"What did I miss?"

Harald found his attention pulled away from his self-wallowing thoughts. No matter how hard he tried, he could not forget the image that had been engraved into his mind. To make matters worse, whenever he would remember what he saw, his blood began to boil in anger and he found himself wanting to kill something.

His Kari with Bjorn Ironside. They had been embracing, like two people who had finally addressed what was between them. He may not have heard what words were exchanged between them but he knew what kind of man Bjorn was.

How could he resist the charms and the intelligence of a woman like Kari? It was practically impossible to? Even when she had entered their camp for the first time, interested eyes had already tracked her movements, attracted to her mere aura.

It made him want to pummel everyone who ever laid eyes on her. Even Halfdan had noticed the bloodthirsty look in his eyes that his brother immediately handed him a cup of ale and took away his weapons.

Now, as his eyes went to the person who had spoken, he could not help but feel his heart break just a little from her beauty. He found himself asking again how anyone could resist her when she frowned at him.

"Hey, you alright? You had this weird look in your eyes." Kari stated, looking concerned for his wellbeing.

Harald looked around to see that there were no empty seats beside him. On his left was Halfdan and on his right was one of the earls who had come with them. He turned back to her, raising a finger. "Wait a moment."

She seemed to realize what he was doing that she shook her head. "It's okay. I'll find my own seat, it cannot be too-"

"You. Move." He commanded, standing up and glaring intensely at the large Viking.

The large Viking turned and scoffed, not entertaining whatever Harald was saying. "Get lost."

Kari was just about to step in once more to tell Harald that it was fine but that was when the temperamental man chose to draw back his fist, landing a punch onto the other man's face, rendering him unconscious immediately.

"Harald!" She exclaimed, aghast at what he had just done for a mere seat. When men started to look over at them, she forced a smile on her face and waved away their curiosity. "He must've had too much to drink."

Everyone looked away, preoccupied with their own celebrations that they could not even be bothered if a fight broke out between two people.

However, there were a selected few who found themselves looking to the golden-haired girl who had caused King Harald to lose all sense.

"Come sit." Harald shrugged, not caring for any of the whispers, tugging her gently and offering her the seat that had previously been taken.

She gazed at him, taking away his cup thinking that to be the root of his rage. "Are you alright? You're more short-tempered than usual."

He grunted, turning elsewhere as he tried to avoid her discerning stare. "Yes. Why wouldn't I be?"

It wasn't like he had just seen her embracing another man. It wasn't like he had watched as Bjorn Ironside takes from him who he considered his. Oh wait, he did.

Kari met eyes with Halfdan who only shrugged as if he could not be bothered to ask what it was his brother was angry at this time. After all, when was he not angry?

"I never got the chance to thank you for teaching me how to use the dagger." She tried to mediate, grasping his large hand.

His tense body softened as he squeezed her hand in response, finding himself calmed from her mere touch alone. "Of course. The gift would be useless if you do not know how to use it."

"Nevertheless, I am grateful." She smiled, returning the cup of ale. She had done what she could to alleviate his terrible mood and it seems to be working.

He sighed, feeling his guilt at being such a spoilsport to both his brother and to the girl in front of him. "Kari, I-"

That was when a horn blared loudly across the whole courtyard, catching the attention of all who had otherwise been busy with something else. Harald almost bared his teeth and growled in frustration once he saw who had interrupted him once again.

He would've done so, his anger could definitely have permitted him to do as he wished but something prevented him from doing so.

After all, Bjorn Ironside may have commanded the attention of all in the courtyard but it was Harald's hand that Kari was holding.

And that, in itself, has curbed his anger.

At least, for now.

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"Who will follow me into battle? For the love of fame and for the love of Odin, our All Father?"

Ivar screamed into the crowd, causing them to erupt in cheers of agreement. It was as though they wanted more carnage, more victories, more blood, as all Vikings do.

Kari must admit that seeing her brothers squabble amongst themselves was like watching children fight over a toy. Bjorn has yet to bring up her familial connection but then, who could blame him?

The rest of their brothers continued to argue and insult each other. It was a wonder how they were collectively able to lead an army.

"Don't do this, Ivar. We are all the sons of Ragnar. We have to stick together." Sigurd interrupted, leaning across the table and hoping to get the point across to his younger brother.

"Frankly, dear Sigurd, I don't care what you say. The truth is, I wouldn't even piss down your throat even if your lungs were on fire." Ivar retorted, spilling the ale from his cup to emphasize his insult.

Everyone in the courtyard let out some laughter, unsure how to take such a thing, may it be a jest or a beginning of something more. Kari released a sigh, chewing on some chicken and refusing to hear any more.

She could hear Harald and Halfdan laugh at the insult and she was partially glad that he was finally back to being the man who could laugh at anything.

Ubbe stabbed the wooden table in front of him and the laughter slowly died down.

"Well, maybe that's because you're not really a man. Are you, Boneless?" Sigurd piped up, making his younger brother come to heel. Or so they thought.

Bjorn asked, looking to the crowds and hoping to dissolve such a tense mood. "So, who is going to stay and farm?"

"I would like to stay. But I have other plans. Skål!" Harald stood, raising his cup. Everyone responded in turn, satisfied with his response.

"You? Farming? Funny." Kari murmured under her breath, only for the other man to hear her.

"Shut up." Harald grumbled, though a small smile remained on his face at their good-natured quips.

Halfdan stood as well, surprising the two. "As for me, I want to go with Bjorn. I want to see the Meditteranean."

Kari's eyes widened a fraction whilst Harald glanced at his brother in surprise. They had spoken of plans after Wessex long before and they had always thought that it would be the three of them against the world.

If Harald were to be asked, he would've thought Kari to be the one to change her mind from their original plan. Not Halfdan.

But as Bjorn jumped from the table and walked down the steps to embrace Halfdan, it was seen that plans do not always come to fruition. Harald glanced at the young girl by his side, questioning if she too would change her mind to go with Bjorn.

"Then it seems, the only thing that really kept the sons of Ragnar together was the death of their father." Bjorn announced, pulling away from Halfdan and turning to his brothers.

Ivar complained, his blue eyes glimmering ferociously. "Poor Bjorn! It is you who doesn't want to keep the army together. It is you who wants to go away to sunny places. Everyone else can follow me."

Sigurd stood, not liking how his younger brother was taking charge. "I do not want to follow you, Ivar. You are crazy. You have the mind of the child."

It had always been like this for the two of them. An endless push and pull. But this time felt more ominous. This time felt different.

"And all you do is play music, Sigurd!" Ivar gritted his teeth.

"I'm just as much a son of Ragnar as you are." Sigurd retorted, drinking from his cup.

"I'm not so sure. As far as I remember, Ragnar didn't play the oud and he certainly didn't offer his arse to other men!" Ivar snapped, making most in the courtyard laugh.

Kari looked nervously to the man beside her, expressing her worries without uttering a single word. Harald only shrugged, knowing that if things were to escalate, he was in a position to protect her from harm. One can never know with Viking celebrations.

"You make me laugh. Just like you do when you crawl around like a baby."

"Shut your mouth!"

Bjorn interrupted the two, his mouth full of food and quite done with watching the two throw their own separate tantrums in front of a crowd of men that only wanted to feast and be merry. "Enough!"

"This has nothing to do with you!" Ivar shouted, his voice rising with his already risen temper. Bjorn only rolled his eyes, leaving the courtyard without another word.

"What's the matter, Ivar? You can't take it?" Sigurd leaned forward, leering mockingly.

"Ivar, do not listen to him." Ubbe forced a smile, clearly being the voice of reason.

"No, I guess it must be hard for you now that your mommy's dead. Knowing she's the only one who ever really loved you." Sigurd stated calmly, thinking that he took victory in their battle of words.

Little does he know that it would be his last. Ivar clutched the weapon beside him, raising it.

"Ivar!" Ubbe shouted, trying to stop his brother but it was much too late.

The ax flew across the air and landed on Sigurd, hitting its mark on his torso. Everyone let out collected gasps as blood began to pool from where the weapon was protruding from.

But he was not yet dead. No, Sigurd was not. Perhaps that was what made the scene more haunting to those watching. Bleeding, Sigurd takes the weapon and pulls it out.

Slowly, he advances on his killer before falling forward, not getting a chance to exact his revenge.

Harald met eyes with his brother, having once spoken of the fall of the Ragnarssons and seeing it begin from their own actions was gratifying.

The two brothers were left unaware of the tempest happening right beside them coming from the girl who could only watch as one of her brothers was killed by another brother. Ubbe's cries of agony and shock could only repeat over and over as he called his fallen brother's name.

Kari did not know what she was getting herself into. A family of killers and bloodthirsty barbarians who would not hesitate to kill their own. But now, she knew. She hated the life she had lived yet this new one did not seem any better.

For the first time since Kari left, she found herself wondering if she was better off in her past life.

There was a much better chance of survival there, after all.

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