Always Be By My Side - Sequel to Always Return to Me (The Last Kingdom Fan Fic)

Chapter 34

Nadia

The next morning the remains of our great fires were smoldering, sending clouds of smoke into the air. The women were bustling about, stoking a few back to life to cook. I could smell eggs and meat sizzling. Children were waking, and men were grumbling about their hangovers.

Trouble found us before we saw it coming. From the treeline they came, horses thundering, weapons of war banging against their shields. I grabbed the nearest cooking pot and started banging on it, shouting at our men to get up. Women began screaming, and rounding up children, herding them back towards the village. A few took up cooking pots and whatever else they could find. The encampment was in chaos.

 I had not brought anything but my dagger and cursed at myself. I pulled my small knife out and messily ripped off the bottom of my skirts.  Rorik was at my side in a moment with a blade. I nodded to him, and took it. He ran off ordering men to form a wall. "Protect our women and children!" he shouted, rallying men to him. I could not see Ragnar, but I heard him shouting the same commands, adding in "kill the cowardly bastards."

I glanced around, searching for Little Ragnar in the fray. I thanked the gods Hilda was safely tucked away in Dunholm. My heart raced as I searched for my son, and prayed he had made it with the other women and children. Little Ragnar was almost old enough to fight in a shield wall, but to my relief, Ragnar would not let him yet. A cry let out, and I tore my gaze to the far edge of our camp where the enemy warriors had started cutting people down. Our people were trapped between us. I rushed forward and urged them to run towards me. The women and unarmed men obeyed, dragging children along with them. The Scot princeling surprised me, as he picked up two small children and ran with them, urging some older ones to follow him. Our men began to advance forward to meet the bastards. "Together!" Ragnar shouted as steel clashed, tearing the peaceful morning apart. Ragnar and his men held as best they could, but one horseman crashed through them, causing a fissure. They took him down, but the damage was done. More horsemen tore through.

I rushed forward towards a woman clutching a small babe to her. She had a rider on her heels. She let out a horrific scream as an axe crushed her skull and fell to the ground. Something inside me broke and I saw red. The horseman continued towards me. I stood my ground as he charged. His horse saw my blade before he did. The sword sang, slicing up through the beast's mouth. I lost my grip on it as the animal wheeled backwards, throwing its rider to the ground. It rushed around in a frenzied panic, my blade still hanging out of its face. I was on top of the rider before he could recover, stabbing my dagger into his eye socket. He howled in pain, as I ripped my small blade out and slit his throat, stilling him. 

I collected his sword and rushed to where the woman had been felled. I found the small child, covered in blood, but alive. I snatched him up, and ran across the field. I could hear horse hooves behind me and cursed. I turned, the child in one arm and a sword in the other. The horseman's eyes were soulless as he leveled his weapon. A spear pierced through his back. He slumped over and I moved out of the way of the horse.

I heard my name being called and shifted my gaze to where Ragnar a good few paces away. He breathed heavily and I nodded to him. He nodded back before turning back towards the fight. "To me!" He shouted his men, trying to rebuild their wall to stop allowing men through.

I raced towards the village where women were huddled. Farming men had armed themselves with various farm tools and stood in defiance, cutting down any riders who made it through the first defense. I handed the child off to a woman and helped slash down the last man who had made it through Ragnar's line. I watched from the edge of the village, as Ragnar and his men were beat back. We were greatly outnumbered, and I watched the enemy pour into the field from the trees. My heart fell. I knew Ragnar would soon be surrounded. I found the Scot princeling and handed him a blade I'd pulled off a body, and told him to stay put. He nodded his understanding. I left the villagers to defend themselves against anything else that broke through and went to meet my fate in our breaking shield wall.