#ivarragnarsson

"Everything is ready is ready for you" says Tøumd. He is armed to the teeth, he has four swords, two at the back and two at the side, one big axe almost reaching to the tomahawk style hanging in his front belt, what I suspect many knives in his boots and stick in the armor throwing knives.

"You too" I say arching my eyebrows at his armor and he laughs

"You don't stay behind me either" he says smiling knowing I had everything on me to hidden blades, to my sword and two short-swords, daggas, throwing knives and ironically an axe.

"Alright everybody" I say in a commanding voice again and the guards display fully attention "I hope Tøumd told you the plan?" I asked

"YES SIR!" the whole army answer.

"Good" I say with a smirk "let's go to the port!" I shout.

They start marching towards the port. As we walk through the street people were running everywhere trying to hide and save themselves. Everyone is frantic. As we reach the port I a line the warriors in front of the dock but 15 feet away in a rest position. Looking relax yet threating enough.

"Now what we do?" Hassam asks

"We wait for them to show up" I say "if Tøumd saw them. They are not far away."

I took a sit under a tent while we waited. Tøumd was in front of the guards standing in a mix of defending and relax, he didn't wanted me to be harmed. I could tell he was nervous to see his people again. He wanted to see Bjørn again. I took a look across the port, it was a foggy night, and it almost look scary, like if the old gods wanted to help us. Far into the fog you could see a light coming then they spread and there were more, coming towards us.

Tøumd turn to look at me with wide eyes and lock eye contact we both took a deep breath, he turn his head and look to the incoming lights, fire lamps, he draw his axe and a sword. Hassam stood a few feet behind him with Phaesphoros in his hand. They look threating but they were standing in a relax position.

"Attention!" I screamed as I stood up from my sitting position. All the guards stood in a firm position expecting a command "don't attack just watch" I instructed and they stood in the same position.

Now you could see the front of the boat, it had a big dragon in its front, they were getting closer and closer, I could feel my heart hammering in my ribcage, like we wanted to go out and run towards them.

There was this loud crash with the dock and slowly the white men started to come from the boats, there was this big Viking coming towards us with a defying face and behind him to his was a slightly shorter man with the same expression and to his left there was a really tall man.

"Bjørn Ironside" said Tøumd, Bjorn whipped his head to look at him surprised

"How do you know me?" he says as he walks closer he drops his axe and sword and grabs him pulling him for a tight hug. "Tøumd". They both hug for a while. "You are alive" he said in wonder "I thought you died here" he said.

"I was wounded, but someone recue me" he said.

"Him" Bjorn said looking at Hassam and he walk 5 feet away from him.

"No, not him" Tøumd said "that is exactly who I want to speak of" he said, Bjorn cross his arms over his chest.

"Who?" he asks

"She wants to make a deal with you" Tøumd says "she lets you ride her city and take gold, silver and slaves if you let her come with you to Kattegat not as a slave but a free woman" Tøumd explains.

"And who is this girl" Bjorn asks

"She is daughter of the sultan, the best assassin in Al-Andalus" answers Tøumd. "Tamina" he calls in a thick Arab "we need you here" he says

I was resting in a pile in the back watching every move if they attack. I laugh catching the attention of everyone, I walked between my army taking my time giving a full display of my cynical smirk I came to a stop by the side of Tøumd, both man towering me.

"So you are Bjorn Ironside" I ask arching one brow "Nice meeting you" I say nodding my head.

Before he could speak I heard a movement in the back. I whip myself around searching for the noise, looking closely I knew were been spied. I start walking to the back of the formation, when I see something shinny coming towards me, my reflex taking me to duck, now angry I stood up and as fast as I could I reached the person and yank it forward connecting my knee to his stomach. He double as move behind him I kick to the light.

"You again" I say as I watch Moussa "spying as I can see" I say dragging him

"That knife should have killed you" he snarls.

"hmmm" I say dropping him and kicking him in the knee "don't make me lose my patience, as you can see I am almost running out of it" I say

"You are a traitor" he says

"Hump, and know you knew it" I say laughing "oh my dear you shouldn't have come here" I say "know I will have to kill you".

"NEVER!" He roars and stands up in a spin, I easily dodging him I draw Phaesphoros.

"Come at me then." I say pointing the sword at him

He charges at me and I block him, he tries to push my sword out of balance but does not succeed, I whirl my sword the other way and hit him on the side and he lets out a cry of pain.

"Come on, that's all you have? Shouldn't you be the best assassin of Malaga?" I say taunting him.

He charges again with both swords but outsmart him and block both of them making him lose balance and throwing them at the side out of his reach. He puts his hands up and walking backwards hitting a wall.

"I did warn you not to make me run out of patience but you didn't listen" I say with one swift movement of my sword I stab him across the chest making it a quick death. Blood splashed on my face. Cleaning my sword with the clothes of Moussa I pulled away my sword and turn to walk to Tøumd, all the Viking were impressed by the looks I as getting.

"Excuse me for that. I had to take care of it" I say apologizing.

"What is your deal?" Bjorn asks and I smiled

"It's easy" I say "you help me to kill my father that is in the palace allow me to go with you to Kattegat not as a slave, but as a free woman, and I will give you gold, silver and slaves" I say "but you can't touch him" I say pointing at Hassam "he is the prince and successor of my father he can't be killed" I say "what do you say?" I ask

"Why you want to leave?" Bjorn ask

"My father is a monster, he has me whipped whenever he wants because I like learning, reading, exploring. He says that I should be a lady, to look like a doll, smile and nod and let me be raped by the man he wants me to marry." I say explaining "Tøumd told me that you were not like that, that you allow your woman to be free. And I want to be free" I explain.

"I see" he says "you speak perfect Old Norse, did Tøumd taught you?" he asks

"Yes, I taught her everything I knew of our culture" Tøumd answer for me

"You have to leave your religion if you want to come with us" Bjorn says

"I think I don't have a problem with that" I answer "do we have a deal?" I ask

"We do" says Bjorn extending his hand and we shake hands.

"Be careful when you reached the palace, there are assassins like me, they are very silent and quick, be alert." I advise him "see you over there" I say

"What should I do?" Tøumd asks

"You stay with them. There I no need now to hide your Viking way" I say to him

"Tamina!" he says as I walk away. "Be ruthless" he says with a big smig smile on his face as I turn to him and flash him a big smile in return

"hayya bina!" I say to the army and they turn around and follow me to the palace.

Hassam went first to the palace to not rise any suspicion. He went inside with the Vikings slaying every person and guard who came in front of us. Many of the assassins fought against me and all of them lost. I was like Odin. Like an angel of death.

We storm through the throne room and I let all the Vikings fight against all the guards. They were like ants and they crushed them like ashes, all my sisters were cornered by fear, all my brothers were dead and my father sat in the throne white like a ghost shaking and praying for his dear life. Bjorn was about to walk to him but was stopped by the hand on the shoulder of Tøumd

"Let her do that" he said to him in Old Norse looking at me.

"Tamina! Help us please" don't let them kill us "one of my sisters said.

And I look at them with a cynically smirk before turning my head to my father who had wide eyes. I draw both heosphoros and start walking towards him slowly, taunting him.

"You can't kill me, I am your father!" says the sultan in fear

"Now you want to play the role of father, after all this time!" I shout in rage at him "How could you murder her! HOW!" I screamed harder "LOOK AT ME! LOOK WHAT YOU MAKE BE BECOME! I AM A MONSTER!" I say the threat of tears coming

"I was her fault, that she gave a daughter, not a SON!" he screamed back

"I AM NOT ENOUGH THEN? ALL THAT I HAVE ACHIEVED, BECOME AN ASSASSIN, BE THE BEST OF THE BEST AND STILL IS NOT ENOUGH!" I was reaching him now I was so close to him I could see him shake like a weed in the wind. "YOU WILL PAY FOR WHAT YOU'VE DONE....YOU WILL PAY IT WITH BLOOD" I say snarling at him, in the background I could hear all my sisters screaming. I took both of my swords and rest them on his neck.

"Please Tamina, no, don't do this" he pleas for his life.

But I take no mercy on him, like he did all this years, how cold he was every time I was sent to be whipped. I leaned on him "you are no longer blood of my blood father, you are a monster and you will pay for every atrocity you've made. Including me" I hissed at him. And without any doubt I move both of my swords beheading my lovely father. Blood splashed in my face and his head bounded through the steps until he stopped. With a wide smile I turn to them, my sisters with a shock expression landed on the floor and fainted or started to cry.

Hassam came out of his hiding spot with all the gear gone and the sultans dress on he walked over to the head and kick it, he looked at me and give me a kiss in the forehead. He turned and walked over the throne were he kick the remaining part of the body and sat with a look of authority. "I am sultan Hassam" he said. "Now all you obey me"

There was a big loud bang in the door and many guards entered. The ones on the gate. They all looked to the Vikings, to me, to my father head and body, to Hassam.

"She is to be punished my lord!" said Brother Ahmed looking at me in disbelief.

"She is untouchable so the Vikings" he hissed at them "no harm to her or my Viking friends. One hair in her head is touched and you all be damned" he said.

They all nod and bow down to one knee in show of respect.

I turned to him and he smiled. A smile of happiness and glory. And all I could do was the same smile at him.

"You are free Tamina, you can do whatever you want" he said with a smile.

I heard a movement behind me and in a blur I had him down on his back with my left blade to his neck. But to my surprise it was Tøumd with wide eyes.

"Easy there, I'm not going to do anything" he said with his hands raised.

"Sorry I forgot that you learned how to climb rooftops" I said pulling my blade out and helping him to stand. His height towered me, almost two heads "I'm really sorry" I repeated

"It's nothing" he said laughing "but this time I really thought that you were going to do something" he added with a nervous laugh.

I just gave him a look and shake my head, I walked over a small balcony that watch over the city, you could see he fire lightning the streets. Light turning off and on. The same city that watch me grow and suffer will burn in a few days. I sat down on the edge dandling my foot on the air as Tøumd join me with a nervous expression.

"How could you not be afraid" he said pointing at the height and the huge death fall.

"You get used to it" I simply said "I've been waiting to die for a long time, so it will make no difference if I fall or not." I just raised my legs.

"hmmmm" he said grabbing the wall for dear life.

I looked around seeking for a guard to be eavesdropping our making guard but we were alone, no one was on the rooftops.

"I know the plans for the attack, I requested the port. We have to plan how we are going to make I happen. How we are going to approach them. And if they remember you." I said. I told him how we divided the guard's circles and how everything was controlled

"We can tell them that they are coming from land. There is a small port outside the city that nobody uses." He said "you can say that they have arrived there, the gate is closer to the palace so everyone will go and make the wall there"

"That actually is not a bad idea" I said thinking all the cons a pros. "we still need people".

"Really one assassin can't kill one of us, trust me, if we warn them. We are five times stronger than you" he said.

"Yes but we are ten times faster than you, you have strength. We have the speed and the precision" I added with a wave of hand.

"Fair point well" he said with a gesture of his hand.

"I want you to tell me" I said quickly looking at him and then toward the city that was sleeping under our feet "more stories of Kattegat. I want to know more of them"

"What do you want to know?" he said question looking at me "or perhaps who do you want to meet?" he said correcting himself.

We had this meeting of "people", we usually would describe them and tell me things about them, like what would they normally do in the day.

"I don't know" I said "the only one I know is Ragnar Lothbrok" I said.

"King Ragnar Lothbrok" he corrected.

"Oh so he is king?" I asked looking at him

"As far as I know yes" he said "I don't know now" he added sadly. "So who you want to meet?" he says again.

"I don't know" I said thinking "probably his sons? You told me he had many sons or so that said the seer" I answer myself and him.

"You want to meet the Ragnarsson" he said "Okay".

"first the eldest of the five" he says looking at the city " his name is Bjørn Ironside, his is tall, taller than me, he is very strong, he has blue eyes, he is an amazing warrior, really formidable, he went with his father to raid Paris and to England. He grew up with his father in the golden years, his mother is Lagartha, and he had an adopted member in the family that was a monk or a priest I am not sure which it is. So he has a very different mindset than most Vikings. If you ever meet him if you show you are not afraid he would probably listen to you. Before you ask I grew up with all the Ragnarsson."

"then comes the second eldest which is Ubba, he is very alike to his father or so is told, he is very loyal and kind to the people he cares about he is a very good warrior like his brother, he likes to go out and hunt. He loves and protects his brothers like a mama bear." He says and we laugh.

"Then comes Hvitserk, he is very lighthearted, but never be misled, he is very mysterious, and he is tall like all of us. He is a very angry aggressive warrior he is very good. He looks up at Ubba a lot. He likes to fight train with his brothers."

"Next is Sigurd snake in the eye, he has a snake in his eye. He is a light warrior, he is not as good as his brothers, and he prefers to play instruments than fight, so in our culture he is no warrior at all. That is why he was always excluded from us, he never really understood us when we play."

"And last but not the least there is Ivar the Boneless" he says looking at me this time " you will like a lot his story" he chuckles " from the name as you can hear, he has no bone in his legs, he always crawls around. Rumor has it that when he was a baby Ragnar left him to the wolves, but his mother Aslaug pick him and took him back to the house. He is very selfish, cruel, unpredictable and very wise. He loves a lot his mother and his brothers, Ubba always looks after him, even when he doesn't know" he says and claps his hands "well that is the end of the story telling, any questions?" he raised his eyebrows.

"Ivar can he walk?" I ask curious

"No, he can stand, but I never saw him walking..." he says murmuring "he was very neglected by his father and the people. It's hard to be a cripple or have something wrong with you in the Viking world, it's not like here that you, all the community helps them. Over there you are just by yourself, I mean his father left him to the wolves, what can you expect from him" he says deep in thought.

"Someone like me you say" I said turning to him "what can you expect from me. I have been whipped so many times that I lost count already, and still I will choose to be a monster and kill my father. That makes a monster like him. Because I am violent and cruel. I am the most unpredictable person in the palace and people fear me for it."

"but you are not like him" he says more likely convincing himself.

"what happen if I am?" I asked

"You haven't met him yet" he says "you do not need to trouble yourself."

"Do you think they will allow me to leave with them?" I asked "what happen if they say no?"

"Bjørn will never say no" he says "he loves meeting new people, he will take you and because you are a princess here they can't take you as a slave, we Vikings respect a lot the ranks of nobility either is from birth, rank or acquired. But that follows the way of death." He says

"I think we should go back, I don't want them to start searching for me again" I say with a smirk.

"Yeah" he says and goes to the way he climb up and ties a rope around his waist.

"Hey! That is cheating you have to climb without help." I say crossing my arms and walking towards him, and tugging at the rope and smile.

"Well I am not an assassin that knows how to handle themselves at heights" he says grabbing himself on the wall.

"Have a good night Tøumd" I say shaking my head and smiling, as I head out to my room. I climb the edge and dropped little by little until I reached my floor and swiftly I get inside my room.

I took off all my clothes and put on my silk nightgown and went to the jar and grab a cool glass of water. I unbraided my hair and went straight into my bed and lay there wide awake looking at the high sealing of my room. It really left me intrigued the last Ragnarsson, it seems that we was like me. A monster, not by choice but by how life was treating us. i want to meet them. I though.

I took a sit next to Hassam, he was the gentlest brother I could ever had. When they whipped me, he used to bring me mint tea and cookies, he stayed with me until I fell asleep, he helped me, he taught me how to read and write. To hold a sword and how to use it. He gave me my first dagga. Which is still in my desk. It's bathed in Adams and dark gold. I called her the Cortana. We have matching swords and given names, is made of black gold and Adams. The cross-guard, grip, and pommel are gold with obsidian, and the blade is a silver so dark that it looks nearly black. On the other side of the blade, along the center ridge, is a pattern of silver stars. I have two of them.

"Have you heard the news?" he says leaning in his chair to kiss my cheek.

"Someone is named successor" I say kissing his cheeks four times. "And by the smug look on your face, my wild guess is you" I tell him with a small smirk playing on my lips. His smile widens and flashes his perfect teeth.

"Your wild guess is right" he says giving me a wink from his emerald eyes and I just laugh him off.

There was a deadly silence that went through the whole table, everyone stood up while our father came out of his wing of the palace. He looked at everyone like if he was mentally doing the check list.

"Assalam alaikum children" he says as he sits down

"Wa alaikum salaam father" we all said at the same time and sit down after him.

"This is a very special day today, First I can see you all again and second the succession line is decided. I have chosen my heir to the throne of Al-Andalus." He say looking at all of us. "Hassam, please stand up" he says looking at his son.

As he stood up a lot of glances were thrown at him, most of the males were jealous and the girls it was a glance of hunger for power, and they could marry him and be one of his many wives I suppose. But I doubt that he will marry on of his sisters, he hates them.

He is my heir. So tonight we are going to have a big feast" he says clapping his hands and smiling gleefully. "You can sit down Hassam." Motioning his hand to sit. "and for you" he says looking straight to me "In three days' time you will be wed to one of the sons of Sultan Samir of Malaga" he says and my blood runs cold, by my side Hassam stiffens and locks his jaw. Sultan Samir is known for his cruelty and there is no doubt that his sons would follow him. He was selling me to one of the worst people that could ever existed "you will be meeting him today at the feast, so be nice and shut your mouth up, paste a smile on your face and nod." He says seriously.

"So you are going to sell one of your best weapons from the brotherhood to one of your many enemies?" I ask looking at him and arching a brow "you know who I am and what orders I follow"

"The brotherhood is loyal to me and only me!" he exclaims

"But are you sure I am loyal to you?" I answer him back with a venomous voice.

He turns several shades of red. The look of anger on his face was the answer I wanted. He knew that if I had the order of murdering him I will do it without doubt and he was afraid of it.

"I will have you hang if you dare" he says

"But you would be dead by that time to give the order" I snarled

"ENOUGH!" he screams. He wants me to be send to be whipped, but he can't. I have the protection of the brotherhood. He can't touch me in that way. Not anymore.

"I want you out of my sight for now. NOW!" he says hiting the table.

Everyone had a grim expression, they looked at me like if I was something disgusting. But Hassam he was trying and succeeding to hide a smile on his face. He catch my hand and squeeze it as I stood up with a pleasing smile on my face because I knew the damage I had caused him.

"Father" I said bowing my head a little "Hassam". And left the garden.

As I arrive to the Harem I told the servants to bring food to my room. As I entered my room I found Zeinab packing my stuff just as I told her. When she saw me she stood up quickly.

"What happened?" she asked

"Had a fist fight with father again" I told her "just the usual"

"No there has to be something else" she says looking closer to me.

"Why" I asked her

"Your face" she points out "it's like shattered" she says shyly

"well, the news of the moment" I say with suspense " I am to be wed to one of the sons of cruel of Malaga" I answer and her face whitens and the blood runs out of her face.

"That can't be possible!" she says frighten

"Yes it can be possible" I answer her "he wants me to suffer, because I am the living image of her and he hates it, he hate that he killed the light of his eyes." I answer.

"Then I am so sorry for your fate" she says as she lowers he head to me

"Don't be. Soon enough he will burn." I say

I turn and walk to my closet to search for my training clothes and change. As I walk to my room my breakfast is there. I sat down and start eating thinking what I was going to do today.

"You want me to fletch your swords?" Zeinab asks as I finish my breakfast.

"Yes please" I say "and also my dagga, hidden blades and my throwing knives"

"Is someone going to die today?" she asks amused. She knew I was using my whole gear.

"No" I say with arch brows "but just in case" I finish and she laughs and turns to fletch my stuff.

Finishing my breakfast I turn to put my boots on and start to walk towards my desk to see what Zeinab brought. There she was, Cortana, heosphoros, Phaesphoros and my throwing knives. I put Cortana in the front of my belt and heosphoros at my left side and Phaesphoros in my back because is longer than my short swords.

"The task you gave me is fulfilled" Zeinab says hinting that the chests were fully packed.

"Thank you Zeinab" I say smiling at her.

As I was walking out of the Harem to the training room I felt someone pull me to one of the rooms, exactly Hassam's room. He pull me in quickly and shut the door quickly, he drag me towards the safety of the inside so no one can listen to was he is going to say.

"What is it with you!" I say releasing myself from his grip above my elbow.

"I need to talk to you" he hisses at me. A clear warning that he is in a bad mood. A warning not to cross him or we would literally could end in a real fist fight.

"Of what?" I say questioning as he goes to his room and checks that everything is closed and nobody could hear him. It must be something important.

"I will not allow my father to sell you to that monster" he says walking towards me and grabbing my hands "over my dead body he will do that" he adds looking at me straight in the eyes. And, oh, his eyes tells you every emotion, they were clouded by rage. A rage that I've never seen before in him.

"But is my duty as a daughter of the sultan. I am supposed to be sell like cattle "I answer

"Well not you, you are golden ad nobody touches you if you don't give them permission it's a no." he says

"Then what you suggest to do?" I ask with my brows raised and crossed arms.

"I want you to kill him" He says coldly. "Now that the succession line is signed if he dies I take the throne. Which means no deal." He adds explaining

"Are you out of your mind!" I hissed at him "If I kill him I go to prison for treason, murder and probably sentence to die" I say

"What happens if I protect you?" he says looking at me

"Well if you want me to kill him, then I should tell you this" I say releasing a deep breath "The white men are coming and I want to go with them and leave this city. But know if you take the throne I can't let the city burn to the ground" I say looking down.

"so you were manipulating everyone with the rank that you have at the brotherhood to allow them to rape the city like they did last time" he says laughing and I look at him questioning "I knew something was up with you" he explains

"Why?" I ask

"You were thinking too much" he answers "then I should back you in this plan" he says

"What? Why?" I look at him oddly

"Because you are my sister" he says laughing a little bit "and I will be right behind you in anything you want to do" he says "I love you and I want the best for you. If you want to be free and learn different thing. Then go. If you want to be adventurous and wild. Then do. Who I am to judge you? No one. For me you are free to do whatever you want." He simply says

And I just look at him in awe. No one in this palace loves me like he does, out of my 15 brothers and sisters he is the only one who love and cares for me. He once told me that our mothers were like sisters and he says she cried when my mother died, since then he took care of me like I was his blood. I just walk straight to him and hug him and he hugs me back stronger and kisses the top of my head and rest his forehead on top of my head.

"I love you" I simply said. And he chuckles a little bit.

"I know" he says pulling back and wiping the tears of my face. "Why don't we go and have a proper fight with me? I believe that I got a little stiff" he says pushing my shoulder.

"We'll see about that" I say flashing a big smile and turning towards the door to head out.

We reached the training room and I walked towards the center of it and draw out Phaesphoros and point it at him. "Your turn" I say smiling down at him. He draws the same sword as mine but larger and charges towards me and with a small hot of the sword I dodge him laughing. He charges again and I make him loose balance of his sword and it fall to the floor.

"Come on you can do better that that" I say nodding towards him.

"Shut up" he says smiling and catching his breath.

We continue to tackle each other for was like hour and a half, we were sweating a lot and it was hard to grip the sword but for one last time I manage to have him on his back with a knife at his throat.

"Okay hayati, fine, fine I do give up" he says putting his hands up. As I rolled off him.

As I stood up and helped Hassam to stand he shove me playfully as a guard running entered the door.

"Your grace I beg your pardon but, the white men are here they were spotted at the outside of the city" he says in rush

"Who saw them?" I ask

"Tøumd my lady" he says.

"Go ad gather the army and the brotherhood" he I say "they are coming"

The guard nodded and he went out running at full speed and shouting to the guards outside, but Hassam knew differently he knew they were coming but not by land.

"What was that" he asked