Frode stood on the wall of one of the castles looking at the long road ahead, stretching into the darkness. Next to him, Halfdan leant against it, looking down at the courtyard at the feasting warriors, Helga at the head leading the conversation.
"You still wished to marry her," Halfdan asked curiously. Frode looked down at the small man before looking down at her.
"A cynic like you wouldn't get it. This isn't just about what I want, but the Gods. They want her to have my child, I saw it in the visions. A child to unite all our lands and the new world as one." Frode spoke with a zealous tone. Halfdan just laughed at his insane ramblings.
"I wish you luck then my friend. But I'll tell you now, it's a task harder than the Great Adventure." Halfdan patted the man's leg, walking down the stairs towards the table. Frode watched him before his eyes fell on Helga again.
Helga watched Halfdan walk up towards her. She gave a polite smile. "Jarl. It's a pleasure for you to join us. We thought you would spend all day cleaning your weapon again." Her words got a round of drunken laughs from those present. Halfdan simply smiled.
"I will be soon, but first we must talk." His voice was serious. Helga looked him in the eyes. He was the only one who never showed her those eyes she wanted to see. She couldn't understand why he was different from the others, but she knew he could be dangerous to her.
"Of course. Lead the way." Happily, she stood up, Halfdan leading her to the tower closing the door behind them. Helga looked at the small man, in amusement. She wondered why he would need such privacy.
Halfdan took a seat, pulling his axe out and wiping it with a cloth. He looked up at Helga. "You are becoming a dangerous one girl." Halfdan was blunt. He couldn't be bothered with easing the conversation. Helga felt her lip twitch but smiled.
"What do yo.." Trying to play innocent Halfdan slammed his axe in the wooden beam next to him.
"Stop it. I know what you are. Despite the type of man he is your father does as well. Frode is an idiot and Knut is too honourable to see it." Halfdan pulled his axe out cleaning the blade again.
Helga looked at him with cold eyes. Should she kill him here? The question ran through her mind. She knew it would be easy, he was nothing in front of her, barely a man. Halfdan chuckled looking at her eyes. Pointing his finger at her with a wide smile he spoke, "There it is." His cocky attitude got on Helga's nerves but she held herself back, wishing to know why he called her aside.
Halfdan stopped chuckling his face going serious again. "You must realise that this whole thing has strayed off course. What was meant to be a chance to feed our people has now become a need for conquest. Frode thinks with his dick and Knut just wishes to prove he is the true King." Halfdan looked at Helga. He had been making sure to study her over the weeks. "And your father is scared." Helga went wide-eyed at the mention of her father. Halfdan knew he had to play his cars right now. "He's scared of your potential."
Helga looked at the small man. She was sure she was right before, but with him saying it it must have been true. Although she knew that bitter pass between Erik and Halfdan, it wasn't a blood feud, just a dislike of ideals and land. Looking at Halfdan she urged him to continue. "He wants to be the only one to go down in history as the hero of this Adventure, but you block him."
Helga felt the heat in her body rise. Rage filled her heart, finally knowing her father had betrayed her. She couldn't believe it. The emotion flared but quickly was doused by his next words. "You should be the one to lead us. You're different. A God on this land. You are special. Everyone sees it." Helga looked at Halfdan as he spoke. She listened to his praise and put on a large grin she always does, but she knew. He was lying. He didn't believe what he said.
The worship in his eyes was absent. Although he could mimic the voice of the others, his eyes could never show the emotion others gave her. Helga raised her hand, cutting off Halfdan similar to how he did to her.
"Cut the bullshit. You don't need to stroke my ego. What do you want." Halfdan caught off guard by this froze. He had expected to be able to hype her up and get on her good side, but he realised he had underestimated the girl. She was a megalomaniac and self-absorbed, but she wasn't a fool.
"You're right." Halfdan stood up, being more respectful. "Our people are divided. This conquest is impossible with four leaders. So I think we should cut down that number to one." Halfdan said with a serious voice. Helga looked at him her hand holding the hilt of her sword. "Our people are stupid. They look to you like a God and with each battle and ceremony, you reinforce this belief. But it is a tool. You can become the rallying voice, the queen."
"I am a God, little man," Helga said in a cruel tone, taking a step closer. Her words were abrupt cutting into what he wanted to say. "I am the one who is God Bound, I am the one who is The Summoner, I am the one who carries the blood of old." With each word Helga took a step closer, towering over Halfdan looking down at him. "This world for too long has been absent of the Gods. It's your honour that I have come, and you should do well to understand that. I don't need you to tell me that I can be Queen."
He looked up and could see it. She was serious. Everything she did and said, she believed. He thought it was just a way for her to boost her ego. That being said, he also realised despite her delusions, she was capable. "Forgive me. But you must rally those under the others behind you. Knut won't bend the knee, Frode is insane and your father is terrified of you. You have to force the people to replace them. Only with us united under one can we finally carve the land that we need." Halfdan's voice was serious.
Helga looked at the small man below her. Despite his lack of faith in her, he was being genuine about her potential as queen. It was also helpful that, unlike Frode, he could be classed as human. "And what do you want? Are you going to be like Frode and try and take me as well?" It was a disgusting thought to her, but she knew how men thought most of the time.
"Of course not, I have a wife thank you." It was a flat refusal. "No, I just want a place of power, one that my kids and their kids will be able to enjoy. I'm a rationalist and although my family may believe in the divine, I want something tangible to hand down when I die."
Helga placed her hand on her sword, rubbing the hilt thinking. He was a helpful ally to have, but he was slimy. She didn't know when she would find a knife in her back if she agreed. "Let me think on this." Helga turned, not waiting for a reply. The crowd who was waiting for her cheered on her return but was ignored as she walked off with cold eyes.
Her mind was thinking about what Halfdan said but kept lingering on one thing, her father. He was scared. A smile formed as she lightly chuckled to herself. Why did he have to be scared? Did he think she would kill him?
Helga stopped. Her mind span. If he thinks I will kill him, will he kill me? It was a mad thought but she felt it was possible. All his attempts to undermine her, deny her of destiny and role. It all made sense. She felt as if the gears all clicked into place finally.
Erik wished for the glory of the Grand Adventure himself, to be immortalised as a hero. Yet she stood in the way. Her father had allowed her to touch the divine yet wanted her to give it up, scared of overshadowing him. Helga grabbed her mouth falling to a stone and sitting on it. She didn't wish for it to be true, but everything made sense to her.
A cold murderous glint flashed through her eyes. It was only a matter of time before Erik shifted from undermining and suppressing her to trying to kill her. Knut, Frode, Erik and Halfdan. They were all forces that wished to suppress her. Frode was easy to deal with, Knut was a pain but nothing serious and Halfdan could be a potential ally.
Erik was the only one. It was her father, but he was still a human. Helga sat, looking at the two moons in the sky. She knew she wasn't a God yet, despite what she said to Halfdan, but knew it was a matter of time. Was this her final test to achieve the divine?
Looking at the moons, they glowed strangely to her. "I need to speak to an ancient one." She quietly mumbled to herself. One of the ones who called for her father to start the Great Adventure would know. With a final glance at the moons, she walked towards the camp set up.