How a Queen should be.. very open!

It hadn’t been an easy task, hosting a feast like this one. The preparations had cost them much time as well as gold and silver. It wasn’t just a feast for Kattegat, it was a feast for every Viking clan within the reach of Scandinavia. And Björn was enthusiast about it. Other villages meant other people, and other people meant new information and influences. People knew, that it was his dream to sail the world, to discover new lands and cultures. But his dream had broken into pieces when his father had left his family. Since then it had always been a battle between keeping Kattegat the way his father build it, and stopping Aslaug from poisoning it. Aslaug. Björn was happy that she and Ivar had kept calm during the preparations, so he could take care of everything. The great hall, the welcoming, the sacrifice. But then on the other side, she hadn’t even taken the effort to step outside and join them during the ceremony. He knew she was jealous about not doing the sacrifice herself, he knew she felt like she wasn’t being treated like a real Queen. But what kind of Queen was she, when she didn’t wanted to join the people that had travelled so far to meet her?

So when the sacrifice was over, and the people started to enter the great Hall, Björn walked upon her. His eyes fell on the empty throne beside her, the throne of his father. A throne he would never, ever sit on. Not even if they chose him as King. ”I see you have found your place yet again.” He said, with a slightly annoyed undertone in his voice. ”More.” Aslaug stared right in front of her, thought Björn not worthy of any glance. A servant came closer and poured her another cup of ale. He felt his stomach tingling from negative emotions when he looked at the always dejected look on Aslaug’s face. ”A place you don’t deserve if you don’t act like it.” Björn frowned his forehead and looked at all the people that were already inside the great hall. On their side everything was warm and happy, a feast. But on the platform where Aslaug was sitting, it was cold and dark. Like it were two different worlds. ”I suggest you go and greet our guests. Before you are no longer able to stand on your feet.” Björn looked at her in disgust. How did his father ever chose her above his mother?

Aslaug didn’t needed any words to express her hatred towards Björn. Only by looking at her facial expressions and body language he knew enough. But he knew it longer than today.. He knew Aslaug had hated him for quite a while. And on the opposite case it was exactly the same. Two people, hating each other to the bone, but they had to rule alongside each other. It wasn’t a simple task Ragnar had left over to them.. And Björn hated his father for leaving him behind with the woman that had changed his entire life since the day she had walked into Ragnar’s.

”You are right, Björn, this is my place. This throne you see me sitting on at this very moment is reserved for the Queen and you would do well to remember this.” Björn looked away from her, to the side of the great hall and clenched his jaws firmly onto each other. There were muscles moving in his neck from the power that was behind it. When he looked back at her, there had appeared an even deeper anger in his blue eyes. There were so many words on his tongue that could made her burst from anger. But he decided not to use them. Not today. Not until she really crossed his line. For now she just wasn’t worth his energy. But then she spoke again... ”That chair that you see next to me. That belongs to a King. Are you a King, Björn?” He could feel her false eyes crawl all over his skin. ”You know I am no King.” He answered her in a mocking way. What kind of stupid questions was she asking? And with what purpose? ” I have no intention in becoming King, I’m just protecting it from your poisoning hands until my father returns.” It was known that Björn had other, much bigger dreams than just sitting on a wooden throne, fixing the issues from poor farmers and dressmakers.