The cripple and the shieldmaiden

// 10 //

They weren't the only ones who drifted apart in the storm. While they where walking aside the coastline Torhild could find other boats crashed down in the sand. 'Did we lost people?' Torhild asked while standing still beside a boatwreck. Some of the other shieldmaidens had caught some of the horses from the soldiers and drove in front while the others walked on foot.
'We're still searching.'
'You're priority was me?' She asked with a little teasing smile. Ivar gave her a rather gentle look before his face turned cold again. He hadn't much compassion, she knew he probarbly was worried but he didn't treated her differently and that was something she appreciated. She was supriced that Hvitserk wasn't here claiming her. Torhild walked further besides his chariot while looking for possible signs of life or a camp when she saw the arrow flew right in the back of one of the girls. Torhild jerked her head around, her eyes widened when she saw a group of new soldiers.
'Get in.' Ivar commanded her.
'I'm not leaving them alone.' She pointed to the others girls. They were all trained to fight, none of them looked scared, all facing their enemy.
'By all the gods, Torhild get in!' Ivar yelled. Torhild drew her axe and gave him a stubborn look while dodging a arrow that flew right past her. 'Camp is at the trees, get reinforcement!' Ivar said to one of the shieldmaidens who had a horse. She looked at Torhild who nodded before she galloped away. What was it with those soldiers to attact so random, without having the propper information, without any strategy. Torhild followed the axe throught the air, smaching one of the riders from his horse. She looked aside to Ivar who had that impulsive stare in his eye, that enjoyment around his lips. The soldiers approached fast and there was no time to look over some strategics for herself. A shield wall would have helped, accepted there where riders among them and the shieldmaidens where with to little to make it work. 

The adrenalin hit her like the wave right beside her when the first soldier ran towards her. She turned her axe around her wrist and smiled a little, glad to have so much action on one day. It was easy to kill a man, whole her life was build around it. So when she slayed the man through his stomach she felt nothing. Her eyes just went looking for the next. They were with a small group, twenty maybe, had to be an easy task right? Torhild stepped back to defend an attact, her feet got caught in some seaweed that came with the waves. That little bit of distraction gave her opponent enough to put her out of balance. Torhild fell on her back, in the water, she gasped for some air before the man pushed her head under water, his body sitting on hers so she couldn't move again. She kicked her legs underneath him, looking for a way to free her hands while the air in her longs slowly reduced. She didn't heared much execpt of the growling nature  around her. And just when she thought this was her first and last raid she felt the weight from the soldier jerking of her body. She pushed her head above water and took in a deep breath. Hvitserk cut the soldiers throat over and turned back to Torhild. 'Torhild?' He asked concerned. She grabbed his arm and he pulled her right again, she felt dizzy and he noticed. 'Take it easy love.' He said, stroking a strand of hair out of her face. The shortage of oxygen had maked her haid a little blurry. She tried to concentrate but everything looked kind of weird.
'Is she alright?' Björn yelled. Torhild tried to find her brother but everything was a mess of fighting, shields, axes and swords. She saw colors running before her and the dizziness she had became worse.
'She was to long under.'
'Get her out of here.' Reacted Björn harshly. The sounds of battle surrounded her and Hvitserk caught one of the horse, he pulled her after him in the saddle before he galloped away. Torhild wrapped her arms around him and tried to focus on the road they were taking, but everything went kind of blurry again.

When she opened her eyes she looked at the bright mix of shades of green in the trees. Her eyes travelled over the crowns from the trees before she went looking for something more familiar. She pushed herself up on her elbows and couched, her throat felt soar a little, what meaned she had swallowed water in. 'Rise and shine.' Her eyes looked for the voice. Hvitserk sait against a tree, eating an apple with his knife.
'How long was I out?' Torhild asked. She runned her hand through her wet hair, looked down over her wet body.
'Not that long.' He pushed his body up and walked over to her, squated besides her. 'How do you feel?'
'Not dead enough for you to be concerned.' She smiled softly. That was the difference between him and Ivar. Ivar would already had commanded her to do something other than resting, Hvitserk cared enough to go easy on her. And she didn't knew what was better in this moment, but despite that, Ivar wasn't here. Hvitserk smiled because of her words, he cut a piece of his apple and handed it over.
'A little gratitude for the man who saved your life.' He replied softly, with a bit of humor in his voice that made her laugh a little.
'My hero, what is it that you want as a reward?'
'You know what I want Torhild.' He grinned. She stroke her hand over his cheek and pressed a kiss on his lips. When she pulled back his eyes already had their loving brightness back, she could pluck the desire right out it. She bited from the apple and looked around in the forest. She saw some of the men walking but not enough.
'Where is the rest?' She asked, looking back at him. He looked around while standing up, giving her a hand but she ignored it and got up herself. He liked that about her, that little spark of misschief and self-will.
'Exploring, looking for more soldiers. Ubbe is already on his way to the sentlement with a part of the men, we are treating the wounded before we follow.'
'Oh that is what you do, treating the wounded.' She said with a promising look. He laughed and shook his head while guiding her between the trees. When they both came on the edge of the woods her eyes met those from Ase.
'Glad to see you up.' She smiled. Torhild nodded and stood still besides the woman.
'How bad?' She asked carefull. Even from here she could see an amont of dead bodies.
'There was a third group. We lost fifteen men and a couple of wounded.' Ase answered. Torhild looked at the riders, noticing her brother among them. There was one good thing on this whole attack, they had horses now. They approached and Torhild looked up to her brother.
'Are you challenging the gods sister?' He asked with a grin.
'I think they are challenging me.' She responded right after. He nodded and turned towards Ase. 'Get the wounded ready, the road is clear, we are heading for the settlement.' He ordered. Ase nodded and walked the forrest in, Björn turned his eyes back to Torhild.
'I'm fine.' She protested against his thorough gaze over her body.
'Stay with Hvitserk.' He said before looking at his half brother. 'Keep her safe.' He warned him.
'I can take care of myself.'
'Saw that.' Björn nodded towards the sea, remembering her what went wrong. Torhild murmured something while she looked her brother canter away. Frustrated by the fact that Björn already putted her aside or under protection she walked back the forest in.
'Don't get mad love.'
'Don't Hvitserk.' She pointed her finger towards him. He wrapped his arm around her waist and pulled her against his body. She felt the heat of his warm body through her wet clothes and relaxed a little.
'Let me protect you.' He whispered, pressing a kiss against her hair. She took his smell in with a deep breath before she looked up to him.
'For now, until we are in the settlement.' She nodded. He cupped her chin with his fingers and gave her a loving smile.
'Offcourse love.'
'Don't call me love.' She protested while pulling his lips closer.
'My lady?'
'No.'
'Princess?' He asked with a grinn before kissing here. Hvitserk, he got her every time were he wanted her and she didn't mind, that was her weakness and she had just two, him ... and Ivar.

Note: How am I doing? It's the first time I write a fanfic in English so I'm a little curious of what you all think of it. Do you want to see something different? Is the Ivar - Hvitserk struggle good enough? What do you want to see more? Let me know!! =D