Shield maiden ~ Vikings

»9«

Aila could only just make out the words and voices all around her. One thing she continuously heard was the word poison, and she grew confused.

"Aila," Whispered a silent voice before everything fell quiet. Something warm touched her cheek and Aila felt the warmth spread through her cold body. "Aila, please." Pleaded the voice.

Nothing, Ivar thought. He sat beside her and felt . . . helpless. He felt helpless and useless. There was nothing he could do. Floki had said that the arrows had been poisoned. To Ivar's relief, it turned out that the poison was not deadly. It was merely meant to weaken whoever was unlucky enough to be touched by it.

"Aila," Whispered Ivar and palmed her cold cheek. "Aila, please." Pleaded Boneless, feeling utterly useless. It was moments like this that broke him, moments like this that stripped him of every shred of hope and what little joy and happines he felt. Ivar's eyes wandered up and down her weak body as he held her hand. Giving her hand a soft squeeze, Ivar turned around to leave . . . however, he froze and gasped when he felt her finger twitch.

"Ivar . . ."

In a flash, he was practically lying down beside her with his palm against the side of her neck, tracing his thumb across her jaw to her pale and dry lips.

She made him weak . . . so weak . . .

Ivar felt the corners of his lips twitch into a smile when she opened her eyes, and he exhaled in relief. He wanted to say something . . . anything! Ivar traced the tips of his fingers across her jaw, her lips and her cheek and the side of her neck. "For a moment," Said Ivar quietly. "I feared that I would lose you."

Aila shook her head. "Never." She breathed and cupped his cheeks, leaning up to kiss him . . . their lips met and all the problems in the world seemed to vanish. The kiss did not last for long before Aila pulled away due to being lightheaded. "What happened?" She asked quietly with a frown on her face.

Exhaling heavily, Ivar looked down. "They poisoned you." Was all he said. After an eternity of silence, Boneless entwined their hands and softly palmed her cheek. "Aila," Breathed Boneless. "you make me weak." Ivar admitted while brushing his lips against hers. "And if I lost you," Breathed Ivar, terrified at the thought. "I would lose my mind."

"How long have I . . . ?"

"Just over two days."

There was a moment of silence.

"I don't want you to fight in the upcoming battle."

Frowning, Aila met his bright blue eyes. "I'm fighting."

"No, you are not."

"Ivar, I am going to fight."

She was stubborn. Ivar knew that. He knew that this was a conversation that could last longer than either of them had the energy for. "The battle will take place in the morrow. You are not fighting, not while you are still weak. That is final."

Weak? Aila snorted. She raised a brow. Still weak, huh? Taking Ivar by surprise, Aila grabbed him by the shoulders and shoved him down against the ground.