Kattegat recognized Ulrik as the temporary king and this meant that he held more power than normal as Kattegat was still a kingdom that needed to be ruled.
Ulrik did not have what it took to be king but with the advice of Karl, he was not lost completely.
He did not sit on the throne, however, as he respected Askild far too much to do something so brazen even if he had the right to.
But what Ulrik was enjoying the most was the company of Garda, the woman that brought Garda into his life was Lagertha but Garda was still adjusting to her new environment.
"I am home, Garda…" Ulrik muttered, letting his body thump against the bed in front of him.
The sole of his feet was aching and he was relieved the moment they left the ground.
Garda was doing some chores but stopped the moment Ulrik got in.
"Are you okay, my love?" Garda asked but all she got from her man was an exhausted sigh.
"I just had another reason as to why I never want to become king!" Ulrik complained to which Garda giggled like a schoolgirl.
He just wanted to be babied, embracing him into her arms as she gently stroked his hair.
"I do not think I can sustain Kattegat, I have done my best but I do not think I can keep the order as King Askild did," Ulrik complained, he poured out his heart to the woman he was once suspicious of because she offered him a listening ear every single time.
"It must be tough but you are doing so well…" Garda praised him, she had managed to tame Ulrik but this could be because of Ulrik's own need for companionship.
He did not believe in raping women and unlike most Vikings, he believed that sex was something sacred that should only be shared with someone you hold dear.
"And we have heard nothing from the frontlines, night has come once again and there has been no word of what is happening…" Ulrik kept talking, he could not seem to stop.
"I do not know what is going on but I feel like we are pawns in someone's game…" Ulrik said, but the softness of Garda's breasts pushing up against his face made it difficult for him to concentrate. He raised her shirt and the sight of her erect nipples excited him.
"You are a hopeless horn-dog…" Garda teased Ulrik because he was always ready to go at the drop of a hat but she also knew he was tired.
"Lay down, let me serve you.." Garda said, guiding Ulrik to lie on his back. Of course, she noticed the bulge but before they could go any further a scream echoed in the distance.
Ulrik immediately went into protective mode, instructing Garda to stay indoors as he went out to investigate what was responsible for that scream.
He located the victim and it was just a case of theft, Ulrik could not believe he left his woman for something as simple as burglary but he was also relieved that this was a case of theft.
Dragging his feet, he returned home, shutting the door behind him but with his back faced to the bed.
"You would not believe what just happened…" Ulrik sounded tired but when he turned, he did not see Garda. He would have thought nothing of this but there were clear signs of struggle.
He could even see a little blood on the ground.
GARDA!" Ulrik screamed but there was no response. He rushed outside to check if there would be any signs of her but there were not. He was scared and he did not know what to do about it.
There was only one person he knew he could turn to and that was Lagertha, he ran to her house like a helpless puppy. There, he met her and Herfjötur having a conversation. A conversation that stopped the moment they saw the state Ulrik was in.
"Well… You look like shit…" Herfjötur said without hesitation but she saw that Ulrik was close to tears so she knew after she said those words that something had happened.
"G-Garda! She is gone!" Ulrik shouted, what came to both their minds was she had been killed.
That would explain why he was crying but Lagertha wanted to hear more.
She stood up and walked up to Ulrik, but she did not comfort him, slapping him across the face.
An action that shocked even Herfjötur.
"What do you mean she is gone? You can cry on your own time, tell me what happened." Lagertha blurted, this snapped Ulrik back to his senses because he had promised Lagertha that he would keep her safe and considering he was the most powerful person in Kattegat right now.
Ulrik proceeded to explain the situation to them, he was using a lot of hand gestures, something he did when he was scared.
"Hahahaha! I thought she was dead! I bet that blood was not hers!" Herfjötur downplayed the situation. Garda was not the same woman she was a month ago and that was why a struggle was even ensured or she would have been taken easily.
"Whoever is responsible did not want her dead, I do not think they care about Garda, Ulrik. It is you they are trying to send a message…" Lagertha said. She was a lot calmer after hearing that Garda was taken and not killed.
"What do you mean?" Ulrik asked and Herfjötur chipped in her two cents.
"The attack in Kattegat stopped when you appeared. Ulrik, the man that did not have a weakness… Until now that is." Herfjötur laid it out in layman's terms so he could grasp the message that Lagertha was trying to pass across.
"You are why they took Garda and you need to think about your next move carefully… It could very well decide if she lives or dies but one thing you cannot do is let your emotions overwhelm you or you will lose whatever game you are being forced to play…' Lagertha said, Ulrik could tell she was angry by how tightly her fist was clenched but these were the words he was looking for.
He nodded in agreement as he wiped the residue tears from his face before saying.
'I will find her!"
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