The Son Of Ragnar



The moon shone on a strange island, an island that was neither Norway nor Iceland.

The habitants of this land were dressed in robes that carried the cross with a hairstyle that everyone seemed to have. 

They shaved a round patch at the top of their head and cut the remaining hair short all around. 

They were in a chapel, a building where a huge cross lay on the wall as they prayed to the God they worshipped. 

"Father Uttredus, I have a feeling that God has favoured us above the others…" A young boy, approximately Bjorn's age blurted out but his body frame was nothing like a warrior. 

He looked timid and why, always looking to the ground when he spoke as he did now. 

"God favours all his children, our God is not biased, Wychard… Do not utter such careless words," Uttredus warned the young monk.

"I am sorry, Father!" Wychard immediately apologized but it was not Uttredus that needed his apology, it was God. 

"You will ask God for penance once the mass prayer is over, but I do understand what you mean. We are a small Kingdom that has never known war or battle yet we strive just like the rest…" Uttredus said; Uttredus looked like every old person out there, he was a man in his fifties that had a rather frail constitution. 

He looked sickly yet still clung to life as he believed that God was keeping him alive for a divine purpose. 

"Yes sir! May God forgive my arrogance," Wychard responded bluntly as he did not want to say any other thing that might put him in trouble. 

He paid his respects and left the room where Father Uttredus was but as soon as he did, Uttredus coughed up blood whilst stumbling backwards slightly. 

"Father Lord, do you give me the pain to test my faith? I will never question your will, my faith will forever be unwavering…" The man said as he wiped the blood from his mouth. 

Lindisfarne, also called Holy Island, and the Holy Island of Lindisfarne, is a tidal island off the northeast coast of England, which constitutes the civil parish of Holy Island in Northumberland. This was where they resided and in recent times, this island began to thrive because of what they believed to be God's mercy.

The mass prayer concluded and everything looked like it would just be another night, a peaceful night only to repeat the same thing the next day. 

This might sound tedious but they could not have wished for a better life. This was the ideal life for them as they were away from violence. 

They abhorred violence and thought this to be the ultimate sin.

Much later in the night, approximately 3 A.M or so, a warning scream echoed from the walls. 

"Intruders!" A man screamed prompting everyone to wake up from their slumber but they neither had the skills nor weapons to defend themselves. 

But they had God, God was on their side and they thought this was sufficient but a cruel lesson was about to be learned. 

"What do they mean intruders? This is God's land! No evil can come on it!" Father Uttredus said sternly but there is a saying. 

God only helps those who help themselves, and right now, these Christians had nothing to help themselves with but faith.

Father Uttredus rushed to the shore alongside multiple of his monks, it was true. 

Intruders had come but for what? Uttredus hoped that these men were lost or better yet, wanted to give their life to Christ but the latter was highly unlikely. 

Father Uttredus showed no fear, he knew that if he did, it would make the monks behind him question their faith but as long as he stood tall, there was no way that God would forsaken them as they held a burning stick that illuminated their path and environment.

He stood still with Wychard mimicking the resolve of the Priest and eventually, the boats made contact with the land and out come multiple people. 

Father Uttredus gulped nervously because this was the first time so many people would come onto this land without prior notice or warning but he did not want to jump to conclusions either. 

He knew what the worst-case scenario might be and he was not ready to entertain that thought.

He had to remain positive, the footsteps headed in their direction but it was only a single footstep as the rest hung back in the darkness, Uttredus could not even tell how many they were as unlike them, the enemies did not come with lighters as they intended to use the cover of dark to their advantage.

The only reason they were discovered was that the illuminating moonlight that shone brightly on the way was almost like there were not any clouds present in the sky. 

The person that came into view was Gudleif, Gudleif had strict orders from Skarde not to do anything stupid as if these men were willing to surrender then there would be no need for bloodshed. Skarde held a higher position than Gudleif in Vestfold but Gudleif was the one in charge of their men.

*"Greetings foreigners, what may I help you with?"* Uttredus questioned but there was a language barrier as expected, Gudleif had no idea what he was saying but he could tell by the tone of this man that he was friendly, he also noticed that none of them had any weapons which was strange. 

"Is this some sort of trick to make us drop our guard?" Gudleif thought to himself but he also knew he could not act rashly.

*"Does anyone here speak Old Norse?"* Gudleif asked and the look of shock on everyone's face implied that they were shocked as this confirmed one thing. 

Whoever these people were, they were not from around them and this information put the monks on guard as Uttredus muttered. 

"Norsemen…" and Gudleif picked up on this as he nodded and repeated. 

"Yes, we are Norsemen!" The moment Gudleif said this, he unsheathed his sword and swung it at Uttredus intending to take off his head.