Bjorn Ironside was in a pickle, he was wondering what a noble would want with him as he left his blade pressed against his neck for his own safety.
He knew this might incur punishment but he knew whatever punishment it may be, he had a higher standing than any noble in Kattegat all thanks to his father's title as King.
"What does a noble want with me?" Bjorn questioned, he was not going to let down his guard for even a second.
"It is not I that wants something but my father! I was sent to bring you to him as a sign of respect!" The man blurted out, Bjorn raises a brow despite understanding the concept.
He sent one of his own to approach him and not a messenger to show that they held Bjorn in a higher standing.
A messenger could be translated as being disrespectful and that was something they could not afford.
Bjorn knew whatever it was, had to do with politics and this was one thing he was not interested in but maybe he could learn something that could be useful in the future.
When next will such an opportunity present itself?
"Wait, were you the one watching me last night?" Bjorn asked and he was hoping the answer would be yes as that would solve the mystery.
"Following you? I am sorry but I have no idea what you're talking about," The man said, he had a very ordinary face.
Bjorn found nothing interesting about him physically.
"What is your name?" Bjorn requested.
"I go by the name Magnus," The man introduced himself, if Bjorn could guess his age he would say he was in his mid-late twenties.
"Well, Magnus, take me to your father." Bjorn gave in.
This news excited Magnus because he would have accomplished his task.
Like eveey child, he wanted to make his father proud.
He was not a warrior to say the least nor did he have the courage or bravery to be anything great.
He was just an ordinary boy with a powerful name.
-
Bjorn arrived at a huge compound, this part of Kattegat was a lot different, even the air smelled rich.
Bjorn felt so out of place as he knew that there were categories to being rich, and this was at the top.
Magnus gestured for Bjorn to follow him, Bjorn complied because he already came this far so why not see it to the end.
He saw the ladies stealing glances at him, Bjorn did not realize how handsome he was and always mistook these glances as curiosity in seeing a son of Ragnar.
He never put too much thought into these things and even with that, he still looked dashing.
Bjorn walked into the huge house, a little villsgr could easily fit in here yet it was a single family that occupied it.
"Father is right this way…" Magnus pointed and Bjorn followed him through a door, it was the door to a room with a bed.
"Huh?" Bjorn thought to himself, the man looked sick as he laid on his bed coughing.
He was easily in his late seventies so it was kind of a miracle he was still alive in such a state.
"Father, I have brought Bjorn Ironside…" Magnus said, Bjorn did not need to bow or go above and beyond in terms of honorifics.
"Welcome, Prince of Vestfold…" The old man said, this was the first time that someone had used such a term.
It was a strange term but this was Bjorn's reality nonetheless.
Bjorn stood there awkwardly because he did not even know what to call him, the introduction had yet to be done.
"I am Lars. As you can see, this husk is reaching its limit…." Lars said, pausing as he looked over at Magnus for him to leave.
He wanted to talk alone with Bjorn Ironside and Magnus granted his father this privacy.
"Bjorn Ironside, your name is known far and wide. It is fortunate that you are from Kattegat or we would have never met in this lifetime…" Lars said, he was warming up to the main point of the conversation
"I am in Kattegat and this is the first I have heard of you," Bjorn thought, he dare not say this out loud but this was also the case with Fredrik before his passing.
The only reason he knew him was because his daughter was Queen.
"As you have seen, Magnus is not nearly competent enough to carry on the name I have built for this family and it is unfortunate because he is my only heir. He is neither a warrior or a ruler, he is simply an average man that is best suited for an average life…" Lars got to the point at last.
Bjorn was a little eager, what was it that he was trying to say? Was he going to give all his wealth to him because he trusted him more than his son, Magnus?
Bjorn's head was racing and his mind had pieced together numerous events that ended up with him in possession of all this.
He gulped, all he wanted was for Lars to say it, the next words about to come out of his mouth were the words that Bjorn thought would shape his future.
He already had plans on how he would spend the money.
"I want you, Bjorn Ironside…" Lars said, pausing but Bjorn could barely take the suspense.
"I want you to make Magnus into a man, a warrior such as yourself…" Lars said but Bjorn, who heard something completely different the first time around, had carelessly responded with.
"I will do it!" Bjorn exclaimed, his enthusiasm surprised Lars but it was welcomed nonetheless.
"Wait, what? Did he just say I just should train Magnus?" Bjorn thought to himself but he realized at that moment that he just made one of his biggest mistakes in his life.
Bjorn might be a seasoned warrior but in the end, he was just seventeen-years old.
