Grace watched as her brothers rode back to Kattegat. "Hello, sister," Bjorn said as he walked past her to Aslaug. She smiled upon seeing her twin brother Hvitsek.

She walked up to him as he held his arms open. He held her tightly. "Hello." He said with a smile. Once she pulled away, she said, "hello. I'm glad your back." She nodded to Ubbe, who smiled at her widely.

"Ivar!" She said as she looked at him to see him smiling at her as she bent to hug him. "Hi, dear sister. Lovely seeing you." He asked with a smile. She nodded, laughing softly. "Sigurd." She said as she smiled softly as he hugged her.

Once everyone had gotten settled, they heard people crowding outside. She walked to see her father, Ragnar. She walked behind Sigurd as Hvitserk was behind her. She took her spot as always between Hvitserk and Ivar.

"Who wants to be king?!" He shouted as she moved back slightly. Hvitserk moved his hand quickly to his sister's back as if in reassurance. "What about you, Sigurd? Do you want to be king?"

She moved her head to look at him. She was almost as angry as her brothers. But she couldn't help but feel bad for her father. "Do you want to be king, Ubbe? Kill me, and you are king. King Ubbe!" He yelled, smiling, then turning and hitting Ubbe.

"What are you waiting for? Are you afraid? Be a man!" He yelled again as he hit Ubbe. She began to get angry as she was protective of her brothers as they were her. "Leave him alone!" She shouted lowly to him as she took a step forward.

The crowd gasped as they never expected her to talk that way to her father. "My Princess." He said with a chuckle. "Stop this madness." She said as he patted Ivar on the head. He walked to his sword.

She watched Ubbe step out, and she knew to leave. "I can't believe you." She said in a whisper directed towards her father. As she turned and the crowd made way for her.

When Bjorn approached her as she was leaving, he said, "go to the forest. We will be there shortly." As he walked away, she rolled her eyes. She was starting to sick of all the bad stuff coming around her now.

She now stood in front of a vast tree waiting. She had picked flowers on her way so that when she stayed, she wouldn't be bored. "Hertha!" She heard Hvitserk shout as she turned. She smiled at him and handed him a flower.

"I picked them so I shall not be bored." She told him as he nodded softly. She took it from his hand and put it in his braid. They, as twins, were always inseparable from each other. Not even their own family could tear them apart.

"It would appear you another son. His name is Magnus. His mother is Queen Kwenthrith, and he lives in King Ecbert's villa in Wessex." Bjorn told his father as he only laughed. "Well, I shall go. Mother May wonder where I am." She said to the boys as she walked away.

She left because she was furious with her father's actions. She hated how he thought he could walk into Kattegat after everything.

"My Beauty, where have you been?" Her mother asked as she walked in. "Father being a disgrace." She said as her mother smiled into her wine. "As he always was."

"Mother?" She asked with sincerity. "Yes, my darling." "What is for dinner?" She asked with a snicker. "You will find out. Go change, my dear." She nodded to her mother and walked to her room.

She changed into another gown that matched in color to her mother's. It was one of the most delicate pieces of clothes in Kattegat. In childhood, her mother would get her only the best as she was her daughter. She was fiercely protective of her mother, and her mother was the same with her. They protected each other, but Aslaug protected Grace more.

"So, father wants to go to England. Why do you not want to go with him?" Asked Ivar as she sat at the end of the table. She was across from Ivar. "Ubbe?" He asked, "You know why. Now shut up." "Is it the same for you, Sigurd? Or are you afraid of being seasick?" "I'm not afraid of anything, brother?" "Not even me?" He asked.

She knew where this was heading. All their conversations ended the same way. She took a sip from her drink and watched. "Would like some more ale, Ivar?" Margrethe asked as he said yes. As she poured the cup squeezed her bottom.

Grace shook her head as Ubbe noticed, "it is wrong to treat her that way." She looked at him and hit his arm. As if to say thank you to him. "Why are you so polite? She's just a slave. You all just want to have her. You too, Ubbe?"

"Ivar." Grace and Aslaug said in unison but he ignored his sister. "Mother." He smiled as Grace turned to him "Don't disregard me, Brother!" She raised her voice. "I am not afraid of you and never will be. All you are is my brother and friend. Be compassionate."

He stopped smiling and put his drink down. "I don't want to be like you, sister. I want to travel and discover worlds not be alone." She dropped her stuff on the table and left.

"Ivar, don't be disrespectful," Hvitserk said taking up for his twin. "Come on," Ivar said rolling his eyes.

Once she left she was in her room trying to sleep. She heard a knock and said, "who is there?" "Ivar." She scrunched her nose and hit up. She opened the door "here to apologize?"

He moved past her to the bed and climbed up. He always did that when they were little. When he was afraid he would go to her for protection. "I am regretful of what I have said." He nodded to her as untied his legs.

She sat on the bed "I will always forgive you. After all your my younger brother, I'm supposed to defend you." He laid down as she spoke.

"Goodnight." They said in unison as she blew out the light and rolled over. She turned once and saw him on his side with his back touching hers. She always knew he never meant what he said to her.

- Hertha means powerful woman -