The Son Of Ragnar

The news of Ulrik's arrest became news in Kattegat, and the lockdown lifted; everyone was surprised because Liv had always been passive in this type of matter, so this shocked both Lagertha and Herfjötur.

Naturally, they requested an audience with Liv, but she rejected it. Something was not sitting right with them, but they faulted Ulrik for his emotional approach to the situation.

Where was Karl? He was Ulrik's right-hand man yet could not advise him against such a foolish decision making them question his usefulness.

Since Liv rejected their offer, they turned their attention to Karl, meeting him in a tavern.

Karl was concerned but knew everything would clear once Ulrik explained himself.

Pushing for his release would only worsen the situation as they may be tried as co-conspirators, leaving no one on the outside to see what is happening.

"Welcome, Lagertha and Herfjötur; please do sit," Karl started the conversation, showing his chivalry as an older man who knew how to speak to ladies.

"I think you know why we are here, so let's get straight to it," Herfjötur responded. She had no time to waste because she felt uneasy with Ulrik gone.

"I know you are both thinking it, but whoever did that knew Ulrik would react that same way… It was no coincidence that Garda went missing." Karl got right down to business, tossing his theory out there.

"Garda's abduction was planned; whoever did this has been studying Ulrik…." Karl concluded, but Lagertha'a gaze was suspicious.

She knew the only person that could get close enough to get this done was Karl. Right now, Karl looked like the prime suspect because he was the only one that knew Ulrik that well.

"You can say it, Lagertha…." Karl knew they suspected him; it was written all over their faces.

"Are you the one responsible for this?" Herfjötur butted in, taking over the conversation.

"What do I have to profit from Ulrik getting taken?" Karl asked, and both ladies went quiet. He was right; he had nothing to gain, and this only disadvantaged him.

"I wish everything could be in black and white, but Ulrik made a decision he did not even pass through me," Karl said. Despite being his right hand, his role was limited because, when you think about it, Ulrik has always been an emotional person, which was another prime example of that. Whoever did this manipulated him perfectly.

"What do you think is going to happen to Ulrik?" Lagertha asked; she was worried because she knew he would be used as a scapegoat by Fredrik, who was using his daughter to carry out his will.

"I believe Ulrik will be sentenced to death; treason is punishable by death," Karl said bluntly, kicking back.

Considering his bond with Ulrik, he looked relatively calm, which was strange.

"D-Death? That is a bit too extreme…." Lagertha muttered, but Herfjötur was not surprised.

This was nowhere to discuss something of this caliber, but this was also the least suspicious place.

Karl did not rule out the possibility of being watched, even as they spoke.

"There is nothing we can do, but I believe Fredrik will give him a choice; Ulrik has the choice for a trial by combat, and there is no one stronger than him in Kattegat, right," Karl said; both ladies shot each other a glance because he did not include them in this calculation of his, but the ladies allowed him to have his moment.

"Oi Karl!" A feminine voice called out, and Karl immediately flushed red, something his guests had taken note of. They were curious to see who was making him blush and jerked their heads in the direction of the voice.

They saw something they did not expect, and this lady was huge but not in height, but in width; she was definitely in her mid-thirties with a very curvy figure.

Herfjötur immediately turned her head the other way, an action that did not go unnoticed by Lagertha because her eyes were focused on her lips; they looked mesmerizing.

"Is that who I think it is?" The lady called out, looking right at Herfjötur.

"Fuck!" Cussed Herfjötur under her breath; she quickly smiled and looked toward the lady that called out. Karl looked equally as surprised as Lagertha because Herfjötur was someone people hardly knew on such a level.

"I knew it was you! I can never forget the behind of a beautiful woman!" The lady joked, and Lagertha could not believe what she was seeing; Herfjötur looked nervous and avoided looking the woman in the eyes.

"H-Hi Bergdis…" Herfjötur greeted her, but before she could speak further, Bergdis embraced her.

"I cannot believe you are back in Kattegat; I am just getting flashbacks cuddled up like this!" Bergdis said; Karl and Lagertha immediately knew what she meant.

This lady was one of her past sexual partners, Herfjötur is a very sexual individual and was not in a committed relationship, but she picked her partners very carefully.

"We are in public…." Herfjötur muttered because they were drawing stares from people around them.

"How about we take it somewhere more…" Bergdis said, pausing briefly as she leaned in.

"... Private…" This sent a cold breeze down the spine of Herfjötur, and the nostalgia that followed made her weak in the knees.

Karl was shocked; he did not know what to make of this because he did not realize that Bergdis swung that way or even Herfjötur. They had discussed and established that Ulrik would be fine, but Karl could not help but think that whoever was responsible for this.

Their objective was not to kill Ulrik; it was to momentarily take him out of the picture as the attack they had stopped suddenly was when Ulrik appeared, so what would happen now that he is under investigation?

Karl knew the men under Ulrik would be under watch as well, as they had lost Kattegat's trust until the investigation was cleared up; this, unfortunately, meant that their weapons were ceased.

But before he could process it, Herfjötur was dragged into a cabin by Bergdis despite Bergdis being the one that called out to him earlier.

"Women…" Karl muttered, forgetting that Lagertha was there.