Chapter 4

My brown orb eyes snap open. My ears latch onto both sides pounded at the ruckuses surrounding me. Nobody was in giant room full of rows and rows ling the floor. No, the noises were not coming from the serving curators, no, but the mess hall of Herot. I climbed out of my bed and hurriedly change. In no time I was clad in my floor length skirt worn out as it is blue and my white shirt. I walk to the door separating this gigantic room and the bending and twisting halls that led to the baths, kitchen and the mess hall.

I open the door leading straight into the glorious mess hall and step out into the open. My brown eyes widen at the foreign sight that greeted me then tear over as tears fell down my cheeks. Gretla rushed over to me and wrap her arms around me, crying as well.

There was no blood.

For the first time in twelve years, my grim mornings did not begin with cleaning a pool of blood off the floor. Today the night had become day. The sight of boosting men, shouting merrily drunk slurs that usually occurs in the evening were practically erupting in front of my eyes. Even my stone hard mother was sporting glassy eyes. My joyful sobs weld up and burst as my air was caught and wedge in my throat. I cried a little harder at the sight of my mother's soften side.

He had done it.

Beowulf…

My eyes search for him up the long tables. I could feel my heart pound with extraction when I had found him sitting near king Hrothgar's thrown. His beautiful brown eyes caught mine and a humble grin of triumph appeared on his face.

In that one gesture of his, it told of how we the people of Den Mark are now safe and how he had won and come out unharmed. More tears sprang themselves free from my eyes and I could not help the large smile spreading onto my face through the falling water. Beowulf slowly got up and walked out of the room, no one had notice him leave without excusing himself because everyone was to busy celebrating to notice.

I gave Gretla one last squeeze then pulled away and started for the hall. I shyly walk past the thick wood door and walk down the title hall., Beowulf stood tall and proud at the end. I rush over to him and without a second thought I throw my arms around him in a hug.

"Oh Beowulf, Thank god you are safe! Thank you! Thank you! Oh thank you!" I cried into his shirt, my tears staining his shirt. When his hands raised and gently brush my hips before softly going to wrap around my waist when I realize my over bearing step. I jump backwards and kneel onto the floor, my skirt pooling around me.

"Oh sire, my apologizes, I had not meant to-" I had started staring down at he ground when he had caught me off. "We had gone over this, have we not? Arietta do not treat me as some lord. Address me and treat as Beowulf." I look up and stare at him in amazement. "Now shall we try that once more?" he ask in his smooth husky voice. After a moment I rose off the floor and hesitantly wrap my arms around his neck. Fast as lighting Beowulf's arms snap around my waist and pull me to his chest, leaving space. He was so much taller than me; he towers and surrounds my petite frame.

I buried my face in the crook of his neck, inhaling his scent; a deep aroma of wood and mountain air. My shaky hands grip on his shirt and I let out a sigh. "Thank you…" I say.

"I am so grateful to see that you are safe. I am so amaze by you. How ever did you do it?" I ask. He pulls away and takes my hand, his large rough hand engulfing my little hand. He leads me around, just strolling the hall till we reach a stone balcony over looking the kingdom.

"I am Beowulf, what am I to say? Is that one fact not enough?" he states. My face flushes and I look down. "O-oh… I apologize I did not mean to belittle you with doubt." I say prepared to sink lower into a bow. Beowulf reaches out and carcasses my cheek; urging my head back upwards as his fingers tentatively brush over my face.

"Fair Arietta I was only fooling with thee." He chuckles and I only blush a further shade on red and give a shy grin. "For starters that hideous creature brook down the doors and cross over the threshold and enter as if he had own this glorious place." Beowulf had begun, grasping my hand in his.

"Then Grendal had slither over to one of my men and I had watched as he rip him apart." Beowulf tensed and I step closer to him, wrapping an arm around his strong torso. "I am so sorry. But he is in a better place now." I whisper and Beowulf suddenly wrapped both arms around me and crash me to his chest. He leant down and whisper the rest of his tale in my ear, his sharp breath making me wreath with turmoil inside me.

"After that Grendal started to make his way towards me but then I had seize him, twisted his arm behind him as if a puny vine and force that beast down. And do you know what I did then?" He ended off with a question and buried his face in my neck. I weakly shoke my head no, not able to answer.

"I pull his arm from his socket and hung it." he says. My eyes fall close at that horrible fact; that harsh honesty. I shudder with disgust and fear but do not say a word. "O-oh. You truly are incredible." I force out. He pulls away slightly, till the tip of our heads rest against one other's. "Also did I mention I had done that task without a stitch of cloth?" he says with a cheeky grin plastered on his face.

My eyes grow wide and I gasp, my hands cupping my dropping jaw. "Oh my…" I say and bursts out laughing nervously since had no idea what else to do. I couldn't stop laughing and before I knew it Beowulf was laughing along with me.

"Yes well when I return home I will be a hero." He says once our bubbling fit of chuckles have died down. I go rigid and force a grin. That is right, Beowulf only came here on a journey, nothing more than a thrill seeking adventure. Now that he has completed his task he will return to the kingdom of Geets; he will leave me. He never really was mine to belong to in the first place.

"And you will return with well earn honor." I say and pull away from the embrace and start to walk back to the mess hall. "Do you wish to return with me, Arietta?" I come to a halt, my breath catching in my throat. Tears stem from my eyes but I force to stay in place. "What? I do not believe I heard you correctly." I say spinning around to face Beowulf once more.

"No, your beautiful little ears did not misunderstand." Beowulf says walking closer to me and placing his hands on both my shoulders. "Arietta I want you to embark back with me, to leave Herot. There is nothing for you here, and your kind kindle soul has captured me. I need you in my life. Return with me and be my queen. Throughout my entire life I have been praised as only a monster slayer, but you, you, wonderfully good nature Arietta has seen so much more than a vanquisher of demons. You saw me. I can not live my life without you. Please return with me, for I love you Arietta." Beowulf says in one mighty proclamation. Beowulf lowers his head and kisses me just like in my dream. But I am aware now that the previous night was not a dream, now tasting Beowulf's sweet lips fully awake I know this sensation is familiar.

I smile against his mouth and wrap my arms around his neck as he loops his muscular arms around my waist. When we pull away I cup his cheek and place another peck among his lips.

"Yes, Beowulf. Yes! I will return with you, because I love you as well." I whisper against his lips staring up into his breath taking brown orbs. He kisses me once more and scoops me up gently in his arms and starts his way towards one of the empty bed chambers.