The cripple and the shieldmaiden

// 14 //

Ivar his horse galloped over the road like a wild beast, sweat dripping from his body, flanks moving heavy pulling in breath. Being a horse from Ivar wasn't exacly a present, that animal worked harder than some people did. Torhild stroke her hand under her nose that still was bleeding, her head heavy and blurry because of the headwound. He noticed her silence, the way she narrowed her eyes to find focus on the road. He pulled on the reins and the animal came back in a steady canter before he stopped. 'Why are we stopping, we have to warn the settlement!' She pointed towards the road.
'You dropping dead wouldn't help Torhild, let me look.'
'No, Ivar, keep going. I'm fine.' She itterupted him. He gave her his impatient look and she sighed, moving a little so she stood before him. She pushed her fingers against her nose again and looked at the blood on it.
'The bleeding will stop. I'm more concerned about your headwound.' He let his bleu eyes inspecting the deep wound on her forehead. Torhild shrank a little when he touched his finger aside it. 'Dizzy?'
'Little.' She nodded slowly while looking in his eyes. He stared at her, his fingers stroking away from her head , caressing her cheek.
'What are the gods planning with you Torhild?' He asked himself. She shrugged, smiling a little towards him.
'Only the gods know that. We should go Ivar.' She laid her hand over his that still laid on her cheek.
'Just promise me,' but before he could go further with his words a noice jerked their eyes away from each other. Torhild saw some riders, their banners clearly showing that it were soldiers from a kingdom.
'Go!' She whispered. Ivar slammed his reins and his horse reacted immidiatly, startled by the sudden wip. But it didn't take long of those caught up with them. They forced Ivar to stop his horse before they surrounded them. Torhild changed looks with Ivar who grabbed in reflex his axe and threw it to the first rider, hitting him right of his horse. Torhild felt the tip of a spear against her throat, just as Ivar.
'Ivar the Boneless, we have someone who will really glad to see you.' One of the men grinned. They looked at Torhild, gazing over her body while they figured out who she was.
'You will give the settlement a message, this isn't longer their poperty, all who resist against our men will be killed.' They said to her.
'Let him go.' Torhild demanded.
'Torhild leave it.' Ivar hissed with clenshed teeth.
'I'm more valuable, I'm the princess of the heathen army, much more leverage if you take me.' She explained. She hated to use the word princess but in this case it could help her get Ivar safe and sound back in the settlement. If someone could get her out than it was Ivar. His eyes turned stonecold with her words but he didn't say anything. They both just watched to the soldiers who exchanged looks.
'Take her.' One nodded.
'No!' Ivar gripped Torhild by her elbow, hard enough that it hurted her.
'You know what we said, surrender the settlement and you get her maybe back.' One of them pointed towards Torhild. Torhild jerked her head around and looked at Ivar. She laid her hand against his cheek.
'If someone can safe me it's you. Think with your head and not with your heart and emotions.' She pointed against his head.
'I hate you.' He murmuled, angry because he knew he couldn't change her or the soldiers minds again.
'I love you to.' She replied softly before jumping off the chariot under warning of the soldiers. Torhild got the horse from the dead soldier. She pulled herself in the saddle and looked at Ivar who dropped down his guard so that she had a look in the eyes she loved more than anything in the world.
'Come back to me.'
'Always.' She answered softly.
'Keep you by the rules and maybe you will.' One of the soldiers said. Ivar his eyes turned distant again, he slapped his reins on the horse and it started galloping away. Torhild looked at him leaving before the soldiers pulled her horse after them, forcing her to follow.

Along the road Torhild saw soldiers riding, some of them wounded, among them captive vikings. But they were to far gone to see how they were. One thing was sure, in the time that Björn and the other brothers went home Engeland reinforced themselves for a new attack. The soldiers surrounding her joint the other groups. Her eyes fell on the vikings they had capture, hoping to see a familiar face. 'Torhild?' She turned her body in the saddle looking for the person who called out for her. And than she saw who it was.
'Ubbe?'
'You look bad, are you alright? I thought you and Ivar got back to the settlement?' He asked. He walked, restrained after a couple of soldiers.
'We didn't maked it. Is Björn alright?'
'Move on girl.' One of the men ordered, pushing a spear in her back. She turned her head and ride faster after the others. It was a good thing, having Ubbe here. She passed a chariot with wounded soldiers and a lot of viking captives. Why they need so much captives? They drove a village in, a big castle in front of them. Before the stables they held still, pulling Torhild out the saddle.
'Bring that other one.' One ordered. Torhild looked down to the heavy restraines they putted around her wrists before she looked up to the soldiers who brought Ubbe closer. '
A son of Ragnar and a princess, the king will be pleased.' They announced. Torhild looked at Ubbe who looked over the castle before they were forced to walk.
'Got Ivar away?' Ubbe asked softly. Torhild looked aside and nodded slowly.
'We changed places.'
'Not with his permission I guess.' Ubbe guessed. Torhild gave him a promesing glance before they entered the castle. She never walked in a castle before and she was a little curious about it. Her eyes looked up to the walls, the surrounding, their were paintings, a lot of soldiers marching in and out. The walk ended in a big hall, a little like a great viking hall but than different. In front there was a trown. There stood two childeren aside it, a woman after them and then a man sitting on the trown. He wore a crown and she didn't had to be smart to know that this was the king. 'You have to be kidding me.' Ubbe murmuled. The king smiled a little, satisfied by his catch and the fact that they had won a battle.
'Welcome!' He said with open arms. Torhild gazed towards Ubbe who spitted on the ground before  the king. 'That isnt a way to greet your king Ubbe Ragnarsson.' He grinned. Then his eyes fell on Torhild, looking over her.
'And who is she?' He asked his soldier.
'She claims to be the princess of this great heathen army.'
'And is that true?' The king asked. Torhild putted her chin up, stubborn.
'Speak when the king asked you a question.' One soldier sneered in her ear.
'Yes, I'm the sister of the great Björn Ironside, leader of this heathen army.' She answered fearless.
'So you are a daughter of Ragnar?' He asked cheerfull.
'Yes.' Ubbe answered in her place. Torhild looked aside, why would he say that?
'That is even better.' The king smiled.
'You have no idea what you are doing. You have no idea what my brother will do to you when he finds you.' Ubbe hissed. Yes, Ivar had a certain way of taking revenge. They forced Ubbe on his knees and he groaned.
'Who are you?' Torhild asked the king. She had missed two years from all the great stories so she had litteraly no idea who that beared men was.
'I'm your king, king Aethelwulf.' He presented himself. Torhild her face flattend while she looked aside to Ubbe. That person she knew out the stories. 'That settlement was never my fathers to gave away because he wasn't a king anymore.' He had so much joy in telling this, seeing how Ubbe reacted on that. 'Bring them away.' He nodded towards his men. They pushed Torhild away, following with Ubbe. They had litterly no leg to stand on. Their only hope laid with Ivar, Björn and Hvitserk ...