Hello, my loves! I'd like to thank those of you who reviewed the last chapter.

Guest reviewer who does not have an account, thank you for asking questions; you brought up a good point. What I had intended was for the spare bow to be an older one, with a lesser draw weight, that Torstein would have used when he was younger and not as strong. Although Aoife would typically use a bow with a lesser draw weight, it's not improbable that she would be able to use her master's old bow, at least for a time. Aoife may not be very large, but she grew up with a bow in her hand, therefore she would be quite strong in her back and shoulders, and adrenaline definitely would have helped her in this situation. If you have any more questions or criticisms, lay them on me!

Disclaimer: I do not own Vikings!

As the rush of adrenaline from earlier began to wane, the Celt found herself unable to keep up her quick pace. Fatigue swept through her all at once, forcing her to stop and rest for a few minutes before her resolve to continue lifted her to her feet once more.

Exhausted, Aoife trudged on, determined to make sure Helga was safe. A half hour later, the boatbuilder's home was finally within sight. Aoife heaved a sigh of relief but kept her guard up just in case there were enemies about. Cautious, she crept up to the cabin with an arrow nocked, eyes darting around for any sign of movement. Her stomach sank when she saw the door ajar.

"Helga?" she called out, alarmed, head turning every which way, searching for a sign of life around her. "Helga, are you here? It's Aoife!"

She was edging towards the door, wary, when the snap of a twig had her whirling around, bow drawn. A short distance away stood Helga, knife in hand. Her golden tresses and pale skin were both smeared with blood, but she seemed not to be in distress.

"Helga!" Aoife cried in relief, releasing the strain in the bow and returning the arrow to its quiver. "Are you alright?!"

The slender woman nodded, sheathing her knife.

"Most of them passed right by," she said, gesturing behind her, where the legs of two men could be seen past the corner of their barn. "These two heard the goats and came to look. Luckily, I was out gathering herbs, so I caught them by surprise."

All of the tension escaped Aoife's body, leaving her absolutely drained.

"Thank the gods," she sighed. "I've just come from Kattegat. The raiders killed two of the old fishermen before they made it to town, but everyone else is more or less unharmed. I wanted to make sure you were safe too."

Helga ran a hand through her pale, tangled locks, closing her eyes with a sigh.

"They killed one of the goats, but everything else is fine. I am unharmed."

"And I am relieved to hear it," Aoife said. "Perhaps it would be best if you returned to Kattegat with me. You can stay with Lagertha. You will be safe there if we are attacked again."

Helga shook her head. "I cannot leave. I must stay and harvest herbs before the snows come, and I have much work to do yet."

"Then I will stay with you," Aoife replied, adamant on seeing that she had some sort of protection. "I would rest easier knowing that you are safe, and I am sure Floki would as well."

It seemed that mentioning the girl's lover was the right thing to do, for Helga merely sighed and gave her assent. Thus, for the next week, Aoife remained with the boatbuilder's lover, helping her harvest and prepare herbs for cooking, healing, and religious rites. Twice a day, the women made the trek to Torstein's cabin to milk the cows and feed the animals. On one of these trips, they also paid a visit to Sigrun and her daughter, who were being looked after by Runa and Gerd. Aoife was pleased to see their bruises fading, and Runa even seemed less fatigued.

On the third day of the third week, as Helga and Aoife were returning from milking the cows, the blonde suddenly darted toward the small ledge that offered a clear view of the water beyond.

"Aoife," she shouted, eyes wide with excitement, "Come quickly! They have returned!"

Sure enough, when the Celt joined Helga on the ledge, she could see five boats trailing lazily toward Kattegat, led by the red-sailed vessel of Earl Ragnar.

"Come on!" Helga exclaimed, grasping Aoife's hand and pulling her down to the water, where a small sailboat was docked beside Floki's workshop. Filled with both elation and nervousness, the two women set off towards Kattegat.

Aoife admired the skill with which Helga navigated the boat and the ease with which it cut through the cool waters. In much less time than it would have taken to travel by land, they found themselves approaching the home of Runa, where they stopped for a moment to urge the shieldmaiden to join them. The short voyage was much easier on the pregnant woman than her trek on foot would have been and she was glad for it.

They arrived in Kattegat just moments after the last boat was moored. The docks were already crowded with eager families and friends of the raiding party, so Helga was forced to sail just past the docks to beach the boat; she and Aoife managed to pull it far enough onto the sand to keep it safe from a rising tide while Runa looked on, hands on the small of her back as she worked out a cramp.

"Look!" she shieldmaiden exclaimed with a smile as she looked towards the docks. Helga and Aoife straightened, puffing slightly from exertion. "It is Gerd with Sigrun and young Freyja! Let us join them!"

Aoife smiled when she caught sight of the three women as well, amused by Freyja's enthusiastic waving. The young girl ran to meet them, greeting first Aoife, then Helga and Runa, with tight hugs.

"Come!" she urged them, eyes bright with excitement. "Let us go see what treasures my father has found!"

She took Aoife's hand in hers and pulled her towards her mother and Gerd, who greeted them with smiles. As they began to weave their way down the docks, Aoife noticed a few members of the raiding parties following her with their eyes, scowling at the bow across her back. Since the day of the attack, Aoife had refused to go anywhere without it, determined to have some sort of protection for her and Helga.

Without a word, Runa, Gerd, Sigrun, Freyja, and Helga drew closer to the slave, encircling her and challenging the glares they received. Aoife felt her heart swell with emotion when Gerd even settled a threatening hand on the head of her axe in response to a Northman who dared take a step in their direction. Runa placed a hand on Aoife's shoulder as she stood beside her, offering her silent support.

The women held their ground when they caught sight of their Earl approaching, Floki and Torstein flanking him, with Rollo a few paces behind. Ragnar Lothbrok's eyes sparkled with curiosity as he took in the sight before him.

"And what is this?" he asked with a sly smile, eyes running over Aoife's bow and the protective stances of her new friends. "Why does this slave look prepared for battle?"

It was Gerd who answered.

"This slave has already seen her battle, Lord."

Floki made a sound of derision in the back of his throat.

"And what is that supposed to mean, woman?"

Before any of Aoife's protectors could reply, they were interrupted by the arrival of Lagertha, who was tailed by two of her shieldmaidens.

"My husband," she said with a smile that was slightly smug. "You missed out on quite a battle while you were gone."

The Earl crossed his arms, scrutinizing the blonde shieldmaiden.

"And what sort of battle did I miss here, my wife, while I was off winning gold enough to fill all of our boats?"

Lagertha pursed her lips.

"While you were gone, husband," she said coolly, slightly incensed that she had missed out on the last raid of the summer, "we were attacked."

Now the Earl looked concerned.

"How many?" he demanded. "Where did they come from? What happened? Tell me, Lagertha."

"We counted thirty," the shieldmaiden answered after a time. "Seven days past. Aoife was the first to encounter them, as far as I can tell."

All eyes jumped to the slave, who held her head high, woad tattoos stark against her pale cheekbones. She caught her master's eyes and saw concern there.

"They came from the South. She took her master's bow and defended his property," Lagertha continued, drawing the attention back to her. "As I have heard it from these women, she then saved Sigrun and Freyja, assisted Runa in killing her own attackers, and then helped defend Kattegat. She then left to make sure Helga was safe and has remained with her since."

Aoife could feel Floki's eyes on her, scrutinizing her from head to toe. After a moment, he let out a 'humph' and opened his arms to Helga, who immediately fell into them.

"Well then," Ragnar declared with a smile. "You have done well, slave. I am impressed."

Aoife bowed her head in acknowledgment and kept it lowered as the Earl and his brother passed her. It was only the touch of gentle hands on her shoulders that lifted her eyes to her master's.

"Aoife," he said, blue eyes searching her for any sign of injury. "Are you well? Were you hurt?"

The Celt shook her head, cheeks flushing under the weight of his gaze. She was touched beyond words to see the blue of the woad that remained on his face, just as she had painted it.

"No, master; I am unhurt." She turned her eyes to the ground once more, ears burning as she added, "I am glad that you have returned."

It was noisy in the great hall, as always, when Aoife entered it. When her master had been called away to help unload the boats, she had decided to offer assistance with healing the wounded. Three hours later, Eira, the town's ancient but formidable healer, had finally released her.

She caught sight of her master across the hall and was beginning to weave her way through the crowd towards him when she heard someone call her name.

"Aoife!" It was Sigrun, finally reunited with her husband.

"Hello Sigrun," Aoife answered with a smile. "Halvar. It is good to see you again."

The stocky Northman returned her greeting, green eyes bright.

"I wanted to thank you, Aoife," Halvar said, taking her hands in his. "I owe you a debt for protecting my wife and daughter." When Aoife opened her mouth to protest, he added with a wry smile, "I will repay it, no matter what you say. When the time comes, anything you ask of me, if it is in my power, I shall grant it."

Realizing that resistance was futile, Aoife merely bowed her head with a resigned chuckle and squeezed his hands.

"It was my pleasure to look after them," she said honestly. "It is not in me to stand by and let a friend be hurt if there is anything I can do to stop it."

Sigrun embraced the Celt before shooing her off to Torstein, who had caught sight of her and called her name across the hall. With one last smile at the pair, Aoife hurried over to her master just as the last of the raiding party carried off their share of the hoard.

"Aoife!" Torstein exclaimed, beaming up at her. She assumed from the rosy tint in his cheeks and the cup of ale in his hand that he had already started celebrating. "Come, sit! Have a drink!"

Aoife obeyed after setting the bow and quiver she still carried onto the floor, sliding onto the bench beside him and accepting the cup of ale that Helga offered her. Floki eyed her critically from across the table, as per usual, but Aoife had gotten used to his scrutiny and merely smiled at him, undaunted.

As the Earl made his way back to his chair –Aoife wasn't sure it could be aptly called a throne- and settled into it with his catlike grace, all eyes were drawn to him. Lagertha was absent, Aoife knew, because the baby had made her suddenly ill while she was helping tend to the wounded, so he was the only one up on the dais, the only one commanding attention without even having to say a word.

"Now," Ragnar exclaimed, opening his arms to the hall. "Is there anything else to address before we feast?"

Aoife was surprised when her master rose from his seat; in the few months that she had served him she had never seen him ask anything of the Earl in the great hall.

"Torstein! What matter do you wish to bring before me?"

The blonde Northman glanced down at Aoife, blue eyes bright in the dim light.

"I wish to petition for the freedom of my slave, Aoife," he said, eliciting gasps from the back of the crowd and cheers from those around the Celt. The woman in question sat in stunned silence, jaw dropped, as she stared up at her master.

The Earl's piercing eyes sparkled as he looked down upon his friend.

"And what is the reasoning behind this request, my friend?" he asked, leaning forward and bracing his elbows on his knees.

Torstein reached down and gently pulled Aoife to her feet. Her pale cheeks burned under the scrutinizing gazes of the people of Kattegat.

"This slave has singlehandedly and willingly defended my property. She saved the wife and child of one of your warriors, Lord, assisted one of your shieldmaidens, and helped defend the town from enemies. Not only that, but she took it upon herself to offer protection to one of my closest friends while also maintaining my property. She has done more for me in a few moons than many other slaves have done for their own masters in many seasons. I believe that she has earned the right to find her place here as a free woman."

Aoife gazed up at the blonde Northman with wide eyes, speechless. Hearing him speak of her with such praise brought warmth to her cheeks and a flutter to her heart. The entire hall had fallen entirely silent, watching their Earl.

"Very well," he said at length, settling back into his chair. "I grant this petition. Aoife is now a free woman."

Roars of approval filled the air, the loudest coming from the table behind them. Torstein beamed down at the Celt, who started back at him, stunned. Before she could form coherent words, however, Helga swept her into a large hug and whisked her off towards Runa and Gerd, who greeted her with hearty slaps on the back and pulled her down to sit between them.

"Helga," Aoife murmured to the girl beside her as they stood, watching those who were dancing around the floor.

"What is it?" she replied absently, eyes on her lover who was speaking with Torstein across the hall.

"Well," Aoife began, collecting her thoughts. "As a slave, I was my master's property, yes? Then should he not have had the power to release me without the Earl's permission?"

The corners of Helga's lips quirked upwards and her eyes glittered as she looked over at the Celt.

"Of course did," she answered. "But by petitioning Ragnar in front of everyone, he made certain that your status as a free woman cannot be challenged, ever."

Aoife turned her eyes back to Torstein, surprised once more.

"Why would he do that for me?" she murmured. "Why has he done so much for me when I cannot hope to repay him?"

Helga hid her smile by taking a sip of her ale.

"I think you already know the answer to that," she hummed before dancing away towards Floki, leaving her friend mystified.