Upon learning Ragnar was dead, Bjorn and the others were quick in their desire to return to Kattegat. It was time for the brothers to unite and avenge their father. Raevyn was to be included in this, of course, not only because she was Ivar's wife but because Ragnar was as much an important part of her life as he was in theirs.

Before they could return to Kattegat, something needed to be returned to Frankia – Rollo. Raevyn would be glad to see him go and certainly would not have minded if Rollo happened to take along a few others with him – namely King Harald and his brother Halfdan. She didn't speak these thoughts aloud, knowing they would do nothing but cause problems. As much as she did not mind poking the embers of fury before, the desire to do so now had lessened greatly. There were far more important things on her mind.

Raevyn couldn't get the vision of her father out of her thoughts. She saw him – the Viking. Raevyn could not get over how Odin gave his Viking essence a place in Valhalla because he fought so hard with his Christian side. That was something to be admired, and she admired him greatly for it. Raevyn's entire outlook upon Athelstan's life and death had changed. Knowing he was in Valhalla healed some broken parts inside of her. Knowing that Odin acknowledged how Athelstan was Viking and rewarded him for it made all the difference in the world for Raevyn. Her mother was Viking, her father was Viking, she is Viking and no longer felt the need to prove it to those who she lived amongst. Odin knew – Odin could see. His opinions mattered far more than those of the mortals she walked upon the earth with. Raevyn wasn't going to prove herself to them anymore – she didn't need to.

Upon Bjorn's ship, Raevyn sat on the floor and leaned back against the wall of the boat. It had been smooth sailing thus far and soon Frankia would be upon them. Once Rollo was returned then nothing would stop them from continuing to Kattegat – to home.

Raevyn was pulled from these thoughts when she heard a growl coming from the back of the boat. The slave girl Bjorn claimed – the one he called Thyra – was at it again. If anyone got too close to her then she would snarl at them like a rabid beast and bare her teeth. Raevyn admired the fire within the young woman, but as of late she was starting to annoy her. It didn't help matters that Thyra didn't even try to speak to them – grunts and growls were all she had to share. Why Bjorn claimed her, Raevyn couldn't fathom, but that made her untouchable. Untouchable to all but Bjorn at least.

She had enough of thinking about the slave girl, so she got to her feet and climbed up onto the side of the boat. Raevyn held onto the ropes and closed her eyes as the wind blew the sea air upon her face. This had to be her favorite part of sailing – this feeling of being alive.

"One rough patch and you will be thrown over," Erik pointed out from the spot beside her. One which he presently moved to. "Do not expect me to dive in after you."

Raevyn didn't look at him as she replied. "I do not expect it, but I doubt that would stop you from doing it anyway."

Erik looked at her oddly. "She speaks without venom upon her tongue? Are you aware of who is speaking to you?"

This time Raevyn did open her eyes and jumped back into the boat. "I am aware it is you, Erik. My words simply do not always need venom any longer. Things are different now."

Erik had a feeling she was setting him up for something but could not figure out what it could possibly be. "What exactly happened to you during this trip?"

Raevyn's answer to that was vague and yet perfectly true. "Exactly what was needed."

Thyra sat at the back of the boat with her arms and legs bound. She could not understand the words being spoken around her and thus responded to everything as if it was an act of aggression. There was only one she trusted out of all those present – the one who first called her Thyra, the one called Bjorn.

There was something in his eyes that made her trust him. Other than that, she couldn't explain it. Not that she could aloud anyway since she did not speak their language. However, if she could speak it then she would rain down fire with her words at how they were treating the women from her homeland. Thyra was not ignorant, she knew what would be done to them. And if she could speak their language, she would tell the one called Helga that the child she ripped away from her home held a deep fury in her heart and would turn feral when the time was right. The girl, Tanaruz, was a quiet one – and quiet ones should often be feared for they are patient, and calculative, and cunning. Thyra would have said all of this and more if she could speak their language.

Thyra lifted her gaze from the knots that bound her wrists together when she heard someone approaching. Bjorn held a piece of fruit out to her and said, "Eat." Thyra did not understand the word, but could figure out what he wished for her to do.

Bjorn sighed and bit into the fruit to show what he meant then held it out to her again. "Eat, Thyra."

Thyra accepted the fruit from her homeland and did as he requested of her. She bit into it with closed eyes and for just a moment she was back home. When Thyra opened her eyes she found Bjorn was still crouched in front of her, looking mildly pleased before he stood and returned to the front of the boat.

"Your pet is obeying you I see," Hvitserk observed as his brother approached.

"Thyra is not my pet," Bjorn retorted. He wasn't quite sure what he was going to do with Thyra once they returned to Kattegat, but one thing he did know was he would not allow her to be sold off like the others. Who knows, perhaps he would train her to become a warrior. What was meant to be a fleeting thought was one that Bjorn latched onto and held there. The more Bjorn thought of this possibility the more he considered it. "I have decided to train her."

Hvitserk laughed at the prospect of that. "You are going to train her to be Viking?" He didn't think his brother would get very far with that. "Good luck, brother."

Bjorn did not believe he needed luck. He believed that the Gods put Thyra into his path for a reason and fully intended on finding out what that reason could possibly be.

Raevyn stood with Hvitserk and Bjorn as they watched the Frankish boat row towards their own to take Rollo aboard. She did not think Rollo would go so easily, not after everything, and she was right. When Bjorn asked him if he was going home, Rollo answered by saying he knew what he had to do. Raevyn expected him to do something but she didn't quite expect what came out of his mouth.

Rollo turned around to face all present and called out, "I want to make you all an offer. Anyone from our homelands who wants good, rich lands to farm can come and live in my kingdom. There will always be a part of Frankia," Rollo placed his fist over his heart, "which is a part of us."

As much as Raevyn didn't expect Rollo's offer, she didn't expect to find that she sided with Floki's answer either.

Floki moved to the front and scoffed incredulously. "Us? You are no longer a part of 'us', Rollo."

Rollo was not bothered by his words. "But what is 'us', Floki, is changing. Only you won't accept it." He turned to his nephews and Raevyn. "And so I say the same to you. And you, Hvitserk and Raevyn."

Bjorn answered, "Too much bad blood, Rollo."

Hvitserk felt the same way. "Once a betrayer, always a betrayer."

Rollo looked to Raevyn to see what her answer would be. "And you, little bird? Do you wish to start a new life?"

Raevyn was completely serious with her reply. "I already have."

Rollo didn't argue with their answers and climbed onto the edge of the boat. When Helga said her goodbyes to him, he answered with, "Goodbye, Helga. And I won't forget. I won't forget anything." Rollo climbed off Bjorn's boat and stepped onto the Frankish vessel. His eldest son was waiting for him, who Rollo scooped up and held onto as he watched his past leave him.

Floki scoffed as Rollo's boat rowed away. He spoke directly to Bjorn when she said, "You should have killed him when you had the chance."

"Why would you say that?" Bjorn wanted to know.

Floki's answer to this was, "Because I have a bad feeling that he will reach more fame than any of you."

Raevyn spit at this declaration. "If he tries, I will return and kill him myself."

Floki looked at Raevyn to say something but found he could not because he believed every word she said.

As much as Raevyn loved the voyage, she was glad to have returned to Kattegat - to home again. Then again, perhaps it was knowing she would soon be with Ivar that made her so glad and not the return itself.

Bjorn could practically see the longing upon her face. "Now that we have returned, are you going to be dutiful wife?"

"If you are asking me if I will be hanging up my sword then the answer is – The Gods themselves would have to pry it from my cold, dead hands." As much as she could imagine the challenges of being a wife and a mother, Raevyn wanted to be more than that. She did not want to rush into having a family, not when there was so much more she wanted to do.

Bjorn was pleased to hear this but questioned something. "Will Ivar agree with this decision?"

Raevyn smirked a bit as she replied, "If he knows what is good for him, he will."

There was no need to say more for their boat had reached the dock. There were quite a number of other boats in the harbor. Raevyn didn't recognize their symbols but there would be time enough to learn who they belonged to. Right now her focus was on seeing Ivar again.

As they moved through Kattegat towards the Great Hall it was almost as if there was a heaviness in the air. So many things had changed and Raevyn wondered what brought all this upon. She would soon have the answer because once they reached the Great Hall they were greeted by two men standing guard. These men refused their entrance but were not given a choice when Bjorn's men forced them aside. Whether or not they were killed, Raevyn didn't see due to the fact she walked right into the Hall with Bjorn after the doors were burst open.

Raevyn did not expect what they happened upon – Ivar and Ubbe had their weapons raised at Bjorn's mother Lagertha.

Bjorn did not appreciate what he was seeing. "If you kill her, my brothers, you'll have to kill me too."

Ivar looked up at his eldest brother. "Maybe we should."

Raevyn couldn't believe he had just said that. "Ivar!" She stepped closer to stand beside Bjorn. "What has happened here?"

Ubbe rested his axe upon his shoulder. "She killed our mother."

"I know," Bjorn answered, ignoring the questioning look upon Raevyn's face. "You want revenge. I would too." He inhaled deeply, moving his blade in his hand. "But more importantly, we have to avenge our father. That is why I came back." Bjorn looked down at Ivar, making himself clear. "And that is what we are going to do."

Ivar grunted in anger and frustration before leaving the Hall with Ubbe right behind him.

Raevyn gave Bjorn a bit of an apologetic look and followed after them. If there was anything Raevyn could understand it was feeling the desire for revenge.

Raevyn went with Ivar to his quarters and didn't say a word until they arrived there. "I am sorry about your mother."

"Are you?" Ivar practically spat back at her. "You hated her."

"Hate is a strong word, husband. One I do not use lightly." Raevyn removed her cloak and set it aside. "And even if I did, I would still be sorry for you. You are the one that lost her, Ivar."

Ivar said nothing in response to that and just focused on his desire for revenge. He climbed upon his bed and sat with clenched fists. "I will kill Lagertha."

"At the expense of losing your brother?" Raevyn sat down beside him. "If you kill her that is what will happen. You will either be forced to kill him, too, or he will no longer consider you his brother. Are you willing to risk that?"

Ivar felt his blood boiling a bit at her words. "How many times have I heard you say you desire revenge for your father's death? How many times have you expressed your desire to kill Floki? But when I express my own desires, they are not worth the risk?"

"That is not what I am saying, Ivar, and you know this." Raevyn scoffed and moved to stand but stopped when she felt Ivar's hand upon her wrist.

"Do not go. We do not need to talk more about this now." Ivar moved his hand to the side of her face. "I am sorry."

Raevyn was worried in that moment because for the first time ever, she wasn't sure if he was being sincere or trying to manipulate her. She chose to give him the benefit of the doubt and placed her hand over his. "I understand." Raevyn leaned closer and kissed him deeply, allowing herself to be consumed by the physical and emotional desire of being with him.

Thyra sat at Bjorn's table, looking at the woman called Torvi who did nothing but glare at her. She looked across at the children sitting there and when the boys made faces at her, she made them right back.

Torvi still did not understand why Bjorn's slave girl was joining them at their meal together. "What is she doing here, Bjorn? You should be putting her to work – she is a slave."

"She isn't an ordinary slave," Bjorn countered as he ate. "She is my apprentice. I am going to teach her how to fight."

Torvi thought this was the most ridiculous thing she had ever heard. "Why would you do such a thing?"

"She is not like the other women we captured. They ran and screamed but she tried to fight us off. I am interested in seeing how far that fight in her will go." Bjorn slid Thyra's plate closer to her. "Eat."

Thyra understood what that word meant now and even though her wrists were still bound together, she was able to eat. It was quite different than the cuisine she was used to, but she was not going to complain.

Torvi looked at Thyra with disgust but changed the subject. "How can you go with Ivar when he wants to kill your mother?"

Bjorn answered this like it was the most obvious thing in the world. "We are brothers. We want to kill Aelle. Nothing else matters right now, woman."

Torvi shook her head at his words. "I don't understand. Of course it matters." Her tone of voice rose a bit, "It matters to me even if it doesn't matter to you!"

Bjorn had enough of this and slammed his hand on the table, making the baby in Torvi's arms cry. "Listen! I did not come back here to be questioned or to be told what to do. Not by you, not by anyone!" He hit his plate of food right off the table, causing Thyra to jump a bit.

Bjorn took deep breaths as he stood and went for the door. As soon as he reached it, he looked back to the table. "Thyra, come with me."

All Thyra understood was her name so she left the table and went right over to him since she did not feel his anger was towards her. When they walked outside, Bjorn took out his knife and cut the ropes around her wrists. Thyra rubbed where the ropes were tied and looked at Bjorn in question.

Bjorn placed his hand on her back and guided her away. He knew she would not understand but spoke nonetheless, "It is time for you to learn to fight."

Thyra had no idea what he was saying but knew she would soon find out.

End Episode 6