Of Blood and Bonds

Of Blood and Bonds was a virtual representation of one of Eivor Varinsdottir's genetic memories, relived by Layla Hassan in 2020 through the Portable Animus HR-8.5.
==Description==
Eivor returned to the Royal Hall in Jorvik to meet with Halfdan Ragnarsson.
==Dialogue==
After King Ricsige's death, Eivor returned to the Royal Hall. Halfdan was not present at Eivor's arrival.
*Eivor: Halfdan is not here. Where is he?
Eivor found and spoke with Moira.
*Eivor: Moira. Is Halfdan about?
*Moira: Eivor, welcome. Halfdan has stepped outside with Faravid. They shouldn't be far.
Eivor went and located Halfdan speaking with Faravid.
*Faravid: Ricsige. I struggle to be surprised.
*Halfdan: I was caught off guard, but I shouldn't have been. A fog set in, and I couldn't see the forest before me. Old friend. Long ago, we stormed the sea-of-wagons under winter's blanket ... you've stood at my side for many long years.
*Faravid: Proudly, brother. Come. Let's share the balm of all torment, the soothing liquid of chaos.
Eivor spoke with Faravid and Halfdan, with his dog, Beonton, waiting alongide his owner.
*Eivor: The ceremony hastens to start, let's not to keep the crowd waiting.
Eivor started to leave with Faravid and Halfdan.
*Halfdan: Eivor. Yes, let us go. To inscribe our names in history. No more pulling strings. This throne and its burden are mine.
:Before the coronation, Eivor could have spoken with Moira again.
*Eivor: Moira. How are things in Wyke?
*Moira: I get by. There will always be those who dislike me. But how I handle their ire is up to me... so yes, things are mostly well.
:Eivor could have spoken with Hjorr and Ljufvina.
*Eivor: Enjoying the festivities?
*Hjorr: Wolf-Kissed, yes. Happy to be here.
*Ljufvina: The crowning of a new king, it's not something I've seen this close!
:Eivor could have also talked with Faravid.
*Eivor: Save some mead for the rest of us, Faravid.
*Faravid: Ah! I have to thank you, Eivor! For your counsel, for your blade. All this would not be possible but for you.
::If Eivor picked up the goblet from Petuaria Ruins
<tabber>
|-|Take the goblet=
*Eivor: You mean more to your king than you know. Take this goblet.
*Faravid: No, you keep it. Gifting him a goblet from the spoils of war was a ritual between Halfdan and I. This one should be yours.
*Eivor: I have a new brother, much like Halfdan. Not by blood, but through the battles we've fought, hand in hand. Through him I have learned that battle bonds run deeper than blades can cut. I will never forget that lesson.
*Faravid: The words of a poet. Now let us drown ourselves in mead. For friendship.
|-|Friendship is beyond material=
*Eivor: I have a new brother, much like Halfdan. Not by blood, but through the battles we've fought, hand in hand. Through him I have learned that battle bonds run deeper than blades can cut. I will never forget that lesson.
*Faravid: The words of a poet. Now let us drown ourselves in mead. For friendship.
</tabber>
Eivor spoke with a sitting Halfdan.
*Halfdan: Have you had enough fun? My crowning must come soon.
(Yes – I've had enough drink)
*Eivor: I'll save some for later. Let's make a king of you.
A brief moment passed as the coronation started.
*Halfdan: To Eivor and the Raven Clan of Mercia, our newest ally, in blood and glory!
Eivor nodded.
*Eivor: To Halfdan King, I lift my horn and raise my brow to speak this praise... Crown spire, stout oak of Valkyries, spinner of battle wisdom... long may you live and rule. !
*Halfdan: (coughing fit)
Halfdan dropped his goblet and Eivor picked it up.
*Eivor: Moira. What is this metal? It's soft, like Roman pipes.
*Moira: Ah! That's lead. A toxic metal.
*Eivor: Was it lead that drove the Romans mad? Can metal do this to a man?
*Moira: O, God in heaven, yes. The Romans knew this well. And my poor mother, she... she drank from cups like these for so long, she—
Faravid looked caught off-guard.
*Halfdan: You! All these years, you gifted me poison! You gifted me madness!
*Faravid: Old friend, please. Your sickness has clouded your judgment.
*Halfdan: This sickness was no accident. I trusted you.
Faravid drew his sword.
*Eivor: Sheath your weapon, Faravid.
*Faravid: Eivor, make this man see sense. He is old, sick, and his mind is unclear—
*Halfdan: Horseshit! You want me dead, you lying shit hog! I was a fool to not see it.
<tabber>
|-|You are insane, Halfdan=
*Eivor: Halfdan, stop! This is a man of honor.
*Halfdan: You stand beside this... this traitor?
*Eivor: I do. Let truth guide us here, not madness.
Angered, Halfdan threw his war hammer Orthstirr, shocking the crowd.
*Halfdan: I am Halfdan Ragnarsson, Wolf of War, Lord of Jorvik, ruler of men. I am king!
Faravid shook his head and sheathed his sword.
*Faravid: Not my king. I will not bow to a man who accuses me of treason.
Faravid tossed his alliance relic into a fire.
*Halfdan: In days yet to come, men will sing the praises of Halfdan. And scorn the life of Faravid the betrayer!
*Faravid: You are the hero of a coward's tale. A man who hid behind his best men and claimed their victories for his own.
*Halfdan: You are banished! Out! Never again set foot in my lands!
Faravid walked out as Halfdan sat down.
*Eivor: Thank you, king. I—
*Halfdan: No more. Leave me.
Eivor walked out and saw Faravid off.
*Faravid: I fear for Northumbria now that Halfdan is king. Many may suffer if his madness goes unchecked.
*Eivor: And who is to blame for his madness, Faravid?
*Faravid: I should demand an apology for that. But there is no need. Soon I shall be long gone. Far away across the whale-road, where the fates guide me.
*Faravid: End of the road. Goodbye, Eivor.
Before Faravid could leave, Eivor asked him one last time.
*Eivor: Did you know? About the goblet, the lead? Now's the time for truth.
*Faravid: I hope one day we may raise our spears together, old friend.
Faravid took off on his horse.
*Eivor: We hope for many things in this life, yet we earn so few of them.
|-|Stand down or fight me, Faravid=
*Eivor: Treason must never go unpunished.
*Faravid: After all we did together, after all we won.
Halfdan walked forward and released his weapon as Eivor responded.
*Eivor: If any of my clan committed such a betrayal, I would rip his flesh from his bones.
Eivor fought against Faravid as Halfdan watched.
*Faravid: You're not the warrior you used to be, old friend.
*Halfdan: Traitor! Kill him! Feed him to the wolves!
Halfway in the battle, Faravid pleaded with Eivor.
*Faravid: Look at him, Eivor. Is this how a leader should behave? Halfdan! Come to your senses!
Eivor defeated Faravid and brought him to Halfdan on his knees.
*Faravid: The end of our road.
*Halfdan: Stand, you treasonous bastard. Stand and fight me!
*Faravid: Old friend, do you remember the days we raced our horses across the length of this land? You were always faster, you always won. Because I let you win, my "jarl." So I will let you win one last time. We will meet once more. In the corpse hall.
Halfdan, dismayed at his choice, let out a wail and ended Faravid's life.
*Halfdan: Argh!
Halfdan dropped his war hammer Orthstirr and shook his head.
*Halfdan: (weeping)
Everybody else left the coronation and Eivor went to talk with Halfdan.
*Eivor: Halfdan. It's time I go.
*Halfdan: Hm?
*Eivor: I'm leaving for Mercia. Going home.
Halfdan took out an alliance relic.
*Halfdan: Then go with this. A sign of friendship. A bond between our clans and a symbol of the pain and suffering it took to win the peace.
Halfdan sat back down as Eivor stopped herself.
*Eivor: I hope we were right about him.
Eivor walked away from Halfdan.
</tabber>
*Eivor: Now, it seems the wind calls me back to Randvi. Best tell her the good news.
==Outcome==
Halfdan was crowned king but had a coughing fit and dropped his drink. The goblet was made of lead and signs pointed to Faravid. Eivor decided on who was right between Faravid and Halfdan, but obtained an alliance with Halfdan, nonetheless.
==Behind the scenes==
It is never explicitly stated whether Faravid betrayed Halfdan or not, but there are some hints during the storyline towards a betrayal, namely, Halfdan's scout being killed by friendly fire, Faravid quickly killing the Pict leader before he could answer Eivor's interrogation, and Faravid refusing the goblet Eivor offered him after Haldan threw it away. Furthermore, if Faravid's side was chosen, he does not answer Eivor's question on if he knew the cup was made of lead, where an innocent person would simply deny knowing about it. Also, Halfdan does not extend an alliance relic to fortify their allegiance.
==Gallery==
ACV Of Blood and Bonds 1.png|Eivor finding Faravid and Halfdan outside the Royal Hall
ACV Of Blood and Bonds 7.png|Eivor and Moira investigating the goblet, revealed to be made of lead
ACV Of Blood and Bonds 15.jpg|Halfdan left alone on his throne
==References==
*Assassin's Creed: Valhalla
Category:Memories relived using the Animus HR-8.5
Category:Memories of Eivor Varinsdottir