Omens

Athelstan woke in the middle of the night with a start. It was cold outside, cold and snowing, and it was a chill that he still hadn't gotten used to despite all his time in Kattegat. But tonight there was a different kind of chill in the air, one that wouldn't let him get back to sleep immediately. 

He slipped out of his bed, quietly sneaking over to the one person who could make things better - or at least make things make sense - and careful to avoid waking anyone else. He would rather keep this from the others; they had plenty of things to tease him about already, they didn't need this as well.

"Ragnar," he whispered, shaking his shoulder. "Ragnar, wake up."