Chapter 3

Sweden 362 BC

 “Hurry up, soldier!” A voice called at Yunho, who was lagging behind the group. Yunho was yanked from his daydreams of exotic lands and, when he looked up, he realized that it was their leader, Changmin, who had scolded him.

“Yes, sir!” Yunho yelled back, not wanting to disappoint Changmin. Their leader was riding around on his horse, checking the lines for anyone who appeared ill. Yunho quickened his steps so he was no longer an outlier but he quickly retreated back into his thoughts. They were on their way to meet the enemy but they were currently safe enough that he felt comfortable day dreaming. They would not be attacked until after they reached the other part of their army.

Yunho had always had this intense urge to wander, and wander far. He couldn’t shake the feeling that by traveling around, he would meet someone important. It was like Freya had sent down a premonition that told him the most important things in life could be obtained by traveling. Yunho had never been far from home and, despite his desire to travel, the current war was being fought on his home ground and Yunho would never abandon his fellow soldiers, especially his leader, Changmin.

Yunho respected and admired Changmin more than anyone else in his life, even more than his own father. Changmin fought with the ferocity of a man who had something precious stolen from him, the cleverness that came from knowing one had to wait to steal it back, and the humility of knowing it was the man’s own fault. Altogether, the combination made Changmin a rather determined (and difficult) opponent to fight and Yunho was glad he was on Changmin’s side. Even being on the receiving end of Changmin’s wooden practice stick could be brutal.

However, Changmin also created quite a scandal. No one knew where the man hailed from or how he came to be such a skilled fighter. He ignored the more vicious Viking’s pastimes, such as tossing a baby into the air and trying to catch it on one’s pike, which confused the men since he was so ruthless on the battlefield. Changmin also never took local women into his tent, prompting the rumor that he preferred those of the same gender. Yunho defended his leader’s honor whenever the men brought up such things. It’s not that he had anything against such inclinations, what Changmin decided to participate in behind closed doors was none of Yunho’s business, but the men would never view their leader the same if the rumors were proved to be true.

For Yunho’s part, he preferred women but he refused to marry. His mother attributed this to his wandering nature but Yunho knew the truth. He had this unnatural fear that by being married, he would miss out on an opportunity. Whether that opportunity be true love or an adventure, Yunho knew not, but he did know that he vowed to himself never to marry. His father thought that Yunho would change his mind as he got older but Yunho knew that aging would just increase and intensify his fear.

“We camp here for the night,” Changmin’s voice boomed. The men all sighed with relief, drawing a chuckle from their leader. Their unit was only a small section of the Swedish and Southern Geat army joining up to fight against the Danes and the Northern Geats. The men scattered into groups of three and four; one building the tent, one searching for firewood, and one or two sorting the supplies and getting the camp ready. Yunho was naturally paired with Kangin and Yong Guk; they were not close friends by any stretch of the imagination but they liked each other well enough. Both Kangin and Yong Guk oftentimes left Yunho to sit with the other men around their fires. Yunho usually joined in as well and the soldiers would drink and sing around the flames, or tell stories of those who were waiting for them back home. Those were the instances that Yunho preferred to retreat to his own fire; he had no one waiting for him besides his parents.

“You got the firewood?” Yong Guk shouted to Yunho, who nodded.

“Is it wet this time?” Kangin joked. Yunho blushed; he had tried to start a fire with wet wood the first night with the group. He was raised in a slightly wealthy family so he had never had to make his own fire before.

“Will you two ever forget that?” Yunho asked, half pleading.

Yong Guk and Kangin looked at each other before bursting into laughter. “Probably not,” Yong Guk said, walking away to find their rations to heat over the flames.

Yunho managed a little chuckle even though the joke was at his expense. Then, as if to prove them wrong, he set his wood up in the perfect arrangement and, using his flint, struck a spark on the first try.

“So he can be taught,” Kangin patted him on the shoulder. Yunho rolled his eyes and focused on blowing the tiny flame into a large fire. Before Kangin had set up the tent, Yunho’s fire was strong and blazing.

“I am a quick learner,” Yunho said, pride puffing up his shoulders.

“Congratulations; you can officially do what most boys learn at age six,” Kangin retorted. One could not afford arrogance in war, even in a camp. It usually resulted in death.

Yunho refused to let Kangin rain on his parade so he strode away to help Yong Guk with the supplies. Food and sleep were precious commodities when you were in an army. Their supper was scarfed down amidst light banter then the three went to join one of the larger groups. When one of the other soldiers, Jaesuk, Yunho thought his name was, began to describe his wife and five kids, Yunho retreated to his own neglected fire. He started to lose himself in his fantasies again when a discreet presence snuck up on him.

 “Do you mind if I sit by you?” a quiet but strong voice asked, next to Yunho’s ear. He would later deny that he jumped but shock can get to everyone, right? Yunho recovered from his less-than-manly shriek and turned his head to find their normally very charismatic leader silently watching him, patiently waiting for an answer. Yunho’s brain sputtered random pieces of thought as he tried to comprehend that Changmin wanted to sit by him.

“Y-yes, of course. There’s no one else there, but it wouldn’t really matter if there were, you could sit there anyway because you’re our leader and….” Yunho trailed off, aware that he was making a complete fool of himself.

Fortunately, Changmin just laughed and said, “I will take that as a yes. Do you have a drink on you?” Yunho breathed a sigh of relief; drinking he could deal with, alcohol was an art that Yunho was well versed in.

“Where would a good soldier be without his ale?” Yunho replied, grabbing a cup from beside him and handing it to Changmin. Great, he thought, now Changmin probably thinks I am an alcoholic who is usually drunk during battle. Stupid Yunho, stupid Yunho, stupid Yunho.

Changmin appeared to be watching his expression with a bemused expression on his face so at least Yunho wasn’t being scolded for his careless words. The leader accepted the offered drink and downed the entire glass in one, large gulp. He cleared his throat immediately after he swallowed; army drinks were always the strongest and most crude, not that Changmin was complaining.

“Ah, good right there. I swear some of these men would sooner put their lives on the line for alcohol than for their country,” Changmin said, looking around with a scornful look on his face.

“Oh, I don’t think so, sir. They are just lonely and a little scared. A little liquid courage goes a long way here,” Yunho said, feeling the need to defend his kinsmen.

“Changmin, please,” the leader said, a disgruntled expression twisting his strong features at the word “sir.”

Yunho laughed at Changmin’s strong reaction and tested it out, letting the syllables roll around playfully on his tongue. “Changmin.” Yunho decided that he liked the shape and texture of his leader’s name. “Are you sure, sir?”

Changmin practically gagged. “Yes. I am one hundred percent certain that I never need to hear that word again as long as I live.”

“But you are our leader. You should be addressed with respect,” Yunho protested. A man of Changmin’s talent should constantly be reminded how important they are. 

“I was not a leader when I was born and I will not be a leader when I die. I am a man just like you,” Changmin said. He rather hated any sort of formality. 

Yunho simply hummed; he did not agree with Changmin at all but he dared not disagree with the man again. A silence settled over the two men before Changmin spoke again, leaving the past issue behind.

“Got a pretty wife waiting for you?” Changmin asked.

“No, no, no, no, no,” Yunho over-corrected, a different emphasis on each “no.”

Changmin snickered at Yunho’s frantic hand gestures. “I just figured from your armband.” He gestured at the pink fabric wrapped tightly around Yunho’s bicep.

“Oh, this?” Yunho raised his arm, examining the foreign fabric. “This is just mine. I always wear it. I guess I feel like I need it for someone to recognize me.” Why did he just admit that? Yunho asked himself. Everyone he ever told the real reason for the arm piece had just laughed at him and called him superstitious. He wanted Changmin to like and respect him and here Yunho was, spilling all his embarrassing secrets.

But Changmin just nodded, not judging Yunho one bit. It was refreshing. “What is your family crest?” He asked suddenly. Even Changmin did not know why he asked, it was just a hunch. On what, he did not know either, but Yunho’s answer was of distinct interest to him.

“The falcon. Why?” Yunho responded.

“I do not know, myself,” Changmin admitted. For some reason, he was happy with Yunho’s answer.

Yunho shrugged, not about to question his leader. “Are you married?” He ignored the rumors he had heard, preferring to hear from the leader himself.

“No,” Changmin disclosed. “I do not like the thought of attaching myself to one person. It feels like I would miss out on something if I did, you know?”

Yunho nodded; yes, he did know. “Is there a special someone?”

“Not really. I guess I just have not had the right chance yet.” Yunho hummed in agreement. “Sometimes I wish there was someone, though. It might make this whole thing less difficult.”

That’s when Yunho realized how lonely it must be, being the leader. He was respected by his underlings, not loved, and there was a big difference. Yunho snuck a look at the big man seated next to him and felt a pang of sympathy. This man had suffered so much for their land and he was paid in kind with isolation. None of the other soldiers talked to Changmin like a friend, just as their leader. This disturbed Yunho no small amount and he made another vow to himself right then and there; that he would be by Changmin’s side, always.

“I do not know if anything can make war less difficult,” Yunho said. He remembered those who had fallen around him, the carnage he had already seen, and he was certain that no amount of love in the world could make it less horrific.

“Perhaps not,” Changmin agreed. A solemn mood settled over the two men.

“We appear to be out of ale.” Yunho turned over his bottle and one last drop fell to the ground, quickly soaked up by the ever-parched Earth.

“Not quite,” Changmin replied, pulling out a flask from within his jacket.

“You had that the whole time?” Yunho asked.

“This is only for emergencies,” Changmin responded. He took a deep swig from the flask and passed it to Yunho.

“And this qualifies?” Yunho asked, raising his eyebrows.

“Most definitely. We need alcohol; we do not have any alcohol. That sounds like an emergency to me.”

Yunho chuckled, shaking his head, but he lifted the bottle to his lips and swallowed a little sip. He didn’t want to drink too much of Changmin’s own ale. “So do you have any siblings?”

“I have eight; I am the eldest,” Changmin confirmed, taking another drink of ale.

“How old is the youngest?” Yunho asked. He was an only child, rare for his country, so it was hard for him to imagine so many people in one house.

“The youngest is only two years old,” Changmin said.

“Two?” Yunho practically spat out his own sip. “Wait, how old are you then?”

“I am twenty six years old.” Changmin’s eyes dared Yunho to say something about his young age.

“So young,” Yunho stuttered out, trying to wrap his mind around the concept. “But I am thirty two.” Changmin’s lips twitched at Yunho’s confusion. “How come I have not heard this before?”

“Many people tend to associate age with experience and intelligence. My youth is something that many of our comrades would have an issue with if they were to find out.”

“Well they are just dumb. Age has nothing to do with talent at all,” Yunho protested, instantly defensive of Changmin.

“Pride can do crazy things to people,” Changmin agreed, chuckling.

Yunho found that even though he had just learned that Changmin was actually younger than him, that didn’t take away the respect he held for their leader.

While they were talking, the night had dragged on and Changmin took in his surroundings to find it later than he had expected.

“Well, I should turn in,” Changmin said and Yunho found himself disappointed. “I need to set a good example for the men. We cannot fight very well without a good night’s rest.” Changmin rose from his seated position, making for his tent.

“Wait! Your flask,” Yunho raised his hand, still in possession of the item in question.  

“Keep it,” Changmin said, waving his hand in denial. “I have plenty more where that came from and you might need it.” With that, their leader walked away, leaving Yunho to stare at his retreating back.

Yunho clenched the flask to his chest. Changmin had just talked to him. Changmin had just given him his flask. Changmin had smiled at him. Yunho could not wait to write his mother and father about this. They admired Changmin almost as much as Yunho did. On the other hand, Yunho thought, maybe he would just keep it all to himself, treasured close to his heart. Changmin needed a friend, not an admirer, after all.

Yunho caught himself yawning and thought that he would follow Changmin’s lead and hit the sack. They would be marching again tomorrow anyway and Yunho’s fire suddenly felt lonely without Changmin’s presence. Yunho slipped into the tent, idly hoping Yong Guk and Kangin would not accidently kick him when they slid in. He carefully placed the flask in his pack and laid down to dream of markets in far off lands and men too cowardly to take what was theirs.

Yunho woke with a heavy heart but a smiling mouth. He was worried that perhaps their leader would picture last night as a one-time thing and would never speak to him again. Yunho wanted very much to be Changmin’s friend and confidant. So Yunho was very relieved when Changmin spoke to him in line while they were marching that afternoon.

“Hurry up soldier!” Yunho smiled at the words before he even glanced up to see Changmin grinning down at him from his mount.

“Yes sir!” Yunho replied, cackling at Changmin’s reaction to that dreadful word again. He knew their leader dare not correct him in front of the entire unit.

“You were not even lagging behind like yesterday,” Yong Guk comforted, after Changmin had moved on. “He could be more lenient.”

“Lenient?” Kangin replied. “Our leader has never been lenient a day in his life. Do you think such leaders are created through leniency?”

“Perhaps he was joking,” Yunho offered. He suddenly had the urge to keep their relationship to himself; he did not know how the rest of the men would react if they were to find out. At least, that is what the logical half of his mind told him was the reason.

“Do you think such leaders are created through humor?” Kangin reiterated, raising an eyebrow at Yunho. The man in question figured it to be a hypothetical question and continued to march, at a faster speed so Kangin would not suspect that he wanted Changmin to come back and speak to him again.

But Kangin’s words instigated a storm of thought in Yunho’s mind. Changmin had described much of his past to Yunho but he had left out his relationship with his parents. Yunho was very close to his mother and father so it was tough to imagine Changmin being anything but warm with his parents. However, Kangin had a point; their leader was far too refined and trained, as if he had been shaped for this role. Yunho made a note to himself to ask Changmin about it later; he wanted to avoid making assumptions that would get him into trouble later.

“Changmin, what was your childhood like?” Yunho asked one night ten days later, having invaded their leader’s tent.

Changmin was surprised by the sudden question and was weary of answering. “Why?”

“The men seem to think that it was humorless and strict,” Yunho replied, waiting for Changmin to tell him that his upbringing was just like everyone else’s. He did not like the thought of Changmin growing up in such a cold and unloving environment.

“Then the men are wise,” Changmin responded. He was trying not to clam up but this was a sensitive topic for him and the wounds were still raw. Not literally, of course, all the beatings he had received at his father’s hand were scarred over and white by now.

“Oh,” Yunho managed to spit out intelligently. He was not expecting that answer and he did not know how to respond to it. Changmin showed no inclination to continue but Yunho had to know. “Well at least you had your siblings,” he offered. Yunho remembered how fond Changmin looked when he had described his younger siblings.

“I was the eldest, Yunho. They were a comfort to me but I had a great obligation as the eldest to watch over them and be responsible for their actions as well as my own.” Changmin loved his little brothers and sisters, he really did, but sometimes he wished there had been someone his age to help bear the burden.

“What about your friends?” Yunho inquired. The picture Changmin painted was not as bright as Yunho would prefer for his leader and he wanted to believe that Changmin had someone to turn to in his youth.

“You are my first friend, Yunho,” Changmin admitted, a faint blush tainting his cheeks.

Now if you had told Yunho two weeks prior that the fearless leader Changmin could appear adorable while blushing, Yunho would have laughed in your face and asked how many drinks you had. Now, Yunho had no choice but to file that image away to his permanent memory. Perchance he would tease Changmin for it years later when they could laugh together over it. But for now, Changmin had just exposed himself emotionally. The leader was vulnerable and Yunho had absolutely no intention of betraying that trust; he just was not sure how to respond to such a statement.

“I never had very many male friends either!” Yunho blurted out. He cursed his mouth vehemently; it never listened to his brain around Changmin.

Changmin crooked an eyebrow at him. “So you had many female friends?”

“Umm, maybe?” Yunho replied. He did not want Changmin to think he was loose but he refused to lie to their leader as well.

“And yet you are not married.” Changmin was just playing with Yunho now but the tables had turned and he was enjoying his position of power.

“You already know the reason for that,” Yunho scowled, kicking around the dirt with his boot.

“I do not have too much experience with women,” Changmin admitted, taking pity on the uncomfortable man. Today was just the day for feelings, he supposed. Changmin did not like it too much; talking about emotions and such soft things were a woman’s job, his father said. But then, his mother ran the household behind his father’s name so perhaps Changmin’s father was not correct in assuming women were inferior to men and soft.

“Do not worry, young one. You have much time left to explore the pleasures of women,” Yunho said, feeling his age. He then dared to ruffle Changmin’s hair and wink at their leader. Changmin blushed slightly and coughed into his hand, trying to cover up his embarrassment. In that moment, Yunho saw a young man who had been whisked away from his home far too early instead of the war hardened, experienced leader that Changmin presented in front of the men.  And it made Yunho’s heart hurt for him. When this war was over, Yunho would be sure to take Changmin to his first whorehouse. The boy deserved it for all the hell he had been put through.

“Sir, we just received the raven from our farthest scouts,” Minho, Changmin’s second in command, called from the flap of the tent.

“I will be over in a minute. Make sure to have parchment and ink prepared for our corresponding message,” Changmin cried back. Yunho watched in amazement as the boy donned his leader persona around him like a cloak, transforming back into his public image. It made Yunho sad and proud at the same time, and that confused him.

“I must go,” Changmin said to Yunho, a disappointed expression on his face.

Yunho inclined his head for their leader to leave. “Goodbye, friend.” Yunho did not know what possessed him to address Changmin so informally but the smile that blossomed on Changmin’s face made him glad he said it. 

“Til next time, friend,” Changmin replied in kind, grinning. He then left the tent to discuss issues far beyond his age and give orders that stemmed from a childhood of studying strategy. Yunho was left in the tent by himself, beaming like a fool.  He quickly wiped his face of the expression and walked out to join Kangin and Yong Guk again.

Their unit was involved in a little incident three weeks from that day. Apparently some of the enemy side had heard tales of their new uprising leader and sent out a small stealth unit to head them off. Changmin’s unit was making good time, set to link up with the main group in just one fortnight and meet the enemy in about five days after that. The men had stopped for the night, settling down for supper and another round of drinking and singing afterwards. Changmin and Yunho were sitting off to the side as per usual in their own little group. Changmin had produced an ale bottle that he had found in his pack, and the two men set about to drinking while discussing their future plans after the war. Changmin took the first big swig and passed it to Yunho who paused to answer the man’s previous question before he too drank.

“I have not really thought about it too much,” Yunho confessed. “I guess that I am just focused on surviving the war. I can figure out my plans after that.”

Changmin laughed, although there was a dark undertone to it, and agreed heartily. His laughing quickly turned to a coughing fit and Yunho chuckled at his friend’s plight. Yunho’s glee rapidly changed into alarm when Changmin gestured frantically to his throat, indicating that it was swelling up.

“! Changmin! What’s wrong?” Yunho cried frantically. He had experience in warfare but not medical conditions and he had no idea how to help their leader. The nearby men were alerted of the situation by Yunho’s screams and they ran over to see what the trouble was. Minho opened Changmin’s mouth wide, peeked inside, then quickly examined the ale.

“Poison,” he gasped. Unrest rippled through the men, who had no such expertise in this area. Changmin could not die just from one drink of ale, not their brave and skilled leader. Jaesuk, on the other hand, was well versed in such matters in his older age so he strode back over the Changmin, opened his mouth once again, and shoved his fingers down Changmin’s throat.

“What are you doing?” Yunho shouted, enraged. He attempted to yank Jaesuk’s arm away but the man was stronger than he and barely budged. “You will suffocate him!”

“He needs to throw it up, get it out of his system,” Jaesuk replied. It was the only way he knew how to deal with poisons and until the doctor could be called, this was what would happen. Changmin scrambled away from Jaesuk’s grasping fingers, turning away from his men to vomit out of their immediate sight. Yunho jumped forward and held Changmin’s hair back while he emptied the remaining contents of his stomach.

“Will this work?” Yunho asked, scared more than he had ever been in his entire life. He absently petted Changmin’s hair, trying to comfort the younger man.

“It should,” Minho answered for Jaesuk. He was not absolutely certain but as the second hand, it was his duty to calm the men. “You!” He pointed at Yong Guk. “Go get the doctor!”

“Kangin is already fetching him,” Yong Guk replied.

When Changmin had stopped gagging, he wiped at his mouth, feeling ashamed for no reason at all. Yunho saw the expression on his face and yelled for a wet rag; he knew Changmin did not want the men to see him so weak. Before the cloth could be delivered to him, Jaesuk stepped in. “I am most sorry, sir, but you must again. We have to be certain to get as much of the poison out as possible.”

Changmin looked positively ill at the thought but he shoved three fingers deep down his throat obediently. He resumed his heaving and Yunho patted at his sweating forehead with the rag that had just been delivered.

“It is alright, you are going to be just fine. Keep going. That is good, good job, you can do this, be strong for me,” Yunho whispered comforting nothing’s into Changmin’s ears. He wanted to reassure the poor man, who was literally fighting through an assassination attempt, as much as possible. The words calmed his racing heart as well.

At least, they did until a cloaked man jumped out of the crowd, rushing Changmin with a short dagger. Yunho did not have the wits about him to act but Minho did and he intercepted the spy. Yunho watched in stunned silence as Minho quickly fought and neutralized the man, knocking him unconscious with his club.

“This man is a Dane!” Minho announced, holding the unaware man up by the hair. “Chase them down men, there may be more than one in our midst!” The soldiers leapt at the chance for action; it gave them something to do other than worry for their leader.

By this point, Changmin was on his third bout of retching and Yunho was panicked at finding his forehead much hotter than was healthy. Taeyang, the doctor, was finally brought over by Kangin, who had searched hysterically for Taeyang. He dropped down to his knees next to Changmin, taking in the bile still on his lips, his flushed appearance, and the swelling of his face.

“How many times has he thrown up now?” Taeyang asked.

“Three,” Yunho answered. He was absolutely ready for the doctor to tell him that Changmin was going to be completely fine now.

“Good, good,” Taeyang replied, looking at Jaesuk. “You did the right thing.” Jaesuk just nodded, hoping he had not been too late. “Help me carry him to his tent; I am not sure he can walk in this state.” Yunho and Minho complied without complaint but Changmin was not happy with the concept of being carried like a weakling in front of his men. The leader was quickly silenced by another coughing fit and his men lifted him while he was distracted. Once in Changmin’s tent, Minho and Yunho placed him as gently as possible on his cot and turned to the doctor for further orders.

“Get out,” Taeyang ordered. Yunho just gaped at him, Minho with a similar disbelief on his face as well. “I need to examine him to determine the full effects of the poison and how to treat it and I cannot do that with you two blubbering about. Go, make yourselves useful. Bring me the ale to test and make the bastards who did this pay.” Taeyang also harbored a fondness for Changmin and he wanted to see vengeance done. Yunho protested vehemently but was literally shooed out of the tent by Taeyang. Pouting, he strode away to take out his anger and frustration out on the stupid Danes who had attempted something as spineless as poisoning. 

All the enemy spies were taken into custody and tortured for information. As the men were anxious waiting for information on their leader, the torture took a rather creative turn. The men began to get restless, even of that, and it was ultimately decided that the spies would not give up any information that the army did not already know. The prisoners then lost their heads to Yunho’s axe.

Yunho entered Changmin’s tent the very minute Taeyang indicated that visitors would be permitted. Minho tried to tell him that Changmin should rest but Yunho ignored him and rushed past him. He moved beyond the tent flap and tried not to be overwhelmed by the aurora of sickness that permeated the space.

“Hey you,” Yunho whispered gently, approaching his friend’s figure on the cot.

“Did I scare you?” Changmin asked, coughing frailly. The small convulsion wracked his whole body and Yunho had to stifle the urge to hold him through it. He settled for collapsing into a sitting position by Changmin and dropping his head into his hands, wiping at his tired eyes.

“Yes,” Yunho admitted, emotion coursing through his voice. Changmin instantly sobered; he had not expected Yunho to reply so sincerely.

“I am sorry,” Changmin said. He was not sure how to comfort Yunho who appeared more haggard than Changmin had ever seen him.

“Do not be,” Yunho replied. “You lived. You fought through it. That is all I could ever ask for.” But still the man refused to move his head from his hands.

“Lift your head, soldier,” Changmin commanded, concerned. He was not prepared for the sight of tears streaming down Yunho’s normally cheerful face. “Why do you cry? I thought you were grateful that I lived.”

Yunho cracked a weak smile, trying to stifle his tears. “Do you know what I just went through? We were not sure you would make it through, Changmin.” He almost reverted to addressing Changmin as “sir” but remembered at the last moment how the man hated his title. Yunho had kept himself together while they waited for news of their leader but now he cried; the emotional distress was just too much for him to handle.

“What you went through? Was I not the one who was poisoned?” Changmin joked, not appreciating Yunho’s tears one bit. Way to make a man feel guilty right after he returned from the brink of death, he though.

“Do you have any idea how worried I was? We would have had no leader and your siblings would have been robbed of their eldest brother. You are so young; you never would have known a woman or gotten married or had little runts. You are never to do that to me again, do you understand?” Yunho ignored the fact that he was ordering their leader around; he was more concerned with making sure his friend never did anything dangerous again. Ignore the fact that they were fighting a war and Yunho’s logic might have made sense.

“I shall endeavor not to,” Changmin consented quietly. He had never seen Yunho look so distraught before.

“Good,” Yunho chuckled, “or I will sleep with all of your sisters.” He punched Changmin on the shoulder and almost broke down again at the way their courageous leader flinched from such a weak hit.

“Come now,” Changmin pleaded, “womanly does not become you. Be strong.” His father’s training ran deep in his blood and there were some lessons he would never shake free of.

Yunho nodded, not insulted in the least. He was just happy that Changmin could speak at all. “I am fine,” he said. Eventually, the overflowing emotion subsided and he could wipe his eyes of the resident water. 

“I should hope so. I am the one who was poisoned after all,” Changmin reminded him.

“What did the doctor say?” Yunho inquired, remembering how the other man had taken absolutely forever to reappear from Changmin’s tent.

“No more training for at least four days. He says I need time to completely release the poison from my system,” Changmin smiled weakly.

“So what exactly can you do before then?” Yunho teased, the sparkle slowly resurfacing in his eyes.

“Ride a horse. Eat. Sleep. Drink. Sleep,” Changmin pouted, reverting to a five year old stage.

“That would not sound half bad if the food was decent and the beds comfortable,” Yunho replied, thinking of his own bed at home.

“It is difficult to command an army from a cot,” Changmin said, trying to think of how the men’s image of him would be tarnished by this accident.

Yunho instantly followed Changmin’s train of thought and frowned. “Well you will have to make it work. Now is not the time to be thinking of your reputation, Changmin. You need to focus on your health.”

“You sound like my childhood nurse,” Changmin whined.

“Then your nurse was correct!” Yunho snapped, glaring his friend into submission.

Changmin did not respond to that and Yunho decided to take it as a mark of obedience.

The following days passed quickly with the men training extra hours and with renewed passion. The whole unit felt the need to prove to Changmin that they would not let him down. For his part, Changmin spent his time either being coddled by Yunho or reading strategy books from his father. They continued to march as Changmin was determined to keep himself upright on a horse.

Before he knew it, Changmin was healthy again and ready to get his vengeance on the Danes and the Northern Geats. Yunho would attribute Changmin’s fast recovery to his incessant babying but Changmin just preferred to think that he had a strong immune system. The unit met up with the other Swedes and Southern Geats just one day late and after a quick meeting with the general, it was decided that Changmin’s unit would go in first and lead the charge. Yunho called it death; Changmin called it an opportunity to prove their worth.

The day of the conflict began much as any other day. This time, there were no surprises by the Danes, and Changmin’s unit prepared for battle with a light air. They knew that many of them would not make it back so why ruin their last day with morbid thoughts and melancholy?

Changmin marched into battle on foot. He was determined not to give himself an advantage over his men. There was no epic speech to lift the men’s morale; his men took enough strength form the fact that Changmin would be right there with them. Together, the unit led the way to battle, meeting the Danes and the Southern Geats head on.

Yunho made sure to stay close to Changmin through the chaos. He trusted their leader to fight as well as he always did but Yunho kept one eye on him at all times. He was too paranoid about the last incident to do otherwise. If a Dane should try to sneak up on him, Yunho would take care of him. Changmin quickly adapted to Yunho’s presence and the two began to fight together as a pair. It was a magnificent sight to witness, both sides would attest to that. Yunho and Changmin fought as if they were born and raised together, constantly aware of the others’ movements and making up for each other’s lacking areas. Where Changmin’s battle axe could not reach, Yunho’s double-edged spear could and where Yunho let a man through his defenses, Changmin cut him down instantly. They battled as if they were dancing. When Yunho’s spear was broken, Changmin bought him enough time to grab a sword from him side. They fought like this, barely suffering a scratch on either of them until Yunho spotted movement far off that caught his attention.

Suspicious, Yunho turned to see the cause of this motion and spotted an archer on a hill nearby, not joining the fury, and before he could wonder about the strange strategy, the archer took up his bow and aimed it at Changmin. Those cowards were trying to eliminate their leader! Yunho had but a split second to decide what to do before the archer released his arrow and the man was forced to act. But it wasn’t really a decision at all, not for Yunho. He would gladly die for Changmin, a thousand times over.

Yunho jumped in front of Changmin, screaming out his name as he went. The arrow embedded itself in his left , hitting the lower end of his heart. Apparently, Yunho thought fleetingly, the Geats really were the best archers because none of the Swedish or Danish men could have made that impressive shot. Changmin turned at the cry of his name and his battle-trained reflexes moved his arm into throwing a dagger towards the archer the second he spotted him. Only after the archer had keeled over, incapacitated, did he realize who had saved his life.

“Yunho! You goddamn idiot, what were you thinking?” He knelt down next to the only man he called a friend, the man he had been hoping wouldn’t leave him until they were both very old and balding. Changmin knew from his previous war experience that the wound was fatal and Yunho had minutes at best to live. With that knowledge, Changmin was also aware that removing the arrow would only expedite Yunho’s death and, call him a selfish bastard for causing his friend further pain, but Changmin wanted a few more moments with Yunho.

“You are our leader,” Yunho replied, smiling weakly at the man clinging to him so desperately. “Our men need you to lead them in battle. I am just one soldier, the war will continue on without me.”

“You dumb , one life is just as equal to another,” Changmin scolded, upset that Yunho took the easy way out. It would have been easier for Changmin to die for Yunho than to live without him. He supposed it was the same on Yunho’s end and he cursed the man for being selfish.

“Not everyone is equal, Changmin, and you know it. Now stop being stubborn and help me pull the arrow out.” Yunho saw the pain in his friend’s eyes and regretted his words almost instantly. He knew as well that removing the arrow would cause his death but the flames of pain crept so close to burning his soul that he just wanted it to be over. He wanted time with Changmin as well but the pain was clouding his every thought and he did not know what he would confess if the madness was left to eat away at his sanity. That Changmin was his only true friend? That he wanted to grow old with the man he respected above all others? That he kept the flask Changmin gave him under his pillow at night as a reminder that someone out there loved him enough to watch over him?

Yes, Yunho loved Changmin and he knew that their leader loved him back. Not in the way he had loved his multiple summer flings but in a different, more gentle way. The kind that you could cuddle with on a dark night because you knew that you always had someone that would back you up in a struggle. He saw the worry and concern and was-that-betrayal? flashing across Changmin’s face and Yunho smiled at himself. Yes, Changmin loved him back. Yunho felt the need to comfort his friend and reassure him that they would be alright, even if it didn’t seem like it.

 “Do not worry, Changmin, the Valkyrie will come and take me far away from here. We will be together again soon in Valhalla, but make sure it is not too soon. Our men need you.”

“I need you,” Changmin countered, not knowing if he could continue on without Yunho, especially since the older man’s death was his fault. He just could not shake the feeling that they had been here before, that he had lost Yunho before.

 Yunho felt that perhaps this was the chance that he had been waiting for to travel. It was not exactly the destination he had in mind, but it was quite a journey. He knew that he would miss Changmin but his death was only another beginning to a different chapter. A dark thought crossed his mind as he thought about his previous statement. Yunho wouldn’t put it past his leader to take his own life after the battle, just to atone for Yunho’s death, as well as find him again in Valhalla. That thought disturbed him far more than he thought and suddenly it became extremely important that Changmin live his life to the fullest without him.  Yunho would have his turn to leave Changmin later.

“Promise me we will be victorious, Changmin. We will win this war and when it is all over and your name is sung in tales throughout the land, promise me that you will settle down with a good woman and have little kids. Stubborn boys that fight like you and little girls with your crooked smile. You have to be happy even when I am not with you.” Yunho’s eyes bored into Changmin’s skull as he dared his leader to deny a dying man’s last wish. “Promise me Changmin.”

Changmin was surprised by the steel in Yunho’s voice and the fire behind Yunho‘s eyes. He knew then that his friend would find some way to punish him eternally if he denied his request. “I promise,” he finally conceded with a defeated voice. Unfortunately for Yunho, Changmin wasn’t sure he could ever truly be happy with him.

“Good,” Yunho breathed a sigh of relief. With Changmin’s word, he felt that he could let go of this life and discover a new one in the Hall of Valhalla, among other warriors like himself. It would be an adventure, the adventure he never had while on Earth. He reached for Changmin’s hand and wrapped it around the shaft of the arrow, underneath his own hand. When his friend’s eyes met his own from Changmin’s bent head, Yunho giggled a little at the confusion and shock he found there. “I need you to help me with one more thing,” Yunho said, knowing that he couldn’t take the arrow out on his own; he didn’t have that kind of courage without Changmin.

The leader began shaking his head frantically when he finally understood the dark meaning behind Yunho’s actions. “No, no, I can’t, Yunho. I can’t take your life.”

“You gave me life,” Yunho replied in the biggest show of affection he ever awarded Changmin. His friend halted the hysterical movement of his head at Yunho’s words but still couldn’t move his hand. “Please, Changmin, it hurts, it hurts so bad and I cannot take it out myself.”

Changmin couldn’t stand the sight of his friend begging but he just couldn’t force his muscles into motion. Every cell of his body protested Yunho’s death even as his mind knew that it was a certainty. “I just... I can’t.”

Yunho saw the struggle behind his friend’s eyes and he took pity on the man. “Yes you can Changmin. You’re strong, strong enough to do this for me.” But there was still hesitation written on Changmin’s face. “You are the only one I would trust with my life, Changmin, please, trust me with my death now. Please.” Yunho’s hand moved up to wipe the tears off Changmin’s face and it was as he comforted his friend even in his dying moments that Changmin knew that he had to do it.

Changmin turned his head to kiss Yunho’s palm, then looked down into his friend’s eyes, wanting to comfort Yunho just like the man did for him. His hand tensed around the wooden arrow and together, Yunho and Changmin pulled out the obstruction. Yunho’s bleeding resumed at a new, rapid pace but the expression on his face wasn’t scared as he looked into Changmin’s eyes; it was serene.

“Thank you,” he whispered.

And then Yunho calmly closed his eyes, at peace, and began his journey away from Earth’s physical surface. 

Authors Note

So, for historical accuracy, Yunho's name would be Úlfarr, Changmin's Ingibjörn, Tae-Yang's Aghi, Yongguk's Egill, Kangin's Agmundr, and Minho's Vigi. 

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