Chapter 42

Hey everyone! Thank you so much for all of your comments, you guys are so sweet! :) Thank you to all my guest reviewers, sorry I can't reply to you because that's how it's set up but thank you all the same. There will be two more chapters after this one and then I will end the story. Please REVIEW and let me know what you think of this chapter! God Bless.

-Vegter999

Freyja's POV:

Over the next several months my pregnancy progressed surprisingly smoothly though it was not without it's ups and downs. My back began to hurt from all the extra weight I had been putting on and I found myself getting even more emotional. Sometimes I cried my eyes out at night for no apparent reason, with Agnarr holding me until I had calmed down. I suspected he'd been through this sort of thing before with Valdis, as he was handling it quite well.

After one particular outpouring of tears I sniffled and asked "Agnarr?"

"Yes my love?'

"Am I driving you crazy? You can be honest."

"Yes you are but..." he kissed me on the forehead "I know where it's coming from so I'm not taking it personally."

I cuddled closer to him, keeping one hand over my protruding stomach. All of a sudden I felt a strong kick and sat up.

"What's wrong?" he asked, concern filling his eyes.

"The baby kicked again" I smiled, moving his hand to the spot on my stomach where I had felt the kick. They had grown stronger as my pregnancy came further and further towards it's end and Helga had calculated that the baby was due any day now. Another kick came and Agnarr smiled.

"Strong one" he said.

"Just like his or her Father" I observed, smiling and giving him a kiss.

I nestled back into Agnarr's embrace and his hand continued to rest above the spot on my stomach, and he sighed happily.

I felt my eyes begin to droop and pretty soon I had fallen into sleep.

Agnarr's POV:

As I felt Freyja settle down into sleep, her head resting on my chest, I continued to keep my hand upon her stomach, rubbing my thumb in soothing circles over the mounded flesh.

I then kissed the top of her head and softly laid her back down on the pillows, tucking the fur sheets gently around her. I then softly stroked her cheek with the back of my fingers.

"Have a good sleep my beauty" I whispered, softly kissing her forehead and then her cheek before getting up and heading out of the room, gently closing the door behind me.

I made my way to the center of the house where the fire pit was currently blazing, casting shadows over the walls.

Magni sat on a stool close to the hearth, repairing a hole in one of his shirts.

I took a stool on the opposite side of the pit and gazed at him for a moment.

"How is she?" he broke the silence.

"Tired."

"Well, that's to be expected. She is carrying your child."

"So everyone keeps telling me. Though sometimes with the emotional ups and downs she has it's hard not to scream at her."

"Just remember that it's not easy for her either. The two of you are in this together."

I sighed, running a hand over my face.

"I know."

We lasped into silence for a few moments, each of us lost in our thoughts.

"Why did you save her?" I suddenly asked.

Magni stopped his mending and looked up from his work for the first time since the start of the conversation.

"What?"

"Why did you save her that day?"

Magni paused for a moment, gathering his thoughts.

"When I saw her for the first time, she was thrown in front of the Jarl onto the sand and I saw fear in her eyes but I also saw there courage and a strength that I hadn't seen in a long time. I saved her because she reminded me of the girl I had loved and still do love, Helga. Besides I'd always wanted a daughter."

"She doesn't speak much about her time on the ship but tells me she was treated as well as someone in her position could be. Is that true?"

"She wasn't forced upon by anyone but the men often bothered her verbally, trying to get her to marry them and so forth. Bjorn especially seemed to possess a particular fascination with her. Naturally she refused any advances that were made on her."

"I'd love to kill every last one of them."

"I don't think that's what Freyja would want. Besides the important thing is she safe here with you, she loves you and you love her, your're about to have a child and that's all that matters."

"I suppose" I replied, not entirely convinced but seeing the wisdom behind Magni's words nonetheless.

We lapsed back into silence, the only sound being the crackling of the fire.

"What if I lose her Magni?"

"What do you mean?"

"In the birth. I couldn't bear it if I lost her. I don't know what I would do."

"Freyja is strong and she has been through far worse my friend. She'll make it through just fine and so will the child."

"You can't know that."

"I know that if you worry about it you'll make yourself more anxious and upset over something that hasn't even happened. The best thing you can do for her now is just be there for her."

I sighed.

"Your right."

Then leaving Magni to finish his work, I got up and headed back to my chambers.

###

Freyja's POV:

The next morning I dressed and headed outside, wanting to get away for awhile by myself. I also figured Agnarr was probably needing a break from me so I quickly made myself scarce. I strolled outside down the town street, several people nodding at me or calling a greeting as I passed by. I never quite liked all the attention that came with being the Jarl's Frauen but I suppose it was something I just had to put up with.

"Freyja!" a voice called from behind me.

I turned to see Helga making her way towards me, a warm grin upon her face.

"Helga" I said, pulling her into a hug.

"How are you feeling today?"

"Alright I suppose, though Agnarr admitted last night that I'm driving him crazy so I'm trying to give him some space for a little while. I just came out walking because I also needed to think."

"Would you like some company? You shouldn't be wandering away alone anyway Freyja, what with your child due any day now and all."

"Sure I'd love some."

Helga linked her arm through mine and we set off towards the green fields outside town.

"Helga may I ask you something?"

"Yes of course anything."

"Will it truly be so awful? I mean I've never been present at a birth and this is my first child so I don't quite know what to expect."

Helga smiled understandingly.

"I'm not going to lie to you Freyja, it is incredibly painful but it is also very beautiful because at the end you have a lovely child to gaze upon and hold."

"Will you be there with me? During the birth I mean?"

"Of course I will. I'll be right by your side the whole time."

"Promise?"

"I promise."

"Good. I-" I stopped all of a sudden as sharp pangs in my womb overtook me, causing me to hiss in pain and clutch at my stomach.

"Freyja what's wrong?!" Helga exclaimed, concerned.

Before I could answer I felt liquid pool at my feet. Helga noticed it too.

"Oh Freyja your little one is coming now."

I was about to say something but another contraction overtook me and I pressed my teeth together to keep from crying out.

"We need to get you back to the house!" Helga put my arm around her shoulder and hurried me back towards the house as fast as she could.

Agnarr's POV:

I was standing on the porch, having a conversation with Arn and Magni when a shrill cry rang through the air.

"Agnarr!"

I turned around quickly to see Helga practically dragging along a moaning and gasping Freyja.

I quickly put hurried over to them.

"What is it? What's wrong with her?"

"She's in labor and she needs to get inside now."

I nodded and quickly placed Freyja's arm around my neck and swung her into my arms, carrying her through the front door and to the bed chamber with Helga following close behind.

I softly placed her on the furs.

"I'll go and get Dagrun, she'll know how to handle this."

I could only nod as Helga practically charged out the door.

I turned back to Freyja, who was currently hissing in pain and clutching at her stomach.

"How are you feeling?" I asked, feeling rather helpless and unsure of myself. In battles I knew how to handle myself easily but childbirth was a whole different story.

Freyja glared at me.

"That's a stupid question!"

She hissed again and groaned.

"I'm sorry, forget I said that."

"Don't be. I'd probably do the same thing if I was in the kind of pain your in."

Helga and Dagrun soon came scurrying into the room.

"You can leave now. We'll let you in as soon as the child has come" Dagrun said to me.

My hand tightened around Freyja's as reluctance to leave her filled me.

She then squeezed my hand back and I looked into her eyes.

"I'll be alright Agnarr."

I nodded and kissed her on the forehead.

"I love you Freyja Magnisdottir" I whispered and with one last reassuring squeeze to her hand I left the room.

###

I paced back and forth in front of Arn and Magni, my hands behind my back. We had been waiting for seven hours so far and my anxiety level was just about reaching fever pitch.

"Agnarr calm down.." Magni began.

"Don't you 'Agnarr calm down' me Magni! I snapped.

Arn spoke up with a glint of humor in his eyes "Are you hungry? You get cranky when you haven't eaten."

"You're not helping Arn!"

"By the gods Agnarr I was just joking."

"Well don't!"

"Agnarr sit down" Magni said calmly.

I gazed irritably at him for a moment.

"Please" he implored.

Sighing with frustration I pulled up a stool and sat down next to him.

"Listen, she will get through this. I know it. Now eat."

He handed me a bowl of stew, which I digested mechanically, my eyes always glued towards the chamber door where the occasional grunt or moan could be heard, but never a scream. I felt admiration for Freyja fill my at that thought. She was tougher than I gave her credit for, in many ways she was tougher than I am.

It was only after three more hours, long after night had fallen and Arn had nodded off, that the cry of an infant resounded throughout the house. Magni and I stood up as the door opened and Helga came out, looking exhausted but elated.

"You can come in now."

I looked to Magni, apprehension suddenly filling me.

"Go. She needs you and so does the child. I'll wait out here with Arn."

I nodded. Helga and Dagrun filed out of the room as I stepped through the chamber door and closed the door behind them leaving the three of us alone. I could only stand there and gaze for a moment at the sight before me. A very exhausted but content looking Freyja .bed by several pillows, her arms holding a tiny bundle wrapped up in a white blanket.

She looked up and noticed me for the first time, grinning warmly.

"Are going to stand there? Don't you want to meet him?"

"Him? It's a boy?"

She nodded. I stepped closer and sat on the edge of the bed peering at the tiny sleeping baby. He had one tiny arm thrust above his head, his little fingers splayed slightly apart. His nose was perfectly formed and his face reminded me of my own.

"He looks just like you" Freyja whispered, echoing my thoughts.

The child stirred and his eyes fluttered open and I almost gasped. They were a deep blue like my own.

"Meet your Father little one" Freyja said as the child stared at me. A grin spread across my face and I reached over with a finger and touched one of his little hands. Immediately his hand wrapped around my finger and I couldn't help a sigh of happiness.

"My son" I said.

I then gazed at Freyja and kissed her on the head.

"You are well?"

"Yes, just tired. That was probably some of the hardest work I've ever done."

"Here then give him to me and I'll put him in his cradle while you get some rest."

"Thank you my love" she said, settling back against the pillows.

Within seconds she was asleep.

I gently placed the boy in the cradle near the bed and placed a kiss on his forehead before making my way over to the bed and slipping under the covers beside Freyja. I gently took her in my arms and soon sleep claimed me as well.