Chapter 435 The Spider’s Trap!
Things were getting intense and the Vikings outside were granted safe passage into the Kingdom with little to no resistance.
Bjorn made eye contact with his father and he didn't need words to know that Ragnar had witnessed something he would rather not have witnessed.
Bjorn looked at Tyr and saw that he was covered in blood but it was a miracle that his plan worked out.
The Vikings' belief that everything would work out as long as Tyr was on their side wasn't far-fetched.
"Brother! You did it!"?Bjorn praised Tyr but Tyr looked flustered by this.
"It was nothing.." Tyr brushed it aside and the Vikings cheered but they had no intention of leaving the enemies as they were.
They began to tie them up because they realized that these people were still their enemies.
Ragnar was surprised by how easy this was and began to think that this was not enough to test his sons.
The fact that Ragnar could have broken free at any time but didn't show he was playing a rather dangerous game.
But he was glad that he did because the boy he had seen wasn't the sweet Tyr that he once knew.
However, Ragnar was aware that this change must have been what allowed him to survive during his exile so he understood.
"Father.. Here," Bjorn's voice brought Ragnar back to reality as he noticed that Bjorn had his sword.
This brought about a slight smile on his face, realizing that Bjorn was the one person who seemed to have kept his morale.
Then the pillaging began, they began to ransack the houses for treasures and tried to outright rape the women wherever they could find.
This was the cruel world that the Viking came from but this was something that Tyr wouldn't tolerate.
He walked up to the first man that he saw trying to do just that, everyone's attention turned to him.
"I'm sorry, I didn't know you wanted to go first," The Viking under the banner of Bjorn said with a disgusted look on Tyr's face.
"Does your dick harden at the sight of helpless women?" Tyr asked.
Bjorn wanted to step in to stop his brother but Ragnar stopped him.
Ragnar wanted to see what his son intended to do because this would be a good way to see the kind of man that he is.
But Ragnar would soon regret not interfering because Tyr didn't warn the man but straight up executed him.
The man fell to the ground and this infuriated the other Vikings as they felt that Tyr was trying to deny them their reward.
"If you wish to rape a woman, I will kill you where you stand. If you don't mind going to Valhalla, I advise you to focus on gathering the treasure," Tyr said but naturally, people opposed him.
"You stupid child! Who do you think you are?" A Viking under Bjorn shouted and Tyr just began to chuckle but that laughter soon faded and the look in his eyes changed.
"What the fuck did you just say?" Tyr questioned and before the man could even respond, Tyr was already behind him.
The man turned around but Tyr's axe was pressed against his neck.
"Brother, that is enough," Bjorn commanded and the Vikings began to whisper because according to their laws, this was their right that Tyr was denying them.
"Sure thing brother," Tyr responded, sheathing his blade and the Viking smirked but this arrogance was his downfall because Tyr punched his spine with all his strength, snapping it into two and crippling him in the process.
"Oops.." Tyr said as the man collapsed on the floor in agony and everyone there knew that Tyr meant business.
They couldn't beat him either so they couldn't do as they pleased because Tyr had no problem killing his own.
However, he had killed a Viking from Kattegat, this was sure to have future repercussions.
"You say this is your reward for conquering this Kingdom? Tell me why your swords are clean?" Tyr insisted and the Vikings began to realize that they hadn't done much.
The only reason they were here was because of Tyr and not sticking their dicks into ladies was a small price to pay.
Tyr wasn't asking for much, Baard knew that killing that man was a mistake but he kept his mouth shut.
However, Bjorn confronted him as the leader of these men and he didn't look pleased.
"What have you done, brother?" Bjorn asked but Tyr didn't look bothered.
"I killed one of your men, do you wish to defend the honour of a rapist?" Tyr questioned but Ragnar's past was unknown and if his father even partook in such activities before he met Lagertha was largely unknown.
They could only speculate that Ragnar wasn't that kind of man but Tyr could say with certainty that he hadn't partook in this sickening ritual and never planned to.
Bjorn unsheathed his sword and pointed it at his younger brother, and the murmur began.
The King of Northumbria was beginning to see that these Vikings weren't as united as he initially thought and this could give him something to work with.
-
Thorgard was still dazzled by what was happening but they had spun the entire story to fit the narrative of Ecgberht.
They had planted the idea that if they wanted to kill him, they would have killed him with certainty, the only reason that attempted to and 'failed' was because they wanted the Vikings to think that the hostage was a threat. historical
Alf was planted there to flame this allegation by telling them of Ecgberht's origin and his importance to Northumbria. This would in turn force the Vikings to protect their 'valuable' hostage.
It was a very believable story even though Ecgberht hated his uncle, he knew that this was something that he was capable of considering how cunning he was.
Thorgard was unaware of this but he knew that this was a lost cause because now they not only had Ecgberht on their side but they planned to use him to summon his uncle.
The King of Northumbria had predicted that his Kingdom would fall or rather, it falling was part of his plan.
He was one step ahead because with the Vikings within their walls, they would want to celebrate their victory with food and drinks, this might replenish their energy but was that it?
If he had predicted this then surely he would ensure the food would do more harm than good?
There was a reason he was able to overthrow his brother without being much of a fighter himself and that was because of his brains.
The Vikings had stepped right into his web and he had no intention of letting them go.
Word had already been sent to Osberht about the fall of Northumbria before it even fell and the keyword was that Ecgberht was in danger.
The fact that Ecgberht was in the Viking's possession for a full night allowed those loyal to him and his son to confirm this.
Osberht was more brawn than brain and if he chose to intervene, the Vikings' defeat would be guaranteed.
Alf was the key to this and Tyr might have thought that he was the one in control but he was about to learn that he was nowhere near the strategist he thought he was.
-
Osberht was an elderly man, he had a masculine frame despite his fragile-looking face.
One could tell with a look that this was a man who had seen the harder part of life.
"I see, so they have my son.." Osberht muttered under his breath.
He had dull black eyes, and eyebags showing the stress that came with his new life even though he was leading a much smaller Kingdom but the men he had could rival that of Northumbria.
However, Osberht had no intention of fighting with his brother not because he didn't want to but because it would only weaken Northumbria even if he did manage to reclaim his throne.
This was why he had to accept defeat as long as Ecgberht was safe but the emergence of foreign invaders told him that he might have to step in for the sake of Northumbria.
Osberht's wavy black hair tinted with gray swayed as he pondered on what action he would take.
"My Lord, we have to make a choice right now or I'm afraid we might run out of time," A man who held rank suggested.
"How do I know this is not another ploy by my brother?" Osberht had grown paranoid, it was no secret that his younger brother wanted him dead but the only reason he hadn't done so was because of the effect it would have.
Osberht's death had the potential to trigger a civil war but what if he had found a way to get rid of him with these invaders present using his son as leverage to lure him out?
Osberht had to think long and hard but unfortunately, time wasn't on his side.
He had to make a choice now or all would be lost and the tired man sighed.
"I have made a choice.." Osberht blurted out, everyone was eager to hear what this decision was.
"We're going to rescue my son," Osberht said sternly and the Christians around were satisfied with this response.
"Let us purge our land of the evil that dares try to take it!" Osberht said with a lot more energy and this was enough to get his warriors pumped. But with this decision, the worst-case scenario for the Vikings was in play.