Ragnar was angry, he left her to sleep for no longer than one hour when he was told that she was gone. He didn't have to ask what happened because he already knew that she made a runner. Her foot tracks not only led from the tent to the edge of the barrier, but now he knew that her ever considering leaving with him for Kattegat was impossible.

The cunning princess played him, and he wasn't happy. But he wasn't going to leave her out there either. He assembled a small team of men to go after her and bring her back. All the while ignoring the laughing from Rollo, "she is trouble brother. We should forget about her, leave her for the wild animals." Rollo said a little too seriously. "I knew she wasn't taking anything you were saying serious, brother. She was too interested and too intrigued."

"Shut up," Ragnar snapped as he took the lead.

After a few minutes of walking in almost silence, Rollo spoke again. "She played you brother, played all of us. She can't be trusted. You need to stop talking to her and telling her things."

"Yes brother, but I need her to tall me things. Things that may help our future raids on England. And if I don't tell her anything, she will not speak to me. That is why I chose her; pretty, smart, but mostly naïve. She is a very easy target and we need her if we wish to leave with our gold and silver without bloodshed." Ragnar replied calmly. But he felt anything but calm; he was annoyed and rather angry. Abril played and took him for a fool, he would not allow that to happen again, he would have to keep her under constant guard.

….

ABRIL…

When Abril awoke she was no longer lying in a cold wet ditch, she was back in the Viking camp laying on a bed of furs. She thought for a second that maybe it was all a dream and that she never left, but it felt so real, it had to be real. And it was. When she sat up she felt the pounding in her head right away and drew her head to the sorest spot. There was dried blood from where it had attempted to be cleaned.

She jumped at the sound of someone yelling Ragnar's name and looked to her left to see two Northmen by the door of the tent. Were they guarding her?

"Nice to see you awake. I was almost tempted to leave you in that ditch." He paused for a moment to smile a sly and deviant smile at her. "But I didn't, still need my gold and silver and you are a very nice bargaining chip."

Abril realised right then that the friendly tone he was speaking was not at all friendly, it was sarcastic and unkind. He meant to scare and intimidate her into whatever kind of submission he wanted. And it was working. She knew she made a huge mistake by trying to escape, it was a foolish thought to think that she could achieve such a mission. And by trying to escape, she had gotten caught, brought back to this heathen camp and had so very clearly angered Ragnar; the only person who would grant her safe return to her people.

Right now, a marriage to Aethelwulf didn't sound too bad at all.

"Come on, I have something to show you." Ragnar said as he held his hand out to help Abril up.

She was reluctant and nervous, but took his hand anyway and let him help her up. They walked in silence in the direction where her uncle and other guards were kept and felt her heart start beating into her throat. Why was he taking her there? What was he going to do?

She looked around, the day was dark and gloomy. It was definitely going to rain, or maybe it already had. She wondered how the Northmen would stand against her father and his armies in the rain. Shocking thoughts started to run through her mind about her father's army coming along and slaying the Northmen and taking her and her uncle back to safety.

She didn't like death, or wish it upon anyone, but right now Ragnar's mood was the complete opposite of what it had been so far. It made her wonder if his kindness was all just a charade and he was always like this, or was it only because she had angered him.

"Abril, what are you doing here?" Her uncle said as they neared where the prisoners were tied and bound. He looked alarmed and a little scared.

"The princess is my guest until I get the gold and silver I asked for." Ragnar replied with a smile as he threw an arm over Abril's shoulder.

"Get your hands off me," she spat as she ducked under his arm and pushed him away. He laughed and smiled a little at her antics.

"Feisty too. Only sometimes though, not all the time," he smiled at her.

Abril glared at him. He was doing this on purpose, to anger her, scare her, or whatever. She was annoyed at his antics. Ragnar Lothbrok was intentionally waving her in front of her uncle and his men, and for what? What was he hoping to achieve by this?

"Please, do not harm the princess. She is a good and sweet mistress. She has a kind heart and is a friend to all." Her uncle pleaded.

"Good and kind, a friend to all? Funny, she isn't being friendly. Playing on a person's mind like she did last night and then trying to run away. But don't worry, we caught up to her." Ragnar was talking in the sarcastic and witty tone he spoke in when something seemed to annoy him.

"Princess, your head? Did they harm you?" Abril's uncle asked.

She shook her head, "no uncle, the Northmen have not physically harmed me." She said quietly. "They are doing as they told father they would; feed, keep me warm, care for and keep me safe. They have done everything they said they would." She said sadly.

"See, I am not all bad." Ragnar said.

"What do you want?" Abril watched her uncle get irritated. He was a good man, always good to her and her siblings. She remembered all the times when she was young that he would tell stories and play games with her and her brother and sister.

He was a good man and most unfortunate that he was in this situation, it was unfortunate that any of these men were in this situation. Her uncle did not deserve this, the guards did not deserve this, she did not deserve this either. But what was Ragnar playing at?

All of a sudden three warriors ran over and were shouting at Ragnar. He smiled and looked at Abril and her uncle before saying: "You all may be going home sooner rather than later."

He grabbed Abril by the wrist, it wasn't hard but still hard enough to make her wince and want to pull away from him, and he led her through the Vikings that were now crowding near the front gates. She saw three of her father's men lead a horse and cart covered with trunks into the field before releasing the horse and all the men running away leaving the cart in the open.

Ragnar let go of Abril's arm with a smile before looking at the cart in the field. He didn't say anything, he simply waved to four men to check the trunks. Turning to Abril, "Looks like your father is a smart man after all," he smirked at her.

Abril didn't say anything, she felt scared of him. He was so kind and rather gentle yesterday. And now he was being so cruel and unkind that she didn't not think it to be possible – or she didn't want to think it was possible. His personality changed so quickly, and it was all because she ran last night. She wanted to go home, it was not fair that she be here in the first place.

Ragnar's brother Rollo was a disgrace last night. And Ragnar himself didn't do anything to defend her from the foul and drunken advances of the lout Rollo. She wanted to get out, she needed to get out of here. And hopefully with payment from her father, he would release her, her uncle and other captives.

The four men checked the cases before screaming something back to Ragnar, then an uproar of displeasure erupted throughout the camp. Abril looked at the field, in the distance she saw Northumbrian guards came over the hill in horseback. "Is this why you ran last night? Did you know?" Ragnar asked Abril.

But the words didn't register, they went in one ear and out the other. She was in shock over what was happening, over what was about to happen. She didn't fully register or notice when she was suddenly pushed aside and hit the ground hard. It was only when the Viking's were fast preparing for battle, yelling and hitting their weapons against their shields, and the English guards racing their horses towards the perimeter that Abril realised just how bad things were about to get.

She knew about war and fighting, on many occasions her father sent men to fight. But never had she ever been this close. It was terrifying and she didn't know what to do. She crawled inside the closest tent and scrunched her eyes shut tight and pressed the palms of her hands against her ears to block out the growing sounds of the Northmen and her father's soldiers.

Abril tried to think happy thoughts, but struggled greatly with what she knew was going on outside. She hoped the Northumbrian soldiers would defeat the Northmen, but for some reason she was very sure that Ragnar would be back and would be angrier than ever.

"This is not my fault. None of this is my fault." She told herself as she waited for the noise around her to quieten.

Abril thought of Mary, her servant. Mary was kind to her, she always told Abril that there were many things the young princess didn't know or understand, always saying that Abril was silly for thinking the world was a nice place full of kind people. It wasn't her fault though, Abril and her sister Judith lived a very sheltered life. Her mother did too, and so did her brother but she knew that he would soon be assisting father with his affairs.

Abril's job in life was simple; be a lady, get married into a good home, be a mother. That was the only plan that had ever been set out for her, her sister and mother. Never did she think it to be fair, but never did she really argue it. Women should be taught to defend themselves and wield a sword so they to can protect themselves as much as men.

But she was not taught this and would possibly never learn for it was not her place. It was a mans job to protect and care for her, her fathers job until she married and than it was her husbands after. But her father had not protected her, Ragnar said he wanted Abril in his camp, and he barely gave it much thought or argument against it before saying that she would accompany the Northmen. It angered her and made her feel foolish. She thought back to that day and how she laughed along with them at their antics, how stupid and naïve she was.

Mary, she missed Mary and her sister too. Despite always being told by them how silly and pretty she was. That it didn't matter that she was not more intelligent for she had the looks of an angel and a smile as bright as the sun. She still missed them and wished to be home, safe and away from the bloodshed that was pooling in her ears around her.

She didn't notice when it quietened. She didn't notice that tears were streaming in a steady flow down her face. But she did notice when Ragnar was suddenly pulling her by the wrist from the tent she hid herself in. "Where are we going?" She asked through sobs.

He didn't answer, and his grip on her arm was slightly painful. "Please Ragnar, you're hurting me. I'm sorry if I have angered you." She tried again.

He dragged her over to where her uncle and other English guards were bound. She looked down to his axe, it was dripping with blood, as were his hands too. And his face was covered in spatters of blood. Never had she seen anything so terrifying on the face of a man before, it was almost impossible to believe – especially since he had been rather nice and attentive to her since meeting her, up until this morning that was.

"It seems your brother, the king, does not care if you live or die."

"If you let me talk to him, I will persuade him to honour his pledge."

"I still can't decide who means more to the king; you, or his brother?" He looked from Abril to her uncle, and laughed a sarcastic and devilish laugh. "I should slit one of your throats and find out."

Abril tried her hardest to choke back more sobs and tears, but she couldn't. Instead she ended up hugging her waist and moving back from Ragnar. "Stop, please. Do not harm my niece, this is not her fault and she has a good soul." Her uncle plead.

"Please, please just let us go." Abril begged.

Ragnar continued to ignore her. "I told the king the terms and conditions, someone must pay for his insolence." Ragnar said to her uncle before standing up again and walking toward Abril. "Why do you cry?" He asked her gently as he tilted her chin with his axe to look at him. "What is wrong?" He asked in an almost soothing tone.

"Please, I am sorry for trying to escape you last night. Please do not do this. My father will pay you what you ask." Abril pleaded in a whisper.

He smirked, "I know he will pay. I have his brother and his daughter; a future queen." Ragnar said as he wiped the blood from her face that his axe Left. Ragnar leaned in close to Abril, "close your eyes, princess." He said as he ran abandon down her long knotted hair.

Before Abril had time to react to what he said, Ragnar spun fast and sliced her uncles throat open. Blood sprayed out a little and he was gurgling and choking, his eyes wide and skin turning pale and deathly looking. Abril started to scream and back away from what she just witnessed, she didn't get far before falling backwards over a log where she struggled to gain her footing and ended up falling over.

She couldn't tear her eyes away from the now lifeless body of her uncle, or stop herself from hyperventilating. She was quickly pulled to her feet by Ragnar where she struggled and fought against him. He quickly picked her up and grew her over his shoulder before walking to the tent she has been sleeping in.

She stopped fighting him, but the tears flowed in a steady stream as he dropped her down on the bed. "Abril, can you hear me?"

"Don't talk to me, you are a monster. If you are going to hurt me, do it and get it over with. Stop drawing this pain and torture out any longer." She spat angrily at him.

"I am a monster?" He asked surprised. "I told you at the start I would not harm you, why don't you believe me?"

"You're a liar!" She screamed. "You killed him, you killed my uncle. He was a good man. You are not a good person, you're a monster and liar!" She screamed at him before dropping down on her bed of furs and sobbed into her hands.

"I am sorry," she apologised. "You were nice, very nice. You have done everything you said you would, and I shouldn't have run, but I just want to go home. I do not want to stay here, I do not want to leave with you and go to your home, I just want to go home." She sobbed and cried as Ragnar continued to stand there and look down at her.

Abril wondered what he was thinking and if was going to be any nicer. She was sorry, and was starting to regret ever thinking she would be able to get away from the Northmen. What ran through her mind the day before and had her thinking that she could pull off such a large stunt was lost to her now. She obviously didn't know what she was thinking, and still didn't.

Her mother's words from a year ago ran through her mind. "Stick to what you know and have been taught. Do not stray far as you won't succeed, dear girl." She said that when Abril suggested joining a monastery or doing charitable work for the people of Northumbria. Her mother and father bother laughed, saying how silly and childish the thought was, and that she shouldn't voice her opinion or thoughts so freely. Her sister told her that it wasn't silly to want something other than what was set out for her, but the odds of it happening were unlikely. And her uncle, her dear uncle who was just murdered in front of her said that she could do anything if she believed.

"I don't want to argue with you or upset you," Ragnar started to say.

"He didn't do anything, he was my uncle, and a prisoner like I am!" She screamed. "I hate you."

Ragnar laughed, "You are so young right now, you will understand later on." He said before walking out and leaving Abril to cry on the pallet of furs.

It was getting late in the afternoon when Ragnar and a party of his men finally returned. They left to her home and no amount of begging or pleading to Ragnar did any good in getting him to take her with you. Although she was no longer confined to the tent she slept in, she was confined to the camp and two armed guards followed her wherever she went.

Not that she was going far. Her head ached from where she hit it last night, and she had bruises and other small cuts adorning her small frame. She feared what her family may think when they saw her as it looked like the Northmen were rough with her. She hoped she wouldn't have to argue to her parents to prove that no one hurt her, and that these injuries were caused at her own fault.

She was standing by the lake when cheers erupted throughout the camp. She didn't have to turn to know that the Northmen had the gold and silver they asked for. She was angry at them and started replaying everything that happened, trying to figure everything out. Especially trying to figure out why she was here. She really did hope that Ragnar had plans to release her and not take her back to his home across the sea.

She was a freeborn woman in England, but what would that make her in his homeland? She had this sinking feeling in the back of her mind that she would not have the same rights in a foreign land. She knew she wouldn't! Although always considered to be naïve, she had heard many stories about the Northmen from people that travelled "Wanderers", they were called. And some of the stories they told were terrifying and amazing at the same time. Vikings weren't the only people they spoke about. Abril had heard many stories about other lands, cities with high walls and many riches. Poor villages that were stuck by storms often.

"Hello Princess." She turned when she heard Ragnar yelling to her. He was smiling, obviously very pleased with himself. He walked up to her, holding his shoulder back and head high.

"I see you have what you requested from my father," Abril said sounding sad. She knew what this meant for her people, they would be rather poor now for some time, who knew how long it would take to regain the wealth the Northman Ragnar was taking form them.

"Yes, it has turned out to be a very wonderful day. We are packing up, leaving in the hour. You will join me, yes?" He kept smiling at her.

He was being so friendly, even bringing her a mug of wine and some bread. He was back to the same happy, carefree, charming and witty Ragnar that he was a day ago. It angered her, but also made her happy to know that despite her running away he was no longer displeased with her.

"Why? Why do you ask me to go to your home with you?" Abril asked as she turned away from him and looked back at the river.

"You interest me. And you're trapped here, you don't want to get married. You're a young lady that wants to live a little before becoming a woman and mother. Abril, I can give you that freedom." Ragnar spoke soft and quiet, it almost sounded as though he really cared. But Abril couldn't believe any of what he was saying, she wouldn't.

"I am sorry, but my answer is no. The only way I will be leaving with you is against my will." Abril replied.

"I will have you, maybe not now, but I will eventually."

"Do not threaten me, and do not threaten my father with riches in exchange for me. That is not fair." She snapped at him.

"You disappoint me," Ragnar said as he trudged away to help his men pack up for their journey home.