Ragnar went to see his brother, Ulf. Ulf was scarce and rarely visited him, so Ragnar decided to pay him a visit instead.
He knocked on the door but received no response, so he knocked again. Still, there was no reply. Noticing the door was unlocked, Ragnar pushed it open and stepped inside.
Although entering uninvited might seem like an invasion of privacy, Ragnar felt it was acceptable since it was his brother's house, and he knew Ulf wouldn't mind..
He didn't see Ulf immediately but noticed a naked woman lying on the bed. Ragnar averted his gaze, unfazed, and moved to search another room in the house, hoping to find Ulf there but with no luck.
"You, wake up," Ragnar said to the girl in his brother's bed and she quickly moved to cover up her more private areas under the sheets. Ragnar did not once look away as he had seen a hundred naked ladies, instead he kept his gaze firmly above her chest
"Where is my brother, woman?" Ragnar asked, his tone slightly aggressive. It took a moment for her to realize who was talking to her because she knew Ulf had family as he had spoken about Ragnar once or twice when he had a bit too much to drink and this made Ottkatla nervous because she did not know just what Ragnar was capable of.
"Do you understand the words coming out of my mouth?" Ragnar pressed. He noticed the brand of a slave on her shoulder, which surprised him. Surely, his brother hadn't bought a slave?
The woman, Ottkatla, understood that as a slave, her life held little value. She had to tread carefully to avoid angering either Ragnar or Ulf.
"Forgive me, but I do not know where Lord Ulf has gone," she replied softly.
Ragnar sighed in frustration, puzzled by her strange behavior.
"Hey, brother," a voice called out. Ragnar turned to see Ulf standing there, sweating and with bloodied fists. Ragnar remained silent, observing his brother.
"Get the fuck out, whore!" Ulf barked at Ottkatla. She scrambled out of the bed, clutching the sheets around her, and ran out, barely clothed. The two brothers were left in awkward silence.
"What brings you here, brother?" Ulf asked, walking toward the bed.
Ragnar said nothing at first, his sharp gaze fixed on Ulf, studying him.
Ulf then proceeded to apologize for the state of his house and the presence of the thrall in his bed but Ragnar waved it off, and he was fine with it.
"What happened to your hands, Ulf?" Ragnar finally asked, his voice stern.
"Oh this, it is just a scratch. Nothing to worry about," Ulf said, quickly taking his fists from the sight of Ragnar but Ragnar was not going to push it. Whatever reasons he had to keep it from him were best known to Ulf.
"I came to talk to you about joining my expedition," Ragnar opened up the conversation, he got straight to the point as he had no time to waste.
"Expedition? Who is leading this expedition, brother?" Ulf asked. It sounded rhetorical but Ragnar responded nonetheless.
"I am, Ulf and that is why I want you by my side. I need your strength, brother." Ragnar said and the way he phrased his words broke through the attitude Ulf was putting up.
"You have my sword, brother," Ulf responded with a lighter demeanor.
"I heard about the execution, that man made a fool out of us," Ulf said, wiping the blood off his fists.
"That was no ordinary man, that was a great warrior," Ragnar responded, sitting on the edge of the bed the lady was just on.
"He is an enemy, brother," Ulf said but Ragnar brushed it off, he did not want to continue the conversation because he knew he and his brother did not see eye to eye on so many things but this did not mean they did not get along.
"Who was the girl?" Ragnar asked, effectively changing the conversation.
"She is a slave, a thrall. She is no one important." Ulf responded.
"A slave, why are you with a slave? You do not own her, Ulf." Ragnar said. He knew the trouble it would bring if Ulf was doing this without her owner's permission.
"Hahaha! You do not need to worry about that, brother. How is Bjorn?" Ulf played the Uno reverse card, changing the topic himself.
"Bjorn is great, I have decided to take him and Tyr with me on this next expedition as well. The boys are of age," Ragnar said, which brought a surprised look from Ulf.
"That is Bjorn for you!" Ulf said, though he did not acknowledge Tyr in his excitement. Ragnar took note of this but wasn't bothered, as he knew what sort of person his brother was.
"How is Lagertha?" Ulf asked and a momentary silence followed, but it was broken soon after.
"Why don't you come to see her yourself? You liked doing that a lot once upon a time," Ragnar said in a suggestive tone, and the panic in Ulf's eyes was apparent. Ragnar knew Lagertha was beautiful and a strong warrior, so he couldn't blame his brother for being attracted to her but that was where it should end. She belonged to Ragnar and Ragnar alone.
"What? I can't see my sister-in-law?" Ulf said in a playful voice, but Ragnar's blue eyes looked right at him as though they had pierced his soul..
"Ulf, she belongs to me," Ragnar said in a stern tone, maintaining eye contact. Ulf knew in that moment Ragnar wasn't joking, as his muscles tensed up.
"I know, brother. I would never betray you," Ulf responded, and Ragnar smiled.
"I know, brother. I know," Ragnar said.