Love is Always Write Anthology Volume 5

those of his brother. As they continued to weave around each Gunnar suddenly raised his blade and slashed downwards, knocking Harald's shield to one side and plunging the sword into the right side of Harald's chest. Pulling out his sword he slashed at Harald's sword arm, a spray of blood rising to follow the blade's path. Harald's own sword tumbled out of his hand as he fell to his knees.
    Gunnar stood over his brother, his face twisted with contempt. Raising his foot he kicked Harald in the chest, watching in silence as he fell back onto the grass. Alex watched in horror, a slow burning anger rising inside him. No longer was he thinking of flight or escape. As Gunnar spat on his brother's fallen form the anger inside Alex boiled over. Without thinking what he was doing he started to run towards Gunnar, swinging the axe as he did.
    The first blow of the axe did little more than bounce off Gunnar's chain mail tunic. Gunnar turned, raising his sword, the two men standing a little apart from each other.
    "You're too late," Gunnar sneered. "There will be no Jarldom for my perverted brother, and the death of such an unmanly coward will not earn him a place in Valhalla, the gods would spurn such a creature. Now all I have left to do is send you after him."
    Alex pulled back his right arm as Gunnar's sword swung towards him. Putting his weight behind it the axe arced through the air, gathering speed and came crashing down on the moving blade. The weight unbalanced Gunnar just long enough for Alex to pull back his arm and swing again. This time it didn't have the same force behind it, but it didn't need to. The axe's blade hit Gunnar at the top of his shoulder, biting deeply into the soft flesh of his neck. Alex tried to pull the axe back, but the weapon was lodged on something solid. Blood welled up around the blade as Gunnar's sword fell from his hands. Blindly he reached for the haft of the axe, stumbling away as he did. With his back to Alex he fell forwards into the grass and lay still.
    Alex began to shake as the adrenaline rush left him. His limbs felt heavy, his chest tight as he gasped to take in more air. The wound on his shoulder had re-opened and blood soaked through his tunic. Oblivious to what was happening around him he bent over and retched into the grass. Wiping his mouth on the back of his hand he rose and looked around him. The battlefield was still. With Gunnar's defeat the remaining Picts had fled the farmstead. Around him on the grass the dead lay with the dying, both Norseman and Pict alike.
    Exhausted Alex staggered across the bloodied ground to where Harald, panting heavily, had pushed himself to his knees.
    "Alex," he coughed, blood flecking the corner of his mouth. Automatically Alex hooked his hands around Harald's arms to help him to his feet. "No time," Harald shook his head. "Give me your knife."
    As Alex reached for the short blade that hung from the silver belt around his kilt Harald lifted the fine chain holding the representation of Thor's Hammer over his head, he then slid the lowest of the gold rings off his arm, placing both on the ground in front of him.
    "Here," Alex held the knife to him hilt first.
    "Come close," Harald's voice was wheezy, as though speaking through water. Alex came to his knees before him. "I would not die knowing you were not free. In your heart and by your actions you have shown that you are more of a true Norseman than I ever was." Alex did not waste his breath trying to reassure Harald that he was not dying, he merely nodded.
    "Usually, granting freedom to a thrall and their adoption into their owner's house is a time of great ceremony and celebration," Harald's voice was little more than a whisper. "I wish I could have given you that. Raise your chin." As Alex did so, Harald slid the knife blade under the collar around Alex's neck and sliced upwards, the thin leather strip falling away onto the grass."
    "Welcome to my family," Harald lifted the gold arm ring and slipped it over Alex's hand, pushing it gently upwards past his elbow. "For the loyalty and courage you have shown."
    Tears formed in the corner of Alex's eyes. Not saying anything, he clasped his hands over Harald's where it rested on the arm ring in acknowledgement.
    "I have one more thing for you, something personal." Harald held up the fine metal chain and slipped it over Alex's head. Alex clasped his hand around the small metal hammer.
    The change in Harald's expression as he suddenly stared beyond