, after all," She confessed, already knowing what Erlendur was up to solely by the way he gradually inched closer to her.

"Then go to bed with me," He suggested and Tova smiled, leaning closer to him.

"If you'd like," She replied, placing her hand on his chest. She gradually slid her hand downwards and Erlendur began to smile in satisfaction, "But tell me first..." She trailed off, her smiling fading as she pulled her hand away, "If I were to do that, doesn't that make me no better than him?"

Hearing her words, Erlendur's smile faded and he began to frown. "I—" He began to say, only to have Tova cut him off.

"It makes me no better. It means I am exactly like him. Incapable of fidelity," She explained, leaning closer to him with a cold look on her face, "Let me tell you something, Erlendur. To have sex with someone for revenge, it hurts the mind and the soul. And I am far too smart to fall for your poor excuse for seduction. I am not some foolish girl who beds another man solely because the man she loves finds himself in the bed of another. Keep that in mind for next time."

Erlendur stared at Tova for a long moment. He sighed in frustration and with that, he walked away.

Tova turned and watched him leave, tears beginning to form in her eyes. She sighed, shaking her head slightly before she wiped her eyes and walked away.

____

That night, Tova sat in the cabin she now shared with Finnr. After all, soon after Bjorn had arrived in Kattegat, she had given up her room for him, not that Bjorn knew that. She rarely spent any time in there anyway. She spent most of her nights in Finnr's bed.

The door opened and Tova forced a smile onto her face as she watched Finnr enter. He walked over to her, smiling back at her.

He bent down slightly, cupping her face in his hands before he kissed her. They fell onto the bed and Tova smiled up at him.

Finnr pulled away briefly and Tova stared up at him as he hovered over her. She sighed, affectionately stroking his cheek. "Do you still have a passion for me?" She asked him in a soft whisper.

"Of course, I do, my love. I love you," He told her and Tova smiled uneasily, nodding her head in understanding.

She leaned forward, pressing her lips against his once more as he began to lift the skirt of her dress.

_____

Outside the Great Hall, Ragnar sat alone, watching as Bjorn spoke to the slave from just days before. Hvitserk played in front of him, but his attention was on Porunn and Bjorn.

"She's quite beautiful," A voice suddenly spoke up, causing Ragnar to find Tova standing there.

He held his hand out to her, assisting her in sitting down beside him. "You sound jealous," He commented, an amused look on his face.

"I don't get jealous," She argued and Ragnar playfully rolled his eyes at her, "I am just saying that she is beautiful because she is."

"You should be the one he is pining after. Not some slave girl," Ragnar complained and Tova couldn't help but smile in amusement.

"He has tried. I have refused him. He is jealous of Finnr, I think," She admitted and Ragnar sighed in response.

"He has no reason to be. I am starting to believe you don't even love Finnr anymore. You are with him, yes. But I have not seen you with him once in the past three days," Ragnar explained and Tova looked down at the ground in shame.

"It would seem you are not the only one to think that way," She admitted softly and Ragnar turned to her in confusion.

"What do you mean?" He asked, looking almost concerned.

"King Horik's son tried to convince me to climb into bed with him," Tova informed him, knowing there was no point in lying to him.

"And did you?" He questioned, raising a brow at her.

"Definitely not. Why would I shame myself in such a way? I am better than that. I deserve better than that," She explained and Ragnar immediately nodded his head.

"You do," He reminded her and Tova smiled in response.

"May I ask you something, Ragnar?" Tova asked him, a curious look on her face.

"Of course. What is it?" Ragnar replied in a calm tone.

"Why do you let King Horik decide everything?" Tova asked, a curious look on his face.

"He is a King. I am not," Ragnar reminded her and Tova sighed in response.

"He may be King. But it is only in name. You hold far more power in these lands than he does. People love you. They do not love him," Tova explained to Ragnar, who nodded his head slightly.

"I know. And soon enough, Horik will be reminded of it. But not yet. You must be patient. Just as I have. Patience is a wonderful thing to learn," Ragnar informed her and Tova nodded in understanding.