Chapter 155 The Devil In Disguise

Liv and Lagertha were both in a room, but unlike Lagertha that was tied to a chair, Liv was tied to a bed.

Lagertha was conscious, she regained consciousness before she was carried here, a relief on her end but she was confused as to why they had Liv on a bed.

"Lagertha, you are awake…" Birger said, walking into the room, he had a genuine smile on his face when speaking to her but Lagertha was boiling with rage but she could not speak as she was gagged.

"I can tell by your eyes you want to kill me but I do not need you to understand. I know you do not know but your husband is a King now, Lagertha. You hold the same importance as Liv, she is no longer your superior, she is your equal…" Birger spoke with respect.

Lagertha was surprised by this news, this was the first time she was hearing about her husband's ascension to the throne but this was only because Birger controlled the information that entered Kattegat.

He noticed Lagertha's eyes drift to Liv, Birger could tell what she wanted to know and he planned on telling her his plan. He knew it was a long shot but if he could get Lagertha on his side, then he knew everything would be in his favor.

He removed her gag so she could speak but she did not utter a word because he still had more to say.

"Lagertha… No, Queen Lagertha… I know you think I am a beast, a man that is without conscience but everything you have heard about is a lie made up by Askild." Birger said, sitting across Lagertha.

"You killed Ulfhild, you are no better than the man you think has done you wrong," Lagertha spoke, she had a lot of questions but knew understanding his motives was more important than her personal questions.

"Ulfhild…. I loved Ulfhild, why would I take the dignity and violate a woman I love? Ulfhild was a gem, a treasure I had accepted I could not possess but I was content admiring her beauty from afar." Birger spoke about Ulfhild with such admiration but a pathological liar can tell the prettiest of tales without them never having occurred but his eyes told her otherwise, the eyes never lied.

"I accepted the blame for one reason only, it was to atone for my sin…." Birger concluded.

"Your sin?" Lagertha questioned him; she was surprised about how calm and level-headed he was at the moment.

"Yes Queen Lagertha, my sin was not being able to protect Ulfhild…." Birger said, pausing briefly to look Lagertha right in the eyes.

"... from Erik The Berserker," Birger concluded, and Lagertha's reaction to this name was not subtle, she showed visible surprise and shock, averting her gaze the moment Birger said his name.

"Queen Lagertha, is something wrong?" Birger asked and Lagertha composed herself.

"W-Where is Erik now?" Lagertha asked Birger.

"He is imprisoned alongside the others, why?" Birger responded and Lagertha clenched her fist telling Birger he was not alone in his loathing for Erik, this was welcomed information because it meant he had a bargaining chip Lagertha wanted.

"That bastard! Birger, I ask you only one favor…" Lagertha said. She was trying her best to remain calm as she looked Birger right in the eyes.

"I want to be the one to take his life!" Lagertha said and a wide smile soon appeared on Birger's face, he could not have asked for a better outcome because this action alone meant that Lagetha was willing to hop on his program if he offered her the life of Erik, a deal he had no problems accepting.

"Anything you want, Queen Lagertha," Birger said with a sinister grin.

-

Linnea had carried Arvid on her back, and Arvid was glad that she had come.

She was the only one that visited him during his time in prison, where Arvid told her about BIrger and his circumstances.

Arvid implanted the idea into her mind that Birger was the King Kattegat needed because she did not like how Askild ruled. And eventually, she was indoctrinated into the ideology of Birger.

"Arvid, you did well." Linnea complimented him and he responded with a weak smile, he was exhausted and one could not blame him as his body was barely functioning at this point.

"It will all soon be over, Kattegat is about to change," Linnea said. They were away from the chaos.

Arvid had a saddened look on his face, he did feel regret for what he did to Asger as Asger had done nothing wrong to him.

He had time to reflect on his action and realized his hatred should have been channeled on Askild alone. Maybe if it was, he could have hurt Askild in other ways.

Askild always gave the illusion of not loving Liv so it was hard for Arvid or anyone to pick up on it, not for Birger though.

Linnea had a strange interest in Ulrik despite being older than him and that interest started when they were kids, she disregarded the age gap between them and had sexually assaulted him on multiple occasions. This naturally took a negative toll on his relationship with Oskar as he could never tell him what his older sister had done.

But biology was on his side, he grew older and stronger, and Linnea could no longer overpower him and she disappeared from his life suddenly.

Linnea and Arvid seemed to be waiting for someone, they were passing time and Linnea could not have a verbal conversation with Arvid because of his missing tongue either.

And the person they were waiting for finally came to light, it was a lady.

"You are finally here, Inga…" Linnea said and the lady came within proximity.

"Or should I call you…" Linnea said, pausing as a grin covered her face.

"... Garda…" Linnea concluded.

"You can call me whatever you like," Inga responded, there was no mistaking it.

This person was indeed Garda, Ulrik, and Lagertha played right into their hand from the start.