Ubbe stared at the spot where Bonnie and Odin stood only moments before. Was that the wedding dress she'd prepared for their matrimonial ritual? Had Bonnie intended to marry him after all? Could he'd been a fool to believe she only meant to toy with his affections? Yes! He was a fool, Odin take him! No woman who plotted to shirk her obligation of marriage took such care with her gown or appearance.

To name her beautiful would surely be an insult. For words couldn't describe the vision she bestowed upon them all. She was a treasure too sacred to behold. A treasure which even spun beyond the grasps of the gods. Even the All-Father wasn't immune to her charms. Margrethe believed Odin had arrived to bless their union. Yet a glance at him proved he'd only had an eye for Bonnie.

He turned to his bride to be. Plain, uninspiring, ever submissive Margrethe and lightning struck. What in the Helheim had he done? Giving over the mother of all supernature for a woman who'd seen fit to serve he and his brothers her curdled woman's blood! Had he really allowed the advisement from his youngest brother to lead him there? He took a step back.

"Prince Ubbe, would you like to continue?" The high priestess questioned all while giving Margrethe narrow-eyed glances.

"I...," He took another step back, "I'm sorry, Margrethe. It is not you I love."

Distress panicked her features and reddened her milky complexion. Her mouth flailed, opening and closing until finally she managed a stammer. "B-But...but Odin-,"

"Came to collect, Bonnie," Sigurd said, staring down his nose at her. "He had not a care for this blatant lack of judgement Ubbe has chosen to brandish before everyone."

"Sigurd," Torvi admonished as her mocking large eyes flicked between Ubbe and Margrethe, "clearly Ubbe holds some affection for the girl. He did free her for this very purpose after all."

"Of course he loves her! For whom else is left for him other than the mad slave who had a hand in felling our mother? This," Ivar lifted a gloved hand and waved it at them, "This is truly a match forged from treachery and meant for misery."

Ubbe shook his head as he impaled Ivar with visual blades. He turned to the priestess. "There'll not be a marriage here this rising." His gaze swung back to his would be wife. "I'm sorry, Margrethe." He took yet another step back.

"Ubbe, no!" She sobbed and sniffled. "Halt, please!"

Hvitserk moved to take her hand. "I'll marry you, Margrethe."

"No, Hvitserk!" She snatched her hand from him. "It must be Ubbe! It has to be!"

"Why?" Bjorn questioned as severe impatience pinched his face. His gaze darted from Margrethe to the spot Bonnie lingered with Odin just before she vanished

A few more sobs and hiccups fell from her lips. She placed a palm over her flat stomach. "I carry your babe, Ubbe! Will you really abandon me and your son as your father did you?"

"M-My son?" Ubbe backwards trot slowed to a stop. "You carry my son?"

"Yes." Tears shimmered in her eyes as she nodded and held out her hand to him. "Please, Ubbe. Let us finish this so we may begin our lives."

With those words, his doubts fell away. What had he almost done? Of course he loved Margrethe and wanted to enter into matrimony with her. He'd not allow the venomous rantings of his bitter former betrothed to ruin his happiness. Joy consumed him as he rejoined his soon to be wife and mother of his babe at the altar.

****

Bonnie stepped out of a void onto something steep and slick. Still wrapped in Silas' arms she pulled away from him and slipped a bit. Her glance swept her surroundings and she nearly gave birth to her heart. They teetered on one of the tallest mountains, she'd ever seen. Matter of subjective fact, the stars twinkled so close if she reached far enough she'd probably be able to touch one. Thinking better of distancing herself from one of her less than favorite people, she clung to him.

"I hope you didn't bring me up here to throw me off," she said, while burying her face in the crook of his neck. "Even though I can't die, it still hurts like a bitch when I do."

"I didn't bring you up here to kill you, Bonnie," Silas said, staring down into her eyes as if eye contact would assure her his intentions were the best. "We need to talk. Clear the air if you will."

She scoffed, while leaning away from him as far as she could without letting go. "Are you referring to how you brutally murdered my father in front of me, then basically told me to get over it? Is that the air you're talking about clearing?"

"Look, Bennett," amusement rippled across his features, almost as if he enjoyed the back and forth, "let's not pretend we don't both have a lot of shit with us. We can stand up here for the next lifetime or so one upping the other on who wronged who the most, but-,"

"Which would be you?" She interjected.

An indulgent smile discovered his lips. "But nothing which happened back then...or in our case will happen matters more than that hollow vessel who wants to bring about our supernatural end to ensure her void reign."

Unfortunately, he had a point. Inadu was the bigger threat. She'd known, she'd eventually have to forge an alliance with the All-Father, but she didn't bargain for Odin being Silas. Yet, his identity changed nothing. He had hundreds of thousands of daughters and sons under her dominion who she required fighting at her side.

"So you'll be willing to offer me your warriors in Valhalla?" She questioned, while side eying the hell out of him, because with Silas there was always a quid pro quo. A tit for tat, and he always received more tit than one got tat.

He tilted his head slight to the side as he continued studying her. "You weren't named Supreme, because the Goddess of all took note of you one day and deigned you worthy, Bennett. My intuition tells me you evoked the eternal witch spell, but why? No other witch from Qetsiyah's line has ever dared. Though, here you are?"

"Let's just say I had my reasons and leave it there." Carefully, she backed out of his arms.

"Let's not. You want my warriors, then you're gonna have to keep it bloody with me." He locked his hands behind his back, while looking so much like Stefan it made her skin crawl. "Why'd you evoke the spell, and don't give me some spiel about wanting to live forever or craving the power. You first liners aren't wired like the rest of us. Immortality repulses you and pretty much all of you already has more power than you know what to do with." His eyes squinted just the way Stefan's did when he entertained a notion of a theory. "No, the only way I see you evoking the spell is if you were doing it to save another. Let me guess the doppelganger, Eliza was it?"

She rolled her eyes. "Elena, and no I'm not here for her or anyone else from my circle you may know." Everything in her wanted to shut his ass down and kick him the hell out of her business, but again she needed him like a heart needed an on beat rhythm. "I came back for the man I love or at least I thought I loved, but that's another story."

"Okay, well give me the story that leads to you standing in front of me looking like a bride out of time," he said, gesturing to her Vera Wang's, 'I do' must.

"Klaus' daughter became infected with the Hollow." She called for her floor length white sable cloak and shrugged it on as he continued to scrutinize her. "So he found a witch who'd pull it from her and place it in him. While serving himself up as host to that low rent succubus he decided to sacrifice himself in order to take her with him."

His eyes flared as his brows rose. He nodded. "Ah!"

"I couldn't allow that to happen," she said folding her arms under her breasts.

"Of course you couldn't," he said with a shake of the head as he rested his chin in his palm. "Bet you weren't counting on being thrown over a thousand years back in time though."

She raised her chin as she weathered the slight but effective patronizing blow to her pride. "No, it must've been part of the fine print of the spell I missed."

"That must've put a few wrinkles in your cape, huh?" He questioned, laughter present in his tone and dark emerald gaze.

"Oh, so this is funny to you? So you think I'm a joke?"

He raised his hand and shook his head even harder. "I think you're adorable. Your coping through all of this going on nothing more than a wing and a prayer. You have absolutely no idea what you stepped into here." Taking a deep breath, he exhaled. "Alright, go on finish the story. Why'd you assume invoking the eternal witch spell would save the Hybrid?"

"I wanted to force the fated mate prophecy." She shrugged, turning away to take in the view. "You know the one about the eternal witch and the most powerful Viking to ever exist. Together, they're fated to restructure the supernat-,"

He waved a hand. "Yeah, yeah, I know the prophecy. And you thought I'd be okay with taking a time out from Ragnarök to what, help you save your ex-lover?" This time he did laugh. A laugh that bent him over and had him clutching at his knees. "An ex-lover I don't even care for to begin with."

"Hold up!" Her hands dropped to her side as she turned her head to angle her ear towards him. "Why the hell would it matter what you think about me saving Klaus? Would you really use your role as the All-Father to forbid my mate from saving my friend? Especially when dropping Inadu will save us all."

"Your mate...," His laughter trickled to a stop. "Bonnie, you have to know I'm the other half of the prophecy. I was bred and raised to reign at the side of the eternal witch. Why do you think I was so resistant to marrying Qetsiyah?"

"Because your trifling ass fell in love with her handmaiden Amara," she said, leveling him with a, here for it, glare.

His eyes rolled at the mention of his old flame. "I cared for Amara yes, but she was a means to an end. A distraction to turn Qetsiyah away from me, but we see how that turned out don't we. I swear on me, there's no fury of that of a witch of the first line."

"Yeah, whatever." She looked away knowing how well he illustrated half-truths to depict himself in the best light.

"I'm serious," he said, his tone unbothered. "Qetsiyah knew my fate lay with the eternal witch who was not destined to be her but one of her line. But did she care? No, she wanted me anyway prophecy be damned. So she created the immortal spell and potion in order to hijack her descendant's destiny." Damn, that sounded familiar. "In order to keep her from taking it, I gave the potion to Amara. Who would've known the sweet witch who'd do anything for me would have such a vindictive streak?"

"You call it vindictive, I call it just and deserved," she said, glaring at him over her shoulder. "There's no way fate set me up to spend an eternity with you. So why don't we move on and you tell me what's it gonna take for you to align with me and grant me access to your warriors in Valhalla?"

"Okay," He stepped to her side and turned to eyeball the side of her face. "Allow me to take my rightful place at your side so I may have full use of my magic once more. Do this and you'll have my alliance and warriors."

"But you have magic," She said while gesturing towards the phenomenal view.

"Please," Silas waved her off. "Cursed objects. What I want is my sorcery back in its potent entirety." He moved closer to nuzzle the crook of her shoulder. "You sensed my magic Bennett. You can't tell me your witchery didn't attempt to rip away the veil to get next to me."

She scoffed, while spinning to face him. "So this isn't about being at my side, this is about the restoration of your magic."

"Of course," he said reaching up to touch one of the curls that escaped her messy bun.

She slapped his hand away. "So if you could have your magic back, but not necessarily have me then you'd honor your word," he opened his mouth to speak, but she halted him with a raised finger, "and ally with me while also giving me access to your warriors?"

"If there was a snow day in the Christian hell of that being possible, then yes you have my word. I'd gladly give you my alliance and my warriors for the full return of my sorcery." He agreed relocking his hands behind his back as he turned to assess the Norwegian view. "Cursed objects gets the job done and all, but they really are inconvenient wouldn't you say?"

Bonnie cocked a brow as a smirk took possession of her lips. "I wouldn't know."

****

Laughter echoed throughout the queen's private quarters as Torvi retold the events of Ubbe's wedding. Lagertha eyed her indulgently while her mouth hinted at a smile. Her and Astrid had not been invited to the matrimonial ritual, so she'd taken it upon herself to speak to them of every hilarious oddity which had taken place. She even told them of how Bjorn had coerced Bonnie into attending and how she'd bested him in the sport of turnabout.

"She attended attired in a marriage gown?" Astrid questioned, her face screwed in confusion. "But why, is she puzzled over our customs?"

Torvi released an exhale and stared at the brunette with forced patience. She tried not to stare over much at the strange cut of her hair. The entire side of her head was shaved clean. "No, Bonnie isn't puzzled by our customs, and she wasn't attired in just any marriage gown, she donned the gown in which she were to marry Ubbe." She turned her adoring gaze back to Lagertha. "And I've never seen another bride more beautiful than she. Ubbe was a fool to betray her with Margrethe and I do believe he knew it. For he attempted to call off from the marriage after Bonnie cursed them and fled the wedding with Odin."

Astrid shot up in her seat. "She cursed them?!"

"She fled the ritual with Odin?!" Lagertha demanded, while nigh spilling the contents of her chalice as she slammed it down on the table.

"Yes," Torvi looked from Lagertha to Astrid, "and yes."

"Odin came to Ubbe's marriage ritual?" Lagertha questioned as her pale brows migrated towards her hairline.

Torvi nodded. "For Bonnie. Of course, at first Margrethe believed he was there to bless their joining, but soon anyone with sight could see he only had an eye for our Supreme. They both vanished from the forest together and still have yet to be seen."

"And you say Ubbe called off from the marriage?" Lagertha asked as she cast her gaze to a spot just beyond the beaded door.

"He attempted to, but Margrethe claimed to be carrying his son, which I doubt considering what Bonnie foretold. Yet, he continued on with the marriage just the same with his cares cast to the side along with his wits," Torvi said, lifting a shoulder in a shrug, while sipping from her chalice.

Astrid leaned forward to grip the table. "Yes, but what of the curse? Do you really think the Supreme cursed Ubbe and his slave?"

"Astrid leave us," Lagertha said without looking her pet's way. "I must speak with Torvi alone."

Astrid pressed her lips in a firm line. She glared at the side of Lagertha's face for a moment before rising and marching from the private quarters. The stool clattered to the floor, but she didn't bother setting it to rights. When assured they were truly alone, Lagertha abandoned her seat to come straddle her lap. Without lending words to an explanation, the golden queen leaned down to press her mouth to hers. Urges she hadn't realized she had until Bonnie came along swept through her. Grabbing a hold of her mother-in-law's waist she began to guide her in writhing circular movements. The first pang of pleasure forced a gasp from both of their mouths.

"Odin's eye! I've longed for you since Bjorn has returned." Lagertha groaned between tongue plundering kisses. The former shieldmaiden's hands left her head to plunder and squeeze her breasts. "Torvi, promise you'll join my household and bed once Bjorn leaves for England."

Torvi nipped at Lagertha's nipple through her gown. "Y-You have my word." She moan as she felt the approaching prelude to her end.

****

Bjorn stood when he witnessed Bonnie step out of thin air at the All-Father's side several paces from her keep. They hadn't sighted him, for the shadows at her door cloaked him well. His Mystical One appeared annoyed, while Odin thoroughly amused. Her inviting lips began to move. As inviting as they were, one couldn't miss the slight curl which adorned the top one near the corner. Odin feigned a pained expression and attempted to lean in to caress his mouth against hers. Almost quicker than Bjorn could track with his eyes, Bonnie slapped what appeared to be moisture from the All-Father's mouth.

Shock froze Odin's features as he grabbed his face and stared at Bonnie with stretched wide eyes. After a moment of studying her, his face crumpled, and barks of laughter tumbled from his mouth. He said something to her, before bowing, and then vanishing. Bonnie's shoulders lifted and fell. She then spun around to approach her keep. He chose that moment to reveal himself and stepped from the shadows. When she took note of him, she didn't slow her advance. In truth, she hurried her pace, waving her hands about as she squeezed pass him to the door.

"Nope, not tonight! I don't have anything left in me for whatever this is tonight. So please turn around and try again tomorrow," she said, twisting the odd knob upon her door.

He placed a hand upon hers as something akin to the loss of hope ached his chest. "Bonnie, please."

She froze for a moment, before casting her gaze up to meet his. Whatever burned within the depths of his eyes, somewhat melted the ice in hers she'd begun to reserve for him. With a nod, she gestured for him to enter.

Once inside she waved her hand at the odd cushioned bench for him to sit. "Would you like something to eat or drink?"

"No, thank you," he said, unable to remove his eyes from her. Her within in a marriage gown moved him beyond what he believed himself capable of being moved. Even the gods of the Aesir could never comprehend the likes of such beauty. "Bonnie, I'm sorry for not rising up to the man you assumed me to be. As a child I was raised with ideas and notions of what it meant to be a man. Even still, what it meant to be a Viking."

Her eyes slipped closed as she shook her head and raised a hand. "Are you here to make excuses for your actions, because-,"

"No," he said cutting her off, "because there are no excuses for my actions or behavior. The things we did to those people...it didn't agree with me here," he placed a palm to the center of his chest. "It felt erroneous...I felt erroneous, and the look in your eyes only confirmed my beliefs of myself." He left his seat to kneel before her in the favored chair she cared for so much. "I know, you know that I'm minded to go back to the Mediterranean after we've seen to vengeance in the name of my father." She looked away, but he clasped her hands in his and arrested her gaze. "I also know, you dread returning to those Seas with me."

"Bjorn you have to understand, the sadistic wrongs you all committed against those women are the same crimes carried out against my ancestors in my land. And time doesn't completely cleanse away the taint of those sins," her remarkable eyes developed a glimmer. "No, it lingers to stain future generations to come. That's what you, King Harald, and your warriors put into their universe."