WRATH OF THE NORTH [BJÖRN IRONSIDE]

CHAPTER SEVEN

Vál struggled to turn around in her sleep, she opened her eyes slightly and without caring nor noticing she spooned Björn, she sneaked her hand around his waist, trying to get more warmth before drifting off again.

However she soon opened her eyes when she felt his hard muscles underneath her palm. She quickly sat up in the small bed she was currently laying on, she noticed that she was still in the cabin that Björn currently lived in and her eyes widen when she saw Björn next to her on the bed, his naked upper body visible. Her eyes roamed his well toned body, his big arms and back but she shook her head before pushing him off the bed, waking him up. A loud groan left his dry throat and soon his tired eyes met hers.

"What are you doing?" He exclaimed and he tried to get onto the bed again yet she refused to let him.

"What am I doing? Why am I naked in your bed with you in it? That's an even more interesting question to answer!" She said and hugged the blanked closer to her body, covering it up. Even if he had seen most of it yesterday when she had gotten out of her bath it felt too odd for him to see it like this, in daylight.

"You were the one who snuggled closer," Björn retorted and her mouth fell open.

"You were awake?" She questioned and he nodded. "Then why didn't you push me away?"

"A naked woman has pressed herself onto my body would you push her away if you were me?" He said and she rolled her eyes before pointed her finger at her clothes.

"Yes, give me my clothes," She mumbled and he obeyed before watching as she got dressed. Soon Björn started to get dress as well, not bothering to cover himself up and she rolled her eyes. She couldn't deny that his body looked good, well toned and his skin looked very smooth. She liked the ink that stained his pale skin. She bit her lip before continuing to get dressed.

Suddenly the sound of a strong wind hitting the cabin got both their attention. They looked at each other before walking towards the door, Björn opened it but the force of the weather grabbed the door roughly which made it fly open. With all his strength he pulled the door close again before locking it. Vál only shook her head as she yawned.

"Looks like we're not leaving this cabin in a while," She said and he snorted which she ignored. She walked over to the pile of chopped wood before placing some on the fireplace. Soon a small fire radiated warmth. "We need to be smart with he amount of wood we use, how much food to you have stored?"

"To eat once or twice a day?" He asked and she nodded. "Two weeks maybe," He answered and her eyes widen before nodded.

"We need to be smart about that too," She mumbled before taking a seat in front of the fire. Björn only frowned before taking a seat in front of her on another chair.

"What do you mean?" Björn asked and she only shrugged.

"It's the winter storms, usually lasts a couple of days to a few weeks," She said like it was nothing. Björn only looked at her with wide eyes. The storm was crashing down outside the door and she acted like this was nothing. When he didn't say anything she looked up at him. "It happens every winter,"

"So are we stuck here?" He asked and she nodded. An impatient sigh left his lips as he stared into the fire.

"How did I end up naked in your bed?" Vál asked for a while and he only looked at her before back into the fire as a smirk covered his lips. She tried to recall the night before, she remembered the mead, a lot of mead. She frowned when she remembered them kissing. "We kissed, did we?"

"We did a lot more than that," He said and still smirked.

"What!" She exclaimed and he looked at her.

"Are you a virgin?" He asked and her mouth hung open. Vál thought that question answered itself, she lived in the mountains alone and the only time she got company she killed it. However Björn soon started to laugh and she threw a piece of wood on him making him groan.

"Can you please tell me how I wouldn't be when I've been alone since I was a child?" She spat and he only looked at her. "And what's wrong with being a virgin?" She spat and he raised his hands in surrender when she shot daggers at him.

"Nothing, I just wondered and relax nothing happened. We kissed yes, it got heated and we touched a little but nothing more than that," Björn explained with a smile and she gave him a nod. She rested her head against the cold wall as she started into the fire. She was now stuck here with him, in a cabin with the winter storm breaking down a few meters from her. However she knew that warmer days were getting close, the winter storm was the last thing before the air got slightly warmer. There was still snow but a few patches of grass could be visible. She liked the spring even is she loved the winter, however it was easier to hunt when one could stumble upon a deer at each patch of grass. The animals got bigger as well with all the food. "Can I ask you a question?"

"What do you want to know Björn?" Vál asked and looked him.

"Your name, it's not a common one," Björn said and she frowned.

"That wasn't a question,"

"What does it mean? If it means anything," He asked and she nodded.

"My father kind of invented it," Vál began. "He said he knew I would be a fierce hunter and fighter so Vál is short for Valkyrie because he knew that I would be the one choosing who would die and who would not on the battle field,"

"Too bad then you haven't been on the battle field," Björn hummed and she shrugged. "Don't you want to see for yourself if your father was right?"

"I know he was, I'm the best hunter out here," She spat and he shook his head.

"I mean about the battle part," He began and she listened. "I know my father would enjoy having such a fierce fighter with him and my mother would adore you for the same reason,"

"What are you saying? That I'm going to walk down these mountains to be with your people, your people who supported the man who killed my parents," Vál spat and continued. "And I don't think I would be comfortable being around so many people,"

"Come on, Earl Haraldson was killed years ago and it would only do good for the people of Kattegat to have someone like you there," Björn said and she snorted.

"I've known you for less than a day and you already invite me to your home," Vál said with a smirk. "You have no idea of all the things I have up my sleeve or what I'm capable of doing,"

The conversation soon died out. Both their eyes were resting on the burning flames in front of them. They could hear the sound of the harsh winds outside the door yet neither one of them seemed annoyed nor worried. They had food and knew there probably had to be some agreement on how much they would eat each time and when they would eat so they wouldn't starve. However they didn't think about that right now.

Vál thought about what Björn had said, or more offered her. He was just as well melted like the snow in a pair of warm hands. Even if she knew she wouldn't hurt him and she surely wouldn't try hurting anyone else if she followed because she would be surrounded by loyalists to his father. She also couldn't neglect the fact that she had started to enjoy his company. When her mind drifted over to Björn she immediately thought about the night before, they had kissed and she didn't want to know what he meant with them touching each other. Her eyes flickered on Björn before back to the fire without his knowledge.

Björn thought about what he just had asked her. To come with him to his home. He came here to prove his father wrong, to prove himself worthy and his strength. He could only imagine what his father would say about him brining a woman home, and not any woman, one hel of a fighter that his father hadn't seen since he had looked at his ex wife, Lagertha.

Neither one of them knew what the future would come, what the result of them being forced to live wth each other would be. Both of them were strong headed and proud. The only one who knew what the outcome would be was the gods, had them crossed their paths for them only to part again nor them doing greater things side by side.