Ulf was transported to the throne room, everyone shooting him a curious glance because he was surrounded by multiple warriors.
That could only mean he was about to stand trial and this was not a private trial either.
The trials in Kattegat were a public affair so Ulf's charges would be for the whole of Kattegat to hear.
It would be a disgrace to his name and that of his brother but Ulf was hoping that there would be an exception.
Ulf did not look worried, even with these factors in play as he had on a smug look all through.
Bjorn saw his uncle being carted away like a criminal and grew curious about what was going on.
Ulf has been away from their home ever since that incident so Bjorn had no idea what his uncle has been up to.
"What is going on?" Bjorn asked a random citizen but even he did not know so Bjorn trailed behind Ulf.
Ulf made Ottkatla a free woman and it was because of this freedom that she could dare challenge Ulf this way.
Ulf stopped right in front of the throne room, his head held high like he was proud of what he did.
The door sprung open and out came King Askild, alongside Ottkatla and her husband.
Her husband looked at Bjorn with hatred, he was fuming with rage but he knew he did not have the physical strength to oppose him.
This was why he did not put up a fight that night, he did not know what Ulf would have done to him or his wife.
"Ulf, do you know what you stand accused of?" Askild questioned the brother of Ragnar.
"I do not know what is happening King Askild…" Ulf responded with a stern face.
"You stand accused of violating Ottkatla and their family has asked for justice. They wish you to be castrated," Askild said and Ulf's acting skills came alive as he had a look of shock on his face.
"V-Violate? Ottkatla is a woman I know well, I bought her her freedom so why would I do such a thing? If I harboured any unjust thoughts I would never have freed her and kept her a slave to do as I please. I am not guilty of these accusations, King Askild…" Ulf vehemently denied the accusations and what he said did make sense.
The people listening found themselves nodding as it was not uncommon for a low-ranked family to falsely accuse a higher-ranked family in hopes of getting some sort of fine.
This often worked because reputation is everything for most and they settled it behind closed doors but what they requested here showed that this was not a case of just money.
"Y-You bastard! I was there that night! You came into my home and made me watch you violate my wife!" Her husband was furious, who in their right mind would not be?
"Do you have no shame? Who in their right mind would watch a man violate their wife in such a manner without fighting? Or did you forget your balls in your life?" Ulf teased him and he could hear the crowd giggle at his joke.
King Askild raised a hand and everywhere fell silent.
Just then, Ulf's eyes made contact with Bjorn.
Bjorn looked so disgusted, he could not believe that this was the man he once looked up to.
Bjorn walked away and Ulf's smug expression broke the moment this happened.
He liked Bjorn, and he knew that Bjorn had a great future ahead of him but to see the boy that once looked up to him as a role model
Ulf knew that the expedition to England expected to take place in two weeks was on everyone's minds but there was one more card he could play.
"King Askild, did you hear these words from Ottkatla's mouth?" Ulf asked, his demeanour a lot more serious and Askild denied it, it was all from her husband's mouth.
Ulf smirked inwardly because he knew the loophole he needed to spin this around had presented itself.
"Now I understand. Ottkatla, did I ever touch you?" Ulf asked her directly, ignoring her husband.
Ottkatla knew that Ulf had the power and influence to destroy her family.
And if he was found guilty and castrated, then her family would have no future as they would have robbed Ulf of the most important thing for a Viking of his status, an heir.
Ottkatla was not going to answer thoughtlessly because she was aware her answer had the potential of ruining the relationship she had with her fiance so this was an extremely tricky situation.
Askild gave her permission to speak because he knew whatever she said should be the truth.
Ottkatla came forward to tell her truth, everyone anticipating the words that would come out of her mouth and it was not what they expected.
"Ulf did not abuse me…"Ottkatla blurted out and her fiance was so mad that the veins around his forehead became visible.
"What?" This was the only word that escaped his lips.
Ottkatla put her family into consideration, a family that might very well not come to fruition after this decision. The crowd began to jeer because they had wasted their time as this turned out to be a false accusation.
Her husband held his tongue only because he was in front of King Askild but his wife had just made him look like a fool.
"Is this the truth?" Askild asked and Ottkatla nodded without hesitation.
"It was my idea, my fiance only listened to what I had to say because he was drunk that night and has no recollection of that night so I lied to him. I wanted to get a fine but he suggested castration because he thought it to be true but that is too harsh a punishment for a lie. I could not, in my good heart, allow to go on any further." Ottkatla not only took the blame but cleared her husband of any wrongdoing.
She managed to help him save face too, she was walking a thin line but this would not come without punishment.
Ottkatla was sentenced to thirty lashes as punishment for false accusation, this was to dissuade others from doing such and she was to be flogged at the town square.
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