THE KING IN THE NORTH

11

 

The Vikings were victorious after defeating the Easterners. King Erik, his brother Janssen, his two sons Carl and Martin, and Janssen's son Lars were celebrating with other prestige men from the Vikings. They were drinking and eating, while the head of the Easterners general was placed on the table.

"Greetings everyone! I want to use this opportunity to give credit to our new war leader, Ina!" Martin said 

The rest clapped for her and cheered her up.

"Calm everyone, it was a tough test for her to have a battle to face just two days after she became the war leader. She brought so much intelligence and tactics to fight the battle. May Odin bless her." Martin praised Ina.

The rest clapped once more, and King Erik coughed to draw the attention of everyone.

"I am pleased with the battle won; Ina did a great job; the tactics were perfect; I asked for the head of the general, and you brought it to me; this is the head of the coward who had come to fight the Vikings; his head will be used to serve Odin in Valhalla." Erik hails Ina

"Talking of the tactics, how did she know the Easter were going to attack the territory as we have gone to the land of Zues?" Janssen asked

Every one in the house begins to question themselves; the house becomes more noisy as they contemplate what gave Ina such an idea.

"Everyone, listen, we have a plan A and a plan B, as well as a plan C. We make sure all of them are in work. I had a very short time to think about what to come up with the Easterners; the gods had their work done; Odin gave me the wisdom to come up with something, "Ina said.

"Odin be blessed, "a voice shouted from behind.

Everyone joined "Odin be blessed. "They all echoed it, then they continued eating and drinking, started entertaining themselves, and Carl sneaked out of the house; nobody knew or noticed him leaving.

Carl took some meat and drink to go give Arne at his house. When he reached Arne's place, it was like no one was around. Carl saw blood on the floor. He dropped the meat and drink he had brought for Arne and followed the blood droplets to meet Arne lying on the floor near a stream, helpless with his hand covered with blood and a small dagger on top of him. Carl rushed Arne checked his pulse; he was still breathing but not normal; his heart beat was fading a little bit. Carl carried him back to his (Arne) house; he stopped the bleeding; he cleaned the wound with some alcoholic substances; and he bandaged his (Arne) hand where he had the cuts. Carl made a fire, boiled hot water, used it to clean Arne's body, and gave him some substances to revive him. As Carl was doing all that, an eagle flew to the window of Arne. Carl saw the eagle, then got distracted from what he was doing. The hot water poured a bit on the floor, and Carl felt the heat on his leg.

"Oh no no," Carl lamented and kept the bowl well. As he cleaned the water that had poured on the floor, he laid Arne well on the bed. Arne's pulse improved as his heart beat was beating fine. Carl left him and left the house to follow the eagle. The eagle flew towards the forest, and Carl followed it, running after the eagle. The eagle didn't fly as high as it was supposed to, but it was close to arl. It flew until it reached the sea again. It continued flying above the sea. Carl couldn't follow it anymore. It stopped and looked at the eagle as it continued going forward. He stood for a while and went back to Arne.

Martin followed Ina to her house as it was getting late. It was getting dark, and Ina put on a lantern to brighten the room. 

"You really pulled outrageous tactics against the Easterners, but you almost got yourself killed," Martin said to Ina.

Ina smiled, took off her war attire, and now wears a gown.

"You chose to come at the perfect time," Ina replied.

Now talking about the perfect time, the perfect almost got Ina dead, almost destroyed the whole Vikings, Martin had many thoughts.

"Perfect time, huh? There's no perfect time; you almost perished," Martin argues.

"And I didn't die; that's it, right?" Ina said.

"What happened to the trumpet?" Martin asked.

Ina was supposed to order for the trumpet to be blown to alert Martin and Carl to get involved. Ina gave the orders but was compromised by the oil being thrown at them by Easterners

"About the Trumpet, it was destroyed by the Easterners, but I will say Odin had his time," Ina said confidently.

Martin was not too satisfied, but he had believed the story.

"Ina, I had to make a confession," Martin said.

"What is that?" Ina asked.

She wanted to know what Martin had to say, but Martin refused to say it. Ina asked him to talk several times, but Martin didn't know what to say. He doesn't know how to tell Ina to get married to him again, as her mind is all on the victory, and Martin didn't want to spoil the mood she was feeling.

"I want to... "Martin begins to stammer.

Ina got close to him, kissed him, and removed his cloth. They began to make love. Martin hit the lantern, and it went off. The room got dark, but they didn't mind; they continued with their love-making.

Erik still has his mind set on the England raid. As he stays in his seat, his thoughts are on how he will conquer England; he thinks of discussing the raid with Ina on a plan to attack England; he is disturbed by the ideas; he is not happy about his son Carl rejecting going to England to spy on their weak route; he thinks of sending Martin; in a second thought, Martin can't leave Ina at Vikings and leave for the England mission. Erik thinks of a great idea: Martin loves Ina; he might get Martin to go to England if he sends Ina to the England mission. Martin would definitely want to follow Ina if she's been sent to the England mission; in that way, he would lure him (Martin) to the England mission indirectly. Erik smiled. He drinks his wine, as the Easterners general head is still with him.

"Hello general, I got a better idea, right?" Erik said to the head if the Easterners general head laughed joyfully. Carl returns to Arne, still lying down, but he is awake. Carl didn't notice.

"What are you doing sitting down on my chair? "Arne asked Carl as he sat down.

"Finally, you are awake. I thought I had lost you the moment I found you in your own blood," Carl said.

Arne rose up and sat on the bed.

"I wasn't dead; I was sleeping," Arne said.

"Hahaha sleeping? Do you think you would survive without me?" Carl asked.

"I almost dined with Odin when you brought my soul back here on earth. Valhalla is a beautiful place," Arne tells Carl, praising Valhalla.

"Wow, tell me how Valhalla looks," Carl asked.

"Valhalla is a nice place, very beautiful, best buildings, nice looking ladies, warriors all guiding the tower of ODIN, their were many treasuries, the building of ODIN was built with gold, theirs a lot in Valhalla, Carl, you need to be their." Arne describes 

Carl was pleased to hear what Valhalla looked like; he wishes to be their

"That's nice; one day I will be in Valhalla and dine with Odin," Carl said hopefully.

Arne smiled as he groathed in pain, which he sustains from injuries.

"What happened to you, Arne? Why the injuries? You were bleeding out," Carl asked.

Flashback

The morning before the battle, Arne was having some bad feelings about the battle. He saw so many dead bodies; he saw dead Vikings all over the land of Zues in his vision; the Vikings territory was all burned up; houses, animals, and their gold were taken by the Easterners. Arne felt disturbed by the vision; he did some incantations and prayed to Odin for help. When the war started, Carl and Martin had defeated the Easterners, who had come to attack the territory. When they were exporting the dead bodies to the pit, there was great trouble in the land of Zues. The Easterners were winning the battle; the trumpet could be heard.

Arne still got a feeling that everything had gone wrong. He took his dagger and wanted to sacrifice himself to Odin. He cut his hand, then blood started rushing.

"You have been trusted, Odin; this war can't be my last. The Vikings had been grateful to you. Take my soul and let the Vikings defeat the Easterners." Arne cried out loud.

He leaves his house, still cutting his body, and as he walks to the river, he is still praying, calling on Odin. Then Carl got into a disagreement with Martin.

"Is enough, Martin? We can't keep doing this; the battle is still on but not won yet; we have to run to the land of Zues," Carl said.

"It's almost done, Carl; let's finish it." Martin insists 

"What are you doing? You don't know what has happened to our father." Carl is still protesting to leave the dead bodies.

"He is fine; his father is a great warrior; he will survive," Martin said.

"What about Ina? Have you thought about that? This is her first battle; we can't let her down; her life is at risk," Carl says.

Martin, upon hearing Ina, felt as if his brain had been reset; he stopped what he was doing and ordered every one-time stop.

"Take your weapons, a route to the land of zues; let's finish them out." Martin shouted 

They all left the dead bodies and left for the land of Zues. On reaching there, they waited for the trumpet as planned with Ina. Carl insisted they move ahead, and Martin agreed. As they were going, they saw that the Easterners were conquering the Vikings. They joined the war and led to the victory.

Arne reached the river, as he wanted to jump into it to sacrifice his life. He got dizzy, fell on the floor, and passed out. He was there for many hours before Carl saw him by following the blood stains.

Present day 

"That's how I got there; maybe it is not my time to join other warriors in Valhalla," Arne said.

"No, Odin saved you because I need you, my father needs you, and Vikings need you; we all need you," Carl tells Arne.

Carl passed the meat he got for Arne, and Arne started eating the meat alone.

"I'm still here; you won't let me join you." Carl asked

"You just gave it to me; supposedly you brought it for me. I don't think I need to call you; is mine alone?" Arne responds.

He continues to eat his meat and drink along. Carl laughed at Arne as he rushed the meat.

"You were starving minutes ago and kept silent," Carl teased.

"I wasn't starving; the meat is tasty; I wonder who prepared it; he or she made it special, "Arne said.

Carl took out some dirt outside the house, put it in the lantern as it's already dark, and laid it on the floor.

"Young man, this is not your house," Arne said.

Carl wondered how he knew he was lying down.

"Sometimes I wonder if you can actually see and pretends your blind " Carl fired back 

"The gods have my eye; I see through them." Arne defends his sight ability.

"I think so. I am staying here for tonight. Get it to your head. I need to rest. Goodnight," Carl said.

Arne didn't respond to him as he continued eating his meat and drink.