After days, weeks finally the figures of a dooming Kattegat rose up out of the fog. You looked over your shoulder to the ten ships sailing behind, ready to join King Harald into battle. You didn't left with the brothers, you stayed behind a little longer until all the weapons and boats were ready. You waited for the last of his allies while he and his brother already sailed with the largest part of the army towards Kattegat. In this way you backed up King Harald with ten more boats and a lot more fighting spirit on board. You grabbed a rope and pulled yourself on the edge of the boat, gazing to Kattegat. Your cloak slowly stroke on the soft wind, the silence embracing all boats while you sailed that last part into Kattegat. You noticed King Harald standing there, fierce, proud for seeing the amount of extra men you brought. He had his brother by his side and another tall man, from which you thought it was Björn Ironside. It was the first time you came to Kattegat, the first time you would meet those famous Ragnarssons. As soon as the boat hit the docks you jumped out, pulling the cloak from you head, pulling the corner of your mouth up while you spread your arms. 'Your men.' You bowed for King Harald. He smiled, both his fingers rested on his belt while he looked to the boats your brought.

'Y/n,' he began, looking over your body, swallowing the words he was planning on saying before he turned to the man aside him. 'Björn Ironside.' He introduced you. You looked from Harald to Björn and nodded with a short smile.

'Heard a lot from you.'

'And who may you be?' He replied the question right back, eyes scouting your body for an answer and more. You felt an arm from behind you crossing over your chest.

'Mine.' Halfdan answered, placing his nose underneath your ear, taking in your smell.

'Y/n, she is one of our best fighters.' King Harald introduced you. Björn looked at you, a glare that challenged you before he shifted his eyes back to Harald.

'I can imagine.' He said on a lower voice before he pointed towards the village. 'Welcome in Kattegat.' Björn invited you into this place. You nodded, looking how he walked away before you settled your eyes back on King Harald.

'You ready to fight in the great Heathen army?' He asked you.

'Offcourse she is ready.' Halfdan answered in your place. You turned around to him, he grabbed you at your throat, a thumb trailing you cheekbone before that little stupid grin came on his face and he kissed you. His hand stroke from your throat to the back, fingers grabbing into your hair while his kiss grew more hungry. 'By the gods, did I miss you.' He whispered against your lips. It was a while, you felt the same. You pulled back and looked up to him with a smile while he gazed into your eyes. 'What did you do back home?' He asked, looking how his finger trailed the tattoo on your face.

'Nothing other than what King Harald asked from me.' You reassured him. The men back home knew you were Halfdan his property, they wouldn't undermine him. Here, only the way Björn looked at you was already enough for Halfdan to keep you close.

'Look.' Harald all of the sudden said. You and Halfdan turned around and looked at the obsession Harald showed in his eyes.

'What?'

'There she is.' He pointed out, looking aside to Halfdan. 'You don't recognize her?' He asked. You followed both their eyes to a woman with blond braided hair, fragile in her steps, posture of a princess. It hit you right in the moment.

'Is that your princess you were looking for?' You asked, looking aside to King Harald. Not that you really didn't need an answer, his expressions said enough.

'She was the one that told me to become king of all Norway, she is the one I'm thinking about every day.'

'I hope you never imagined me to be her.' You pointed out, giving him a short look. Not that she wasn't stunning, but you would never be princess material, you always wanted to stand in the heat of battle, not sitting on a throne ruling lands.

'I'm already imagining you with a dress.' Halfdan whispered in your ear. You pulled a half smile on your lips, feeling how his fingertips eagerly scouted the small of your back.

'She is finally here.' Harald praised, still looking at his princess.

'Well, go talk with her then.' Halfdan grinned, giving him a little push before he wrapped an arm around your shoulder, pressing you against his side. 'I need you.'

'You need me to do what?' You asked him politely, wrapping your fingers around the clothes at his chest.

'In a dress?' He suggested.

'The only time you will see me in a dress is when I marry.' You answered that right back, and you weren't really eager to marry either.

'Only to tear it from your body it is worth the wait.' He muttered while leaning in on you. You started laughing, embracing his head with one hand while he kissed you again. King Harald was looking to the both of you so you pulled back, frowning your eyebrow.

'Thinking your princess will never do this in public?' You teased him. He locked his fingers after his belt again, judging you with his eyes. 'Or regretting letting me go?' You followed. Harald opened his mouth, eyes slowly getting down over your body. You felt Halfdan his grip tighten, knowing he wasn't planning on sharing you again any time soon.

'Careful what you tell her brother.' Halfdan said. It wasn't a warning, it was brother agaist brother. 'Fools.' You reacted to the glares they both threw to each other before walking away.

King Harald wasn't himself in this evening feast, what was rather amusing to see him stand and look for his princess. What pulled your attention away was a Viking trailing you the whole night. You felt his eyes everywhere, offered you his services and you just knew it wasn't to be polite. He was named Haskell, one of Björn his loyal men and just the way he looked .... You knew he couldn't be that good news. 'Y/n, care to join me in a drink?' He asked, creeping up on you from behind. You looked away from Harald towards Haskell who leaned against the pole behind you, his shoulder pressing against yours. You looked at it, before you looked up to his tall build.

'Do you always stand so close?' You asked him with a cocked up smile.

'Depends.' He answered, looking over your shoulder down to your body.

'For me to.' Halfdan warned from behind him. You closed your eyes, signing for yourself before turning around with Haskell.

'A fine woman you have Halfdan.' Haskell grinned. Halfdan was looking at you like you were the one doing something wrong.

'You should see her fight.' Another warning. You titled your head, looking from one cocky man to the other. Haskell was looking at you again and Halfdan just hated the way he did it.

'Love to see that. Come with me, maybe I find you someone who wants to fight you.' Haskell smiled down to you. You just looked at him until he decided to walk away. You gazed after him before Halfdan grabbed you at your chin, forcing you to look at him.

'Don't you dare.' He warned you.

'I'm gonna chop off a particular part of your body if you keep that up.' You warned him right back with a short meaningless smile.

'What I have then left to amuse you with.'

'Your hands Halfdan.' You walked back, waving your own ten fingers before turning around and walking over to Björn who gestured you to come. His brothers were already watching when you walked over.

'King Harald his girl.' One of them pointed to you. You looked aside you to Björn.

'At least somebody knows me.'

'Hvitserk, King Harald told me a lot about you when we sailed to Frankia.' Hvitserk greeted you while he also complemented you.

'Hvitserk, Ubbe, Sigurd, Ivar.' Björn introduced you to the four brothers. 'Y/n.' he followed not far after. You nodded shortly to all of them.

'You come to England?' Hvitserk asked.

'She is King Harald his best fighter.' Björn announced.

'I don't believe a thing until it is proven otherwise.' Ivar said while lurking over his cup he was drinking from.

'Surly a cripple like you can't handle a girl like me.'

'Are you challenging me woman.' He fired right back. You nodded approvingly, loving the fight spirit he had despite his disability.

'Are you in for a challenge?' Björn asked you.

'Your man over there already challenged me.' You pointed towards Haskell. The man looked up from his cup, smiling while he walked over.

'You challenged her?' Björn asked, almost proud of his man because he did it.

'I would love to see what she has to offer.'

'Make no mistake, she represents King Harald his armies.' Björn warned him wisely. Yes, you killed. It was something you learned from Halfdan, killing without thinking. The faster somebody was dead, the faster you could move on to the next.

'She is married.' You turned around, looking at Halfdan.

'Who is?'

'His princess.' He followed. You followed his gaze towards King Harald and suppressed a smile.

'Is he planning on killing her or should we?' You stated, knowing that Harald would be a little broken by the fact that his princess all of the sudden was married while she promised to marry him.

'Her husband is here to.' Halfdan nodded into the crowd. You slowly turned around to Björn and Haskell.

'Other time.' You smiled before following Halfdan towards King Harald. Loyalty wasn't only supporting, fighting, you know Harald already for years, he didn't asked for it but he needed the company. His damn princess broke his heart and who broke the heart of a king was a direct enemy for his brother and with that came you to.

That damn princess traveled the whole way to England with the Heathen Army. Being too distracted with preparing Harald his army you hardly paid attention to it. You hardly paid attention to Haskell either, knowing it wasn't the same the other way around. Until you saw Harald kill that husband of hers and she stood there watching it all. Being a woman yourself you saw the look she gave him. Woman often didn't show it but if it was you, you would try to take revenge. Your king walked away and you followed him with your eyes before looking back at his princess. She looked at you, woman towards woman and the way she forcer her lips up made you just want to grab a dagger yourself. But you let it go, knowing it wasn't your fight, knowing that this woman belonged to King Harald. So you turned your back, leaving her with the devastating feeling that somebody killed her husband, remembering you that if you do anything wrong towards Halfdan, the same would happen to you. The rest of that day you were rather quiet, sitting on that table, sharpening your sword while the both brothers were eating. 'You're quiet.' Harald noticed. You didn't looked away from your sword but the piercing look in your back forced you, only to meet not Harald looking at you but Haskell from a little distant. He was lurking at you, with that grin on his face, like he wanted to strip your clothes of right here and now.

'If you look at him again, I swear I,'

'I'm not looking at him, he is looking at me.' You interrupted Halfdan, pushing yourself from the table. But just as you wanted to walk over to Haskell something else caught your eye, the princess.

'Can we talk?' She asked Harald. Your eyes went from her to Harald, curious of what he was planning on doing with that question. He looked at his brother for a second before he nodded, standing up. She smiled and you could see the attentions she had right in her eyes, but like always, man were blind for love, for desire, hadn't a clue.

'She is going to kill him.' You stated as soon as they were out of reach.

'I know.' Halfdan reacted. You looked aside to him and offered him your sword.

'Men in love are fools, he should know better. Do what your brother can't.' You suggested. Halfdan stood up from the table, taking over your sword.

'So I'm a fool to.'

'Yes but you're a better judge in character than he is. Go safe him before we have no king to go into battle with.' You suggested.

'You go finish that challenge with Haskell, make clear that you're mine, or I will do it for you.' He said to you while looking over your shoulder in the direction his brother disappeared with his princess. You smiled because of the words. He got you there, knew you already good enough to know you would make a statement, to prove yourself against Haskell and Björn.

'You know woman a lot better than you think Halfdan.' You smiled after him. He gave you a warning look before you both went your own ways.