The Norse Vampire's Beloved

Chapter 4

When they walk back in the Beaton is waiting for them. "She has no broken bones but they roughed her up good", he says sadly, "keep putting a rag with cool water on her face to help with the swelling and keep the cuts clean. The rest will heal with time." patting Duncan on his back, "I will take my leave", he says, walking out the door while Duncan thanks him for coming. The two red heads walk over to Axel, who is standing there with his arms crossed listening. "I'm Angus and this is my brother Ewan". The large red head introduces them, taking their hands and shaking them. "I'm Axel, My friend Ebbe should be along shortly after he finishes."

Turning his attention back to the woman they called Morgan, he looks at her beauty even though she has been beaten badly and anger wells up in him once more for the abuse she took.

"Angus, Ewan go find Flora and tell her I need her to come here." They both nod and head out the door. "I will step out and wait for Ebbe to show up" Axel says, Duncan nods, sitting next to his daughter carefully cleaning her face as he whispers to her private things between a father and a daughter. Axel steps out and leans beside the door, lost in thought by the feelings he doesn't understand. He knows he should walk off and help Ebbe, but he just can't seem to. His body feels a pull to this woman, so he remains leaning by the door waiting.

He sees Angus and Ewan walking back with another woman who he assumes must be Flora. She is a hansom woman with long golden brown hair and piercing green eyes. He opens the door for her and she steps in, stopping the boys. "You two stay out here. There is no need for you". They look like they want to protest, but one look at her and they stop in their tracks, putting their hands up in surrender. He can hear her speaking with Duncan before he also joins us outside, shutting the door behind him. With a solemn look on his face, he looks at us as we all wait.

After a few minutes, Flora opens the door. "Duncan come back in" she says, as she nods at the rest of us, allowing Duncan to step back in and shut the door. Since my hearing is much better than a human, I can hear what they are saying "Duncan, I think she is very lucky...I know she took a beating but I don't think it got very far before that young man and his friend came along, thank the gods. She will need your support and maybe have the men take turns watching her till she feels safe again. But they didna get a chance to rape her." I heard a long sigh "Thank you Flora", I heard Duncan say as they talked in more hushed voices, moving further towards the far wall where I could barely hear them.

Hearing footsteps coming his way, Axel looks up to Ebbe strolling over "Der bliver taget hånd om dem, ingen vil finde dem" Ebbe says "godt" Axel answers back noding. "Hvordan er hun" Ebbe asks as he gets closer "hårdt slået, men ellers uskadt" Axel answers with his lips in a grim line. Realizing they weren't alone, Axel looks at Angus and Ewan. "He was asking how she was." Both men nodded "I won't be leaving if you guys have something to do. Duncan already said it was fine for me to stay." Looking over, I see Ebbe with a raised eyebrow as he looks at me. "We will stay and see what Duncan has to say", Angus says, folding his arms across his chest.

The door opens as Flora and Duncan step out. Flora looks at all of them standing there. "She is as OK as she can be, she might be passed out for a while. Who saved her?" Axel steps forward. "Ebbe and I did, but I carried her here." nodding, Flora looks at him "The rest of you can go. I think perhaps this young man should stay with her till she awakens, since he saved her it might make her less likely to be upset when she wakes." she opens the door so the three of us can step back into the home. "Axel, I believe Duncan said your name was?" I nod looking at her "it could be a while till she wakes do you mind staying in here? Perhaps your friend could stay outside the door?" looking at the woman lying in the bed across the room, I nod again, walking further into the hovel and sitting near her. "No harm will come to her while I am here. You have my word". With a look of satisfaction, they both nod and leave. Ebbe stands at the door looking in before closing the door and taking a seat outside.

Watching her as she sleeps, he reaches over to remove the hair from her face, his fingers make contact with her skin and he feels a tingling sensation. Pulling his hand back wide-eyed, he understood why he couldn't seem to leave her. Standing up, he starts to pace back and forth. "s**t, I can't have found my beloved. I have no home. We wonder from place to place" he whispers to himself as he paces, unable to take his eyes from her, becoming even more pissed off about the abuse she just suffered. "I wish I could' bring them back to kill them again." As the sun starts to set, he gets the fire going again and awaits Duncans return to the home. Once Duncan returns, they speak for a moment and Axel and Ebbe take their leave, heading to the pub to find food and a room for the night.

"So..." Ebbe begins to say but stops as soon as Axel looks at him while they walk through the small village. Axel stops and looks at him running his hands through his hair. "She is my beloved". He deadpans and begins walking again, throwing his hands up. Ebbe looks at him with wide eyes walking to catch up to him "What do you mean, Axel? The girl we saved? She is your beloved? How? What are you going to do?" shaking his head. "Ebbe I have no idea we don't lead the kind of life she would need." Stopping him, Ebbe says "Axel, our woman have traveled with us for as long as I can remember, and we have all survived together with no problems, if she is your beloved we need to take her with us when we go." "There are normally more men than two when we travel like that Ebbe" he says running his hands through his hair "Not to mention she is human and wont feel the bond the same way" Ebbe shrugs "So we stay here a while, you know you cant leave without her" shaking his head Axel starts walking towards the pub again. "Fine lets take this a day at a time and see how it goes"