First off I would like to thank Jedi-Helen, Superdani4Ever, and ILoveThee for your wonderful reviews. I didn't expect to get three right off the bat. Also a big shot out to those who added this story to your follow list. I really appreciate it. Just as a reminder:
Viking Speech
English Speech
Gaelic Speech
oOo
Once the matter of Bryna's social status was settled, the Vikings wasted no time loading their ships with supplies and their spoils. They laughed and joked with one another pleased with their hoards. Bryna stayed out of the way and watched. If she was going to live with these people she wanted to see how they treated each other. She was pleased to see that the men treated the women with respect and the women did the same. Her own people were much the same, that is until the Christians came and turned them away from their gods. She sighed. She never understood what people saw in the Christian god, even now. There were few left who still followed the old gods and they were being hunted down.
Rollo slowly approached Bryna. He still wasn't sure of her and he was still smarting after being disarmed by her. As much as he hated to admit it, the girl was a decent fighter and if he could ever swallow his pride he might ask her to spar with him again. He saw the girl tense as he got closer to her, this bothered him. The matter was settled as far as he or anyone else was concerned so there was no reason for her to fear him. Frustrated, he tossed her two bundles which she let fall. She never took her eyes off him.
Rollo pointed at the items. "For you. Eat. Drink. Stay strong." His English wasn't as good as Ragnar's, who practiced with the priest every chance he got, but Rollo was able to convey his meaning.
Bryna nodded then stooped down to retrieve the bundles. One was a small loaf of bread with a hunk of cheese and the other was a flask of water. Rollo became embarrassed when he saw tears form in her eyes. She was acting like he had given her a feast instead of the meager meal. With a grunt, Rollo turned his back on Bryna and walked back towards the ships.
Bryna watched him till he disappeared into the crowd. She had expected him to be hostile towards her, not offer her food and drink. Bryna shook her head as she tore into the bread and cheese. These Vikings were certainly a strange people. She was surprised again when one of the women offered her a pair of boots and when another Viking man gave her a warm cloak. She had no idea why they gave her these things. Sure she wasn't a slave but she wasn't exactly someone important either. Could such fierce warriors also have a soft heart?
Once the ships were all packed, Ragnar shouted an order and the Vikings, plus one, launched their ships and began their long journey home. Bryna pulled her borrowed cloak closer to her body as she turned her face towards the open waters. The wind filled the sails and the ships flew across the rough waters throwing up slashes. Bryna opened her mouth and tasted the salty waters. She inhaled the brine and for the first time in a long time she felt free. Ragnar watched her with a smile on his face. Rollo pretended to ignore her but when a strong wind lifted up her cloak he couldn't help but stare. The back of her shift was spotted with fresh blood. Bryna sensed their stares and wrapped the cloak around her once more without any explanation.
Rollo realized that she had reopened her wounds during their fight. He felt ashamed. Once again he acted rashly and allowed his anger to drive him. That was fine during battle, but not in every aspect of life.
Floki spat over the side of the boat. He still didn't like the girl, no matter what she'd lived through. First it was the priest and now her. Just how many outsiders was Ragnar going to bring home? Floki waited till most of the ship was asleep before he addressed his concerns with Ragnar.
"I do not like this girl", he told his friend.
"Why is that?"
"She reeks of trouble", Floki said spitting again. "Better to just toss her into the seas and let the gods decided her fate."
Lightning flashed and thunder crashed as soon as the words were out of Floki's mouth. The wind slowed then eventually stopped all together. The sails sagged empty and the ocean became a black mirror. Ragnar and Floki stared at each other in disbelief.
"What did I just tell you", Floki exclaimed throwing his arms out. "Trouble." Ragnar was too stunned to point out that it was Floki's words, not the girl that had angered the gods.
oOo
The first day of no wind didn't bother the Vikings; it was nothing out of the ordinary. They didn't mind the second day or the third, but by the fifth day everyone was anxious. More and more Vikings wanted to sacrifice Bryna to the gods since she was the only foreigner on their ships. Ragnar wouldn't allow it. Bryna huddled near the prow of the ship wracking her brain trying to find a solution. She knew that the stillness was caused by the gods; she felt their hands holding the winds back and calming the seas. Someone had angered the gods.
She closed her eyes and turned her thoughts inward. She heard a whisper telling her what needed to be done to make the winds come again. Slowly she got up, her legs stiff, and made her way towards Ragnar. The Vikings watched her closely, some fingering their weapons. She stopped a few steps away from him and waited for Ragnar to acknowledge her. When he did he could see that her eyes glowed like embers.
"My gods do not trust you", she coolly stated. Ragnar was startled by her perfect English. "So they have stilled the waters and the wind. They are requiring a greater oath than the one you gave in England; one that cannot be broken because the price of doing so would be so great." Ragnar slowly nodded. He could feel the presence of the gods around Bryna and he was afraid, though he would never admit it. He had never come across someone so close to the gods in all his life.
Bryna held out her hand. "Your knife." Ragnar slowly handed it over.
Bryna wrapped her hand around the blade and walked towards the front of the ship. Dazed, Ragnar followed. They turned to face each other. Bryna's glowing eyes met Ragnar's and held them. She grasped the handle of the knife and sliced the palm of her hand. She handed the blade to Ragnar and he did the same. She held out her bloodied palm, again Ragnar copied her. They clasped their hands together.
Ragnar gasped when he felt the power of the gods slam into his body. The other Vikings watched intently, for they too felt the presence of the gods. They stood like this for a while till Ragnar realized she was waiting for him to speak.
"As Earl, I swear that you are a free woman. You will be treated with respect as a sister of my people. I will not ask you to do something that goes against your will or dishonor your gods. On my life and the life of my children I swear this."
Bryna slowly smiled. "You have saved my life so I own you another in return. I swear on my ancestors that I will repay this debt and will serve you willingly until then." Ragnar didn't fully understand her words but in his soul he felt their meaning. He nodded letting Bryna and the gods know that he accepted these terms.
Bryna released his hand and placed her hand on the prow of the ship. Everyone held their breath. Bryna's body tensed and her eyes blazed with the fire of the gods. She closed her eyes exhaling. From nowhere the wind came, filling their sails once again. Many of the Vikings stumbled as their ships lurched forward. The presence of the gods faded much to the delight of the Vikings. Having the gods around made them nervous. Bryna relaxed, swaying slightly as she turned. She had a small smile on her face. When she tried to take a step she stumbled and would have fallen if Rollo hadn't caught her. He eased her to the deck.
Ragnar placed a blanket on her, still awed. "The gods gave you the gift of speech." He murmured. Bryna started to laugh which confused him.
"I lied", she laughed. "You learn a lot about people when they think you can't understand them."
Ragnar stared at her in disbelief then started to laugh himself. He tucked the blanket around her then left her with a final pat on the head. Floki had it wrong. She wouldn't be trouble. She would be fun.
oOo
With the gods on their side, the Viking ships were making good time. The wind blew strong during the day but was still at night. They were able to keep true to their course for the first time. There were no more talks about throwing Bryna overboard, but they also gave her a wide berth. She didn't mind however, Bryna never really got along with people. Ragnar started to teach her a few words in his language. She caught on quickly.
Bryna spent most of her time staring out across the ocean deep in thought. She never really had a home. Most of her life was spent wondering around learning from the few Druids still living. They told her that she would most likely be the last Druid for a long time and that the survival of their ways rested on her shoulders. Bryna didn't want that but she couldn't argue with them either. Someone had to be the keeper of the old ways.
"Why were you in England", Ragnar asked one evening. Bryna pulled her cloak tighter around her with a sigh.
"My aunt had a friend who lived there who was having a hard time conceiving. My aunt thought that I could help."
"Did you", Ragnar wanted to know intrigued.
"Didn't get a chance to find out", Bryna replied. "They captured me as soon as I set foot on their shores. They locked me up and tortured me for months. They wanted to know where the others were but I wouldn't tell them."
Ragnar was impressed and he wasn't the only one. Rollo had heard but he couldn't believe his ears. This tiny woman was able to withstand months of torture? His respect for her grew. He knew that his brother felt the same. She was an extraordinary woman and if a man could find his way into her bed, what children would she produce. Rollo had an image of finding himself in her bed and quickly shook the image away. He had Siggy. She was a good enough woman, a little ambitious for sure and he wasn't quite sure of how she felt about Ragnar. But she fed him and kept him warm at night, what more could he want.
There came a shout from one of the other ships and then the rest of them gave out a cheer. Land, they had made it safely home. Figures appeared on the shore and the dock many wondering if their loved one had returned or was now in Valhalla. Anxious to be ashore, the Vikings resumed their rowing with renewed vigor. Bryna positioned herself somewhere she could watch and be out of the way.
Some of the Vikings couldn't wait to fully dock and leapt from their ship as soon as they could stand, running towards their loved one. Next came the wounded. They were rushed off to the healers or to their homes to recover, depending on their injuries. Then the spoils were unloaded. The villagers ran their hands over the fine fabrics and smiled at the treasures. Bryna was the last to disembark. She stood on the sandy shore unsure. Several of the villagers noticed her and started to whisper. She was unbound but they weren't sure if she was just a part of the spoils or something else entirely.
"Who is she", Lagertha asked her husband after she greeted him.
"She is a child of the gods", Ragnar said loudly enough for most to hear. "She is here of her own free will." This caused the crowd to talk amongst themselves eyeing the foreign woman suspiciously.
Lagertha doubted that Bryna was what her husband claim, but as long as he didn't share a bed with her then she really didn't care. She did, however, see the wounds and how nervous Bryna was. Her heart went out to her. Smiling Lagertha walked up to Bryna with open arms and embraced her.
"Welcome", she said holding Bryna's shoulders. Bryna smiled and nodded her head.
"Bryna!" shouted someone in the crowd. Bryna turned and saw an elderly woman shove her way through the villagers. Her grey hair was braided back and tears fell freely from her eyes. "Bryna it is you. Thank the gods!"
To say that Bryna was surprised would be an understatement. She was floored to hear her native tongue in this strange land. Bryna stared at the elderly woman till she noticed a necklace hanging from the woman's neck. Bryna froze. The symbols on the necklace were very familiar to her. Her fingers had traced them countless times as a child.
"Kava", croaked Bryna. The elderly woman, Kava, threw herself at Bryna with a cry. Bryna rushed to embrace the woman as well. Kava had helped raise Bryna when her mother died. She was a second mother to her just after her aunt.
The villagers were taken back by this display. Lagertha waved them all away then joined her husband who was walking up to the two women. "You know each other?"
"Yes Earl Ragnar", Kava said wiping her eyes. "I raised her as one of my own. I was taken as a slave just as she reached womanhood. I thought I would never see her again."
Ragnar looked at the old woman in disbelief. Kava had been a part of this village for many years. He knew that she had been a slave once but had long earned her freedom due to her skills in healing. "Bryna should stay with you then", Ragnar said.
"She is not a slave", Kava asked amazed.
"I am not", Bryna said smiling but her smile fell. "But I owe a debt…"
"I cannot see why you cannot live with the healer Kava and keep it", Ragnar stated then walked away.
The two women watched the Viking walk away. Kava embraced Bryna again. "Welcome home daughter of my heart", Kava said taking Bryna's hand.
"It's good to be home", Bryna replied but she wondered if those words were true.
Well there you have it another chapter. I must say that I am surprised by the reactions to this story. I was getting reviews just as fast as I typed this chapter. There were so many that I cannot thank all of you personally right now. Also I know this chapter is a little rocky but it had to be done. Chapters may not always come quickly so please be patient and thank you so much!
