Tyr was blank, his face looked like he was about to throw up, and he felt sick with himself because he could not help but feel responsible for what had occurred.
He knew that his father would be ashamed of him if he saw what he had become, it took killing these people to snap him back and remember the principles he was raised on.
The journey to Vestfold was easy thanks to the horses, and it took a few hours until they were within sight of the kingdom, this meant that the information they had gotten was correct but it was far too calm, he saw the deceased bodies on the battlefield, they had left them to rot as a reminder that they had failed in their conquest.
"The battle has already concluded," Oskar said, and by the way things looked, it was clear that they had failed but the body count was too low.
But a scout found them and directed them to the camp where Askild and his men rested.
Kattegat was watching the walls to report any movement from Vestfold while they recuperated.
Erik arrived at their temporary camp and saw that everyone was okay but their look of shock was that he was alive.
"What the fuck is with this mood?" Erik blurted out as Sven followed, both men unmounting their horses.
Bjorn, who had earlier pretended like he was not worried about his younger brother, ran towards them the moment he saw Erik was there without hesitation.
"I-Is Tyr okay!?" Bjorn asked. The desperation in his voice was telling.
"Tyr Ragnarsson is alright and he has proved himself in battle, to be formidable," Oskar said, as Tyr unmounted the horse but Bjorn's heart dropped the moment he saw the look in Tyr's eyes.
Tyr could not even look him in the eyes, and kept his eyes on the ground, he was mumbling to himself while fiddling with his fingers.
"Tyr…?" Bjorn said and Ragnar noticed his strange behavior but he had to remain in character because he knew for certain Erik had something to do with this.
"Where is the rest of your unit?" Skarde asked Erik, ignoring his earlier question.
"Ah, they died…" Erik said bluntly, it was clear he did not care about the people he had lost because this possibility had always existed. This was the way of his unit, they saw and welcomed death as some sort of honor and in doing so, they did not fear it.
"Everyone died?" Skarde asked but Erik brushed past him, he wanted to protest but Sven stepped in and gave him the answer he was seeking.
"Yes, everyone else died but we were able to kill our enemies despite being outnumbered. But that is not the most fascinating thing, where is King Askild?" Sven asked.
And Skarde pointed to a secluded area and there he was, the leader of Kattegat that had just been humbled.
Erik was the first to see him and he noticed that Askild had wounds all over his body, the fact that he was not in Vestfold right now could only mean that they were pushed back.
Erik stood right in front of him without saying a word,
He could not understand who he was looking at, Askild looked him right in the eyes but Erik was not bending the knee and stared him down.
Sven had to grab him by the shoulder and force him to his knees, Erik did not resist much as he was brought to his knees with Sven following suit.
"King Askild, we have succeeded in defeating the forces at the frontlines but we lost almost all our men," Sven reported, bringing the head of the man that they killed as he laid it right in front of King Askild.
"King Askild, we have managed to kill King Asmund," Sven said and Askild was surprised because this man looked exactly like Asmund.
Birger caught a glimpse of this and rushed to their side to give them clarification regarding this severed head.
"That is not Asmund, but I understand what my brother did… This is Earl Hakon, he was often used as a double for Asmund but that was all he was good at. He did not have any talent except that. The story of the false King of Vestfold was from this arrangement but it was never confirmed that it was a double so it remained a rumor." Birger said, and Sven looked at Erik.
He could not believe that Erik could tell them apart with a single look, but it was more primal than it was logical, Erik was a creature of instincts.
"King Askild…" Erik muttered, the voice he used sounded of repressed anger and Sven knew he had to do something to stop him but he wanted to see what he wanted to say.
"What is the meaning of this, King Askild?" Erik asked and everyone's face turned, no one had dared speak to Askild like this and Erik had no right to do so just because of his rage.
Before Erik could blink, he felt a metal steel right at his neck, and the killing intent that oozed from Askild's body was overwhelming, it was like a wolf reestablishing his hold on his pack.
"Erik, who do you think you are talking to?" Askild asked a very simple question and Erik found himself unable to speak because he was reminded of what happened the last time he spoke up against Askild.
"I am sorry, King Askild. I was just taken by surprise regarding your injuries," Erik said but Askild noticed his missing ear and wondered who was capable of doing that.
He knew Erik was a man of passion and understood his outburst but this war reminded him why Erik was such an invaluable asset to them.
He had a knack for violence, but this did not change the fact that they had lost the most important battle in this war and were now on the disadvantageous side.
They could not act now, all they could do was wait for Hagen to finish constructing what he was making and that was projected to be in a month.
They had a month to prepare for the second wave and despite being in the enemy's territory, Askild knew that there was no way they would launch an attack on them in the meantime as they were safest behind the walls but he also knew that Asmund would have eyes on them. That thought made him recall what Asmund said as Askild thought to himself.
"There is a traitor in this camp…"
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