Everywhere came to a standstill because Tyr had just interrupted a fight to the death that his father was winning.
"BROTHER! WHAT ARE YOU DOING!?" Bjorn screamed at Tyr but Tyr did not take his blade away from his father's neck. Ragnar thought Tyr was doing it because he did not want him to corrupt his soul but every second Tyr's blade was pressed against his neck told him otherwise.
Tyr was saving Erik, Erik saw this opening and managed to kick Ragnar off him, spitting out his broken teeth covered in his blood.
Ragnar got up to his feet but so did Erik, but Tyr stood between them before turning at Ragnar.
"What do you think you are doing Tyr?" Ragnar questioned his son, Ragnar was angry that he had stopped him from killing Erik but he wanted to know why.
"Because Erik did nothing wrong," Tyr said, and these words hit Bjorn's heart, it felt like an arrow that had pierced his heart, Lagertha was speechless because there was no way Tyr did not believe them but Ragnar knew he had to be calm right now.
"What do you mean? You think Erik is innocent?" Ragnar questioned his son, who was now protecting Erik, Askild could not believe this was happening right now and knew he could twist this in his favor depending on how the scene played out.
King Ragnar now had a decision to make as a King because Tyr had publicly raised his blade against him, a King.
"I do not doubt in my heart that Erik did that to mother," Tyr gave his father the answer to his question.
"Then why do you oppose me for him?" Ragnar asked and Tyr looked at the disbelief on his mother and brother's faces before returning his face to focus on Ragnar.
"Erik is a Viking. Vikings plunder, rape, and kill but you condemn a man to death for doing that simply because it was done to you? I did not know what being a Viking was, I feared you people when I came here but you taught me your ways, and that became mine…" Tyr spoke, everyone's attention was glued to him and he knew it.
"Erik is a product of your world, he is what you all created and you all looked the other way as long as you were not the recipient of his depravity. My heart goes out to you, mother. It does and I say these words with rage coursing through my veins but in this world, Erik's actions are just, and not deserving of death. He is my commander, I have sworn my loyalty to him…" Tyr continued speaking, he noticed the whispers had begun but he was not done.
"King Ragnar, if you want to kill Erik, you will have to kill me," Tyr blurted out. Lagertha was sobbing so loud, she could not understand why her child would choose Erik over her honor.
Rugalf, on the other hand, was fascinated by Tyr's ideology, and in hindsight, what Tyr said was true but Rugalf dare not show his excitement.
"Brother…" Bjorn called out, he knew he had to intervene because right now, he had directly challenged Ragnar Lothbrok.
"Step aside, brother… Now isn't the time to mess around you goofball," Bjorn teased, trying to make Tyr get back to his senses. Bjorn gestured for Tyr to move out of the way with a smile.
"I am sorry, Bjorn," Tyr responded, right before pointing his blade at Ragnar.
Erik never looked at Tyr like he was filth regardless of what he did, Erik's eyes were always accepting but was this enough to make Tyr oppose the man who raised him?
Askild was glad this was happening, and even Birger caught the brief smirk on his face.
He knew if Ragnar killed his son, in front of all these people, Ragnar would never be the same again.
"Very well then," Ragnar unsheathed his blade, Erik was loving this, and he grinned widely.
"Hahaha! That is right! My little Berserker!" Erik bragged, claiming ownership over Tyr.
Ragnar remembered the prophecy and knew if this was the path Tyr was going to take.
It was up to him to kill him, Ragnar flashed Lagertha a look, and Lagertha recognized the look in his eyes.
"RAGNAR! DON'T!!!" Lagertha screamed at the top of her lungs but her pleading fell on deaf ears. Ragnar rushed towards Tyr but Birger stopped Ragnar's blade that was about to take off his son's head.
"King Ragnar! Calm yourself!" Birger said, he understood where Tyr was coming from with his speech, most people did but seeing that Ragnar was directly affected, he could not look past his emotions and if he killed his son right now.
There is no way that these people's view of Ragnar being benevolent would remain if he did this and Askild found a loophole to exploit to further win the people's trust.
"I agree with Birger, King Ragnar. Tyr's speech is the passion of a young boy, I think many people agree with what he has said, for we are all guilty of this in one way or another but we should not do so with one of our own. You do not hurt your pack, you protect them," Askild said, taking center stage and diverting the attention Tyr was getting toward him.
"So now, I will let the people decide the fate of both Erik and Tyr Ragnarsson," Askild said and Ragnar's eyes widened, Tyr knew this was painful for Ragnar but most importantly, he knew his father had no intentions of killing him.
Tyr saw him switch from the sharp side of his blade to the blunt at the very last second before Birger blocked it. Ragnar's dexterity was on such a high level that everyone missed it.
"People of Kattegat, what do you say!" Askild asked.
"E-EXILE!" A man shouted and that was the single seed that needed to be planted as everyone else began chanting this too.
"Tyr… What have you done son?" Ragnar asked, and Tyr responded with a smile.
"I saved you, father, I saved you all..."
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