AN: Thank you so much for your support and reviews. This chapter is rated M for gory violence and it is a wee bit longer than the others. I hope you enjoy, please continue to review and let me know what you think. Please stay safe and be good people.

Chapter 9

Klaus swung around, pivoting on his heel as he gracefully and strategically moved out of the way of the sword thrust aimed at his torso. Deflecting a jab with a forceful kick to the knee sending his opponent down on the other knee, Klaus kneed him under his chin causing him to fling backwards onto the ground.

As Klaus and the leader of the group were fighting the other three men watched but as it looked as if their comrade was losing, one saw an opportunity to attack Klaus while his back was to him.

As the man edged forward, Anthus cawed and swung low, attacking the man causing him to drop his sword as he tried to protect his face from the onslaught. Anthus viciously stabbed at his face using his talons. Arms flailing about trying to fight the huge bird the man was blinded by the blood running down his face.

Anthus seemingly bored with tormenting the poor man, started pecking at his eyes, once he pecked one eye until it was oozing blood and other bodily fluids he turned his attention to the next, doing the same and then he pulled the eye out of the socket and flew back up into the air with the piece of flesh still in his mouth enjoying his treat.

Klaus heard Anthus caw, stabbing the man on the ground he turned to see the bird attacking the other man. By this time the other two fellows, shaking off their shock and disgust, charged Klaus. He fought both of them until Kol came along savagely attacking one.

As Klaus was fighting he called to Anthus, "Away to your mistress," he commanded. The bird heard him and immediately dropped the eye, cawed once and flew away.

After dispatching the two men, Klaus headed towards the stable with Kol following.

"Brother why are we going to the stables?" Asked a confused Kol.

"I need to get to Fargaig. I have to make sure she is safe," Klaus retorted, making Kol even more confused.

"Who?" Kol questioned again.

Getting annoyed, Klaus hissed, " I don't have time for your questions and I don't need you to follow if you are going to slow me down." With that he mounted his horse, urging the animal to move with haste. Kol quickly found his horse, mounted and followed. He had never seen his brother look so angry and distraught before and he wanted to know what was going on.

XX

Bonnie stealthily moved through the forest with precisioned purpose. She knew every nook, corner, path and trail. She knew where to step and where not to. She didn't need the moon to illuminate her way, nor did the mist diminish her movement. This was her home and she knew it very well.

While moving through the forest a soldier collided into her, both of them falling to the ground. Bonnie was up before him, as she moved to run past him he grabbed her leg bringing her back to the ground. Having the upper hand due to his size and his position which was now on top of her, he began to choke her.

With her knees up and her feet planted firmly on the ground she forcefully pivoted her pelvis up causing him to let go falling over her head. She scrambled onto her knees catching her breath then quickly got her feet as he did the same. Squaring off at each other, he charged at her, anticipating his move she lowered herself so as he came forward she rammed her elbow into his stomach, then rising up she head butted him. He toppled over in pain holding his nose, "You bitch," he cursed.

As he charged at her again, he felt the sharp blade of her sword enter his body, looking down he saw the gaping wound as she twisted the blade and swiftly removed it. After pulling it out, she quickly spun around bringing the sword up then swiftly down, decapitating him. She could hear others, so she quickly continued on her course.

The mist was clearing as she moved closer to the clearing, she could see some movement through the trees. Her best course of action was to get to the clearing where she could hold her ground and prevent the remaining number of soldiers from getting to Klaus' village.

Thinking of Klaus made her heart ache. She hoped that he was safe and his family as well, especially the princess. Lost in her thoughts she didn't notice that the mist had now completely disappeared leaving her without cover.

One of the men from earlier saw her running, not close enough to grab her; he set his sights on her and shot an arrow towards her. Above head he heard a noise, looking up he saw a huge black raven, eyes now red as blood flying towards him.

He fumbled with the bow and arrow as he tried to ready it to shoot the bird, but Anthus was on him instantly pecking and clawing at his face. As he attacked with his talons he called out with a loud shrilling sound. On the wind, a sound could be heard like the rustling of thousands of leaves being blown by the wind.

When the bloodied man looked up he gazed in horror at what was making that horrible sound. It was the flapping wings of hundreds of black ravens that descended upon him, pecking and clawing at him. Within minutes all that was left of the man was a heap of bloody flesh and skin, but nothing that resembled a man except for the tattered remains of clothing.

Bonnie staggered from the impact of the arrow hitting her but she refused to fall, she turned to see the shooter, but she also saw Anthus attack him. She smiled knowing that her husband sent him to her. This knowledge compelled her to run faster, she would make it to him.

Her cloak flowed behind her as she moved, she was near the clearing, she could hear Anthus following as he cawed keeping pace and making her aware of his presence. Running out of the clearing she stopped briefly to break the end of the arrow off, then continued to run a bit further as she saw men also running out of the forest.

There were about twenty men that made it out of the forest compared to the more than two hundred that went in. The defeat was epic.

"You fucking bitch, you did this. Made me look weak. Killed my men. I should have set that forest on fire, you bitch. You will die for thinking you could best me, you fucking witch!" Called the leader who himself barely made it out alive, having to sacrifice a few of his men for his own survival.

The men gathered around her, the leader watched but didn't make a move. "Kill her, kill her you fucks!" He yelled.

Bonnie could vaguely make out what he was saying, she remembered long ago she heard that language before. It was coming back to her. Slowly she formed the words in her head before speaking them, she had to remember how to formulate the words in a sentence, to say what she meant. "You ...all...will...die."

The men looked at each other with shocked expressions, they were clearly confused and startled by the witch speaking their language.

She could use her magic to end this and she would, but she needed to thin the herd a bit. She had expelled a lot of magic and she was wounded and tired, she had to be careful not to exert herself too much or she could fall into a magically induced deep sleep and that would not be a good thing.

She knew she was weakening due to her injury, she couldn't heal herself since the arrow was still lodged in her side. Bonnie knew she had to stand her ground and fight. She unfastened her cloak letting it fall to the ground, readying herself.

Next she unsheathed her sword. The sword felt right in her hand and familiar, like a welcomed old friend. It had been ages since she used or needed her sword, but it felt good to wield it again. She twirled it a few times, slashing at air, getting more and more comfortable and the more she did the more she remembered long forgotten techniques, skills and training.

XX

Klaus saw Anthus before he could make out what was happening. He saw some men standing and others fighting, then he saw her, his love fighting and it was a sight to see.

If he didn't know better he would have sworn he was watching a famed shieldmaiden fighting as told in the sagas and myths. He was star-struck. She wore trousers and high boots. Her hair was braided, but messy and parts were undone and the tail of the braid moved and whipped around following her every move. She wielded a sword he had not seen before. It was curved slightly and thin with a long handle without a cross. It was shorter than his but it fit her perfectly and she handled it with skill and confidence.

He and Kol were so taken aback watching her they had halted their horses, snapping out of their amazement, they urged their horses on so they could get into the fight before she got overwhelmed.

Because they didn't qualify her as a threat only two men approached her first, they rounded each other sizing each other up and then she attacked taking a defensive stance. She moved gracefully countering their moves and easily killing them both.

Anthus flew circling the crowd trying to move in to protect her again but as he did an arrow pierced his wing causing him to spiral downward to the ground, Bonnie cried out, Klaus clutched his arm feeling the pain.

As she turned to engage the fighters she glimpsed her husband and another man running towards them. She said a silent spell over the bird, mentally collected herself and resumed fighting, although she was so glad to see Klaus unharmed coming to fight with her.

The men scattered taking defensive stances to fight the new arrivals; the leader of the group set his sights on Bonnie, charged at her. Klaus tried to get to her but he was waylaid by other men, although he could see her in his peripheral as he fought. Kol forsake his sword to fight hand to hand, brutally attacking, ripping out hearts and severing heads.

Bonnie fought, stroke for stroke, countering and attacking, she came in too closely allowing him to punch her in her face causing her to stumble and fall to the ground. On her knees, he picked her up by her throat as he did she fumbled for the knife in her boot, finally getting a hold on it she stabbed him in his thigh. Cursing he flung her away from him. Klaus still fighting saw her fall, he saw red but could do nothing as he was fighting three men at the same time.

He fought, willing her to get up, but from his vantage point she was motionless. Not seeing her move and the man gleefully standing there, Klaus growled and roared out in pain, his heart breaking, his mate was dead, the pain was unquenchable and only blood and death could numb him.

Falling to his knees in anguish, he cried out again letting his sword fall. The men were startled having never heard such a cry come from a man, it sounded like a wounded animal.

The two men remaining that he was fighting saw an opportunity to strike, but as the first lowered his sword to strike, Klaus lifted his head, eyes golden with tears glistening them, with his fingers elongated and claw-like he swiped at the hand holding the sword removing it from the arm.

Then he stood up glaring at the howling man holding his handless arm then he lashed out slashing open his chest. The other fighter in shock stood there, having never seen a man turn into an animal. His stupor caused his head to leave his body as Klaus slashed his neck. Then he fully transformed into his wolf form.

Kol heard his brother. He had seen the woman fall, he tried to get to her but he was beset on all sides so he engaged the soldiers feeble attempts at besting him, hoping he could get to her before the other man did more harm.

Bonnie laid there summoning her power, she was just about spent and she had to take a moment to gather her reserves. She heard her husband howling, her heart broke for him, she knew he must have thought the worst, but she had to stay still if she was going to end this here and now.

Finally she opened her eyes just as her assailant with a sinister smile on his face was about to plunge his sword into her chest. Shock and fear washed over him when he peered into milky white orbs staring back at him. When he thrust down the sword hit an invisible wall, the blowback throwing him a few yards from the wounded witch.

Bonnie levitated up, hands at her side, gold flashes of magic sparkling from her hands, rising a few feet above the ground, Bonnie extended her arms slightly away from her body. Releasing magic like golden tentacles exiting her body the magic took hold of all the remaining English soldiers, capturing each one in its tight grip.

The fighting came to an abrupt end as the men tried to struggle against the iron hold the magic had on each one. Bonnie focussed her magic on her wrath, this fueled the magic to be rather nasty and vengeful.

Klaus , in his wolf form, was oblivious to the turn of events until he turned in search of his next victim. He then felt the magic, even Kol felt the magic filling the air as Bonnie hoovered over the ground, eyes white, and golden magical tentacles emanating from her body.

Her magic wanted to punish the men, to make them suffer for hurting her so she allowed it, she opened her fists driving out more magic to mete out a terrible judgement on the men.

They began to convults, shaking and twitching, blood pouring out of all their orifices, their cries turning into gurgling sounds as they choked on their blood. Soon their skin began melting off their bones as if they were being cooked from the inside.

Her magic continued to punish the invaders until there was nothing left but puddles of blood, skin and raments of clothing mingled together unrecognizable as having ever been a body, all except the leader, he was left to witness the demise of his men and then with a flick of her hand his head exploded.

Klaus had transformed back in time to see the last man die and Bonnie fall to the ground. Running to her not caring he was naked or that they had an audience of Kol, he cradled her in his arms rocking her.

"My love please come back to me," he cried while caressing her cheek. "I cannot, I will not live without you, please come back to me." Covered in blood he continued to cradle her in his lap rocking back and forth, then he leaned in close and whispered in her ear, "I will follow you to Valhalla or the depths of Hel to have you by my side. I would call down Odin himself and demand your return regardless of the punishment or price. I would defy the great mother and any gods that may think to have you. You are my life, my wife, my queen and I will have you with me always," he promised looking at her beautiful face.

Kol had walked up behind him, but Klaus didn't notice, too consumed with Bonnie. The younger Mikaelson did not hear what Klaus said to her, but he watched in silence praying to the gods that this woman, that Klaus apparently loved, would open her eyes.

Bonnie heard Klaus, eyelids fluttering, green eyes, barely opened, looking into blue, with a faint smile, she whispered, "By blood may the gods make known their will. No need to tempt them." Then she closed her eyes again.

He stood up taking Bonnie with him. Searching for Anthus, he looked to Kol when he found him, "Gather Anthus and be careful and let us go back." He commanded. Kol did as he was told, but being the little brother, he also found Bonnie's cloak and put it around his shoulders, "Can't have you traumatizing the horse," he joked.

XX

As they entered the village the early morning sun was rising in the east and the fighting had ceased. Without a word, Kol placed Anthus on top of Bonnie's still body, preceding to the stables with the horses, he smirked at the reactions given by the sight of Klaus and his woman walking through the village. He laughed to himself when he thought of the family's reaction, especially Elijah's, that thought alone quickened his footsteps.

All activity seemed to slow to a snail's pace, if not completely stopping as villagers, clansmen, soldiers and Mikaelsons watched in either shock, curiosity or awe as a naked and bloody Klaus walked proudly past the crowds and probing eyed holding his wee witch.

He walked without shame, although his backside was covered by her cloak and his manhood was mostly covered by Bonnie herself, keeping him a bit modest. Klaus nodded to Elijah and Marcellus as he passed by them and smiled at Rebekah, who had a huge grin on her face.

He sauntered into his house using his foot to kick the door closed behind him, effectively shutting all else out but his beautiful wife.

XX