"Begin!" Hvitserk yelled, Nerida eyes locked to Ivar's as she gripped her dagger tightly with her hand. In one move Nerida scooted forward and kicked Ivar's face with her boots knocking him back onto the harsh unforgiving ground. With her blade tight in her hand she went for his chest, Ivar punching her in the jaw before the blade could reach him.

Ivar moved his body over hers, his hands gripping her neck as Nerida's eyes went wide, a smirk on her face as she pushed her thumb into his left eye. Ivar screamed out in pain, Nerida taking the chance to kick him hard in the stomach watching as he fell back into the mud.

"An eye for an eye!" She hissed as she grabbed her muddied dagger from the ground, the noise all around her drowning out as only Ivar came into focus. The memories of their time together flowed through her mind, all of them tainted with the memory of his betrayal and cruelty.

Nerida smirked as she saw blood running from his eye, Ivar showing a sign of true fear as he picked up his axe and held it tight in his hand. Nerida rolled through the mud as Ivar jumped for her, a laugh escaping her lips as he landed face first into the mud missing her body entirely.

"You forget Ivar, I trained you! I taught you all that you know, but I did not teach you everything." She hissed as he threw the axe at her, Nerida feeling it fly by her face, astonishingly missing her. "Little Ivar, so quick to anger, it fogs out everything else. Try harder! Try again!" She teased as she saw the anger and frustration filling his mud-covered face, the clouds overhead opening as rain started to pour down on them.

Ivar screamed as he dived at her, Nerida grabbing his arms as she pulled her legs up to knee him in the stomach once more. Nerida breathed deep as she sat up, Ivar lying face up as he stared into the sky breathing heavily. Nerida in those moments pitied him, since from birth he had been tormented with the knowledge that everyone would look at him as a cripple. Now he was about to be killed by a woman who once shared his bed and held his heart.

"Can there be peace between us?" He asked in a low tone as Nerida watched him slowly slip his fingers around his axe that had been covered in the mud. Nerida smiled as she realized that Ivar did not deserve pity, for he had chosen his own path and now he had to face his death.

"No." She whispered as she took sheathed dagger and dug it straight into Ivar's heart, a pained yell escaping him as he slowly turned to look at her. "I was never gift Ivar. I am your death." She whispered as she leaned over him and slowly breathed in the last breath that left his body. His blue eyes faded, and his body stilled, a small tear escaping Nerida's eye as she sat there in the mud and the rain and stared at his lifeless body.

Nerida cut the straps from her legs and stood, her body covered in thick mud and her heart feeling heavier than it ever had before. She ignored those around her and pushed through the crowd her hands pulling her armor from her body as she left in the trail behind her. She walked until she hit the large lake almost a mile from the House of Wessex.

Nerida stripped down and slowly walked into the water, letting it cleanse her of all the filth that had been weighing her down. Her body relaxed as she floated in the water, her eye closing as she slowly sank below the water a feeling coming over that she had never felt before; Peace.

***

"I was scared I would never see the shores of Kattegat again." Nerida smiled as she rested her hand on her swollen belly. Bjorn rested his hand on her hip as he leaned down and kissed her cheek. Word had reached some loyal to Ivar, that Nerida had killed him, which at first left several of the men angry with her, but overtime their cold hearts melted and they understood her reason and right to take his life.

Hvitserk had taken Ivar's death harder than most thought he would, but he vowed that even in his anger he would remain loyal to Bjorn and Nerida. "I once vowed to kill your mother, Bjorn. Now I am returning married to her son and carrying her grandchild. I am worried sh—"

"You have no need to fear my love." Bjorn assured her as she leaned into him, his hand resting on her belly she felt the baby start kicking frantically. Nerida felt nervous as they sailed into Kattegat, Lagertha waiting for them along with Astrid and Torvi and Bjorn's children.

The moment she stepped from the boat, she was met with Lagertha hugging her tight, a sense of relief coming over as she felt past hatred blowing away on the wind. "Forgive me." Nerida whispered as she pulled from the embrace, Lagertha smiling as she hugged her again.

"There is nothing to forgive. You were forced to do something that no person should do, and all while carrying a child." Lagertha smiled as her hand rested on Nerida's belly, a bond forming between the two women.

"Welcome home, Nerida." Torvi said with a smile as Nerida felt a small hint of fear rise inside her, a fear that dissipated when Torvi embraced her. "You and Bjorn could not be more perfect, and I know my children already love you. Guthrum is eager to learn from you, after you give birth." Torvi smiled, Nerida nodding her head as she too was eager to finally hold her child in her arms.

She had fought in many battles and endured so much hardship, but carrying a child was like nothing she had ever experienced, but the experience was like drinking pure nectar from the gods. To feel her child growing inside her, feeling it move was a feeling she could not dare describe. She was never meant to have Ivar child, for Ivar was not meant to be a father.

"You need to rest." Bjorn whispered as he slipped his hand into hers and led her through the crowd, Nerida's back and legs beginning to hurt as she felt her belly tightening. Her mind turned back to Wessex, the memory of saying goodbye to the pirates and her old life washed over her. Some had decided to stay, but most just wanted to go home to Greece and travel to other parts of the unknown world.

Nerida had given her sash and daggers back to the sea, a weight lifted from her shoulders as she watched them wash away. She was no longer a pirate, and she did not want any connection to her old life, which meant she could never call on the men to help her ever again.

Nerida hissed in pain as she doubled over, her hand gripping Bjorn's as she almost brought him to his knees. Normally Nerida could deal with pain, but in those moments the pain was encompassing her, making it nearly impossible to ignore.

"You are having the baby!" Lagertha said as she wrapped her arm around Nerida, pushing Bjorn back as she called for the nurses an several other women to assist her. "This is a happy moment Nerida, you are bringing new life into this world." She said as Nerida tried not to the scream as more pain coursed through her belly and down her legs.

The moment they made it into Bjorn's home, Torvi helped Nerida from her dress, a pain and pressure building between her thighs as Bjorn sat behind her in the bed, her body leaning against him as she tried to bury her face into his chest. "I love you." Bjorn whispered as he kissed her forehead, Nerida trying to block out the pain as it grew with each passing minute.

"The baby is coming, Nerida you need to push." The nurse said as her head fell back onto Bjorn's chest, her eyes closing as she pushed with all her will, her hands gripping Bjorn's breeches so tight they began to tear. Nerida screamed out with each push, Bjorn trying to comfort her as he washed the sweat from her face with a cool cloth.

Several long an agonizing moments later, the room was filled with the cries of their son, Lagertha smiling big as she gently wrapped him in some linen cloth and handed him to Nerida. Tears of joy filled her eyes as she looked down at the beautiful creation she had made, Bjorn kissing her lovingly as he leaned down and looked at his beautiful new son.

He had his mother's dark hair, and his father's blue eyes, Nerida kissing his tiny cheek as she could not believe that he was finally in her arms. "What should we name him?" She asked as she looked up at Bjorn, shocked to see tears flowing down his cheeks.

"Tanais, in the memory of your brother." He replied, Nerida smiling as she felt her eyes welling up with tears once again as she thought of her dear brother. "I am so proud of you." Bjorn whispered as Nerida gently placed Tanais on her breast to feed, her body still aching in pain. It was in that moment Nerida realized, after months of worry that Ivar had to die for her to be at peace.

Nerida had washed into the shores Kattegat thinking that she had been a gift of the sea, but as she held her son and rested in the arms of her beloved Bjorn, she realized that this moment, was the true gift of the sea.