Vikings in Equestria

4 years later

Many men had come into the great hall. Ubbe the oldest son of Ragnar Lothbrok and Aslaug was playing with his younger brother Hvitserk and two daughters of Vigi and Juta. The older daughter was named Agi after Juta's real mother and the younger one was named Aria after Vigi's mother.

Thornstein, Juta, Vigi and Myrus who had become a warrior through all these years, were discussing the different techniques and advantages of weapons.

''The axe is much better than the sword.'' The pony stated.

''How?" Thornstein asked.

"Yeah, how?" Juta added.

"It has bigger range." Myrus replied.

"For once I agree with you, pony." Vigi said as he patted Myrus on his shoulder before Floki and Helga entered the great hall and interrupted them.

"Thornstein, you are standing in the way of the fire." Floki told Thornstein.

"As usual." Myrus joked.

"Hello, pony." Floki greeted Myrus.

"Yes. I may be a pony but now I am one of you." Myrus declared.

"So, where is our Earl?" Floki asked.

"Behind you." Ragnar replied, holding Ubbe in his arms, "You've made yourself rare, Floki."

"Oh I've been busy, busy like a dwarf building your boats." Floki explained, "Even in the ice and the snow."

"Soooo busy." Ragnar teased him, "Yet so much time to complain."

"Every year." Thornstein began, "Your people wonder when you wil order another raid west...''

"And every year you disappoint them." Vigi added, "I've heard some people say, that Earl Ragnar is becoming Earl Haraldson."

"Then I will put their minds at ease." Ragnar replied. He stood up onto the table, "It has taken a long time to prepare ourselves." He announced, "To build our ships, to replace the young men that we lost in the plague. But now we're ready. So this summer we shall finally go west again!''

The audience cheered, but Ragnar was not done yet.

"We will return to Equestria.'' He told them, "For this country has been so generous, the last time. And we will not go alone. King Horik and Jarl Borg have agreed to join us. And maybe we will not return so soon. Maybe we will stay a while, explore the land. Maybe even winter there. For this in an interesting place." He finished, "And now that I put your minds to rest. Who is hungry?"

In the meantime Siggy was walking through the town. The snowflakes were loosely failing around her, when she saw someone lying in the dirt. She stepped closer and pullled the man's hair out of his face. It was Rollo.

Rollo was asleep from all the ale he had drunk. Siggy failed in her attemps to wake him gently. Frustated, she looked around and discovered a bucket with water, which was frozen. She broke the ice and then splashed the icy water in Rollo's face. The giant warrior awoke in an instant and had to face Siggy's accusing looks.

Back In the great hall, Ragnar had been just handed his meal from one of his servants, a young woman with blond hair.

"I have never seen you before." He said, "What is your name?"

"My name is Hild, Lord." Hild replied.

"Where are you from Hild?" Ragnar wanted to know.

"Uppsala." She replied.

Aslaug had just watched the converstion. When Hild had left, she turned to her husband.

"What were you talking with her?" She asked a little too innocent. Ragnar sighed.

"We talked about....movements in the shield wall." He replied, annoyed. Aslaug was not satisfied with this information.

"Girl." She called out, "Bring me some food, I'm eating for two."

The girl brought her another plate. As she wanted to step back, Aslaug cautioned her, "You are old enough, be careful who you choose to be familiar with."

Later in the evening, Ragnar and Aslaug were in the bedroom, Ragnar asked, "What is it? You are acting strangely.''

"You think it is strange for a pregnant woman to wish for her husband to be supportive and kind?" Aslaug asked him.

"No.'' Ragnar stated.

"Then why do you think I'm acting strangely?" Aslaug asked. Ragnar looked at her with big eyes

"I don't know." He told her.

"You don't know that you are flirting with other women?" Aslaug accused him, "That you show them you want to bed them?"

Ragnar sat up on the bed and put his face next to Aslaug's pregnant belly.

"Tell your beautiful mother, that I am not doing what she thinks." Ragnar said.

"Yes, you are." Aslaug insisted, "Women know these things. Especially me, I have certain gifts."

"Gifts?" Ragnar asked, "You mean you're a Volva?"

"I might be." Aslaug replied mysteriously, "And the fact that you want to sleep with this slave girl, is such an insult to me."

"I do not want to sleep with that girl." Ragnar murmured, already half asleep. Suddenly Aslaug sat up in the bed.

"I won't let you sleep until I've told you this." She said, "I have given you sons, and I am carrying another son. My father killed the might dragon Fafnir and our son's eye will be the image of the serpent."

Ragnar was laying on the floor, throwing Hvitserk high in the air. Ubbe sat on his legs and laughed. Everyone looked up as Siggy entered the room, followed by Rollo.

"You should leave." Ragnar told his sons. They got up and left the room, "I said everyone." He told Siggy who was still standing in the room. She left in a hurry and Ragnar seated himself on the bench, then he asked Rollo, "Are you not going to take a seat? What do you want?"

"I am your brother." Rollo began.

"You chose to fight against me." Ragnar reminded him, "You could have killed me."

"I remember when we were boys, we often fought against each other." Rollo replied, "But I never could have killed you."

"So why I should trust you ever again?" Ragnar asked him.

"Because I ask you to." Rollo pointed out, "I merely ask for the opportunity to regain your respect, to fight alongside you again."

"You have suffered these past years.'' Ragnar admitted, "But many have suffered more, because of what you did."

Resignated, Rollo made a move to stand up and leave.

"Let me think about it." Ragnar said to him, "Then I will give you my decision."

King Horik and his companions walked through the streets of Kattegat and entered the great hall.

"Ragnar Lothbrok, my great friend." He greeted Ragnar, "I am glad to see you. These are my sons Ari and Erlendur."

"King Horis, It is a pleasure to have you here." Ragnar replied, "I look forward to getting to know your sons, and introduce you mine. There is someone here you will well remember."

Ragnar led his visitors to the back of the hall. Jarl Borg was sitting on a bench, holding a cup of wine. He looked up when he was the group approaching.

"I can see that you are no too delighted to see me here, King Horik.'' Borg said, "But I hope you are not suprised. After all, we all agreed to raid together and I have come here to honor our agreement."

"The last time I saw you Jarl Borg, I had the distasteful task of burying of many kinsmen and friends." Horik said, "But it is true. I am not suprised to see you."

Everyone turned as Rollo entered the room. The guests both looked shocked as they recognized him.

"Surely this is not Rollo, the brother who fought against us?" Horik asked, "You spared his life?"

"The gods spared his life." Ragnar explained, turning to Rollo, "I accept you back. I acknowledge you as my brother, but I don't want you to raid with us."

"I accept your judgement." Rollo replied.

In the evening there was another feast in the great hall, to honor the prominent guests. Ragnar's family and the guest's were sitting at the table. Ragnar was talking with Ari, the King's son while the King was talking with Aslaug.

King Horik suddenly leaned to Ragnar.

"I've come to a decision." He said, "I don't want Jarl Borg to raid with us. I cannot bring myself to trust him. You must inform him of our decison."

Ragnar rolled his eyes, knowing exactly what Jarl Borg's reaction was likely to be.

The next day King Horik's ships arrived in Kattegat. Half of dozen ships, all bearing the white and black shields that were carried by King Horik's household troops. Ragnar, Floki and Vigi were standing further down on the pier, out of voice range of the King.

"Are you jealous?" Vigi teased Floki who giggled.

"They won't even make it out of the Fjord." Floki said.

While King Horik overlooked the arrival of his ships, Ragnar returned to the great hall, where he was awaited by Jarl Borg.

"So, when do we sail?" Borg wanted to know.

"Forgive me, lord." Ragnar began, "But we have decided not to seek your help."

''I thought we had an agreement?" Borg argued.

"It is not my intention to break this agreement." Ragnar told him, "But this occasion."

Borg turned around and walked away, shaking his head angrily.

In another house of Kattegat, Siggy was talking with King Horik.

''I know many things, here in Kattegat that you don't of." she told the King, "I knew Ragnar's first wife and her son, I know Ragnar's strengths and weaknesses."

"Why should I want to know about that?" Horik asked.

"Because Ragnar is your ally." Siggy told him, "It is always a strength to know the weaknesses of your friends, don't you think?"

"But how can I know that I can trust you?" Horik asked.

Siggy pointed at the bed in the corner and let her dress slide down.

Ragnar was saying goodbye to his family. He had Hvitserk on his arms. Aslaug stood around while Ubbe was trying to carry his father's sword. Despite his struggle, the point of the sheathed sword slithered over the floor.

"Now you grow big and strong." Ragnar said to Hvitserk, "I love you." He handed the boy over to Aslaug, then he bowed to Ubbe and took his sword from the boy, "You do what your mother tell you to do.'' He urged him, before whispering, "Most of time." He took a small wooden sword from behind his back and gave it to him.

Ragnar stood up, "Farewell my wife."

"We will make a sacrifice to Thor." Aslaug told him, "But I think you should cross the sea safely."

They embraced tightly for a moment, then Ragnar went on his way to the pier.

The boats were loosened of the pier and rowed out of the fjord, then the sails were hoisted and they set the course towards Equestria. King Horik and his son's were on Ragnar's ship, sailing with the famous navigator who had first found they way west. Myrus was also aboard, Ragnar had meant that he was ready to fight.

After three days at sea, Ragnar was getting nervous. By now, they should have been close to land. In the evening, a giant storm hit them. The boats were dancing across the waves and the men abroad were miserable and wet from rain.

Ragnar was on the helm. He was laughing, being completely in control of the ship.

"Are you having fun, King Horik." He asked.

Then wind came in hard and the big sail of the boat began to tear.

"We have to let the sail down." Ragnar commanded. The quickly men began to work.

"What is it?" Myrus asked.

Floki shuddered, "That's the sound of waves hitting rocks." he stammered. The sound very sailor fears.

"We have to set out the oars!" Ragnar shouted, "Row! Pull us away!"

Somehow they managed to row away from the cliffs. Finally, the storm ceased and fog set in. After the fog had lifted, they realized they were the only ship around.

"We've been blown miles of course." Myrus stated, "Who knows where are we?"

"The gods, pony." Floki told him.

Ragnar overlooked the condition of the boat. They yardarm was broken and the sail had a gash, but otherwise they were fine.

"What I want to know, is where are all the ships?" Ragnar asked when they approached several other ships, "How many do you see?"

"Only four." Floki replied.

"Some of the others may have been scattered." Thornstein reminded them.

In this moment, Vigi pointed out into the fog. A darker scheme could be seen against the foggy sky.

"Land!" Horik called, "I told my boys, Ragnar always finds land."

While the rest of the crew was cheering, Ragnar stepped next to Floki.

"What do you think?" he asked, "Where are we?"

"I don't know Ragnar." Floki replied, "After all, I'm only the boat builder, you are the navigator."

The five ships were rowed to the beach and the Vikings disembarked. They waded ashore silently and headed into the land
They soon found a small river, which they followed. After a few hours of marching they decided to camp on the gravel banks in the middle of the river.

Soon, everyone was relaxed. Some slept in the grass, others fished. Almost everyone was eating.

Suddenly arrows landed in the middle of the camp. The King's son Ari was among the first ones who got hit. The arrow had entered his right chest and died quickly. Others scrambled for their shields.

The northmen divided into two groups which was formed as individual shield wall. They closed their shield walls to all sides, taking effective cover from all flying through the air.

"They're everyone." Thornstein told Rangar after a short look around.

It was when the soldiers charged at them. Myrus gasped in shock because they were griffons not ponies. They were in Griffonstone not in Equestria.

The griffons began their attack and hit both shield walls with force. A heavy fight began. They Vikings used their axes and swords to hit and stab Griffonstone soldiers while they tried their best to make the shield wall break.

"Horik's in trouble!" Myrus told Ragnar, pointing at the other shield wall which was heavily hit by Griffonstone soldiers.

"Go help him!" Ragnar ordered. Floki, Thornstein and Vigi left the shield wall and ran over to the other shield wall, while they
struggled to strengthen it. Ragnar ran out into the river and tackled down the two griffons which were trying to kill Myrus. They both joined Horik's shield wall.

"Open!" Ragnar ordered. Thornstein and Vigi next to him immediately followed his command, allowing Griffonstone warriors to enter the shield wall. There in the middle of the shield wall, everyone was stabbing them, and several of them were quickly cut down.

Ragnar tackled another griffon to the ground, killing him with his sword, when a second griffon swung his sword at his back. Just in the right moment, Myrus arrived, digging his axe into the Griffonstone soldier's back

The battle was won, the Viking were looking after their wounded and dead. King Horik and Erlendur grieved for Ari. Myrus was sitting at the side as Ragnar walked up to him.

"You did not hesitate today." He complimented the pony. Ha handed Myrus an arm ring, "Take it if you want." He offered. Myrus eyes the ring for a few seconds, then he put it on his wrist.

"So, pony. Where are we?" Vigi wanted to know as he walked up to them.

"We're in the kingdom of Griffons that is known as Griffonstone." Myrus replied, "This country is ruled by Queen Gilda."

"What have you heard about Queen Gilda?" Ragnar wanted to know.

"That is she just like you." Myrus smiled.

"Second Ragnar Lothbrok?" Vigi asked, earning a nod from Myrus, "That's what I would like to see."

In the meantime in the Castle of Griffonstone, Gilda was taking a bath when a blue griffon walked into the room

"Mother." He said.

"What is it, Gallus?" Gilda wanted to know, "Can't you see that I'm having a bath?"

"I know mother, but this is very importnat." Gallus replied.

"So tell me if this is important." Gilda ordered.

"They're here." Was Gallus reply.