King Ragnar had requested an audience with Askild that night, an audience the King of Kattegat granted.
Despite the late hours, Askild welcomed Ragnar into the throne room because he was set to leave the next day.
"King Askild, I have come to ask you one thing…" Ragnar said the moment he sat down across Askild.
"What is it?" Askild asked him.
"How long have you known?" King Ragnar questioned him and this prompted Askild to raise a brow in confusion.
"Know what?" Askild questioned.
"How long have you known that Tyr was alive?" Ragnar asked him and judging from Askild's facial expression, he knew exactly what Ragnar was talking about.
"I have known ever since the day that Erik was killed… You have raised quite the dangerous son, Ragnar and I'm afraid that I cannot let him roam freely…" Askild admitted to the accusations.
"King…." Ragnar said, but Askild was confused.
"What?" Askild asked.
"King, King Ragnar…. That is how you will address me," Ragnar said bluntly. He was different from the Ragnar that Askild had always known.
"My apologies, King Ragnar," Askild did not mind apologizing to Ragnar but it was hard to believe how far Ragnar had come in such a short time.
He was ruling a thriving Kingdom that superseded his by not only military might but economically as well.
"What do you want with Tyr" Ragnar returned to his original question.
"What do I want with him? I think the right question is what Bjorn wants with him…" Askild said and the surprised look on Ragnar's face was satisfying.
"I am not going to kill your son, King Ragnar. Bjorn is." Askild informed him with a sickening grin and Ragnar lost his cool.
The smug look on Askild's face pissed him off and he did not realize when he grew his blade.
He could joke around with anything but his family and Askild had now established his weakness.
"Relax, King Ragnar. What you are doing is akin to declaring war," Askild informed him as Ragnar reluctantly sheathed his blade.
"I admire you, you know. I have been trying to sire a child but I have had no such luck…" Askild opened up out of the blue and this was something that Ragmar could sympathize with because he has been trying to have a child with Lagertha but to no avail.
"Why are you telling me this?" Ragnar asked.
"You are the only one that I see as an equal even though we have been on bad terms…" Askild's tone was different, he sounded sincere but Ragnar was not buying any of this because Askild was highly manipulative, he was a master at feeding off people's insecurities.
"I was not aware of what Erik did to Lagertha, if I had known he touched your Lagertha, he would have been dead but I did know what he did to Asher's wife and that makes me at fault for what happened to Lagertha because I protected him. I never apologized, and I am sorry, King Ragnar…." Askild said.
Ragnar remained silent because this was too random, he did not know what to say but Askild was only saying what he was confirmed.
"It is too late for an apology," Ragnar said bluntly, he was not letting Askild get into his head because Askild was trying his best to change how Ragnar perceived him.
"I know it is but I just wanted you to hear those words. I do not know what is going to happen to Tyr but I know you will soon be burying one of your sons," Askild informed Ragnar of his reality but Ragnar did not take offense with this statement.
He now understood why Bjorn was nowhere to be seen, he had gone to meet Tyr but this brought about a satisfied smile from their father, a smile that made even Askild uneasy.
"What's so funny?" Askild asked.
"Funny? I am glad that they are experiencing life as it is, this meeting will shape both their fate. I leave it up to the hands of the gods and trust me when I say this, even the gods would be amazed by the experience those two boys will face!" Ragnar had finalized what he wanted with Askild, he had confirmed that Tyr was alive, and more so, Bjorn was on his way to meet his brother, and Ragnar for some reason believed everything would work out.
-
Sighvatur sat in his camp, the flickering flame barely staying on but he had a bad feeling in his gut that he could not seem to shake.
Sighvatur trusted his son's strength but there was a reason he liked to control everything, it is because he feared if he was not the one that controlled it, things would go wrong.
But judging from the reports he had gotten about the enemy's camp's current strength, it was fair to allow his son to do something of that nature.
Sturla needed to grow out of his shadow and make a name for himself, he needed to be viewed independently for him, his own identity.
And he could not do that if he remained sheltered but this would be a decision he would soon come to regret because his son had died.
Sighvatur was none the wiser at this current time and had drafted plans if his son did fail because that was the kind of man he was.
He always prepared for the worst while praying for the best because a man makes plans, and the gods laugh.
Sighvatur had sent word to Kjell and co, a message that they would strike at once and end this little battle.
But this came with a condition he could not stress enough, and that was that they would lead the charge; Sighvatur would only join in with his men as reinforcement should they need it but Kjell was yet to respond to this offer.
This was a smart plan as they knew they had limited time because winter would soon be over and thus, their advantage.
