The events in Kattegat were something no one could have conceived happening, Tyr alongside Erik had just been sentenced to be exiled.
Ragnar was filled with rage that his son would side with the man that violated his mother and caused her so much pain. Bjorn felt betrayed, and Lagertha was the only one with a heart big enough to understand where her son was coming from but she knew the consequences that came with his actions.
The sentence had been given and the fact that Askild allowed the citizens to decide their fate not only undermined Birger as the supposed King but took away what little chance he had left of the control he thought he had. Birger had only one course of action and that was to kill Askild, he charged toward the injured man, no one was within proximity to stop his attack, Askild had to defend himself yet he remained calm.
"Birger! You bastard!" Ulf shouted, for some reason he was bandaged up, Birger looked in his direction to see Ragnar's brother wielding a bow and arrow.
Before anyone could speak, the arrow burrowed into Birger with Ulf, Birger fell with a thumping sound and even Askild was surprised because no one knew where Ulf came from and if he had been watching what was happening but they were thankful he came.
Ulf rushed to Birger to confirm he was dead, everyone applauding his act of bravery.
"Birger is dead." Ulf declared upon checking his pulse with another warrior confirming this as well. Ulf then noticed everyone present, this included his brother and Lagertha, he had no knowledge of Ragnar coming here or rather it did not seem like he did.
"R-Ragn… I mean King Ragnar!" Ulf blurted out, he could not believe his eyes but he noticed the tense atmosphere as well, he knew now was not a good time for a reunion.
Ulf held his tongue, but his eyes softened momentarily when he saw Lagertha, something that Ragnar took note of.
"Ulf… Thank you for saving my life but now is not the time, to get rid of Birger's body," Askild commanded Ulf to which complied and picked up Birger's body. Ulf knew with this, there was no way that King Askild would not recognize him because he had done his part.
This was a very anticlimactic way to go for a man such as Birger and what was even more fascinating was how everyone glossed over his death.
"Erik The Berserker and Tyr Ragnarsson, you have been exiled from Kattegat. You have been stripped from all titles and association you have had with Kattegat and should you try to return, you will be hunted and killed." Askild gave the final sentence, everyone was satisfied with this verdict.
"Father, mother, brother… I hope one day you can all forgive me but this is the path I have chosen as a warrior," Tyr said, Erik had a cocky look on his face throughout.
Once again, Erik had escaped death as he does so often.
"King Ragnar, I hope we meet again to finish this marvelous battle!" Erik said.
Tyr and Erik were being escorted out of the village, Lagertha rushed towards her son and handed him a necklace, it was a pendant with a moon crescent.
"Stay safe Tyr! I will always love you!" Lagertha reassured him, embracing him. Tyr tried so hard to keep a brave face throughout the whole proceeding but he broke down the moment Lagertha showed she would never abandon him.
Tyr wept loudly, he did not hold back his tears and everywhere felt silent.
Ragnar closed his eyes because he knew if he looked right now, he would be overcome with emotions; with everything he had sacrificed for Tyr, he had grown to love him.
This war changed everything, Erik had enough time to sink his claws into Tyr and that changed him.
Tyr was just a kid when it came to it, and right now Lagertha knew he needed all the love she could give, for a mother's love is supposed to be unconditional.
Bjorn Ironside, on the other hand, looked at him with utter disgust and hatred.
Whatever bonds the brothers shared had been fractured, Rugalf looked at one of his men in the crowd and nodded at him, a subtle gesture but for what?
It was finally over and Askild emerged victorious in the game of politics.
-
Ulf was seen carrying Birger's dead body into a strange secluded area, laying his body gently on the ground. For someone dead, he was sure to handle it with care.
"Birger was right when he said he could trust you," Linnea said, emerging out of the blue alongside two others; Inga with Arvid strapped to her back.
"I do not know what you dipped the arrow tip in but it killed him instantly, I made sure to shoot the arrow as he instructed me but… He still died," Ulf muttered but he saw Linnea carrying a strange fluid and pouring it into Birger's mouth before repeatedly hitting his chest like some sort of savage.
"H-Hey, he is already dead! What are you doing?" Ulf muttered but in reality, the arrow he had used was something that relaxed his muscles and nerves. This included his heart but it was only temporary and if Ulf had been a few minutes later, this 'resurrection' would not have been possible.
Birger came back to life, coughing vigorously as he tried his hardest to catch his breath.
Birger had caught Ulf the night before, sparing him under one condition, which was this.
Birger was no fool, he knew there was a possibility that things would go backward and devised a plan B. He had promised Ulf the fame he wanted because everyone would think he saved Askild and with commanders falling left and right, nothing was stopping Ulf from ascending to the ranks of commander with so many vacant spots. Birger presented all these possibilities to Ulf and Ulf has always been someone swayed by the premise of fame and glory.
Ulf complied because he was not hurting anyone and Kattegat would return to Askild.
The signal was Birger charging at Askild, Ulf was within hearing distance of the commotion and he did in fact, know his brother was coming and had seen him already.
"What was the point of all this, Birger?" Ulf questioned the green-eyed man.
"You may not realize but the seed of doubt has been planted, Kattegat will soon tear itself apart," Birger said, getting to his feet as he was supported by Linnea. Birger knew for a King to truly rule, the people had to select them, he also caught Asger giving Askild the look that was once directed at him. Asger did not buy Asger's explanation and it was only a matter of time before he acts out. Birger was no longer 'alive' for him to direct his rage at but Birger's job was done, he was returning to the shadows.
"The game does not stop because you take the head of the King, he will just be replaced with another... I was never after the crown but the one who truly led Kattegat in the shadows," These were Birger's last words as Ulf noticed the decapitated head of Fredrik in the corner and an unconscious Liv.
"This is my parting gift to you, Ulf. The man who killed me twice," Ulf was bandaged, barely recovering from his injuries from the day before and the only reason he could work was because the arrow missed vital organs.
-
The sun had set, and Erik and Bjorn were sent on their way with nothing but the clothes on their shoulders. Ragnar had fucked up Erik's face pretty well, and the swelling barely reduced but it did not bother Erik, this was a man used to mutations.
Winter was coming and there was no way they would last out there once it hit.
They had been journeying for over thirty minutes, Erik was glad he had someone as loyal as Tyr by his side, it felt like he was looking at himself through the mirror.
"Little Berserker, why did you help me?" Erik questioned, he was walking with a limp because even he could not ignore a fractured bone, not when that leg is supporting his weight.
"Because you are my commander, Erik," Tyr responded but his tone was devoid of emotions, and Erik laughed out loud.
"That is a good respons-!" Erik stopped the moment he saw his leg flying in front of him, he looked back to see one of Tyr's axes bloodied.
"What?" Erik said, right before dropping to the ground, he met Tyr's lifeless eyes.
"Which hand was it…" Tyr asked but this sounded like a rhetorical question, he was referring to the hand Erik had used to knock Bjorn unconscious, it was his right hand and Tyr brought down his ax like an executioner to sever it.
Erik was at his mercy at this moment and Tyr was not about to give him a quick death either.
"Those eyes… Yes! You have the eyes!" Erik exclaimed. Erik, despite his condition, tried to attack Tyr by lunging his hand to grab his neck but Tyr severed all his fingers in one swing.
"I curse everyone that loves me, this is the only way. I did not save you, Erik. I saved them," Tyr said, he looked at Erik's crotch and brought down his ax like Thor's hammer, slicing his dick and crushing his balls in one swing.
"Hahaha! Kill me, little Berserker! You are worthy!" Erik proclaimed, Tyr squatted over him and said.
"My name is Tyr Ragnarsson," These were the words he said right before slicing Erik's eyes out with his axes, effectively blinding him.
"I am not granting you, Valhalla Erik…" Tyr said and only then did Erik's arrogance halt and a look of confusion followed.
Tyr took Erik's weapon and tossed it aside, and this was the only time Erik showed dread.
If he was denied Valhalla, then his life was meaningless.
"You can't do this to me!" Erik barked but Tyr was not listening.
"Goodbye, Erik," Tyr said, bringing down his ax once more to sever Erik's head, killing him.
Tyr had just killed the man everyone feared, the man everyone thought he had saved.
Tyr killed everyone he thought was a threat or he deemed responsible for his family's safety.
That was why…. He killed Herfjötur, he had managed to kill her because she had her guard down around him, and even with that, she still managed to inflict multiple injuries on him.
Tyr killed her for the sole reason that she was a liability that made his mother remain captive, if she was never caught, Lagertha would have been freed but this was unknowingly the single thing that ruined Birger's plan as people assumed it was him and thus the accusations, this was why Birger was extra cautious in not killing the commanders for this reason. But Tyr blamed her and he would do it all over again.
"Tyr Ragnarsson," A voice called out behind him, it was the guard that Rugalf had given the nod to, he had been tracking him to deliver a message to him but he was horrified by the state of Erik's corpse and that Tyr even killed him in the first place.
"What is it?" Tyr asked and the man just gave him a handwritten letter before walking away, this was the best course of action.
Tyr opened up the letter to read its content before putting it in his pocket, Rugalf had offered him amnesty in his kingdom on the condition he married his daughter but Tyr had something he needed to do for now as he walked into the distance, the thundering clouds acknowledging the feat of the god of war.
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