Chapter 2: Epilogue Part 2: Love and hate, yin and yang
When he departed to take the bounty, his boss stayed back at a small fishing town nearby. Feeling much better after remedying his injuries, he heads back to Dalby. Seeing how empty the town was compared to before, Bjorn assumed his boss Ormr raided Dalby in the meantime. Opening a door to the local inn, his suspicions are confirmed. He sees bottles of ale shattered on the tables and counters, as well as the strong scent of the liquor permeating across the inn into his nose.
Looking at the floor, it's covered in blood and by some of the tables is a member of his crew drinking the bar's ale.
"Welcome back cub. Shame that yer group didn't make it but 'ats more florins for us. Hand it ova'." Giving the pouch of florins over, the viking pats Bjorn's back.
"C'mon cub. Boss 's waiting for ya. Hear he 'as somthin' to give ye." Bjorn, seeing the sight of Dalby, is upset. Having gone to the border to fight a grueling battle, Bjorn is once again welcomed by this sight that he rues so much. Making his way onto the boat, the vikings on board start celebrating Bjorn's arrival. They grab him and start dousing liquor on him. Bjorn coughs and covers his hair with his hand until they stop. At this moment Ormr has arrived. Smiling, he praises him for a good job.
"Well done cub! I don't imagine any other bum here could've made it back the way you have." Ormr, still smiling, sees the anger in Bjorn's face.
"Why did you kill them old man? They weren't soldiers."
Ormr snorts and says, "Because that's what we do cub. Don't act like a saint . You have as much blood as any of us he-"
"Why? WHY?! WE DIDN'T NEED SHIT FROM THEM, THAT'S WHY I RISKED MY LIFE WITH THAT FUCKING BOUNTY! THATS WHAT, that's what..... that's what I'm here for....isn't it? they were just civilians, why did you have to kill them too...?"
Bjorn notices the gazes he's getting. Knowing he let himself get too emotional, he regrets voicing his disapproval. Ormr draws his sword, still in its sheath, switches it in a way so that the handle's facing Bjorn and just like, that he shoves the hilt into Bjorn's gut. Letting out a pained, breathless groan, Bjorn's sent back a couple feet on his back. Everyone steps aside, leaving Bjorn to Ormr.
"Know your fucking place. You know what it is we do and you've had as much of a part in the raids as everyone else here has! If being a viking bothers you so much, you can jump overboard and see if you'll live as well off with some shite army, playing as a make-believe knight in shining armor, as you would working with me! You're a tool, hopefully this fucking reminds you boy."
On the ground, Bjorn is gasping desperately for air. Coughing out saliva and blood, he pitifully curls up.
Ormr throws an item Bjorn's way. It's a war axe in great condition bearing the insignia of the Is, making it a genuine weapon of the Is magi, or just the ice mages. An axe forged by special smiths for the great house of magi.
"Take it. That pitiful spear won't do you any good in the long run. Don't forget to thank me brat."
Scowling, Bjorn takes it and heads inside. Finally back at the Veinaaegir, he heads to the midship to grab some food. Seeing how stocked up the ship is on supplies, his anger subsides, transitioning from anger to guilt. Now in the mess hall, he grabs a ram's leg and some ale. Downing it as if he was a slave who had gone a week without food, some of vikings point at Bjorn and laugh at him. After preaching his own sense of morality, Bjorn still doesn't refuse to eat what Ormr had taken from the people of Dalby.
"I really am the same, aren't I. I'm nothing more than human trash."
Pulling up a seat next to him is Styr, also known as a 'Sly Bastard'. He earned the nickname because of his downturned slit eyes, giving poor first impressions to just about everyone in Ormr's crew.
"What do you want, sly bastard?"
"You have no right to talk Bjorn. You got handled by Ormr like you were his whore don't give me that 'sly bastard' shite."
Bjorn looks Styr's way, but averts his eyes back to his mug. Getting up to grab more food and drink, Styr relaxes and saves Bjorn's spot. Getting back into his seat, Styr continues his chat with Bjorn.
"Hey Bjorn, I saw this contract at the town's board. You won't believe it. Some noble's are offering 40 florins for clearing out this forest of wolves and bears."
"What? You're joking. No one's stupid enough to pay 40 florins for shit, much less killing some damn bears and wolves."
"Take a look."
Reading through the whole thing thoroughly, Bjorn looks for any small print snuck in, but there isn't anything. It bears the crest of Mountgaarden with Thor's hammer stamped on top. It's genuine. Seeing the surprise on Bjorn's face, Styr looks at him and smiles.
"Why'd you chose to share this with me?"
"Honestly? Because I know that you'd have my back 100 percent. Don't look into it more than that."
"Well, when should we head out?"
"Hmmm. It was posted 3 days ago and it's in the upper regions so I don't know. We might be leaving soon so I'll let you know."
"Well thanks any, I'll finish my dinner then hit the sack."
"You better. You walked all the way from the borders to the military camp on your own."
Downing his ale with a mouthful of lamb, Bjorn gets up and heads to the bunks of the ship. Finding his spot, Bjorn hops on his hammock. Putting his hands behind his head, he first takes a moment to look at them. Scars and cuts cover his fingers. Looking closer, he can see blood stuck under his nails. Lying down, he falls asleep in a spot where he won't have to worry about keeping guard for once.
"Mommy, higher, higher!"
"Oh stop it Bjorn, you're making me tired." As Bjorn's mother smiles, Bjorn continues to laugh as she raises him higher. She plays with Bjorn for a bit more till they both hear something shatter in the house.
"Mommy, did you hear that?"
Surprised, she puts him down and goes inside hurriedly, leaving Bjorn alone. Pushing the door open since his mom didn't close it the whole way, he sees a man he doesn't recognize chatting with his mom.
"I had lots of fun today with you, bikkja. Same time next week, got it?" Putting something in his mom's hands, she shamefully nods as he grins perversely. Walking down the hall, he sees Bjorn staring at him wide eyed. Not expecting to see the kid, he frowns and leaves.
"Who was that jerk mommy? He didn't treat you very nice." Feeling guilty for letting Bjorn see that, she grabs him and hugs tightly. Confused at first, it isn't until Bjorn feels tears falling from her eyes to his cheek that he garners some understanding.
"Remember, Bjorn. You have the blood of a king and a god. When you become older, you won't have to live as shamefully as me." His mom then raises her head and looks Bjorn in the eyes. Her eyes are puffed up and her cheeks still wet from the tears. Yet despite that, she smiles for him.
"No matter what happens to me, I will never stop loving you, Bjorn."
Awake, Bjorn sees Styr at his side. Bjorn doesn't understand why Styr's staring at him until he puts his hand on his face. Then he understands. Bjorn is crying.
"It must've been hard for you, Bjorn. Being the only person to survive that skirmish." Wiping the tears from his face, Bjorn grins and gets up.
"I'm perfectly fine, just shaken up is all."
"As long as you're ok. Still, if you need someone, I'm here friend. Oh, I almost forgot Bjorn, we're about to set sail, so get up to the deck when you can."
"Got it, I'll be up in a bit."
Looking at the axe Ormr gifted him, it gleams off the dimly lit barracks. It has slight dents and cracks, but placing his thumb on the edge causes bleeding, so it's a good weapon indeed. In the poor lighting, it's more beautiful than anything else he's seen up close. Blue steel with a timber hilt, Bjorn can see the fine craftsmanship that goes into making weapons for the magi.
He moves his arms around to stretch a little, then gets up. Heading to the deck, Bjorn's greeted by Vice Captain Gunnar.
"Still not able to keep your opinions to yourself cub?"
"No. I'll work on it."
"Ormr and I are planning on possibly doing a raid for Mountgaarden again. There isn't a date but be prepared. There's talk about magi backing for the Alfr this time around."
"What makes you confident enough to pick a fight with the elves knowing they have mages?"
"They're soft. At a distance, they're dangerous. But when you get up close and cut them up, not so much."
"That's what I thought when I went out to push back that Alfr battalion, yet they still killed damn near everyone but me."
"We aren't the only ones going to the raid this time. A couple other crews are gonna join us. The payout's still bein' decided, but I'm hearing talks of 200 florins for each, maybe more."
"You and Ormr would actually have us all risk our lives fighting mages for 200 florins?"
"I normally wouldn't and neither would Ormr considering how good those big ears are with their fancy magic, but I heard some interesting information about the fort they're stationed in. The army officer that came to Ormr said the reason we're raiding the fort is 'cause the elves made it an outpost, but I hear they also have a magical artifact as well."
"Those actually exist?"
"Mhmm. Legend states only a person blessed by the gods can properly wield one of those legendary weapons, but that's not why we want our hands on it. The amount of money the army's talking about giving for clearing the fort makes me wonder if we could make even more florins selling the weapon, doesn't it?"
"Those army guys are cheap bastards, but we don't have a way to appraise. We don't even got a way to know if it's genuine."
"That isn't true. See, the person that told me about that artifact in the first place says he's got a way to determine if it's a genuine artifact. We worked out an agreement in case it's actually a real artifact."
"Still, who'd we sell it to?"
"Nobility. Those rich bastards love their heirlooms, but if not, a magic artifact would make for a great trophy, no?"
Veinaaegir now about to setting sail departs from the now deserted town of Dalby. The shipmates come out to row the oars as Ormr takes the helm. Gunnar however, has his eyes fixated on the sunset ahead of.
"Do you ever think about the future, Bjorn?"
Confused as the question had sidelined him completely, Bjorn gave it some thought. Ever since Ormr took Bjorn up 4 years ago, he's never given that some thought. Although part of him wants to pursue the King's throne, he believes deep down all of the things his mother told him was a fad. With no goals or dreams of his own, Bjorn has his answer.
"I don't. I'm nothing more than a viking. That's what I became 4 years ago when you and Ormr freed me, so that's what I'll continue to be."
Gunnar grins and puts his arm around Bjorn's shoulder.
"That's a good cub. Easier to submit than to rebel innit? Although, between you and me, I don't care for boot-licking the same way Ormr does. An honest answer's good enough for me boy."
Looking into the sunset alongside Gunnar, he thinks about the one thing that's kept him going. Thinking to himself, Bjorn says this.
"I hate this place, but as long as it pushes me forward, I won't be the hero my mother wanted me to be. As much as I want to, I won't stand up for those that die because of us, I was never meant to be some savior. All that matters right now, is confronting him, that bastard prince Ragnar Hardrada."
Bjorn's only been able to remember fragments of his past ever since he was taken in by Ormr and Gunnar. The only things he remembers vividly is his childhood in the slums, and Ragnar Hardrada. Bjorn's face contorts full of hatred despite the beauty within the scenery displayed before him. Before the sun sets, he says this to himself.
"I try not to bear hate in my heart. But if I ever see that prince, I'll kill him however I can, even if it means I'll be sent to the executioner's gallows."
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