A gold searing light singed away the darkness which surrounded Bonnie.

Peace overwhelmed her. It soothed her. The center of her chest no longer ached. Turbulent thoughts no longer tormented her mind. Worries didn't exist in that place. What place? A distant awareness questioned. An awareness which felt familiar but inappropriate. It didn't belong. Why didn't it belong?

"Why have you come here daughter of the first line...daughter who is a descendant of mine?" A voice echoed through her. Resonating from within instead of externally. "Though your energy is sufficient what makes you worthy of a transcendent eternal walk? How do you judge one for such a task?"

"I-I don't...I'm not...do you know me?" Bonnie stammered.

Though at peace, the growing awareness gnawing at the far reaches of her mind begat a growing discontent. A discontent which disrupted the flow of peace churning about her. There was something she had to do. She had a purpose. What's a purpose? A reason...her heart.

"Yes," the voice hummed throughout her. "I suppose the contents of your heart will speak the truth of you. Then let us see shall we."

Heated bliss swelled within Bonnie's chest until joy damn near suffocated her. Every one of her twenty-seven years flashed before her eyes in a blinding second. From her broken childhood to the many deaths and resurrections of her teen years, up until the final moment she bled out in Klaus' arms. The flashing scenes left nothing out. Displaying her in all of her faults and glory. It remained biased and true to who she was or...had been.

"You've been judged," the voice stated. When she thought it wouldn't speak again it continued. "I've found that your heart and what you seek are not in balance."

"Please!" She pleaded, while turning about in attempts to see through the soothing lights. "I have to fulfil the prophecy. I have to become the Eternal Witch! It's the only way...it's the only way I can save him."

"You sacrificed yourself for him," the voice accused.

She bobbed her head. "And would do it a thousand times given a thousand lives if I believed it had even a one percent chance of making a difference."

"This is true, for you have given your life many times for those you held within your heart. Most times even senselessly," the voice reprimanded.

Defiance drove her chin north. "They're my friends. It's my job to protect them."

"It was never your role to protect them, daughter of the first line," the voice replied in a softer tone. "Yet now it shall be your duty to defend them all. For the bulk of this task and the weight of your altruistic heart are indeed equal in measure. This is my judgement and from this moment your burden to bear."

Without warning the golden light swirling about poured into her. Blistering heat incinerated her veins, torched her arteries, and braised her blood. The brutal blaze unmade every broken piece and every imperfect part of her. An intensity she'd never known surged through her. Swelling her with a force far greater than anything she'd ever experienced. To the point she was sure her afterlife would soon be a prelude to another end for her. For who could withstand this level of sorcery?

"The mother of it all!"

Just when Bonnie thought she couldn't take anymore she dropped from nothingness into an open field. Warmth bubbled inside of her. Glee weighed on her chest and a wealth of familiar sorcery wrapped around her in reverence and protection. Bennett Magic. A smile lifted the corners of her mouth before her eyes even opened. When her lids drifted up her gaze fell upon her entire ancestral line.

She locked eyes with her Grams who beamed at her. When Bonnie opened her mouth, her grandmother stepped to the side. Emily who stood next to her did the same and so on until they cleared a path.

Bonnie's bottom lipped dropped. Qetsiyah lingered at the rear of the path, studying her.

After a moment of consideration she strolled to her. Her steps sure and taken with purpose. Bonnie didn't know what the hell to think. Though Qetsiyah was the beginning of their line, she and the other Bennetts didn't mess with Qetsiyah like that. The last time she dealt with her foremother she'd turned her into the anchor and neglected to give her the quiet voice commentary of all the side effects being the anchor would come with.

When the first witch of sorcery stood before her, she leveled Bonnie with a fateful expression. "Now the first must bow to the last."

Qetsiyah then swept low in a kneeling bow, and the rest of her familial line followed suit.

****

Hvitserk watched Ivar a few feet from where he sat on the beach. The small content smile on his brother's lips gave him pause. Ivar was never content. He was restless. This had been so of him ever since he was a babe. A content Ivar dropped a sense of foreboding in the center of his gut. For what was to become of a man who knew the glory of Valhalla firsthand yet barred from entering its gilded gates.

"Why do you watch me so, brother," Ivar questioned without turning to glance at him, "my eyes are an acceptable shade of blue. So you see there is no risk of me breaking my bones."

"Mother has sent me to fetch you. The time for Lagertha's feast is nigh upon us," he answered, coming to stand next to him.

Ivar's eyes rolled as resentment ate away at his contentment. "Why must we always feast when that woman deigns to visit-," he halted in his speech, while the blood drained from his face. "Something's not right."

An animal howled in the distance, taking them both unawares. "Fenrir?"

"Go!" Ivar shouted.

Hvitserk nodded once and shot off in the direction of the howl. Once he broke through the trees lining the entrance into the forest a huge white wolf barked at him and darted deeper into the woods. Too stunned to do anything else, he followed. Several hundred paces into the dense brush he bumped into a cloaked figure. It dropped to the ground. The hood fell from the stranger's head to reveal Lagertha's pet.

"Astrid?" He questioned, thinking maybe his eyes somehow had it wrong.

Without responding she continued her race back to Kattegat. Moments later a dozen or so wolves shot pass him in the pursuit of Astrid. A bark coming from the direction of the cove recentered his focus. He ran and half fell down the embankment. When he reached the bottom, he saw the wolf standing over what appeared to be a body. The figure half out the water. From the slickness of his fur the animal must have fetched it from the inlet.

When Hvitserk inched towards the still form to get a closer look, the wolf released a rumbling growl which warned of retribution. He raised his hands to show he wasn't a threat. The wolf backed away and then sat on his haunches a few feet away. A sigh crept from his mouth as he reached to roll over the body. When the figures face was revealed in that moment hope failed to exist. Quickly, he pulled Bonnie into his arms, as he scanned her for the open wound that had to be responsible for all the blood on her clothing. His vision blurred as a sob clawed its way out of his throat. The wolf whimpered. They sat there together and mourned the gravity of the world's loss.

"Hvitserk?" A voice croaked. He froze, too scared to look down. Afraid he may have imagined her sweet voice. The wolf began to yip. "What happened? Who did this?" She shrugged free and sat up in his arms. "Was its Margrethe? I bet it was Margrethe! I can't wait to get my hands on that lunatic. I fucking hate dying!"

"It wasn't Margrethe," he mumble through the shock. How was this possible? She was dead. He was sure of it.

She climbed from his arms and began shaking out the skirts of her dress. "What'd you mean it wasn't Margrethe? If it wasn't her then who else would've done this?"

"Astrid, one of Lagertha's shield maidens," he answered.

"Humph," Squatting in front of the wolf, she cradled his massive head in her hands. "Let her know the ancestors have cleared my path and that the first now bows to the last. Tell her it's time we talk, and this time I'll be the one asking the questions. I know who I am now and command compliance as the supreme of our line." Her gaze returned to him. "Come, Hvitserk my Beautiful Berserker. We've a feast to crash."

****

Astrid limped into Kattegat's great hall. The last place she wanted to be. After having her arse chewed on by one of Fenrir's demon offspring, all she wanted was to lay upon her bed face down and arse up. Alas, that wasn't her fate this eve. No, her absence from Lagertha's feast would raise too many suspicions once the dark woman's body was recovered. Especially, after Hvitserk saw her in the forest. No matter. At some point she'd seduce him into holding his tongue.

Moving further into the hall, her gaze moved over everyone. Queen Aslaug sat upon her throne appearing to be as entitled as ever. Ubbe huddled in a dark corner with an enticing blonde thrall who looked to be more than enjoying his company.

The cripple sat on an elevated platform at the great table. Raw expectation cavorted lewdly in his eyes as he stared with abnormal focus at the door.

Did he expect the witch to come sauntering in at any moment? Hmm, she pondered. They did appear...involved. In verity, she even kissed him. Why in Odin's eye would she? She couldn't be fraught for one of Ragnar's sons when she had Bjorn Ironside dancing within her palm. All she needed to do was close her hand.

Curious over Ivar's sudden devotion to the great hall door, Astrid paused to stare at the entrance as well. Just when she decided the past time was fruitless Hvitserk walked through the door and cut a pathway to Ivar. Once at Ivar's side he crouched down and whispered in his ear. All while utilizing hand gestures and severe facial expressions to do so. The more he talked the more blood drained from Ivar's face, by the time Ubbe and Sigurd joined the fray he appeared ready to cross through the gates of Valhalla. When Hvitserk ceased ranting, they all turned to glare at her.

The potency of the unadulterated hate in their combined stares forced her to take a step back.

A hand took hold of her shoulder and she nearly jumped out of her dress. "Is it done?" Lagertha asked, stepping next to her with a practiced smile on her face.

Astrid chanced another glance in the brother's direction only to find them still watching her and worse now Lagertha as well.

"Yes, it's done." She forced a smile, while taking the cup of ale from her mistress' hands, and then draining it in one sip. "Though, I'm afraid we may have a hinderance?"

Lagertha inclined her head at someone across the room. "Which is?"

"Hvitserk saw me in the forest," she confessed, turning away from the heated glares intent upon burning her alive.

Finally, Lagertha's concerned gaze met hers. "Did he witness you do the girl harm?"

"No, but-,"

Her pale brows rose, "Then there's no cause for alarm, Astrid. Have some ale, you've done well. Now there's truly cause for celebration. Bjorn is saved!"

"Saved from what, mother?" Bjorn questioned as he seemingly appeared from thin air.

"From committing the mistakes of your father," Lagertha boldly stated.

His gaze drifted to the door, "Bonnie."

"Alright, yes," Determination dominated Lagertha's face. "Marrying Bonnie will be a repeat of your father's mistake."

Astrid followed Bjorn's gaze towards the entrance and nearly soiled herself. For there stood Bonnie a vision in red and still very much alive.

Lagertha clawed at her arm. "You said you killed her!" She hissed next to her ear.

"I-I did," Astrid gasped. Somehow her breath wasn't coming fast enough.

"Then how is she here and very much alive!" Lagertha demanded.

"Because she's not a witch," Astrid attempted to sip from the now empty cup. After a few failed tries she tossed the gobbler away, "she's a goddess and now I have truly damned myself."

****

After they made it out of the woods and made it back to her keep, she sent Hvitserk home so she could ready herself for the feast. Once he left she had a good cry, and then she pulled herself back together and allowed her magic to fashion her a dress the likes Norway let alone Kattegat had ever seen. Now there she stood in the entrance of the great hall draped in an A-line v-neckline floor length red lace dress with a built-in shear cape. All eyes were on her, including the aqua pair she sought to be.

Bjorn who'd been standing with his mother, hurried over to her. He greeted her with a kiss on the cheek.

"You are beautiful," he whispered, before straightening to peer down at her.

Despite the storm moving through her, a smile tugged at the corner of her mouth. "Thank you," her gaze raked over him and as always he left her not wanting for anything, "and you look like a perfect fantasy as always." She peeked around him. "Where's Torvi and the boys?"

"She decided to remain in the keep, this babe is giving her more fits than she'd had with either of the boys." He shrugged.

"Oh no, I'll make her a tonic to help with the morning sickness," Bonnie said.

"I didn't know you were skilled in the art of healing," Bjorn said, taking her hand and leading her deeper into the hall.

She cut her eye up at him, "There are many skills I possess you know nothing of, Bjorn."

"And I look forward," he whirled her around until the stood chest to breasts. "To discovering each one."

"Bjorn who's your mysterious companion?" A man wearing more eyeliner than her asked.

Bonnie's eyes flared. Floki! He was always one of her favorites.

Bjorn clasped arms with Floki, "Floki, this is Bonnie Bennett of Mystic Falls." Floki's eyes bulged when Bjorn mentioned Bennett.

Which was odd because although her magical line went all the way back to 1st century BC her family didn't start using the Bennett name until they reached the new world. "She returned with me after my last raid. However, she's a free woman and under my protection."

Bonnie offered her hand to Floki which he wasted no time in taking. He turned it over, and then leaned down to press his nose into her palm. A fraction of a second later he inhaled. Slight shudders racked his slim frame. And just when Bonnie didn't think things couldn't get stranger he licked her palm and before she could gasp people standing close to them did. Whispers rippled throughout the hall.

Bonnie smiled, because seriously what the hell else could she do? Through grinning teeth from the side of her mouth, she whispered to Bjorn, "What the hell is happening?"

His shoulders rose and fell in a smooth maneuver, "I'm not certain."

"Your divinity is palpable goddess," Floki murmured executing a bow so graceful it would've put a premiere principle ballerina on notice. "Please, meet my wife Helga." He pulled a petite blonde woman front and center.