CHAPTER 6.

Small cracks came from the fire, as it spits out embers of ash, ignited, then slowly decaying into the air. It turned out there really was a light at the end of the tunnel, for Axel. She inhaled sharply. Her chest softly ascends, her back arched when she felt a surge of pain within her stomach. Her hands gripped the fur blanket underneath her.

"Gereigir move, þú munu einghurtr þinn sjálfr meiri." A smooth voice ordered.

(Don't move, you'll only hurt yourself more.)

A voice said in a language that she couldn't even understand.

The only word she understood was 'move.' Sleep evaporated from her. Her eyes gently fluttered open. A man stood next to the stone fireplace, his muscles tensed when he realized she was awake.

She looked around the dimly lit room. She sat up and realized she was in a man-made, log cabin. Her sight traced upon the frame that held the roof. Carvings etched into the wood, with specific ruins dating back to the age of his ancestors. But who was the man that saved her? And where was she? How far away from the coast?

Then it hit her, she was shirtless... Thankfully she bandaged her chest up before leaving on the trip to Londinium, otherwise, she would be in a state of panic. But who said she wasn't afraid of what this man could do? He was tall and lean. Dressed in fine furs and leather. Soft golden strands of his hair hung onto his shoulders, past that perfect jawline...

Emerald green eyes, jaw-dropping and mesmerizing, but so cold at the same time.

"I can't believe; I am going to be stuck here, with a man that cannot speak English." She whispered to herself, assuming he couldn't understand her language either.

"I am afraid you are foolishly mistaken. Perhaps you would prefer me to throw you out to the creatures of the woods?" the man spoke. A pit formed at the bottom of her gut. Her mouth agape, and she froze.

"What? Would you think I would have allowed you to drown with the beast?" the man started to note down the possibilities going through her mind. Mainly putting words into her mouth.

"No, it's not that... I didn't know you spoke my language." she felt the rhythm of her heart start to ascend. She wasn't sure if it was guilt, fear, or...something else. Axel had to admit, she was very attracted to the man.

"And that you now know. Norse is my mother tongue and English is something very few of my clan learn." the man admitted. The boards creaked underneath him as he approached Axel.

She looked down to the cloth that was wrapped around her gut, neatly.

"Did you do this?" She said, referring to the aid he spared for her.

"No. The Mage was the one who aided your wounds. I was only present when I found you. To think a woman can kill a beast. That's surely something." he complimented. He stood next to her bedside and watched as her expression changed into a smile. She was amazed at Mages still existed. After the war and the death of Uther Pendragon, the Mages and Merlin himself fled the lands, seeking refuge after Uther's sister took the throne.

"Is that how you treat all of your women? I feel a joke coming on here." Axel chuckled. She watched the corner of his lip raise.

"Not exactly. The Shield-Maidens swoon me when they have the chance, but play hard to get," he answered. Axel wasn't sure if he was emotionally incapable, or if he acted like this all the time. Pieces to the puzzle connected when he mentioned the title of Shield-Maidens.

"So you're a Viking?" she questioned curiously.

"Yes, and the Gods must have blessed you by sparing you. But surely you would have been accepted into the halls of Valhalla even if I didn't save you. My kin has been hunting the beast for months. And here you are. "

Axel thought about mentioning heaven and hell at that moment, concerned whether he was confused or had a different religion. But she didn't believe in either of them. Mentioning the word Valhalla brought up memories of her reading a story about Vikings raiding England. And when their warriors die, in valour, and on the battlefield they are accepted into the hall of Valhalla. Their cups are always filled with mead, large feasts, songs are sung, and tales of the fallen.

Similar to what Camelot did.

She wasn't sure if she should trust him or not and her face was readable at that moment. Her hands gripped onto the fur and her jaw clenched tightly as she stared at him.

"Relax, if I was going to kill you, I would have done so already." he casually implied.

"How so?" she tested him.

"Very simple, I would have left you to drown," he remarked, harshly. Axel's stomach twisted at the thought. She looked down and sighed.

"I am grateful," she spoke awkwardly.

"I didn't expect it from an English woman. But the time I found you were the sign of the Gods. Týr was with you the time you killed the beast. I'm impressed, now get some rest." he ordered. Axel furrowed her brows. She couldn't stay here. She was too worried about Gavin and Marcus.

"I cannot stay here, my friend is out there with those things." Axel refused. She jumped onto her feet and let out a groan of pain. Her body collapsed onto the floor.

"My point exactly." he huffed. He knelt down and placed his arm underneath her knees and wrapped his arm around her back and heaved her up onto the bed, where she was original.

"Stop, I have to find them." She disobediently argued with his hospitality. She tried pushing him away, but he didn't move. He held her hands with frustration.

"Quit while you can. You're not going anywhere until you're in proper condition," he replied with a calm voice.

The thought of any more Wendigo's within the forest made her stomach uneasy. Then surely she knew that Gaven wouldn't survive too long. Tears started to form in her eyes at the thought of Gaven's death or Marcus walking into the same trap, and somehow she survived? Perhaps she should have stayed at the Inn. The three of them would have been able to collect the bandit's heads and fight the riders with even odds.

"Get off of me before I hurt you," Axel warned him, her words taunted him for a moment and made him smile. Almost as if she was joking, but she wasn't.

"And what good would that do?" he questioned, his face was close to hers. Not tending anything sexual, but he was trying to intimidate her. His lips were ghosted to hers, she was debating whether to kiss him and throw him off guard to escape. But what good would that do? She was in zero condition to fight a whole village. He took a step back acknowledging she wasn't intimidated by him.

But what she had no knowledge of was he was a Prince, referred to as Konungsson of his clan.

"So, who are you exactly? Some warrior?" she questioned, avoiding the previous topic. She accepted this was where she was going to be resting for a couple of days.

"Your clan calls me the Warrior of the West. Best of Humanities fighters from over the sea. My name is Magnus Gulbransen, the Konungsson of Scandinavia." Magnus said with pride.

"Nice to meet you, Magnus, I am not sure what Konungsson means, but I'll figure it out soon enough," Axel replied with a restful voice. She planned to get on his good side after hearing the threats and his cold side. She wanted to know more about him, whether this was his true colours or not.

She pushed her messy blond hair back and sat up against the bedboard.

"Konungsson means son of the King." Magnus corrected her. Her breath hitched, did this mean that he was the Prince of his clan? Hopefully, she didn't have to abide to bend the knee. But it didn't seem so. He never ordered to call him Konungsson.

"So, what's your title then?" Magnus interrogated, it was almost as if he was comfortable speaking to her. He took a seat at the end of the bed.

"Axel Embers trained street-fighter of Camelot-"

"And destined to become crippled..." Magnus trailed off.

Axel was taken back a bit by how rude Magnus seemed at that moment. What made him think of that Philosophy?

"I beg your pardon?" she said firmly.

"Your eyes, you've been cursed by the Gods. But somehow blessed today. Your eyes are blue which means you are in great danger of crippling yourself. Especially when they are as blue as an Ice-walker." he explained, biting onto the edge of his knuckle.

"What makes you think that?" Axel replied in a doubtful voice, but she was in fact ready for her mind to be changed.

"I have a cousin, his name is Ivar. He was born with weak bones, became crippled. And somehow still wages and fights his wars like a God. Besides I expected you to keep your composure if you are truly a fighter. But to prevent any more injuries, I suggest you take my advice and stay here." Magnus warned, slowly slipping off the bed. The weight of his body made the end feel empty.

"A great war wages near our borders and the Blackguards march. I am afraid it will be too late if I stay here too long."

At that moment Magnus paused from exiting the room. He quietly closed the door and turned around to meet her blue eyes from the distance.

"You can hold off for a day. In an hour or two, I will send Anna, the mage, to check on you. Stay here, and that's an order." Magnus replied coldly.

His response disappointed her, it seemed almost as if he didn't care or didn't believe her. The Queen was far from ready to fight this war and she refused to sign a peace treaty. After all, she had no heir, no King, nothing to sign the deal.

Though she had some confidence she could escape here in one piece, if it involved the Mage. She wasn't sure if she could trust Magnus or anyone here. And surely she wasn't going to wait to find out what her purpose was here.