VIKINGS || GYDA

𝐂𝐇𝐀𝐏𝐓𝐄𝐑 𝟑𝟕

"She's going to be fine Gyda. Under my care, she will heal."

I try to take Altheas words as comfort but it was pointless as I stared down to Eira's unconscious face, her features frozen in a look of pain.

Altheas puts away her elixirs she applied to her wound and looks around the room cautiously before speaking.

"How are you? Both you and the baby?" She inquires as she points to her belly.

"Like I said before, I really am fine. A little sore but I feel well."

She nods softly as she walks to stand before me, taking my face in her hands.

"Thank you for looking out for me on the ship. Had you not been there I fear I would not have survived."

I smile back. "Like you said, I got you into this mess, least I could do is protect you."

She removes her hands shrugging her shoulders, a knowing smirk playing on her mouth.

"That ointment I applied should help with the tenderness of your neck. I left something in your tent too, to help you relax. Now please go rest up, your body has a had a big day."

I take that as my leave. As I pull back the drapes of the tent and walk out I am immediately surrounded by him.

He holds a frozen look of hurt on his features as he stares to the ground.

I look around to see if I might spot the cause of his demeanour, but everything is still, the evening is almost covered in dark. What had happened to him?

"Bjorn?—"

"I was just checking to see if you and Eira were alright."  He cuts me off. He spoke his words in almost disgust.

"You lied to me." He spits.

With genuine confusion, I reach for his hands.

"What are you saying? I don't understand?"

He wrings his hands away swiftly as he speaks his next words in a hushed voice.

"You swore to me that you were not with child!"

Oh gods. He overheard.

"You swore it to me Gyda!"

"Bjorn please listen to me—" I plea.

But he refuses to hear it, as he whips himself away from me, walking the other direction.

I don't give up. I run after him, begging him to give me only a moment.

"Bjorn please let me explain."

"Please Bjorn."

"I never meant for you to get caught up in this."

"Bjorn, I need you to stop and please hear me out! There is reason to this!"

That stops him dead in his tracks.

"What reason could you possibly have to danger the life of your baby?"

His words hurt. He meant for them too.

"Bjorn... I never planned for this. Gods, I'm not even ready for this." I exasperate as I look down to my flat belly.

He needed an explanation, I guess he deserved one. Then again, so did I.

"I just feel like... I just feel...I can't change who I am. But I know that this child will."

I hadn't told anyone this.

His anger seems to subside, but he remains quietly upset.

"I know that when this child becomes known and I can longer hide it, everything will stop. There will be no more battles for me, no more voyages, no more raids, no more shield maiden camp, I lose all that I've wanted for my life."