(no subject)

[my_brothers_shadow]

The fire is warm, this last night in Jarl Borg's hall. In the morning, Ragnar and his men must leave to deliver the news to King Horik; that there will be no agreement about the disputed lands, only battle. The fire is warm, but Rollo's heart is cold.

"So my friend, the die is cast," Jarl Borg says calmly, persuasively. "King Horik has left me no choice. I must attack him and claim with is rightfully mine. Your brother will clearly not support me. But the question is, will you? Will you fight alongside me? Together, you and I can carve out the new kingdom. Isn't that what you really want? The death of your brother and the start of your own fame? Well, what do you say?"

There is a breath of silence, where floor boards creak and the fire crackles.

 

"I say yes. I will fight with you. I will fight with you against my brother." Rollo says, his heart cold and hard as stone. To gain renown, risks must be taken after all.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
 

The next morning, Ragnar, Floki and the others are milling about, preparing to leave. Rollo wonders if Ragnar has even noticed his brother has not packed his things.

Comments

[bigarmy_strangepants]

Ragnar has; of course he has.

Despite everything else, even Aslaug, Ragnar has noticed that there are more clouds than usual about his brother.

"You're not planning to come?" he asks, turning up with a saddle bag over his shoulder beside Rollo, who is still carrying nothing.

[my_brothers_shadow]

Rollo turns to look his brother in the eye but soon his eyes slide away. "Jarl Borg has offered me a place in his home. I accepted."

Order me to leave with you, brother. His thoughts betray before he leans to the side to spit them out.

[bigarmy_strangepants]

"You prefer that?" Ragnar says, tilting his head just a little.

[my_brothers_shadow]

Rollo shrugs and frowns a little. "Jarl Borg says many things, I would like to see which are true. Besides, you will soon have Bjorn to guard your back. I wouldn't want to keep him from his place."

[bigarmy_strangepants]

"I have two shoulders behind which men may stand in battle," Ragnar says, shaking his head slowly.

[my_brothers_shadow]

"This is true," Rollo says, forcing himself to stand firm. "But there are many who would take my place at your shoulder. I will try to make my own place here instead."

[bigarmy_strangepants]

"At the shoulder of a madman?" Ragnar says, plainly.

[my_brothers_shadow]

Rollo laughs.

"You say that as we've not lived with a mad Earl before."

[bigarmy_strangepants]

"So we got rid of him," Ragnar says. "That might be what Horik has in mind for Jarl Borg."

[my_brothers_shadow]

"Perhaps," Rollo replies with a shrug. "Regardless, I have made my decision and will see if my fortune waits here for me. A safe journey, brother. Say hello to Gyda for me when you see her. And Bjorn, watch your father's back for me, eh?"

[bigarmy_strangepants]

"You will remember whose side you are on if the worst comes to the worst," Ragnar says.

Björn nods, and they take their leave.

What else is there to be said?