It was the Battle of Maldon. It was a vicious battle. Everyone was severely injured, even Thorkell. The moment the invincible Thorkell crumbled.

It was the second time in your life that you actually saw Thorkell crumbling. The first time happened when he and Thors saw each other for the last time, when Thorkell was knocked out by a warrior half his height, right in front of you, but that's not the story we're talking about...

The losses of that battle were many. So many that except for the thousands of missing bodies, those found were thrown into the sea, being sources of possible spread of epidemics.

As previously mentioned, your husband Thorkell was also seriously injured, as well as you. However, you were lucky, since he developed a fever that continued to rise and rise, while you were relatively well, wanting to exaggerate. You struggled to stand, barely conscious, but still insisted on staying by Thorkell's side at all costs.

His entire torso was bandaged, with some stab wounds on his legs and some arrow wounds. Even his face, unblemished by scars, was now wounded and bandaged.

Sitting on a tiny chair right beside the big bed he was lying on, you were changing the wet cloth on his forehead, then moving and petting away locks of his loose hair with your fingers from his sweaty and tired face.

You then noticed he had woken up again. Every time he did it a wave of relief came over you. When his eyes closed even for a few seconds, they seemed endless. You feared they would never open again.

«Am I hallucinating or are you a Valkyrie taking me to Valhalla. Beautiful as you are, I'd say so, wife.» he said, smiling stupidly.

«Stop blathering incoherent feverish bullshit. I've been here for hours worried and this is all you have to say? And stop making that stupid face. You're weird.» you reply, shooting him one of your worst glares.

«How come you only look and talk to me with so much love when I'm sleeping? Now that I'm in this bad shape you don't even have one nice thing to say?» He complained, whiny.