Exit post

[bigarmy_strangepants]

Ragnar Lothbrok is ready to leave.

He approaches the bar with an empty hand cart, and three pieces of paper.

The first is a letter to Athelstan, which he leaves with the bar.

It is brief:
My belovett Athelstan, I am happy that you have come hear again and are save and now hou to handel that terrbl king there in England -- I am coming for you! It is almost spring, and as soon as the feelds are tilt and owr allys assembld, we will sail for England and get you! Well, not ONLY you becoz King Horik left you there in the first plaise and I'm shoor he doesn't want you back and comes only for the loot, but you now wat I meen.

I love you very much,

Ragnarr

Pee Ess: I am going to propperly BIE a motorbyke from Jay, and he is no longer angry becoz of the won I droughned, so that is not a problem any mor.


The second is a list, which Ragnar has written out tidily in his still awkward handwriting, and when he puts it on the bar and says something, she starts producing a number burlap sacks and linen bags and jars and casks and even a few boxes, which he loads onto his cart. Numbers are moving rapidly behind his name on the tab board as this happens.

The third piece of paper just contains the Greek words Αγαπώ Αθελσταν as Sinric has written them out for him, to startle Athelstan with when he comes home, and also in order to troll future archaeologists. Ragnar is going to carve those words into a beam and claim they're a good luck charm some wanderer told him.

And that's not completely a lie.


With his cart loaded up as high as things can be stacked, Ragnar wanders over to the door, and leaves for Kattegat. People need those things!



[[OOC: Catch Ragnar by the bar or on his way to the door as he's leaving. I'm gone all of next week for an actual vacation (!!!), so it's time the Vikings change over again.]]

Comments

[like_quicksilver]

She sees him leaving just as she's been shadow boxing with her sword and shield, dropping them to rush over.

"Father.." She watched what he was doing and started to help him load the cart. Some of the casks and heavier boxes were beyond her ability, but she was able to lift the smaller boxes, jars, and sacks. "You'll tell me how things go, right? When you come back."

There was no 'if'.

[bigarmy_strangepants]

"My little Gyda!" Ragnar says. "of course I will -- and this should be enough food to lighten things up until mid-spring, while not too much that Jarl Borg couldn't have hidden it in a shed."

[like_quicksilver]

There was certainly enough to keep the people from starving, if not well fed. They should last till the harvest goes, which would be the main thing. "Maybe I could go with you next time around?"

Now wasn't the best time, not with Jarl Borg and the food situation.

[bigarmy_strangepants]

"That might work," Ragnar says. "Or the time after that. Depending on when the bar brings me again."

[like_quicksilver]

She helped him with the last of the foodstuffs onto the cart. "When it's spring..and when you've done something with Jarl Borg."

She heard what happened and what he did. While she was the less violent one in the family, even she thought his punishment should be severe.

[bigarmy_strangepants]

"You might not want to be there when he is executed," Ragnar says. "It will be dire."

[like_quicksilver]

"What will happen?" She'd seen sacrifices before: had seen people killed. While she expected Borg to be executed, but she wondered how it would be so dire that her father wouldn't want her to watch.

[bigarmy_strangepants]

"Blood Eagle," Ragnar says. "Have you ever heard of it?"

[like_quicksilver]

She frowned, trying to see and remember if she heard the phrase, but in the end she shook her head. For all her time spent with Ragnar's friends, the 'blood eagle' was never mentioned, and in Kattegat, no one ever did anything so serious that it was required as punishment.

[bigarmy_strangepants]

"Killing somebody by pulling his lungs out by his back," Ragnar says. "Very bloody, very harsh, but still honourable. Holding up through it without crying out in pain brings the executed traitor to Valhalla after all."

[like_quicksilver]

She'd lived long enough to know that traitors could expect painful punishments, but now she understood why he didn't want her to watch. There couldn't be any easy way to hold back from screaming if a person's lungs were cut out while still alive.

She leaned against the wall of the cart. "And this is what will happen to him."

[bigarmy_strangepants]

"Yes," Ragnar says, grimly. "A fitting traitor's death without utter dishonour."

[like_quicksilver]

"I see why you don't want me to watch." She'd seen death before, of course, but not this sort: when the point is to have the man suffer.

She also saw little point in going into the subject. "You should come back soon anyway. Next week Bonnie is holding a boat trip to go across the lake, I could earn a viking badge if I help build and navigate the boat we're going to use."

Finally! Something they could agree on.

[bigarmy_strangepants]

"I have to be there for it," Ragnar declares.

Such a nice subject, especially when compared to the Blood Eagle!

"Wouldn't want to miss it."

Beat.

"But if I do, I'm sure Athelstan would be happy to help with it. He's almost a proper Viking now, if a bit short."

[thewidewideworld]

Sinric helps him stack the bags and sacks, making sure they won't slip off. "It that everything?"

[bigarmy_strangepants]

"Yes," Ragnar says. "It's everything from the list, too. Even the blueberries."

He points at a smallish linen bag.

[thewidewideworld]

"Oh good." Sinric smiles. "Think of my fondly when you enjoy them." He leans up to kiss Ragnar's cheek. "I will see you again soon. I wish you and your people a short winter."

[bigarmy_strangepants]

"Thank you," Ragnar says. "That is a good thing to wish us. Soon as you might see me, it might already be over by then."

Time runs faster in Ragnar's world than in the bar, even though there have been no more gaps of many years.

[thewidewideworld]

"I hope so. The sooner it is done, your sooner you can sail to Athelstan and you can both be whole again."

"I will come as often as I can and leave word for you both." He smiles a little sadly. "I will miss you, I always do."

[bigarmy_strangepants]

"As I miss you, and him, both," Ragnar says. "I hope to be here once your Emperor goes on campaign, and breathes his last. You will need somebody to hold you, then."

[thewidewideworld]

"I hope you are both here and reconciled by then. I think I will need you both to hold me." He confesses softly.

[bigarmy_strangepants]

"We will wrap ourselves all around you and hold you as long as you need it," Ragnar promises. "We both want to be there for you."

Even though he hasn't seen him in painfully far too long, Ragnar can confidently speak for Athelstan in this.

[thewidewideworld]

Sinric smiles and leans up to kiss Ragnar again. "Then I shall know I am safe and loved. Thank you."

[bigarmy_strangepants]

"You're always that, with us," Ragnar promises.

[thewidewideworld]

His smiles is warm and loving. "The greatest gift you could have given me. And I thank you for it." He gives Ragnar a gentle push. "Now go see to your people and bring the spring sun to you so you can be back with the one you love."

[bigarmy_strangepants]

"Yes," Ragnar says. "I will do that."

He kisses Sinric, then starts pulling the heavy hand-cart towards the door.

[thewidewideworld]

Sinric waits by the door, watching as Ragnar goes. Once the door is closed, he takes a deep breath to steady himself and puts himself to settings things right and ready for Athelstan.

[bigarmy_strangepants]

[[OOC: Thanks for the thread!]]