1. The Island

Swimming, swimming, swimming. That's all that filled the young woman's brain, as the water sloshed and crashed into her face. Her illustrious blonde almost white hair was waterlogged and weighed her down, in the churning froth of the Northern Sea. The ocean was cold and it bit into her bones, she shook with chill and fear. She looked about, the ship was gone, of course they had been foolish enough to test the Northern Sea with a small craft made more for breaking ice and hunting seals than going through storms and waves. Her family was gone, she had given up hollering, no one answered and the mist and fog was closing in, her only hope was to swim to the east, maybe an island or something she could grab onto would be there. Dark waters marred her vision and plugged her ears, blindly she swam and tried to not splash as much and act calm, lest a shark or any other carnivorous creature decided to investigate. After many hours of swimming, she could make out an island, grateful she swam up and collapsed on the beach. Not aware that she was being watched, she feel into a dark dreamless sleep.

She awoke to the sounds of the surf and birds shrieking over the loud waves, slowly coming to she got up her waterlogged light lavender dress had dried somewhat and her tough blue dragon leather belt was still clinging to the cloth. Her black sable half skirt was damp, but moveable. Her hair was wavy from being wet and the blonde sheen was more pronounced from the salty water. She was of perhaps 16 or 17 years of age, definitely a woman with large breasts and shapely hips, visible under her dress that draped over her curvy body. The first thing that washed over her like a tide was thirst, she hurried up the beach, onto the main ground, there she found a small stream that leaked into the ocean, anxious to get the salt out she began to drink gulps of it and then spat out the rest to rid her mouth of salt. She collapsed and began to thank Odin for the stream, and for bringing her to the small island.

However she couldn't dull her mind thinking that something was watching her, she interpreted it as paranoia from the traumatic experience from the storm and the fact that she had lost her people. 'Her people', it echoed in her head, she was part of one of the Viking bands to the North, who wanted to explore more of the world than the icy confines of their Northern Territory, her people were the Norseman, from the village Frigasstig or Frig's Walk, blessed by the Gods. Her people being Vikings had pillaged and raped across the lands of the West and North, also in search of new territories. The loss hadn't fully hit her yet, her body had kicked into survival mode, now she began to search the island for driftwood and any food. She found some pieces of driftwood, somewhat dry and a sturdy twig that she could use to start the fire, she also found logs and placed them at top each other to make a small shelter. She crawled in and sat up so she could make her fire, she rubbed them together using her feet as a base and then her hands rubbed it sharply back and forth. Soon there was a spark and a fire began to gain life, with small flame tongues, it gave her rest as it reminded her of home. Soon she was overcome by fatigue and grief, and fell into a soft sleep. Later that night under the cover darkness, with light feet and purpose they moved, and with a gentleness they took the girl. She did not stir as she was taken into the night.