Thread: Ambitions from a stranger [Andronic x Lagertha]

The sky had been bleak the whole month before. Grund was a small settlement in the west of modern day Norway. The population was small, a small cluster of homes in the village with a petite market. Mainly, the largest building was the hall, where the Earl would invite visitors and reside in. Earl Dag, Dag Ivarsson, the eighth son of the original Earl Gardar. Dag Ivarsson was never supposed to gain earlship, after all, he had seven other brothers ahead of him. After his father's early death when Dag was 17, it didn't take him long to realize he would never become king without some force. So. One by one. He killed a brother. His mother, who favored the second son Forni best, had tried to kill Dag when he was 20. Yet, smart and cruel as he was, Dag stabbed his mother in her sleep when he found out. Feared. Loved. However, it took Dag until the age of forty, to finally access the throne after defeating his eldest brother in a duel. Thus, here Earl continued to reside. It was just history on how he had come to power, but everyone far and wide knew of it. Earl Dag was not the ambitious one. His only ambition was getting the throne to the small town of Grund and ruling over it his whole life, as well as creating a legitimate heir to his line. It was at the early stages of thirty, before he had ascended the throne, he had been smitten by a servant girl. A woman who had been brought to their congregation after being sold to the vikings to save their family from death. There had been several women, men, boys, girls, that had been sold and that were traveled from village to village for sale. This one. This one caught his eye the most. This one servant with the fiery hair. Her name was Muire Gilios, and she came from a small scottish town where a wealthy man, his wife and children had been visiting. Vikings had stumbled on the town after following the rich family, burnt it to the ground, left those who sold them something good, and kept the healthy good looking ones. Muire Gilios had deafly been a stunner back in her twenties, when Dag had first fancied her. He had bought her, danced with her, fucked her, loved her, and ordered her around. He could have married her if he wanted, but it was easier to boss her around than give her freedoms. Muire had been happy with that at the start, several years had passed, and she had become pregnant with his child. There had been a few times she had lost the child. Or this one time she had birthed a boy, only to lose him to a flu in the first year. Muire was roughly 30 when she had birthed a child that had lived past the age of five, and Dag could not have been happier. However, at that point Dag had become Earl Dag, and other things were required of him. At least, that had been his excuse. Earl Dag had just started to be that, an Earl. Promptly, he married another Earl's daughter to create an allegiance, so his village might be safe from pillages. Things changed. For Earl Dag. For Muire Gilios and her child. For the whole state of Grund. He stopped seeing Muire Gilios within that year, when his daughter had started to recognize and remember things. Muire Gilios and her daughter were moved and given their freedom. So, Muire married the first man who advanced her dragging her daughter along. Knowing her daughter had finally lived longer than her other children, the green eyed child was finally named. Orm, the man that had swayed Muire after Earl Dag had dismissed her, easily took to the father role and gave the child a proper name. A name fit for a viking, a name his ancestors would approve of. Your name from now on. Is Oydis, it means the goddess of good luck. One day, you'll make someone very lucky. Orm had named her this after visiting with the town seer. He had heard the name mentioned by the seer multiple times over his life, but until meeting the child, had never understood why the name had come up. It suits you. My good luck charm, brought your mother to me. Orm would thank her, everyday for bringing him joy. Despite wanting his own flesh and blood, Orm could not produce children of his own. After trying with a multitude of women, he had finally accepted this part of this life and raised Oydis as his own. Since Earl Dag had thrown his daughter out, he had several other children of 'pure blood'. Though, the gods seemed fit to spite Earl Dag, only giving him one son who was always sickly. Even the Seer doubted the boy would make it to his prime. His daughters he did have? Some of them tried to fight in war, one sacrificed herself to Freya, the majority of them weren't the smartest. Still, it didn't really matter to Oydis, who never thought anyone else was her father besides Orm, and Orm and Muire felt right to leave her in the dark. Oydis grew up in Orm's image. He was a large strong warrior, and always volunteered for the first expedition. Orm was well known, but he prefered to stay and spend time with his animals. Oydis was eleven when Orm had taken her on her first expedition to pillage and expand the viking territory. It only took one fight, almost losing her life, for Oydis to be thrilled at the prospect of war. Orm could have not been happier. Muire, her mother, had been outraged. She had grown up celtic, and the women never fought with the men. Barbaric! Muire had called it. This one expedition, had lead to arguments Oydis wish she could unhear or unsee. Orm's love had turned cold towards Muire on Oydis' fifteenth year of life, when she had asked to go out out to more expeditions. She wanted to fight. To see new lands. Muire, on news of hearing her daughter wanting to do such things, had a fight she would never be able to take back Muire had stabbed Orm. Orm had taken it, punching Muire to the ground. Showing who was in control of the house, he had thought one punch would end Muire's quarrels. Instead...it did the opposite. For Oydis sixteenth birthyear, Muire tried to serve her daughter poisoned wine. A little might have only made her sick enough to avoid going on another expedition, too much could kill the young girl. Orm had taken her glass and drank it first, a modest swig. A little too much...The coughing had started, and the happy moment had died by Orm's angered expression. With one quick movement, he had grabbed a knife from the table and stabbed Muire in the neck. A bloody display for her sixteenth birthday...and all Oydis could remember was running from the house after Orm had mouthed for her to escape. Somehow, Oydis had not drank the wine, somehow, Orm had killed her mother Muire, and somehow...Orm would live only to never be the same again. Earl Dag had heard the news. They had buried Muire under her favorite tree Dag and her had used to share many nights together. Earl Dag, in honor of Muire and Orm, took Oydis under his wing as a servant. Orm, who knew he would no longer be the same, had challenged Earl Dag to a duel, only to die in battle. So, here Oydis would grow up into adulthood. The sky had seemed bleak anymore after her sixteenth year. On her Twentieth, Oydis felt like something was wrong. Her dreams, once black and empty, had crept into color and images of faces she had never seen before. The last month had been the worse, and despite Oydis being free, she felt trapped under the Earl's reign. His wife, Grima, seemed to have a vendetta for Oydis. It had been especially bad the last two years, when Oydis had finally grown into her body, large perky breasts, a firm ass, an hourglass figure, pale skin, dark hair with a reddish overtone, her dazzling green eyes, large lashes and large lips, as well as her small hands and feet. It seemed, one of Grima's fears was Oydis seducing Earl Dag. All of that had not bothered her. Mainly, the dreams had gotten to the point Oydis had finally found herself trudging through the town to the seer's tent. She had tied her hair into several braids and knots, letting it hang off to the side. Her dress was a simple, plan green thing with little design on it. She knew, soon she'd have to return to the hall, prepare the Earl's meal, and deal with Grima's glares. Such a petty woman, but for now..Oydis pushed open the curtains. Inside, wood hung one string, animals hung upside down, the room was dark besides the burning candles, and things littered the ground. Anything, shields, weapons, clothing, rugs, tools, food offerings, jewels, gold, all offerings to the seer. The man, blinded by a blade at the age of one, whose right arm was deformed, wore a large black rob that covered all his features. Still, gold dust was smeared over his closed eyes and lips, his long nails raised up head jerking in her direction. He pointed, to a chair covered in front of him. Sit Oydis. The Gods and I have been hoping you would come. Oydis lip twitched at the scratchy voice of the seer, but she obliged him. The curtain, black, fell behind her bloating out the village and sun, and she crept over to the chair sitting down. She was silent, looking at the seer as his head tilted up. For a few minutes he was quiet, before smiling. The Gods have been sending you visions. Have they? Oydis nodded her head, before releazing he could not see her. Yes...I see a man's face turn into a cluster of men, shields, swords, covered in blood. Then I see fire, consuming everything in the image... Oydis shifted in her seat uncomfortable. Yessss. The Gods have bestowed this sight to you. Yet.. He raised a hand, jerking his head towards her. Is that all? Oydis remained silent, breathing in deeply. Yesss..there is more..A face amongst the masses that haunts you. A voice that calls your name. Night after night it tormets you, calling for you to approach it. The seer smiled, teeth missing as he laughed. What does it mean? How can I stop it? Why do the Gods choose me to see this? The seer offered his hand, and Oydis grabbed his. He smiled, stroking her soft small hand. Such a small thing you must be. The seer said as he raised her hand, her right, sniffing it, and licked the back of it to her wrist. A ring. The seer said when he was done. A ring and I will answer. The Gods demand your payment. Oydis closed her eyes, moving her left hand to pull at her collar of her dress. She pulled up a string with a gold ring on it. The ring was melted, asymmetrical now. Oydis grabbed the ring and pulled on the string. SNAP. The string heaved, giving way and releasing from her next. The seer turned up his other hand, and Oydis placed the ring inside. The Seer's hand closed, fingers rolling over the ring before he nodded. This will do. He grabbed her right hand tighter, pulling her in so her face was only a few centimeters away. He smelled, like booze and death. The face..the voice that torments you..will only become louder in the moments to come. The fire, will burn so brightly it will melt your heart. However. You will have no option but to face this head on. The images, the sounds in your dreams, they will not stop until you meet your fate. Then the seer was silent. Oydis did not say a word when she left his tent. She went through the village meeting up with the other servants silently and went back to the hall. Despite knowing she should have helped with the feast, Oydis decided to go back to the pin with the animals to take care of them. She shoveled their poop, and cleaned up their pins. Even going to the point of starting a bath to wash each animal.