Chapter 5 - More Than an Outing
Sidsel couldn't remember the last time she was this elated. The only instance she could think of was when she was nine winters along, she captured a fox and brought it home. She learned just how foolish a child's idea could be when it tore up everything in its path, desperate for its freedom. Which it got right away.
But Sidsel wanted nothing more than to immerse herself in this moment. She looked longingly at the sky behind her. She finally got to climb that damn peak. It's almost as if it had been taunting her since she first lay eyes upon it. And none other than a fierce son of Ragnar Lothbrok helped her. It's not the most glorious saga but she would definitely make sure to weave that thread into hers.
Her pleasant thoughts were cut short by the horse abruptly stopping. "Why have we stopped?" She asked.
"I need to piss." He grunted as he stepped off his horse and warded into some nearby bushes.
Sidsel whistled a low tune and flicked her forked tongue back and forth to pass the time. When suddenly she felt a great force pull her off the horse. She fell to the ground with a big "whoop!" with her mouth being covered by a large hand. She almost fought back but she realized Ivarr was her attacker.
"HMM?!" She mumbled through his hand.
"Shh! Come this way! Keep low!" He whispered harshly.
She pushed his hand off her mouth. That better not have been the hand that handled his pissing cock! "I never took you to be one for stealth!" She hissed.
The duo hurried through the bushes, keeping low as Ivarr instructed until they reached the drop of a hill.
"What is going on?" Sidsel asked.
"Hush! Look there!" He said, pointing across the way. At the bottom of the hill was a giant pond. Sidsel could make out the tiny splashes of fish jumping in the air.
"Um...what am I looking at? Beautiful scenery?" Sidsel asked sarcastically. But then she realized what Ivarr was so enamored with. Sunngifu and Ceolbert were fishing.
Together. Just the two of them.
"You have got to be kidding me…" Sidsel breathed.
"Look at the little love birds! I'll bet the sweat off my sack Ceolbert makes the first move." Ivarr said giddily.
"How about 20 pieces of silver that Sunngifu beats him to it?" She asked.
"Make it 50 and we have a deal." He said, grinning. He readjusted himself into a comfortable sitting position. All they had to do was wait.
"Strange, the fish are usually very active here." Sunngifu said, shifting her feet.
"Do not fret. We still have plenty of time before dinner. Honestly one thing I particularly like about fishing is how long it can take to snag prey!" Ceolbert said cheerfully.
"Indeed! It's as if the world stops for a moment. You've carved a space of calm in spite of the storms around you." Sunngifu said.
"Storms of war, storms of politics," Ceolbert said.
"Storms of love…" Sunngifu muttered.
"Hm?" Ceolbert asked.
"Nothing!" Sunngifu replied.
Sidsel shook her head. They're going to make me vomit.
Sunngifu took an awkward step moving herself closer to Ceolbert. "You're having more luck over here." She explained. "Oh...I see." Ceolbert said sheepishly.
"Come on, that's my girl!" Sidsel said excitedly.
"Ceolbert, think with your balls!" Ivarr growled.
"I'm...glad we're doing this. Thank you for the invitation." Sunngifu said. Ceolbert was so stiff could probably be knocked over by a gust of wind.
But suddenly Ceolbert landed a definite peck on Sunngifu's cheek.
No. Fucking. Way!
"YEEEEEEES!" Ivarr yelled. The great drengr was so excited he jumped up into the air, almost kicking Sidsel in the face.
"NOOOO!" Sidsel cried out. The teenagers looked around bewilderedly. Ceolbert blocked the sun's glare to see Ivarr prancing over to them.
"Ivarr? What are you doing here?" Ceolbert called.
"My boy you've made me proud today!" Ivarr yelled cheerfully, grabbing the young aetheling up into a fierce hug.
"Woah!" Ceolbert squeaked as he was spun around.
"You've crushed my dreams...and my silver stock." Sidsel said to Sunngifu, pretending to be disappointed.
Sunngifu blushed and scratched the back of her neck. "How long were you watching us?" She asked, sheepishly.
"Long enough to see you fail at making the first pass at dear Ceolbert here." Sidsel said.
"And Ceolbert reigned victorious today!" Ivarr said, finally putting Ceolbert down firmly on the ground.
"I... I guess it was just an impulse." Ceolbert stammered as he tried to maintain his balance.
Sunngifu gave him a reassuring smile. "And I welcome it." She said warmly.
Ceolberts face turned beet red, earning a slap on the back from Ivarr. "Every day your balls grow larger!" Ivarr said.
"Wait...what are you doing here?" Sunngifu asked.
"Well, we were just taking in the sights and…" Ivarr started.
"No. What are you doing here? You're not supposed to be outside the fortress walls without an escort" Sunngifu reiterated, pointing at Sidsel.
"Do you not see Ivarr standing here?" Sidsel asked, crossing her arms.
"Yes, but mother will still be displeased. You're supposed to use one of our escorts." Sunngifu said, crossing her arms as well.
"Tread with care, Sunny. If you so much as whissssper a word of this to your darling mother I'll tell her you were out here alone with the prince of Mercia." Sidsel warned her.
"A simple fishing trip is hardly scandalous!" Sunngifu argued.
"Perhaps I shall...embellish. 'As we passed by, we saw them kissing passionately! They then hurried into the bushes and I couldn't see what they were doing!'" Sidsel said, dramatically swaying the tone of her voice.
"You wouldn't dare!" Sunngifu retorted.
"Oh, young love has a way of making young children do foolish things." Sidsel said, snarkily.
"Ivarr, you'd speak in our defense, right?" Ceolbert asked.
"I don't know...the mental image of that bacraut berating you two is quite amusing." Ivarr snickered.
Sunngifu and Ceolbert looked at each other, alarmed with the predicament before them. "We'll be silent." Sunngifu grumbled.
"Good! Now, we have to get back. Don't have too much fun!" Sidsel said, satisfied with her blackmail. This time it was Sidsel who had a bounce in her step as she and Ivarr returned to their horse. Both of them bantered about their successful trip and the adorable antics of the awkward couple before reaching Hallvard's fortress, upon which Ivarr dismounted and clapped his hands together.
"Alright. I've held up my end of the bargain. When do we get to play?" Ivarr asked, rubbing his hands together excitedly.
"I have to prepare the area first. Come find me in an hour or two." Sidsel explained.
"What?! I was under the impression we could get started right away?" Ivarr complained.
"I need some alone time with Wretch. Fully break him in. It's an intimate moment between master and slave." She said, coyly.
"Do as you must, but I am not a patient man, Sidsel." Ivarr sighed and walked away, pretending to be dejected. Sidsel chuckled at the sight. Wise ass.
Sidsel practically danced through the corridors, earning a few confused glances from those she passed by. The servants were so caught off guard by her unusually cheerful disposition they almost forgot to bow. But she paid no mind to measly protocol tonight. She had plans to arrange! A thank you feast of sorts for Ivarr.
The muffled sounds of Wretch whimpering as she entered further improved her mood. As part of breaking his persona, she had sequestered him into a custom-made solitary chamber. A capsule just large enough for a grown man to be crammed in, but they were unable to move. The thick steel cut the person inside off from all light, a thin slot allowing air to pass through. Wretch had been in there since she beat him in her ritual, the thick stench of piss, shit, and vomit emanated from the capsule.
Sidsel had realized long ago just how vital human contact was in maintaining one's sanity. After her curse was discovered, virtually everyone in her clan stayed away from her. Save the children who would harass her. She felt a poignant sense of isolation despite there being people around her carrying on with everyday life. But Hedda's love and affection had made her feel whole. Healed her in a special way few could relate to.
Of course, her loneliness paled in comparison to total isolation. They are destroyed from the inside out. It breaks a man's spirit, torn to shreds without her needing to lift a finger. Only then could she take those pieces and rebuild them in her image: totally obedient, and too afraid to run. He knows what she can do. He knows what she's done to them. And he knew what she'd be able to do should he be stupid enough to disobey.
She was truly their life, God, and death.
She flung the chambers door open, a goopy mix of bodily fluids pooled out from the bottom. Grabbing a tuft of his hair she pulled him out, flinging him onto the floor. He scrambled to his feet, his whole body shaking as if it was finally relieved to be free of the cumbersome chamber.
"What am I to you." Sidsel said, lowly.
"M-m-my…" Wretch stuttered. Sidsel rolled her eyes. Too slow! She kicked him in the ribs but being so used to pain Wretch just collapsed in total defeat.
"What. Am. I?!" Sidsel barked at him.
"M-my life. My God….and my death!" Wretch squealed. Sidsel took a deep breath and exhaled slowly.
"Gooooooood. My beloved Wretch, I'm glad you've woken up to what you are." She said, pleasantly. She stroked his face tenderly, making the broken man flinch. "Chin up, Wretch! We need to tidy this place up for our guesssssst." She hissed.
"Fetch my tools! I must sharpen them." She ordered. Nodding quickly Wretch scrambled to her tool bench and retrieved a thick leather roll. She unfurled it on the floor revealing her favorite knives.
"Now, go get enough mead to drown an army and bring it here!" She said, dismissively. Wretch nodded quickly and began limping up the steps towards the kitchen.
Removing one from her slot she licked the blunt part of the blade, cradling the handle between her forked tongue.
This is going to be fun!
Ivarr paced back and forth in the fortress's courtyard, anxious for Sidsel to say they could get started. His blood was running hot as the prospect of torturing subjects alongside her. He was excited to do it with her specifically - a feeling he was not accustomed to. Usually people would condemn such cruelty, but Sidsel was different. Though he wasn't sure how her noting how to heal her "test subjects" would pan out.
"Ivarr! Come! Look who I've found!" Ivarr stopped pacing and saw Eivor marching over to him, carrying a tied-up man over her shoulder. Reaching Ivarr, she plopped the man on the ground and placed her hands on her hips. It was clear why she was proud: kneeling before him was none other than Cenric.
"AH! What perfect timing!" Ivarr jeered.
"Timing for what?" Cenric asked, pitifully.
"Sidsel the Serpent and I were going to have fun," Ivarr knelt down to Cenric, his face mere inches from his. "And I'm sure she'd love to experiment on you." Ivarr whispered. Cenric looked away, his breath shaky as he processed what would surely be an excruciating ordeal.
"But you'll kill him." Eivor said.
"That's the point!" Ivarr protested.
"We need him alive for now." Hallvard said, approaching the duo. "Your beloved wife continues to avoid capture. I have a damn good feeling you know exactly where she is," Hallvard said talking down to Cenric.
"Oh great! More waiting! Can't Sidsel and I play with him first?" Ivarr complained.
"You? Help my sister? I never would've guessed you'd be interested in medicine." Hallvard said, raising his eyebrows in surprise.
"I care not for such studies. I just want to have fun." Ivarr said, shrugging.
"Rest assured, you will be welcome to him after we've squeezed the truth out of him." Eivor said.
"You'll never get that from me!" Cenric said, defiantly.
"Perhaps we should just hand you over to Sidsel now. Ivarr's approach is growing more tempting." Hallvard said, crossing his arms. Cenric pressed his lips together as if he was holding any compromising words from flying out of his mouth.
"You are already promised death, for we cannot risk simply exiling you. Speak, and bring forth the inevitable." Eivor said, smacking Cenric over the head. But Cenric spat on her foot.
"ENOUGH!" Ivarr yelled. He grabbed Cenric and hurled him over his shoulders.
"We'll make this bacraut talk." He called over his shoulder.
"Just don't kill him before he does!" Eivor said, laughing.
Ivarr jogged through the fortress's corridors, earning many startled looks from servants passing by. "Sidsel! I bring you another gift! Help me with this fucking door! He yelled. Wretch opened the door and beckoned Ivarr to come in.
"Ivarr, welcome. May you and Lady Sidsel enjoy yourselves." Wretch mumbled quietly. Ivarr ignored the weakling and threw Cenric across the room. Cenric tumbled and laid on his back, completely helpless. Sidsel peered from behind a bookcase where she was organizing large stacks of papers. A wide smile splashed across her face upon seeing Cenric.
"A gift indeed!" She said, giddily.
"I thought we could start with him, especially since he's reluctant to share the location of his beloved wife." Ivarr said as he took off his shirt. He preferred being bare chested when he was about to get feisty. Sidsel stood idly over Cenric and stared at Ivarr.
"What?" Ivarr asked. She said nothing as she shook her head, apparently having to break some kind of trance.
"Right, sorry." She said, hurriedly. Ivarr could see a definite tint of pink on her cheeks and chuckled. She likes what she sees.
Wretch limped up to Ivarr and Sidsel with two full mugs of mead in hand. Ivarr snatched one up and chugged it right away. "Let's get started!" Ivarr yelled.
Sidsel and Ivarr danced and carved the night away. The wrestled with Cenric's body with everything ranging from knives, daggers, whips, and concoctions of Sidsel's invention. By the time they extracted Eadberg's location from him his legs were mostly (probably) mangled flesh at best.
Eventually the mead caught up to them both, resulting in Sidsel and Ivarr falling back on the ground. They laughed and jested about their achievements, exchanging stories of blood they spilt and the joys it brought them.
"AH! That was fun." Ivarr said, reaching for his mug but it was just out of reach. Sidsel noticed and crawled over to hand it to him.
"Why sssssstop here?" Sidsel said. Ivarr looked into her crystal blue eyes and soon realized the fun she wanted to have. Were it not for the mead coursing through his veins he would never consider laying with such a woman, but hell. Why not? He scanned her body, tracing her many curves with his eyes. She pressed her chapped lips against hers in a forefront, passionate kiss before licking his cheek with her forked tongue.
He flung her over on her stomach and tried to pull her trousers down. He grinned at the sight of her ass, mainly because it was surprisingly intact compared to the rest of her body. But before Ivarr could position himself properly the mead made him lose his balance and he collapsed, hunching over Sidsel's half naked body. He breathed in the mixed scent of her hair, Cenric's blood, and piss as everything blurred together into an eventual deep, meady sleep.