The Berserker

19

"Stop!" I hear his voice cascade through the open field. Igor instantly halted his flying fist in midair. My eyes stay closed, awaiting the bite of his flesh. True to form. He didn't quiver in fear of holding back. Igor's fist connected with my nose, instantly breaking it. The metallic tang drips into my mouth. But instead of withering in pain, I chuckle with glee.

The pain soring through my nerves deviates from my core, but it does nothing to alleviate the anger upon hearing his voice. While Igor freezes his attempted move, I take him by surprise. I push past the pain of scraped skin and possibly broken knuckles. Igor's face hardens as he turns from Tormad to me.

"Never take your eyes off your opponent!" The words he often used on me. My legs wrap around his torso, stunning him. The element of surprise works in my favour. Igor's back rolls onto the jagged ground. And I without mercy, land blow after blow onto his face.

Arms wrap around my waist and pull me away from my opponent. I kick and scream, trying to break free from his hold. His touch weakens me.

"Enough, Kari," Tormad belts out and drags me away from Igor. "What has gotten into you?" Tormad spins me around and grips my shoulders. The strength in his hands is enough to stop me from moving. He stares down at me, and lightly shakes my body, demanding I speak. "Answer me!"

His eyes penetrate deep into mine. Begging me to tell him. My mouth opens, but no words spill. Just a huff of air. "Did I hurt you?" His voice was a whisper. I suspect so Igor could not hear.

I hung my head. He hurt me, but not in the way he thinks. He hurt me in my chest. The moment he spoke of her name. The woman who declared Tormad to be hers. "Catherine!"

I jerk my head up. He never calls me by my name. A sadness coats my face. It must be catchy, as Tormad mimics my expression. He brushes the damp hair from my face. "Talk to me," he pleads.

"Why did you say her name?" I felt the embarrassment forming on my face, and couldn't bear Tormad to see. He cups my face. The strength of his hands holds my head still.

A crease forms between his brows as he observes me. "Whose name?"

I scoff and veer my eyes down. How can he stand there and play ignorance? I shake myself out of his hold. "If you wanted her, she is probably in the hall sucking up the attention from Bjorn." I wipe my nose on my tunic, fighting the sharp pain spreading across my face.

"Now leave me alone!" I snap and walk away. I needed to wash the blood off my face, so I made my way to the stream outside my cabin. As I go to lift the tunic over my head, I hear a rustle in a nearby bush.

"I said leave me alone, Tormad!" I tell him again. Keeping my back to him as I finished getting undressed.

"No Tormad," Igor points out. I scream and cover myself from his prying eyes. "I came to check on you."

"I'm fine," I snap, keeping my back to him. I should have known Igor didn't care about boundaries. The silhouette of his figure towers over me.

He points out, "Your nose is broken." Like I didn't know this. If it wasn't for the blood, then the pain was a sure giveaway.

"I'll see Helga when I am done here." I want him to leave. Can he not see how uncomfortable I am?

"Just let me..."

"I just want to be alone," I tell him. Or more scream. Igor just stood there, looking as though he didn't care for my outburst.

"Not like I care or anything," He murmurs. "I just didn't want you to look more ugly."

"Tell me how you really feel."

He bumps my shoulder with his. "Do you want to talk about it?" He asks. I'm flabbergasted he doesn't care that I'm covering my body from his gaze. I glance over at him and see he is keeping his eyes fixed on the water, and not once does his gaze wander to my half naked body.

"Maybe when I have more than trousers on."

"I'll wait," he tells me.

"Well, wait back at the cabin," I command.

He scoffs and folds his arms across his chest. "Don't flatter yourself. I have a woman back home."

Before I could register his words, Igor was already out of earshot, and I wasn't planning on running after him with my breasts out. I will ask him about it later. Right now I need to clean up.

I emerge from the water feeling refreshed. The cool water helped ease the swelling on my face. I am pleased to see Helga seated by the hearth when I enter my cabin. Igor trots in a few moments later. Holding a pile of wood to see me through the night. My heart flutters and the thought of Tormad doing these simple things for me.

"Heard you had a good sparring with the beast," Helga says, making room for me by the hearth. She examines the structure of my face before moving on to my skinned knuckles. I take this opportunity to look over at Igor, getting a glimpse of the damages I may have caused. A satisfied smirk appears on my face when I see a cut above his brow and one on the corner of his lip. Helga must have patched him up before I got here.

"We will start with your nose!"

I am no stranger to her healing. I brace myself for the pain. Sucking in a deep breath. My fingers grip the edging of the hearth. Heavy footsteps make their way over to us. And a strong hand clamps down over my shoulder. Elevating the primary source of pain.

"Your hands are clean, but I will wrap them still."

"Not that I didn't enjoy our sparring," Igor says. "But what brought on this sudden change?"

I didn't want to discuss this with him. For many reasons, Igor isn't my friend, and he is Tormad's kin. He grunts and takes a stand. His tall body takes up a chunk of my cabin. "He wouldn't tell me either."

Tormad's modesty towards me should please me. If he had spoken of what we did, and who he wished he was doing those things with, the people here would have one more thing to laugh about at my expense. But I don't feel pleased.

"I was told to tell you, no more training until you." Igor gestured at my entire body. "Well..." He stops talking and makes his way to the door. "Rest. You look like you need it."

I let out a belated sigh once the door closed, and it was just Helga and I in the confined space of my cabin.

"You must have a death wish," Helga speaks up. "Want to talk about it?"

Helga is the closest thing to a friend here. She knows of Tormad's visions and believes in them. "It happened!" I decided to tell her. I needed someone to confide in.

"What did?" She questions, sounding slightly confused.

I blew out a breath and stood to get a drink. My throat suddenly became dry. "Tormad and I."

I gulp down the drink. Still not feeling hydrated, I pour another. When I took a side glance at Helga, I watched her expression unfold. Once she understood what I had said, Helga jumped to her feet. Her voice and demeanor filled with excitement. When she notices I wasn't jumping for joy, she stops and regains her composure.

"This does not make you happy?"

I shake my head. "He mentioned another woman's name," I confessed to her.

Helga's brows crease. "Who?" I roll my eyes and finish the drink in my hand.

"Take a guess."

When Helga failed to come up with a name, I conceded. "Freya." She shakes her head in denial.

"He looked me in the eye and told me I was a Goddess."

Helga listened to my words and stood there in silence before doubling over with laughter. "By the Gods, my friend," she wheezes. "Freya is a Goddess."

I huff and folded my arms over my chest in annoyance. "The woman who told me to stay away?" No wonder she has a big ego.

Helga shook her head. "No, you fool!" I feel the heat form on my cheeks. "Freya is the Goddess of love. We have Odin." She holds up her hand and starts naming her fingers. I listen on feeling like the fool she just called me.