Nerida breathed deep as she walked up the hill, her massive army behind her as she stared down the King and his Bishops. She tapped the front of her shield with her sword, making sure that King Aelle knew, she was back for revenge.

Her gaze was cut off as Ivar raced in front of the line on his chariot, Nerida surprised as he stopped right in front of her. Nerida nodded her head as Ivar motioned for her to climb on, her gaze locked back to King Aelle as she climbed into the chariot. She rested her shield on the side on revealed her daggers by holding them up over her head for all to see.

"MEN!" She screamed as the rest of her pirates walked from the tree line and up over the hill, King Aelle and his men looking on with pure fright. Nerida began to laugh as she motioned to king Aelle, Ivar joining her as if they both had forgotten Ivar's decadence against Nerida. The entire army joined in, making the very ground and air around them seem to shake.

"I TOLD YOU I WOULD BE BACK!" Nerida screamed as she pointed her dagger at Aelle's lord bishop, watching as the blood drained from his face. Nerida turned her gaze to Bjorn who was standing next to the Chariot along with his brothers, the memory of Ivar and Freydis filling her mind as she jumped down and walked by Bjorns's side, earning a dark glance from Ivar.

"FOR RAGNAR!" She screamed as she began to run with Bjorn, the rest of the army following as they ran towards King Aelle as they looked on frightened, for in those final moments King Aelle saw death running for him.

***

The sun was setting as Nerida ran with Hvitserk, Sigurd and Bjorn as they followed Ivar and Ubbe and in the chariot. King Aelle had surrendered but instead of killing him, Nerida had the idea to drag him behind the chariot to the very place that he murdered Ragnar.

"Show us where our father died." Bjorn hissed as he slapped King Aelle hard across the face, Nerida smirking at his pained yelp into the wind. Aelle motioned to a small clearing in the woods, Nerida following as they led him to the clearing, a small crowd forming as the other Vikings came to witness the death of the man who killed their King

The moment they pulled open the wooden bottom and the pit was exposed; the horrid memories of the past came flooding back. Remembering how Aelle's men had raped and killed a dear friend of Nerida's how they had beaten her and laughed at her pain.

"Please—how many gold and silver to spare my life? I will give you anything, anything!" The King begged, Nerida spitting into his face as Hvitserk pulled her away from him.

"My father was worth more than gold and silver! That is not the price that you will pay!" Ivar hissed as Nerida smirked at the mercy the King begged for, her hand itching to slice his throat with her dagger.

"What you did to him! What you did to my friend! You deserve nothing but pain!" Nerida hissed as she grabbed the king by his tunic and pushed him down to the ground. "You see these nails? I made these for you, but—I forgot to sharpen the ends." She laughed manically as the other joined in, her gaze catching Ivar's as his anger for her seemed to dissipate. Nerida handed the nails to Bjorn and stood, watching as they drug Aelle over to a log kicking and screaming. Nerida took a deep breath and turned from the crowd, her mind finally settled as she did not want to witness the revenge of the sons of Ragnar.

Nerida sat in her tent all night, the sounds of her men celebrating dying out as the sun began to rise. She had fought in battle for Ragnar, but she did not feel she deserved to be present as they flayed King Aelle. She sat up as the flap to her tent opened, Ivar crawling in covered in blood, his eyes looking heavy, but his mind seemed eased.

"Does your presence have a point?" She hissed as she leaned back on her hands, the softness of the furs underneath her making her want to finally rest. She watched as Ivar scooted over to her, Nerida not moving as she did not want him by her side.

"I have been a fool. I was bewitched and I was stupid for letting Freydis into my mind—and into my heart. I am so sorry for hurting you, Nerida. I am so sorry blaming you for the loss of our child, and I am so sorry for how cruel I have been." He said as he took her hand, Nerida pulling it back as she crossed her arms over her chest, watching as hope drained from Ivar's face.

"When I needed you Ivar—you left my side and allowed your anger to take over. Then you allow some slave girl to seduce you with her words as if what we had was nothing. I loved you Ivar and I promised your father that no matter what I would love you—but I am forced to break that promise. I cannot love a man who does not love me fully, or a man who I cannot rely on. Goodbye Ivar." She said sternly as she stood, Ivar gripping onto her legs in an act of desperation. "Ivar, let me go."

"Please, Nerida. Please I am so sorry. Forgive me, my love. Let me show you I can be the man you fell in love with. I can show you how I love you. Please my queen." He begged as he looked up at her, Nerida brushing the tears from his face as she knelt in front of him.

"No." She said simply as she stood and quickly left the tent, her eyes avoiding the gaze of onlookers as she hurried towards the shore, the need to be away from him, suddenly too overwhelming.

***

Nerida spent her day with her men, listening to their stories and helping them divide the small treasures they had taken from the men they killed. Her heart was racing as she walked into Bjorn's tent, his eyes going wide as he stood up from his bed of furs.

Without thinking Nerida rushed to him, her hands cupping his face as she kissed his lips hungrily as if his lips contained ale from the gods. Bjorn picked her up from the ground and laid her softly onto the furs, her legs wrapping around his waist as he desperately tried to remove her clothes. She had not intended of walking into his tent, but some unseen force was pulling her towards him.

"I have dreamt of this moment for so long." He whispered as he pulled her blouse over her head, a blush going over her face as he admired her body. Nerida's eyes went wide as she saw his hard member, her body starting to quiver as he lowered his body to hers.

"Bjorn!" She moaned as he pushed himself inside her, his movements slow as her head fell back from the wave of pleasure washing over her. Their moans filled the tent as sweat began to break out on Nerida's body, her arms holding him close as she gave herself fully to him.

In one move he rolled them, his hands gripping her breasts as she moved her hips in perfect rhythm to his. A smirk went over her face as she saw the immense pleasure washing over Bjorn's face as his eyes rolled back into his head. Nerida rested her hands on his chest as she felt the pleasure building, Bjorn sitting up as he captured her lips with his. "Bear my child." He whispered as his hand held the back of her head, Nerida smiling as she kissed him once more.

Hours later Nerida found herself resting her head on his chest, her body exhausted after their love making. She had allowed Bjorn to fill her with his seed, a worry befalling her that she would not be able to carry the baby.

"Did you think that we would end up here after you found me that day?"

"Yes, I dreamt it." He said, his words confusing Nerida as she sat up and looked at him, a smirk going over Bjorn's face. "That morning I found you, I had dreamt of you out there at sea. I heard your screams and saw you crash into the water. The only reason I did not say something sooner is because of Ivar. He laid claim to you and his mother warned us never to take things from him, especially a woman. I did not feel worthy of you." He admitted as he turned his body towards hers, his arm pulling her close as he gently kissed her trembling lips.

"Ivar told me the seer told him that I was his gift from the sea, so I did no question why I loved him. Part of me always felt drawn to you, which is why I was always so cruel to you." She chuckled, Bjorn sharing a rare smile with her as he kissed the corner of her mouth.

"The seer never told Ivar that. He said the woman for him would be a gift of the sea, which is why we didn't question his claim." He admitted as he ran his thumb over his cheek. "Ivar will not like that you and I are together, I fear his sanity is slipping."

"I do not fear Ivar, he is just a man." Nerida whispered as she saw the concern in Bjorn's eyes, knowing that he was right to fear Ivar. He was growing more and more violent and Nerida feared for not only her life, but the lives of the sons of Ragnar.

"I know that you fear I will hurt you, but I believe that the gods sent you to me, Nerida. If you let me, I will make you a finer husband than Ivar ever dreamed." He purred as he kissed her lips, his body moving fully over hers as he hooked her leg over his hips. Nerida knew that once the night was over, she would have to keep her distance from Bjorn, but in those few glorious moments she allowed herself to love him.