Chapitre 42: The Fall Of Arvid

Arvid cried and wished he neither had eyes nor ears to witness what was happening as Erik ensured this would be the moment that made him long for death.

Erik was not gentle and made sure Arvid watched him defile his wife, this broke the spirit of Arvid but it also intensified his rage towards King Askild and Kattegat.

They had nothing to do with it yet Askild could not show mercy to his family, he knew this would happen and that is why he tried to get them to safety but could not do that in time as Askild was one step ahead if he had his family why was he not the prime suspect?

Arvid struggled to make sense of it all. It could be because he had told his family to assume a new identity, one known to no one, and their secret had remained hidden until Arvid's capture prompted an intensified search. In no time, they discovered the truth.

Erik was done and she lay dead in her puddle of blood, Arvid could not understand how anyone could be this cruel, he understood the fury of King Askild but what he just saw from Erik was enough to make him question the nature of the monsters lurking in Kattegat.

He was defeated, his eyes had lost all hope he had but he did not regret his decision because he knew Askild had to die, his wickedness was unfit for a king, and the thought of Vestfold slaying Askild was the only comfort he had at this moment.

Erik stood up. The others, though given the chance, did not participate; Erik's actions had made them pity the woman. Rising to his feet, Erik smiled at Arvid, almost affectionately, like a father teaching his son a harsh lesson.

"I must say, I can see what you saw in her, Arvid," Erik remarked, approaching the chained man. He relished the despair in Arvid's eyes but thought it was too early for him to give up completely.

"Should I free you, Arvid?" Erik asked him and this was a strange question, forcing Arvid's eyes to come back to life momentarily. He wanted to speak but no sound escaped his dehydrated lips.

"Erik, King Askild did not authorize us to do such a thing," One of the three Vikings said, interrupting Erik during his conversation. Erik chuckled to himself.

"One moment, Arvid," Erik said, turning to face the man who had spoken. He had to tilt his head to meet Erik's gaze. Erik was enormous, and the man gulped in fear, sensing the inevitable. However, even Erik wouldn't kill a Viking in broad daylight would he?

"Wait, why is my body over there?" the man thought as realization struck. Erik had decapitated him without hesitation. The last emotion he felt was fear.

"Anyone else want to tell me what I can't do?" Erik asked and both men left gulped, shaking their heads as they held their tongues.

"Arvid, think about my offer. I think you need all the hope you can get," Erik said, walking out and leaving the other two to drag the corpse of their fallen comrade and the body of Arvid's wife.

"Don't touch her, I think Arvid wants to spend some time with his…" Erik paused, looking at her disfigured corpse.

"... beautiful wife," Erik concluded with a snicker, as he ascended from the dungeon with the other two falling behind him

Erik reveled in his ability to commit such atrocities under Askild's rule. While this punishment for a traitor was severe, Erik found satisfaction in carrying it out.

"Erik? What are you doing here?" Sven asked Erik, but Erik did not respond. Pushing past him as he continued on his way but he saw two others dragging the corpse of a fellow warrior and Sven instinctively knew who was responsible for such an outrageous thing.

"Erik, you need to stop behaving like a dog off its leash, or you WILL be put down," Sven warned, his voice firm. Erik stopped in his tracks but didn't turn around, the other two trailing behind as they wanted to get out of there as soon as possible.

"What did you just say?" Erik asked, glancing over his shoulder, waiting for Sven's response. It felt like a stand-off, he knew that he could take Erik in a fight or at least believed so because he was no pushover for him to have reached this level of rank.

"You heard me, you dog," Sven replied with a mocking tone, Erik knew it would take work to kill Sven and if he did manage to, King Askild would be angry.

No one wanted to face the wrath of Askild, Erik simply chuckled at this attempt at provocation and continued on his way.

"It is a miracle that the mad dog is still alive," Sven muttered to himself as he walked into the dungeon that held Arvid, but what he saw was enough to make him want to throw up.

Sven had expected torture, but what he saw was far worse. The gruesome act confirmed that Erik had acted under Askild's orders.

He saw Arvid, his eyes pleading for death but there was nothing Sven could do, all he wanted to ask was why, but the answer would not matter as he now understood why their king kept him alive.

"I don't know much about you, but I'm sorry I can't help put you to rest. Something tells me they plan to use you to send a message," Sven said. Removing his shirt, he covered the face of Arvid's wife, and Arvid wept in gratitude.

"I didn't do this for you, you traitor. I did it for her. No woman deserves to have her honor taken in such a cruel way just because she married an unworthy man. This is all your fault," Sven said before ascending from the dungeon, leaving Arvid alone with his grief.