otherlothbrok:

♞ —The days had been long and the nights starting to become bitterly cold. Rollo found himself spending most days and nights traveling to near by towns and villages, hoping to find allies for their future raid to take back Kattegat. His adventures had been mostly fruitless and left him with far fewer men than he needed, it had also taken its toll on his body leaving him tired and aching even after sleeping for hours on end. But he pushed on, because there was no one to pick up the slack if he did not.

Then Ragnar returned, and things started to look brighter. But barely. They still lacked men and the ones that Ragnar had brought back were exhausting from raiding and traveling at the fast pace their earl had forced upon them.

Everything was looking up, until the frantic shouts that men on horses were approaching filled the lodge they were staying in. Rollo was not far behind Ragnar, he stopped at the crest of the hill when he realized that his brother was not attacking but instead embracing one of the men who had come by horse back. “Lagertha and Bjorn have returned.” He breathed out in surprise, and he saw Siggy by his side cover her mouth in a mixture of shock and happiness. No one had expected the great shieldmaiden to return after the great embarrassment that Ragnar had heaped upon her years ago.

As everyone started to make their way up towards the lodge, Rollo continued to walk down. He stopped to clasp Bjorn on the shoulder with a grin, but his real target was the woman trailing some feet behind them.

                                                 「Lagertha 」

                                                                     

“Lagertha, what are you doing here?” He questioned, ducking his head to be closer to her height. It would be a lie to say that the woman not not been in his thoughts often since she left, but he had never imagined he would see her again. Everyone had assumed she had moved on to bigger and better things than Ragnar and their village. Yet here she was in her full glory, looking ready as ever to fight and die for Ragnar and Kattegat. Rollo wasn’t really sure how that made him feel, mostly just jealous for his brother’s continued good forture.

Reaching out he touched Lagertha’s shoulder gently, a more tender gesture than he should have given considering his lover, Siggy, was likely standing and watching from the hill. “How have you been?” There were few who Rollo showed true concern and affection for, and Lagertha will never cease to be one of those people.

        _{a flame had become no more than embers throughout
        the duration of her absence —- a shell of the woman she
        was. emptiness had become her reality, lost in contemplation
        & reflection, leafing through memory after memory to reveal
        the reason she had been dealt such a dismal fate. the bars
        of cage would sprout from the earth beneath her, trapping
        her within, braids tightly woven in a bundle upon her head.
        a crown of dread, a position that would grow heavy on her
        shoulders.}

                                               _{( for Björn ; —- the words would echo
                                                  within her skull, a constant whisper to
                                                  remain under such oppression. but was
                                                  what was once dormant would never
                                                  remain so for long. )}

        _{word soon had rested on her ears that Kattegat had been
        seized, torn from Ragnar’s governance by Jarl Borg, rising
        the maiden to RISE from the ashes, reborn with shield in
        hand. Sigvard had reigned over her for long enough, viewing
        her as if she was to be bought or sold, a prize to be won when
        Lagertha knew she was far more. The Gods had granted her
        an opportunity to awaken & so she did riding to her former
        husband’s aid with her own fleet of warriors.} 

        _{reunions were to be had, long overdue embraces to occur;
        finally Lagertha felt at home. Longing soon began to dissipate,
        the ghost of a simper etched onto her visage even as Rollo drew
        closer. the manner in which he would carry himself caused her
        to wonder if he too had part of his own transformation. despite
        the enlightening observation, feet continued on their path to
        the lodge, her gaze fixing on the target of her pursuit in the
        distance.} 

                     _{❝ I heard of Jarl Borg —- of Kattegat.
                                     I assumed you would need help to take back Ragnar’s lands. ❞}

        _{no matter what heat his touch would cause to course across
        her skin beneath her attire, she was quick to deprive herself
        of it, grasping his large wrist to guide the limb away. Siggy
        was meant to be the recipient of such tenderness not her, a
        fact Rollo had to be reminded of even if her movement had
        halted briefly to speak with him.} 

                                        _{❝ I have been well.
                                                    What of you, Rollo?❞} 

                                                                                 _{( a harmless lie. none did
                                                                                   not need to know of her
                                                                                   situation. )}