— 42. The Return

Days had passed and Tova and Bjorn remained in the mountains. She stood beside Bjorn in the cabin, watching intently as he tattooed his arm with the same symbol she bore on the back of her neck.

"You could say it binds us, bearing the same symbol on our bodies," Tova spoke up calmly and Bjorn glanced at her, the smallest of smiles appearing on his face, "A reminder of each other when either of us is dead and gone."

Bjorn sighed and didn't respond to Tova. She always found a way to include death in everything they spoke of lately. He unrolled the map he had found in Paris, eying it intently before rolling it back up.

"Why do you glance at it so briefly?" Tova asked and Bjorn turned to her after placing the map in his bag, "Are you planning to sail to the Mediterranean?"

"I do not know. I must prove myself before planning anything. No one will take me seriously until I do so and how am I go if I do not have any men to follow me? I might be Ragnar's son but that doesn't mean anything unless I prove myself as you and my father have," He explained and Tova sighed, noticing the hint of jealousy in his eyes.

A part of him clearly wondered what would have occurred if he had stayed with Ragnar instead of leaving with his mother. Would he have learned from Ragnar as Tova had? Would he have gained the respect of the people of Kattegat as Tova had, despite being the child of the late Earl Haraldson and his wife Siggy?

"Are you ready to leave?" Bjorn suddenly asked as he stood up and turned to face Tova.

Tova smiled, slowly nodding her head. "More than ready," She answered and they walked toward the door without another word said.

_____

Hours had passed since they began to travel through the mountains together. It wasn't long before they went separate ways, hoping to find food for their journey.

Once finding some fish for them to eat, Bjorn returned to their meeting place to find that Tova hadn't returned yet. He looked around, panting heavily as he looked around for Tova. "Tova?" He called out, only to frown at a branch nearby.

Having the feeling it wasn't Tova, Bjorn stopped where he stood and looked around, hoping to find the culprit. He quickly took out his ax, beginning to run through the wood.

Just then, hearing someone behind him, Bjorn whipped himself around in enough time to avoid the ax being swung in his direction by an unknown man. A man who happened to be a berserker.

Nearby, Tova had arrived at their meeting spot to find Bjorn nowhere in sight. She looked around, the sound of metal blades clashing against each other being heard close by.

Feeling uneasy, she ran in the direction of where the noise was coming from, stopping when she saw Bjorn sitting on the ground unarmed with an unknown man running off.

Bjorn immediately turned to her, looking as though he had seen a ghost. "Berserker," He informed her, and Tova's eyes filled with fury as she ran over to one of the traps she had laid out for animals days before.

She grabbed ahold of the hook, pinching her finger with it to make sure it was sharp. She rolled her eyes at the nearby sounds of the man laughing from a distance, rushing to untie the knots of the trap.

With that, she placed her blade in her pocket, running in a certain direction to lead the berserker toward her. She jumped off a log, only to wince at the pain in her leg. It made her stumble back and her eyes widened at the sight of the bear trap closing right in front of her.

If it hadn't been for her injured leg making her fall back, it would have been instantly caught by the trap. Perhaps the gods did favor her.

She sighed and looked around, waiting a moment to hear where the man's laughs were coming from. She rushed over to some trees, hiding behind them as she watched the berserker fall into her trap.

He stopped in his tracks and laughed around, roaring at the sight of Tova sitting there with a menacing look on her face.

As he stepped to charge at her, Tova threw her ax in his direction. She watched as the blade glided through the air, skimming the top of his head.

Bjorn then appeared and shoved the man backward. He stabbed him in the chest with his blade before pinning him against a nearby tree. The two men began to deliver numerous punches to each other and as Bjorn fell back, the Berserker laughed.

Tova slowly moved toward them, studying the unknown man curiously. She lifted her hand, revealing the weapon she had created with a fish hook. She threw it in his direction and watched as it stabbed him in the safe. She walked closer, punching him once in the gut and then in the stomach before Bjorn began to assist her in using the rope to tie him to the tree.

The man attempted to slash him with the knife he held but Bjorn quickly wrapped the rope around his wrist as Tova assisted him in tying the rope around the man.

"You didn't think you'd kill us that easy, did you?" Tova scoffed and purposely tugged on the rope.

The berserker groaned at how tight the rope was due to the hook that was attached to it, tore through his face every time they tightened it.

Bjorn grabbed the man's hand and pried the knife from his grasp. He frowned at the ring the man wore and removed it as well.

Bjorn walked around the man and stopped when he was standing in front of him beside Tova. He lifted the ring he pried from his finger and Tova glanced at her, her eyes immediately widening.

She recognized it and knew exactly who previously under it. She sighed and looked downwards, beginning to feel uneasy. Why wasn't she surprised?

"Who sent you?" Bjorn asked as he raised the ring for the man to see, "Hmm?"

He moved toward the man, lightly dragging the blade across the rope to pull it, "Who sent you?"

He moved the ring close to his face, glaring at him. "Who sent you?" He asked again and the man didn't respond.

Bjorn scoffed and turned away from the man. A moment later, he turned back toward the man and waved his blade at him. "Who sent you!"

Bjorn waited for an answer but once again, he didn't get one. He was on the verge of asking again when Tova stepped toward the man, stabbing him in the gut without hesitation.

The man screamed out in agony and Tova continued to stare into the man's eyes as she pushed the blade downwards with all the strength she had.

She removed the blade and stepped back, removing the man's insides before tossing them to the ground. She rolled her eyes and wiped the blood that covered her hands on her coat. She turned to look at Bjorn, who stared at her in shock after her ruthless actions.

"We are going to Hedeby before we return to Kattegat," Tova announced in a determined tone as she began to walk away.

"Why?" Bjorn asked but showed no signs of disagreeing. It meant he'd get to see his mother.

"Torvi is there," She revealed as she turned to face Bjorn, "We're taking her with us."

Bjorn stood in place for a moment, attempting to read Tova's expression. It was impossible, however, so he gave up. He sighed and obediently followed Tova as she walked away. He decided not even to question it.

She did everything with a reason and whatever the reason was, he knew it must have been worth it in the end.

_____

At Hedeby, Kalf sat with Erlendur in the Great Hall, little Guthrum sitting close by playing with his toys. Lagertha stood nearby with Torvi as they wove.

However, the moment the doors to the Great Hall opened, everyone's head turned in shock. Bjorn and Tova stood beside one another in their furs, their hoods covering their faces.

"Bjorn? Tova?" Lagertha called out in shock and the couple slowly removed their hoods.

While Bjorn's eyes were on Lagertha, Tova's eyes became fixed on Erlendur and Kalf. She smirked, watching the two men shift uneasily. They exchanged a look with each other and Elrendur gripped onto the handle of his blade, on the verge of standing up.

However, Kalf ended up giving him a look that made him sit back down, which made Tova feel even more satisfied than before. They were afraid.

"Lagertha," Bjorn finally spoke up and Lagertha moved toward the duo, beginning to smile in relief.

She rushed toward them and engulfed them both in a hug. As they did so, Tova's eyes were fixed on Torvi, who looked to have tears welled in her eyes.

She looked sad and a part of Tova felt bad. The girl was clearly unhappy. It meant what she planned to do next would be more successful.

"Kalf, Erlendur," Tova spoke up, smiling as she moved toward the men alongside Bjorn, "You look as though you have seen a ghost."

Slowly, Tova turned to Torvi, smiling softly. "And Torvi. It is good to see you again," She greeted her and Torvi anxiously avoided eye contact with her.

"We heard you took yourselves away into the wilderness. Why?" Kalf asked, causing Bjorn and Tova to exchange a look with each other.

Tova had gone to die and Ragnar had manipulated Bjorn into going as well to save her but claimed that he wanted his son to go to find himself.

"I went to find someone," Bjorn informed them, causing Tova to turn to him in shock.

"Who?" Kalf asked and Bjorn glanced at Tova, noticing the pleading look she was giving him.

"Myself," he answered while continuing to stare at her and watched as she relaxed at his words.

Lagertha glanced between the duo and smiled proudly. She could tell the tension between them had changed. They had worked out their differences and she was glad. Ragnar had told her Tova's reasons for going to the mountain and she was relieved to know Bjorn had gotten there in time.

Kalf slowly turned to Tova, raising a brow at her. "And you?"

"It's a story not worth telling," She replied, forcing a smile on her face.

Kalf shared a look with Erlendur, the two of them hearing the rumors that everyone had. That Tova had gone to the mountains and didn't expect to return.

"What is wrong with you? Bring the son and daughter of Ragnar Lothbrok a drink," Kalf insisted and Tova smirked at how fake he was being, "We must celebrate your arrival."

"Is that so? You didn't seem too happy when we walked through that door. You looked almost..." She trailed off as she smiled sarcastically, "...surprised that we were alive."

Kalf tensed up alongside Erlendur. "I don't know what you're talking about," He replied and smiled slightly.

They were expecting Tova to already be dead when the Berserker went after Bjorn. After all, together, the Berserker stood no chance against them.

And Tova was smarter than Bjorn. They knew she would have seen it coming from a mile away. And she had. She even learned who had been behind it. She was just like Ragnar, after all. Smarter than anyone around her.

"Whatever you say," Tova smiled and after being handed a cup, she turned to Erlendur.

While Bjorn downed his cup of ale in one gulp, Tova stared at Erlendur as she poured her cup on the floor.

Lagertha frowned at her actions but didn't question them. She knew better than to after her experience with Ragnar.

"Frankly, Bjorn and I are not here to celebrate," Tova announced, causing Lagertha to frown in concern as she watched the girl allow her cup to fall to the ground, "I have come for reasons not worthy of being celebrated. Two, in fact."

Hearing her announcement, Erlendur and Kalf tensed up uneasily.

"First, we have come here to see Lagertha, the woman who has always been a mother to me and my greatest hero. Second..." She trailed off and turned to face Torvi, "To take Torvi with me when Bjorn and I return to Kattegat."

"You're talking about my wife," Erlendur growled as he stood up and moved toward Tova in a threatening manner.

Tova smirked at him, clearly not feeling threatened in the slightest. She laughed lowly, stepping toward him until his face was just inches away from her eyes. "Yes, your wife," She replied and laughed in amusement, "You think I care? As I recall, you had no problem bedding me while married to this wife of yours."

"She is your wife and yet you treat her like a slave," Bjorn spoke up to defend Tova.

The young woman turned to Bjorn in surprise. He didn't even know why Tova wanted to bring Torvi to Kattegat with them so badly yet he was defending her actions.

She smiled slightly in admiration without even meaning to her. She turned to Erlendur, who looked even angrier than before. He hadn't expected Bjorn to support Tova's actions.

"Torvi is free to make up her own mind," Kalf reminded Erlendur as they watched Torvi bring her son over to her. She took no part in the conversation, despite it being about her, "What do you want to do?"

Tova slowly turned to Torvi, only to roll her eyes at the way she looked to Erlendur for approval. She scoffed and walked until she was standing in front of Erlendur, making Torvi unable to see him.

"Don't look at him," She demanded in a stern tone, "This is your choice, not his."

Finally, Torvi nodded, a determined look on her face. "I want to go with Tova," She announced and Tova smirked in satisfaction while Bjorn felt puzzled.

What type of hold did Tova have on Torvi that convinced the girl to leave her husband for her?

"Hmm," Erlendur hummed, trying his hardest not to lash out after hearing Torvi's decision.

Torvi continued to stare at Tova, smiling in admiration. The girl was saving her from a life of torment and for that, she was grateful, no matter what Tova's true motives for all of it were.

"Very well. But you must leave the child," Erlendur announced, causing Tova's look of satisfaction to disappear.

"What? That's was part of the deal," Tova complained as Erlendur moved toward Torvi's son.

"Guthrum must stay with me, huh?" He smirked evilly as he began to pry the boy from his mother's arms.

"No! No, no!" Torvi cried out as she turned to Tova with a pleading look on her face, "I cannot leave him!"

"Then I refuse to release you from your vows," Erlendur responded and Tova sighed, unable to think of a way to stop Erlendur from keeping Guthrum with him.

"That is not how it works," Tova argued and Elrendur turned to shoot the girl a hateful look.

"If you don't like it, leave," He growled, earning a glare from Tova.

"I still wonder why I ever chose to bed you. You are a shit human being," She spat on the ground and rolled her eyes as she turned away from Erlendur.

Torvi sobbed as she clung onto her son, causing Tova to sigh. She forced herself to maintain her serious expression. She refused to let Erlendur know he had succeeded in outsmarting her.

"I can't," Torvi cried out and turned to see Bjorn and Tova moving toward the door, showing no signs of pity.

"Tova? Tova!" Torvi called out, clearly hoping Tova would help her in bringing Guthrum with them.

Slowly, Tova turned to face them but didn't say a word. She looked toward Lagertha, hoping the woman would help her. She nodded slightly and the look on Tova's face reminded her so much of Ragnar that it was frightening.

The girl was up to something.

She sighed and turned to Torvi, beginning to move toward the girl. "If you want to go with my son and Tova, then go with them," She told the girl in an assuring tone, "I will look after your child. We have one life, Torvi. So go and live it."

Torvi glanced over at Tova before sighing, following soon after the girl and Bjorn as they walked out of the Hall.

_____

It wasn't long before Bjorn and Tova arrived in Kattegat with Torvi. They returned to their home to find that an unknown visitor had arrived with several men.

King Harald sat in Ragnar's chair in the Great Hall, about to play chess with Hvitserk and Ubbe. All attention was on him and Aslaug sat nearby, clearly not liking it. The fact that he was in Ragnar's chair made it even worse. It was a sense of power Harald shouldn't have had in a place that wasn't his kingdom.

Slowly, Aslaug walked over, a cold look on her face. "I'm going to ask you once more," She began to say as she sat on her throne and handed Ubbe his cup of ale, "Why have you really come you really come here?"

"I made a promise to someone," Harald replied and sighed as he made his move on the board.

"Who?"

"A girl," Harald confessed and Aslaug gave him a curious look, "A princess. I wanted to marry her. But...She turned me down."

Aslaug stared at Harald, the smallest of smiles appearing on her lips.

"Be smarter," Harald spoke to Hvitserk softly as he made his move on the board.

"Why did she turn you down?" Aslaug asked in a low tone.

"I wasn't important enough. She had other offers," He replied as he continued to stare down at the board while Aslaug kept her eyes fixed on him.

"Why didn't you just take her?"

Harald smiled at Aslaug's words, clearly finding them amusing. "That's a good question, Queen Aslaug, but, uh, I don't know. I liked her spirit. I decided I had to be worthy of her," He explained and Hvitserk sighed in defeat when Harald won, "Oh! Bad luck!"

"How could you do that?" Aslaug asked, continuing to question him while Harald's attention seemed to be more on the game.

Harald glanced at Aslaug for a moment, thinking his next words out carefully. "By making myself King of all Norway!" He announced loudly and his men cheered, "Then she would marry me for sure!"

Aslaug smiled at Harald's words in amusement. It took guts to say such a thing in that Great Hall of all places.

Ubbe and Hvitserk felt uneasy as Harald spoke the words. It was an indirect threat towards their father, after all. They turned to their mother worriedly, confused as to how she could be so calm after the man said such a thing.

Noticing her eyes were fixed on something in the crowd, they turned. They immediately relaxed and felt revealed when they saw Tova in the crowd, stalking her way toward them as if she was the predator and Harald was her prey.

The moment Aslaug laid eyes on Bjorn, her smile became even wider.

Bjorn's strength and Tova's wit along with the duo's devotion to Ragnar would ensure Harald's actions would not be successful if he dared to threaten them while Ragnar wasn't there.

"But in order to become King of all Norway, you would have to overthrow my husband," She spoke up, glaring at him as Harald casually drank from his cup.

As Ubbe won the game, he grabbed the piece and turned to the crowd. "His king is dead!" He announced and the crowd cheered while Tova.

He turned to Harald, a smug look on his face. "You lose."

Harald sarcastically laughed, smiling at Ubbe and Hvitserk. "Good game, boys, good game."