Vikings in Equestria

''Ragnar Lothbrok and his brother Rollo. Welcome in my house.'' Erik Maarten greeted his friend Ragnar who walked into his house, followed by his older brother Rollo, ''I have brought these people here as you asked. All of them have sworn upon their armring to keep this meeting a secret.''

''You have done well, my friend.'' Ragnar said.

''Tell us why we are here.'' One of them men named Vigi wanted to know.

''Well, you are here, firstly, because you have nothing better to do.'' Ragnar replied, earning groans of protest from almost everyone.

''Listen to him.'' Rollo interrupted them as he sat lazily in the corner.

''We have built a new boat.'' Ragnar announced, ''And with this boat we are able to go West.''

''I have Rangar's word that we all will be treated as equals and get an equal share of the plunder.'' Rollo explained.

''What if there is no West?'' One of the men named Thornstein wanted to know.

''I believe in the stories. And we may have found a way.'' Ragnar explained.

''And the Earl could kill us for disobeying his orders.'' One of them men named Knut said.

''What's your name?'' Rangar asked as he approached him.

''Knut.'' Knut replied.

''Well. I admit there is a risk.'' Ragnar said, ''But we can give you a chance to shine in battle, to impress the gods and bring back such plunder you have never seen before but the question is. Have you got balls to join?''

One of the men named Arne stepped forward and said, ''I'll go with you.''

The other men followed him.

''I'll go.''

''Me too.''

''You can count on me.'' Vigi said.

''Juta?'' Ragnar asked Vigi's wife.

''If Vigi is crazy enough to go.'' Juta smiled with a nod.

''And you Knut?" Ragnar asked.

''I'll go. I want a good story to tell my kids.'' Knut replied, earning cheers from everyone in the house.

Ragnar had arrived at his farm earlier that day. He was washing one of his tunics, while his wife Lagertha was looking angrily at him.

''When do we sail?'' She wanted to know.

''I already told you. I don't want you to come.'' Ragnar replied.

''Why not?'' His wife asked, ''This was going to be the most exciting voyage of our lives. To go West.''

''And what if the Earl wants to claim our family's home? I have to leave the farm in the hands of someone I trust.'' Ragnar replied.

''We have spoken of it for so many years.'' Lagertha said.

''What if we both die? Who would look after the children? Rollo?'' Ragnar asked.

Lagertha realized she had no more arguments left and left the room pouting.

Later in the evening Ragnar was tired and was a little drunk. He decided it was time to go bed, so he stood up and walked towards bed. Suddenly he was hit in the face by a wooden shield. He stumbled back and fell on the floor. The metalic taste in his mouth told him he had bitten into his tongue when his wife shield had bit his chin. He spit the blood into the fire pit and stood up.

''My love.'' He greeted her.

''What is the reason?'' Lagertha asked, ''Am I not strong enough for you?''

She took another swing with her shield and Rangar was barely able to avoid it. The next punch hit him right in the chest.

''I saved your life. Don't you remember?'' She asked. Ragnar was prepared for the next blow. This time his hands caught his shield. He pulled and Lagertha had no choice but drop it. Her fists hammered all over Ragnar until he dropped the shield and caught her on the tight embrace, holding her against her bed.

''How could I forget?'' He asked, kissing her neck, ''You keep reminding me."

Lagertha was about to give in into his embrace as her eyes caught a small hammer, laying within her reach. She grabbed it and smashed it on Ragnar's head. He tumbled backwards and Lagertha started raining fists all over his body again.

''Stop it!'' They were interrupted, ''You could have killed yourselves.''

Their son Bjorn was standing next to them, looking at them.

''We were just having an argument.'' Ragnar tried to calm him down.

''Well, never argue like that ever again!'' Bjorn ordered before he left them. Ragnar and Lagertha looked at each other stunned. For a second the silence was getting uncomfortable, then they started to laugh.

The day to set sail had finally come. Ragnar kissed his wife and said goodbye to his children. He then went on his way to his friend Floki shipyard where the new boat was drifting, tied to the pier. Some of the crew members had already arrived. They were loading oars, barrels of ale, food supplies and everything they would need on the journey.

Floki the boatbuilder was supervising their activities. Ragnar decided to play his friend a little prank. He pulled his knife out of it's sheath and pushed it against Floki's throat.

''Where is my anchor?'' Ragnar asked.

''It was promised for today.'' Floki replied, not scared at all.

''Maybe your blacksmith is a liar?'' Ragnar wanted to know.

Floki giggled as he reached into his pocket and fetched a lock of blond hair, ''I don't think so. This lock is from his daughter head. I promised him I would kill her if he told the Earl.''

Floki smiled at Ragnar who put the dagger back in his pocket. By now the whole crew had arrived, except for one person.

''I don't see Knut.'' Ragnar stated.

''This is because he is not here.'' Floki agreed.

''Well, we don't have the time to wait for him.'' Ragnar decided.

The loading had been completed and the crew who would participate in this great journey was standing on the pier. They all knew what had to come next, they had to ask the gods for their protection. The sat down in the grass and one of the slaves brought a big bowl filled with water. Floki was the first, he sprinkled some water over a statue of the god Njord before washing his hair, his beard, his mouth and nose in the water.

''We asks the gods for strong winds and calm seas.'' He said.

Ragnar was next, The slave girl with the water bowl approached him, before he and the others performed the washing rite.

The set the sail shortly after noon, in a friendly sunny day. The steered the boat out the open sea, westward.

The sun had set over the sea and the crew was sleeping in their boat. Ragnar was on the helm and noted that the waves were getting bigger with every minute.

An hour later, he awoke the others, ''A storm is coming.'' He announced while he was securing the barrel of water. Then the crew came to live. They pulled down the sail and prepared the oars to row.

The rain was hard and the boat was thrown over the waves as the storm was striking. Floki was sitting next to the mast, shivering.

''Are you afraid?'' Ragnar asked him.

''Yes I am afraid but not for me. I am afraid for my boat.'' Floki replied.

Rollo couldn't help himself than rub it in a little more, ''Thor is angry with us. He is striking his anvil. He wants to sink us.''

Suddenly Floki's face became happy, ''You are right.'' He agreed, ''Thor is striking his hammer. The Lighting in the spark from anvil. But he is not angry with us. He is celebrating! He wants to show everyone that he cannot sink this boat!'' He stood up and received a splash of the water in the face, ''The gods love this boat!''

Once the storm was over one of the men muttering something to himself.

''There is no west.'' He muttered, ''We're sailing into an empty ocean. Leif, Kauko, Vigi, Juta we have been persuaded by madmen and fools.''

He aggravated himself steadily until he finally stood up.

''The god Loki is behind this voyage. That scoundrel. The sly one.'' He said.

''Sit down!'' Ragnar interrupted him, ''And shut up!''

''You sound like the trickster.'' The man accused Ragnar, ''Maybe you are the god of mischief?''

Ragnar quickly closed in on the fool and took his knife from it's sheath. He stabbed the man's throat and turned to Rollo, ''Release the raven's.'' He ordered as he wiped his knife clean on the dead man's shirt.

Rollo opened the cage and several raven's flew into the foggy sky.

"If the birds do not return, there is land.'' Ragnar explained, ''But if they do return...'' He dared not to finish the sentence. After all, no land would mean failure and all the stories he head heard over the years were nothing but lies.

They waited for hours for birds to return. In the meantime the boat was drifting and the mood was sinking every minute. Ragnar looked up when he heard the sound of wings in the sky. He realized his hopes were false, and they should better return. The raven had found no land.

Arne was a seasoned warrior who had lost an eye in battle before, had heard something else. He listened closer and the unmistakable cry of the birds filled with joy.

''SEAGULLS!'' He shouted.

In a matter of second the crew was cheering. Instead of raven who would have returned to the boat if there was no land, a seagull meant they had to be close to land.

A foal was playing at the beach when he noticed a boat, sailing towards the village in which he was living in. He quickly turned around and ran into the village, ''A boat is coming! A boat is coming!''

Soon enough most of the ponies from the village gathered on the beach to greet the travelers. The Northmen got out from the boat and looked at the ponies in confusion.

''What are those things?'' Thornstein asked in confusion while looking at the ponies who were smilling at them, not seeing the danger in the Northmen.

''Travelers! We'd like to welcome you in your village!'' One of the ponies greeted them.

''Our Gods have taken us to a place inhabited by talking horses.'' Juta stated before Rollo stepped forward to the ponies. Once he was there one of them extended his hoof towards him.

''Hello! My name is Rain World! It's nice to meet you and your friends!'' Rain World said before Rollo crashed his axe down on Rain World's head. The blood spurted high and opened the skull of the pony. Ponies who were on the beach screamed in horror before they ran into the village. The Northmen ran after them and cut them down, one by one. Only a few of them managed to survive the attack of the Northmen.

After that happened Ragnar, Erik, Leif, Vigi and Juta were exploring the town. They entered one building were stunned by the sight of gold and treasure in front of them.

''You were right, my friend. There are treasures in the West.'' Vigi smiled at view of treasures as he put his hand to grab one of the chandeliers, when he and the others heard Leif say.

''Who leave such treasure unprotected? I don't understand is there some kind of speal?''

Vigi's hand which had almost touched the metal, was quickly pulled back.

''It appears not.'' Erik replied. He had been faster than Vigi and grabbed one of golden chandeliers.

''Maybe they think their god will protect them.'' Ragnar stated.

Juta pointed her sword at the portait of Princess Celestia and Princess Luna, ''You're probably talking about them. They must their gods.''

They all spun around when they heard a sound behind the altar. Ragnar went forward and pulled a grey unicorn out of his cover.

''Please don't kill me.'' A Unicorn begged, suprisingly Ragnar could understand him.

''You speak our language.'' Ragnar remarked.

''I have traveled a lot.'' A Unicorn replied.

''Are those ponies your gods?'' Juta asked as she pointed her sword at the portait of Celestia and Luna, once again.

''No. Our god is named Kholat.'' A unicorn replied.

''Kholat? That's an interesting name for a God.'' Ragnar stated.

It was when Rollo entered the building, ''This is a strange place indeed. A land inhabited by talking horses.''

''We're not horses. We're ponies.'' A Unicorn corrected him.

''Whatever.'' Rollo said as he walked up to a unicorn, ''Can I kill him now?''

''He is worth more, alive.'' Ragnar stated, ''To sell as a slave.''

''We don't have the space on the boat. Let me kill him.'' Rollo argued.

''Does it really mean that much to you?'' Ragnar demanded to know.

Rollo decided to back down. Instead he took his anger out on the portait of both princesses. The wood splintered as the portait broke into several pieces under the impact of Rollo's big axe.

In the meantime Floki was wandering around the town. He entered the library and looked for treasures. He glanced around the library to see a lot of books. He had never seen a books before. He walked up to one of the tables and picked up one of the books which happened to be a story about The Reunion of The Royal Pony Sisters.

He tried to eat it, but the taste was unappealing. Then he had an idea. Everywhere in this room were candles flickering. He opened the book and held it into the flame. Immediately the flames began to eat the paper. The boatbuilder was amazed. He had never seen something burn that fast. He quickly grabbed another book and added it to the pyre.

The warrior guided captured ponies towards the beach. They were carrying the treasured they had found in the village.

One of the captured ponies glanced over to see the town's beloved library in flames. It was when he tried to make a quick escape but was catched by Rollo who noticed it in the first place.

The brother of Ragnar Lothbrok throwed the pony into the water and drowned him. Then he walked back to the rest of crew which was standing in front of their boat.

Ponies had ever seen such a ship. It had a long hull and a single mast. The boat was carrying the wooden head of a dragon or so it seemed to them. The warriors guided their prisoners onto the ship and had them sit in the center. They rowed the ship from the beach and back towards their home.