Bad Romance - Chapter 6 (Please continue to read and review)

Alexa's legs hurt her horribly trying to ride Julia, though she said little to Halfdan. She knew complaining wouldn't do her any good and she didn't like the idea of being one of those nagging wives. She always hated seeing weak women who hung all over their husbands crying that this or that hurt. She'd been raised a ranch girl in Wyoming. When the tough winter winds came they toughed it out together with chapped hands and lips. When the hot summer days came they all got sun burned together as they picked crops and hoed rows of corn. She'd used those instruments of destruction til she thought her hands were going to blister and bloody and simply fall off. Her mother would put some salve on her wounds and then bind them up for the night. The next day she'd be expected to go right back at it again. She was told that was the only way a callous formed. Of a night was her only free time. She could lie upon the low hills where no one would bother her and look up at the stars and the constellations above and wonder just what was up there. She would even daydream as she went through the monotony of farm work about what space just might be like. She was hooked from an early age. Luckily she had supportive parents. Most parents on surrounding farms told her family they were stupid for letting her go on and on with her dreams. They told her father that he needed to set her down and give her the "talk". They didn't mean the sex talk either. The meant "the talk" as in "what her real prospects were in life". Her father never would do that though. He refused to tell her that her only prospects in life were to marry another farmer and grow up to farm all her life just like her mom did. He knew she loved Wyoming and all and you can't take the country out of the girl, but she was destined for greater things. Alexa was also a Daddy's girl and he wanted her happy. In truth, the closest she got was the talk her mother gave her when she explained after a particularly horrible asthma attack that NASA didn't take astronauts with asthma in which she cried so hard that she ended up bringing another one on. Alexa's mother had been afraid that would happen. Finally she ended up in the kitchen working, making dinner, and ruining our own dinner by eating chocolate chip ice cream to sooth her wounded dreams.

Alexa always remembered her mother's kindness and sweetness in the way she treated her when she told her that. She told her that her family would find a way for her to work in the space program. That they would write away and see what other jobs they had open. They did. Of course she got lots of leaflets on engineering programs, aerospace programs, flying programs, medical programs, and you just name it. Alexa pushed herself in math and science all the way through school til she got her diploma, graduating at the top of her class. She snagged the scholarship to UCLA and the rest was history. Now....now where was she? Was she doomed to live in this century where all of her studying was all for nothing because there was not a need for female astronomers in this century. She had made the rash, lustful decision to marry Halfdan, mostly out of hormonal craziness she decided, but she couldn't make myself say she regretted it. She was so in love with him. She wondered if there would be any way he could ever understand was she did for a living. She was slowly understanding that he was a soldier. A soldier for hire sometimes and that was okay with her. However, Alexa would be much happier if the two of them were back on the estate that he claimed he owned back in Denmark. She would be lady of the estate. He would be a simple farmer and she would be happy that way. She came from a long line of farmers.

"What are you thinking angel?" Halfdan asked.

"That I wished we were on your estate. I wish things were safe and calm."

"Well, eventually that is the goal. I want to get you there and make you the lady of the estate and let you meet my sister Sigrid. I believe that the two of you will love each other unbelievably. However, it won't be safe until Toke is dead. Toke believes that he owns that estate, not me, so there would be trouble until he is gone for good."

Alexa sighed. She was slowly understanding why it all came down to Toke. Nothing that Halfdan did, nor anywhere Halfdan went would be safe until Toke left this world for good.

"I love you, Halfdan."

"I love you, too, but we have to have a place to stay for the worst of the winter. I think I've got something arranged while I was in town and you were cooking breakfast." They were currently staying in the small town of Clondalkin, about twenty miles southwest of Dublintown.

"Oh, really?" Alexa said with a tilt of her eyebrow.

"Really? Yes. A man named Aldulf and his wife Sebring need boarders. He needs some help on his farm and she can use some help around the house. She has two small kids and one on the way. We can spend the rest of the winter months with them."

"I guess that will work," Alexa said, inadvertently shivering even though she was standing next to the fire. It was getting close to the first of January and the weather was changing fast. No more good days. The temps were dipping into the 30 degree marks every day. She worried about Halfdan going out every day to hunt and forridge meat for them like he did. He always came back safely though. She wished he'd let her go just once. She wanted to prove to him that she did have some ability with a bow and arrow. She'd used her father's bow and arrow often to bring down small game back home. Overall it would have been more efficient with pistols had she had one and she told him so, but then she had to explain pistols and Halfdan was in awe. He had the look that many men in her time got when the latest video game was released or a new type of technology such as a new cell phone or new lap top was developed. She could almost hear him say in his mind, "I gotta get me one of those" when she described what a .12 rifle could do. It was absolutely hilarious and priceless. A Kodak moment for sure.

They rode up to the farm where Aldulf and Sebring had their 2 acre plots of land. They were rich comparatively speaking to most of their station. Their home had 3 rooms. A room that served as a living room/dining room, which was the largest, a master bedroom, and a smaller room that served as a bedroom for the children. The youngest born child was a daughter, Avril, who was 3 and a 7 year old boy named Ralph. Avril was sweet in disposition from the moment Alexa met her. She was as tow headed as could be and constantly wanted her to run a comb through her long thin shiny hair. Ralph, though only 7, was a holy terror. He found any thing that could bother others funny. Alexa found herself trying to stay away from him, particularly because he stank. He refused to take a bath and seeing as how water was always in short supply in the winter and it was an ordeal to get a bath in the first place, no one seemed inclined to make the child bath. In any event, it fell on her husband's shoulders to deal with Ralph. Part of his job duties included tutoring Ralph on basic self defense skills to make him a warrior. They started them early, Danes do! Alexa couldn't imagine the problems Halfdan was getting ready to have with this kid. Her job was to more or less babysit Avril until her mother's child came and then eventually she would be ready to take over the responsibilities of her household again. She was about eight months along so Alexa figured that would be soon. The midwife had put her on complete bed rest and that was what she was trying to do. Alexa's other goal was to secretly work with Avril and see what the child had studied and get her as prepared as I could. She wanted to teach her as much as she could while she was here. She didn't know what type of education Avril would get. Possibly none, but Alexa would do the best while she was here, even if the girl was only 3.

Halfdan and Alexa settled in easily with their new family. She instantly fell in love with Avril and she had no idea how she would leave her when the time came in a few months for them to go. Strangely, even though he was still a terror behind Halfdan's back to Alexa, Ralph did really well for her husband. In fact, he showed great promise with the use of a sword. He had quick reflexes and better than anything, he had a quick mind and could figure out what Halfdan was going to do even before he did it. They practiced all of the very basic moves until Ralph had them down perfect. Eventually, Halfdan asked Ralph if it would be okay if Alexa joined in the practices, because her legs had finally healed enough that he felt she was okay and the risk of infection setting in was low. Ralph thought it hilarious that a girl would want to fight him. Of course he hadn't even thought about the fact that she had been sitting there watching every move he made for the last two weeks, analyzing how he moved and how he strikes. Alexa knew his moves better than he knew his own. Besides, he was only 4. Her problem was that she hadn't practiced in so long that her body felt wobbly at first holding the sword.

Halfdan made her practice with him several times to get the hang of it back. Alexa had to get her nerves back into motion. She had to calm herself and center herself the way that he had taught her to do. Having a 7 year old, laughing and giggling, disrespectfully at oneself off to the side did not help.

"Block him out. You are learning a good lesson today. In a real fight there will be those who jeer you and call you names in order to get you off of your balance. This is a child. A child cannot hurt you. He is only hurting your pride and your pride is really not something that you have to have in order to live. Not like your head or a limb or something like that." Halfdan said.

Alexa could not help but laugh. That's what Halfdan wanted. He wanted her laughing.

"Now, let's parry some more. Move high." Their swords connected again. This time it was much better, and so was the next time. This continued on and on and on.

"When do I get to fight her?" Ralph whined from the sidelines.

"I think I'm ready." Alexa stated, withdrawing her sword and drawing back from the circle she and Halfdan had been fighting in.

"If you are sure?" He looked at her seriously. Alexa almost broke out laughing. It wasn't like she was going to wrestle Hulk Hogan for his title belt. She was going to mock fight with a 7 year old.

"Come on!" Ralph was so excited you could see it in his eyes. He began circling her holding his sword out the way he'd been taught. She heard Halfdan whispering instructions to the four year old.

The boy cut at her legs low but was shallow. She actually managed to jump straight up in the air bending her legs to avoid the sword.

His next cut she intercepted on the way down, taking it all the way around. To be 7 he really was tough.

"Break, Ralph" Halfdan yelled. But he didn't. Ralph got this light in his eyes. He didn't break the clash of swords. He held it over her pushing her down on her feet.

The boy kept on holding the sword against her. Just as though he wanted her dead for some reason. She'd never seen such fire or passion in someone so young. It was as though he was fighting for his life for real.

"Break the hold Ralph. I told you to break it," She heard Halfdan yell again. She could tell he was mad as hell that he was having to tell the boy to do something like this twice and even madder that he was putting his wife in danger.

Alexa couldn't believe how strong he was for a child. It was unbelievable. And he wouldn't let go. If she let go and broke, his sword would go straight into her chest or stomach.

"Break it, Ralph, damn it" She saw Halfdan close by with his own dagger out. She didn't know what he was going to do, but he needed to do something quickly. She was getting sick. Really sick. She felt faint. Very faint. It couldn't be just the strength needed to hold this little boy back. Something was wrong with her. Some smell was making her sick all of a sudden. The manure. That's what was making her sick. She was going to throw up. She knew she was. But she couldn't let go or he'd kill her.

Finally she saw Halfdan's dagger against the small hand that held Ralph's sword.

"Break the hold, or you lose your hand!" Halfdan wasn't playing.

The sword clattered to the ground. Then Ralph began to bawl. Alexa couldn't help it. She just fell in a heap and crawled to the nearest corner and puked. She lost her supper. Alexa couldn't stand the manure anymore. It was overwhelming her. After emptying her stomach she tried to scoot away from the mess and breathe as easy as possible. She was afraid of the asthma. The little boy's attack still had her stunned. Why did he hate her so much? She knew that Halfdan was still talking to him? Alexa finally saw him get up and trot off to the house. Halfdan then got up and ran over to where she was leaned up haphazardly against a shed.

"I'm so sorry angel. So so sorry. Are you okay now? Do you need your inhaler?"

"Not yet I don't. I'm too sick at my stomach. Don't get too close. I probably stink. I just threw up last night's meal. I still don't feel too steady."

"Do you think it's just nerves?"

"I don't know? I've been scared like that before and I've never had an attack of the nerves exactly that. Not with the throwing up and stuff. I usually only throw up if I'm car sick."

"What is car sick?"

"Something that is too difficult for me to explain right now. Just take my advice. There's no way I'm car sick right now. What did you tell Ralph?"

"Ralph and I talked. I told him how much danger he put you in. He was crying. I don't think he understood at all what he did. I'm afraid for him Alexa. I'm afraid that he's growing up to be like Toke. A Berserk. They have no control over their emotions."

"He hates me and he doesn't know why he does. Or does he? I think maybe he does know why he hates me. I take you away from him. I'm your wife and that means I spend more time with you. He looks up to you as a hero. He wants to be with you like a side kick all the time. I'm in the way. If something happened to me I think he dreamed that you would take him away to all these exciting places you tell him about." Alexa explained slowly.

"Gods! We have to keep him away from you. He's dangerous to you!"

As he was saying this a huge pain hit Alexa in her lower abdomen. She cried out in pain.

"We need to get me in the house," she huffed.

That was no problem because Halfdan already had her in his arms and was walking with her out of the barn and towards the house just as fast as he could. Another two hard pains hit her before they managed to lay her down upon the straw mattress the two slept in each night.

Sebring came in red faced. She was upset over the incident with Ralph having only heard his side of things.

"What's wrong with her?"

"When she went down she began throwing up. She lost all of her dinner and now she is having pains in her lower abdomen. She's had 3 hard hard pains. They make her cry out." Halfdan answered for her. He was mad already, knowing that no matter what he said she would take their son's side in this, just like Gunhild had taken Toke's side when he was a Berserk and obviously hurt other people.

"Let me look at her," He watched as Sebring, who was normally of the sweetest and nicest dispositions became much more commanding and hard. He guessed that taking up for one's cub would do that for you. She pulled Alexa's tunic up above her breasts and then pulled her shift up as well so that her middle section and her breasts were on display. Halfdan felt that he ought to go in the other room or something, but then they were legally married now so why should he? He had a right to be anywhere that his wife was being examined and handled.

Sebring ran her hands down Alexa's normally smooth belly. Right now, her stomach looked a bit distended. Halfdan wondered if perhaps her bowels were backed up some. That was a very common disorder. Then he saw Sebring do something, well, odd. She picked up each of his wife's breasts and weighed them in her hand as if judging them in some contest at a county fair. Halfdan had to hold his breath. Both breasts seemed whiter than normal and almost transparent. You could see the blue veins, but what was causing his body to react was the nipples and the aureola that surrounded it. It was huge. Even larger than normal. Like a large target set up for him, so that his tongue could be the arrow and her nipple would be the winner's center. It was a dream. He wanted her. Now. If there had been changes in her body he hadn't noticed them in the always darkened room that they generally made love in.

"Tell me something Halfdan?" Sebring said in her new annoyed voice. "You are this woman's husband and you are supposed to be protecting her. Why did you think it was a good idea for her to be playing war games with my son when she is quite obviously pregnant?"

Halfdan had to sit down on the edge of the bed. His eyes began to swim before him. What did she just say? Pregnant. Alexa. Pregnant. With his child. He wanted to cry for joy. He was finally going to have that family he'd always wanted. He didn't know how he would manage it all. He didn't know where she would have the baby, but they would have it and everything would be so wonderful.

"Are you telling me the truth Sebring? Is she really pregnant?" Halfdan asked to be sure, although, he knew the woman was right. All the symptoms fit.

"Absolutely. We need to try to get her awake and see if she can remember when she had her last flow so that we might figure out when this little one will be here. But if I had my guess I'd say she's about two months along..

Two months along. That would mean she got pregnant just as soon as I met her, Halfdan said to himself.

"Alexa, angel, wake up" Halfdan crooned to her as she lay there on the mattress asleep. He brushed the hair out of her eyes. He began to notice for the first time just how tired she did look. She needed her sleep. But they needed the information. He decided they would let her rest today. She and the child obviously needed it.

"Wake up, Alexa," Halfdan was getting a bit alarmed that she wasn't waking easily as she normally did, but finally a groggy Alexa moaned out and stirred a bit. He continued to stroke her hair trying to get her fully awake.

"Come on, love, we need you awake. We must talk"

"W-w-was wrong?" she managed to grumble. Alexa blinked her eyes open finally at Halfdan. He was happy to see them open. He leaned forward and kissed her forehead, then her small nose, then her mouth.

"You gave me a powerful scare. That's what's wrong." Halfdan replied to her.

"Oh, I got sick and threw up didn't I? That was gross. I'm sorry about that. I think I'm better now." She tried to struggle to get up, but Halfdan would have none of it.

"Nope. You are on bed rest today. You look so tired. I want you to sleep today."

"No, I'm fine. I have chores to do honey. It was probably just a bug, a virus, something I ate. That's probably why my stomach started hurting afterward. I'll be just fine. You can let me up."

"No. I'll not let you up. And you aren't fine."

"I'm not."

"No." Sebring spoke for the first time. "When was your last woman's flow Alexa?"

Alexa actually blushed a bit. This wasn't the kind of stuff she talked about in front of Halfdan, although she was used to talkong about everything else. She thought back about the question and its implications. Did Sebring think she was pregnant? Oh God! She could be! The signs were all there weren't they. And she hadn't had her period since she'd left her own time period and that had been well over two and half months ago. To be honest she'd been a bit relieved her period hadn't come yet because she hadn't wanted to deal with it but then she hadn't thought about the implications of it not coming. She probably was pregnant. What the hell was she going to do?

"My last period was the week before I married Halfdan." she replied to Sebring.

She nodded her head.

"How long have you been married?" she asked both of us.

"Just over two months," Halfdan replied.

"Well then, I suppose we can say that we'll have a young one in about seven months then," Sebring replied. Alexa didn't want to tell her that she could have figured that out on her own.

"What are we going to do Halfdan?" Alexa asked almost out of reflex. He looked at her an smiled largely.

"I believe we are going to have a child, love."

Duh, Alexa thought to herself.

Authors Note: If you like the story and would like me to continue please read and review. Thus far I've had no reviews. I'm sorry that chapter 2 is missing. For some reason the site isn't letting me put it up. I've got it on here somewhere, but it doesn't show up in the story. I apologize but I think you can actually manage the storyline without it.