"This," I swept my hands over to the people milling about, talking and singing, "this is proof that you can lead your people. You may not be your father or your brother but you are you, a Svansson. A leader. A king."

"Bryn I-"

I turned on him and shoved him in the chest, my eyes narrowing and my face pinched in a scowl. "Koll, you are a better man than any man I have ever had the disservice of meeting! I can only stand here and listen to you complain and whine like a peevy child for so long before-"

Suddenly my shouting was cut off by a far louder voice, followed by screaming and people rushing to get to their tents.

"Prince Svansson! KOLL!"

Koll placed a hand on my arm, subconsciously pulling me behind him. My hand laid on his back having half a mind to shake him off. But a shot of fear kept me where I was. Koll looked about, his eyes narrowed and his jaw set.

"I am here. What is the matter," he bellowed into the crowd.

A young warrior came rushing up, the sight of his bloodied body and ragged clothes prompting the both of us forward. I came out from behind Koll, my eyes glancing to where he came from. Koll and I glanced at each other, finding the same look of calculation and worry in his eyes that I was sure mirrored my own.

The young boy who looked no more than ten, took a deep breath and pointed behind him and up a far-off swell of rocks.

"We- I- come quick. The King has returned," he gasped through labored breaths.

I could feel Koll's body become rigid, the air around us growing cold and thin. I turned slightly to look at him, nodding my head in the direction of the boy and where he pointed.

"Go on. Standing there helps no one. I shall fetch Gafalda." I then turned to the young boy, grabbing his shoulders. "Take the Prince to his brother. I shall follow with the healer."

Koll came up beside me and spoke openly. "I do not think you should be there. He may not be well."

"All the more reason I should be there! Tell me what to do again and will move my tent to the other side of the village." I shoved him again, moving him toward the boy and his brother, "Go on."

He didn't even nod when he left, the young boy running off ahead. I turned away from them and looked around me, trying my best not to think on the looks of worry that shown on a few of the faces among the growing crowd. But a small face with bright blue eyes and corn yellow hair caught my attention. I rushed forward and knelt on the damp ground, ignoring the cold mud that would no doubt stain my knees.

"Naimha! Dear one, please, go fetch your grandmother. Have her meet me at my tent."

The small girl nodded then scurried off, leaving me to gather a few things from my tent. The ring sitting tightly on my left index finger grew tighter as I balled my fists, my mind running wild. I could not think a single thought past what it was that would happen now that The King was back.

Koll and I were busy formulating a plan to speak with other clans and villages, to their Dragon Warriors and Riders, to gather as many of the scaled beasts as we could to fight against Kafalla and her growing horde. But King Brother could only do so much with what little power he had. And we were both in an agreement to keep my heritage a secret until we were sure an army of our own could be secured.

I even had the idea of training with the few dragons the Svansson clan had but Koll was against it, not liking the prospect of Haddock's last surviving blood to put herself at risk. But that didn't mean he had to learn that I was taking any moment I could to be with Davvas and practice what little I learned from my father on him. Davvas was a gentle and kind learner but most of all loyal to me and my end veers to learn. Unlike his Rider.

Thought they be similar, I was quickly learning that Koll's gentle ways and kind eyes were to keep me calm and close to him. To keep me safe and protected from everything, including being my own person. All because I happen to be born from a man whom he grew to look up to.

As proud as one should be for their strong bloodline, I could no longer stand being seen as a fragile little flower or a delicate piece of cloth. I was a warrior as my father before me. Therefore I shall live and act like one. Think what he will about caring for me only to use me for my ability, that I know so little of, I do not plan on being the King Brother's pet, let alone a weapon to store until useful.

However, now with the King back, I wondered if everything we had planned would be all for not. That I had instead brought danger to these wonderful people and condemned myself to years of misery worse than that I had to endure after I became orphaned and cast out to fend for myself.

Shaking my head I returned to the present as more voices sounded at the base of the rocky hill, alerting me to the arrival of the King and what was left of his men. I grabbed the oils and wraps Gafalda had given me to help me with my own wound that I may or may not have used at all since she handed them to me. I left my tent to come face to face with the healer, her silver-streaked hair wild and sticking to her sweating face, her cheeks flush.

"Is it true? Has he returned?"

I nodded, handing her my supplies. "So it seems. Ready your tent. I trust there will be far more blood than my own wound had shed."

She made a 'humph' sound and hurried off, her hands laden and her shoulders slouched. As soon as the flap to my tent fell I leaned heavily against one of the polls, my head leaning against the cold wood as I closed my eyes to concentrate on my breathing. My wound had been hurting me as of late but it wasn't until this morning it had started bleeding again, but this time instead of blood it was this purple ooze. I had yet to tell anyone. Never before had I ever been more thankful for the large baggy clothes that Koll gave me, despite the various tunics, dresses, and trousers the women of the village had given to me.

Taking a deep breath, I followed the chaos of the village as they all crowded around the king and his returned men. Koll stood at the front of the procession hurrying to Gafalda's tent. I saw about two dozen men trailing behind them either being carried by each other or by villagers as they hobbled along. I squared my shoulders and stepped up to Koll on the other side of the King's makeshift stretcher strung between two thick branches that the men of the village held as they carried it.

"She is ready," I nodded to the tent they were nearing, my eyes had yet to look down at the King.

Koll just nodded, his lips pressed into a thin line, his shoulders stiff and his brows pinched in concentration. I looked behind us at the other trailing behind. I winced.

"They aren't going to all fit in there."

Koll nodded to two other tents next to the healer's that weren't there before. "Please help her get the men situated." His voice was low and harsh.

With not so much as a glance back in his direction, I turned away from Koll and raised my voice for some for the men to follow me into one of the side tents. I stepped through and looked around. Three beds lined three of the walls, the air thick with burning herbs and pungent sanitized bandages. Three young girls whom I had never seen before turned to me and nodded. Not one of them flinched as each man was brought through limping and bleeding. They almost looked bored.

"The critical ones get beds. The rest can stand or sit on the ground. Do not linger on the ones that cannot be saved," I said to the girls as I looked each one in the eyes, pointing back to the men behind me then to the tent next door. "I'll be in the other tent if you need me."

Quickly they started milling about, assigning beds and hushing cries of pain. I exited that tent then went to the next one, motioning for the rest of the men to enter the second tent. It looked the same as the other one but it smelled sweet with lavender. I nearly smiled when I recognized the three girls whom I had drawn close to while in recovery. Hildyis, Freydis, and Sigrid turned as I parted the tent flaps, their brows raised and their eyes wide.

"How many?" Freydis called over her shoulder as she turned back to the strips of cloth she was finishing dipping in a smelling solution.

"A dozen, maybe more." I ushered the men through, their large frames quickly making the tent feel small. "Prioritize your efforts."

Sigrid nodded, waving her hand for me to leave as she helped a man with a gash on his face and across a swollen eye onto a bed. "Aid Gafalda, she is in a mood today."

I looked at Hildyis and she met my questioning gaze with a slight nod and a tight smile. "We will manage well enough." She pulled her blazing red hair up into a tight but messy bun then turned to one of the men who looked to have lost the bottom half of his right leg. "Return when she no longer needs you."

I didn't have to ask to know that they were worried. Hildyis in particular. Her intended and love of her life was sent out with the King. I could only imagine her eagerness to look each man in the face and find her Adalvaldar but she had a duty to the village. I prayed he was alright and was being seen to in the other tent.

With one last sweeping glance of the men and my valiant friends tending to them, I left to the main healer's tent. I could hear grunts and shuffling, causing me to rush in, throwing the tent flaps aside. Inside, Koll and Gafalda struggled to keep the King on his bed as he tried to stand, pushing them away. I spotted two of his men slumped in the corner too weak to help.

"Get off of me! I can be seen to later!" The King grunted, staggering as he fell back onto his cot.

"NO! Lay down this instant! You will injure yourself further!" Gafalda called out, doing her best to push him down but she was too small.

"Brother please, listen to us. They are being taken care of," Koll said with an amazing amount of calm with a hint of reassurance. He took one of the King's arms and tried to pin him to the bed but that made the King call out in pain, freeing him of his brother's hold.

"I will not yield until I know they are well!" The King protested.

"Do NOT bleed on my floor Hakondyn Svansson!" Gafalda sounded appalled.

It took me just a moment to assess the situation before taking action. With sure steps, I shouldered past Koll and grabbed the King's uninjured shoulder and pressed my other hand into the wound I could see bleeding through his clothes, pressing hard. It wasn't until I heard him gasp and his knees gave way did I press down on his shoulder, effectively pushing him down onto the cot.

For a moment our eyes locked and I held my breath. My hand was wet from his wound and his shoulder felt stiff under my touch. Hakondyn's long hair fell into his face, knotted and filthy, but I could not mistake the look of utter shock and a bit of awe in his sharp blade green eyes. I blinked then released him, bowing my head to the others to take over. Koll then moved his brother's legs onto the bed as Gafalda stripped him of his shredded shirt.

I stood back, looking around the room then back to the King, only to find his eyes on me still. I nodded my head to him, wiping my bloody hand on a rag on my waist.

"I would ask for your forgiveness if I felt I had acted wrongly." I then turned to Gafalda, not waiting to see the King's reaction. "What would you have me to do? The men are in the tents and are being seen to."

Movement to my right drew my attention to Koll looking at his brother and raising his brows. I looked back to Gafalda expectantly. She pointed to a pan sitting on some burning embers. It was then I noticed the room smelled of juniper with other mixed items.

"Soak half the bandages in that pot and leave the other's dry. There is a cup other there with a drink he will need to finish."

I did as she asked and started soaking some of the strips of cloth in the juniper solution, my back turned to the others. It was quiet for a time, the sound of the embers cracking and the liquid dripping into the bowl when I rung out the bandages filling the tent. Koll took a seat next to the cot as Gafalda looked at all of the King's wounds. She mumbled in hushed tones until the King spoke.

"You didn't believe I was dead?"

My hands froze and I could hear Gafalda let out a pained breath. I turn my head, touching my chin to my shoulder, keeping my eyes on what I was doing as I listened carefully.

"Never," Koll breathed, his voice almost angry.

My brows furrowed. You nearly did...

"What of the village. I see you haven't' burned it to the ground as you feared, little brother."

"We had three new additions to the clan that await your blessing. Two weddings have been planned, also awaiting your blessing." Koll then looked at me, catching my eye just as I turned back to the bowl. "We also have a new friend."

"All very exciting news, I'm sure," added Gafalda as she found the King a new shirt.

I finished the last strip and placed them in another bowl, carrying it with the dry strips in my other hand. I placed them beside Gafalda, then moved to stand off to the side, but a hand reached out and grasped my wrist, making me hiss in pain. I looked up and my eyes met the King's, the dark circles around his eyes darkening.

I tried to yank my hand away from him but he held fast, my movement shaking him and the cot. His eyes moved from my face to my hand as he rotated my wrist, my ring flashing in the candlelight.

"Exciting news indeed," he hissed under his breath, his voice vibrating through his hand, to my wrist, and up my arm. His eye narrowed. "Who are you?"

Koll opened his mouth to answer for me but I beat him to it.

"Brynhild," I clipped.

I yanked my hand back and the King released me. I looked at Koll, my face hurting from keeping the scowl off my face. "If you no longer require my assistance I know of two tents filled with men much more wounded than your brother."

I cared not that he was the king if he wished to scold me and bring my father into this than he can do it behind my back where I know he will be less likely to receive a darker circle around one of his eyes. I nodded to Gafalda, knowing quite well that she had things handled, then left, not looking back.

~~~~~~

I watched the woman leave, her long braided brown hair snapping as she turned away from me, not bowing once before leaving my presence. I let out a breath and fell back onto the cot, regretting it instantly, pain seizing my body. I winced but bit my tongue, not wanting to let on more than what I was sure Gafalda already knew of my condition.

Koll looked at me, his shoulders slumped and his eyes downcast. I looked to where the tent flap was still moving then back to my brother. A small smile broke free of my indifferent mask. But before I could question him about the small woman, I remembered the ring on her hand. A scowl took hold.

"I cannot believe you let her stay with us. Did you not think she is the very reason I am like this. That she is the very reason more than half of my men are gone, the other half severely wounded. Fathers, brothers, sons!"

"It is not her fault Kafalla has a vendetta against her family. She was orphaned at a young age and traveled from village to village looking for a home."

I sat up despite the pain growing throughout my body. I lifted a hand and pointed in the direction she left. "She cannot make camp with us. She may not be the cause of the vendetta but she is the reason for our bloodshed. We were safe in this position. We were safe from any of those lizard beasts." I fell back onto the cot, Gafalda immediately fussing over me. "Give me a reason not to be concerned, little brother, that your heart my cloud your judgment?"

Koll's face flushed and his eyes darted up to look at me. I have seen Koll in many situations throughout our lives growing up. But I could only count on one hand how many times I had ever made him red in the face from something other than anger. I raised my brows then closed my eyes.

"You cannot fool me."

"She is of the Haddock family. She has the same ability her father had. Orir did not die as we were led to believe."

I raised a hand. "As you were led to believe. I knew he was leaving to be with his bride. He wished for a family and our father was not about to deprive him of that after we lost mother."

The room fell quiet. Gafalda had been quiet the whole time but now her hands stilled as she placed a wet strip of cloth over a wound on my chest. I opened an eye and looked at her. She did not move as she looked at my chest, her hands shaking slightly. I reached up and took one of them, her aging skin soft against my leather hands.

But Koll pressed on. "You should have seen her with Davvas. He left his hunt to bring her here. She too was wounded by Kafalla."

Still holding onto Gafalda's hand I looked at my brother. "Is this one of those times where you want me to lie to protect your delicate emotions?"

Koll scowled. "I was harsh with her at first. I judged her too quickly. She is afraid."

I scoffed. "She looked afraid, no doubt, glaring at me with enough venom to kill one of your pets."

A part of me flinched along with Koll at my words. I knew he loved his dragon, but that's what it was; a dragon, something that could easily wipe out the whole village with nothing more than a deep breath and a growling stomach. After seeing what Kafalla could do to the best men I had ever had the privilege of leading let alone grow up alongside, I found my heart's companion lacking.

Koll stood, his robes creating a small breeze. "Give her a chance to show you that she is in fact on our side. She needs a home and to know that she has a purpose here." He turned to go but stopped just before the tent opening, his hand grasping for the flap. He did not turn when he finished. "We will need her when we begin gathering more Dragons and their riders to fight against Kafalla."

He stepped through the tent, leaving me with no time to react, let alone process what he had just said.

My little brother wished to create a dragon army. An army that I had told him on numerous occasions would not happen. Not while I still drew breath. Was it not enough I let him keep his dragon and the other hand full of lizards who belong to the last of the trained riders. I commend his determination and his willingness to fight against those who hurt us, but I cannot, in good conscience, let that happen if it meant losing him in the process.

Gafalda cleared her throat, drawing my eyes open to look at her. She had taken her hand back though I knew not when she had done so. She looked at me with a look only a grandmother could master, her thin hair gray falling into her face.

"Koll and Brynhild have been hard at work forming a plan to get rid of the monster of a dragon that has been collecting beasts for her own army. Though your concerns are quite valid, they are not helpful in making a hasty decision. "

I shook my head and ran my good hand through my hair, pulling at the knots. I had spoken out loud again. I let out a breath and glanced at her, shifting my body so she could see to the wounds on my other side.

"What would you do in my stead? I am a king several years too early, my men are all but dead leaving families broken, have a village half sick, a brother Hell bent on charging head first into a battle we have no need to join, and now a woman has waltzed in, stolen my brother's heart, and no doubt sees herself above us all."

Gafalda shook her head a corner of her mouth tugging upward, her eyes crinkled in a silent laugh. "You sound just like your father."

"The very man who should be here instead of me," I whispered as I sagged under the weight of my return. "I do not know how I have survived even now."

Gafalda finished wrapping me and pushed my shoulders back so that I would lay down again. Suddenly I was hit with how tired and weak I was, the excitement of the past few moments now gone, leaving me a hollowed body of worry and fatigue.

"Hakondyn, your father would be most proud. Now that you have returned focus on your duties as a king and all will fall into place."

I opened my mouth but she wagged a finger at me, her eyes stern. "But not until you get some rest, my boy. You will stay here tonight but starting tomorrow, you are to be limited to your tent."

Gafalda gathered her things and tidied up the room. I watched her move about, my eyelids growing heavier by the moment. I took a deep breath and closed my eyes, willing myself to forget my worries and fall asleep. But I had to ask one more thing.

"Does Koll truly love her?"

I heard a soft snicker from the other side of the tent. "Love is a very strong word. But no, not yet anyway. She is very sweet and yet can have quite the temper. If anything she would be a good ally to the village, let alone a tentmate."

I shifted so my back was to the room and I buried my face into the blankets. "I still don't like her," I mumbled before I fell into a fitful sleep of burning villages, roaring dragons, and silver rings on long haired maidens.

~~~~~~~

I wiped sweat from my brow as I stood, smiling down the valley at the children all clamoring to be in front of each other. I held the dirt filled goat blatter fall and tossed it up a few times before pulling back my hand, poised to throw.

"Ready?!" I called out to them, my voice echoing off the rock walls.

A collective cheer of incoherent encouragement and excitement made me laugh, my chest feeling light. I nodded my head, shifted my stance, planted my feet, and reeled back my arm all before throwing the ball as high and far as I could, my shoulder screaming with tingling fatigue. But I could not stop, the laughter of the children far too great a reward that outweighed the want for rest.

That is until Gafalda's voice came roaring into the valley.

"BRYNHILD! In the name of Odin, I swear I shall strike you down where you stand should you ever be so hard to locate again."

I laughed as I turned, my hair twisting in the wind. "I would apologize but you do hate empty words."

"Too right you are. But it should be me who will be apologizing," she held her skirts up as she picked her way down a crude set of stairs.

I furrowed my brows. "Whatever for?"

Gafalda "I have a favor to ask you and I have a feeling you will not like to hear it."

I laughed, looking back to the children who were now tossing the ball to each other in a circle, laughing and smiling. "You will find it hard to put me off at the moment."

Gafalda let out a snort followed by a breathy laugh. "In that case; I need you to see to the King, Hakondyn."

My eyes widened as I spun on her, my hair whipping into my face. "What?!"

The healer gave lowered her chin and raised a brow. "I will be seeing to a woman giving birth to twins. Perhaps more. Then I will need to leave for the neighboring village. Their healer died last week and are in need of assistance. I will leave Sigrid in charge of the healer's tent."

I just stared at her, my mind having a hard time settling on one phrase of obscenities to say. The King and I have had a hard time getting along. Once in one another's presence, I could not stop myself from scowling, my chest growing tight with an anger fueled by the smallest thing. He had doubted my story of how I was injured until I had to lift my tunic and show him the wound, it's seeping purple liquid alerting me to my need of a bandage change myself. But even after seeing it, the insufferable King continued to slander me and harp on my father and his legacy, a legacy I had no idea my father had.

Therefore I took liberties with my own ways of getting back at him. They may be called childish or in some ways, not in anyway effective, my tactics usually end with me having the last laugh. However, I had no interest in seeing him today after he upended a pail of perfectly good goats milk on my only nice dress all just because I teased him about his royal pin and how I now understood why they used them, for a crown would not be big enough to fit over his largely inflated head.

Gafalda rolled her eyes and beckoned for me to follow her with a nod of her head as she turned. "Stop gaping like a fish and leave the children to their games. It will not kill you to spend a mere ten minutes with the king."

I picked up my own skirts and caught up with her. "I cannot say the same for the King," I grumbled under my breath.

"I wish the two of you would stop bickering." She glanced at me with a smirk. "I am not the only one who is tired of being the salve to your incessant irritation."

It was my turn to roll my eyes. "It is not my fault you and Koll find it within your right to fix everything. That insufferable brat and I can fight our own battles, thank you very much."

Suddenly Gafalda stopped, her body going rigid, her face losing all color as her eyes glazed over. I moved in front of her, looking up into her downcast face. I placed a hand on her arm.

"Gafalda? Are you alright?"

She took a few moments to breathe before her wet eyes met mine. My heart dropped to my feet, the air around us growing cold. I rubbed her upper arms with my hands to keep myself from doing something rash.

"I can see it in your eyes," I whispered, "The panic. What's gotten you so scared?"

The wise healer blinked back tears, smiling weakly. "Does your wound still ale you?"

I blinked, not at all expecting her question. I took a moment to collect my thoughts before answering. "Y-yes but only a little. Though it is still quite purple."

Gafalda nodded, moving past me, causing me to hurry behind her. "Tell no one, not even his brother. Hakondyn was injured by Kafalla, just as you were, nearly as bad as you were, though he did lose a lot of blood. But his wound, the one like yours, has yet to heal."

I shrugged a shoulder. "Mine is now nearly three months old. He has been home two weeks. I see no need for your worry."

Gafalda stopped. "I will not be here to help him as I did you. And my help was constant and rigorous the first little while." She took a breath and looked at the edge of the village, her shoulders dropping. "I fear that your quarrel, or what have you, will give him reason to be stubborn and not accept your help. He will not be healed as quickly as you were."

I looked at the village as well, my eyes landing on Koll and his brother sitting on stones, bent over scrolls, talking animatedly. The King was permitted to do his work and be outside but only if accompanied. He was still fairly weak, though he hid it well.

I looked at Gafalda, placing a hand on her arm. "I understand. I will do my best but I cannot promise anything."

She looked at me and smiled despite it not reaching her eyes, her shoulders looking lighter already. "Thank you. I have the marjoram cream prepared in the tent." She finished her smile, her eyes crinkling with old humor. "I trust my floors to be spotless."

"No promises," I repeated smiling as she nodded and continued on to the village as I left to retrieve the King.

I brushed hair out of my face as I approached the royal brothers, their heads bent over a few maps, their hair tied up and out of their faces. Hakondyn was the first to notice me, his eyes taking me in, making me scowl. But when his eyes reached mine they did not darken like they used to. Instead, he just watched me come closer, making me squirm. I stepped on a small pile of dried dead leaves, drawing Koll's attention. His reaction was much different. He smiled, making me blink but I smiled back.

"Sorry to bother you, but it seems it cannot be helped," I stated as I stood on the other side of their rock.

"Have the children bested you at last?" Koll answered, crossing his arms over his chest as his smile turned into a smirk.

I shook my head. "Ah, no, actually. THough, if the children had any idea what the ball was made of they would not have agreed to play with me in the first place."

Koll laughed, something he had been doing more and more since his brother had returned. "They are lucky they weren't the ones who had to make it."

I nodded, smiling wider. Until Hakondyn replied.

"What is it that you need? Unless you came to bother us with the details of your game playing."

I looked to him, lifting my chin slightly. "Don't worry, I haven't' forgotten that you were here. You are the reason I came or else I'd still be playing with the children." An echo of their laughter reached us as if proving my point.

It was his turn to raise his eyebrows, the wind tugging at his long hair. "I did not send for you."

I rolled my eyes and made my way around the large rock and to his side, the side where he was clutching his wound. No doubt unaware he was even doing it.

"I don't need to be summoned by anyone to see and do as I please. Besides," I looked up at him and raised a brow before gently pulling back his hand, "Gafalda told me to help you salve your wound."

He took his hand back, ignoring the stain of purple that came away with it. "Cannot one of her apprentices do it. It is not your job to nurse me back to health."

Koll pointed to me. "She is as good at this as Gaffy is seeing as she has a wound very much the same. She had some help but the other girls are busy. And you know of Gaffy's need in the other village."

Hakondyn let out a breath before looking at me out of the corner of his eyes. "Only for Gafalda's sake am I willing to let you do this."

I raised my hands, nodding. "As am I. No one said I was doing this out of my own volition."

The King left for his tent. I turned to Koll and rolled my eyes. "Thank you for helping. This is going to be a long evening."

"Do you want me to join? I can keep him talking as you work."

I shook my head, laughing lightly. "I'm putting lotion on his wounds, not cutting the hair of a beast, let us be glad of that. I'm surprised he didn't knock you down for getting him to agree to me helping him."

Koll chuckled, nodding. "You're not the only one." He walked up to me and placed a hand on my shoulder and looked pointedly to the King's tent. "Call for me if you need assistance. I will not be far."

I smiled at him, bowing my head slightly. "Thank you, King Brother."

Koll nodded and gave me one last tight smile then he left, but not before giving my shoulder a gentle squeeze. My arm tingled as I turned to the King's tent, my determination solidified to help this stubborn man. Though I did not forget to curse Gafalda and her terrible timing to be the saint healer and use it in her quest to make the King and I friends.

I entered the tent and was immediately hit with the smell of burning sage. Hakondyn's tent was quite large, as a King's tent should be. It was sectioned off into three areas, the main meeting room, an armory, and his bedroom. It felt cozy and was kept quite clean. I spotted the small jar of marjoram about the size of a large orange on the long meeting table.

I picked it up and moved to the side of the tent that was his room, peeking my head around the draped cloth to see him sitting on his bed, one leg bent in front of him, his other foot placed on the ground. His shirt was off and his hair was in a messy bun at the top of his head. I would have shamelessly stared at him had my eyes not been drawn to the long draw of three old claw marks across his back.

There were several other scars but they were faint and small compared to the claw marks. Then I noticed it, the same purple puncture as my own, though his was on the opposite side as mine and farther down near his hip. And he had two of them were as I only had one. But despite the number it still looked purple, swollen, and irritated as mine, oozing its vibrant goo as if it were crying to be relieved of the pain it was causing.

"You have seen a man's back before, haven't' you?"

I nearly jumped at his voice, noticing his head had turned slightly. I made my way in, clearing my throat. "Not one that looks worse than a dragon's scratching tree."

"I have no idea what you are referring to," he replied dryly.

Right here is supposed to be a really nice conversation but I suck at transitions so imagine they started to speak kindly and she asked about his eyes and why he looked so tired.

Hakon paused before he spoke, his eyes never leaving the frayed edges of his tunic. "I do not sleep. I cannot sleep. My mind has the frightening capability of being dark and full of demons. Especially as of late."

I didn't say anything for a few moments as I tried to concentrate on the seeping wound and picking one question to ask instead of letting them all at once.

"You are afraid of your dreams?" I whispered, glad I was partially hidden behind his back.

Hakon nodded, his fingers deafly picking at the escaping fabric. "Yes," he said so quietly I almost missed it.

I couldn't help but imagine him laying in the dark, his body tossing and turning until he is shaken awake by his own fear, sweat and tears dripping down his face, his eyes wide with terror manifested by internal conflict and rage. Pure Viking rage.

My fingers traced his wounds, old and new, along his back, up and over his shoulders, then down to his chest. I moved off the bed to kneel before him, the smell of marjoram and burning sage filling my senses and nearly making my eyes water as I looked up at him.

"I cannot imagine what it is like being a King. But I do know that you are a good King."

Hakon's eyes flickered down to me, his face stern. "Why should I care what you think?"

I sat up straight on my knees and narrowed my eyes at him. "Because your brother nearly cried in my arms when you did not return, his fear of taking your place making him act no better than a newborn babe."

Hakon scoffed, his lips turning up into a humorless smile. "He is right to fear it. I get uneasy with his eagerness to impress."

I shook my head, tossing him his shirt, smirking at it hit him in the face. "It is not the position of King he feared, but his ability to fill your role that he so admirably looks up to. And for a moment there I nearly understood the logic of his reasoning behind it."

I stood to go but stopped. I closed my eyes and turned around to face him again, realized he had placed his tunic back on. I tucked the jar of salve in my pocket and from my other pocket I pulled out a small bag of herbs that I kept with me since Gafalda learned I had nightmares. I reached my hand forward over his shoulder and in front of his face, making him rear back.

"Take this. It seems you need it more than I do."

Slowly, Hakon took it from my hand, his fingers touching mine, his eyes trained on my ring. But as soon as the bag left my hand I withdrew out of the tent, my head hammering as well as my heart.

~~~~~~

*One Month Later*

I stood at the front of my tent speaking with my second in command when suddenly there was a commotion coming from the direction of Brynhild's tent. I watched as the gathering of my ground warriors moved like a hard wind on a field of grain. I stood tall and squared my shoulders, ready to take what it was that had the lady of the dragon's so bothered.

Brynhild pushed past my men, her jaw set and her eyes pinning me to my spot. "Where is he?" Her voice was calm though I knew she felt exactly the opposite.

"My Lady..."

"DON'T 'My Lady' me!" She pushed a finger into my chest, her face angled up to me, filled with pure anger. "Answer me," she hissed.

I took a moment and just looked at her, our hair dancing about us as the wing of the incoming storm started to rear its ugly head. "You know where he is."

"And you didn't stop him," she whispered, her anger only stalled by her apparent confusion.

I shook my head slightly, my hand reaching to my wound as it began to throb with pain. "I could not."

Her eyes flickered to where I held my waist, her own hand reaching for her side where her own wound no doubt mirrored mine's reaction to learning of Koll's disappearance. Suddenly I had the urge to comfort her, my other arm slowly reaching out to grasp her shoulder.

"He knew what he was doing when he planned this. Have faith that he will see it through."

Brynhild looked up at me, her eye void of tears but her brows were pinched in worry creating lines across her forehead and around her mouth. "But I was supposed to go with him. I am the one who can control the dragons!"

"You would be no good to him weak and in pain." I looked up at the sky, the darkening clouds drawing closer, the wind picking up. "I was going to go with him too. But he knows us well, to leave when we least expect it. I have no doubt he had been planning this from the beginning."

I looked down at her and my chest pinched with compassion. Brynhild was doing her best to keep her composure but I could see her slipping. She balled her fists and hit them against my chest, taking me by surprise though it did not hurt me. "You should have told me. You should have said something, that he would leave us. That he would risk his life needlessly while we could have helped him."

She started crying, her voice shaking as she choked out her words. "I know what Kafalla can do. I know what she will do to him. I see it every night when I go to bed or when I hear a dragon sound in the distance." Brynhild's head hung as she let her guard drop and her feelings show. "I do not know what is worse, not being out there with him, or leaving my mind to imagine what could happen," she whispered, sniffing a few times.

I nodded, pulling her close to my chest, ignoring the pain in my side knowing her pain was just as bad if not worse, my own heart aching for my little brother. "Sometimes," I whispered into her hair, holding her shaking body, "memories are the worst form of torture." I stroked her hair but then pulled her away, looking down into her face, catching her bright blue eyes with my own, a small smile pulling at my lips.

"But they don't have to be, not if you don't want them to."

Brynhild took a shaky breath, wiping her face with the back of her hand. "And how do you do that?"

I reached up and stroked a loose swath of hair from her face, letting my hand rest on her shoulder as my other stayed on her arm. "By moving forward and finding a new reason to fight."

Her brows pinched yet I could see she understood my meaning. "But we are wounded..."

I stood tall and dropped my hands from her though I found it hard to do so. "I did not take you for one to give up so easily."

"But we have no army. How will we even get there? You don't like dragons and we can't climb to her lair."

I tried to keep a smile off my face but failed. I waved my hand as I turned to leave. "You think too much, my dear. Come, I have something to show you."