"The settlement in Wessex was destroyed right after we sailed back for Kattegat." Bjorn said to Floki as Nerida walked past the men and towards the small pond Floki had created for the toy boats. Nerida picked one up and examined it, running her hand along the smooth bottom and making sure that the ends were perfectly in balance.

'Hello Bjorn." Floki's wife Helga said with a smile as her words kicked Nerida out of her trance. She watched as Bjorn smiled and walked down to the shore, Nerida thinking of Ivar as she wanted to get back to him as fast as she could.

"We came to see how the boats were progressing." Bjorn said as he took the boat from Nerida's hands, a smile on her face as she knew that Bjorn knew nothing of boat building.

"What do you say Nerida? What should we tell him?" Floki asked with a smile as he winked at her, their bond forever strengthen that day Floki brought her back to Kattegat. She treasured him as a brother, looking to him when she needed the courage to carry on.

"I think it won't be long before these boats will be able to take you to the Mediterranean Sea." Nerida smiled as she saw the hope in Bjorn's eye, a spark come flickering back to life as the prospect of adventure became closer.

"If it even exists." Floki mumbled, Nerida rolling her eyes as she kicked water towards him with her feet, his words annoying her since she knew he was trying to get under her skin.

"Of course, it exists, I have seen it and swam in it. I almost died in that sea." Nerida exclaimed as Floki laughed at her frustration, Nerida shaking her head as she crossed her arms over her chest.

"I hope you will come with me, Floki. Nerida has chosen to stay behind, for reasons I do not know, but I would feel better if she would just agree to come along" Bjorn admitted as she shook her head no, her heart feeling no desire to travel to a land that took everything she loved. Her homeland rested on that great sea, but she had no desire to return and see the ruin it had become.

"If I were with you Bjorn Ironside, you would meet certain death. I cannot escape that I was once a pirate. I pillaged, and I killed, and I took what I wanted from who I wanted. I slaughtered families because I could and burned entire villages to the ground. Here, I am Nerida, but on that great sea, I am Nerida the ferocious, the merciless and the vile." Nerida explained, hoping that her words would be taken seriously by Bjorn.

"Does that mean you won't be coming with us?" Floki asked with a smile as Nerida reached out and tried to hit him, a smile on her face as he ran from her reach. Bjorn and Nerida stayed at the camp to eat, Nerida wanting anxiously to get back to Kattegat, since she was sure the boys had hunted enough deer and rabbit by the time the sun had set.

"Do you miss being a Pirate?" Floki asked as Nerida looked up from her fish broth, her mind and heart still tormented by that very question. Part of her missed the sea, missed the adventure and missed seeing new worlds, but she was happy in Kattegat. She worked as a Blacksmith and trained those who needed and desired it.

"At times I do. If I was given a choice to stay or to leave and become a Pirate again—I would stay." She answered honestly as she smiled, a sadness in her heart as she looked out towards the sea. Part of her wanted to go with Bjorn and return to all the places she had seen, but she knew that she needed to stay and be close to Ivar.

When the sun was finally set Bjorn and Nerida finally arrived back in Kattegat, Nerida hurrying to the Great Hall as she knew that was the only place Ivar would be. She pushed the door open, the warmth from the fire hitting her face as she hadn't realized that there had been a nip of coldness in the air.

"Nerida." Ivar said from the large table with a smile, Nerida smiling down at him as she stood beside him. She locked eyes with Aslaug a woman that no longer intimidated her, since Aslaug had dared to spread farce tales about her and Bjorn.

"I hope the boats will be ready?" Aslaug spoke as Nerida took a gulp of ale from Ivar's cup, his hand resting on the small of her back as he tugged on her tunic.

"They will be ready, I just pray to your gods that Bjorn will be ready. The world outside of Kattegat, is large and it is unforgiving. What Ragnar and others spoke of was only the beginning, Bjorn will no doubt see a world worthy of awe and admiration." Nerida spoke as she saw Aslaug roll her eyes, Nerida pitying her as she knew that the Queen would never see a world outside of the one, she had created.

"Living here must be awfully boring for you. I imagine you would want to join Bjorn on his travels." Aslaug said as Nerida felt a pang of anger since she knew what she was trying to do. Nerida knew that Aslaug wanted nothing more than to see Nerida sail off into the distance, but no matter how much she pushed, Nerida would not go anywhere without Ivar.

Later that night Nerida found herself unable to sleep, her eyes and body heavy, but her mind racing out of control. As Ivar lay asleep beside her, she could not help but stare at him, and memorize every feature of his sleeping face. An uneasy feeling had stirred inside her, a feeling she could not ignore. Change was coming, a change that she knew no one was ready for.

***

"Are you alright? You have been so quiet all day." Ivar said as Nerida hammered away at a dagger for Bjorn. She hadn't slept, her mind racing as she could not settle her worries and finally drift off to sleep.

"I feel something in the air, Ivar. Something is coming." She stated simply as she saw several people start to walk towards the main pathway. "Someone—is here." She stated as she put her tools away and removed her leather apron, her face and hands streaked with soot as she continued to watch droves of people walk down the path.

"Hvitserk, what is it?" She asked as she and Ivar joined with his brothers, Hvitserk shrugging his shoulders as they pushed through the crowd. "Let us pass." She said as she stayed behind the boys with Ivar, her eyes finally seeing the man that had brought Kattegat to a halt. She had never seen this man before, but she knew full well that Ragnar Lothbrok, had returned.

He was taller than she had thought, with a head void of hair and covered in tattoos, and a long beard that reached his chest. His face and eyes told of the many battles he had faced and a life of success and failures that he had walked away from.

"Hello Ivar." Ragnar said kindly, Nerida watching as a smile went over Ivar's face and lighting up his eyes. Ubbe, Sigurd and Hvitserk were not as eager to see their father as he was. "There is no mistaking you." Ragnar said as he looked up into Nerida's eyes, her body tensing as she noticed him looking at all the markings that ran over her body.

"A pirate? In Kattegat?"

"I am no Pirate, King Ragnar. I am but a simple Blacksmith." She answered as she dipped low and held her arms out, a smile on her face as she could see he was annoyed by her presence. She watched as Ragnar looked at his sons, none of them embracing him the way a son should.

"It appears my return is not welcome, you have all obviously made your mind up about me." Ragnar said, his voice softer than Nerida was expecting. She had heard stories of the great King Ragnar, but to stand in front of him, was almost surreal.

"So, who is going to do it then hmm? Who is going to kill me?" Ragnar asked as he held a sheathed sword tight in his hand. She knew what he was doing, he was testing his sons and for good reason, since he had abandoned them. Nerida smirked as she looked down at Ivar, remembering how his brothers had vowed to kill him shall he ever return, but there they stood, frozen in place.

She watched as he screamed at them to kill him, her heart pounding as she had forgotten what that surge felt like. The surge to be on the edge never knowing if you will have to walk away or fight your way out.

"What kind of King abandoned his people! What kind of King abandons his sons?" Ragnar spoke as his voice settled, Nerida seeing a small tear try to form in the corner of his eye. She looked to the boys, their eyes showing anger, confusion but also compassion and love. No matter how much they spoke of hate, they could not replace the love they had for Ragnar.

"So, who wants to be King?" Ragnar asked as Nerida looked down to Ivar, watching as he slowly stopped a smile from forming on his face. She knew that Ivar wanted to be King, he wanted to rule and conquer, but part of her worried if others would accept him as their King. Nerida had no desire to be a Queen, but she threw her desires to the wind if it meant Ivar could finally reach his destiny.

"What of you Pirate—do you want to be Queen? Do you want to rule?" Ragnar asked Nerida has she clinched her jaw and stepped back from him, his hatred toward pirates showing very clearly.

"Nerida."

"What?" Ragnar asked as he furrowed his brow and turned back to look at her. She could see that he was shocked by her words, or shocked that she would even talk back to him, since everyone stood silent.

"My name is Nerida, Pirate."