WRATH OF WAR [BJÖRN IRONSIDE]

CHAPTER FIFTY-FIVE

Vál had fallen asleep against Harald's chest and he had carried her back to their camp. She was sound sleep as he had placed her in her tent, removing the hair from her face before leaving the tent. Her cheek was pink, eyes puffy and lashes wet. Her face had been drained from all the energy, her usually icy yet curious eyes were dull and pained. A loud sigh left Harald's lips as he entered the main tent where Ivar and his brother was seated with Astrid. He filled himself a cup of mead before refilling it then taking a seat by the table in the middle beside Astrid, his Queen, facing Ivar and Halfdan.

"How is she?" Astrid asked carefully after a while.

"Ruined." Was all Harald said before silence engulfed them again. Everyone's eyes were glued on the table in front of them. Neither one of them knew what to say since Vál had never been the emotional type, neither one of them had seen her remotely close to the state she was currently in. She had always been strong and fierce. If she got hurt she answered with violence and anger, never with tears and such outbursts.

"How is she going to figh—" Astrid begun after a while.

"She will kill him." Ivar said suddenly with an empty glare in his eyes, tone cold. Astrid frowned as he looked at the younger man, the others looked at Ivar as well.

"How is she supposed to kill him? I mean she's too emotionally invested." Astrid asked.

"Why wouldn't she?" Ivar said. Even if he felt bad for Vál he couldn't ignore the fact that Vál would be more than ferocious on the battle field after the news than before. It was in their favor as long as her emotions didn't remain bleeding in sorrow but coagulated into pure wrath.

The sun slowly raised behind the thicker grey clouds. A huff left Vál's lips as she slowly opened her eyes, her eyelids almost glued together from her dry tears. She licked her lips and felt the salty sorrow on them. She had never felt as tired as then, she felt both physically and mentally drained from all the energy. Her heart beated slowly in her chest, like it was beating every now and then only for her to survive yet it didn't beat for anything else. All its other reasons to beat had vanished. She closed her eyes and shook her head, trying to find positive thoughts, trying to regain her strength yet a sigh left her lips.

She blinked quickly as she for the first time she waking up noticed that she was in her tent. A frown was present between her brows as she looked around. In panic she looked around for her swords yet calmed down when she found them. She brushed her fingers through her messy hair before removing her braids. When everyone was out she combed her hair quickly before braiding her hair in two dutch braids on top of her head into a bun then she let the rest of her hair flow freely. It created a light cloak over her body. She left her tent with her swords in search of a stream or something with cold water to wash her face. A sigh of relief left her lips when she didn't see neither Ivar, Harald, Astrid or Halfdan.

After washing her face a group of Harald's warriors was kind enough to share she let her eyes roam over their camp. She spotted Ivar speaking to Heahmund and warriors started their day to prepare for the battle. Some even sparred each other and her eyes followed her movement. Harald joined the ones who battled watching his own warriors carefully as Ivar and Heahmund made their way over to them.