Bjorn, watching Ragnar's expression, placed a hand on his shoulder. "Let's rebuild. We'll honor those we lost today. That's what they would have wanted."
Ragnar nodded slowly, his gaze still fixed on the path where Sylas had disappeared. "Yes. For the North."
Back at the fortress, word of the victory spread, but so did news of Karl's death and the letter he had left behind. The whispers reached every corner, from the nobles to the commoners, each carrying their own version of the tale of betrayal, regret, and vengeance that would haunt the House of Leininggen for years to come.
In the end, the North had been saved, but at the cost of a legacy that was forever tainted, and under the shadow of a hero who wanted nothing to do with its throne.
