Eivor sat on the grassy outskirts of Dunwich. The Night Sky was blue and starry, calm and peaceful even. It would have been a nice view and night if not for what happened.
What happened was a bloody fight. A bloody fight and Holmgang that happened between two men in that Castle. One, A saxon. The other, A Dane.
Oswald of East Anglia had passed away along with Rued of Denmark. Or so, as most people would have believed.
Eivor had insisted to the brothers, Finnr and Valdis that she needed some time by herself and that she would come to Norwich later. They had left her alone since, all making their way over believing their King was Dead.
Finnr was the only one who suggested that Oswald may not have been dead. A thought that Eivor secretly agreed with, but didn't want to admit or cling to.
Oswald can't be dead. He can't be. He's got to be alive Somewhere. Eivor thought with determination, reflecting and replaying the scene where he fell off with Rued numerous times in her head.
They may not care about him, but I do. I'm not giving up on him just yet.
Before she could stop herself, with renewed energy, anger and determination all mixed up in one. She marched back towards the cliff.
All of Rued's men had dispersed and abandoned Dunwich. Eivor was the only one left, at the quiet castle. Contrast to an hour ago when the square was busy.
Eivor took one peek at the edge of the cliff. It was a long long drop down. Realistically the chances of Oswald surviving were slim to none.
But her feelings of Care overtook all reasonable logic in her mind. Her heart was taking over her mind and making decisions for her.
Taking a deep breath, and trying to push the image of Oswald's last face as he was falling, she dived in aiming for the same spot that he was last seen falling towards.
If he was dead, at least she could try and make sure by going underwater to see if there was a corpse. And finally get closure.
Seconds later, with a splash Eivor arrived at the same spot that Oswald would have been in, when he fell from the big drop.
To her Surprise, there was no corpse on the seafloor. Not even one. Neither Rued or Oswald's corpse were there.
So they aren't dead then. Oswald must be somewhere. Got to keep looking. Eivor thought to herself once more, trying to push the feeling of hope down and to focus on finding the missing King.
Eivor resurfaced, from the water looking towards her surroundings. Nothing surrounded her except the sea...
Until, There! There was a beach in front of her. If they weren't in the sea, they couldn't have gotten far. The beach would be the next logical place to try.
Eivor stopped treading water, and started propelling herself towards the beach.
Meanwhile, an exhausted Oswald was trying to crawl his way through the beach.
He had lost Rued when they both landed in the sea, but he knew that Rued couldn't have been far, and that he needed to move and find the others.
I need to find the others and tell them that I'm alive and Rued is too. I need to get home. Find Norwich.
He gritted his teeth, continuing to crawl until a voice stopped him.
"Think you Could Escape and Get away from me? Not so fast" The man menacingly laughed
Oswald whipped round in shock, falling on his back. He knew who it was, and he knew he was screwed. Rued was holding an axe.
Oswald had lost his sword and shield during the fight, and was still injured from earlier, not to mention exhausted from the swim back to shore he knew he was done for.
In a desperate last attempt, he tried to back crawl away from Rued as fast as he could. As the Dane Menace walked closer with a laugh, axe held up.
Until a Woman's voice stopped him in his tracks too. Appearing behind him, dripping wet from the swim was Eivor Wolf Kissed, holding a axe and Shield with the Raven Clan symbol on it
"I don't think so. Come and face me Rued" She barked towards him
Rued snarled angrily back at Eivor turning around in annoyance at her
Oswald couldn't believe his eyes... Eivor?
Eivor. She came back for me, when nobody else did. And God She's so beautiful too even When she's dripping wet and fierce. Fierce and beautiful.
Author's Note: Do you prefer this version of events where Eivor rescues Oswald quicker (straight after his fall) or the Valhalla Version where she leads the raid and the fyrd to rescue him a few days later? Let me know in the reviews.