"I have asked you all here to show you what my men and I have been keeping from you. It was brought to my attention by several of my men that when they sailed to China, they came back with a bit of magic." Nerida said loudly as she stood next to a large wooden crate, a small fire burning low beside her. She could tell everyone was eager to leave for Wessex, but first, Bjorn and the other needed to be shown how they would win the battle.

"The Chinese believe that this can ward of evil, but I think it can also, ward off a Christian." She opened the wooden crate and took some of the dark thick powder in her hands. She carefully tossed it into the fire, watching as it made a loud popping and cracking sound. The fire turned a dark green causing most children to scream and run to their mothers, but most looked at it with confusion. "If we pack this together and place them into those clay pots you have brought home, it will cause a fire so great it will become legend to those who have never witnessed it." She smiled as she looked to Bjorn and Ivar, both looking at her with mesmerized eyes.

"May I see your sword, Bjorn?" She asked as a smirk went over his face as he handed it to her, Nerida watching as jealously filled Ivar's eyes. Nerida ignored his gaze as she coated the blade in the black powder. "Step back." She said as the large crowd slowly moved from her, Nerida gripping the blade handle tightly as she placed it over the fire, the powder igniting in a large dark green flame unlike anything most of them has seen.

She smiled as she moved the flaming sword back and forth, watching as everyone's mouths dropped open. "This—is my gift to you Bjorn, and to all the citizen of Kattegat!" She smiled as the flame on the sword dwindle out, the crowd cheering in thunderous applause.

Moments later Nerida was surrounded by several men who helped her into her custom-made armor. Her eye patch was replaced with her red sash, and her daggers sat in a new leather sheath that held the mark of Kattegat. Her new shield held the symbol for her men, the famous crossed blades that most in the world had come to fear. She wanted King Aelle to see the symbol and know that it was pirates who helped the Sons of Ragnar seek revenge.

"I am sailing with my men." Nerida said as she walked by Bjorn and Hvitserk, Bjorn calling after her as she hurried to her ship. "I will sail with my men, and you shall sail with yours. I am sure that even the Sons of Ragnar can make it without my help." She teased as she playfully pushed Bjorn's shoulder.

Nerida gasped as Bjorn grabbed her arm and pulled her to him, his large hands cupping her face as he stared deeply into her eyes. "Be safe" He whispered as he kissed her forehead, an intimate gesture that caused most around them to stop and stare. She knew that Bjorn had removed himself from his union to Torvi, but Nerida did not welcome such a display of his affection in a crowd of people.

"You as well, Bjorn. Lead your brothers—do not command them." She reminded him as she broke their embrace and jumped onto her ship, her eyes searching for Ivar as she knew that rare moment of her and Bjorn was going to infuriate him. Seeing Freydis accompany Ivar on his boat moments later was enough to make her want to scream for the gods to take any love that she had for him, from her heart.

"Hvitserk?" She asked as he boarded her ship as they were about to cut the rope from the dock. He ignored her question and sat down next to several of the men, Nerida smiling as she motioned for them to cut the rope.

"I have sailed with Bjorn; I want to sail with you." He smiled as he helped the men with the sail, all of them giving him a hard time since he was a Viking on a ship full of pirates.

***

"The sea is so calm." Hvitserk whispered as he stood next to Nerida as she looked away across the dark sea. The moon was almost full, making for beautiful shadows to dance in the moonlight.

"I always love the sea, especially at night. If you are lucky you can hear the sirens singing." She teased knowing that his brother would have warned him about her siren stories. Hvitserk rolled his eyes as they continued to look out at the waves, the sound of them lapping against the boat like music to her ears.

She tried to drown out the horrid sound of some of the men snoring, but that was proving difficult. Nerida knew that she would be lying if she said she hated being back on the sea headed for battle, but her heart was racing and her mind was eager to face the smug faces of the men who had at one time taken so much from her.

"I am sorry for how Ivar hurt you, it was wrong of him."

"It is not your place to apologize Hvitserk, only Ivar can ask for my forgiveness." She said as she continued to look out at the sea, her eyes beginning to water as she remembered how happy they had once been. Remembered how he had made her laugh and how he would always hold her close as they slept.

"Bjorn will make a better husband." Hvitserk said hesitantly as Nerida turned her head in surprise, since it was not like Hvitserk to speak to her about such things.

"Did he send you with me so you could convince me to love him?" She huffed as her face grew stern and her eyes grew dark. Nerida watched as Hvitserk grew nervous, since they both knew that lying, was not something he did well.

"No, I still think he is mad that I am not on that boat with the rest of my brothers, but I wanted to sail with you." He smiled, Nerida smirking as she could sense that he was telling her the truth, a part of her feeling flatter that he would rather stay by her side, than by his own flesh and blood.

"Your brother would make a very agreeable husband, but he is also a very strong-willed person like me, I fear we would rather fight with our swords than have sex. She laughed, their laughter causing several of the pirates of awaken angrily, before finally falling back to sleep.

"You will make a very agreeable husband too Hvitserk." She smiled as he looked at her shocked, unsure of what to think of her words. "I am not offering myself to you, I am simply telling you that one day I know you will make a good husband." She teased as she carefully sat down and rested against the side of the ship, her eyes growing heavy as she finally allowed her body sleep.

***

Nerida streaked her face with black paint, covering her eyes under her bottom lip with war paint, something she had always done before battle. Her mind was focused on the battle ahead, the plan for intimidation worked out perfectly. Nerida knew that King Aelle's army was nothing compared to the men and women ready to lay down their lives in the name of Ragnar Lothbrok.

"Are you ready?" A familiar voice said behind her, Nerida turning to face Bjorn as she wiped the remaining paint on her hands. Her heart was racing but her mind was focused since she knew that most of the men and women were ready for the battle ahead. The night before some of her men had snuck onto the field and hidden some of the pots with compact black powder, Nerida anxious to see the looks on Aelle's and his mens faces once she ignited them.

"I am, my men are more than ready." She smile as she stepped towards him, his hands reaching for her as Bjorn pulled her to him. "Are you frightened?"

"Yes, but I am ready to die in the name of my father as I know my men are. I am more scared that harm will befall you, Nerida. I lost my first wife and child, and I refuse to lose another woman I love."

"My arrangement still stands. If you and I are alive when this battle is over, I will share a night with you." She whispered as she pushed from him and walked towards her men, her face burning hot as she felt a child rush through her body.

"You are blushing. I wonder what you and Bjorn were discussing." Floki teased as he allowed a giggle to float past his lips. "Ivar is foolish for losing you, and I still have hope that you two will cross paths again. If not—then Bjorn is also a fine match." He confessed as Nerida hugged him tight, knowing that it might be their last embrace. "Go speak to him." Floki whispered as he pushed her towards Ivar, her mind trying to stay focused on the battle ahead.

"Are you ready?" She asked as his head popped up from what he had been focused on, his gaze turned soft and his frown turned into a faint smile as their eyes connected. "I still love you." She mumbled her hand going to her mouth as she felt an embarrassed blush rush over her face.

"I know you do." He smirked as he stood, Nerida's lip pursing as her brow furrowed, an uncomfortable feeling coming over her as she saw Freydis standing just inside his tent, a coy smile on her face. Nerida wanted to slice the smile right from her face, but she knew that she needed to clear her head of all the nonsense.

Nerida walked over Bjorn, Ubbe, Hvitserk and Sigurd, more than worried that one of them would perish, but she knew the gods were smiling down on them. "Everyone remember the plan?" She asked, all of them nodding as looked to all of them, knowing that once the battle was over, they would finally have their sweet revenge.

"I have trained you all, and I know that your blades will run red with blood." She smiled as they all moved in for a group hug, Bjorn kissing the top of her head before she pushed from them. For a moment she allowed herself to think that she could be happy with Bjorn, but she also felt that she was unworthy of his love.