The Norse Vampire's Beloved

Chapter 5

Morgan

As she begins to finally come back to consciousness, she still can't seem to move or open her eyes, but she is starting to be able to hear what's going on around her. She could hear her father speaking to a man with an accent she didn't recognize. She couldn't quite understand what they were saying since her head felt like someone split it in half and she couldn't concentrate enough. At this point she couldn't even remember why she was lying there. She tries to remember what happened. The last thing she remembers is walking towards the pub to help Flora for the day. In the background, she can hear the door opening and shutting and a chair moving. Being awake and not being able to move makes her nervous and she can feel her heartbeat speed up, making her head pound in pain.

She could hear someone move closer to her and someone speaking once again, but everything was still muffled in her head. Losing herself to the darkness once more, all she knows is she feels safe and lets herself go to float in the darkness of sleep.

Waking up again sometime later, she didn't have as much pain in her head as she did. Trying to open her eyes, she manages to open them in tiny slits, feeling someone holding her hand. She tries to move a finger. Again, hearing a man's voice, she didn't know. She heard him get up and move across the small house, opening the door and speaking with someone else, then closed the door once more. Trying to open her eyes more, she groaned in pain.

Placing his hand on her face, the unknown man says "Shhh I have sent for your father. You are safe " Slowly turning her head towards the voice and straining to open her eyes more, she asks "Wh..who are you? Where am I?" Looking over at him, she sees the most gorgeous man she has ever seen smiling at her. He is a tall man with a well groomed beard, a very muscular build with dark blonde hair and green eyes. "My name is Axel, my friend Ebbe, and I found you and saved you. You have been knocked out for two days." looking at him in confusion "What do you mean saved me?" I turned my head to look at the ceiling, trying to remember. Thinking about it "I remember the three English men holding me down. I remember him hitting me hard after I managed to scratch him .... " her eyes get wider as she remembers the events, her heart starts to beat fast as she remembers him ripping her underwear off of her. She looks over at Axel with fear and anxiety as he steps closer, grabbing her hand. "Dont worry, we found you first before they could ..." he motions his hand up and down her body, looking uncomfortable.

"Will they come after me again?" she asks as tears begin to flow down the sides of her face. He looks her in the eyes with anger and compassion. "No, you will never worry about them again." He reaches slowly to wipe the tears from her face by cradling her cheek in his palm. As he touches her, she can feel a warm tingling feeling that seems to relax her enough that she stops crying "You are safe, you will always be safe no matter what." Looking into his eyes she cant help the confusion she is feeling over this man she doesn't even know. When the door suddenly opens and her Da walks through, Axel steps back.

"She is awake, Duncan, and she remembers. I will take my leave now. I will be outside if needed". I watched as my Da shook his hand, thanking him and walked over to my bedside with tears glistening in his eyes. "Oh, my baby girl, how are you feeling", Duncan says as he walks over and sits on the side of the bed. "My head is hurting Da, how long have I been laying here my body hurts" with a grim look on his face "It has been two days the boys have all been taking turns watching over you but none more so than Axel, he has been here leaving only to eat or sleep since they found you and killed those men." Nodding slowly in understanding "two days? I cant see well out of my one eye" she slowly lifts her hand to her face, feeling her eye mostly swollen shut. Her face hurts as she touches it. Looking at her father, she could see how angry he is. Getting up, he grabs the small mirror she owns and hands it to her.

As she looks in the mirror she can't help the gasp or the tears that threaten to spill down her face. Her eye is black and blue and very swollen, her lip is split and also swollen and her whole face has many dark bruises all over it. Bringing her hand back to her face and touching it, she looks at her father. "I don't even recognize myself" she says, crying as the flood of emotions hits her. "They tried...they tried to" she begins sobbing uncontrollably as her father lifts her gently to his chest, cradling her as she sobs. Running his hands through her hair to sooth her "Shhhhh it's OK, your OK. Thank the gods for sending those young men to our village" he says, kissing the top of her head, still holding her and rocking back and forth soothingly. As the sobbing slows and the shock of everything starts to wear down and she begins to hiccup and sniffle. Duncan pulls back to look at her 'How about we get you out of bed so you can move around a bit."

Standing up was hard at first, since I was still dizzy, but after standing for a few moments, I was able to hold my balance. With my Da's help, I slowly walked to the table and sat down while he got me some stew to eat. "Thank you. I feel so hungry", smiling at her "Well it has been two days. Make sure you eat slowly" he says as he sits down, "If you would like, I can call for Flora to come help you get dressed and we can go for a short walk?" nodding her head slowly. "I would like that da" He stands up from the table and opens the door "Can you run and fetch Flora for me?" "Yes of course" she hears the familiar voice of Axel reply as Duncan once more shuts the door. Just as she finishes eating, there is a knock at the door. "Come in" Duncan bellows.

Flora steps in the door, closing it behind her. "Oh Morgan, it's wonderful to see you up and about" she says, hurrying over to her and wrapping her in a motherly hug. "How are you feeling my dear?" "Sluggish and sore perhaps a little shocked about things, but I am ok. Da wants to take me on a small walk around. Can you help me dress?" she says, looking at Flora, who smiles at her. "Of course my dear Duncan, would you step out please?" He nods and moves to the door, opening it and walks out. "Lets get you in something better suited for outside my dear." Flora helps Morgan get cleaned up, into a clean dress and brush her hair. Flora looked at her with a smile. "Doesn't that feel much better?" "Aye it does. Help me outside? Please?" Flora took her hand, leading her to the door and opening it for her as the light flooded into the house. Morgan squints so her eyes can adjust to the dull light outside. Stepping out she immediately spots Axels standing there with his eyes glued to her every move.

She spots Angus and Ewan as they rush over to her. "Careful boys, careful she is still in pain." Flora says immediately. Angus pulls her into a light hug. "Goodness girl, you had us worrying for you. How are you?" "My head hurts and my face looks broken and is sore" she says absently, bringing her hand to her face to cover it. Seeing her embarrassment, Axel moves closer, lightly touching her hand that she brought to her face. "You have nothing to be ashamed of. Don't cover your face", he says, looking at her with his dark green eyes. As she looks up at him, she can't help but want to reach for him as she removes her hand from her face.

'What am I thinking?' she thinks to herself. Patting Angus on his chest "Aye, I'm OK, don't worry. I just need to heal." "Ok boys, back up a bit. We are going to walk a little go about your day now," Duncan told them. Angus and Ewan both look conflicted and it doesn't seem Axel is going to leave at all. I watch as his friend Ebbe grabs his shoulder and says something to him I cant hear. "I will come back later and make sure how things are if that ok Duncan?" Axel asks looking unsure, Duncan nods "yes, that fine"

As they walk off, Duncan chuckled "I believe that young man has taken a fancy to you", slowly shaking my head No, "I doubt that, da, there is no way a man like that would have an interest in me", smiling back at her as they walked slowly. "Dont be so sure my dear daughter" They walk around in a comfortable silence until she begins to tire and they head back to the hovel they share. Morgan is unable to get this foreign god of a man out of her thoughts as she walks around taking in everything.