Northwind

11

It was raining again. It had been raining for the past few days, but I was still too weak to move. Iseult wouldn't let anyone see me till I could sit up, and I asked her to keep my presence a secret for now, as I didn't want Uhtred to fuss over me. I winced and whimpered as I sat up pain sparked around my body. I had been laying here for too long, I grabbed my axe and planted it into the ground as I walked. The rain was cool against my skin, I made it into the cornfield. I was now weak.

I collapsed onto the muddy ground and laid down, letting the rain fall onto my wounded and broken body. Shivers began to slither down my spinal chord, and my muscles trembled, the cold made the pain numb and gave me slight relief. When the rain became light that was when I tried to sit up, I grunted, grumbled and placed my arms around my torso. A few moments later and someone wrapped me up in a blanket and took me under a shelter. The kept me on their lap, and pulled me into their chest.

They rubbed their hands up and down my back warming me up. "I knew you'd make it Freya," Finan whispered.

"H...How did you know it was me?" I asked.

"Well the tattoos of the wolf paws on your shoulders gave it away," he replied. "I can still tell your weak, let Uhtred take care of you."

"No," I said slowly shaking my head.

"Freya, he has created a grave for you. You have an axe for a headstone," he said. "He is destroyed. He has woken up many times in the night crying your name, he sees you attacked on that beach, over and over Freya. You weren't the one trying to hold him back. I was. We had to watch when you just lay there. Still. Motionless. I was glad when we could no longer see you. Freya he collapsed in my arms, he burst into tears in front of his men."

"Who's this?" Uhtred asked, I heard him sit down next to him, Finan pulled the blanket over my head a bit more.

"Just an injured soul," he replied. I gave him a gentle nod. The two men were both just chatting while I rested on Finan. "Are you going to Visit Freyas grave tonight?"

"Yes. It's the only thing that's keeping me sane Finan," he said. "You may be surprised, she's strong she's going to make it!"

"Finan, she was motionless," he said.

"Don't doubt her. She's the Warrior of the North," he reminded him.

"Yes, the one who fell," Uhtred answered.

"I need to rest," I said pushing Finans arms off me, I turned for a second to look at Uhtred. He had recognised my voice, I thought I could see a slight glimmer of hope in his eyes. I stumbled back to the tent and rested for a few moments. The evening couldn't have any quicker, I decided to see 'my grave'. There on the outskirts of our camp, was my supposed grave. I ran my fingers over my axe, and the other wolf mask hanging from the hilt. My ears flicked as I heard someone behind me.

I turned and there stood Uhtred, he was like a deer who had noticed it was being hunt. "F...Freya?" he stuttered. "Are you real, or is it just my mind playing up?"

"Uhtred, I'm real, I'm here!" I exclaimed walking closer.

"You can't be," he said. I rested my hand on his cheek and he leant into it, he pulled my hand away and wrapped me in a hug tightly. I whimpered slightly. "Oh I'm sorry." He loosened his embrace. He began to cry into my neck, I rested my hand on the back of his neck and pushed his head into my shoulder.

"You have no reason to be sad, I'm alive," I said.

"I know," he sobbed. "Please, please don't ever leave me again!"

"I won't," I said stroking my fingers through his hair.

"How long have you been here?" He asked.

"A week I believe, Monks saved me Uhtred. They found me and bought me here," I replied.

"I told Finan to turn the boat around!" he exclaimed.

"Doesn't matter, I am here now," I said.

"It still feels like a dream," he said.

"I know," I replied and hugged him a little tighter. We sat by my grave, Uhtred laid his head down on my legs I gently stroked his hair as he gripped my leg still making sure I was real. I felt his body relax as he slipped into a slumber. "I'll be here when you wake up," I whispered. I saw a figure approaching us, I reached for the mask on the axe and put it on. As they revealed themselves I realised it was only Alfred.

"Warrior, you made it?!" He exclaimed. I nodded. "Uhtred was convinced you were dead."

"Well here I am," I said.

"I have been praying for your soul everyday," he replied.

"There was no need, it was my destiny entangled with Odin's that I was to return," I said. Alfred offered me a nod.

"It's good to have you back, my army is complete again," he replied. "But warrior, you rest those wounds."

"I will try, we have peace for now. But we do have to get your home back and we will stop at nothing," I replied.

"I like your optimism but Warrior, my home is lost," he said dropping his head.

"No, it's not," I said lowering my voice as Uhtred fidgeted on my legs. "We will take it back."

"It won't be that simple," he said.

"Nothing is ever simple," I said. "But this, this is what we do. I put fear into our enemies, they just have to gaze up on me," he couldn't see it but there was a smile under my mask.

"I have witnessed this fear, I have to admit it is impressive and an honour to have you fight for me," he said.