Author's Note: I had this in mind for quite a while since I played the last battle in Valhalla a while ago, but never got round to putting the idea on paper! So here goes. A rewrite of the Chippenham battle, I hope you enjoy!

It was a dark, cold winter night around Wessex. Eivor had called out to all her allies, old and new a-like for one final battle against King Aelfred and his forces.

Eivor watched, feeling a knot in her stomach of excitement and nerves as the allies all around her sat down, keeping themselves warm by the fire, sharpening their various weapons and preparing themselves for what would be the final showdown.

As she looked around her at the various friends and allies that she made throughout time, throughout the years in England, she couldn't help feel nostalgia, guilt and worry eat up at her.

Would this be the last time she would see them all? She tried to push the thought away. No. They would win. Aelfred's forces were just a bunch of weak saxons. She had Vikingrs, trained and seasoned warriors who were battle hardened. They would take back Wessex once and for all.

Pushing back her thoughts, she went to greet and talk to all her allies around her, except for Hunwald, Finnr and the rest of the East Anglia bunch. They all seemed to be missing.

Until at the last second, a figure dressed in green ran in, panting at the last second.

Phew I made it. I thought I was going to be late. The man thought.

Eivor marched over in relief, because it was dark she first mistaked the identity of the fellow man in front of her (and the similar clothing really did not help for that matter either)

Finally, Hunwald is here. Late but at long last he pops up. He probably was caught up with something back home in Ravensthorpe.

"Hunwald!" she greeted only to stop herself as the mysterious new comer looked at her funny.

Wait? What? What is he doing here? I told him to stay in East Anglia and to look after Valdis. For god's sake What is this boy doing here? Why won't he listen to me for once? He's going to get his ass killed here!

Oswald frowned at her looking hurt. "I'm not Hunwald. Surely you haven't just forgotten me like that so easily have you?"

Eivor sighed trying to rein her frustration in. "No. I haven't forgotten. Oswald, I told you to stay back and look after Valdis and the baby, they need you. Otherwise my work all those years ago would of been useless"

"So is that what you think of me? Useless? Somebody that should just be babysat at home? If so, the more reason I come here. And besides, Hunwald sent me a message saying he couldn't come here because Swanburrow was in labour back home and Finnr is too sick to fight. Besides the brothers are looking after the baby along with Valdis right now and being great uncles. Or are you too wrapped up in your ego to even realise that?" he fumed.

Oswald clearly wasn't giving up anytime soon. Eivor, taken aback by his words, didn't say anything. An uncomfortable silence passed between them.

Feeling guilty, Oswald stuttered "I'm sorry I don't know what came over me. Frustration I guess. Forgive me for my harsh words. I just really want to fight. I'm sick of being left behind and treated as if I'm useless. I want to do something for once"

Eivor sighed finally answering

"Fine, Oswald. I could do with some help. I'm glad to see you. I missed you in Oxfordshire, I miss the days where we fought and raided together in East Anglia. Just don't get yourself killed or I'll have an angry family to deal with"

Oswald smiled all anger and hurt dissapisting instantly from his face.

" Now That's it. That's the Eivor I've missed. I won't let you down, I promise. I'm much stronger now aren't I? Even Rued couldn't kill me if you remember correctly"

Eivor chuckled, tapping him on his shoulder "Now don't get too ahead of yourself, young saxon and yes I do remember. You have a talent for surviving death, I'll give you that"

Half an hour later, the atmosphere was no longer as calm and serene as it once was. Houses were burning, the air was covered in thick smoke and cinders as bits of ash and soot fell around them.

The sound of metal on metal and axes, swords and shields were heard as the Saxons and Viking army fought each other. The battle was a disaster, the saxon army were gaining the advantage and Eivor's army were getting flanked from behind and thinning rapidly by the second.

Oswald panted, sweat forming and dripping from his brow. He had forgotten what battle tasted like, it was many moons ago since he had fought with Eivor that day, his first practice raid and he hadn't fought ever since the wedding. It was a lot more tiring then he thought and remembered, still he didn't give up.

With a grunt and a roar, he stabbed the saxon soldier in front of him, before pulling his body off his sword. He panted looking at the fiery atmosphere around him.

Clear. Now where was Eivor? He had kept an eye on her and so had she, the two defending each other's backs and using the same strategy they had used in Seahenge all those years ago, but Eivor was missing, Where had she gone off to in this chaos?

He ran around desperately trying to find her amidst all that chaos. Nobody noticed him, as they were all so busy fighting and he used that to his advantage.

Finally he approached a hill, where there was a church at the top of it. Eivor was seen surrounded by a bunch of saxon men who were circling around her, threatening to attack.

"Eivor!" Oswald called out to her worriedly.

"Oswald!" she turned to him once more before yelling "Fall Back! Fall back!" to the other vikingrs around her

The drengrs heard her command and retreated instantly. A saxon soldier charged towards Eivor screaming "Fuck you, You Pagan Whore. Wessex will never fall to raiders like the likes of you!"

"And Damn you too. Damn you all the way to Helheim!" Eivor yelled back at him ready to block and attack him.

"Oswald, go. Fall back. I'll handle them" Eivor locked eyes with Oswald, as she focused on the soldier once more.

He was about to go, when the sound of a pained grunt, and a sword stabbing through human skin and flesh stopped him.

"Eivor no!" he screamed helplessly as he watched her get impaled through the stomach as blood dripped down her body and lips.

Eivor staggered back upon impact, clutching her abdomen in pain. Before glaring at the guards with angry eyes. In a surprising show of strength despite the injuries she had obtained, and in a quick swipe before anyone could react she sliced and stabbed the two men in front and behind her with the hidden blade and axe respectively.

Oswald could only stand there in surprise and shock, as the events unfurled in front of him. Despite her wound, Eivor forced herself to carry on.

"I'm not going to stop. Not until I fall and die. So come on. What are you doing just standing there? Fight me. Wessex will never be yours!" she goaded at the remaining men .

Four men charged at Eivor, she parried two of their attacks, stabbing one right in the gut. Before she was overpowered once more as a soldier knocked her head with the helm of his sword knocking her down to the ground once more.

A crunch was heard as Eivor's head slammed face down onto the hard gravel. Oswald winced, his heart breaking into a thousand pieces at the scene in front of him.

Still, Eivor showed no signs of stopping or backing down, she really was going to fight until the end.

Eivor tried to crawl towards where her axe had fallen. But another guard, stepped on her axe with his foot before she could reach it. Before kicking it away in a cruel manner while laughing.

The guard who had knocked her out from behind knelt down so he could be closer to Eivor and pulled on her braid so she would be forced to look up at him.

"Not so mighty now are you? Face it. Wessex is ours and always will be. Accept it and I might just spare you. So you can live your miserable pathetic life or whatever is left of it"

"No! I will not. Your King is a Templar, and I will not stop until this land is away from his hands, and not until he is dead!" Eivor screamed back in defiance .

"Haha" he chuckled with a bitter laugh. "Nice try. But it's over. I've had enough of your people raiding and destroying, destroying families, homes and the church. You can kiss your goodbye now"

Before Eivor could retort or say anything, he pinned her down with a strong arm and knee and stabbed her once more through her back as Eivor cried out in pain

"NOOOOOOOO!" Oswald cried out once more as he watched Eivor bleed out on the ground weakly. She was in too much pain to even cry out or make sounds except for the weak rasp every now and then.

The soldier chuckled looking up. "Look who we have here. The Saxon Boyfriend. Kill him, he's a traitor to the country. And the King doesn't like traitors!"

Oswald unsheathed his sword, ready to fight. But he didn't need to.

A flying axe hit the lead guard behind on his back as he fell to the ground with a thud. Oswald looked up in shock to see Soma Jarlskona emerging from behind.

The other Saxon guards looked towards Soma with disgust and fury at what she just did decapitating their leader like that.

"Go! I'll hold them off. Get Eivor to a medic and safety. You know where the camp is!"

Oswald nodded as he quickly ran forward as much as his feet would allow him in his grief-stricken, shocked mind.

He glanced behind him one more at Soma and the guards fighting. Fighting to buy him time. He could only hope that she too would live. They had lost enough allies today and didn't need another Jarlskona to join the funeral queue either.

Oswald carried her. Carried her through the fire and the chaos as a bleeding and limp Eivor looked up towards him, with fluttering eyes, fighting to keep awake at every minute and second.

"Stay with me Eivor, Stay with me"

He eventually placed her down under a tree on the outskirts of the skirmish where it was quieter and away from the danger for a minute and a quick rest.

Eivor looked up at him, clutching his shoulder with a bloodied hand.

"Oswald. You must go. Just leave me here. Go home to Valdis and the baby. They need you. Go and be the Good Father that you are. Make East Anglia proud. You earned it"

Oswald shook his head, trying to push back the tears that he could feel threatening to burst out at any second. "No. I am not leaving you here, not after everything. Not after everything that we've been through. We are getting you to that medic tent. Come on let's go"

He tried to drag her up with him, but she refused pushing him away.

"Come on Eivor, Please" Oswald begged, almost whimpering

"No. I can't do it. I can't do it anymore. We'll never make it in time. And after all, Why should you help me? I left you to almost die after the holmgang, I never even went back for you and here you are helping me. Why? I don't deserve it"

Hearing her words made the Dam fall out. Oswald broke down no longer able to hold in his tears anymore.

"Because I know it wasn't your fault. You were forced to. You couldn't go back to an area full of guards and you had a duty to East Anglia, through my orders. If anything it's my fault. The least I can do is help you in return for what you've done for me. And also because I love you as a friend and perhaps more"

Eivor shook her head only to grimace in pain at the wound in her body and stomach.

"If you love me then you would honour my last wish which is to just let me die. I want to die peacefully, I don't want to be in pain anymore" Eivor cried breaking down

Oswald sobbed sinking down to his knees. His features sunk in so much pain, knowing that he couldn't save her anymore. He couldn't. Eivor didn't want saving anymore.

"You know I can't do that. I can't. I need you here with me whether it's as friends or something more. I can't." he croaked

Eivor placed a bloodied hand on Oswald's cheek bringing his attention to her.

"You can. Your the strongest man I know. You fight for honour and Justice. You can honour me by doing what I want from you. You have far more to live for. Me, What do I have? Nothing. I have a clan that ignores me half the time, a brother who won't even talk to me anymore and no friends as half of them are dead and the only one I have, is too busy with his family to even write to me" Eivor faltered at the last sentence, trying not to let herself break

"I know. I'm sorry. I'm sorry I didn't write to you more. I guess it's too late now huh?" Oswald choked out quietly

"No. It's not too late. Like I said, you can make up for it now by doing what I want of you"

"Which is what?" he gulped, forcing the words out of his dry throat and mouth.

Eivor took out a clean knife from her belt that hadn't been used and held it towards Oswald.

"I want a peaceful death. We both know my injuries are too grave to survive and I don't want to burden you or the medic any further. So What I am asking you, is to Kill me. Just one stab is needed, then I can finally rest in peace and be free from this pain"

"What?!" he hardly managed to rasp out. "No. I can't. You know I can't do that. Please, Eivor don't make me do this" Oswald begged

"Enough!" she snapped at him before wincing once more due to the wound in her stomach. "Think of it as an animal. If your horse was in pain, you would do the same thing wouldn't you. Why am I any different just because I'm a human?"

"I would, yes. But your not just a horse, Eivor. Your much more than that. Your my friend Eivor to me , and much more than that. I can't just put you down like any other animal"

Eivor sighed defeated. "You can Oswald. It's not that hard. Just think about it as doing me a favour"

He looked up at the orange sky, illuminated by the flames around them, looking to God for a final hope, that it didn't have to end like this but it was fruitless. Pushing back his tears, he looked at Eivor once more who was waiting for him.

She looked a mess with blood everywhere, bruises on her face and messy hair. She also looked in pain, sweating and heaving heavily due to the wound, and it was a lot of blood that she was losing. A lot of red covering her body. Far more than the amount that he, himself had leaked at Dunwich.

She was right, there was no surviving this. He would be kidding himself if the medic could heal her with herbs, bandages, and weeks of good rest.

After a long silence. Oswald answered. "Fine. I'll do it. I hate this, but I also hate seeing you in so much pain"

Eivor smiled a weak one hitting her lips. "Good. I'm glad you came around. Remember, don't hesitate. Just do. I wanted this"

Oswald took the blade, hesitating, Eivor's words ringing on his mind, seeing his dishevelled reflection, on the shiny blade. God, it looked clean, Eivor had cleaned it well for the last job. He pushed that last thought away, gripping the knife so tight it turned his knuckles white.

"This is going to hurt. Are you ready?" he breathed shakily, facing Eivor.

Eivor nodded back with determination. "I'm ready" she breathed out, bracing herself for the final blow that would end it once and for all.

"Good" Oswald murmured, preparing himself to plunge the blade into her gut once and for all.

Eivor closed her eyes preparing herself for the end, only to be surprised when she felt his lips press against hers.

Taken aback at first, she almost wanted to pull back and chastise him for what he was doing, but she pulled him in eagerly, placing her tongue onto his.

Oswald plunged deeper kissing her hard, before he quickly plunged the blade into her gut before he could change his mind.

Eivor gasped, feeling the sharp blade in her torso as Oswald pulled back whispering in her ear.

"I'm sorry. I love you" before he pulled the blade back quickly and she collapsed and fell to the ground once more, for the final time.

Oswald dropped the knife as it fell on the grass with a soft clang. Panic and terror rising in his chest, as a waterfall of emotions surged within him and he let out a pained scream that didn't even sound human, but sounded more of a wounded animal.

He screamed until his lungs hurt and until he blacked out and the other allies had to drag him back to camp and safety before Aelfred's men could get to him and finish him off.

Author's Note: And that's it. After lots of fics and three series on A03 about Oswald and Eivor, I finally decided to "abandon ship" if you get my wordplay here. At least Hunwald and Soma don't die in this unlike the ubi story and Oswald actually also fights in this as opposed to the actual game, but Eivor loses her life instead in exchange of those characters living, well in my abandon ship headcanon, yes. This will be the last story on Valhalla from me as well, Eivor is now dead so no more content.

Anyway hope you enjoyed my alternate rewrite of the Chippenham battle. Don't forget to review and favourite if you haven't already. I look forward to seeing you next time!