Vikings-The Trick Of The Gods

Six.

I doused the blade in the strongest alcohol I could get my hands on and plunged it deep into the fire burning beside us. Groaning Bjorn lay down on my other side clutching at his torso. I sighed. I wish I had a needle and could do some stitches but they didn't have them here in this time so I had to make do.

Seeing the flames on the metal die down as the blade began to glow, I turned to face Bjorn grabbing at the hem of his shirt to pull it up and move it out of the way. I gripped the linen loosely and began to gently move it upwards. Warm and soft his skin made contact with my fingertips and he immediately grabbed my wrists. His grip was kind but startled me. I looked up at him in confusion. He had his head craned up off the bench I asked him to rest on and he just stared right back at me looking deep into my eyes. It was making me a little uncomfortable. It had been so long since I had seen him last I couldn't guess what he was thinking anymore. With a sigh he dropped my wrists letting me continue with the procedure.

I had learned a lot from my mother before I was brought here by forces unknown and so quickly became a healing figure in Hedeby (which I now knew as the name of the small town I was in), though there were still those who refused to come and see me. Not only were some of my techniques not approved of by the citizens but they also still didn't trust me. I was no longer considered an outsider; I had been here too long but to some the nature of my arrival was a bad omen. Since I showed my disposition for healing Lagertha made sure to have me taught about their methods which I picked up quickly combining them with my prior knowledge.

I pulled the shirt over Bjorn's head revealing his toned muscular body which perhaps would have distracted me if it were not glistening with sweat and his own blood. A large rugged gash traversed the landscape of his chest running from by his collar bone to his lower sternum. It was deep and the skin looked red and raw. He probably could have done with some antibiotics. I wringed out a cloth I had left to soak in alcohol and wiped it over the wound and he hissed and flinched.

"If you can't," I deliberated my words, not knowing how to translate what I wanted to say, "deal with this pain then how will you deal with what is next?" He scowled at me.

"Just do it."

Slowly I removed the blade from the fire holding it in the warming aura around the fire. I looked to Bjorn. He looked at me and our eyes locked; the trust evident in his face. He gently nodded, his eyes wide but ready. I pressed the blade onto the wound. The sound of the rapidly cooling metal and sizzling skin filled the room. Steam rose from the wound as it hissed and popped. Bjorn cried out in agony. The smell of rancid, boiling, charing blood swam into my nose but it was a smell I was used to by now. As quickly as I had placed the blade in his flesh I removed it again. Bjorn looked at me, slight fury in his eyes that he was directing at me but I knew I was safe.

I cleaned the rest of the blood off his chest, taking my time, moving my hands slowly over his chest and stomach. Despite the smattering of facial hair he possessed, which had grown more since he left, his chest was still smooth. I glided a washcloth over his abs, wringing out the cloth regularly, ensuring no blood was left upon him. Bjorn sighed softly and closed his eyes. He looked peaceful as if given a moment longer he would fall asleep here next to me.

"Why are you here Bjorn?" I asked wondering why he had returned.

"Why," he responded, his eyes snapping open as sat up and faced me, "do you enjoy my being here?" His eyes squinted at me looking hurt though his face gave nothing away.

"I do but I..."

I didn't know how to express my feelings to him; I didn't have the right words. Of course I was glad he was back if only because it meant I had one more person on my team but I did enjoy his company yet something in the back of my mind was telling me he came back for a reason.

"Ragnar is planning a raid on Wessex again." He stated sighing.

I sat back in surprise though the word was different from in English I could tell which city he spoke of. I did not know the vikings could sail that far.

"How does that," I hate how tricky words are sometimes. I tried again. "How does that," include, affect, involve, I didn't know the translations for either. I sighed, giving up on that sentence. "Why are you telling us this?"

"He needs more warriors if he is to succeed," his head resting in his hand, thumb on his temple, "I think you should offer some of yours."

"That is more a question for Lagertha, no?"

He sighed and then if on queue Lagertha walked into the hall.