WRATH OF WAR [BJÖRN IRONSIDE]

CHAPTER THIRTY-FIVE

warning: slight description of suicide!

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Ecbert had been left alone in the main hall and the brothers parted their ways. Ivar returned to his chariot as the others walked to Vál's cabin. Björn squinted his eyes when he saw a black raven sitting on the top of the cabin, its croaking caught his attention. The guard was still outside her cabin yet Helga was no where to be seen outside yet she was seated next to Vál inside checking her wounds. Björn walked over to the bed and Helga stood up.

"She's still unconscious I'm afraid." Helga said and looked at Björn then at the other brothers who looked at Vál with wide eyes. Sadness filled their eyes and Ubbe clenched his fists in anger to see Vál barely living in front of him. Björn noticed that her skin had gotten less pale, cheeks very lightly kissed by pink yet the rest of her skin as pale as snow. She still looked sweaty on her forehead and he let out a sigh as he swallowed harsly. Helga excused herself, patting the younger sons of their shoulders before leaving them alone.

"What do we do if she's not—" Sigurd tried yet his voice betrayed him causing him to swallow.

"She will." Björn said sternly and Ubbe looked at him. "She won't die now." He continued sadly as his eyes were glued on Vál's face. Silence engulfed the once again yet neither one complained. Various of thoughts ran through their heads as they stood there and only watched time has its course. Hvitserk couldn't help but to curse the gods for letting Vál barely live. Cursing them for not waking her up since they needed her. They had needed her since the first time they saw her.

The younger sons all remembered the day when Björn returned from the mountains with Vál as his companion. How amazed they had been by the woman who then seemed untouchable, immortal yet the sight in front of them now only reminded them that even the most skilled warriors are human at the end of the day. Just like their father. Their thoughts about Vál after she had left, they way they had spoken about her seemed as if they had been talking about one of the gods and goddesses. Vál had made such a large impact on their lives and they couldn't live without her. When she had left they had always known she was still out there somewhere yet now they knew she could possibly die and then they would never see her again. Then there wouldn't be another reunion with her, at least not here. Their thoughts were interrupted by a loud croaking and they looked at each other. Björn cleared his throat.

"What do you think about Ecbert's proposal?" Björn asked his brothers.

"I think we should agree." Ubbe said and his brothers nodded. "However I don't think Ivar will agree." He continued and Björn looked at Vál.

"He will." Björn said before leaving, the other sons took a seat in the room, not wanting to leave Vál. Everyone of them remained silent since neither one knew what to say.

"She saved my life." Ubbe mumbled and his brothers looked at him.

"She has saved all of our lives." Hvitserk said sadly and looked at the blond woman. "In one way or another."