Chapter Text
The next day, after a quiet morning, Rollo brought Faelan back to Ragnar. Before they reached the entrance, Rollo pulled Faelan into the shadows. He put his arms tightly around her, desperate to hang on for just another moment. He lifted her chin and gave her a sweet kiss, happy that she responded immediately. “Do you want this, Faelan?”, he asked her with a rough voice. “Do you want me to fight for you?” Faelan looked at him. Did she want this? Did she want him? She smiled at him and pushed away from him. “I want to be happy. Are you willing to try and make me happy?” Then she turned without waiting for his answer and left.
Ragnar barely acknowledged her return, just a nod in her direction, as he talked to Harald. Faelan was ever so glad about this and quickly made her escape from his presence.
Then Edith pulled her aside to give instructions on what needed to be done. That night, another feast was to be held.
Again, Faelan was busy serving food and drink. The later it got, the more drunk everyone was. Esme was in the middle of the longhouse, dancing in sultry moves, for everyone to see.
One song had ended and Esme let herself fall into Ragnar’s lap. Harald, who was sitting next to him, touched Esme’s hair gently. “Will you dance for me too, girl? To entertain me with your beauty?” Ragnar grinned and pushed the girl from his lap. “Go on then! Dance for Harald! And maybe, you can entertain him further tonight as I will be otherwise occupied.” His eyes drifted to Faelan who was filling up his mug right at that moment. She didn’t say anything but her eyes flickered to his and then away, hoping against all hope that he was talking about something else. Esme sulked but got up when a new piece of music began. She started dancing, occupying Harald’s attention. She smiled and pulled him to his feet. Then she proceeded to dance around him, grinding against him every now and again. Harald was enjoying himself, downing the last of his ale and threw the empty mug away. Then he grabbed onto Esme with both hands, bringing her closer, kissing her roughly. Esme bulked and pulled away, looking to Ragnar for help. But he only shrugged and laughed. When Harald grabbed Esme again, she tried to pull away. Harald got angry. He grabbed her tighter, pulled her against himself. When Esme kept struggling, Harald put his hand on her throat and started squeezing.
“I told you to entertain me, slave!” Esme kept fighting his hold, tears streaming down her face now, struggling for air. Faelan took a step towards them, but Kelly, who was sitting where Faelan had just refilled the mugs, held her back.
Harald pulled down Esme’s dress to reveal her breast. It looked rather white against Harald’s dark hand. “You must feed me, my sweet girl!” He laughed and bent to suck on her exposed nipple. Suddenly, Esme screamed as blood was squirting from her breast. Where her nipple had been, remained a bloodied spot. Harald had bitten it off and grinned like the lunatic that he was, still holding it between his blood-stained teeth. He took it delicately out with his finger and held it up, for everyone to see. Harald laughed and let the tip of his tongue capture a droplet of blood from the severed nipple. Then he grinned at Esme. “That will be the only liquid ever coming from that nipple.” Then he threw it carelessly to one of the dogs lying underneath the table. The dog gobbled it up immediately.
Finally, Faelan got over the initial shock. She pulled out of Kelly’s grasp and rushed to Esme who laid on the floor, writhing in pain. Faelan shouted for someone to bring her a hot iron as she tried to stop the bleeding. One of the other slaves handed her a hot rod and watched as Faelan cauterised the wound. The sizzling sound of burning flesh almost made Faelan gag. Esme, thankfully, passed out. Faelan called for ointment and bandages when Harald, who had been looking on with curious interest, suddenly pulled the slave away by her hair.
“Now, you will entertain me!”, he ordered in a laugh. Faelan looked to Ragnar who had finally risen to his feet. He bent to check on Esme and softly ordered the other slaves to take her away and take care of her. His cold gaze turned to Harald.
“You are taking too many liberties, Harald. Leave my slaves alone now.” But Harald just grinned in his drunken stupor. “I will be entertained. Or you will feel the wrath of my brother’s army!” He pushed Faelan forward and she fell to the ground. “Entertain me, girl! Or I will find entertainment myself!” Faelan looked to Ragnar and he just nodded, barely holding back his anger. “Sing us a song, Faelan!”, Ragnar ground out. Harald pushed Faelan again and she looked at him with hatred in her eyes. Then she started singing as he had wished, but in her native tongue. “Seas, thoir mo shluagh maille rium, còmhla tha sinn a’ dol gu dachaigh ùr snasail!” Faelan stood up from the ground and turned to her fellow slaves, repeating the same lyrics but in Saxon. Their eyes turned big. Faelan looked at them, sang the song for them. Some of the slaves backed away in fear. But others started to whisper along to the lines. Ragnar, too caught up in the events, didn’t catch on at first. But when Faelan repeated the song in Norse, his smile faltered and his focus turned from Faelan to all the other slaves. Faelan was still turned to them, singing “Stand up, take my people with me, together we are going to a brand new home.” All the slaves started to rally behind her, singing with Faelan and the tension in the longhouse grew along with the intensity of the song. Faelan turned towards where Ragnar and Harald had sat down. “Far across the river, can you hear freedom calling? Calling me to answer!” She took a step towards them, then another, the slaves following her as they belted out the song with her. Faelan bent over the table until she was almost nose to nose with Harald, holding his gaze as she sang “I keep on keeping on, I can feel it in my bones.” With that, the song ended and Faelan held the knife Harald had used for eating, against his throat. She just stared at him, holding the knife in place, as the slaves behind her quieted down. The apprehension in the air was palpable.
“Faelan!”, Ragnar growled out in a warning. And then a softer “Little wolf!”, from her side. Faelan’s gaze drifted to the voice, like a magic pull she couldn’t deny. Rollo was standing next to her. Not angry. But still... “Drop the knife, little wolf.” Faelan blinked like waking up from a trance, then her gaze returned to Ragnar and then, finally, back to Harald. She dropped the knife with a grin and then backed away.
Rollo grabbed her arm and pulled Faelan away.
Ragnar’s gaze drifted to the other slaves. Some backed away quickly while others needed a longer stare from him to make them move. But without Faelan, their suddenly found spirit of togetherness and courage seemed to dissipate rather quickly.
Then Ragnar’s eyes settled on Harald. “You have violated the law of hospitality by hurting what is mine. Get out of my sight!” Harald wanted to protest but Ragnar cut him off. “Leave or you will pay what is owed tenfold.”
Harald pushed away from the table and left with a growl.
Ragnar watched him leave for a moment, then turned and stormed off to find Faelan.
Rollo had brought Faelan to Ragnar’s bedroom. It was the only place where there was relative quiet and nobody else would dare enter.
“You should stop antagonising Ragnar at every turn, little wolf. It will only make things more difficult”, Rollo ground out once they were alone. Faelan looked at him like he had sprouted horns. “Antagonising Ragnar? He sat there, watching on as Harald mutilated Esme right in front of him! He deserves a lot more than…” “What happens to the other slaves is not your concern!”, Rollo cut her off. “They are my friends!”, Faelan shouted at him. “They are slaves!”, Rollo shouted back. Then he took a deep breath. “There is nothing you can do to change their fate. Stop trying to make yourself a martyr for them at every turn!”
Faelan backed away from him in disgust.
Ragnar entered the room and interrupted their shouting match. Faelan looked from one brother to the other. She took a deep breath. In a calmer, crisp voice, she made her position clear. “I will do what I can, while I can, for my people. If it means I can better their situation, I don’t mind losing any blood in the process. I will fight for them with the strength I’ve got until I die. We are more than just a piece of meat, a body to trade, use and then throw away when broken.”
Faelan jutted out her chin in a challenge to both brothers. Rollo looked at her, furious that she was so easy to dismiss her life for a lost cause. He felt like throttling her to see reason. His fingers itched to grab her and teach her a lesson. If it hadn’t been for Ragnar’s presence, Rollo would have shown her exactly what he thought of her statement. And make her see reason.
Ragnar on the other hand just grinned. “Your little show was just the perfect last push for Harald. Now he knows the slaves will rally together if they are pushed. Hopefully, he will finally get on with his little scheme!” Faelan looked at him, astonished. Then anger flushed her once more.
“That bloody bastard bit her nipple off! How can he expect anyone to do anything for him now?”, Faelan exclaimed outraged.
Ragnar’s grin widened. “He will promise you freedom if you help him.” Faelan creased her forehead. “Help him do what?” Ragnar leaned back against the wall, his smile widening. “Overthrow me, of course! Take my place as King.” Faelan’s gaze drifted to Rollo, asking his thoughts on it. But Rollo just shrugged. “He asked for my support already.” Ragnar looked at his brother, surprised momentarily, fearful of what his answer might have been. For him, it was not always clear where Rollo stood.
Faelan suddenly remembered. “He asked Gunnar about routes in and out of Kattegat.” Ragnar smiled devilishly. “Yes, so he can bring his brother’s army. But he needs support from within the town. And this is where the two of you come into play.” Ragnar leaned forward and looked at both Rollo and Faelan expectantly.
“Cozy up to him, make him believe that you will help in his endeavour.” Faelan shook her head in disbelief. “I will not help him. He is worse than you are!” Ragnar laughed. “You just gave a whole speech about how you will do anything to help the other slaves. And now you want to refuse?”
Ragnar’s gaze drifted to Rollo. “If you help me with this, brother, if you prove loyal to me, I will grant you anything you wish.” Rollo’s gaze immediately went to Faelan and Ragnar’s grin widened. He had anticipated as much.
Faelan snorted. “So the prize for his loyalty is my ownership? Just fantastic! And what do I get? A pat on the back?”
Ragnar threw his head back and laughed. “You?” he got up and uncomfortably close to Faelan. “You will get to keep your life a little longer. I could have you beaten to a bloody pulp for the stunt you pulled with your song!” Faelan got right up into his face. “You told me to sing!” Ragnar went even closer so their noses almost touched. “But not cause mutiny amongst the slaves!”
Rollo stepped in between them, pushing Faelan back a bit. “Ragnar will grant you one wish, as long as it is within reason, to better the lives of all the slaves under his rule.” Ragnar quirked his eyebrow at Rollo but then he nodded. “One wish it is. Within reason.” Faelan tilted her head but then agreed. “Fine. I will do as you ask.” Ragnar sighed a breath of relief and rocked back on his feet. “Go, see to Esme then. There are things I need to discuss with my brother.” He dismissed Faelan with a wave of his hand.
